We Finally Met our First Hoarder

Posted on April 29, 2012 by lmsinca

There are very few things that shock me but when my husband came home Friday from the lockout of our tenant by the sheriff’s department he began preparing me for the shock I was about to experience.

Some of you may remember we’ve been involved in an eviction process on our rental property (the bulk of our retirement income) since January and even hired some legally challenged lawyers to represent us in the misadventure.  I call it a misadventure because it feels like a miracle to us that we finally got our home back.

The lockout would have occurred a month earlier but the city recently decided that our street was one of the ones that needed a new street sign.  A problem arose when the sheriffs attempted to post the final eviction notice about six weeks ago and the spelling on the street sign didn’t match the spelling on our legal documents.  The city had changed an “e” to an “o” and so we had to wait two weeks for a new sign and another two weeks for the city workers to install it.  Cha-ching, another $1600 down the drain.  Of course our lawyers thought it would have been better to change all the paperwork to the incorrect spelling………………………idiots.

Anyway, my husband met the officer and the locksmith at the house Friday morning and originally told our tenant she could have 1/2 hour to vacate.  The sheriff informed him that we had to store whatever was left at the house for 15 days, either at the house or a storage facility, charging her reasonable rates, and then could either sell it or trash it.  Then my husband went inside.  Needless to say, when she said her boyfriend was on the way with a big truck to move some stuff, he gave her the rest of the day to vacate.

Every room, save one, looks exactly like the pictures below, and that one room is pristine…………………….bizarre.

All of this was left after two big truckloads had already carted away some of her belongings.  So now our house is a storage facility for another 12 days and we’re hoping they’re coming back for more although they already cancelled the appointment to meet my husband over there today.

I feel sorry for anyone who is for some reason compelled to live like this, but right now I feel more sorry for us, because we’re going to be stuck with the cleanup………………………………….yuck.

Filed under: 2012 | Tagged: | 23 Comments »

Bites & Pieces OR Do Alpha Males Eat Quiche?

Posted on April 29, 2012 by lmsinca

I have a basic quiche recipe that can be adapted for all sorts of dietary restrictions and preferences.  I’m trying to gradually add a few pounds back on that I misplaced this year and I can make this once a week and add a few calories to my diet.  On the other hand, it can be made with lower fat/calorie ingredients and still be delicious.

Basic Ingredients:

3 whole eggs, you can substitute egg whites for part of them or all, two egg whites equals one whole egg

1 can evaporated milk, you can use low fat or non fat and honestly you won’t be able to tell the difference

2 1/2 TBS of flour

Salt, pepper and other spices depending on the rest of your ingredients.  I use thyme, parsley, basil and herbs de provence  pretty frequently, but please experiment.

Additional Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cheese, again low fat versions are fine and I frequently use a combination of mozzarella, parmesan and feta.  Of course you can use cheddar, swiss or really any kind of cheese.

5 to 6 diced green onions

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 to 2  cups of veggies.  I generally use a combination of broccoli/cauliflower or a variety of summer squash.  Experiment.

1 cup of  meat (cooked).  If you use meat, cut back on the veggies.  For a breakfast quiche the obvious meats are ham, bacon or sausage.  For dinner, chicken would probably work fine.

Directions:

Beat the eggs, milk, flour and spices until well blended.  Sir in the other ingredients, adding the cheeses last and pour into greased 9″X9″ baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 or until center is set.

By the way, my husband loves this recipe.

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And from okiegirl, who is still finding gorgeous asparagus at an even more gorgeous price, a couple of faves.

Asparagus with Curry Butter

Ingredients

2 teaspoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely diced

1 bunch asparagus, (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

Combine butter, curry powder, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl.  Omit salt if your curry powder has salt in it already.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add asparagus and cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the curry butter into the asparagus; toss to coat.

Yummy with grilled salmon!

Spring Pizza

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced (or to taste — this is a lot of garlic)

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound)

1/2 cup snipped fresh chives, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound whole-wheat pizza dough

1 cup shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Position rack in lower third of oven, place a pizza stone or large pizza pan on the rack and preheat oven to 450°F for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in a small bowl; set aside. Trim asparagus spears to about 6 inches long; slice any thicker stalks in half lengthwise. Toss in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 cup chives, salt and pepper.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 14-inch circle.  (I cheat and buy ready made pizza crust.)

Carefully remove the pizza stone or pan from the oven and set on a heatproof surface, such as your stovetop. Place the dough on the stone or pan and brush with the reserved garlic-oil mixture. Cover with a layer of tomato slices.  Arrange the asparagus in a circular pattern on the dough with the tips facing out (like spokes). Top with cheese and the remaining chives.

Carefully return the stone or pan to the oven and bake the pizza on the lower rack until crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

This makes a lovely spring supper, but also is a nice (if unusual) side dish.

Filed under: 2012, Bites and Pieces, cooking, diet, food, recipes | Tagged: | 16 Comments »