Settling In

I have been moving in gradually and have been trying to get use to the new house. The biggest problem is the noise level. Seems we have a nice bump in the road and the street is rather busy 24/7.

I am trying to get use to the stove here. It's one of those glass topped suckers. No burners. The oven is controlled digitally and to bake anything you have to set the temperature then a timer for everything or the oven doesn't come on. When I first started using it the oven would shut off or wouldn't pre heat or a burner would come on on the top of the dang thing. I would think I was shutting everything off but that dang burner would keep going on and off as if it had a mind of it's own. I was thinking how could a stove like this be safe? Lol, I think I have got the hang of it now though. Whenever I use the oven I just set the timer for 3 or more hours and do my thing and shut it off the old fashion way.

I did a kitchen job not to long ago and was able to get myself one of those over the stove microwaves that has an exhaust fan on it. It was one of the first things I installed here. I have always wanted one and have always been highly jealous never to be able to afford a new one. I am very happy to have one now. A hand me down or not.

I started to move my shop yesterday. Seeings as how my son is away in seminary school I can't lift my equipment for the move myself so I have to take all of my saws and such and break them down. I was able to get the table saw, wood clamps (I can't believe how many clamps I have accumulated through the years) Ban saw and drill press all loaded and to here yesterday. I also through some hand tools on the load. I must have about 15 framing squares and at least as many different levels. My redneck moving truck couldn't handle anymore. The rear end of the sucker was practically rubbing the asphalt on the trip here.

I have been getting back into the kitchen. I made a batch of home made pasta last night and made a lasagna for myself and oldest daughter and spaghetti and meatballs for my wife and youngest daughter. I didn't burn anything up so cudos to myself and mastering the new stove. I won't mention the charred mess I had in the bottom of the pot when I attempted to make potato soup the other night. I made bread bowls to go with the soup and after removing them from the oven I shut it off. Turned the burner with the soup on it down to low and went to take a short nap. Working nights has worn me out. The burner decided to do what ever it wanted and I woke up to the smell of charred soup. I carefully tried to get whatever was salvageable from the pot but of course, like burnt pop corn the charred flavor made it taste like a smoke sale potato soup. The bread bowls were a nice touch though.

Today I will be re assembling my equipment and for dinner tonight I am going to roast a turkey breast. I bought some Ocean Spray raspberry cranberry sauce, something I have never seen before but am interested in trying. The roast turkey breast is one of those pressed into roast shape with no bones in it. We like them but the gravy packet that comes with it needs some work. Good thing for chicken stock. Lol. We use the better than bullion kind that is like a paste in a jar. I would recommend it to everyone. We usually get both the beef and chicken flavors.They have a few fish types too but we have no need for a fish stock here. Some times when we are making something that requires a good beef flavor for a gravy like for the cubed steaks I made on Friday night with mashed potatoes which need the gravy, lol. I use the lipton beefy onion soup mix to make the gravy.

Sorry Zee. The turkey roast doesn't have a turkey butt or I would package it up for you. Geeesh, first I volunteer to herd your cows and now I sucker myself into collecting turkey butts for you. I'm headed over to Vero's family reunion now. I'm going to put on some overalls and a straw hat and rent a mule and sneak in. I'll have to locate a place to get some chaw tobacco so no one gets suspicious. If Vero catches me she's going to mail my butt to you.. I'm going to scope it out and see if she has a turkey on the menu and if she does I'll cut off her turkeys butt and cyber space it to you right away. We may have something new here for a fine Indian cuisine. (Turkey Butt, not Mac's butt).