First things first (I’m thinking we all need a little protection):
Gargoyle (gar’goil) n. A fearsome figure carved from stone that has powers to ward off evil spirits.
With chilly weather fast approaching here in the Northeast, I thought we needed
a nice warm appetizer for happy hour this week:
1 can artichoke hearts (14-ounce), drained
4 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Locatelli romano (or Parmesan) cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
Chips, crackers, or raw veggies for dipping.
Finely chop the artichoke hearts or run through a food processor along with the garlic using the steel chopping blade. Combine the ½ cup of cheese, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and cream cheese; mix well with the artichoke-garlic mixture. Put the mixture in a 1-quart baking dish, Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with chips, crackers, or veggies for dipping.
And just what could we drink that could match the potent garlic in today’s appetizer??
In honor of what we hope are upcoming indictments, I bring you one of my faves:
Okay, now it’s your turn: post some beer or product labels that you find amusing!
Woke up this morning
I suddenly realized
We’re all in this together
I started smiling
Cause you were smiling
and we’re all in this together
I’m made of atoms
You’re made of atoms
And we’re all in this together
And long division
just doesn’t matter
cause we’re all in this together
-Ben Lee
not being placed in my cabinet so you get to be
Sec of Labor
your job if you decide to accept it is to get CEO pay in line with what they are actually worth, you know like most of them are worth about 2% of what they are paid.
I will have great fun with that…redistribution of their multimillion dollar annual bonuses among the lowest-paid employees, paid daycare benefits for workers with families, 6 months paid parental leave, with vacation time and healthcare for all.
Yes, ma’am!
As SecEd, I would like to propose an educational program for those CEOs and board members as well — it goes something like this:
They must work and live as their lowest paid employees do (before all of your reforms, of course) for no less than one year. Then they can travel the country talking with students about what they’ve learned. Meanwhile, the employees can run the companies. Whether the CEOs and board members are hired back will be up to them.
What do you think?
Oooh, I like that…and anything they can’t afford on the lowest paid employee’s salary, they have to do without. You know, nice housing, car that runs, good quality groceries, health care, medication, entertainment…
I think they’d be ready to quit after 3 or 4 months, don’t you?
Yes, well, their choice, but if they quit, they’d have to get another job or live off of their accumulated wealth (which I’m sure as soon as we put back the dividend tax will not take them as far as it used to!!) — as SecEd, I promise to have plenty of training progams available so that they can re-up their skills to something that actually contributes to society!
heheheh this is fun!
Hey, I thought I was Sec Labor 😉 Oh well, easy come, easy go. Now I guess I’ll just have to move to a lucrative K-street lobbying job. That or you could make me a supreme court justice. I hear it’s getting easier to get on the court all the time. Or, I’ve always thought I’d make a good cultural attache to Scotland. Or you could put me where I might do more real good and make me the director of the National Science Foundation and give me the budget to actually do something for science education in this country. Really, I’d be happy any old place. (Grins)
accountability! Perhaps we could get Ghostdancer to create a new cabinet position? Reform of the FCC, maybe? That’s where we need you!
As SecEd, I pledge to work with you on the educational aspects of reinsituting the people’s ariwaves, broacast media and broadband.
Of course, science education is all good too! 😉
Oooh! I’m drooling. I want John Stewart as my Dep Sec. Who needs thumbscrews when ridicule will do.
Done and done, sorry kelly, I slept since yesterday and it seems like everything just went away. lol
No worries, GDW. I just saw an opportunity to angle for the supreme court job or something better and couldn’t resist;)
artichoke dip looks awesome too!
The low last night was 60!! And the high temp today is only supposed to be 80 — 28 whole degrees colder than this time last week. I REFUSE to feel cold!
😉
Son the elder has the day off school and wants to go to the store now, so I’ll be back later on.
Happy Friday all! May it be a good one!
This time of year in Colorado, we routinely have:
High 74
Low 30
or sometimes an even wider spread. The thermal expansion and contraction is murder on sidewalks and buildings
You’re right, we have much wider differences too — it was just 2 1/2 weeks of BRUTAL heat — I think we broke records on seven of those days — and then BOOM, this cold front came in — there is no WAY it is going to get up to 80 today, it hasn’t even broken 60 yet — the forecast was a bit off (go figure)….so it’s more like 108 to 60…that’s a big difference even for here!
Anyway, I am trying my best no to be a cold wimp (I REFUSE TO BE COLD DAMMIT!!), but my body is just not used to it yet!
How’s the family? Is the kiddo happy to be spending more time with dad?
Is that a real Ale? Because it’s making me feel bad about the Heineken I’ve got in the fridge. 🙂
“You’re not worthy”
No wonder they market it as “an aggressive beer”. It’s got a kick to it, too.
Sorry about the Heineken… 🙂
Flying Dog Brewery
It’s a bit early here, but I’ll be back :{)
Enjoy!
Peace
Nothing says fall like a good porter, does it?
Thanks, dada! Flying Dog ROCKS!
I love deess countrry! </yakov_smirnoff_voice>
It’s a pretty, lazy autumn morning in Puget Sound with what passes for fall colors here.
I’m looking forward to some great fall pictures from you nonwesterners in the fair tomorrow. I’m making my list, checking it twice, gonna upload what pictures are nice.
Here’s a beer-related sign seen at a local tavern:
Hey, I believe in the boy scout motto:”Be prepared for happy hour”.
Sounds like a hot show at your local bar, there…and I’m looking forward to seeing all of everyone’s photos tomorrow!
As I always say, it’s 5 pm somwhere!!
Naked beers on tap — heheheheheheh!
Most excellent!
Danni is my inspiration. She is the glimmer on my darkest days. She continues to believe in such things as peace, justice, kindness – when the rest of us no longer see much hope. She encourages me through her creativity, her compassion and her courage.
She is a writer, poet, and (her terms) a Human Caring. At ten, she became an activist and started questioning and writing politicians. She speaks up and stands up for the underdog. She turned being bullied (because she’s smart, thin and independent) and made it into a quest to learn Judo/Jujitsu and find her confidence. For a wee little thing, she walks tall.
She hasn’t given up… so neither can we.
Oh… and she’s totally into Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Ramones. Which… is pretty fucking cool if you ask me. Pssst, I have caught her dancing and singing in her bedroom – just like I “used to do” growing up. She’s mystical, magical and “moody” (just like an artist) … and I’m so glad she’s past the the terrible 2s, 3s and 4s where she would cut her hair and draw on EVERYTHING, usually the textured walls and herself. However, she runs around with a pen, pencil or magic marker in her hand at all times.
Danni, I could march every day, but because you are walking this earth – I know it will improve.
Happy birthday to Danni! I hope she has a fantastic day!
She sounds so cool for 11 years old! Of course, she has a wonderful example of what kind of person to be in her mom.
Slumber party at your house this weekend?
Nope, no slumber party. She did at least invite her brother which she is hoping he won’t come out of the bathroom naked or something while the girls are over for pizza, movie and trick or treat bags that any good witch would love. 😉
Happy 11th Birthday Danni, what a great little girl you are.
Janet I can see you are so proud and well you should be.
What a great bunch of Bootrib kidlets we have here.
Our BooKids didn’t drink the kool aid
“what the hell are those liberal nazis teaching their kids anyways??”
I think it’s like this: We liberals learn from our kids while we try to prepare them to live in this world and make it better or … take over the world! One or the other, it’s allllllllll good 🙂
We send you all of our love here in Bamaland!
Shama Lama bama ding dong 🙂 Or something like that )Animal House soundtrack)
Wouldn’t it be great to have all our kids together for an event/march/ a…
dare I say BOO0-B-Q ??? 🙂
Give her a big Happy Birthday hug from both me and Mr. Cat! Some pink roses for her from me….
Thanks 🙂 One must be careful when sniffing the flowers as Danni taught me when she was just a toddler. There could be bugs in them damn things and when you stuff your cheerio crust faced into it to sniff… or in the case of a toddler “HUFF and BLOW” you might get a few wigglies up your nose 🙂
Happy Birthday, Danni!
You have much to teach us as you make your way in the world, or, as you make the world in your way…
Lotsa love from Austin!
She’ll take OVER the world 🙂
Right, then!
Us fogies just need to get out of the way!
😉
Can’t stand too far away… they need us to tell them to tie their shoelaces and put on their jackets 🙂
Hey that’s a Boston pic, Revere’s grave. I’ll call later Janet. Wish I was back west with you guys. Danni’s one cool girl, not much competition in a towel fight but one cool girl.
HA! and Danni has a strong sense of REVENGE! She WILL get you back, you do know that don’t you?? 🙂
Ryan snapped her backside as she was jumping from one bed to another. Got her in MID AIR. It was hilarious! She stole the linen napkin he used and practices with it all the time… with an evil glimmer in in her eyes.
“I’ll be waiting Uncle Ryan!” muahahahahahaha
I think that’s the Grainery – the one with the alleged Mother Goose plot. The one with ben Franklin’s grave.
You are extraordinarily blessed DJ, thank you for sharing the light of your life with us.
My oldest daughter just turned 12 on 10/05, unfortunately due to the corrupt nature of the San Diego County family court system, I have not seen her in over 8 years.
I do however have two very beautiful children, a son who turned 3 on 10/04 and a daughter who will be 1 on 11/19. I am truly blessed.
I hope that one day my oldest will want to know her father and allow me a chance to discuss what happened between her mother and I.
Here is to Danni, one of the extraordinary humans caring, who shall help us change our world.
Here’s to you, too! Clink.
I hope one day she will find you. I don’t know if I could even breathe if one of my kids were gone… I’d crumple and crack. (((GDW)))
She must have got all the artistic-live-loving soul from somewhere, mom. Congrats. Have fun.
I’m sure it all came from her geeky, science-based engineer, quiet Dad. 🙂
She did get her love for hockey from his side though.
…inside and out. Methinks her mom has something to do with that…
Sounds like she’ll have no trouble weathering the storms of adolescence. Does BooTrib have an age limit? Would love to have her do some writing here (or maybe even at Village Blue for Diane?).
Happy #11, Danni…may your banner ever wave high…
My first diary was her letter to tons of politicians. It’s very “raw” LOL I didn’t do it justice… but here it is.
She was very upset about losing a school librarian, the picture of a girl in Tala Far and the inauguration being 40 Million dollars. She asked what she could do… and she came up with writing a letter.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/31/13469/6302
She’s writing another one about when she’s old enough to vote. Or at least she started to last week or so ago. School stuff and playing outside do tend to take up her spare time 🙂
Maybe I should spruce it up and redo that diary here(?) so that she can have her letters in a series here.
That artichoke recipe is awesome CabinGirl! Perhaps I’ll take a crack at it this weekend. Two of my best friends are coming into town to visit, I’m very excited.
My favorite beer is Franziskaner Hefeweizen. For random-trivia’s sake:
MMM. Yes, Hefeweizen, with lemon!! Yummm. They make a good one down in Shiner too (and cheaper than the imported stuff, ’cause it only has to come about 135 miles!)
of local brews. We have Four Peaks up the road in the Phoenix area that makes a decent Hefe, otherwise you can’t go wrong with Pyramid. Damn it’s too early for my mouth to be watering for a beer!
I like Pyramid too — when we were less poor, both the hub and I are beer connesieurs — our tastebuds have been trained by a master brewer, the godfather of our kids, a Ph.D. in chemistry and maker of spirits and explosives!
😉
I like wheat beers, but haven’t tried the Franziskaner…when we were all at the Capitol City, the other week, I was drinking their blueberry wheat-yummy!
Have a great visit with your friends this weekend. Got any big plans, or are you just hanging out?
is Club Crawl, which is basically a street festival with tons of live music on multiple stages. It happens twice a year with the Fall Crawl being the larger event. I’ve missed the last three so I’m looking forward to hearing some good tunes.
Salud!
Who’s playing?
includes mostly local acts, which is why I love it so much. Plus there are so many to choose from.
Going away this afternoon and will have little access to the internet….and be gone for 9 days!
All the amenities: no telephone, no tv, no high-speed internet access, no answering machine, random telephone (depends on winds not messing with the lines)….
7 new books…hiking boots…new bottle of scotch and one of dark rum…
Have a great week all – –
That is a gorgeous picture! Enjoy the peace and quiet on your vacation. It sounds perfect to me, we pick our vacation spots based on who has more limited access to electronics…
No sequins and no teeth for you! How could you do this to me? My husband LOOOVES that dip, and this stuuuuupid other Army wife used to makey it for him everytime we went over to their house because she Appreciaaaaates my husband sooooooo much! Puuuuuuke! I have never made it for him and always I have been able to spitefully claim that I don’t have the recipe. I had BIG PLANS of dying that way too! Well, that was until this day! What the hell Cabin? Now mine is going to have to be better than hers! I hate this shit! I wrote dirty stories to all the boys in my class who I thought were “strange” and signed them with other STUPID HOMEMAKER girl’s names and left them laying around the Home Ec classroom when I was in high school. Can’t say I have better things to do now that are more important than play Betty “Crock”o’shitter for some MAAAAAN’s idle narcissistic taste buds! Why don’t you get your own man to abuse and stop wrecking my life with your idle unfilled moments!
I won’t need teeth to eat the dip, but the sequins are really non-negotiable. What will our hillbilly neighbors think if I just have a plain gunnysack on? Oh, the humiliation…
And I’ll just have you know, since it’s MY recipe, it WILL be better than hers. So there! </channeling of arrogant bastard>
Now I have something in my hand to bring to the table. It is your super special top secret blow the doors off recipe! I have that and the fact that no matter how many beers I have I still know that a woman over 40 probably shouldn’t jump on the trampoline in front of all the guys giggling seductively! It’s just so desperate and puts so many different things in motion! It gives the older guys motion sickness!
The visual image of what you just described is just so, well, revolting…
Bring the Cosmopolitans…you will be the hit of the party…without jiggling like jello.
a nice Cosmopolitan would make it all go away?
Okay…all dips are mostly bland…not enough tang to them….I learned this from one of my former assistants – that was trained as a French chef!
shhhh – secret Add a little creamed horseradish to any dip like the Artichoke dip above. Just enough to give it a tangy edge but not enough to burn. end of secret
This is not written on any of my recipes…I just add a little to any dip that’s a bit boring. ;^)
He introduced it to me in a Remoulade sauce…never ate so many prawns and dip in my life!
triple or quadruple the amount of garlic and still add the horsey sauce. MMMMMMMMMMM the joys of being married to an Italian/Spanish/Apache/English woman. lol
Pssst…this dip does have a bit of tang to it from the lemon, garlic and (the big secret) Locatelli cheese!
But, the horseradish is an interesting idea…
It’s a little early for me to be drinking. Heck I don’t drink much or often, but for this special occasion put me down for a Spotted Cow, my personal favorite beer, or maybe a Fat Squirrel, both from here in Wisconsin, land of cheese, beer, brats, and the Green Bay Packers. The order varies by preference.
All best
Hey, any cow that is described as “fun, fruity, and satisfying” and can jump over Wisconsin is okay by me!
It melts in your mouth!
1 lb. butter
1 med. pkg. Velveeta cheese
2 cans undiluted mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms – drained
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
salt to taste
Melt butter and cheese. Add soup, mushrooms and broccoli. Add salt to taste.
mmmmmm…..
Holy cow! I suggest skipping the middle step and applying it directly to your thighs.
Sounds yummy though.
absolutely hilarious!
I know – lol. That’s why I only make it about once a year. It’s also very addictive. 🙂
Spouse and I have both worked out this morning (!) — now need to get moving. Tentatively planning on sausages tonight (yeah, but they’re the California frou-frou kind…), and I’m either going to make my low-fat potato salad or we’ll pick some full-fat up at the deli on the way home.
Sally, have a wonderful vacation — it sounds lovely! I need a vacation from the spouse one of these months (want to get past the health crisis du jour first), but mine are limited by transit accessibility; no remote cabins in the woods for this kid. 🙁
Okay, time to get the potatoes boiling…will check back later…
I don’t think we have California frou-frou sausages in my grocery store. I’ll check though…
They say it’s out – I think the sites out… anyone seen this elsewhere at a reliable site? I would love to give the url/idea to Mr. Damnit so he can ummmm… surprise me with this 🙂 But he’s not a cyber surfer dude. HELP? 🙂
I hate to comment and run! But this is great news. Powell’s was out of our first BooBooks book club book (how many books could a book club book if a book club could book books?), BAYOU FAREWELL. But thanks in part to the wonderful efforts on our behalf by the sainted Emily of Powells, they’re back!! If you haven’t ordered yours yet, you can get it from Powell’s and benefit this site. Just click on a Powell’s ad.
BooBooks “meeting” Saturday, Oct 22!
Just got the book I had on back-order yesterday, Codex Derynianus by Katherine Kurtz and Robert Reginald. It’s basically an encyclopedia to everyone and everything in the Deryni universe (as created by Katherine) — but it’s written from the viewpoint of a mysterious monk, “Brother Theophilus”, who supposedly did all the research, and then the scroll was discovered during an archeological dig. Even the introductions are great reading…
One of my favorite lines is in the entry for a very evil Archbishop, who was mostly concerned for his own power (think a Catholic Pat Robertson): “He died and was sent straight to Hell, where the Devil had a special receptacle specifically prepared for him.” Would that several such receptacles were being prepared for members of this misAdministration…