I'm bored...Tell me something interesting!

[bicentennial_baby]

Please? :hi:

[LeftyMom]

1. Yoda got a new home today.

:)

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Yay!!

Wonderful news :)

[Tektonik]

116. My brother provided a new home for Yoda

[Fran Kubelik]

2. I made another lasagne today

Bolognese this time. Barilla lasagne rocks. So does Trader Joe's mirepoix. Saves a whole lot of chopping.

[bicentennial_baby]

7. I love that no-boil Barilla

I've started adding spinach to my ricotta mixture. Yum :9

:hi:

[Fran Kubelik]

113. I went with a no-ricotta recipe this time, and it was reeeeeeally good

It was from the Barilla site...but I modified it a little because:
1. My favorite bolognese sauce variation has tomatoes
2. I had great fresh tomatoes from a roadside farmer's stand

Ingredients
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 ounces Italian pancetta, chopped
7 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato paste
2-3/4 cups water
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
2/3 cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 box (9 ounces) BARILLA Oven Ready Lasagne


Bolognese Sauce
GRIND vegetable and pancetta in a food processor until fine.
MELT 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetable mixture; cook over medium high heat for 20 minutes.
ADD ground beef and pork; season to taste with salt and pepper. Saute for 30 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.
ADD white wine to deglaze when the bottom of the pot begins to stick. Cook until wine is evaporated.
ADD water and tomato paste. Simmer until water is completely evaporated, approximately 2 hours.

Bechamel Sauce
MELT remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes over low heat.
BRING the milk to a boil in a separate saucepan.
ADD milk to the butter and flour mixture gradually; mix together with a wire whisk.
Simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thickened.

Lasagne
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Assemble Lasagne in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
POUR 1/2 cup bechamel sauce cup on the bottom of the pan.
ASSEMBLE 5 layers each with pasta, bechamel sauce, bolognese sauce, cold butter pieces and grated cheese.
BAKE in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until heated throughout. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting

[bicentennial_baby]

115. I will have to try this!

Thanks so much!

[Fran Kubelik]

118. here it is again with the changes I made.

I started with the recipe from the Barilla site: http://www.bari ... com/recipes/Lasagne__Bolognesestyle.aspx
BUT...I have a recipe I got from Saveur for Bolognese sauce that I prefer so I started with that:
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (with juice)<---I used fresh tomatoes - 6 of them
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 medium carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
1 1⁄4 b. ground beef chuck
1⁄2 lb. ground pork shoulder
1 4-oz. piece pancetta, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp. Tomato Paste

1. Put the tomatoes and their juice into a blender; purée until smooth and set aside.

2. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes more.

3. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes more. Increase the heat to medium, add the wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is very thick, about 3 hours.

4. Season ragù with salt and pepper. Toss with fresh tagliatelle or the pasta of your choice, or use in lasagne. Serve with grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Notes - if you have Trader Joe's, they sell the onions, celery and carrots diced as mirepoix in the produce area.
Trader Joe's also sells cheap, cubed pancetta which makes me happy as that stuff can be hard to get cubed small enough.
Because I like my pancetta more crisp than this recipe allows for, I start with cooking it in the olive oil before I do the vegetables, then remove it from the pan and cook the veggies in the rendered pancetta fat and olive oil.
Since I am using fresh tomatoes, I add them to the mirepoix after I've carmelized it. Once they've cooked down and I add the wine (and let it reduce) I blend it with my hand blender. I then add the browned meats (which I have done in a separate pan) and pancetta. When tomatoes aren't in season I stick with the recipe the way they have it above. Well, except for the pancetta.

3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
2/3 cup Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 box (9 ounces) BARILLA Oven Ready Lasagne

Bechamel Sauce
MELT remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes over low heat.
BRING the milk to a boil in a separate saucepan.
ADD milk to the butter and flour mixture gradually; mix together with a wire whisk.
Simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thickened.

Lasagne
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Assemble Lasagne in a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
POUR 1/2 cup bechamel sauce cup on the bottom of the pan.
ASSEMBLE 5 layers each with pasta, bechamel sauce, bolognese sauce, cold butter pieces and grated cheese.
BAKE in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until heated throughout. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

notes: I added half a cup of pecorino romano to the Bechamel sauce. I substituted a mix of parmesan, asiago and fontina for the straight parmesan.

[graywarrior]

3. After pondering for 5 minutes, I got nothin'.

[bicentennial_baby]

8. I hardly believe that...Seen Stephen lately?

:hi:

[graywarrior]

19. Tomorrow unless there's a Red Sox game, which I think there is.

[bicentennial_baby]

21. I told my Ex, who's a superfan, that you know him and he was like:

:wow:

Series. :D

[graywarrior]

23. He's easy to know.

Wicked nice guy.

[bicentennial_baby]

25. I bet...Still, the Ex is beyond jealous and in awe

He didn't believe me :D

[graywarrior]

30. Ha ha!

Glad I could provide you with a little nail to twist.

[bicentennial_baby]

34. Merci, m'dear

:loveya:

[1gobluedem]

4. My sister in law has begun to dilate

Baby could be any time now...:woohoo:

And Mo Rocca sent me an e-mail today.

[bicentennial_baby]

10. Double bonus!!

What was the email about? :hi:

[1gobluedem]

15. The Wizard of Oz

He was wondering if Toto was ever reprieved by Elmira Gulch. There has been a lot of discussion on his blog about that.

And to say hi.

I helped him with a piece he did for CBS last winter on paczki so he is kind of a pal now.

:hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

17. That is seriously cool

I'm not worthy. :D

[1gobluedem]

26. He signed it xo

I guess he loves me....:7

[bicentennial_baby]

28. I bow to your awesomeness

:D

[1gobluedem]

35. No need

It's really not that interesting. But my life is kind of uninteresting so I had to go with what I had...

[FloridaJudy]

109. Cool!

He's on two of my favorite shows: Countdown, and Wait, Wait! Don't Tell Me.

I approve.

[Left Is Write]

6. I would, but I don't know anything interesting.

[bicentennial_baby]

11. Pffft!

Is that a new avatar? :hi:

[Left Is Write]

13. Yup.

After these few years, I was sick of the lips.

[bicentennial_baby]

14. It's very pretty!

:)

[Left Is Write]

18. Thank you!

You made me smile. :)

[bicentennial_baby]

22. Mission accomplished!

:D

:pals:

[Guava Jelly]

9. I have a buzz.

:D

[bicentennial_baby]

12. Me too, kinda

Me drink too slow. Laaaaame.

:)

[no name no slogan]

16. I just bought a condo-- closed on it today.

Got a good price, only two blocks away from my current apartment. That means I can still pretty much bike anywhere I need to get to, and can park the car during most of the summer.

Now, I just have to get it cleaned, painted, get new furniture, get moved, etc. :D

[bicentennial_baby]

20. WooHoo!!! Yay!

Oh, my dear friend, I am SO happy to hear this! And, I've missed you!

:bounce:

:loveya:

[no name no slogan]

32. I've missed you too!

The past few months have been a little nuts. Work has become insane (my boss had a heart attack July 4), and my personal life has been a bit goofy too (reunited, then broke up with, ex-gf from last summer who drove me crazy).

Other than that, it's just the same old normal crap. :D

How's things with you and mr. bi_baby?


:hug: :pals:

[bicentennial_baby]

36. Heehee...Very good, right now, but that could change

In the past 2 weeks: They find a growth on my Mom's spine (the one with ALS), I have to put my beloved Dog to sleep, *major* drama with the Ex...A week and a half of panic attacks, depression and no appetite. I came out of it on Tuesday, and feel much better now. It's always touch and go. Sleep's still kinda fucked up, but I'm working on it. :)

The Mr is good, going back to school next month! Yay!!

I'm glad that you are ok. I think of you often. :hug:

:loveya:

[lost-in-nj]

119. YEAH!!!

congrats !!!!




:hug:

:hi:

how wonderful for you!!!!


:woohoo:


lost

[malta blue]

24. ThomCat is coming to visit me tomorrow...

:hi:

And we are having a mini DU meetup with nuxvomica, lovemycali and rhiannon12866 for sure...perhaps cooleyhurd too.

I am thinking of taking him to MassMOCA on Sunday


:pals:

[bicentennial_baby]

27. Ha! I used to volunteer at MassMoca!

Small world! Back when it was just getting going. The 90s.

Give Rhiannon a HUGH hug for me, please. She and I are both alumnae of the same boarding school, different decades though. :)

[malta blue]

31. Will do...

I went to a different boarding school - Miss Hall's in Pittsfield - but she and I bonded on the boarding school front :D

[bicentennial_baby]

33. No way! Boarding school girls represent!

I'm gonna have to make my way out there for a meetup. Maybe this Fall? :D

[malta blue]

38. absolutely....or this fall Little MB and I are doing

a long weekend in Cohasset with Malta Mom and her bf Jabulani

We will have to stop by and meet with you and sniffa too!

:hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

39. Either way, awesome! Or both!

I can travel! :D

:hi:

[malta blue]

42. exactly

we will surely do it this fall sometime :pals:

[Chan790]

29. I have a fan club at work...

though I'm not sure why. They're all very sweet and pretty and they bring me cookies, so I'm not complaining.

1 post to 4000!

[bicentennial_baby]

37. Congrats!

:bounce:

:hi:

[littlebit]

40. For the first time in seven years

my cat sat in my lap and let me rub her ears today. I think she finally likes me.

[bicentennial_baby]

41. That's wonderful! I'm happy for you...

:hug:

[Gormy Cuss]

43. My summer radishes grow above ground

They're called rat tail radishes because the edible pods look like, well, rat tails.

[bicentennial_baby]

44. I don't eat radishes, but

I'm happy for you! :D

:hi:

[RevolutionaryActs]

45. Umm.

The planet Uranus was once hit by a meteor, which turned it's axis completely on it's side. So whereas the other planets spin like a top, Uranus spins like a rolling ball.


That's all I got. :shrug:

[bicentennial_baby]

46. Prove it!

:P

[RevolutionaryActs]

49. Are you implying that history channel show "The Universe"

would lie to me!? :o

[bicentennial_baby]

50. Fine, you win....But if yer lyin' to me...

*shakes fist*

[RevolutionaryActs]

52. I wouldn't lie to you.

:loveya:


and I believe this is the smiley you were looking for...


:rofl:

[DarkTirade]

101. Heh heh... You said 'Uranus'.

:yoiks:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

47. I'll be in Boston tomorrow.

First time there, too. :hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

48. Say whut?! For how long?

:o

Want to see you!! :bounce:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

51. Until Tuesday.

I'm going to an Indian wedding in Westborough, but I won't be able to drop by, since it's also the first time I've seen my parents in awhile.

[bicentennial_baby]

53. Sad, we is...

:cry:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

56. Raincheck, I can have?

;)

[bicentennial_baby]

58. You can haz one, but don't skip out!

Sniffa has an allergy to NYC, so it'll have to be here, dig?

:loveya:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

60. He's afraid of the native PUMA population.

:scared:

[bicentennial_baby]

64. Possibly!

:rofl:

[belladonna]

54. Hrrm, I got nada

Unless you want to hear about my exciting day transcribing peds surgery notes and things like pectus excavatum, G-tubes and appendiceal fecaliths :shrug:

[bicentennial_baby]

55. Erm...No! But, I'm interested b/c you're here!

Yay! How are you love? I was going to send a PM, but now you're here. Problem solved. Genius, I say. :P

:loveya:

And how's my darling Maggie-monster? :)

[belladonna]

73. I'm okay, I guess

Still a little upset about all the crap yesterday, but too damn tired and glad the weekends here to give it too much of my energy. Le kiddo is fast asleep at the moment after wearing herself out being adorable all day:D

How are you tonight, my sweet... other than bored??

[bicentennial_baby]

75. I feel you baby

:hug:

I'm well. Hot and sweaty. It's so humid here. I am SO happy it's the weekend. Need to make some food. A couple days rest, and off to W. MA to see the Ex, again. It never ends. ;)

:loveya:

[belladonna]

76. It's too fucking hot here too

I want to cook this weekend, but I want to make something completely different.. something I've never made. Only problems is that I'm too lazy at the moment to figure out what that might be :blush:

Btw, check your inbox :P

[bicentennial_baby]

77. Replied! And,

if you're having a shortage of recipes, pick my brain. I have a brazillion bookmarks and many cookbooks/my own recipes. :D

:*

[belladonna]

80. Hmm, I'm thinking of something Italian, but not lasagna

I've made lasagna way too much lately. I was also considering looking for a tasty way to cook up some steaks. Any ideas for me??

[bicentennial_baby]

82. Let me think on it and get back to you in the morning...

What kind of stove do you have? Or are you grilling?

I do have a fantastic Steak and Spinach salad recipe that's completely delicious, and a meal unto itself. It involves steak, red potatoes, red peppers, red onions, spinach, and a dijon/balsamic dressing. YUM.

But yeah, I'll think on it. :)

[belladonna]

84. I'm thinking that if I go with steak, I'll grill

But I'm open to all ideas here. As for the stove, just your basic cook top stove and oven... nuthin' fancy. The steak and spinach salad DOES sound interesting... now I'm lazy AND hungry, dammit :)

[bicentennial_baby]

85. You can grill it and still do the salad...

If you'd like, I'll type it up and send it to you in the morning. It's really delicious. :9

[belladonna]

86. Absolutely!!

It sounds so good that I'm actually getting hungry and, dammit, I can't eat this close to bedtime. If you think of any good Italian recipes, I'm interested in those too :D

[callous taoboy]

57. The Komodo Dragon is the world's largest living lizard. One swipe of

its tail can render its enemy senseless.

[bicentennial_baby]

59. They're badass...I want to say evil, but

I love lizards of all stripes and sizes. :)

[callous taoboy]

65. That's an old Bob and Ray routine. Weren't there some dragons

munching on some people who got stranded on an island somewhere recently?

[DS1]

61. The SR-71 is so fucking fast, it heats up enough to make it grow 18 inches in length

due to metal expansion. And because of this, the seals for the fuel tanks aren't really sealed while on the ground, and it's called "The Leaking Lady" or some such name. It has to refuel right after takeoff and then go supersonic within minutes in order to close the engineered gaps in the body and seal the fuel tanks.

The head of Skunk Works, Kelly Johnson (who designed the U2) one day glanced over one of his engineers working on the jet intake one day, and said "That needs to be about 17% larger", and in fact, it was something like 16.9% too small. He was a mathematical genius by eye, as well as paper.

In order to obtain enough Titanium to build the planes, the CIA had to set up a front operation to basically buy Titanium from the Russians in order to fly it back over their airspace and spy on them.

A unique thing about the SR-71 is that the faster it goes, the more fuel efficient it is.

[bicentennial_baby]

66. You, my friend, have genuinely interested me, if that's all true

:)

[DS1]

87. I

cross-checked some of the things I said with wiki, to make sure I'm right, but everything I recited was from this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-Lockheed/dp/0316743003/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217652299&sr=1-1

It's an amazing read. Starts with the U2, then the SR-71, then the F-117.

The F-117 is so stealthy that during a test it was showing a signature the size of a flying barn during radar tests, until someone found a single screw that needed an extra 1/4 turn in order to make it truly flush with the body, and the plane dropped off the radar. :)

I don't have the book handy to loan, that was all from memory. Great read.

[bicentennial_baby]

89. Ok then, wow...

I am truly enlightened and WOW. I have learned something. Thank you so much. How neat.

:pals:

[Tektonik]

117. Skunkworks is the only good thing about Palmdale, CA

well other than having the best tumbleweeds I've seen.

[dysfunctional press]

62. donkeys can live to be 40-50 years old.

that was something i learned for the first time a few weeks ago from a friend who has one.

[bicentennial_baby]

67. I had no idea!

:o Wow.

[BreweryYardRat]

63. Okay...

For all the many, MANY problems in the history of Christianity, it made up for a LOT of them when Christianity replaced the Phoenicians' native religion. (Along the Middle East's Mediterranean coast and parts of North Africa -- Carthage was founded by Phoenicians.)

Mainly because the Phoenician faithful regularly immolated their babies as sacrifices in troubled times.

[bicentennial_baby]

70. Ouchie...I can see how that could be a problem

Thanks! :hi:

[Dr. Strange]

68. Pope John Paul II was named an "Honorary Harlem Globetrotter."

He was surprisingly fast for a pope.

[bicentennial_baby]

71. Fibber!

x(

[Ysabel]

69. htuttle is hiccuping in his sleep...

this has been going on for what seems like hours i tried scaring him in multiple ways he even accused me of square dancing i swear i was not square dancing i was just dancing around in a circle...

[bicentennial_baby]

72. Yikes! I lay on my back and relax my diaphragm, slowly

Usually works. It's the diaphragm that's spasm-ing.

[Ysabel]

74. lol (not funny really) he actually has a small rip in his diaphragm...

[The Straight Story]

78. I used to have a channel on MIRC (chat program) devoted to BDSM

:)

[MonkeyFunk]

79. Polar bears have purple skin.

Cheese is 68% bacteria.

"Gonorrhea" is the longest word that can be typed with the left hand on a Chinese keyboard.

A Koala Bear's appendix is about the size and shape of a deck of playing cards.

The honk of a Canada Goose can be heard through sound-canceling headphones.

"Blimey" is a Cockney variation of "blow me".

It is illegal to behead carnies in Canada.

Over 8,000 people die every year at Disneyland, over half on Splash Mountain alone.

Estonians have over 70 words for "sleet".

Half of all humans have above-average intelligence.

Cannibalism wasn't outlawed in Missouri until 1974.

Benjamin Franklin invented Blue.

The Pullman railroad car was named after actor Bill Pullman.

In 1891, a Great White shark traveled up the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico to Chicago, where it ate 14 people and opened a household products store.

Shelly Winters was briefly married to Theodore Roosevelt. The marriage was annulled.

Madonna is the only recording artist to have a top 10 hit in 12 different decades.

[bicentennial_baby]

81. Re: #6

:spank:

[Dinger]

83. I Know What's Up With Brett Favre & Ted Thompson

Insider info, and this is no joke, and no, I ain't sayin'. My source is rock solid.

[SeattleGirl]

88. I was in a TV commercial once.

Well, don't know if you find that interesting, but it was the first thing to pop into my head.

:hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

90. And?

You can't leave me hanging like that baby! :P

[SeattleGirl]

94. Okay.

It was for The Bon (now Macy's) in downtown Eugene, Oregon.

My friend Margie and I were tapped to be in the commercial.

We were supposed to walk down the street to the store.

We were told to talk and laugh.

We bombed, the first few takes.

But on the third take, I started telling her dirty jokes to make her laugh.

It worked!

Sorry; maybe you needed to be there, but it was damned funny at the time, because they dressed us to look like to very clean-cut young women. :rofl:

[bicentennial_baby]

95. How old were you?

:D

[SeattleGirl]

97. 24

I had gone back to work three months after having my daughter.

[bicentennial_baby]

99. Most excellent, my dear

:loveya:

Thank you for making my night more interesting. This thread turned out great! :D

[SeattleGirl]

102. Happy to help!

:loveya:

[Fox Mulder]

91. Jupiter is in Sagittarius right now.

:)

[bicentennial_baby]

92. But...Is Mercury retrograde?

Isn't that what's *really* important?!

:hi:

[Fox Mulder]

93. I don't know.

:shrug:

:hi:

[bicentennial_baby]

96. s'ok!

:hi:

But let's hope that it isn't...that's never a good thing. ;)

[madeline_con]

98. I'm going to see Obama in the morning!

:woohoo:

[bicentennial_baby]

100. SWEET!

Where?! Jealous! I saw him in March! :bounce:

[madeline_con]

103. He'll be in Titusville, FL I grew up there.

We're a few miles south. We can't sleep!

[bicentennial_baby]

104. Have an awesome time!

We saw him with Kennedy, Kerry, and Caroline Kennedy the night before Super Tuesday. SO awesome! :D

:hi:

[u4ic]

105. Not interesting as much as creepy

a good friend of mine lives in the same building as the Greyhound bus killer. The news showed the complex he lived in, and it's hers as well.

:scared:

[bicentennial_baby]

106. NO WAY!!!

:wow:

I've been following the story on CBC and the Canadian papers since it broke. Holy crap!

:hi: , btw.

[u4ic]

107. I'm not home, on vacation in B.C. right now

I'll have to ask her when I get back if she knew him. It's a pretty big complex, but waaay too close to home.

It's one of the most gruesome things I've ever read. :puke: I'm still shocked by it.

Backatcha. Hope your summer is going well! :D :hi:

[RushIsRot]

108. When I was a teen or pre-teen in the 50s, my parents left me on shore

while they went fishing. I did not care. I hated fishing.

Some fellow who lived beside the lake in which my parents were fishing, took an interest in my plight and invited me into his home. He showed me how to make a great blow-gun with a short bit of bamboo. He demonstrated how to make a fantastic blow-gun missile using a sewing needle and some chicken feathers.

That sort of thing today would likely lead to this person's arrest but I'll tell you, I was fascinated and enjoyed the whole day that I spent on shore while my parents were fishing.

Life was simpler in the 50s.

[RetroLounge]

110. Well, I had a dream about you the other night...

:blush:

RL

[bicentennial_baby]

114. What kind of dream?

:D

And I hope I was good :evilgrin:

[RetroLounge]

120. One of us was topless

and yes, it was good.

:evilgrin:

RL

[YankeyMCC]

111. The Athenians told the Melians

that they had the right to conquer Melos (During the second 'phase' of the Peloponnesian War)because they were strong, that justice had nothing to do with it and essentially might makes right because justice only applied between equals and the Melians were weaker than Athens.

There's you're enlightended Greeks for you! ;)

[BlueIris]

112. There is no common name for a unicorn with wings. You'd think it'd be called a pegasus,

but a pegasus is a horse with wings. Big difference, there, evidently.

[Writer]

121. Yeah! I slept with...

oh, never mind.

:7