Owen's Paper is back!

Kristiina Brask - Nyt Ma Meen!

This Finnish translation (circa 2014) took me a bit of time to work out. It was only with the help of some very nice citizens in Helsinki Finland that it ever happened. Kudos out to Valura and Visa. This effort launched me on a path to try and to learn a most unique and puristic language! Kiitos and thanks to all!

Eating a bowl of chili….is it really healthy? Uh yeah, sure!

If you've ever asked; 1) how good does a bowl of chili really taste and 2) whether it’s actually good for you to eat, you might get lots of positives for the former and few, if any for the latter.

The truth be told, there are a lot of chili abusers out there. Individuals who prefer to slather on the copious amounts of cheese or otherwise 'corrupt' the nutritional value of the dish with all sorts of wacky additions (see Cincinnati 5-way)!

I like to follow a much more mundane, (and hopefully) a nutritionally safer route to my version of ‘chili heaven’! Read on…

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In my world, a bare bones bowl of chili could contain the following;

Beef – ground or chunks

Tomatoes – stewed, diced or whatever

Chili powder to add a little heat

Cumin – for that authentic chili taste

While this works out OK, the result is rather boring. As an option, here is my favorite recipe for chili:

1 lb ground beef (80% - 20%  mix)

1 onion, chopped (as a topping for when you eat)

1 can petite diced tomatoes, 8 oz

1 can red kidney beans, drained

14 grams of Williams chili mix  (per lb ground beef)

1 tsp Olive oil

1 tsp brown sugar (optional) per lb ground beef

Directions: To make it, you simply brown the meat in a frying pan, drain off the excess fat and then dump this along with the rest of the ingredients into a crock pot set to low. That’s it! The whole deal takes me about ten minutes to throw together in the morning. Then, I can go out and play, work or whatever, and I’ll have a steaming hot bowl of chili ready for me when I get home. This recipe will make enough for four to five one cup servings depending on what you idea of a cup really is.

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Now, as to the nutritional factors. Here’s a label that combines all the ingredients. Note that the sodium is low because I used low sodium beans and so-called fake salt (potassium chloride) to flavor the dish. For added heat, I also used a shot of Tabasco sauce!

Note: When I was figuring out what a true serving was, I figured that a cup was about right and that's what I based the nutritional analysis on. The bottom line is that a good hot bowl of chili ain’t all that bad for your body assuming you supplement it with lots of fruits and veggies!

Oh, and how did this chili taste? Marvelous, just marvelous!

Here we go – bravely onwards into 2013... and on over the cliff!

“Call it the not-so-happy new year.

Unless Congress wrangles a deal in the next few days, Americans will ring in 2013 with champagne, funny hats -- and a knock-you-off-your-feet cocktail of tax hikes.

The Washington-imposed financial headache goes beyond higher taxes. Due to the inaction on Capitol Hill, certain industries could be hit particularly hard by budget cuts and millions of taxpayers could be held up in filing their 2012 returns.”

Read more if you dare: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/25/how-washington-failure-to-reach-budget-deal-could-spoil-your-2013/?test=latestnews#ixzz2G7AiYZov

My thoughts: If this were not my country, I'd be watching this 'theater of the absurd' and laughing my ass off (unfortunately, I am and I'm not). To those simpletons who actually voted for this idiot, I'll resign myself to follow you all to an abyss of unparallelled proportions.

A Kaiser roll type of ham sandwich!

The Subway is on the left!

What better meal deal for a man (or woman) that’s on a diet than a hearty ham on bread sandwich! Herein is a version of the kind of sandwich that Jared Fogle lost so much weight on and which is still advertized and sold by Subway! The only major difference is that the way I make mine is; 1) so much simpler and 2) way less costly (Subway’s 6-incher costs about $3 while mine came in at a miniscule $1.50)!

While the 6 inch sandwich that Subway makes may look a lot better (it sure does), we both still come in at about the same level of nutrition. Here’s a side by side comparison:

 Following is a simple recipe that anyone can throw together, lose some weight and save a little money:

My Ingredients:

1 Kaiser or similar roll

2 oz of honey ham (Oscar Mayer or similar)

2 slices of white onion

1 slice of dill pickle

1 tbsp of mayo

There are no directions given here! If you don’t know how to make a sandwich, then I’d suggest checking into a care center somewhere.

The bottom line is that you too can lose weight and save a little bit of money without giving up a great tasting meal!

News not fit to print!

Yeah, that looks about right!

The FDA now pushing for acceptance of genetically altered fish!

The FDA wants everyone to know that genetically altered fish are okidokie to eat! This proclamation, from on high, coming in spite of other research to the contrary. My feeling on this is hey, if someone from the FDA wants to eat these things, then more power to them! Just please leave me out. Original Source: USA Today

Mealworms may be the food of the future!

Oh, this is just wrong!

If the cost of producing beef continues to rise out of sight, government food researchers are now banking on the eventual acceptance of ground meal worms either as an additive or eaten by themselves in products like hamburger. One rumor has it that large food chains, like McDonald’s, are already working in that direction. One person I talked to that eats them on a regular basis informed me that they do have a special nutty taste that takes getting used to! Original Source: ABC News

When asked, the public says sure let's go over the cliff!

Maybe they public has grown tired of all the talk going on in Washington over the last year that has resulted in nothing getting done about the Nation's deficit. So maybe it was no surprise that, when average citizens were asked what they felt the solution to our fiscal problems were, a solid majority voted in favor of doing nothing and thus allowing the sequesterization acts kick in. Perhaps many Americans now feel that since Washington can’t get it done, then perhaps a little bit of pain ain’t all that bad after all.Count me in!

Random thoughts on a slow day!

And then the flood gates opened…..

California 2020?

After voting, last month, to make Californians among the highest-taxed residents in the country, a debate has now been sparked as to whether or not a mass exodus will ensue.

Democrat and self-described icon Governor Jerry Brown successfully pushed the tax increase by suggesting that high-earners must shoulder the largest burden in bailing out the state, particularly its debt-ridden public school system. And boy, oh boy were they ever stuck hard…so hard that many of the top earners have now fled to other states like Nevada, Arizona and Texas where they have since poured billions into those economies.

Now, with massive Federal tax hikes slated to take effect in January, the feeling by many is that what had been a strong stream will soon become a flood. One scenario sees California rapidly sinking under financial waves of debt, as all too soon, the only residents left living there will be largely comprised of illegal’s and those on entitlement programs. Good luck to that Jerry!

The media and why people are tuning them out!

With the possible exception of stations like Fox News, you can forget about getting anything that even vaguely looks like objective and balanced reporting. Now if you’re looking for fiction, then definitely tune in to CBS or ABC. Or, if your tastes run more to the extreme left, then by all means give the people at MSNBC a shot. Just don’t expect to have anyone working there come even remotely close to telling the truth…about anything!

But wait! There’s more! In an effort to pile on even more of a visual and auditory insult, you’ll also want to pay attention to those incredible ads that at shown every five minutes. Personally, I like to group these atrocities into groups, including those that either insult your intelligence or want you to believe their doctors. That’s when they’re not trying to feed you junk to make your pecker hard. Plulleease. Thank God there’s a rental market where you can still snag a good movie or two.

A solution for taking care of the crooks and crazies!

It’s no secret that the US has a prison overcapacity problem. It’s also no secret that the country is rapidly filling up with wackos (ahem, sorry - mentally unstable) who are becoming increasingly violent. Taking care of them is time consuming and expensive with the average person costing upwards of 60k to house and feed in a given year. While there are just over 2 million criminals in prison, the number of mentally ill is thought to be much higher. Taking care of that many people is simply beyond the ability of the states and will soon even tax the deep pockets of the Feds.

So what to do? My solution would be to move all these felonious folks in troop ships and airplanes over to countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria where they can be set lose to run amok and do their thing! Those who do manage to survive for the duration of their sentences can then petition our government for a chance to return. Alternatively, they can elect to just stay and show the Muslim population some new tricks of their various trades.

An action like this would free up vast amounts of space here in the US and would not doubt present somewhat of a deterrent for anyone who would consider committing a felony. This win-win situation would also make for classic TV as new series with names like ‘Islamic Survival’ pop up everywhere which show our felons making funny blunders as they attempt to ‘engage’ their new found friends with their own unique version of the Brotherhood. I don’t know about you, but I’d watch!

Random Thoughts on the Eve of the End of the World as we know it!

It was the video and I have da pruf!

While State Department officials are getting the axe and Hillary (bless her soul), is recovering from a concussion, I have definitive proof that the Libya mess was caused solely by that darn old film ‘Innocence of the Muslims. You see fellow readers, the producer named Mark Basseley Youssef, was just now sentenced to a year in prison! Let them there Democrats now rejoice as the 'onus badonus' has been lifted off those pure shoulders of our so very President. And take note, you bad old Republicans, is so not a liar!

While he may not be fiddling, he definately is watching us burn!

With mere days left before the country goes over a cliff that will surely result in mass riots and the loss of our country in bankruptcy, our illustrious Leader Barrack Insane Obama is very busy doing anything and everything but addressing the spending problems in Washington. God bless this man – at least he is consistent! When recently asked about the budget, he was heard to say ‘what budget?’

To the scammers of Newtown…

May you scammers rot in hell or at the very least be caught and held up to the bright lights of media coverage! I’d really like for everyone to see what a true lowlife is all about…

BBQ Meatloaf

I happened across a menu item called BBQ Meatloaf that was created originally by Paula Deen, a noted restaurateur and famous chef, and thought I’d give it a try. The ingredient list was very doable and I had most everything on hand.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds of ground beef

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 onion, diced

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ bell pepper (added by me)

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

16 ounces of tomato sauce

3 tbsp. vinegar

3 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup water if needed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the beef with the breadcrumbs, onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper and about half the tomato sauce. Form this into a loaf and place it in a shallow pan. Stir together the remaining tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and pour this over the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Now that's what I'm talking about!

I did manage to follow this recipe pretty closely with the exception of that last part concerning the remaining tomato sauce. Rather than mix all that other stuff into the sauce, I elected to add it directly to the meatloaf. The only things that were poured over the loaf was that remaining sauce and some vinegar.

The end result was a nice looking meatloaf that tasted awesome! I also made a mental note to stop at the store and get a loaf of plain white bread so that I could enjoy one of life’s greatest pleasures….a meatloaf sandwich! Give this recipe a try! It’s easy to make and oh so good to eat!

Critique: Aunt Jemima's scrambled egg entree!

For a couple of bucks you get granular eggs, mushy hash browns and a couple of limp bacon strips! So, what’s not to love?

This 149 gram entrée from the folks at Quaker Oats would not seem that appetizing at first glance. It’s also a nutritionally challenged meal coming in at 310 calories of which 200 of those calories are derived from fat! To add misery to madness, the cholesterol does is 92% of the daily recommended allowance for an average person and there’s enough salt present (36%) to make you crave a glass of water afterwards. And don’t even get me started on the saturated fat content of this little puppy….

So, why do I buy and eat junk food like this? Call me crazy or perhaps just a bit off center, but this stuff does really taste pretty darn gooood!

Maybe it’s the fat content and maybe it all that salt. Whatever the reason, I like to make Aunt Jemima part of my breakfast plans one or twice a month. I scored this a solid 7 on a scale of 10. (The score would have been higher, but hey - this stuff will kill you)!

Critique: Michelina's Sesame Chicken

I would have guessed that any food description with the word sesame in it would be OK. After all, sesame seed plants are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world! Why, I often eat hamburger with buns that have sesame seeds sprinkled over them (why this is even done is a subject for another post). So, I figured since this meal-deal was also on sale, I’d give it a go.

This Lean Gourmet offering comes in at a meager 260 calories and even the sodium, at 600 milligrams, ain’t all that bad. But…it’s also an Asian dish – something I missed when I pick it up at the store. It’s not that I don’t like all things Asian; let’s just say that I’m more a meat and taters kind of guy. Still, it was on sale and so into the microwave it went.

This brings me to a problem I have with this line of meals from Michelina. Most of these packages instruct one to ‘tear a corner to vent’ which is OK. What’s not OK is that the instructions are on the bottom of the package. So, if there’s more than one operation to perform in the prep cycle (and there is), you have to carefully hold the whole affair up over your head to see what the next step entails. Most times, they want you to open up the package and stir this or that before re-nuking for another minute or more. Problem is, that lid like to curl up and so is really difficult to place back over the contents! I’m forced to place some kind of plastic utensil over the lid to hold it down! Michelina – This was not a well thought out process and you need to come up with something else.

After working through the intricacies of meal preparation, I sat down to eat. Right off, I noticed that the pasta was not al dente, but rather al soggy. Also, there was the issue with actually finding any chicken. I did spy what appeared to be some meat cubes, but they were too small to readily identify ad coming from a bird. Lastly, I found the taste to be mildly objectionable. Asian is just not my cup of tea and even though I ate the whole meal, it’s not some road I plan to travel again in the near future! This one gets a 5 on a scale of 10. Another in my growing list of entrees I plan to serve to guests I don’t particularly like.

The flu is making early inroads this year!

After experiencing a number of years where the onset of influenza was either late or very moderate, this year could be a change for the worst!

As of the latest report by the CDC dated December 1, 2012, the flu is really beginning to ramp up in some states, most notably the southeast. As the graphic of states would indicate, the incidents of ILI or Influenza Like Illness is becoming widespread in states like Texas and Louisiana while Mississippi and Alabama are getting hammered! My home state of Missouri is doing OK, so far with only moderate to low occurrences being reported. Interestingly, neither Taney or Stone Counties have seen a single case so far, but that will more than likely not remain the norm for long.

This season, the main problem bug seems to be H3N2 aka Type A/Brisbane/10/2007 which is the same bug that was prevalent last year. It's thought, therefore, the vaccine currently being distributed should be very effective if applied early in the season (which means right now).

Critique: Michelina’s Salisbury steak!

This small, yet so very interesting, offering by Michelina gives a man just what he wants – meat and taters boy! It’s just too bad that this entrée is good to go for only us smaller dudes. At a bare 330 calories, there just ain’t enough ‘beef n spuds’ to satisfy most he-man types.

Having said that, I felt that this frozen meal deal might still be a good candidate for anyone looking to lose a few pounds (like me). And anywho, it was cheap! (I bought it at a local grocery principally because it was on sale for just $1.25). These days, while basking in that post coital Obama election glow, I find myself forced to limit my dining selections to the stuff that’s on sale. Long gone are those days where I’d stop over by the old meat isle and just grab myself a cheap porterhouse steak! Hey! Obama baby, I could use some o that free money right about now…

Yes, I'm afraid its become infected...

Quickly then, onwards to the bottom line….

After nuking in the microwave as per the directions and looking at the result (see picture), I really had no great expectations. (After all, by the time I’d gotten to this meal, I’d had a history of disappointing meals strewn out behind me in the form of previous posts. I was also reminded that I needed to get after a clogged up cesspool out back). So, it was with a heavy heart and a diminishing appetite that I took my warm meal to the dining room table.

Egad! This stuff wasn’t all that bad! I have to give the Michelina folks some credit where credits due. The steak tasted a lot like meatloaf and the mashed potatoes, well, they tasted like they were supposed to. All in all, a great little meal for the money. I’d give this one a solid 7 on a scale of 10!

You elected him. Now live with it.

President Obama met Wednesday with 20 of the nation's top CEO's, looking to tap into their nearly $2 trillion in cash reserves to help stimulate job creation.

But the looming fiscal cliff, financial uncertainty in the Eurozone and the ongoing implementation of ObamaCare have businesses fearful of expansion. On Monday, Hostess Brands announced it is closing three bakeries and laying off 627 employees. The company joins Boeing Company, Groupon Inc, Applebee's international, Papa John's and Murray Energy, which have all announced layoffs or other job cuts since the election.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/14/anxiety-over-fiscal-cliff-obamacare-has-businesses-holding-back/#ixzz2CHYaiiwt

My take: 'This guy is not a total CF. He just needs a little more time....'

Now, how many times did I hear that lament in the months prior to this election? Well everyone, he's got four more years of rope with which to hang both himself and this country.

Obama’s Dream of Nanny-land comes true!

'We’re living in a world called Nanny-land

and trying not to let it show…

Somewhere in that world called Nanny-land

Heartaches can turn into joy!'

Yes, my fellow thinking Americans, I know this is hard to believe, but millions of your not so smart fellow citizens have taken the bait! Obama is da king and America the beautiful will soon be magically transformed into Nanny-land - Taker from the evil rich and giver to the lazy, the poor and the weak. Yes, in Nanny-land it’s all about you baby!

Listen up! You say you don’t feel like working? You say you’re tired and worn out and can’t seem to get up off that couch? No problems matey! Nanny-land will come to your rescue with all the cash you can possibly handle! You just settle back and take it easy while Big Mama Washington makes that mean old booboo called work go away. Yeah, she’ll take it from the rich and give it all to you, you sorry sot, so you can sit on your ass for as long as you want.

See! It is all about YOU! Wow! And though it may seem just a bit too good to be true – our government has so many pockets (really deep pockets) and mirrors that you’ll be long dead and buried before your kids even get wise to this wild and crazy scam.

So, let us all rejoice, drink and make merry…..while we can, Jan.

Making a rump roast in a slow cooker!

The problem: I wanted to cook a rump roast in my slow cooker, yet most recipes refer to cuts of meat in the 3 to four pound range. My little roast came in at only just over 2 ½ pounds.

In general, cooking a roast is pretty much a no brainer. You sear it over medium high heat in a frying pan to brown it and then you dump it into a Dutch oven along with some carrots and potatoes with just a little bit of water and wine and then throw it into an oven set to 350 for about two hours. No big deal….

However, after doing some research, I came across this slow cooker recipe and instructions:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb beef roast of your choice
• olive oil
• 2 carrots, cut into pieces
• 2 Russet potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 sprigs of Rosemary
• 1 can beef stock
• 2 cans hot water

Directions:

• Brown roast in a pan with a little bit of oil over medium-high heat.
• Layer half of the carrots, garlic and all of the onion on the bottom of crock pot
• Top with browned roast
• Arrange the rest of the carrots, garlic and potatoes on top of roast
• Mix beef base in the hot water, pour over roast and veggies
• Cover crock pot tightly, set on high
• Cook for six to eight hours, meat will be very tender, falling apart and veggies cooked through

OK, I thought to myself, I’ve got most everything listed here, so let’s give er a go! Note: I did modify the original recipe for some items (won’t say which ones) to accommodate what I had on hand and to suit my personal tastes). The slow cooker used in this preparation was an old three quart model made by Rival.

After 3 hours of cooking on high, I decided to check the contents of the slow cooker to see how things were going….. (I figured if either the meat or the veggies were not done, I’d dump them into a Le Creuset and finish them off on the stove top). Instead, I reduced the heat to the low setting and went 2 more hours at which time everything looked good to go.

The end result was pure ambrosia! The roast came apart using just my fork!  And, with a little bit of Horseradish I thought I was in pot roast heaven! Serves 4 (see note).

Note: If a mistake was made here it's that next time I might need to add maybe two more potatoes along with two or three more carrots! Then, I might have enough to serve 5 or 6! 

Update: It's about time to make this again! It's November 2015 and I've just moved into a condo. I'll publish a link here as to what happens!

Random Thoughts for Late November!

Yes, President Obama you did an apology tour!

The thing is Mr. President, I feel moved to apologize to the American public for every day you've been in office! Your conduct in foreign affairs has been...well foreign. I almost get the impression that you are ashamed to even be living here in the United States. Perhaps after the November elections you can move somewhere else where you'll be more comfortable. I know I'd feel better.

Italian Scientists getting their just deserts!

Not sure where to begin here. Apparently, in Italy at least, you can now be incarcerated for guessing about earthquakes. I mean, come on, seismology is an exact science isn't it? Here, let me prove it with a case in point. I'll predict a 9.0 on the Richter scale will occur shortly under the butt of the judge who rendered manslaughter decisions against those six scientists. Men who were doing their level best to predict quakes in and around Italy. Yep, I'll even go so far as to say that the entire courthouse is going to fall on this idiot as he gets lambasted by world opinion. What a laughingstock this action has made of his formerly great and proud country.

Sandy visits New York and Jersey: Opps there goes another rubber tree plant!

Sometimes I get the feeling that there are forces bigger than myself at work. Hurricane Sandy paid a visit to the Big Apple and I now hear that it may be over a week before some of the people there can get to the polls to vote. Uh, won't that be too late? (I'm not sure I'd be very upset about that as this city is a rabid democratic stronghold. Although I do feel sorry for those who have suffered and for the rest of the nation which will suffer even more when the multi-billion storm damage bill get handed to the American people.

Petite Vegetable Beef Soup!

This is a small soup version using a one-quart Le Creuset cast iron pot that makes just enough soup to serve a small gathering. Easy to make and oh so nutritious!

 Ingredients:

¼ c. beef chuck, cubed                           1 can diced tomatoes

¼ c. green cabbage                                  1 ½ cans water
1 stalk celery, sliced                                1 dash cayenne pepper
½ carrot, sliced                                         ¼ c. fresh green beans
½ tsp. dried basil                                      1 dash oregano
1 tsp. bouillon powder                              Dash of pepper       

¼ onion, chopped                                    1 med Russet potato, cubed

1 tsp. vegetable oil                                  

 Directions:

In a heated 1 quart Le Creuset or similar pot, add a small amount of oil and the cubed beef. Stir the beef and brown everything evenly on all sides for a few minutes. Next add the rest of the ingredient, holding back only on the canned green beans (these can be added during the last 20 minutes of the cooking cycle). Bring to a brief boil, and then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Cook for about one and a half to two hours (check for doneness anytime after the first hour). Serves 3-4.

Airing of 'Seal Team 6' to bolster Obama!

Yes, you can’t make this stuff up. Seems the Obama Administration has hired Meghan O’Hara – a producer Michael Moore’s films; “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Sicko” and “Bowling for Columbine” – to help produce the film. The presentation ‘Seal Team 6” is set to air on National Geographic 2 days before the election!

But rather than focusing on the men who actually risked their lives in the service of their country, you guessed it, I understand that Obama will be taking center stage after the original movie is ‘doctored’ to make the President seem as though he was the one who killed Osama. Yeah, that should go over well.

President Obama, just how desperate are you anyway? Do you really think that by stealing the thunder from true heroes, that your image is somehow going to be enhanced in the eyes of voters?  Really!?! I think this airing will have the same effect of someone taking a grenade, holding it up to their face and pulling the pin. Kablooey! There goes an election.

A simple and hearty chili!

A really good chili is also a simple chili in my book. It should go together quickly in the morning and then be placed in a slow cooker where all those wonderful flavors are allowed to mix it up. This recipe is perfect for the fall and winter season.

Ingredients:

400 grams ground beef 73% fat free, browned

84 grams white onion, chopped

47 grams bell pepper, chopped

11 grams cayenne pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic (10 grams)

411 grams (1 can) diced tomatoes

34 grams Canadian bacon, diced

1 dash fake salt

4 tbsp Bloody Mary mix

1 pkg of McCormick’s Original Chili Mix

400 grams (1 can) of red kidney beans, rinsed

Directions:

Brown the beef in a hot pan along with the diced onion, bacon, cayenne and bell peppers. Drain and add to a slow cooker set to low. Add one can of diced tomatoes, then Bloody Mary mix, sprinkle in a dash of fake salt, stir and cook for about five hours. During the last half hour add the rinsed kidney beans. Serves 6.