Even the poor have stuff in America!!!

I have been mulling this over for awhile and I am truly blessed to live in the United States where even the poor people are rich compared to the rest of the world.

I find it ironic that a person (me) living below the poverty line in this country for the last 10 years can still be considered poor and have a roof over his head, air conditioning, a decent car to drive, healthcare and a monthly check, lots of photography equipment, clothes on his back and many more which should be given away, food in his belly, a laptop, desktop computer, 32 inch colored television, smart phone, Hi speed computer network/cable television, tons of books, fishing tackle, guns, archery equipment, money in my pocket for gas, drinks and food. What else does a person need? Grant it all this stuff is not new but it is all paid for and the only bills I have are doctor bills and basic living expenses. 

The greatest gift of all are my friends whom even when we fight know where the lines are and even though they step over them they do not stay very long.


Yes, I am a broke ass middle aged man but if women would quite reminding me I would be just fine. :)

Oh and I have 2 freezers and a fridge full of food. Low income? Yep. Poor? Sure. Helpless? Not by a long shot. 

HOBO STEW

Printed from COOKS.COM

---

1 c. onion, thinly sliced
1 c. green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans or pinto beans, drained
1 tbsp. steak sauce
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (32 oz.) can Italian-style tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
Dried basil, to taste
Dried mustard, to taste
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook onion and green pepper in Wesson oil in large skillet or kettle until onion is golden. Add beef and cook, stirring with fork to break up meat until browned. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Carrots and potatoes can be added for variation. Serve with cornbread. Serves 8 to 10.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1648,144186-248194,00.html

Asian Food Culture and other stuff... :)

Thai Street Food

Last updated 9/30/2017

I love Asian food so much I decided to develop a page to store all of my favorite links. I hope others get as much use out of this page as I do. If anyone using this page finds that a link is broken please inform me so that I may fix it promptly.

A good life is a balanced life... ENJOY!

Below is a list of websites which further expand on the Asian Food theme.

A site dedicated to the finest quality Asian Style cuisine that popular cooked and prepared in Asean region; delicious and nourishing, easy to cook, economical, and inspiring to experiment with in the kitchen.
Follow the link above to access the main website or each individual link below to explore each region separately.

Chinese Food Recipes

The Chinese, like the French, are a nation of food lovers, and the preparation and enjoyment of food plays a central part in their way of life. The Chinese culinary tradition, one of the oldest in the world, now enjoys an almost unprecedented popularity in the West. About one third of the world's population eat Chinese food everyday of their lives, yet it is much, much more than the daily sustenance of a great many people. Even if it were only eaten regularly by a handful of obscure gourmets, Chinese cooking would still be important for it is one of the truly great and original cuisines of the world.

Recipes Of Japan

Japanese meals vary according to the needs of the occasion. The main styles are the family meal, the packed meal and the formal meal. The art of Japanese food arrangement is characterized by certain broad concepts. Foremost among these is the concept that empty space has a beauty of its own. The balance between vessel and space, and space and food, are also considered crucial. This balance varies according to the season, the design of the utensils and tableware, the type of food, the venue, and even the age of the guests. When multicolored foods are arranged on serving dishes, great attention is paid to spacing - where and how to leave empty areas to best emphasis the beauty of the dish. This is based on concept of ma : space as dynamic entity, and an integral and vital component of any composition. The beauty of finished dish is considered as important s the various ingredients that go into its composition.

 Malaysian Recipes

Malaysia, a country made up of the majority of Malays, Chinese and Indian. A potpourri enriched with the indigenous traditions of Ibans, Kadazan, Dusuns and other ethnic communities of East Malaysia .

In Malaysia rice tends to be a staple food as in most countries in the same region so do noodles. Generally, Malay and Indian cuisine are spicier while Chinese cuisine is milder in taste. There are also cuisines of other ethnic groups, and a growing range of international cuisines. At each meal, a generous helping accompanies a selection of dishes, including fish, seafood, vegetables, and poultry. Beef is conspicuously absent, as it is across much of Asia
Rasa malaysia

Indonesian Food Recipes

Known for its spicy nature and rich flavours, Indonesian cuisine is also famous for its unique blend of sweet and sour spiciness. A typical Indonesian sauce includes chilli padi, shrimp paste, sugar and white vinegar. Though Indonesian and Nonya cuisines share very similar cooking techniques and ingredients, the most distinguished feature of the latter is that besides amalgamating the Chinese style of cooking of cooking and its rich culture into its cuisine; pork is also used. This is absent from traditional Indonesian dishes.

Vietnamese Recipes and Cooking Guide

Vietnam, with its fine weather, is a land of plenty. Its production of fishes, poultry, vegetables and fruits are abundant and can be compared with Thailand. Vietnam is a bountiful paradise where many live in poverty, yet its proud people don't eat to live. They live to eat.

 Other Asian recipe sites listed below.   
Thai Dishes
Thai Kitchen- Recipes
If you’re in the mood to create your own Thai menu, you’ve come to the right place. We have an extensive library of Thai food recipes that will turn your kitchen into a Thai Kitchen.

 295 Thai Recipes
Authentic Thai recipes and cooking techniques from chefs in Thailand. Shop for ingredients and learn to cook genuine Thai food.

 Thai Recipes
From Pad Thai to coconut curries our library of Thai recipes and food ideas offers the best of this Southeast Asian cuisine at Food.com.

More Thai Recipes
These Thai recipes are written for you to know how to cook the Thai food that Thais eat in Thailand every day. These recipes have successfully taught millions of westerners, expatriates and Thai students abroad how to cook Thai food so that it tastes like food from home.

Japanese
Traditional Japanese Cooking Here are all of our traditional Japanese recipes along with modern takes on the classics. Grab a Sapporo and browse our selection of delicious Japanese dishes that are wholesome and simple to prepare.

Bento 
 It's not all sushi - find out about some of Japan's other favorite foods, and even learn how to read the menu in your local tempura shop. We've got plenty of recipes, and our articles on the Japanese kitchen will provide insight into the role of food in everyday Japanese life.

Japanese Food Addict
Hello! My name is Mai. I'm from Kyoto, Japan. These are some of the most popular recipes in Japan. They are healthy and easy to make. Most of them take 20 minutes or less to prepare. Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!) Contact Mai

Just One Cookbook
Hi, I'm Nami. Thank you for stopping by Just One Cookbook. Check out 300+ recipes in recipe index.

Japanese Cooking 101
Easy and Delicious Japanese Recipes and Cooking Videos.
Higuccini on Pinterest  Lots of recipes

Korean

My Korean Kitchen  A practical guide to Korean food and Korean fusion food.

Mandu-korean-dumplings-recipe  Mandu are Korean dumplings stuffed with a mixture of various meats and vegetables. There are many variations of mandu. Some classic versions are gogi mandu (which has meat as the main ingredient in the filling), yachae mandu (vegetable), and kimchi mandu. The cooking method also varies. Mandu can be steamed, deep-fried, pan-fried, boiled, or used to make soup. Mandu are usually made in large quantities and frozen for later use. Frozen mandu are easy to prepare as a delicious snack, appetizer, or meal, making it a home-cooked favorite 

Easy Korean Food

 Hi I’m Luna
Welcome to my site which is designed to unlock all the secrets of Korean food, and show you how anyone can make Korean cooking part of their life. My site if full of easy to follow Korean Recipe’s with plenty of Korean Food pictures, helping to guide you through the entire process and open up your pallet to a new way of eating.

Read more: http://www.easykoreanfood.com/#ixzz3fMp2Js4L

maangchi.com
Hi! I’m Maangchi! Welcome to my website!
I was born and raised in Korea and have been interested in cooking and food since I was a little girl. I live in New York City now, and love to learn about food from other cultures, too. On April 9 2007, I posted a video of myself cooking Korean food on YouTube, just for fun. Right away, people were interested in it, so I’ve been making them ever since.

 Beyond Kimchee

 Hi and welcome!

I am Holly, a native Korean mother and a wife whose favorite place in the house is the KITCHEN. I hope you find lip-smackingly delicious Korean recipes and beyond in my site.

From Pinterest:
PHO - The key to the Vietnamese noodle soup pho is in the broth. Beef bones, onions, star anise, ginger, and fish sauce get simmered for 6 to 10 hours to create a rich and flavorful base for this hearty and comforting soup... This authentic pho isn't quick, but it is delicious. The key is in the broth, which gets simmered for at least 6 hours. 

Asian Recipes 

Indian Recipes
   

Cognitive Calisthenics ...

I struggled for about 35.5 seconds with the title of this blog so if it makes no sense, who are you to judge me? Stop it! :)

There are times when I go for months without writing anything on my blog which is another reason, besides the fact that I have A.D.D. (even though I hate math) I never kept a journal growing up. I have always written since childhood but my writing were always on pieces of scrap paper, blank pages in notebooks which always became misplaced or napkins in a restaurant or bar. The "creative" process comes in spurts and when it happens I have to write which is why I keep a pen close by at all times. I have written songs which were #1 hits and poems which would have made me a giant in literary circles and a best selling author had my work not been lost.

Once told by a supervisor who was attempting to entangle me in one of his hair-brained NLP schemes that I had a poverty mentality which infuriated me yet those words have been burning in my brain for over 15 years. 

Funny how seemly insignificant words affect one's psyche if allowed to remain in residence. 

I now realize I have replayed his words over and over in my mind many times during the last 15 years and can't help but wonder what if any part they have played in the life I have led since hearing those words so long ago.

I decided since the title of this blog is "Cognitive Calisthenics" that I would see what others have written on the subject and below is a list of websites on the subject:

1. Easy Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp
2. Mind Games: Cognitive Calisthenics
3. As Minds Age, What’s Next? Brain Calisthenics

OK, so these links have nothing to do with what I wrote but they are on the subject of Cognitive Calisthenics so who's the genius now? Ha.

Memories and other crap which fight for space in my brain!!!

My mom is a very good home cook and her presence in the house as I was growing up has had a profound influence on my life.


Some of my best childhood memories are connected to the holidays at my Aunt's house with my family, eating good food. Others are foods cooked at a hunting camp in the woods or eating freshly caught fish on a beach or on the bank of a river. Now that I think about it most of my childhood memories have something to do with food either eating, cooking, catching or hunting it.


If it grows above or in the ground, flies, swims, runs, hops, climbs, slithers or crawls I will season it and prepare it as a meal. There is very little I have found which I will not at least try to eat. However, I draw the line at anything that smells bad. If I can't get it past my nose I can't put it in my mouth.


Pinterest- My interests vary and pinterest allows me an outlet to collect a few in a central location.
Facebook- It's a way to waste time communicating with other people who are wasting time.
My Blog- A place where I can "throw it all in the pot" for the world to see if they happen to stumble across it. There are a few things you will not read here for which I apologize in advance but there are just some aspects of one's life which should not be revisited. It combines my love of cooking with my love of writing and hopefully the folks who read it will get a little pleasure out of my trying to be ME.
Twitter- I haven't quite gotten the hang of it. Apparently, you are supposed to condense every thought or circumstance which arises throughout your day so that they fit a 140 character template and send them to your followers. Wow, who has followers or better yet who has followers who give a crap about the random things you do throughout the day?




June 23, 2012 12:13 AM


There are days when I actually wonder if dementia is really so bad especially when the only memories running through my brain are ones I would most like to forget.
The more I think about it I realize there are almost as many memories which should not be brought to light as there are which can be revealed. The truth of the matter is most of the (let's call them) "forbidden memories" are not mine alone so not having exclusive rights to them places them in the hands off category. That being said I am reminded of a verse in the bible which reads, "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof" (Proverbs 18:20-21).

 In other words, "Be careful what you say because you are going to live or die by the words which proceed out of your mouth."

June 26, 2012 6:18 PM


Since my last visit to this page a few things of note have occurred in my life. I have been asked to teach a Civics class in the Fall to 3 students at a private Christian school. Of all the subjects I probably know the least about Civics however I have always heard that if you really want to learn a subject, teach it. Also, I will be the head "Chef"(Lunchroom Man) at the school preparing meals for 45 students and faculty 4 days per week. Now cooking is a subject I know a lot about which should be loads of fun.
Became the "curator" of an abondoned cemetery where two of my fraternity brothers (Freemasons) were buried in the early 1900's so I am excited about getting the place fixed up.

Still single with no baby mamma drama so everything is OK in my world.


July 2, 2012 12:00 AM


"Time keep on slipping into the future" Steve Miller Band


The words of this song seem to become much more real with each passing day. At 48 years old I sometimes reminisce about the days gone by and realize that I have less days left than I have spent on earth.

If I live to be 70 it means I have approx. 7500 days left on this earth and then it is off into the great beyond. The big question is, How am I going to spend the days I have left?
How many days have some people spent ticked off at someone else because of something they may have said or done which rubbed them the wrong way. Wasted time!


How many days have people spent in relationships married or otherwise with other people who make them miserable? Wasted Time!


How many days or years have we spent driving to and from jobs that we hate? Wasted time!


This could go on for hours but it would be waste of more time. I hope this makes you think about how you are spending your precious time.
I posted this on my Facebook page and these are the responses I received.
Jimmy Wayne Williams Jr. this thought has me on the verge of quitting my day job and just focusing on the ministry. So many broken lives, so little time...

David Carroll 

Brother Williams, For some reason this line of thought came crashing down on me like a ton of bricks early this morning. I could not help but think about my dad who left the house one sunny Sunday morning in October 1997 and a couple of hours later his time ran out. I wonder how he would have spent those last few hours had he known they were his last ones? I know we can not live in fear of death but instead we should be celebrating life. How do we do that when we allow the cares of this world to daily wear us down? Do we as Christians re-access our walk with Christ and spend our days reaching out to what we perceive to be a lost and dying world or do we withdraw into ourselves and spend the time we have left working on our own faults and foibles because after all if we fail in that respect we will be lost for eternity?

For my friends who do not believe we will be held accountable for our deeds I pray for your sake and mine that you are right because if you are wrong then we are all going to have a lot to answer for someday.
It has never been my calling to preach so I will leave that to the preachers but I can say that life is shorter than any of us realize and if we are going to do anything for Christ we better do it now before it is too late.

Brother Williams, you will do the right thing.

Ghost Turds?

Almond Crescent Cookies

When I was coming up a friend's grandmother sent me a batch of these cookies every year. I started affectionately calling this little delicious morsels ghost turds because for many years I had no clue as to their real identity .

It's amazing how our minds associate certain sensations with distant memories. Every time I eat one of these cookies I am immediately transported 35+ years into the past to a more innocent time and place. The grandmother is gone now but her memory will live on forever in the hearts and minds of her family and friends.

There are lots of recipes for this cookie online but the one I use is located at Sydney's Kitchen.

1.  Ingredients

  1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup finely ground blanched almonds

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Vanilla sugar, for rolling

To prepare the cookies

2.  In the bowl of your electric mixer add all the ingredients.

3.   Beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Let rest at room temperature for 2 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

4.  Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat. Bake until light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on trays for 10 minutes.

5.  Roll in vanilla sugar.

Note: To make vanilla sugar, split two vanilla beans and place in an airtight container with 2 cups sugar. Let stand overnight and up to 3 months.

Makes 24 crescent cookies

Pizza

Tomato, Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza

What is it about pizza which permeates to the very core of our humanity and quiches "the hunger" for goodness which lies with each of us? A person who doesn't like pizza lacks the fundamental capacity necessary to function properly in a multicultural society and will eventually just fade away into the annals of obscurity never to be remembered. But people who LOVE pizza go on to accomplish great feats whether it be in business, sports, literature, etc...etc...etc.
There is a reason why some of the world's greatest accomplishment were devised and set into motion from Italy.
I have a notion which could turn into a motto if the right person steals it from me, "Pizza lubricates society and without lubrication society would feel the pain." David E. Carroll, Jr

The pizza above is a "kit" which I purchased for approx. $2.00 and added some tomatoes fresh from the garden and pepperoni which I bought for $2.00 so for $4.00 I constructed a pretty decent pizza.

Stay tuned...You ain't seen nothing yet!!!

Home-made tortilla chips and dip

Simple as falling off a log. Well maybe not quite and falling off a log with a skillet of hot oil would probably make you not want to repeat that action which again is not the case with these chips. 

Corn Tortillas

Corn Tortillas cut into quarters

Just enough vegetable oil for the chips to float

 

        350 degree oil

    Result

             More Chips

    Chips and Ranch Veggie Dip

            Golden delicious

        One last shot

Deer Roast

Every Fall since I was old enough to go hunting(over 40 years) I have made my way  to the woods in search of MEAT. It does not matter what kind of MEAT it could be squirrel, rabbit, deer, turkey, as long as my family and I can cook and eat it we will harvest it. The dish I am cooking today is a way to cook "deer meat" so that even a baby can eat it. (not a "BABY" baby of course but a small kid with teeth)

It is really simple after I get the veggies cut up I start by searing (browning) the deer meat then putting everything in a crock pot cover with water and cooking it for 5 hours. Next step is to remove MEAT from crock,

slice across the grain and enjoy. See I told you it was simple.

BTW...Season to taste and cut veggies up any way that suits you. I use a rough cut because I don't want the veggies to melt away to nothing.

If you have never eaten White-Tailed Deer and you are a Carnivore then you need to try it.

My friend Devin's Kickass Cajun Seasoning

Searing in the juices using a hot black iron skillet with a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Carrots
Yellow Onions
Green Bell Pepper
Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cayenne
Morton Lite Salt
Devin's Kickass Cajun Seasoning (or any seasoning blend)
Cilantro
Marjoram
Black Pepper
Parsley
Worcestershire Sauce

For a different spin add 1- can of Mushroom soup
a couple of bay leaves
The dishes one can make with deer meat are limited only by their imagination.

Mac and Cheese Burger

There are times when leftovers may be used to create a dish that is different from the original. This one of those times. This morning I was looking through my refrigerator wondering what to cook for lunch when I spotted a couple of cheeseburgers that had been in there for a couple of days. Instead of just throwing them in the microwave I decided to mix them with some Mac and Cheese for a change of pace. The result was delicious.

Mac and Cheeseburger recipe

2 boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese

2 cheese burger patties

1 med. Yellow Onion

Several Cloves of Garlic

Seasoning as desired

Cook Mac and Cheese as directed on box.

Add chopped up cheeseburger patties to the cheesy goodness and serve hot.

Free Speech is an illusion!!!

If you think for one minute that we have unfettered freedom in this country to say anything we want without any ramifications you had better check which side of the fence you are on before you start running your mouth.

I have found out the hard way a few times that there is always a commentator watching and if they don't like what you are saying they will shut you up one way or another.

I wrote a response to a story posted on a Television station's webpage and within 5 minutes I was told that I was a racist and guilty of hate speech when in reality the person in question is the same color I am and I never said I hated rednecks I said I immensely disliked ignorant people. Also, the person in question had posted a message on her Facebook calling a lady from India a "raghead". Some folks just do not like it when the truth is spoken because they are so used to being lied to. Oh by the way my postings were deleted and I was blocked from posting any other responses.

There was another time when I was accused of using strong arm tactics when stating my opinion in a forceful manner.

If you are on the Left in this country you can get away with calling Conservatives every name in the book and may even get your own television show in the process. But try that same tactic on the Right and you will be demonized to no end.

Ask Rush Limbaugh, Andrew Breitbart, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Any Tea Party member and they will tell you that free speech comes with a high price in this country.

"Keep playing with fire and you will get burnt"

"Keep playing with fire and you will get burnt"

Trust me, I know what I am talking about having dealt with things in my life which "attached" themselves to my brain causing me to sink to depths of depravity to which I had any idea I was capable of going mostly for the adrenaline rush which comes from pushing the envelope and partially because I did not know how to say, "NO" to my desires.

Sometimes it is better just to walk away and never look back because if you gaze over your shoulder for to long you will eventually be drawn in and once you become involved it will be a longtime before you come to your senses.

As I was "struggling" with this idea I did a search and found the article below on a Billy Graham Website. It was as if the author Steve Brown wrote this for me a little over a year ago on April 1, 2011 and I just had to be ready to read it before it was revealed.

"I struggle with temptation just as you do. Overcoming it is hard; it’s a constant battle. But whether I succeed or fail, God still loves me. When I forget that amazing fact, overcoming temptation is harder and often impossible. " Steve Brown

How to Defeat Temptation

One of my faults is that I judge people severely at times who in reality are just like me. In moments of weakness or anger I forget many of the ones being judged are also children of God who through their own human fragility struggle at times with the same things I do and in my judging I bring harsher judgments upon my own head.

Matthew 7:1-6Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3And why behold you the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye?4Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye. http://kjv.us/matthew/7.htm

Some folks may wonder what I struggle with and my answer is, "Mind your business, God knows and only he can help me become an over-comer anyway."

Here is a good rule of thumb, "If you don't want to be judged stop being judgmental.

Disclaimer: 99% of what is written here or elsewhere by me is directed at me so do not take it personal. David Carroll

Rustic Vegetable Soup

After dinner at our Masonic lodge Sunday there were 3 vegetable trays leftover and instead of throwing them in the garbage I brought them home to use in a soup. This is the result of what can be done with leftovers if we think before we throw food away. I added a few potatoes, garlic, a few seasonings, olive oil and margarine.

Celery
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Margarine
Garlic Cloves
Rustic Potatoes

Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Curry Powder
Packet of chicken bouillon

Put all vegetables in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil then turn down to simmer until veggies are to your liking. I cook for about 45 minutes because I like everything really soft.

While you were sleeping!

This is what I was doing at 3:45am. When I can't sleep, I cook and this morning I put together this dish which turned out to be pretty good.

Let's call it Old El Paso Garlic Chili Chicken Tortilla Stuffers amped up.

Ingredients:
1 Medium Bellpepper charred on the gas stove burner

2 Jalapeno Peppers sliced
2 packets of Old El Paso Garlic Chili Chicken Tortilla Stuffers

All spices are to taste:

Accent or Salt
Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper
Cilantro
Cumin
Curry Powder
2 Jalapeno Peppers sliced
Parsley
I cup Water
Olive oil

Use a pot
Rough Cut Charred Bell Peppers
Add a splash or two of Olive Oil to a med pot and start to heat.
Add Chopped Jalapeno Peppers heat thoroughly
Add water and 2 packets of Old El Paso Garlic Chili Chicken Tortilla Stuffers
Add seasonings and cook for 5 minutes. Keep stirring to keep rice from sticking to pot
Add more water if needed .

This recipe takes so little time to prepare because the 2 packets of Old El Paso Garlic Chili Chicken Tortilla Stuffers only need to be heated.