MONDAY: What's Cookin'? 7/30/2012

Good morning friends.

Yesterday I took the kids to see Ice Age. The parking lot was full however, there were several movies playing. The prices to see a movie and have snacks are INSANE!

Tonight we'll have leftover roast beef w/ gravy.

Nancy

SoCalScottishGal

Going to attempt this from my phone.

It worked! DH loves fried rice and I don't seem to be very good at it, so please share if you have a good recipe!

Nancy, we love going to the movies, but hardly ever get popcorn because it is so unbelievably expensive. (Funny thing is, when DS#1 worked there in high school, he could eat as much popcorn as he wanted, as long as he brought his own container. They based their sales on the number of cups and bags/buckets sold, not the product.)

Fortunately at our local theater, they discount the ticket prices on Tuesday -- all day, even in the evening, it's $5.50. So Tuesday is usually our movie night, when we go. We can also get discounted tickets at Costco so I like to keep those around if we want to go on a weekend.

Called my mgr to check the schedule and he said to come in at 11:00, so that means I have time to go the the gym this morning!

Hope everybody is doing well and enjoying their day ~ not sure about dinner but I'm thinking about just putting some chili in the crockpot at lunch.

Good Morning,

We'll be doing errands this morning.  Then I'll attack the laundry.  Dinner tonite will be smoked pork chops, cauliflower with cheese, and marinated cucumbers/tomatoes.  Have a lovely Monday.

Good Morning!

I hope it is truly a geat one for everybody.

Nancy, I know what you mean about popcorn prices. Unreal down in Texas too.

Stacey, sorry to hear the doctor quit. I hope your boss does OK, starting back to work. We had a Charming Charlies at our local mall in Houston. They are fun stores to shop at.

We had a super day yesterday. The cavern was amazing! We enjoyed seeing it. After we toured it, we drove to Sitting Bull Falls-a little oasis in the middle of the desert. Someone told us about it, and since we had plenty of time we drove over there. then we drove back to the cavern, we stopped for a bite to eat. The place was OK-DH and I shared a plate since I was not very hungry. First time I ever saw diced tomato on a baked potato! The real highlight of the meal was a guitar/fiddle duo who strolled around the place playing music. They were so good. They started with Happy Trails, so I thought it would be all western music, but they played a bunch of oldies, surpirsingly. The guitar player was older, but the fiddler was maybe 20. I would have bought a cd, but the duo doesn't have one, and they don't even have a name!

Anyway, after dinner we went back out to the cavern area, and parked. Then we walked, and walked and finally arrived at the bat flight amphitheater. Every night thousands of bats fly out of a different cavern (close to Carlsbad Cavern). It happens right about 8:05. It's neat to see, we enjoyed it.  No photos allowed though. Two people did it anyway and promptly were escorted out of the theater.

Not sure what's for dinner. DH mentioned chicken & dumplings, so I may try for that. We are going to Marfa, Texas when we leave here shortly. It is knwown for the ghost lights. Occasinally after dark, some strange light appear in the sky. They are colored and they bounce aorund. No real explanation has been found. There are no highways that direction, so probably not car lights. I doubt we will get to see them, but since I have   wanted to go ther for years,and we have the time, we are going. I was hoping to go and visit big Bend National Park, but DH got word from a friend of his that it is too hot-don't go before October. We will be driving only about 4 hours today. Hopefully I can find a grocery store and get some food for us. We are getting low on several things.

As we were walking to the amphitheater lastnight, one man struck up a conversation with DH. turns out the are from San Antonio, and the guy has a cousin who worked at Lockhhed with DH! Small world.

Have a great day. I must turn off the computer now, and finish packing up. I'll check in later.

Tammy

Good morning everyone.  Slept in a little longer this morning--felt good.  DD and SIL are night owls, --they eat late and are catching their 2nd wind when we normally are relaxing and getting to turn in.

Yesterday we went out for bunch and a late dinner.  Not use to eating out so much, but DD wants to make she we enjoy our vacation.  She was suppose to be off work today and going to join us at some sights around town, but they called her in.  No problem, we can get around town pretty good and have our GPS as a back up.

Had hoped to be on our way by now, but DH is downstairs having the front windshield replaced in the truck.  Seems a stone/rock/? must have flew up and cracked it at the bottom.  Glad they were able to come directly to the hotel and fix it.  Will be going 1st today to mail a birthday gift to a brother back in Michigan and then we'll just get in the car and see where we end up--we'll be eating in tonight--DD is cooking something.

I don't have time to go back right now to read the old posts, but I see that somebody mentioned Charming Charlie.  DD worked for a short time at the one here in K.C.  I went into the store about 1 1/2 years ago.  I liked how everything was grouped by colors.

Oh, here's DH, so he's ready to go now.  BTW, it hit 107* yesterday--it was a dry heat (next to Florida), but none the less, HOT.

Lori

Good morning! Hope that all is well with y'all today. I'm moving slowly, but working on some paperwork anyway so not needing to move quickly. I haven't decided on dinner yet- I have a while before I need to do that. The boys have practice again, and that throws off my mealplanning.

Lori, glad you are enjoying your time in KC. That is hot though!

Stacey, I'm sorry about the doctor quitting. I hope that doesn't come back to haunt him professionally. I've never been in a Charming Charlie's. Was it your DD who had some surgery last week? How is she doing?

Tammy- how neat to see the bat flight! And the caverns of course. It sounds like a nice day. Have fun with your short travel day today.

Betsy- did the kids go back to school this morning?

Nancy, how was the movie though? The boys think the commercials look funny, but they are getting old enough that there are other movies they'd actually like to go see. Our closest theater is around $9 a ticket- that is a bunch for a family of five plus snacks!

Helen, dinner sounds delicious. I chuckled at DH watching the Olympics until he falls asleep. We are enjoying the many channels of coverage allowing us to see sports we haven't watched before. And then trying to learn the rules, etc. This morning DS #3 has on kayaking I think.

Waving a hello to all- I've got to go get busy for a bit. I've got a couple of phone calls to make before noon. Take care and I'll chat with you soon!

Ellie

Hello from a very humid Ontario.

Played golf this morning but I gave up after 9 holes.  I found it way too humid.  Came homefor a while and then went back to pick hubby up.  We ended up going out for luch to the local cidery, where we couldn't get in the other day when we tried.  Boy that cider went down so well  This place is right on the shore of Lake Ontario and has the most gorgeous views, surrounded by apple trees and a vineyard The grapes have started to change colour already - am sure that is earlier than usual, but then, everything is early this year.

Stacey, that was not very professional of the temp doctor to quit Hope your boss is OK coming back.

Helen, my hubby would make a good match for yours I think, falling asleep to the TV.

Not sure what we'll eat tonight but I am making a real effort to use the food in the freezer over the fridge.  That tends to get forgotten about.  I have some fish, a few hamburgers, some stirfry beef and some ham so we won't go hungry.  Try and pair that lot up with what is ready in the garden.  Last night I made a veggie pasta sauce with zucchini, pepper and tomatoes.  Added a little shredded chicken and some cream cheese and it made a good supper

Hope the girls are happy to be back in school Betsy.  Sounds like it will be a busy year for you with them at different schools. Does that just happen for the one year?

Nancy, thanks for taking time out of your busy days to start this thread off faithfully for us all.

I've never heard of Charning Charlie's but sure sound like a lot of fun.

Enjoy your vacation Lori. The bats would have been fascinating to see Tammy but I wouldn't want to be too close.

Have a great day,

Tasty

 It's a little coler here in Kentucky today.  It's only 96 degrees instead of 106!!!

Tonight we are having pepper steak (made in the crockpot), rice, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers with olive oil and lemon dressing, and jello salad.

Hard to cook when it's sooo  hot!!  Using the crockpot a lot!!

Dh is cooking our dinner right now as I relax. We will have grilled filet mignon, sauteed mushrooms, baked potatoes,corn on cob, sliced tomatoes, and a salad. 

i need to stop staying up so late watching Olympics - I am dragging and it is only dinner time.

Will try and send this one.I had one typed and got kicked off internet and didn't go before. GRRRRR! I have been having trouble with the internet lately.

Not much going on, DH is getting to feel better finally. We had cheeseburgers and fries tonight with tomatoes and sliced cucumbers. Gal at work brought me tomatoes. Appreciate that but I gave her money too. Will have BLT later in week.

Have to take Dh over to get the pick-up tomorrow night. He had his S10 over there while he was gone then took big pick-up over to have serviced and will be done tomorrow night. I also have pacemaker check before we go.

Nice to see everyone is busy with everything going on.

Marlene

Dinner was what I call "gravy on biscuits". Chicken and veggies with a cream/chicken gravy, spooned over hot from the oven biscuits- yum! Sliced watermelon on the side.

Time to run to practice! Have a great evening, Ellie