Cooking Malfunction #.....

There are just way too many to count which is really kind of disturbing being that I don't even attempt to cook on a regular basis. What's even more disturbing is that "some people" (mama & Dean) wouldn't even consider some of this stuff cooking so to have a malfunction while heating or mixing is really bad. However, in my eyes if I'm in the kitchen & I have to stir, add something to something or heat, it's cooking. So, for the last couple of days I've been sick with some sort of stomach bug which required me to eat nothing or a little soup. As luck would have it we had chicken noodle soup on hand from the last time I had a stomach ailment. I distinctly remember the last time I ate it that it was incredibly salty. Coming from me that's saying a lot. All of you cooks out there I'm sure just figured out exactly where I'm going with this, Dean did. Anyway, I got the can of soup out yesterday & for whatever reason I actually read the directions. Generally, I'm not a direction reader unless of course said directions are a recipe. In that case I read them over & over & over again just to make sure I don't do anything wrong which I inevitably do. Lo & behold the directions say that I'm supposed to add water to the soup. Well, that's interesting. I can honestly say I've never ever added water to any soup I've ever made. When I say made, I mean opened the can. Apparently, that was the problem because this soup had the perfect amount of salt. Go figure.

We have neighbors coming over for the LSU game tomorrow. Dean is going to BBQ hamburgers & hot dogs. Dean makes the absolute BEST hamburgers ever!!! I love football parties & one of the best things about hosting is since we're providing the main course I don't have to make side dishes, everyone is bringing something. This means I don't have to cook anything. No cooking = no cooking malfunctions. I believe one a week is plenty! I'll get all the fixings for the burgers & call it a day!

Earlier in the week I mentioned that our Internet at home wasn't working & AT&T was sending a new modem. It was to be delivered Tuesday. Well, Tuesday came & went with me watching the UPS truck drive by numerous times without stopping at my house. It arrived Wednesday & it still doesn't work. This time Dean got on the phone with the Habeebs. Sunday when I called I actually had a guy that could speak fairly good English but I know nothing about filters, Ethernet lights or anything else that has anything to do with hooking up the Internet. I also didn't think there was any way I'd get 2 people that could speak English in one week. As luck would have it, this guy spoke better than my guy. Dean had him on speaker which is how I could tell. Sunday's guy said he didn't think it was the line. Wednesday's guy said he absolutely thinks it the line. What's the end result? As of this morning still no Internet. AT&T is sending out a guy today to check out the line. There's a 20% chance it's inside the house. Yeh, that means there's a 20% chance that I'm going to have to cough up some cash for this little service call. I only paid something like $10/mo. for years for that inside wiring protection plan only to cancel it awhile back because we never used it & I had far better things to do with that $10. Hopefully, it will be working when I get home.

Speaking of better things to do with $10/mo., I'm stopping for a mani & pedi on my way home. I've needed both for awhile but I was trying to wait until we were finished painting. Yes, I had paint on my toes. That happens when you paint in flip flops & barefooted. Anyway, all nails should be looking good for the Football/Pool Party tomorrow!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

Toodles!

I Need A Nap!

 Seriously, I'm soooo sleepy. I don't know who came up with the whole after Kindergarten you don't need a nap thing but they should really rethink it. I'd have no problem laying a mat down on the floor of my cube everyday. Boss Dean brought us to lunch today for Administrative Professionals Day. He was out of town on the actual day. We went to Zea's. It was my first time there & it was good. They have some interesting things on the menu, Thai ribs, lamb & corn grits just to name a few. I stuck with what I know - fried fish. I did venture out of my comfort zone & ordered corn grits as one of my sides. I was told they were really good & I like grits but I wasn't sure about having them as a side at lunch. They were really good! Our waiter was quick with the refills & before you were finished with one he was there with another. Needless to say I think I had 4 Dr. Peppers. Not my proudest moment.

Last week I was supposed to make enchilada's one night but then because of Cinco de Mayo I didn't. I made them last night. As I've said before I'm not a cook. I didn't do anything stupid this time at least.  The recipe is for chicken but I made them with ground meat. They were good & we have leftovers for tonight so nobody has to cook. However, if it were up to me, we'd just eat out every night. Cooking just doesn't seem to be worth the trouble. Dirty a bunch of dishes, cook & clean up takes AT LEAST  twice as much time as actually eating what was prepared. I saw what my mom meant when she'd cook & then say she didn't really feel like eating. By the time I was done it was like "eh, I don't want this".

Thanks goodness tomorrow is Friday!!!

Toodles!

EPIC Fail!!

It seems that Lydia may be onto something. I don't know for sure but it's possible that Mr. Pluckers does in fact read my blog! HAHAHAHA! That's the only explanation I have for last night. When we left to go eat he was home. Hmmm. That's ok. We just figured he was home for a break & would be going back to the restaurant. Once we ordered we asked our waitress if he was there & she said no & that she didn't know if he was coming in because he just "pops in & out". Interesting being that he's NEVER home. Sheri, who lives between  Mr. Pluckers & us, told the waitress all about how he lives next door & we've never met him. The waitress was nice but it seemed as though she thought we were crazy. We were there an hour & a half & he never came in. Good thing we weren't counting on a free meal or anything.

When I got home from work I watched Real Housewives of New Jersey. Danielle is a crazy person. Like a total whack job! Mabye it's just me but I've never heard of having a luncheon to honor someone & that someone wasn't invited. Weird right? I always liked Jacqueline but she's getting on my nerves with the whole Danielle thing & thinking she's ok.  Caroline just talks like a mob person & that bugs me. Why do I watch if I don't like anybody you ask?? Well, I do like Dina & Theresa. They make me laugh. I saw online that Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is filming. That should be GREATNESS!!!

Nothing else going on except for the fact that I have to cook tonight. Oh boy. Can you tell I'm really looking forward to it??

Toodles!

Cozumel

Friday morning when we woke up we were docked in Cozumel. I took a couple of pictures from the ship.



We had an excursion booked & it was one that I wasn't looking forward to. Maybe I shouldn't say I wasn't looking forward to it, I just had zero expectations. That way I wouldn't be disappointed. It was a cooking class. That's right, we were paying someone to teach us how to cook an authentic mexican meal. Everyone knows I don't cook, I don't like to cook, I don't really want to learn to cook & I don't eat authentic Mexican food. See why I didn't have any expectations??

We had to take a bus to what they called a resort. It was really just a park but it was nice. This is a picture while we were waiting for the bus.


At the resort/park there was a restaurant, a pool & of course beautiful water & a nice beach. They brought us to a room that had windows everywhere so we could see the water. It had all these little cooking stations & there were 4 people per station. Perfect since there were 4 of us.


The first thing we had to do was put this on


Don't I look thrilled? Chef Luis insisted we wear them the entire time. I was ponytailing it that day so I guess it didn't really matter. He proceeded to teach us. He was very funny. Our main course was fish wrapped in a banana leaf. Here's Dean cooking. Not an unusual sight at all.


Here's proof that I really did participate.


He also taught us about presentation.




These were the tortilla's we cooked to make our appetizer. If you notice the skinny legs in the background, they belong to one of the gay guys on the cruise. His presentation was UNBELIEVABLE! It was amazing how pretty he made his plate with that red dye!


This was the appetizer once it was done. It was REALLY good.


This was dessert.


It's cookies layered with rice pudding with cinnamon sticks as a topper. It was good if you like rice pudding.

Here's me & Chef Luis.


Doesn't he look about 12? He studied in Paris which to me is really strange considering he's teaching us how to cook mexican food in Mexico. Anyway, we had such a good time in this class. I highly recommend it. See what happens when you have no expectations!

I was a little startled when class was over & we went to the place where we'd eat. This thing was sitting right outside the door.


After we ate, there was a little mexican walking around with an iguana asking if you wanted to take a picture holding it. Ummm, no thanks dude. I certainly wasn't interested but then Cliff informed us that iguana's are carriers of salmonella. I guess that's one the reason the ship makes that announcement that you can't bring animals back on the boat.

Here are some pictures of the water!



We took the bus back to the port & did a little shopping. There was a band playing.


Carlos 'n Charlie's & Senor Frogs were in the shopping area so we went to Carlos 'n Charlie's for a drink.


Dean's starting to age & his eyes aren't as young as they once were. When the waiter brought the menu & he couldn't read it in the dark they brought him this.


These were the largest & cheapest drinks we had the whole week! Only $27!!!! Dean got nervous when the waiter brought the ticket & it said $365. It was in peso's not dollars!!!



I'm still amazed at the water.




That takes care of all of the ports we visited & the excursions we did. We had a fabulous time & I highly recommend it!