What to do with a left-over turkey

Not my turkey

OK, so Thanksgiving dinner is over, your turkey no longer looks at ALL like that pretty picture over there → and you now have the massive task of taking care of its remains.   What to do, what to do…

It’s a big job, but not insurmountable – just do it one thing at a time.  And don’t throw anything away – get the most for your turkey dollar.  Just a few ideas:

First things first.  If you are like me, you actually carve just about as much turkey as your guests will consume (plus a little extra for piggy seconds).  So the first task is to finish carving the turkey up.  I neatly slice what I can, then pick off the remaining big pieces with my (clean) fingers. 

Of this, I split the turkey slices and large pieces into 2 or 3 portions; I package and freeze two of them, and put the remainder in the refrigerator for a second (and third) turkey dinner tomorrow.  Hopefully, you have lots of leftover side dishes to go along with all of this when the time comes.  You can have a standard turkey dinner, you can chop and mix some of it with gravy and have hot turkey sandwiches, etc.  There's another idea down at the end of this piece. 

The smaller pieces I chop and make a turkey salad for sandwiches:

Turkey Salad
1 or 2 cups of chopped turkey
1 gob mayo ( a couple of TB maybe)
1 or 2 tsp mustard
Chopped celery
Chopped onion (green is great, but regular old yellow onion is also good)
Pepper

Mix this all together in a bowl. Vary the amount of mayo until it looks right, and not too dry. This is a simple mixture, but it's great on soft white bread with crispy iceberg lettuce, or on left-over dinner rolls.  You can add a chopped hard-boiled egg if you've got one handy.

Now, you’ve still got some-kind of large turkey carcass sitting there.  Make stock!  Throw him into a large pot with all of his bones you've got hanging about, cover him with fresh cold water, add a few pieces of onion, celery and peeled carrot (leave these in larger pieces so you can easily discard them later).  Add a clove or two of smashed garlic and season with some other herbs and peppers.  I use salt-free mixes or just pick things out of the garden if I have any (thyme, rosemary, etc).  Heat to a boil, skim off as much foam as you can and then reduce to a simmer (covered) for several hours. 

While this is simmering, clean up your mess and your kitchen.  Wash the dishes.  Watch the game.  Whatever.  At the end of the evening, if it is cold outside, I put the hot pot on a wire rack to cool outside overnight, then finish the cooking the next day (if necessary), because there probably isn’t room in the refrigerator for it at this point.

After four or five hours of simmering, you've got some great stock to make soup, or use for anything you need turkey stock for.  I set some aside for soup and put the remainder (after it cools of course) into 1 pint freezer sacks; you can put 1 or 2 cups in each sack (premeasure it exactly so you know how many to take out to thaw when you need it) and lay them FLAT on a cookie sheet or a plate in the freezer to freeze flat.  Write the ID and date on the sack before you pour in the broth. Once they freeze and hold their shape, you can take them off the cookie sheet or plate and store them neatly upright.

Of course, before you do all of that, you'll want to remove the bones and pieces into a large colander which you've set over a large bowl; after it has a chance to drain for a little while, pour that broth back into the rest. Then strain it all before you package and freeze it.  If it is fatty, let the fat separate and skim as much of it off as you can.

Now… You’ve got a nice large bowl of bits and pieces – and some of that stuff in there looks pretty nasty, eh?  So get yourself a small knife, and wash your hands up real sanitary-like, we’re going to pick through all of that simmered refuse and dig out ALL of the little pieces of meat and put them into a smaller bowl.  This is the part of the job that takes the longest time, but it’s not too bad once you’re busy at it.  It goes pretty fast.  But don’t hurry – there’s probably a pound or two of meat you can put back into the soup pot in there, hiding.  Pick through the bits and pieces, separating the stuff you don’t want from the little bits of meat.  The larger chunks can be chopped with the knife while you work. 

Once you get this all done, you have been tossing the bones and gristle and other little nasties into the trash sack nearby while you work (haven't you?), and what you have left is a bowl of little bits of turkey meat that are great for making turkey soup.  A ten-pound bird will net you about 2/3 of a pound of meat bits – but you may get a pound or two from a larger turkey.  I take this “soup meat” and split it into smaller portions – and freeze what I won’t use right then.

Kinda like my soup

Turkey Soup
1/3 pound soup meat (as above)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped or sliced thin
1 stalk celery, chopped or sliced
1/3 onion, chopped
1 chunk cabbage, sliced and chopped
1 handful of peas
2½ cups turkey stock
Herbs, salt and pepper for seasoning
Small handful shell macaroni or pipettes, etc.

Add a small bit of oil to a pot, toss in the vegetables and sauté for a few minutes on medium heat.  I don't use large chunks like that photo up there -- but you can do them however you want to; it's YOUR soup. When about halfway cooked, dump in the stock and the turkey.  Season as desired with an herb mixture.  Add some chopped fresh parsley.  Pepper is good…

Bring to a boil, then simmer for about ten minutes.  Add the pasta and cook about 10 minutes more on low heat, just a little past "simmer."  Have a small glass of wine while you do this, or play with your dog.  When it is finished, adjust your seasonings (I almost always add a bit more as turkey soup tends to be a bit bland) and after it cools, put it in the fridge or freeze it for later dinners when you’re tired or cold.  This makes about a quart of finished soup, mas o menos.

This concludes our small exercise in making the fullest use of a Thanksgiving turkey.  I like a little variety, so I’m going to toss one more recipe out there for some of those leftover turkey slices/large pieces.  A friend of my Mom gave her this recipe and it is a fun way to use up some of the leftover turkey.  I couldn’t find Polly-Anne’s exact recipe in my Mom’s recipe box, so I looked online until I found one that looked most like it.  This came out about identical to the way I remember Polly-Anne's “Turkey Taco Ole.”  Allrecipes.com calls this Southwestern Turkey Casserole.  Whatever you call it, it’s pretty darned tasty.  It’s a southwestern-style turkey-tortilla version of lasagna!

• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 7oz can diced green chilies, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 10 oz diced or chunked leftover turkey
• 16 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 8 oz shredded mild cheddar

 Heat oven to 350.

1. Grease a 13x9“ baking pan.
2. Make the required number of tortillas, or use store-bought if you have to.  Cut them into strips.
3. In a large bowl, combine the condensed soup, the turkey, the sour cream and the chilies.
4. Arrange half the tortilla strips evenly in the bottom of the pan. 
5. Spread half the soup/turkey mixture over the tortillas. Top with half the cheese.  (Instead of shredded, I used ultra-thin slices of Sargento mild cheddar and it worked great). 
6. Repeat the three layers (tortillas, turkey mix, cheese) ending with the cheese. 
7. Place in the oven for about 40 minutes.  Cheese should be browned and bubbly.  Upon removal from the oven, let it set-up for a few minutes before serving.

I halved this recipe and made it in an 8x8 baking pan.  I use only the Cream of Chicken soup when I do this, 1 can.  Use lower-salt soup if you can find it – canned soup has a huge amount of sodium in it. [Please note; you CAN make home-made condensed soup, using your own stock.  I made this recipe recently with a smoky home-made turkey stock and it was very, very good. I cannot serve my family foods that are high in sodium, and this was my reason for not using the canned soup.  Not to mention the great flavor!]


This is not at all spicy.  You could hot it up by adding a tsp or two of dried red pepper flakes to the turkey/soup mixture, or use a can of jalapeños instead of the green chilies. This is one of those dishes that tastes even better the 2nd day.



My Grandma said...

“The best thing I ever have in my kitchen is a friend who likes my cooking.” 
          Lulabelle Pruitt

Remembering John Kennedy, 1917-1963

John F. Kennedy - 35th US President

"Two generations later, the assassination still stirs quiet sadness in the baby boomers who remember it as the beginning of a darker, more cynical time."  [ABC News; November 22, 2013]

Fifty years ago this Friday morning, not just a man, not just a president, but a dream shared by many Americans was shattered by an assassin's bullets in Texas. His leadership not only brought hope to Americans, but he brought hope and encouragement to others around the world as well. I thought perhaps this anniversary could pass unnoticed by me because I have been jaded by the sordidness of American politics, by the fallibility of men, and that after the passage of so many years the residual effects of these memories would not be significant, that I could ignore them.  They were, I thought, something from a distant past. 

In that, I was mistaken, as the memory of those events has today brought me much sadness. We cannot know with any certainty how history would have judged the Kennedy presidency absent his assassination. His plans were cut short before they could play out, so his possible successes and his failures will remain conjecture forever. But we do know that a large measure of our innocence was taken from us that day. Those of us who lived through the events of late-November, 1963 never saw the world in quite the same bright way again. At age ten, I was not "political," and I have never had an opinion about JFK's politics - the tragic cost of his loss only became clear to me in subsequent years, and those far-reaching effects lie totally outside the realm of his beliefs or his political platform.

I have been reading a lot about John Kennedy this week, and I have been looking for something meaningful to share with you.  The words of his inaugural address came to mind.

“Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

Now the trumpet summons us again. Not as a call to bear arms, though embattled we are, but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle; a struggle against the common enemies of man – tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom.

In the hour of maximum danger, I do not shrink from this responsibility, I welcome it. The energy, the faith, the devotion, which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world - ask not what America can do for you - but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love - asking His blessing and His help - but knowing that here on earth
God's work must truly be our own.”

John Kennedy
Inaugural Address - January 20, 1961

JFK's Eternal Flame

Who I remember on Remembrance Day; Fred Ferguson

On Memorial Day, we remember those we lost.  On Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, we remember those who served.  We have had so many wars, and beyond that, so many others have served in times of peace, that the faces and the names tend to get lost in the masses.  So I thought for this Remembrance Day, I would find one name, one face, and pass along his story to you.

Almost the first name that came to mind was Fred Ferguson.  He was of my own time, almost my generation, about the age of someone who could have been my big brother, or a young uncle.  Today he’s 74 years old; he retired as a Major in 1982. Even after retirement, he has continued to "serve" our community in different ways. Years ago, I believe in my activities with the (then-named) Confederate Air Force, I got to meet Fred Ferguson; I consider that an honor to this day.

He was born in Texas, from where so many good things come.  He joined the Army as a young man in 1958, in Phoenix, and ten years later was serving in Southeast Asia.  That was the year of the Tet Offensive. He had become, by that time, a helicopter pilot, flying what we remember today (somewhat affectionately) as the Huey, perhaps the most-recognized icon of the Vietnam War.  In the climactic battle at Hue he distinguished himself with clear-headed action and a determination to get the job done under horrific conditions that many others wouldn’t risk.  That's not just empty prose - others looked at the situation and refused to go.  But Fred Ferguson wouldn't leave American troops and aircrew behind as their position fell to the North Vietnamese. Here is what his Medal of Honor commendation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. CWO Ferguson, U.S. Army distinguished himself while serving with Company C. [1st Air Cav]

CWO Ferguson, commander of a resupply helicopter monitoring an emergency call from wounded passengers and crewmen of a downed helicopter under heavy attack within the enemy-controlled city of Hue, unhesitatingly volunteered to attempt evacuation. Despite warnings from all aircraft to stay clear of the area due to heavy antiaircraft fire, CWO Ferguson began a low-level flight at maximum airspeed along the Perfume River toward the tiny, isolated South Vietnamese Army compound in which the crash survivors had taken refuge. Coolly and skillfully maintaining his course in the face of intense, short range fire from enemy-occupied buildings and boats, he displayed superior flying skill and tenacity of purpose by landing his aircraft in an extremely confined area in a blinding dust cloud under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. Although the helicopter was severely damaged by mortar fragments during the loading of the wounded, CWO Ferguson disregarded the damage and, taking off through the continuing hail of mortar fire, he flew his crippled aircraft on the return route through the rain of fire that he had experienced earlier and safely returned his wounded passengers to friendly control. CWO Ferguson's extraordinary determination saved the lives of five of his comrades. His actions are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the U.S. Army.

Ferguson

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”  When you read the reports of what he did (or hear him tell the story), those words take on new layers of meaning. They become real.  On the ground, in the smoke, in the horror of a fierce battle with jagged metal flying everywhere, he kept his head and focused on the plight of others. We cannot imagine what that is like, the reality of it, unless we’ve been there, unless we've been immersed in the white-knuckled, mind-numbing terror. 

Citizen Ferguson served his country – us – for about 24 years.  He served in peace and he served in war. He deserves our thanks and our remembrance today and every day.  Wherever he is, whatever he’s doing, I hope he knows that he and others like him are the reason we remember on Remembrance Day. When I think about the face of a Vietnam-era veteran, a true hero, it is men like Fred Ferguson that I think about.

Dick, this one's for you.

I like fish tacos!

I've been making fish tacos this week for a quick supper.  These are a Baja and San Diego tradition. They're not too difficult -- and mine have the same "bite" that you can find in a fast food joint.  So why pay more?

First off, most of them come in a soft corn tortilla, so that's how I made them all week.  But I was thinking it might be even better to use a fried corn tortilla instead -- so I may try that next time.  The difference is oil.  For soft, I heat a cast iron griddle, no oil, and when hot I cook each tortilla about 15 secs on one side, then flip and do about ten seconds more.  Make your taco while it is still hot.

For crispier tortillas, put a couple tsps of oil on the griddle once it is hot, and fry the tortillas maybe 30-60 secs.  Fry them on both sides a few secs, then about halfway through, fold them in half and fry a little on each side.  You can use tongs, I usually just work quick with clean fingers, but beware the hot oil.  Drain 'em a few moments on a piece of paper towel.

When I make tacos, I try to have everything else ready -- side dishes I mean, and serve the tacos hot as they come off the griddle -- each person can stuff their own. Or the cook can fill the hot tortilla with the meat mixture and let each diner do the rest at the table.  Whatever works for you.

Here's the ingredients I used for my fish tacos this week...

Fish.  You can use frozen fillets or fish sticks if you want, prepared and cut into chunks.  This fish is by its nature a bit mushy in texture.  Or, better yet, I got a small piece of cod (any firm white fish will work well) and cut him into chunks, dredged each piece in a mix of flour, cayenne, onion powder, salt and pepper.  I fried them for a little while on medium+ heat until they were golden.  Little pieces of fish don't take long.  With a little more time on my hands, I'd probably prepare the fish in a basket on the charcoal grill for a lighter meal.  Cooking the fish is the LAST thing you do though.

For the compleat fish taco, you need a coarse cabbage slaw, and a nice guacamole "salsa."

Slaw ingredients:
2T light-flavored olive oil
2T lime juice, preferably fresh squeezed
salt, pepper and sugar.
Two or three handfuls of coarsely shredded cabbage (shredded stringy is the custom).

When tossing the slaw, stay as dry as possible with your dressing -- two much dressing makes for soggy slaw.  Crisper is better on a fish taco, but you do want the tangy flavor of the lime dressing. It's a tightrope!  I used about 3/4 tsp of white pepper, 3/4 tsp of sea salt, and about 2 tsp of sugar.  You can omit the sugar if you wish.  I happen to like it better with the touch of sweetness.

Now the guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1/8 cup sour cream
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine (I use a little food chopper)
1 T minced fresh onion (red, green, sweet, whatever)
1 T chopped cilantro (dry is fine, but use less by half)
1.5 T fresh lime juice
The avocado seed.

If you want hotter, use the whole jalapeno and more cayenne.  Maybe a jalapeno seed or two.  Keep your cotton-pickers away from your eyes though.

Peel and mash the avocado with the sour cream and the lime juice until smooth.  Add the remaining ingredients and place in a tightly sealed container WITH the avocado pit. Make this about an hour before your meal.  (Slaw too). You can also add some minced fresh garlic to this -- sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.   Good either way.

To make the delicious fish taco, cook the desired fish, and heat or fry the tortilla.  Place the tortilla on a plate, spread a TB or so of the guacamole on the middle of the tortilla, top with some slaw.  Be careful not to get the slaw dressing on the taco too much -- it will get soggy.  I usually dip a little of the slaw out of the bowl and into a strainer for a few seconds, letting the dressing drain back into the slaw-bowl, before putting it on the tortilla.  Top this with several chunks of the fish!  (this is for the soft corn tortillas -- for crispy ones, you fold the ingredients inside the hot crispy tortilla as it comes out of the oil.

This is enough for 3 or 4 tacos, depending on your fish size -- and there's enough salsa for about twice as many more, so you're half-way to fish tacos for tomorrow's meal too.  If you want.

I'm low rent -- I served these with Mexican-flavor Rice-a-Roni.  Hey, it's a work day, gimme a break!
 

Calavacitas for Mandy

This is a little Mexican vegetable side dish in my part of the world.  The calabacita* is a type of squash, but you can also substitute zucchini if you can't find the real thing. Taste and texture, they are almost indistinguishable from each other.  Cook this very slowly. 

*I find the calabacita at Wal-Mart here, and I guess they will also be found in Mexican markets in the SW USA.

 

⅓ cup chopped onion

½ jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine (or green chilies of some other variety)

Smidge of olive oil (maybe 1 TB)

Calavacitas

1 calavacita squash, partially pared and diced

½ cup or so frozen or fresh corn

Salt/pepper/cilantro

⅛ cup milk

⅓ to ½ cup grated co-jack cheese

 

Sauté the onion and jalapeno in the oil for a few moments.  Add the squash.  Mix and cook, covered for a little while. Add the milk, corn, seasonings and herbs and cook a while longer. Add the cheese, and stirring constantly, heat until the cheese melts. Or just cover it, turn off the heat and let it sit for a little while. All in all, this should take 20-30 minutes.  It will be like a little squash "stew."  This will not be "hot" as prepared -- but you can notch up the heat by leaving in a few of the pepper's seeds, or adding some red pepper flakes, etc (or of course you just use the whole pepper).  If using fresh corn, add it earlier so it cooks completely - I used frozen tonight so it didn't need to cook as long. 

This will serve 4 as a side dish.  Tonight, it was a wonderful accompaniment for fish tacos.
 

Suzy Bogguss in Concert

Waiting for Suzy

So...  Suzy Bogguss in concert!  I had a seat very close to the stage.  She started on time and sang for almost two hours without a break, at the acoustically wonderful Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) auditorium in north Phoenix.

Her accompaniment was lead guitarist Paul Kramer and bassist Charlie Chadwick.  Suzy played rhythm guitar as I think most lead singers do.  She sang many songs I knew, from Aces mostly which is the one album I owned until now. She also included several traditional American folk songs that everyone knew all from her most recent album - in 2011. One she didn't play that I would have loved to hear was "Music on the Wind" from "Aces."

Her live performance "voice" is a bit more "clipped" than you get in the studio recordings -- her voice doesn't soar quite as much in live sets.  If you are familiar with the limitations of live performance I don't need to explain why.  But no matter -- it was wonderful and I loved every minute of it.  It was like having a great performance in your own living room and Suzy Boggus has one of the purest, sweetest singing voices you've ever heard. This lady can sing and her back-ups were top-notch.



At another show...

After the concert and the encore, she said she'd meet us "all" outside the theater -- she'd stay as long as we did.  To me, she's a "Big Star"  and I have NEVER seen any performer do that in my entire life.  She stayed until she shook the last hand, posed for the last photo, hugged the last kid.  I know, 'cause I watched.  One thing that surprised me was that the audience was a predominantly older group.  I guess it shouldn't, since she's been around for a while -- just like those of us who went to see and hear her last night.  I feel sorry for those who don't like this kind of music -- tuneful, country, sweet, folksy, and decidedly American.

What a warm human being and a class act.  I'm really kind of irritated though.  Now I have to buy a lot more of her music.  Just can't help it.

Uncle Bob's Enchiladas del Pollo (Chicken Enchiladas)

Me gusta mucho...

These were not spicy as I made them this evening... my roomie is 93 and her days of spicy food are over... but you can heat them up very easily and if you like that kind of flavor, I suspect you know exactly how to accomplish it.

I started with several chicken thighs, covered them in approximately two cups of water and brought them to a simmer.  They were ready in 40 or 45 minutes.  I poured off the broth into a jar, and refrigerated both for a day or two.  This broth can be made richer by the addition of a carrot, some onion and celery while cooking...  if you prefer.  And why not?

Preparation time: 

I removed the lard from the chicken broth and made sauce out of the broth.

- 3 TB Shortening or Butter, or oil.  I used a combination of shortening and oil tonight. You can use some of the chicken fat as well if you wish.  I don't eat chicken fat too much...
- 3 TB Flour
- 1 TB chili powder (results in milder flavor, normally I'd add two in my enchilada sauce)
- Sprinkle of dry onion bits
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- Coarse ground black pepper to taste

Place the above in a saucepan and cook for a couple of minutes.  Add 2 cups of cold broth all at once, stir and cook until thickened.  Set aside.

Skin, debone and shred the chicken.  I left mine a little chunky.  Set aside after heating in the microwave for a couple of minutes, at half power.  I wanted to just warm it a little, but not dry it out.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to at least 400 degrees.
Chop a yellow, brown or white onion.
1 lb of Mexican style cheese, shredded.  I like a mild cheese in my Mexican food -- I do NOT use cheddar.
Open 1 small can of Hatch green chilies* (or whatever you can get where you live.)  Rosarita, Macayo, etc.
El chicken, as prepared
12 corn tortillas

* Or, even better, grill and char a couple of mild green chili peppers, skin and chop them.  Fresh is best but I was in a hurry!

Heat a griddle or skillet to sizzling (a little bit of oil).

Fry a tortilla for a few seconds until it softens, flip and fry a few more seconds.  You do not want them crispy for enchiladas.  I add a tiny bit of oil to the griddle for each tortilla.

Place the tortilla on a plate, smear it with a TB of the sauce.  Place a bit of chicken, some onion, some green chili bits and a pile of queso (cheese!) on the center of the tortilla, slightly off center.  Roll the tortilla around the fillings loosely and place in a 13x9 baking pan, loose (flap) side down.  You've already prepared the pan by generously greasing the bottom, and added several TB of sauce to it.  If you lay two enchiladas end to end the long way, you can get six on each half of the pan.  (See photo above).

Repeat for all twelve tortillas.

Place uncovered in the oven for about 7 or 8 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle some chopped onions over the top, and ladle the remaining sauce over it.  Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on top.  I add the leftover green chilies also, if any.  Back in the oven, uncovered, bake for about 12-15 minutes, until melted and bubbling.

I served these with buttery mashed potatoes.  Not exactly Mexican, but it was fantastic and they went well together.  I couldn't stay out of it.  No room for dessert!

Uncle Bob

Vivitek D825MS - problems!

Lamp problems (flashing intermittently) and display compressed...

 

Just in case anyone is having problems with their Vivitek DLP projector -- mine is a D825MS, about three years old.  It's provided yeoman service up until now... I didn't really WANT to replace it, and I couldn't find any advice online about this particular malfunction.  Vivitek's apparently lousy customer service didn't bother to return my request for assistance, even though I know they received it and got an initial "we got your note" reply.  It's been over a week since I wrote to them -- I am assuming at this point I am not going to hear from them.  That will be a factor in any future decisions I make about an eventual replacement.  Even a "Gee, we don't have a clue unless we look at it" would have been better than "Worm, you do not exist."  That's OK though, I have a memory like an elephant... and a mouth like the neighborhood gossip.

 

I use the projector in my classes -- with PowerPoint programs and videos, etc. It's been malfunctioning lately - it's lamp has been flashing on and off, and eventually, the picture "scrunched" in on itself (compressed drastically). So my first thought was that this was its way of telling me the lamp was going. Heavy sigh. They're pretty expensive, as you probably know.

I searched the problem online, hoping to find some direction from others who had experienced the same problem. I didn't find much about this specific problem -- one user mentioned that the "auto" picture function could cause the flashing if it was not working properly. I figured it was either the lamp or the VGA cable -- and I went to the store (and I looked at new projectors just in case).  Just about the time I thought it might not be bad to have a brand new LED-lamp projector ($600) with a 30,000 hour lamp-life expectancy, I brought a new VGA cable home to try that possible "fix."  It was the cheapest possible fix and I was hopin'.  Bingo.

Apparently, the cable started deteriorating some time ago - I think maybe it was the cause of my inability to use some PowerPoint programs that I initially thought were just memory hogs. A techie told me my laptop should be fully capable of running those programs (enough RAM, etc) -- so I thought maybe the programs I had were themselves the problem (glitchy in some way) -- but APPARENTLY, the VGA cable was not transmitting the data well enough -- and when it got even worse, it couldn't even carry enough data to support a static display.

If the fix lasts, proves permanent, then I saved perhaps $600 - $700 with a $24 cable ('cause I WAS really looking at that fancy, miniature LED projector with a 30,000 hour lamp...)  I probably could have gotten that $24 cable on Amazon for half the cost had I not been so impatient.   But I'm a happy camper, and my projector seems like it is back to normal operating condition.  Can't beat that!

[Update:  August 29, 2013 - Vivitek has never responded.  Jeers to them!]
[ Update: January 14, 2014 - Never got any response from Vivitek.  The projector continues to function normally.  Yay!]
[Update: January 27, 2015 - projector still functioning normally!]

An LA Weekend in August!

I had a four-day holiday and I spent it on Los Angeles.  Pathetic, just pathetic!  No, really, I had a pretty good time.  I left Friday mid-morning, took I-10 all the way to Banning and then SR 60/91 the rest of the way to Long Beach (Carson).  I got into LA rush hour almost from Riverside on, but made it OK – no wrecks to turn it into a nightmare.  No, THAT came upon arrival at the motel…

Motel 6 in Carson didn’t mention at all that their hotel is torn up for remodeling from one end to the other.  That was pretty disturbing when I first saw it, plus the apparent attitude of the staff when I checked in was "we don't give a s*#t what you think about it.  I don’t usually stay at Motel 6 anymore, although they used to be my habit.  But I’ve had more than one bad experience with them and figure the slight savings these days isn’t worth the aggravation.  Plus, I’ve come across a couple of them in recent years that were suffering from some serious FILTH. 

But prices are high in Los Angeles this time of year, almost double what I paid.  If I had found something decent-looking in the $80-$100 range, I’d have taken it.  But no luck.  So.  On the web and at the last minute (part of the problem, obviously), this hotel’s photos made it look a LOT better than it really was.  What saved it for me, was the room I was in had already been remodeled and it was clean.  The bed was OK and I searched for bugs and found none.  So it was OK – the place was a bit noisy but while that lasted late into the evening, it did not continue overnight, either night. It was also a convenient neighborhood for me, with some needed shopping nearby (Target!) and some good restaurants.  So in the end, no complaint.  I won't do it again though - the remodeling isn't being done with much quality from what I could see -- and I doubt the upgrades will last.  It's going to be junk again, and fairly soon.

I had dinner on Friday night at Chili’s, and bought a movie to watch – The Great Outdoors with John Candy and Dan Ackroyd (it's got Bart the Bear in it!).  Saturday morning, I got out on the road at about 10 am after breakfast at Denny’s.  I jumped on the 405 and slogged my way through LA Saturday traffic (heavy, unfortunately) all the way up to downtown.  First stop, the LA Farmer’s Market at Fairfax and 3^rd St.  I parked across the street at a shopping center and walked the last half a block – cruised through quickly and bought peanut brittle in a funny round-manufactured shape, a banana, a box of organic strawberries, some “fancy mixed nuts” and a croissant (which I never finished).  I already had plans for lunch, but I figured I’d want snacks, or Sunday breakfast, right? 

I really should have planned the stops more carefully… my next planned excursion was to visit the site of the original 1781 Los Angeles – and that was maybe 15 miles away.  Then, as it turns out, lunch was back where I was near the Market – not too far from it.  When I got to the Old Pueblo, parking was $10!  I got a little discouraged about that and decided I would eat lunch first.  At this point I discovered that Pink’s Hot Dog Stand was back in the direction from whence I’d come.  I never did make it back to Old Town.  But I think at this point I didn’t miss it, or much.

Note the queue...

I arrived at Pink’s to discover the ever-present line.  I had to wait probably 30 to 45 minutes to place and receive my order.  Others in line told me it was “worth it.”  They didn’t know I’ve wanted to eat at Pink’s for about five years – ever since I first heard about it.  And I’d have waited if it had been two hours.  I already knew it wasn’t that good.  But I should have gotten two of them after waiting that long for something.  Pink’s is a Los Angeles landmark – and counts many movie stars among its clientele.  The dog was good – an old fashioned one in a natural case and a good size.  You can get anything you want on them – I had mustard, ketchup, relish, onions and chopped tomatoes.  Had I sprung for a second one (the only reason I didn’t was I also had plans for supper and a 2nd dog would have dampened them…), it would have been a famous Pink’s chili dog.

Dockweiler State Beach

After lunch, it was back south to the airport to watch the planes.  Yes, really.  I had looked at maps and there is a state park right where the runways meet the Pacific – Dockweiler State Beach.  I figured that would be a great place to watch the takeoffs as they always go out in that direction at LAX. 

Alas, the beach was backed by a large system of levies – and you can’t see the field at all from the beach.  You can see the jets as they roar over directly overhead, but nothing else. 

A lady was walking past with her kids, headed for the sand (I was standing by my car, parked along the roadway), and we talked for a moment or two, she said hi, I said hi, etc, and she told me about a better place – right off the highway that runs along the west-side of the field there is a neighborhood and it is on the side of a hill.  You can park there along the road and they have benches and little tables and you can see the WHOLE FIELD.  Of course, LAX is so huge I had to use my field glasses.  But I stayed for about an hour, probably, and among the usual run of the mill domestic airliners and regional jets (and props), I saw a new 787 take off and also a Lufthansa 747-8 – also brand-spankin’ new.  That one taxied all the way to the west end, crossed the runway, then down the west fence-line all the way to the EAST end, right in front of me, then took off on LAX’s far western runway right past me again.  It was a great view throughout all of this, and the paint on that jet was so new it glistened!

After the plane-watching I drove back to Carson to the motel and relaxed for a few moments before going out to supper.  It was at this point I had to open up the new GPS – my present one has pretty much bitten the dust.    I updated the firmware and the maps before leaving and what had been a perfectly well-functioning GPS is now a useless piece of plastic.  It seizes and freezes, requiring multiple resets to get it to work at all – for about ten minutes until it freezes again.  And the lane-assist feature is now just a white blank screen. Thanks, Garmin! The new cheaper one I bought as “insurance” isn’t near as capable as the old one was – the difference being about $200.  But I’ll never spend that much for one again – they just don’t last long enough.

Roscoe's

For supper, it was Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles.  I had a two-piece with two waffles – didn’t eat it all.  I took half the waffles and one piece of chicken with me.  Ate the chicken for breakfast, threw the waffles away. It was good enough – it’s a famous place the Prez ate at when he was in LA – but we have a couple of places here in Phoenix that are just as good – Mrs. White’s and also Lolo’s Chicken and Waffles.  When it comes to Soul Food, the City of Angels got nuthin’ on La Ciudad de Phoenix! 



At Point Fermin Park near Long Beach

After eating, I drove out through Long Beach, past the RMS Queen Mary, past the USS Iowa (didn’t even know that was there, until this trip), to Point Fermin Park – which sits on the edge of the Pacific atop some coastal cliffs.  Got a couple nice shots of the lighthouse, tried to hike up the hill to a viewpoint on top – but a security person waited until I got within about 50 feet of the top after a 10 minute climb – and then told me it was closed.  Couldn’t they just as easily have told me that at the bottom?  Before the brutal climb?  Anyway, it is a very pretty place and the sun was about to set.  I walked around, threatened to take some pictures of some young ladies who were dancing in the parking lot beside their car to some hip-hop music (I think that’s what it was anyway); then I drove back to the motel (20 miles away). Anyway, can you believe that the beautiful view in the photo, that rugged coastline, is in the middle of Los Angeles?  It is! 

Point Fermin Light

Started to watch “Bridge on the River Kwai” but ran out of steam.  I had planned to visit the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, but it was closed Saturday and Sunday both.  So instead of stopping there on the way past this morning, I got on the road toward home and zoomed on by Yorba Linda and Tricky Dick. 

I stopped for a hamburger at Chiriaco Summit – on this trip I learned a little of its history – and its late owner, Joe Chiriaco.  The first time I stopped there, it was just a “filling station” and a little truck stop (I think you could get diesel there, but I am not sure; I probably only stopped to use the phone - no cell phones back then of course).  But anyway, off in the dirt beyond the gas station there was a pay phone and booth.  I had been told to check it out by other drivers… it was an old-fashioned telephone with a crank.  You spun the crank, waited, an operator came on and she completed your call for you. Just like Petticoat Junction!

This was in 1978 – and that phone was still there years later and I showed it to my kids.  I had never seen a crank phone before (in operation in the real world anyway).  It is gone now, of course.  It occurs to me that I could have met Joe Chiriaco back then, had I known about him.  He lived until 1996 and his wife too.  He bought that land and started that business almost before the highway was paved. There was no electricity if you didn't make it yourself, and no reliable water.  There was no air conditioning.  This is out in the middle of the Mohave Desert (think like Death Valley). Joe must have been some kind of rugged hard-working character (not to mention, his wife and kids shared all of that luxury with him). His family still runs the place – now much increased and modernized.  I always enjoy stopping there – and the family has a memorial to General Patton, along with a museum that the government and the Patton estate helped put together.  It’s worth a look - and the food was good.

Well, all good things must end…  I was watching a physics and astronomy program this morning that explained how over eons of time our entire universe will cool and the stars will all blink out.  But they said that we are living at the most perfect possible relative moment in that entire cosmic cycle, from Big Bang to Lights Out.  So with that in mind and in spirit with the harmony of all universal things, my little 2013 summer road trip is over and I am pleased.  Tomorrow it is back to the salt mine. 

 

Bob’s Chicken Soup Summer 2013

A quick southwestern-style chicken soup for a simple summer supper…

Oil

1 green chili (Anaheim-type mild)

4 chicken thighs

¼ of a med sweet onion, sliced

2 cans chicken broth

Shredded cabbage

Sliced celery

3 or 4 green onions

1 can Mexican-style cut tomatoes (or Rotel if you like those; they’re spicier)

1 can Niblets-type corn, drained

1 garlic clove

¼ to ½ cup rice

Garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, other seasonings as desired.

3 or 4 corn tortillas, cut into short strips

Shredded cheese (opt)

Sour cream (opt)

The best thing to do is to char the green chile on the grill in the normal fashion and sweat it, peel it, remove the seeds and chop it (this is the best flavor).  In a pinch, cut it up and de-seed it, place it in a pan with a little hot oil… and fry it with about ½ to ¾ cup shredded cabbage, the green onions and the celery (which you’ve sliced thin).  Add your seasonings to this mixture as you sauté it just long enough that it is about tender.  Set this aside.

Meanwhile, heat a couple of TB of oil in a soup pot, add the 1/4 sliced onion, the whole garlic clove in halves and the chicken thighs.  Brown them on both sides, then add the broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 or 40 minutes.  Remove the chicken pieces, set aside to cool.  Add the rice to this at the right time for the rice you are using – I use 20-minute rice so I added it when there was 20 or 30 minutes left on the total cooking time.  Before adding the rice, I fish out the onion and garlic I used while simmering the chicken and toss it out.

 

After removing the chicken, I add the lightly-sautéed vegetables, the corn and the tomatoes.  Pull the chicken, tossing the skin.  Add the pulled chicken to the pot.  Add more seasonings as desired.  I used about 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp or two of chili powder, 1 tsp of garlic powder, some chopped parsley. You could add red pepper or a jalapeno for heat if you want it, and maybe some cilantro if you wish.  Heat the soup through and then leave on very low heat for about 20 or 30 minutes.

 

Just before serving, heat some oil in a heavy skillet, and when it is sizzling hot, add the tortilla strips.  Fry until they are starting to brown a little – then drain on paper towel.  You don’t want to do them too soon, or they’ll get soggy while resting.  Do this JUST before serving.

If using cheese, jack would be good.   Spoon shredded cheese into bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle the hot soup onto the cheese and top with crispy corn tortilla strips.  I think a dollop of sour cream would also be good.

Instead of adding the cheese to the soup, I served this with no cheese but had a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.


[Note: If you have the time to cook your soup longer and slower, then you can also create your own broth by using water instead of canned broth, and adjusting the cooking method for a longer process.  Much healthier, less salt!]

 

Can I interest you in some beef and noodles?

Beef and noodles, sourdough and salad.

Good old American comfort food.  Sometimes you just have to have it.  Tonight, I made beef and noodles, garden pea pods with butter, a fresh green salad with a red-wine vinaigrette, and a hot loaf of sourdough bread.  I have a peach and cherry cobbler in the oven for dessert. 

BEEF AND NOODLES

Make a batch of noodles:  In a medium or large bowl, mix 1 egg with 2 TB milk.  Whisk until well-combined.  Sift together 1 cup flour, ½ tsp baking powder and ½ tsp kosher salt.  Add about a tsp of fresh ground pepper.  Add this to the egg mixture and stir to combine into a stiff dough.  

Turn out onto a floured surface and roll out as thin as possible.  Let rest for 20 minutes.  Flour each surface to prevent sticking and roll the dough loosely, like a jelly roll.  Slice into thin strips with a sharp thin knife (⅛ to ¼ inch thick).  Unroll each noodle carefully and place on a cookie sheet or a half sheet – let them dry at least two hours, longer if you can.

Meanwhile, brown a lb of stew meat in a skillet with a couple TB of oil.  Add a few slices of onion – I use about ⅓ of a med onion.  When browned nicely, place in a large covered pot with 2 cans of low-sodium beef broth.  Heat to a boil and then simmer for two hours.  Add a sliced carrot and maybe some celery to the pot of beef for the last 40 minutes or so, and maybe some garlic.

Slice the rest of the onion and a carton of mushrooms and sauté them for a while in some oil or butter, adding a splash of red or white wine to the pan as they cook. When the mushrooms are browned nicely, set them aside for a little while.  

When the meat is tender, remove it from the broth and add the noodles to the pot.  Bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes or a bit more, until tender.  Add a bit more water (or broth, or red wine) if needed to keep everything from sticking. Meanwhile, smash the beef chunks into shreds and small pieces with the side of a knife blade and add back to the pot with the mushrooms and onion.

Mix 2 TB of cornstarch into about ⅓ cup cold water and after the noodles are cooked tender mix this into the boiling noodles to cook and thicken.  Turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 or 15 minutes, serve.

This would probably be good with a dollop of sour cream on the top.  Variations on the basic theme are almost endless – add some fresh herbs like rosemary, parsley, etc.  Red pepper… you name it.