Palindrome for a Postmodern PTA Meeting

 

 A man, a plan, a cat -- Panama! 

A man, a PTA canal -- Panama!

We're all furry frotteurers over here. Sit by me!

WARNING: Never Put Rocks on a Stove

Hi, folks. This is very serious. Please read.

In Sunset Magazine's April issue, page 77, they show a photo of rocks heating on a stove's burner (to be used for steaming vegetables). This is a terribly dangerous thing to show, as most people don't know what kind of rocks are safe for this kind of thing. If someone were to put rocks secured from a riverbed, or an outdoor water feature, or simply the wrong kind of rock, onto a burner -- rock they'd probably WASH first -- these rocks CAN EXPLODE.

Most rocks have a certain amount of water content, but some are like sponges, and when heated, the steam can build up and the sudden pressure can fracture the rock catastrophically, bursting into hot shrapnel that could seriously injure someone -- esp. rocks heated on a range at waist level, right about where a kid's face is. Talk about a meal blowing up in your face.

NEVER put rocks on a stove or in a campfire, unless you know what you're doing. No one should try this at home, or else it's like Da-da when he accidently ate that fish with the nitroglycerine demi glace...

Psycho Bunny Week Apocalypse PREVIEW

Grandma, what happened to all the aluminum foil?

Confession time. Da-da has a psycho-bunny fixation. Perhaps it's because he was frightened by a killer rabbit ("LOOK AT THE BONES!") when he was younger, but the hideous result is a bunny hoarding compulsion that is horrifying to behold. Da-da's young charges, Bronko and Nagurski, are already embarrassed by their own costumes.

Get over it.

Sorry, Ma-ma's bunny costume is off-limits (perverts). However, CUNICULINE MADNESS begins on April 18th, tax day in the U.S., which is oddly poetic. For those in other corporate tax zones (read COUNTRIES), you will ostensibly find Da-da's mania puzzling, BUT FABULOUS. Those of you in North America will revel in fascination of the abomination. Indeed, you won't be able to stop looking. Unless you turn your head. Da-da would. So, you've all been prewarned. Good luck. We're all counting on you.

Almost time to... PUT IT ON, BWAHAHAHAHHA! Sorry.

Frugal Da-da's Recycled Kitchen Sink Marinade

Da-da learned cooking-for-entertaining, originally. This is quite costly, but you're going for the gold when entertaining. However, given Da-da's time and economic restraints, he's since learned how to cook quickly and frugally. One of the things he now does is recycle dressings and sauces. (Huh?)

That's right. Da-da bought a big, widemouth quart juice container, and dumps the dregs of any bottled sauce or bottled/homemade salad dressing in there for use as a future marinade. You'd be shocked at how good chicken is marinated in leftover dregs of Newman's balsamic dressing, last few tablespoons of Trader Joes BBQ sauce, soyaki, fish sauce (adds incredible complexity), black strap molasses, orange juice, kung pao sauce, old salsa... the kitchen sink. The less work you put into it the better. Save till you have enough (might take a few weeks), then toss in some chicken legs or thighs, marinate for a few hours, yank out and S&P, and GRILL, GRILL LIKE THE WIND. Damn good. If Da-da has some teeny erg of energy left, he sometimes tosses in a little chopped garlic or shallots. If you really get into it, try keeping a log of what's in there, jotting down what mad scientist ingredients you used just in case the kids want more, and believe Da-da: they will.

Da-da created this little experiment primarily because he has a smallish fridge and needed the valuable chilly real estate for other ingredients. And with prices for six chicken legs being about $2.50, you can afford to experiment. If you happen upon something reaaaally good, you can replicate it for a whole (butterflied) chicken, provided you kept notes. If not, what the hell. It was fun while it lasted. Recipes are nothing but someone trying to replicate a moment, anyway.

[Note: chop leftover grilled meat and stir fry with leftover rice and  veggies to make an incredible rice bowl. Better than take-out.]