Category: Dear Dad

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what computer wallpaper choice is on your desktop?

00MyFavoriteWallpaper

I looked around the net to see if anyone was researching why people put certain things on their computer desktops and found very little… unless I was planning to download ( yeah, right!) a free or pay for a themed desktop wall paper! Maybe this is –as they say — an ‘under researched area’ – but it seems curious to me to see what folks put up on there computers. It must say something about the person?

However, there are some similarities in what people think others use their wall paper for… and her are some of the reasons stated:

1) to remember and celebrate an occasion

The fact that Laura and I appear in a photo together on Ronald Reagan’s Ranch seems to support the idea.

2) to create a restful state of mind

I don’t know if I would use a picture to ‘relax’… but I have seen others do so. I always thought a good Armagnac was useful to relax.

3) to state who you are, provide inspiration or reflect your particular interests

I agree with this. This is your chance to to customize that piece of electronic commodity.  A wallpaper should give folks a glimpse into who you are, what you do and a bit about how you think… that may be asking a lot of a wallpaper… but my  ‘Scallops Alfredo’ says it all to me! 😉

So, what’s on your computer?

Roger Freberg

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out of the google net for now

"My goo-goo-googly eyes!"

How long I have been fighting Google?  I won’t go into all the details, but let’s just say that anything I blogged about  Cal Poly San Luis Obispo never made it into their search engine and I checked regularly… plus I have an automated search to do those sorts of things.

Anyway, today is quite a day as one of my less than complementary blogs about Cal Poly appeared on Google. I am not ready to break out the ‘good stuff’… but it might justify some stuffed Greek grape leaf rolls smothered with Greek yogurt and a shot of Ouzo… it is lunch after all.

One does look for reasons why things like this happen? I had thought maybe I got swept up with the sea of ‘conservative bloggers’ being banned… and maybe it was my recipe for bread pudding... a favorite of conservatives world wide that was the real give away?

I look to being banned again, because I am making a good down home southern favorite of the family… Turgoosen! What can be more controversial? Turgoosen is one of those layered bird meals consisting of a chicken, duck (2) and   goose meats bound within the frame of a deboned turkey… and each with it’s own stuffing! It looks like a turkey but slices like a meat roll with rings of stuffing! Just in time for Christmas.

Since all of this trouble with Google, I have become reliant on  BING... the search is better and they don’t hassle me.

Roger Freberg

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making great oatmeal easily

00MCCANNS

Laura and I were up in silicon valley staying at a nice hotel. We came down to breakfast and ordered the love of my childhood existence…. cooked oatmeal with fruit, brown sugar and other good stuff! Laura looked at me after her first bite and said, ‘this is good!’ At first, Laura thought that something had changed in her that suddenly and inexplicably changed her attitude towards oatmeal from dread to anticipation? It was the quality oatmeal, it’s preparation and it’s presentation.

Anyway, when we returned I pulled out   my favorite Oatmeal and threw it into a rice cooker… and it turned out perfectly! A note of caution, if you use a  rice cooker, take the lid off and keep an eye on it until you find a routine that works for you.

By the way, after 37 years of marriage, it’s nice that we can still surprise each other.

Roger Freberg

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rolling grape leaves for Greek dolmades

00GrapeRoll

I’ve been blogging a while on a few of the items I have been making that have a Greek accent. I have enjoyed rolling grape leaves with a favorite stuffing of rice, onions, garlic, various seasonings and beef or lamb. Delicious!

However, one blogger told me that he didn’t know how to roll grape leaves and asked for help, and he wasn’t alone. Here’s how to do it:

1) Lay out your grape leaves as shown above starting from left to right with each leaf overlapping the one slightly vertically… and horizontally.

2) place your filling as shown… it doesn’t take very much as you will see

3) lift the far left edges of the leaves and roll firmly

4) when you reach the far right… tuck both the top edge and bottom edge under.

There is a process for treating the leaves if you use fresh that isn’t too difficult and you should be able to find it on-line. The real challenge for many is if you buy the kind that comes in a jar. The interesting thing is that typically, each jar has two rolls and each can be removed if you take out the last roll placed in the jar…first. Look carefully and you will clearly see that one was placed in last. Gently separate the leaves and place in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them ( to reduce the saltiness) and rinse careful a couple of times.

Hope this helps. Greek Dolmades Recipe

Roger

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what does the chef have that is new?

Corned Beef Pie is perfect for fall and winter!
Corned Beef Pie is perfect for fall and winter!

There isn’t anyone who hasn’t spent time around the kitchen that hasn’t heard from clients, patrons or family members the often chilling call …”what do YOU have that’s NEW??”

Currently, I am looking at various approaches to birds in pies… a fowl concept indeed!

Rather than look for questionable combination’s utilizing exotic items and creating ‘tentacles with licorice sauce’ … I prefer to look at improvements on an old favorite.  I don’t know too many people that don’t enjoy a meat pie of some sort… and I am very much a fan of corned beef…. even Laura loves it.

Here again is the recipe and step by step directions.

I thought about ‘something new’ as I was looking through the freezers and found — misfiled — one of my corned beef pies! Finding buried treasure can be fun … and delicious!

Roger