James Hoffa – a real class act!

James Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, had some choice words for the tea party on Labor Day.

"Let's take these son-of-a-bitches out and give America back to America where we belong," he said onstage in Detroit while warming up the crowd for President Obama, who spoke at the same event.

Tea Partiers have not taken kindly to his comment. (Ya think)?

After criticizing Hoffa in a statement to press, Tea Party Express blasted out a fundraising email hitting Obama for failing to reject Hoffa's sentiment:

“It is disgusting and shameful that Obama allows this kind of violent rhetoric to continue. Isn't he the President of ALL Americans? How dare he allow his supporters to "declare war" on American people who are standing up for liberty? The reason President Obama doesn't put an end to the onslaught of attacks and insults is simple... he agrees with them.”

I agree with the Tea Party, that if it's war the Teamsters want....

A Bachelor’s vegetable (sometimes beef) soup!

One of the recipes I make when alone - which is quite often - is a simple vegetable soup that may or may not have beef (depending on if I can afford it). It meets all the requirements of a lazy bachelor like myself; fast, simple and easy!

For ingredients, I will generally add the standard mix of potatoes, onions, carrots and green beans to a mix of water and chopped tomatoes. From that point onwards, it pretty much depends on what catches my eye at the time. Generally speaking, I will add a little oregano, cayenne pepper (go easy) and garlic to this witches brew. They give the finished soup a little sparkle, I think. I will also add in some basil, either dried or fresh.

As far as amounts go, I pretty much stick to one medium russet potato, a can of chopped tomatoes, two cans of water, two carrots, a couple of small onions and finally a can of green beans. Other candidates would include corn, turnips and peas if I happen to have some lying around.

All of these go into a very old slow cooker that I inherited from my parents many moons ago. I do have newer (and better?) crock-pots somewhere in the back of a lower cupboard, but they are larger in size and would require me to make more soup than I would want. In general, I like to make just enough for about six servings. (After that, I’ll likely grow tired of it and will toss the remainder out).

Once everything is added, the slow cooker is set to low and then forgotten about until the marvelous smells coming from the kitchen remind me to check it. So, about six hours later, I’m ready to sit down and enjoy one type of ‘comfort food’ that also very good for you to eat!

Words of wisdom!

My fried potatoes and fake egg omelet breakfast!

As that which has defined most of my sorrowful like, I have here a breakfast designed to put one in an early grave; fried potatoes and an egg omelet. Ah, but not quite the mega-cardiac disaster that you would suppose. Instead of the aortic busting, cholesterol laden standard egg, I’ve elected to go with Egg Beaters instead. For this meal I pulled out an old cast iron skillet. These old guys have the advantage of maintaining heat and so do a great job of frying the potatoes touté suite.

Ingredients:

1 container of egg beaters

1 medium potato

1 slice toast

1 slice ham

1 slice American cheese

1 cherry tomato

3 tblsp oil

1 pat of butter

Directions:

In a large frying pan, add oil and bring to moderate high heat. Peel one potato and cut into thin ‘dollar’ slices. Dry the potato sliced on a paper towel prior to adding to the hot oil. Nuke the potato slices for one minute on high.

Once the oil is hot, add the potato slices and cook one both sides until brown. After a few minutes add the sliced onion. Once brown, remove to a paper towel and lightly salt (I used a salt substitute).

After potatoes are removed from the pan, allow it to cool then add the egg beaters. Tear up the slice of American cheese and layer these over the top of the eggs. Do the same with the ham.

Once the egg has ‘set’ in a minute or so, carefully pull one side over to form an omelet. Cook for another minute then remove to a plate. Start the toast while allowing the egg omelet to rest.

Just prior to serving, nuke the potatoes for a minute to reheat them and then do the same for the egg omelette for about 20 seconds or until done. Serves 2.

What the F### is going on with Labor Day?

I was checking the Weather Underground to see what to expect in the way of a Labor Day forecast when I spied the threatening words ‘Tropical Storm Lee’ under the box for Monday which is Labor Day…right? Anyway, the forecast is for sunny skies and balmy temps! So what gives, Jerome? Will it be sunny skies with the occasional hurricane outbreak? That said the weather looks to be absolutely perfect, especially if you’re getting tired of the hundred degree regime that has been most of the summer.

It won't start!

Click on picture to enlarge!

Banquet’s Pepperoni Stuffed Breadsticks

Did I already forget to mention that there is also some marinara dipping sauce in this box? Hard to believe you get two bread-sticks and dipping sauce for only a buck! Gee, two whole five inch bread-sticks! OK, they tasted great and the sauce really does compliment the sticks. Having said that, this paltry morsel is like offering an alcoholic a single shot of booze. Not enough to satisfy! No, not enough by a mile!

At just 250 calories per serving and only a buck a meal, I suppose I could buy two and that would be a pretty good way to spend an evening snacking in front of the TV. But, gosh almighty ye God's of the frozen entree! Banquet, you have got to have a little feeling for us older (and larger) guys! We get tantalized by stuff like this! Will the torture never end?I'd score this deal a 6. Would have been higher if they'd snuck another breadstick in.