Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

This blog will pay for itself.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

We are aware of all internet traditions.

This fight is for everything.

People are complicated. Love is not.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Eh, that’s media spin. biden’s health is fine and he’s doing a good job.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

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78Comments

  3. 3.

    J R in WV

    I’m glad your cooking is making you happy. I like to cook.

    So I’m cooking too. I think I’ll copy my cooking posts from the dogs thread to this one, which is specifically about making food!

  4. 4.

    J R in WV

    Posted at 3:14 ::

    We had a skiff of snow this morning, if it had cooled off a little quicker last night, we could have had a white xmas, because it was misting a pretty good shower which would have been snow, if only. But now it’s just the winter coat of leaves on the forest floor.

    I have just put a lamb shank into a pre-heated crock pot with fried red onions, celery, garlic all in boiling broth, fennel, coriander, rosemary and thyme rubbed on the lamb, bay leaves in the broth. The shank was still somewhat frozen, but that can’t last long in boiling broth.

    Will add potatoes towards dinner time, which for us is 8 or 9 pm. Mrs J used to work into the evenings and we were lucky when she made it by 9, so we’re used to a schedule slid about half way to 2nd shift. Plus isn’t it properly decadent to eat late?

    Christmas champagne too, and not the bottle we’re saving for the presidential indictments. You jackals keep on having a nice day and evening, you hear now?!!

    Also too, that Scout puppy is one cute little baby dawg, isn’t he???

  5. 5.

    J R in WV

    And this I just moved from down there to right here:

    So, I got inspired, and found a box of brownie mix. Added a pouch of sliced almonds, an extra egg yolk to the two eggs called for, melted butter instead of “vegetable oil” and added a big shot of orange liquor. Normally used for margaritas, I figured orange goes with chocolate. In the oven.

    The lamb is lookin’ like it’s cookin’ in there. Won’t open it, won’t open it, WON’T OPEN it yet.

    I preheated the crock pot with half a gallon of boiling water, fried the onions and garlic in a pot, added a quart of broth, so it was boiling after I put the lamb into the warmed ceramic pot, so it should have started cooking pretty quickly compared to the average crock pot you just turn on…

    We shall see how it comes out. CousCous for a side? or just rice. Ooh, Ooh, I almost forgot to put the wine on to cool down….

  7. 7.

    Sab

    My butterball turkey wouldn’t thaw, even after a week in the fridge, and two hours running under cold water in the sink. So I turned the stuffing into dressing (cooked outside the turkey), put the turkey in the oven two hours early, and crossed my fIngers.

    Hopefully it will be cooked, it’s wings won’t be burned off, and the meat won’t be turkey jerky.

    Next year I am going back to the fancy turkeys I usually buy.

  8. 8.

    efgoldman

    @Sab:

    I turned the stuffing into dressing (cooked outside the turkey

    Two PhD biologists who were our guests decades ago called them “endostuffing” (inside the bird) and “exostuffing” (baked separately). It stuck.
    Can’t taste the difference if you cook the exo with the neck and giblets on top.

  9. 9.

    NotMax

    @J R in WV

    The slow cooker leg o’ lamb recipe which shall be trying out today instructs to use 1 cup of either red wine or chicken broth.

    Doesn’t take a psychic to predict which will be put to use.

  10. 10.

    Vheidi

    Cooking with my sister, and my nephew jumped in to help, which was great. We love cooking too: sirloin spoon roast with garlic slotted in, roast CSA vegetables, green beans, homemade pumpkin pie. Oh, and horseradish cream for the roast.
    Merry Christmas to all

  12. 12.

    Corner Stone

    I had planned on picking up the prime rib dinner from Luby’s today, but I have plenty of leftovers from our taco feast yesterday. Seems like kind of a waste not to maximize them as they are deeelicious.

  13. 13.

    John Revolta

    @NotMax: I remember Don Rickles in a sketch on “Laugh-In” reading a list of movies supposedly playing at the local theater:

    “The Thing Without a Face!”
    “The Face Without a Thing!!”
    “The Thing With a Thing in Its Face!!”
    “The Thing With a Face in Its Thing!!!”
    etc.

  15. 15.

    Schlemazel

    @Sab:
    I really do not understand the level of paranoia we have gotten to on poultry. You are going to roast it to 160-180, that will kill any salmonela. Just let the damn bird sit in the sink.

  21. 21.

    Corner Stone

    @rikyrah: I know, right? But I’m flying out tomorrow for a few days so if I don’t eat the leftovers today they will not get the proper respect.

  23. 23.

    Sab

    @efgoldman: You commented on that last year. I laughed then, forgot about it, and laughed again this year.

    When I do it exo I steam it like a bread pudding with the giblets. One more pot to wash is my only [email protected]Schlemazel:
    I am not so much worried about the poultry as I am about my sink.

  24. 24.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    Speaking of cooking, I’ve got a couple pounds of venison steaks in the freezer, dropped off by my bro-in-law at thanksgiving. Any cooking suggestions? I was thinking if nothing else I might make a chili out of some of it, but I’d rather have a chance to explore the flavor.

  25. 25.

    Old Dan and Little Anne

    My wife and I put unique names on all our tags. Ond of my gifts today read, to Barack from Michelle. As I was opening it I said, what is this a big Obama shirt? And yes. Yes it was. Lol….sigh.

  26. 26.

    MomSense

    @Sab:

    I missed you on the morning thread but just wanted to say that as tough as it is, you will be grateful to have spent this time with your dad.

  27. 27.

    Corner Stone

    I hope TJ Yates discovers at some point during this game that the Texans have more than one wide receiver.

  31. 31.

    Mary G

    I had a nice quiet morning. Housemates are making me a Guatemalan shrimp recipe for my birthday yesterday now to eat at 3pm or so, and I am going to friends at 4 pm to eat the big dinner at 5pm, so I will be stuffed. It’s a good problem to have.

  34. 34.

    TheMightyTrowel

    Happy holiday northern hemisphere! It’s boxing day down here already. Having some friends over for bbq later today so i need to go brave Costco for veg and lamb chops. Wish me luck!

  35. 35.

    CarolPW

    @Sab: Close to Thanksgiving WaPo had a recipe called Desperation Turkey (From Frozen). Seems it happens to people often enough their food editor came up with a recipe for it and said it tasted OK.

  38. 38.

    efgoldman

    @Corner Stone:

    I hope TJ Yates discovers at some point during this game that the Texans have more than one wide receiver.

    He’s been third string his whole career for a good reason.

  39. 39.

    Schlemazel

    @Glidwrith:
    at an internal temperature of 160°F, it only takes fourteen seconds to kill 99.999999% of bacteria. Since most people overcook to 180 that is even more of the bacteria. Most problems are caused by poor hygiene by the cooks and sloppy cleaning of utensils.

  40. 40.

    Ohio Mom

    Back from the Chinese restaurant, which was Ohio Dad’s first venture into the world since his surgery. Now it is rest hour.

    All is well.

  41. 41.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Corner Stone: Yes, from the same brother-in-law. They served us venison burgers. I remember them being tasty and not noticeable different from a good beef hamburger.

  43. 43.

    HeleninEire

    @Baud: I just emerged from a 3 hour food coma. I came home from lunch and laid down “for 15 minutes.” When I opened my eyes, 3 hours had passed.

  44. 44.

    HinTN

    Taking it easy today after a pulled pork fiesta with friends yesterday. Made sweet potato chiffon pie (Emeril’s recipe) to serve with Doctor Who tonight.

  45. 45.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    @Sab: A few years ago I got all inspired after hearing a lecture by author Barbara Kingsolver who had recently released her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. I still try to follow her advice to eat local produce, which also means in-season produce. But she was also pushing heritage turkey. I think her family was raising some (a source of some good stories, such as when she realized the females were viewing her husband as a potential mate.)

    Anyway, I was briefly inspired to try to get a heritage turkey for Thanksgiving. And then I checked the prices. And then I went back to the grocery store. I’ll pay a little extra to try to avoid the hormones and factory farming. But I’m not going to spend $100 for one bird.

  47. 47.

    Diana

    We are having the vegetarian niece over for dinner tonight so the big bird roast was last night. Today’s big kitchen adventure is cookies with sugar stencils.

  48. 48.

    J R in WV

    @Glidwrith:

    Oh yes, I posted the other evening, but it was late.

    First, I’m not having an ear/nasal infection, just congestion. Dr Bill recommended Xyzal OTC for allergies, in case that’s what is causing the congestion. The prescription is still on the box beside the laptop, Ipratropium Bromide Nasal Solution 0.06% – this same medication is provided in a higher concentration in an inhaler rather than a nasal spray, for COPD lung issues. The copay for me is $5 for the nasal spray.

    I know about the inhaler because the pharmacy filled the prescription incorrectly with the inhaler. I suspected it was wrong at the time, but was in a hurry… when I got home and read the package insert and saw that it was for COPD, I knew that was all wrong. I have healthy lungs, no sign of COPD. Just congestion in my ears.

    Best of luck to your Mr. !! The crackling really bothers me, and we’re going on a field trip come March that will involve a lot of snorkeling along shallow reefs, and cloggy ears really don’t combine well with that.

  50. 50.

    Glidwrith

    @Schlemazel: Shrugs. You asked, a biologist answered and the cooking doesn’t necessarily destroy enough of the toxins. Do as you wish.

    I am hoping to get some advice from JR in the thread.

  53. 53.

    efgoldman

    @Corner Stone: I hate the NFL PI rule, even if works in my team’s favor.
    20 yards? 40 yards? 55 yards? Hate it.
    They should adopt the college rule: 15 yards.

  56. 56.

    debbie

    @Glidwrith:

    I’m not JR, but I used to have all kinds of ear problems, especially when I had to fly for business. What worked out best for me was Afrin nasal spray. A couple “snorts” about 20 minutes before takeoff. Cross country, anodize as plane began to descend. What a difference it made, even better than prescription antihistamines and decongestants.

  57. 57.

    Glidwrith

    @J R in WV: He does have allergy-based congestion, complains about the fluids not draining and shifting weather systems are agony. We will hunt down the meds. Many thanks!

  59. 59.

    NotMax

    Whiskey cake on cooling rack. Marinated lamb set atop veggies, bay leaves and wine, extra rosemary tossed in just because, slow cooker activated. ETA: 6 hours on low.

  62. 62.

    danielx

    Had to meet an extraordinary culinary challenge a short while ago, oven baked brisket. SO difficult….3.5 lb brisket, trim fat. Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on both sides. Mix together one 12 oz bottle of chili sauce, one 12 oz beer (preferably dark), and 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Place brisket in 9 x 13 baking dish, layer sliced onions on top, pour sauce/beer/sugar mix over the top, cover with aluminum foil, place in 425 degree oven for three hours. Remove foil, bake for additional half hour. Let it rest and cool, then slice and return to dish to reheat. Serve with sauce spooned over the top.

    Don’t know how I managed. Won’t be ready for a while, but the upside is that all you have to do is put baking potatoes in the oven for the last hour of cooking. Make a salad…..nom nom. The kitties are exceedingly curious about all these proceedings, although they have not (as yet) jumped up on the counter.

  64. 64.

    Glidwrith

    @debbie: Thanks, Debbie. He is using the new green-capped nasal spray. It has helped a lot, but he shouldn’t be taking headache meds every day to deal. Thanks to all for the advice.

  66. 66.

    HeleninEire

    @NotMax: The lunch itself took more than 4 hours. First there was the Prosecco welcome reception, then the soup buffet then the salad buffet then the appetizer (called “starter” here) buffet, then the main course and then dessert. That was a little over 3 hours. We then retired to the atrium of the hotel where for more than an hour we drank coffee and sipped Frangelico.

    Madness.

  69. 69.

    debbie

    @Glidwrith:

    I may not have seen all of your posts about this, but it sounds like clogged Eustachian tubes, which is what I had. I think your husband may want to see an ENT instead of messing with OTC drugs. I went through I don’t remember how many antihistamines before I found one that worked well for me (Periactin).

  74. 74.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @Corner Stone:

    Christmas dinner over. Bro’ Man forcing the stragglers to watch Bad Moms. He’s obsessed with it. Looking for my window of opportunity to head home.

  75. 75.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Corner Stone:

    I just want them to decide once and for all what is, or is not, a catch.

    If receiver plays for the patriots, it’s a catch. Otherwise, not a catch, unless calling it a catch helps the patriots in some way.

  77. 77.

    J R in WV

    @NotMax:

    I added a hot cuppa red wine upon your inspiration… thanks! It was fall apart juicey, with big chunks of celery and little round potatoes. And wine. Merry hahaha.

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