Yahoo Answers Annoying

Sometimes I can get so annoyed at Yahoo Answers.  The quality of answers and definitely the quality of most questions can be completely lacking.  People ask some of the most ignorant questions.  I think they should make some rules or do some kind of random IQ test before a user can submit a Yahoo answer or question.  Filter some of the frivolous, unintelligible nonsense out. 

Miami Dolphins Pumpkin Carving

It might be hard to find a ready-made NFL pumpkin carving stencil online, but easily enough, was able to create a simple one from the official logo using Photoscape. Just snipped it, gray-scaled it, edited so that it was a carvable template, reversed the colors (black to white, white to black), and sized it.  This Miami Dolphins pumpkin template is pretty easy, about a medium I would guess.  You can click on the template image (will take you to the whole image), and right click and save and print.  cheers!!

Also, the gray sections were just not removed, only carve around the black sections…

Taco Casserole Recipe

I find I am more of a meats person and all the girls in my house tend to be pasta connesuirs.  I love my spicy foods, especially tex-mex.  I recently made burritos and had quite a bit of salsa rice and taco meat leftover.  No one was eating it though.  So decided, hmmmmm.  I can do something with it.  The taco casserole was born.  Very similar to a chili mac recipe but baked….

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 Packet Taco Seasoning

1 Can Tomato Sauce

3/4 Cup Chunky Salsa

1 Box Pasta (Elbows, Ziti, Rigatoni, or the like)

Lots of shredded cheese.  I used a combination of sharp cheddars for flavor and Mexican blends as well.

Begin browning the hamburger meat, and while cooking, prepare the rice and pasta per directions and set aside.  I recommend cooking the Pasta until just Al dente.  Drain the meat and add in taco seasoning and a little water per the packet directions.  Simmer.

Add in the salsa and tomato sauce, continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the rice, and then stir in the pasta.  Note the rice isn’t necessary, but I’ve made with and without and the texture of the rice adds to the dish.  It, unexpectedly, makes a huge difference.  Using a large casserole dish, alternate layers of cheese and the mixture, and top heavily with cheese at the end.  Bake in the over at 350 Degrees for about 45 minutes or until the cheese is browned on top.  Serve.

Its a great dish from scratch or, as I prefer, a way to use leftover Mexican night ingredients.  Enjoy!

What kind of tree is this?

This tree behind our house has been going crazy dropping seeds.  They start as yellow hard nuts about the size of a very large acorn, they then split open exposing three red seeds inside.  When they drop off, the whole shell and seeds come with it.  The problem is, the shells are extremely hard and pretty sharp.  There are so many falling everyday, that its hard to keep the patio clean.  And if you walk barefoot (which I often do), it is not very pleasant to step on these beasts.

Jalapeno Green Sauce Recipe

If your a fan of hot sauce you probably thought of making your own.  Perhaps you already have.  I used to grow my own Habenaros, Seranos, Jalapenos, and other chilies.  It had been a while, so I recently planted and grew some jalapenos.  They fruited and produced peppers in about four weeks.  I harvested them, trimmed the plants back for better root/stock growth for next burst of even bigger peppers.  I decided to make a green sauce with my first harvest.  Came out pretty good.  If you’ve ever watched Nickelodeon back in the day then you know what ‘green slime’ is.  Well, that’s what it reminds me of, but I’m pretty sure wouldn’t want this poured over your face.  Just on your burritos

Dog Food for Kids Recipe

That’s right, ‘Dog food for kids’.  I learned a long time ago that if you run out of dog food, you can make a healthy alternative that’s quick and easy.  The dog loves it and it provides necessary nutrients for your pooch.  Simple and easy:  Rice and eggs blended up.  About three months ago, we ran out of dog food, and so I decided to blend up the quick meal for our dog.  To be nice, and to create a ‘treat’ for Snickers, I threw in some shredded cheddar cheese as well.  As I was blending the mush together, the kids came in asking what I was making.  ’Dog Food’, I responded.  ’Ahh I want some!!!’, I hear.  Well, why not?  

It Always Rains in Koontz Land

I am a big fan of Dean Koontz.  This is a relatively new affliction, so its fair to say that I haven’t read all his works.  At my current pace, I should be 100% read within about 6 months.  This is including Dean’s latest novel, ‘Relentless’.  This is excluding any shoot-offs, children’s novels, cartoons, scribbled notes available on E-bay, or poetic prose.  I am just talking about the big, beefy, Koontz novels.  There’s a few subtle nuances I find in all his works.  These are little things that characterize a Koontz novel and I feel bring the reader closer to the author himself.

Buddy the Rat

So who is that guy?  That furry little big-ear scratching dude posing for the picture in front of a Barbie mansion?  That is buddy, the rat.  He is my computer savvy, oh so knowledgable and wise Info Rat.  It seems when he is near, just in the general area, I am able to solve the most complex computer related problems.  He doesn’t really say much, it’s just his aura I suppose.

Lost my Kids

I am a 36-year-old father with two daughters ages 7 and 9.  I have managed to lose my kids twice since their conception.  Yes, Moms, I actually misplaced, as in, completely had no idea where my kids were.

Homemade Sauces

Sauces from what you have in your kitchen.  It ain’t that hard!  Some people completely trip when it comes to experimenting with the world of condiments but little do they know, every sauce we have bottled and serve regularly are just experiments gone right…