tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-110100412024-03-07T15:18:49.105-05:00Add Water and HeatBlog all about my lousy cooking. Here I'll post recipes I've attempted (some successful, some not so successful), things I love about cooking, things I hate about cooking, things I learned about cooking (from screwing up so many recipes), and an occasional diatribe about llamas.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-89728549962031348252008-03-05T23:42:00.003-05:002008-03-05T23:46:22.942-05:00Anna StchurIn response to Michelle's most recent comment:<br /><br />Yes, the diatribe on llamas is long overdue. One of these days though, I promise.<br /><br />As for impending infant news... why yes, I do in fact have news. And a whole new blog to go with it.<br /><br />Visit the <a href = "http://family.stchur.com" title = "Tales from the Crib">Stchur Family Blog</a> (aka Tales from the Crib).<br /><br />Or view <a href = "http://stchur.spaces.live.com/photos/" title = "Anna Photos">Anna Photo Albums</a> on Spaces.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-77844412018453320952007-11-23T21:01:00.001-05:002008-03-11T19:30:16.637-04:00Fried Eggplant Tomato Soup with OrzoIt's been quite a long time since I posted, but this dish was so much fun that I figured I had better blog it so I can reference it next time I want to make it.<br /><br />As usual, I can't take credit for the core of the recipe, but my version is way easier to follow. The order of the instructions from <a href="http://www.aubergines.org/recipes.php?eggplant=2866" title="Roasted Eggplant, Oregano and Tomato Soup">the original recipe</a> didn't mesh well with my kitchen habits, so I re-worked it a bit into something that I think makes more "kitchen sense."<br /><br /><h3>First things first: The Ingredients</h3><ul><li>5 cups of vegetable broth<br /></li><li>2 large eggplant, peeled (optional) and diced<br /></li><li>1/4 to 1/2 cup of uncooked tiny pasta -- I used Orzo<br /></li><li>1 large onion, chopped<br /></li><li>2 to 4 ribs of celery, chopped<br /></li><li>1 large potato, chopped<br /></li><li>3 to 5 cloves of garlic, chopped<br /></li><li>20 basil leaves, chiffonade<br /></li><li>70 oz of canned diced tomatoes (two 28oz cans + one 14oz can); alternatively, you can use fresh tomatoes (about 8 large tomatoes, diced -- I did this, but it was a pain<br /></li><li>several tablespoons of olive oil<br /></li><li>some dried oregano (how much? who cares)<br /></li><li>kosher salt and pepper to taste</li></ul><strong>Pay attention:</strong><br /><em>Don't be overly concerned with chopping the vegetables. Diced onion, minced garlic, choffonade basil leaves, whatever! This is all going to be pureed eventually anyway, so don't waste time chopping anything too finely.</em><br /><br /><h3>Directions</h3><ol><li>Peel (optional) and dice the eggplant, rise, and drain in a colander. Salt liberally, toss, salt again and then set aside and let drain for roughly 30 minutes.<br /></li><li>Heat salted water to boiling, add orzo and drain when <em>al dente</em>.<br /></li><li>While water is boiling, chop the onions, garlic, and celery. Then, in a stock pot, fry the vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil (till onions begin to brown).</li><li>Take the browned vegetables, along with the tomatoes and blast them in your food processors until smooth (leave them in the food processor -- we'll be coming back to this step).<br /></li><li>Meanwhile, add the potato (coarsely chopped), basil, and vegetable broth to the stock pot; bring to a boil.<br /></li><li>While soup is heating, heat some olive oil in a wok and stir fry the eggplant. Tip: be sure the olive oil is very hot so that the eggplant browns nicely. And don't use too much oil -- otherwise it will be soggy and greasy; also, toss frequently.<br /></li><li>Once the eggplant is browned, add the orzo and oregano and toss for a few minutes more. Then, transfer to a plate and set aside.<br /></li><li>Now that the soup has had a chance to heat, the potatoes should be soft enough to puree. Using a slotted spoon, add the potatoes to the food processor and blend until they are thoroughly incorporated with the tomato/celery/onion mixture that your pureed before. Once smooth, stir the mixture back into the stock pot.</li><li>Wait a few minutes and then add in the eggplant and orzo.<br /></li><li>Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.<br /></li><li>Say a prayer. Eat and enjoy!</li></ol>This soup can be served hot or cold, but I think it's best hot with a French baguette.<br /><br />Comments welcome.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1167968559097588772007-01-04T22:29:00.000-05:002007-01-04T22:42:39.110-05:00Best Hummus Ever!This recipe is seriously awesome, and while my good friend,<span style="font-size:100%;"> Bryanski Stolichniov</span>, deserves most of the praise, credit totally goes to me for my awesome (and much needed) additions to spice it up.<br /><br />The original recipe was just called "Hummus." BORING!<br /><br />The new recipe is called "Tomato and Avocado Hummus." YUM!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:<br /></span><ul><li>2 cans garbanzo beans/chickpeas</li><li>1/3 cup tahini</li><li>1/8 cup lemon juice</li><li>1 tsp salt</li><li>A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper<br /></li><li>1/2 tsp paprika</li><li>4 to 6 cloves of garlic (more, IMO, is always better)</li><li>1 Tbsp olive oil</li><li>2 Tbsp parsley (fresh or dried)</li><li>1/2 tsp cumin</li><li>1/4 tsp cayenne pepper</li><li>1 can (12 or 14oz) unseasoned diced tomatoes</li><li>2 small (ripe) avocados</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:<br /></span><ol><li>Cut the avocados in half, length-wise and twist apart. Slam your knife blade (<span style="font-style: italic;">carefully)</span> into the avocado pit (of whichever half held onto it) and twist to remove it.</li><li>Using a spoon, scoop the avocado out of each half and into a food processor.</li><li>Add garlic to food processor.</li><li>Blend for a few pulses, until the garlic is minced and the avocado is broken up.</li><li>Add chickpeas and diced tomatoes (juice and all) to the food processor.</li><li>A few more pulses.</li><li>Add remaining ingredients, and blend until very smooth.</li><li>Refrigerate for an hour or two if you want it to thicken.</li><li>Say a prayer.</li><li>Eat and enjoy.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></li></ol><span style="font-weight: bold;">Notes:</span><br />This hummus is excellent with so many things. I've made sandwiches using toasted bread, hummus, and cucumber -- add a few slices of fresh avocado and some tomato slices and it's even better.<br /><br />I've also put this hummus on burgers, and that is quite good as well.<br /><br />And of course, you can't go wrong with good old pita bread.<br /><br />Comments welcome.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1156723334287812372006-08-27T19:50:00.000-04:002006-08-28T00:00:06.696-04:00The Perfect Cup of CoffeePeople are always asking me how I make such great coffee (ok, well actually almost no one asks me that -- maybe not anyone... ever). But still, I make the best coffee (and that's not gossip, it's fact).<br /><br />Note: You can see a demonstration video of the techniques outlined in this blog entry <a href="http://www.stchur.com/personal/coffeevideo/coffeevideo.avi">here</a>.<br /><br />And I'm here to pass my wealth of coffee information on to you, but before we get started, we need to lay some ground rules, so here goes.<br /><ol><li>Always starts with fresh, whole-bean coffee. If your coffee is pre-ground, from one of those tin cans, it's stale before you open it. Don't bother.</li><li>Use only cold, clean, filtered water (doesn't have to be bottled, brita or pur filtered is fine).</li><li>Use high-quality filters (#4 filters, or a gold-mesh filter).</li><li>Do not pre-grind your coffee. Grind just before brewing.</li><li>Have a spray bottle handy, filled with water.</li><li>Always use the following ratio of coffee : water (and never deviate from it). Use 2 level tablespoons of coffee per 6 ounces of water.</li><li>Store your coffee beans in air-tight canasters (not in the fridge, though the freezer is acceptable for long-term storage if you use freezer bags and store away from strong-smelling foods).<br /></li><li>And finally, don't measure water using your coffee carafe. Use a real liquid measuring cup.</li></ol>It might sound like a lot of rules (and a lot of work), but once you've gotten the routine down, you can get a pot of coffee brewing in about 5 - 7 minutes.<br /><br />Now that we've gotten the rules out of the way, here's a step-by-step guide on how to make that perfect pot of coffee.<br /><ol><li>Measure the coffee: For each cup of coffee you want to make, measure one coffee scoop of beans and add them to your grinder. Some people recommend a heaping scoop when you're measuring beans as opposed to grounds. You can do this if you want, but I tend not to worry too much about it.<br /><br />NOTE: A coffee scoop is (officially) two tablespoons. I actually recommend buying a coffee scoop (one of the stainless steel ones with a really long handle), but as long as you get two tablespoons, that's the key.<br /><br /></li><li>Grind the beans: Grinding time will vary depending on how much coffee you're grinding. Generally speaking, you want the coffee as fine as you can grind it without it actually going through your filter (if you're using a gold mesh filter, or #4 paper filters, you can grind it pretty fine without a problem).<br /><br /></li><li>Add the freshly ground coffee to the pot (this part is easy).<br /><br /></li><li>Measure the water: Remember, use 6oz of filtered water per 2 tablespoons (1 coffee scoop) of coffee. Always measure with a liquid measuring cup. Don't bother trying to use the markings on the coffee pot or the coffee carafe.<br /><br />NOTE: Some of you might be thinking that this ratio is going to create coffee that's like mud, and you might be tempted to try less coffee b/c you "don't like strong coffee." Believe me, it isn't strong coffee that you don't like. It's bitter coffee. And bitter coffee comes from two things: 1) Stale coffee, and 2) Using too LITTLE COFFEE!<br /><br />If you don't use enough coffee, you'll actually over-extract the coffee grinds, and this leads to bitter tasting coffee. Please, use 2 tablespoons per 6oz of water (it's what all your major coffee shops are using -- some use even more!).<br /><br /></li><li>Add the water (this part is easy).<br /><br /></li><li>Spritz the coffee grinds with water using your spray bottle. This is a tip I learned from Alton Brown, and it totally makes a difference. By making sure that the coffee grounds are pre-soaked, it helps ensure that the water stream doesn't go right through the grounds, but rather soaks into them evenly.<br /><br /></li><li>Turn on the coffee pot (this part is easy).<br /><br /></li><li>When the coffee is done brewing, I recommend turning off the coffee pot immediately or within 10 minutes or so. You don't want the coffee to continue cooking. It will burn and you will taste it (ever had Starbucks?). I recommend a thermal carafe. That way you can turn the pot off immediately and let the carafe keep the coffee warm without cooking it.<br /><br /></li><li>Add cream if you want (I recommend only real half-n-half and the color of your coffee should be about one shade lighter than a brown paper bag). I discourage sugar, but hey... it's your coffee.<br /><br /></li><li>Say a prayer (yes, even for coffee). Drink and enjoy.<br /><br /></li></ol>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1132865369817096382005-11-24T15:43:00.000-05:002005-11-24T15:49:29.830-05:00Happy ThanksgivingI wish I had a wonderful turkey recipe to post for everyone this Thanksgiving, but unfortunatley I don't. Since we just moved from Baltimore to Seattle, I'm completely out of my element. I don't have my pots and pans, I don't have my spices... I don't have my KOSHER SALT! You really can't cook anything well without kosher salt.<br /><br />So this Thanksgiving, Em and I took the easy way out. We went to the local grocery store and bought a bunch of pre-seasoned, pre-packaged Thanksgiving Day type items (stuffing, potatoes, turkey, etc).<br /><br />So that's really all I've got to say for today. It's a shame; Thanksgiving is such a food-centric day. It had potential to make for a great blog entry if only the timing were a bit better for me. Oh well.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving everyone!LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1130289229255083002005-10-25T21:08:00.000-04:002005-10-25T21:13:49.263-04:00MicrosoftWell... it's been far too long since I've posted, but I figure this is worth it (even if it isn't about cooking).<br /><br />I got a job with Microsoft, and Emily and I will be moving out to Seattle in three weeks!<br /><br />This is part of the reason that my blog as been so neglected. I was spending an awful lot of my free studying for the interviews.<br /><br />But now that that's over with, I'm hopful that I will once again be able to start blogging new and exciting recipes for everyone. My goal this time around is to do a blog post at "reasonable" intervals -- something like once per week.<br /><br />I'm also planning to start a technical blog, and I will of course post the address of that one, on this one, once it's ready to go (but I'm not sure exactly when that will be).<br /><br />Ok, that's all for now.<br />Pray for our flights!LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1127681092401073882005-09-25T16:44:00.000-04:002005-09-25T16:44:52.410-04:00Wonder SlacksI'm going to buy "World Famous Black-Elastic Wonder Slacks"<br /><br />Yeah!LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1125578326682121392005-09-01T08:33:00.000-04:002005-09-01T08:47:49.500-04:00Hurricane Katrina<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />I don't have much food-related to blog about right now (as if that weren't obvious from the fact that I have posted in approximately forever), but that's ok. There are more important things to think about right now, like those who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.<br /><br />I encourage you to make a donation to IOCC to support the victims of the hurricane. You can do so by clicking on the banner ad below:<br /><p align="center"><br /><a href="https://www.iocc.org/giving/giving_hurricane8-29-05.shtml"><br /><img src="http://www.sycbp.com/img/bannerads/iocc_emergency_small.gif" alt="Support the victims of Hurricane Katrina" border="0" height="51" width="400" /></a></p><br /><br /></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1123245974878805982005-08-05T08:07:00.000-04:002005-08-05T08:47:08.826-04:00Potato Soup<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I don't know why, but I'm often most inspired to cook during a fasting period when I'm not eating any meat. This is a shame because most of the dishes I come up with would be a lot better with meat. Take my Potato Soup recipe for example. It'd be much better if I cooked it with a chicken stock base (instead of vegetable broth) and with chopped up bits of bacon (not to mention a little bit of bacon grease).<br /><br />But alas! We're right smack in the middle of the Dormition Fast (which I know <span style="font-style: italic;">everyone</span> is aware of and following very strictly -- HAHA), so my Potato Soup recipe does not have any of those fun, flavorful, meaty ingredients that we all love so much.<br /><br />To be fair, the soup contains both oil and dairy, so it <span style="font-style: italic;">technically</span> doesn't adhere to the strict fast anyway, but gosh darn it this Blog is about cooking! And I have an obligation to my fans (both of them) to post high-quality, FoodNetwork-like, Alton Brown caliber recipes! But since I'm not anywhere near that good of a Chef, you'll have to take what you can get, ok folks?<br /><br />So here we go: Potato Soup (w/ a slight touch of BAM!).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span><br /></span> <ul style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" > <li><span style="font-size:85%;">About 34 oz of Vegetable Broth.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">1/2 Cup of 2% Milk + 1/2 Cup of Half-n-Half (I'm totally guessing; I didn't measure).<br /> </span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">4 to 5 Med/Large Sized Potatoes (Yukon Gold, or White Round should work fine). And please people, avoid the sack potatoes -- we're all about quality on this blog.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">3 Large Stocks of Celery, finely chopped.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">3 Carrots, chopped into fairly thin discs.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">A bunch of Green Onions (the more the merrier I always say -- they're mild anyway).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">4 to 5 (or 20 to 30) cloves of garlic, diced.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Tablespoons of Butter or Margarine.<br /> </span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">1/2 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper (or more of you like -- it adds a real nice kick).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Salt and Pepper to taste.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Shredded Chedder Cheese (for garnish).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Sour Cream (for garnish).<br /> </span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions:</span><br /></span> <ol style="font-family: verdana;font-family:verdana;" > <li><span style="font-size:85%;">In a 6 Quart Stock Pot, add the Vegetable Broth, Celery, Green Onions, and Carrots. Heat on medium.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">While the broth is heating, cube the potatoes (no need to skin them -- that's where are the vitamins are anyway).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Add the potatoes to the stock pot as you cut them. Towards the end, kick the heat up so that the broth hits boiling. The idea is to break down the celery, onions, and carrots and get those flavors infused in the broth.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Now is also a fine time to add Salt (kosher please) and Pepper as well as the Diced Garlic. I went with about a Tablespoon and a half of salt, and maybe a teaspoon of pepper.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Add the Diary (Butter/Margarine and Milk/Cream) now. It's OK if the soup seems watery. It will thicken significantly as it cooks, so don't be afraid to add more milk or cream if you think it needs it (remember: no meat in this dish, so the cream is critical for flavor).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Add the Olive Oil, and Cayenne Pepper.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Once the soup has boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, turn the heat down, and let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better though).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Once the soup begins to thicken, taste it. Adjust the spices and cream/broth ratio as necessary.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Garish individual bowls with shredded chedder cheese and a dallop of sour cream.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Say a prayer.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Eat and enjoy!</span></li> </ol> <span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Comments welcome.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1123074042212507742005-08-03T08:48:00.000-04:002005-08-03T09:00:42.220-04:00WIKI<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finally!</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">I figured out what a Wiki is! I'd been seeing it all over the Internet as I searched for Linux-related documentation to get my wireless networking up and running. I could tell that it was some kind of a help/tutorial document, but I could not for the life of me, figure out what Wiki meant or stood for.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">I finally got tired of wondering and good old Google came to the rescue.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Wiki is an abbreviation that stands for "What I know Is." It's a </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >website (or other hypertext document collection) that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. "Wiki" also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a website.<br /><br />Very interesting concept. Perhaps I should start my own Wiki as a sort of spin-off of this blog. I could post "What I know Is" about cooking, and others could edit the content adding their own Wiki ("What I Know Is").<br /><br />Very cool.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1121565204044408222005-07-16T20:36:00.000-04:002005-07-16T21:53:24.056-04:00Goodbye Apartment<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm sad. We've moved, and our inner city, ghetto, subsidised housing apartment is now just a page in the history books. There were so many things that annoyed me about that place that I can't really understand why I'm sad to leave. Let me re-cap all of the things that went wrong in Broadway. Maybe that will help me feel better about our new place.</span><br /> </span> <ol style="font-family: verdana;"> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">We were initially told the wrong monthly rental price. The actual rental price turned out to be $100 more than what we were told originally. We didn't find this out until about a week before move-in.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">We were told that we would get two parking permits that would allow us to park our car in the apartment complex's garage. We only ever got one. In October, they told me I'd get the second one in November, in November, they told me January. In January, they told me February. Then I gave up.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">A pipe burst in the bathroom the first week we were there. It flooded our bathroom and got the carpet in the living room soaking wet. I had to physically plug the leak with my hand while Emily called emergency maintenance.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The emergency maintenance number in the Welcome book we had was wrong. Emily somehow managed to find the right number, and maintenance eventually did come.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Emily had a package of contacts delivered to our apartment. We never got a notice in our mailbox saying something like "You have a package. Please come to the leasing office to pick it up." We never got a phone call, no email, nothing! They had the package for over two weeks! Had Emily not called to ask, she probably would have never gotten them. Utterly ridiculous! When she mentioned this to management, they reply was "We don't really like holding packages for people. We prefer that our residents have them delivered elsewhere."</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Everytime someone came into the main lobby, a gush of wind was generated by the door, which caused our door to rattle. Believe it or not, this happened about every 10 minutes.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Everytime someone held the door open for more than 5 seconds, an alarm would sound (something like "whoop..........whoop..........whoop..........whoop." After about 5 more seconds, the alarm's urgency would pick up to something like "whoop...whoop...whoop...whoop...whoop." Keep in mind that this alarm was approximately as loud as sitting front row at a Metallica concert (though, I must admit the alarm was probably more musically gifted than Metallica ).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Sometime during the first few weeks of living in this apartment, the closet door in the bathroom popped off of its hinges.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The air conditioning unit leaked and semi-flooded our laundry room (on more than one occassion).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The children in our neighorbood were, for some reason, obsessed with our apartment (probably because of our "elegant double wooden doors). They would randomly (at any hour) knock on our door and ask to see our apartment. Emily make the mistake of letting them in once. They started looking through our photots, sat down on the couch, and asked questions about <i>everything</i> for approximately 2 hours. We could not get them to leave.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">We stopped letting them in our apartment, but they didn't stop the knocking. They knew when we were home, and they would knock incessantly on the door (for like 10 minutes) trying to get us to open up. We didn't.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The children were like vultures when we tried to get into our complex. They would all huddle around the door, and when I'd swipe my swipe card they would all rush in in front of me. No "excuse me", no "thank you", just a bunch of rude children pushing and shoving their way past me.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">There were (what Emily believes were rats or mice) living in our bedroom walls. Personally, I think it was a muscrat because the scratching sounds they kept us awake at night were WAY to loud to have come from any mouse.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The people who lived above us had elephant feet, which I know is a common problem for apartment dwellers with people living above them, but these people took it to a whole new level. Plus, their kitchen was right above our bedroom, so everytime they moved a chair (which turned out to be about every 10 mintues between the hours of 10pm and 5am) we heard it.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The punks up on the 4th floor were trouble-makers. They had their friend living with them, who would park in our apartment garage <i>without</i> a permit (and never got towed I might add). And one night around 3am, they pulled the fire alarm in our building and we all had to evacuate. I did not enjoy that.</span></li> </ol> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So that's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there is more. You'd think all of this re-capping would make me feel just great about leaving. But it doesn't.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe it's because it was our first place together, and I know we can never get that back. Maybe it's because the apartment design (while completly impracticaly) was just really cool. Maybe it's becuase we had a laundry room right in our apartment that was very convenient (not in a dungeon like our new place). I dunno... I'm glad to be getting away from all of the annoyances, but I'm still going to miss that place. We can't walk to Church anymore. That's a bummer.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Well I've done nothing but complain up to this point, so maybe I should end on a positive note about our new place. It has a deck. This is a good thing. A deck means we can buy a charcoal grill, and this is a <i>very</i good thing..... for two reasons. 1. I like charcoal grills. 2. Emily likes buying things. Furthermore, grilling is not something that I have a ton of experience with, so this will give me the chance to break into a whole new realm of culinary enjoyment. </span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">So hopefully, before long, I'll have some new recipes for everyone. And if all goes well, perhaps I'll have some good grilling recipes. Expect a steep learning curve though. Grilling, from what I understand, is not that easy right off that bat.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Comments welcome.</span><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1120826069614515102005-07-08T08:15:00.000-04:002005-07-08T08:34:29.620-04:00PostI <span style="font-style: italic;">will</span> post again. Really, I will.<br /><br />It's just that I'm moving, and everything is everwhere and I've been eating out of boxes (shameful really).<br /><br />So I don't really have any good recipes to post.... except for a fruit smoothie recipe, but I don't have time to get into that right now.<br /><br />Comments welcome.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1120047779707657982005-06-29T08:22:00.000-04:002005-06-29T08:22:59.713-04:00People<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">People are stupid.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm ashamed to be one.</span><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1119533336906261542005-06-23T09:26:00.000-04:002005-06-23T09:28:56.910-04:00A Sheep's Life<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">8 & 13 (and possibly some others) have started a blog. It's called <span style="font-weight: bold;">A Sheep's Life</span>, and judging by the comments (or lack thereof) their blog needs more readers.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">For a relatively young blog, there are quite a lot of posts, so it's evident that these sheep like to write!</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">So head on over to <a href="http://asheepslife.blogspot.com">http://asheepslife.blogspot.com</a> where you can follow (in real time) their cross-country roadtrip adventure!</span><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1119233850417553692005-06-19T22:16:00.000-04:002005-06-19T22:17:30.420-04:00shmily<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">SHMILY</span></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1119054305547160712005-06-17T20:19:00.000-04:002005-06-18T10:41:19.243-04:00Why don't I annoy myself?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Last night I was in the kitcken (cooking of course), and I heard that Dr. Pepper commerical come on TV -- you know, the one where that guy and girl are in a restaurant and he's trying to talk to her, and she starts sipping a Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, and this music starts playing in the background:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">du duuu duu du du</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And every time the guy says something, to her, it just sounds like "Fa nah meh nah"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You know the one? Of course you do!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So anyway, I was singing that song b/c I find it so catchy, and I was going:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">du duuu duu du du (Fa nah meh nah)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">du duuu duu du du (Fa nah meh nah)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">du duuu duu du du (Fa nah meh nah)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"> du duuu duu du du (Fa nah meh nah)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And after about 5 minutes of this (give or take 10 minutes), my wife </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >shouts </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">from the living room "SHUT UP!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So I said "Why do I annoy you but I don't annoy myself?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And she said "I </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >don't </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">know!"<br /><br /></span></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1118929157346914552005-06-16T08:58:00.000-04:002005-06-16T09:39:17.350-04:00Honey BBQ ChickenThis recipe is excellent and not difficult at all.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><ul> <li>Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 b/c I was cooking for 3 people)</li> <li>BBQ sauce (your favorite brand from the grocery store is fine)</li> <li>Honey (about 1 - 2 tablespoons per chicken breasts -- eyeball it)</li> <li>1 can of beer (darker is better, but any kind will do)<br /> </li> </ul> Directions:<br /><ol> <li>Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.<br /> </li> <li>In a bowl or a large plastic zip-lock bag (what I like to use) marinate the chicken in a BBQ sauce/honey mixture for about 2 - 3 hours (longer is better). How much BBQ sauce? Doesn't matter really; just make sure the chicken is thoroughly covered. Be liberal though, b/c we're going to make use of some of the leftover sauce later (so there need to <span style="font-style: italic;">be</span> leftover sauce).</li> <li>Heat and iron skillet over medium-high heat until the pan is evenly hot throughout (the handle should be quite hot to the touch).</li> <li>Drizzle in a little vegetable or olive oil into the pan, and let it get really hot. This should help a little bit with sticking and also add a little extra flavor.</li> <li>Use tongs to place the chicken breasts in the iron skillet (be sure to shake off any excess sauce first). Sear on both sides 3 to 4 minutes (might want to open a window).</li> <li>Place the seared chicken in the oven at 375 for about 12 to 15 minutes (keep an eye on it; you don't want its internal temperature to get much past 160 b/c we're going to broil it next and that will raise the temperature even more).</li> <li>Meanwhile, take any left over Honey-BBQ sauce and pour it into the iron skillet. Now, remember that the sauce was toucing raw chicken, so we want to get this sauce to a boil to kill any "bugs" that might lurking. Also stir frequently b/c you don't want the sauce to stick.</li> <li>Pour about 1/2 a can of beer into the BBQ sauce, and turn heat to low. We want the mixture to reduce into a nice think BBQ sauce.</li> <li>After 12 to 15 minutes (or when the chicken has reached about 160) remove it from the oven and place on a broiling pan. Also, turn the oven to broil and move the rack to the second highest slot from the top.</li> <li>Brush the beer-reduced, Honey-BBQ sauce onto the chicken (both sides) and place under the broiler for 3 - 4 minutes (or until the sauce begins to bubble).</li> <li>Remove the chicken and rebrush both sides with more sauce, and place until the broiler again for another minute or two.</li> <li>Repeat a third time if desired.</li> <li>Double check to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is <span style="font-style: italic;">at least</span> 160 (165 is what you really want to be safe, but the chicken should continue cooking after it's been removed from the heat).</li> <li>Let the chicken rest for about 5 before serving.</li> <li>Plate with green beans or asparagus, maybe some potatoes, or cole slaw (heck, whatever you want).</li> <li>Say a prayer.</li> <li>Eat and enjoy!</li> </ol> This recipe seems long and complicated I know, but it's really not too hard, and it's well worth it. <br /><br />One nice variation that I like to do is add a can of pineapple chunks (sans juice) to the chicken while it's baking in the oven. You can also pour a little of the pineapple juice into the BBQ sauce (along with the beer) while its reducing. It really adds a nice flavor.<br /><br />Comments welcome.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1118329914419081302005-06-09T11:07:00.000-04:002005-06-09T11:11:54.423-04:00COME ON!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You've </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">got</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to be kidding me! Am I right or am I right? EVERYTHING the so-called "experts" tell us gets reversed.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Remember how raisins were considered "nature's candy"? Because of their high sugar content, many dentists warn against them?</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, here's a shocker. Some experts </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">now</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> believe "Raisins may help you keep cavities away."</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">See for yourself: </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/09/content_3061674.htm">http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/09/content_3061674.htm</a><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">FREAKING IDIOTS! ALL OF 'EM!</span><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1117725769150322822005-06-02T10:58:00.000-04:002005-06-02T22:53:44.723-04:00Human Side of a Holy Man<div style="float: left; margin-right: 10px;font-family:verdana;" jpg="" border="1"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img src="http://www.sycbp.com/awah/holyman/patriarch.jpg" border="1" /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">HAHAHAH! Funniest picture ever!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This is Patriarch Bartholomew spearing a cat with his staff (naturally, because after all, that's why those Orthodox Patriarchs are given staffs in the first place -- so they can kill cats with them).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">"Spiritual Leader of the World's 300 million Orthodox Christians"</i><span style="font-family:verdana;"> (seriously, where do journalists get this crap? It makes it sound like he's the equivalent of the Catholic Pope), Patriarch Bartholomew has the all-important responsibility of setting a good example for all Orthodox believers. And that he does! For what better way is there to exemplify a Christ-like life than by spearing a cat?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">For all of the idiots reading my blog who thought I was being serious (you know who you are) here is the actual copy that goes along with the above photo.</span><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, a picture says a lot about a person -- in this case, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide [there we go again]."<br /><br />On a typically-busy afternoon at the Phanar -- the Church's ancient headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, in between visiting dignitaries, intense meetings and solemn church services, Patriarch Bartholomew stops for a moment to play with... a cat.<br /><br />He explained that a family of cats have taken shelter within the compound of the Patriarchate. 'They too are God's creatures and deserve our love.' After tickling the cat with his staff for several seconds, he jokingly commented that he should be careful what he does, as a photograph of this instance -- taken out of context -- could be misconstrued as animal abuse. 'That's all we need now,' the Patriarch laughed continued playing with his feline friend."<br /></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Comments welcome (encouraged in fact).</span><br /></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1117213366684129532005-05-27T12:35:00.000-04:002005-05-30T22:06:34.940-04:00Honey Lemon Chicken<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's been much too long since I posted an original recipe, and since that's </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >really</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> what this blog is supposed to be all about, I figured it was time I get my act together.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Last night, I made Honey Lemon Chicken. This recipe sounds good, and in theory, I think it </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >should</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> be good. But it wasn't that good. I can't quite pinpoint why -- could have been that I overcooked the chicken, may have marinated it too long (or used too much lemon), or perhaps I the trusty ol' iron skillet would have been a better choice than the broiler.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Whatever it was, last night's dish was just average. But, like many of my recipes, I believe this one has great potential; it's just not quite there yet.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Ingredients:</span><br /></span> <ul style="font-family:verdana;"> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each, already thawed)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">The juice from one lemon</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">A few tablespoons of honey (2 to 3 per piece of chicken)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">A few squirts of olive oil (don't go crazy 'cause we'll be using more later)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">A touch of cumin (less than a teaspoon unless you want your chicken to smell like B.O.)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Kosher salt (a pinch or two)</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Freshly ground black peper</span></li> </ul> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Directions:</span><br /></span> <ol style="font-family:verdana;"> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">In a good sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and cumin.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Marinate both pieces of chicken in the lemon/honey mixture for about 10 to 15 min (but absolutely no more than 20).<br /> </span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Use tongs to place each chicken breast on a broiling pan, and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Place under the broiler (two slots away from the top) for about 10 minutes.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">After 10 minutes, flip the chicken breasts over and broil for another 10 minutes.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Remove the boiling pan, and move the rack up to the closest spot near the broiler.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Flip the chicken back over and drizzle with olive oil.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Place back under the broiler for another 3 to 5 minutes (the idea here is to get a nice sear on the surface of the meat.).<br /> </span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Let the meat rest a good 5 minutes before serving (if you don't rest your meat, you might as well not even bother cooking it).</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Say a prayer.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Eat and enjoy!<br /></span></li> </ol> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >After-thoughts:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The internal temperature of poultry should be about 165 degrees Fahrenheit in order to be safe. If you get much past 170 though, the chicken will probably be a bit dry. My chicken was well past 170 by the time I finished step 8, and that might have been why I wasn't thrilled with the dish.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">You might consider, broiling for only about 7 minutes on each side before doing step 8. Just be sure your instant read thermometer says the chicken is safe (you'd better have an instant read thermometer -- it's a culinary essential).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Another option might be to sear the chicken in an iron skillet. The chicken I cooked was a little bland. Cooking it in a skillet would help keep what little fat there is (from the chicken itself and from the olive oil) in the chicken breast, rather than having it drip down into the broiling pan.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some of you might be tempted to suggest marinating the chicken longer, because generally, the longer you marinate something, the more the flavorful that something will ultimately be. In this case though, I wouldn't recommend it. Citrus tends to break meat down quickly, and if you marinate it too long, the result will be a curiously strong, citrus flavored chicken (trust me, I marinated the chicken for an hour once, and it was definitely not good).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Other than that, I'm not sure what else to try, so your comments are definitely welcome.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1117162990900756022005-05-26T23:00:00.000-04:002005-05-26T23:34:01.486-04:00Michael BubleMichael Buble is my new favorite musician. Man, this guy can really sing! His voice is amazing. Check out his web site: http://www.michaelbuble.com<br /><br />And it's pronounced "Boo-blay" not "bubble."<br /><br />Oh, by the way, I had lemon-honey chicken for dinner tonight (hey, this is a cooking blog... I have to weave food in here somehow right?)LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1116722806904214662005-05-21T20:36:00.000-04:002005-05-21T20:48:04.786-04:00Don't think. Just live, and you'll be fine.<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I've been saying for years that you should take everything the "experts" from the scientific community tell you with a grain of salt because it's only a matter of time before they reverse what they originally thought.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">At one time, eggs were unhealthy and a major cause of high cholesterol, then a few years later, a couple of eggs a week was thought to be very healthy. Then, somewhere along the line, they became unhealthy again, and who knows where we are at present.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The same thing is pretty much true for EVERYTHING: wine, beer, nuts, red meat, chicken, carbohydrates. Even dark chocolate in small quantities is thought to be a cancer preventitive (but don't get too excited choc-o-holics. It's only a matter of time before that verdict is reversed).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So my personal philosophy is: Just Live! Forget what you heard in the news last week, and just live your life, treating everything in moderation. Alton Brown said it best:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">"...there are no bad foods, only bad eating habits. Butter is not wrong, eating a stick of it at one sitting is; sugar is not bad, eating a cup of it a day is; carbohydrates are not evil.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">So enjoy your cooking, enjoy eating (and I say savor licking the batter off those beaters), but do it responsibly and with moderation."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And this goes, not only for food, but for everything in life. Why am I blogging about this? Because I just read an article online that clinched it for me. I'm am now completely and totally convinced that nothing the "experts" tells us can be taken seriously, because it's only a matter of time before they renege.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Case in point: </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><b>Scientists Say Sunshine May Prevent Cancer<br /></b></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050521/D8A7MPFG0.html">http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050521/D8A7MPFG0.html<span class="down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif" alt="Link" border="0" /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">If that doesn't convince you I'm right, nothing will!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Comments welcome.</span><br /><br /></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1116560718331693532005-05-19T23:44:00.000-04:002005-05-19T23:45:18.340-04:00I think...<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think washing your hands is stupid.</span><br /> </span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1116433748059539592005-05-18T12:24:00.000-04:002005-05-18T12:29:08.066-04:00American IdolBo Bice Rocks! I said from day one he should win, and it looks like he's going to. He's far and away the best from any season of American Idol. I'm ready to go out and buy his CD right now.<br /><br />Carrie is also excellent and definitely deserves the #2 stop. Vonzell should never have even made the top 3 and Anthony should have been eliminated weeks ago.<br /><br />They should have Kelly Clarkson come back as a celebrity judge. I can't wait to start Yoga next year.<br /><br />What do you think? Agree? Disagree?<br /><br />Discuss.LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11010041.post-1116332987722764872005-05-17T08:19:00.000-04:002005-05-17T08:29:47.726-04:00Rent vs. Buy<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know, I know. When it comes to blogging regularly (like a good blogger should) I've been failing miserably. But I feel like I have a good excuse: we're in the process of trying to find a place to live. That's pretty important right?</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Problem is, we can't decide if it makes more sense to rent or to buy. The housing market here in Baltimore is just out of control. That might be good, and it might be bad. If it stays out of control, chances are good that in two years, we'd make some good money. If people all of the sudden come to their senses and are no longer willing to pay 300K for 1000 square feet of space (c'mon who are we kidding -- people (as a whole) will </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">never</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> come to their senses), then we might just barely brake even, or even worse: lose money.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not all that concerned about a "housing bubble" because quite honestly, I don't think that's going to happen soon. However, I am concerned about something else that was pointed out to me. A lot of people who bought houses in the last 5, 7 or 10 years, got a mortgage of 5, 7 or 10 year Arm. That means that after their initial 5, 7 or 10 year, their interest rates could go up significantly. Since people tend to live outside of their means, a lot of those people will no longer be able to make their payments after their interest rates increase. Thus, they will be forced to get rid of their homes, and all of the sudden we have more houses on the market. And this is not a good thing if my goals is to make 50K in two years from Real Estate.</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">So the million dollar question. Does it make more sense to rent or to buy? I'm taking a poll, and I need your input!</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Please consider the following:</span><br /> <br /> </span> <ol style="font-family: verdana;"> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">It is very likely that will we only be in Baltimore for about 2 more years (though the possibility exists for 3 or 4 (tops).</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">Our monthly mortgage payment would probably be in excess of $2200! For 3/4 of that, we could get an <span style="font-style: italic;">awesome</span> apartment.</span></li> <li><span style="font-size:85%;">I'm ultra, ultra conservative with my money and don't like to spend large sums of money ($20) at at once. A pair of pants that costs more than $20 is extravagent in my opinion.</span></li> </ol> <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So what does everyone think? What would you do? What have you done? And why?</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Comments not only welcome, but desperately needed!<br /><br /> </span></span>LousyCookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16137766718425704137noreply@blogger.com6