KnittyOtter

Spanish Rice Supreme

Recently I went to a gathering with some friends. Before hand MonkeySocks and Florrie asked that I bring along my yummy Spanish Rice Thingy. It's really yummy and easy to make so I happily agreed. Then it occurred to me that I needed a name since not everything I make can have Thingy in the title. Trust me it gets a little weird. Plus when people ask you to make that one thingy it can get confusing. ;^)

As a working title, since I decided I'd write the recipe out having had a few requests I wrote down the name Spanish Rice Supreme. It's better than having meat in the title, although to be more accurate it should be called Buffalo and Cheese topped Spanish Rice. That's kinda long for a name though, dontcha think. *L*

So without further adieu here is Otter's Famous Spanish Rice Supreme!

List of Ingredients:

2 Packets Mahatma Spanish Rice
  2 Tablespoons Ketchup (trust me!)
  2 Tablespoons Butter

1 or 2 cans Mild Ro*tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies (I like a lot of tomatoes so I generally use two)

1 pound ground buffalo
1 pound ground mild Italian sausage (optional, or you can use 2 pounds of buffalo instead.)

2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of diced white onion

1 8oz package of Tillamook Queso Blend Shredded Cheddar

In a sauce pan prepare your packages of Mahatma Authentic Spanish Rice. Follow the directions exactly. Including the odd as it sounds Ketchup. Trust me. *L*

Now I like it a little extra spicy with the green chilies and tomatoes so I add in one or two cans of Mild Ro*tel. The can actually says "Milder". *L* Add that in stir and let sit for a few minutes.

I open the cans of Ro*tel before I prepare the rice and drain the liquid into the measuring cup and use that as part of the water that is needed to cook the rice. If you don't want to do that drain the tomatoes before adding them in or it will get too mushy when you bake it later.

In a skillet brown your ground buffalo & mild sausage along with the garlic and onion. Drain when done if there is any grease.

You can cook the rice and meat at the same time, obviously. :P

Spoon your prepared rice into your baking dish as the bottom layer.

Then spoon the ground buffalo & sausage mixture on top.

Finally top it with a layer of mild cheddar cheese and bake in the oven at 350° 20 or so minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

I forgot to take a photo as it came out of the oven, so here it is after it had been attacked served.  ;^)

I first heard about Mahatma Spanish Rice from my best friend. She sent me a package and told me to follow the directions. Including the ketchup. Sounds weird, but it works. *L* Best Spanish Rice EVER. :D

I only make this dish for large groups of people. Groups that can handle onion and a little spice that is. At home as a side dish I normally just make one package and use one can of Ro*tel without the cheese or meat. Super Yummy. Although the honey likes it better without the Ro*tel, so your millage may vary. *L*

In other news in addition to the lovely skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn that Rachel received for naming my most recent soup creation, Margarita Chicken Soup. (In the colorway BlueBerry Hill) I took her a container of the soup. Not only did I not poison her, but she loved it muchly. I also took soup around to a few other peoples and they loved it too. It's a Win!

*Happy Otter Dance*

Saturday Sky, Big Ass Bug & a Huge Hat Oh My!

It is the early hours of Saturday morning. I survived another week. It was close, but thankfully there was a lack of Barry Manilow so I think it's going to be okay. heh.

Thankfully rather than Barry there was Ok Go with Here it goes again. *L* (The song not the video)

Much better than Berry to be stuck in ones head at the end of the week eh. ;^)

The reason I'm up so early is because my throat (hello Tonsils, please fuck off!) is killing me. The smoke from the recent fires is making it a bit more irritating to breathe. Thing is I kinda need to breathe on a fairly regular basis. I have a real doctor appointment thingy this coming Thursday so lets hope they give me some magical cure for this nonsense.

Now for the Big Ass Bug the honey took me to see yesterday. We had to run a few appointments at the north end of town so he made sure we took a turn past this. He knows I carry my camera with me all the time and love to find interesting visual objects with which to amuse myself. He asked if I could use it for my sky thing and I told him no I'd use it for  Eye Candy Friday. He, having no clue what the heck I was talking about said I was cute and that was that. I didn't have time to post before I ran off, as Vikkie would say, to play yarn with some friends, so here it is today. Notice the sky was a lovely blue yesterday morning. By evening it was windy as hell and looked like rain. Or at least smokey grey. (No Rain, None Expected)

When we first came upon the huge ass bug sculpture it looked like a giant spider.

(All Bug Pics, Clickety Biggety)

Then I thankfully realized it only had 6 legs and I felt a bit more enthusiastic about it. *L*

It kinda makes me think of Spider Man, like something he might fight. :D

I have to wonder if this big black bug got into a fight against Vikkie's Rainbow Barf Bug which one would win. *L*

*pokes Vikkie* Love you. *kissy face*

*pinky wave*

Yeah it may yet be a little too early. *L*

In knitting news I finish this hat last Saturday while knitting with MonkeySocks, Florrie & Vikkie. It's nice to actually finish something. I still need to wash it though. Details Shmetails!

The photo was taken a little bit ago. So yeah no natural lighting, but thems the breaks kiddos.

I started this hat last year... when who knows?! Maybe late November. I think I remember sticking it on a pumpkin. But that may just be my twisted imagination. o.0

Yarn: Lornas Laces. Yummy soft fun to knit.

Colorway: One of them! (No clue what I did with the label...)

Needles: US 9 - 16" circs, and Vikkie lent me some DPN's to finish it off and get it done.

Top: Spiral. Looks kinda neat.

For: Gift For Friend

Tomorrow I'll either be knitting on the honey socks, My tenth Dulaan project: a kid hat or maybe Duckie Hat.

Notice the sweater isn't on the list. *GRIN*

I finished knitting the sweater last night. Now I just need to weave in my ends and wash & block it. 

*Super Happy Otter Dance*

I think I'm going to start my own sweater Monday or Tuesday. And my own pair of Socks for my upcoming travels.

Wheeeeeeeee!! Exciting times at the House of Otter. :D

Magic 28 Socks & Half a Sweater...

Holy Fuck. o.0 I just typed up a wonderfully insightful post with lots of links and pictures and it was damn long.

Then I hit submit.

The page that appeared said server wouldn't load... and the post was GONE forever in a little poof.

DAMNIT. That pisses me off so much. PLUS I normally save draft as I go along. BUT NO. I didn't do that. Grrrrr.

Someone left the post out in the rain and I don't think that I can take it, cause it took so long to make it and I'll never have that much functioning brain again OHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO!!

My head hurts now. That is just shitty. Thank you Typepad. Blah. *POUTY LIP OUT*

Fine. So now I'll try this again. Or whine and just post the stuff. Bleh. That just takes the wind out of my sails. I need a drink. Or Coffee. Hmmm I wonder what MonkeySocks is up to. *L*

So anyway as I previously and with more grace said before, I completed my first pair of Magic 28 socks. (I had written out all kinds of facts n' shit before, with links even!)

Without any grace and a great deal of whining here are the socks.

They were knit with some seriously overpriced and not the softest yarn of the basic worsted weight wools, Lion Brand Wool. I used half the skein. I'll use the rest to make a matching kid sized hat. After that I will never waste my money on this yarn again. Why bother when Paton's and Cascade are better for the price and quality.

This is going into the Dulaan Box. 8 items so far on my way to 10!

Next up is some sweater progress.

I wrote a bunch of stuff about the sweater and what I did Saturday and Sunday. But now I'm too irritated to write it all out again.

So anyway that's what I've been up to. *falls over*

Eye Candy Friday - 7 Things Edition

The lovely and talented Cat selected me to do a MeMe Thingy. Since it's Eye Candy Friday I thought I'd try to do as much with photos as possible. :D

Seven Things You Probably Don't Know About Me.

1.) This morning after going for a lovely workout swim with the most awesome chickie with three heart beats ever I came home to find my honey had snuck (sneaked?) out and gotten me some super duper yummy strawberries for my breakfast. Also I hate it when sugar is put on my strawberries. It's just nasty. Why ruin a perfectly yummy as is bit of perfection. 

2.) I have had StarBucks THREE times this week. I entirely blame MonkeySocks. She was there for two of the caffeinating events. Monday evening we met to hang out and I had one of those icy blended coffee thingies. I think it was Peppermint Mocha. At that time we also saw a sign for the new Orange Mocha Thingies. Mmmmm! So Good. It's to replace the loved and greatly missed Valencia Mocha they so cold heartedly took away from me. Bastards. The Orange Mocha is pretty good. Different than the Valencia, but yummy still. Tuesday MonkeySocks sweetly brought me an Orange Mocha and then I got one today too. In my defense I've been REALLY tired. I NEEDED that extra caffeine. (shut up! :P) Here's a photo of our knitting and coffee on Monday.

3.) I like to wake my kitty up a lot during the day in an attempt to get her to sleep at night and therefor leave me alone. It's not working. She still really likes to lick my forehead and turn on the touch lamp at night. Here's a picture after I just woke her up. *grin*

4.) We finally have grass in our backyard! :D The honey has been working diligently to get it all setup and completed. I am very happy with the results. Lets hope it takes. If you need a refresher on just how parched and lifeless the backyard was go check out this post from June 28, 2006.

Clickety Biggety

5.) If I had to choose the three celebrity type men peoples that I thought were super talented yummy and sexy I'd choose Hugh Laurie as House, William Petersen as Gil Grissom and Benicio Del Toro as any damn thing he wants to be. Me-Ow! *grin* Clive Owen can be on the list too. Heh.

6.) My mind has been completely overtaken by double entendres and innuendo. o.0 It's getting out of control everything little thing anyone says has me giggling like a naughty school girl. Not even just the overtly sexual stuff, but childish stuff too. Recently at a gathering a lady was talking about her dog named biscuit and in the course of talking said, "But Biscuit...". Well that's all I heard. BUTT BISCUIT. She of course meant however for "but"... but I heard BUTT BISCUIT. *L* Even now it makes me laugh.

Hi! I'm 13 and Weird!

I'd say a few other examples, such as the incident where a friends man person arrived to pick her up early and she announced that he came early... seriously I'm way too old to be this immature. *sigh* And yet here we are.

I'm even seeing Penis's in odd places. (snicker... see!)  I took a picture of a cloud that looked a heck of a lot like an erect penis. I waited until I stopped at my destination to take the photo so it doesn't look a great deal like the magnificent sky penis that it was by the time I arrived. BUT trust me. Here's photo proof of the sky penis.

7.) Five Years ago today I met a very special person. She has become one of the most important people in my life and I cannot imagine being where I am today without her. Thank you for teaching me about friendship and love and everything in between. *HUGS* ♥

So now I'm supposed to tag 7 people to go do this MeMe Thingy. Hmmm I'm never sure who would want to do this.

Rachel, Vikkie, Ann, Devorah, Carole, Stacey, Isela

If I didn't list you and you'd be interested in future taggings lemme know. ;)

Margarita Chicken Soup & an Almost Sweater!

... *sneaks back in*

It always feels weird to make a blog post after an absence of posts. I don't know what to say, while at the same time having WAY too much to say.

Or it could be a symptom of life and all the stuff I'm dealing with right now. Some things you can talk about and some you can't.

Been busy, but before I get into all that I'd like to announce the name of my recent unnamed soup. The lovely and talented (and glowing and recently married, complete with three heart beats on her person right now!! OMG go check out her blog and her wedding photos AND news of the people inside her!!!) Rachel came up with the winning name. The others were very good also, but the soup didn't cure me a bit. (Still coughing, but MUCH better) It also wasn't as spicy as you'd think. It was more tangy than anything. So the name Rachel came up with fit the bill and is something I love.

The name you ask? Margarita Chicken Soup

In addition to the prize she will get that will be selected just for her amusement, I will also make a batch of it up for some upcoming and not too distant get together type thing. (If A is there I'll mix up a batch of the Margarita Vegetable Soup as well.) :D

It's soup AND it ties in with Resolution #10. Perfect! *L*

On the knitting front I am doing well. I am In LOVE with sweater knitting. *giddy laugh*

Oh knitting, my fibery true love, how you keep me enchanted. My passion for you never wans and even during stressful times I come back to you, like lovers parted but never unhearted. *makes sloppy wet kissy noises*

Hi, Still Weird! :P

So the sweater I'm making  for Dulaan is coming along well. I started it last Tuesday (5/8/07) and I'm certain I will finish well before the deadline. :D

Here's a progress shot with George trying it on.

I'm really enjoying the repetitive and simple knitting in the round on this. Plus it's worsted weight yarn on size 10.5 needles. (Larger needles, cause my gauge seems to be extra tight these days. Thanks stress love you too! *pokes stress in the eye* Bitch.)

It's funny how many half finished projects I have going right now. I barely have enough Know Knit, GoKnit Pouches from Scout to hold them all. *L* (Love them, highly recommend them!)

Now I could finish up some of my current projects as soon as this sweater is done... OR I could cast on for my own sweater.

We'll see. Maybe I'll finish this project and knock out two more. Then I could start another project relatively guilt free.

It will be interesting to see which projects are selected to be finished. I've got my own pile/island of misfit knits going on over here. *L*

Crappy Day, Laugh it Away & a New Soup

So today is kinda sucking ass. More like a continuation of sucking that has been taking place off and on for a while now, but perhaps a bit more amplified it was today.

I don't feel like posting about the stuff that's not so wonderful, nor the way I feel as that is still ass sucky too.

I will say this though, no matter how hard you try to believe it, York Peppermint Patties don't count as a throat soother. Even if they kinda do "help" some. :P

I've been doing some knitting lately. Almost done with the second magic 28 sock. Watched The Godfather parts 1 and 2 while knitting on it off and on this weekend. If my happy knitting mood doesn't return soon I'll have to make it an offer it can't refuse. Capice!

As for the funny well today I was bumming around trying not to think too much about anything in particular when remembered this Lip Dubbing thing Ugly Fat Lady (who is not a bit ugly) mentioned on her Vlog the other day. It was too damn funny. So yeah I wasted a bit of time watching this interestingly cute fellow Jakob Lodwick's Lip Dubbing pursuits. I guess the folks over at Vimeo know how to have a good time. Or at least be brave and a hellavu lot of don't give a damn how silly they look. I wish I was more brave like that. I wish I didn't care what anyone thought. Life would be so much more interesting and free that way. :D

In other news I made soup a few days ago. I intended to post photos and the recipe. Eh. Never got around to it. Never even got around to naming it actually. It was yummy though. Super Yummy in fact. Finished off the last of it for lunch today. The honey even liked it and he's not much of a soup person. So maybe after seeing it and seeing the ingredients y'all can help me come up with a good name for it.  If I choose the name you submit maybe I'll even send you a little surprise or something. ;)

Edit: Rachel has named the soup Margarita Chicken Soup!! :D

List of Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon Olive Oil
2 Shallots
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Jalapeño Pepper

1 cup Brown Basmati Rice

1 32 oz container (4 cups) Pacific Organic Free Ranch Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 32 oz container (4 cups) Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth

4 medium chicken breasts - roast in oven beforehand
1 bunch Asparagus
1 bunch Broccolini
1 small carton of Crimini Mushrooms
1 bunch Cilantro
3/4 cup frozen peas (I can never find fresh peas, if you got 'em use 'em.)

1 teaspoon Lemongrass powder, or fresh lemongrass minced
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Chili Sauce (best stuff EVER)
1 Lemon
1 Lime
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt

To start roast your chicken in the oven. I've found this keeps the chicken from becoming too soft in texture in the soup. It also adds a nice flavor. Once done let cool then tear into small bite site pieces. I prefer to tear the chicken rather than dice it. Has a nicer texture and appearance, in my not so humble opinion. :P

Clean and remove the seeds and membrane from your Jalapeño. Next I roast the Jalapeño over the open flame of my gas burner. Watch your eyes as the capsaicin oil can pop out at you during the process. Roast until the outside is darkened all over, scrap off the blackened skin and dice into small pieces.  Once cooked it will blend with the flavor of the soup rather than stand out on it's own. Think the size of a match head.

Thinly slice your Shallot and chop your Garlic into small pieces. Set aside with the Jalapeño.

At this time rinse the Brown Basmati Rice very well. Set it aside to drain.

In the pot you will be using to make your soup, preferably something with a heavy copper bottom, pour your tablespoon of Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. Once the pan is hot add in the Garlic, Shallot and Jalapeño. Stir until coated with oil and let blend at a decent heat for a few minutes. Once everything has softened up & looks a little caramelized add in your rinsed and drained rice. Turn up heat a little more and cook for a minute or so.

Now add in some of your chicken broth and vegetable broth, but only until until rice is covered. It won't take much. Maybe a half a cup of each. Set aside remaining broth for later.

Put lid on pot and reduce to a low heat to cook the rice for 20 minutes or so.

While the rice is cooking you can prepare the rest of the vegetables.

Clean your Asparagus and Broccolini. You're only going to use the yummy ends of these two veggies. At an angle cut off their heads! Off with their heads! *L* I love that. I may be a little weird though. Set these aside. Clean and slice your mushrooms at this time as well.

Clean and remove the stems from your Cilantro. You can add the leaves in whole or gently slice them up a bit. Be careful not to bruise the leaves as it will make them wilty and have dark spots of color. Granted as they are being introduced into a hot soup they will become wilted regardless. *L*

Add in the rest of the broth, your hand shredded chicken, the heads of your Asparagus and Broccolini, your sliced mushrooms and cilantro. Stir in the lemongrass, garlic chili sauce and a few cranks of black pepper.

Once the temperature comes up a bit you can add in the frozen peas.

It won't take long for all the flavors to come together and the veggies to become soft yet retaining some crispness. Once the veggies look ready and poke without too much fuss zest the lemon and the lime. Add the zest to the soup, then add in the juice of both citrus fruits as well. Add a few pinches of salt, whatever your taste desires and serve. :D

I was sickie and wanted a light and refeshing soup. But I also wanted something kinda healthy and with yummy veggies that would also be hearty enough to make the honey feel like he had a real meal and not just soup. (which he doesn't see as a full meal most of the time) I was looking for something with a hint of a kick to hopefully open up my sinuses, but not so much it'd make my throat burn. This was just the thing. Completely perfect and yummy.

The funny thing is that I would have just made the Tom Yum Gia Soup if I'd had the recipe with me. This was more or less the stuff I was able to pick up on a recent quick trip into Trader Joe's.

Here it is in the pot:

So what do you think it should be called? :D

Otter Update & a little Sock

So I bit the bullet and went to a doctor type place Tuesday afternoon. I had called my gal pal Florrie to find out if she knew of a good doctor. After getting some info and her suggestion to hit one of those new fangled urgent care places as the wait to get into a regular office could be up to two weeks... well that's what I ended up doing. Glad I did now. So I have made progress on resolution #7. I have Tonsillitis. And knowing is half the battle. heh. The doctor lady, after looking at my throat almost a full second, prescribed me an antibiotic and said if it didn't clear up yatta yatta come back and they'll rip 'em out. (she said it with a slight bit more finesse than that.)

This was after she told me that she didn't know what to do and that for real results I needed to see a nose, throat and ear specialists. I must be pretty fucking special don'tcha think.

I feel different than I felt at the start of the week. Better is debatable, at least I could still breathe on Monday. The fever is gone, but now I can't stop coughing and my nose hurts like a motherfucker. The skin, it is dead. Dead dead dead, just as we will all be someday, as the seconds turn to minutes and then hours leading us towards the final curtain call of this thing we call life... Sorry I  had a Strindberg moment there. *L*

Been a bit loopy too, though recently some friends, possibly of the fair weather variety suggested to me that I was always this way. Humph. See if I'll share my Dayquil with them.

Actually I'm not on anything except the antibiotics the doctor lady gave me.

I hate being sick. I'll trade anyone some sock yarn if they take this from me RIGHT now. /whine

No takers? Bunch of meanies. :P

In other news I have put most of my projects in the naughty corner and have decided to do some soul cleansing charity kinitting. I just can't think about the honey socks or the ducky hat right now.

So I'm knitting Magic 28 Socks, baby! :D

Y'all can blame Cookie. I saw her uber cute tiny socks and followed the link to Norma's page. Should have known it was a Norma Flavored Project. Mmmmm Norma...

I finished my first sock in one night, which is really awesome considering I was mostly dead.

I did this Tuesday and started the second sock a little bit ago. No real knitting last night. Worked on a bit of hat at the shop seeing as it was Florrie's Birthday and her store's One Year Anniversary at the present location. :D Happy Birthday, Sweetums!

Working on that little sock made me feel better than anything has so far. When I'm cold I have a lot of choices on how to deal with it. But this little sock is going to some little person in Mongolia who is a lot colder and has a lot fewer choices. This sock may go to some little kid who doesn't even own shoes and who knows what else is going on in their little life. Very humbling. I'm glad I can do something, even if it's just a little wool sock.

I need to gather up my Dulaan knits and get going on whatever else I'm going to be sending along for the upcoming deadline.

I have high hopes I can start and finish my first sweater to send along for the upcoming deadline. :D

Best of all it's finally almost Friday. This has been one long ass week.

Holy Crap, I just looked back, the last tie I had photo knitting content was March 30. That's crazy! I need to get my mind back into focus so I can knit and make some noticeable progress. That or knit Magic 28 socks every now and then so I feel like I can finish something.  *L*

I am a flower, a wilting fading flower...

Too dead to post properly so here's a Meme.

I am a Daffodil What Flower Are You?

"You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard."

At least it didn't say I was death on a stick I suppose.

Speaking of death on a stick that is kinda how I feel. This sucks total monkey butt. *pouty lip out*

Bah.

I'll leave you with another quiz thingy. My brother sent me the link. We played D&D when we were kids. (well it was AD&D, we outgrew the blue and red books super fast. heh /nerd)

Alignment test: good, evil, neutral, ect... Take Test Now

"Based on your answers to the quiz, your character's most likely alignment is Chaotic Neutral.

Chaotic Neutral

A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but doesn't strive to protect others' freedom. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. The chaotic neutral character does not intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others) or evil (and a desire to make those different from himself suffer). The common phrase for chaotic neutral is "true chaotic." Remember that the chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it. Chaotic neutral is the best alignment you can be because it represents true freedom both from society's restrictions and from a do-gooder's zeal.

--excerpted from the Player's Handbook, Chapter 6"

I think I care about everyones liberties as a whole more than this indicated. 

My brother got Pure Neutral and his wife Lawful Neutral and his best friend Chaotic Evil. *snicker*

Edit: I just told my brother what I got and he thinks I'm more like Chaotic Good or Neutral Good. heh.

So what alignment are y'all? :D