More music

I was glancing through my old orchestra folder tonight.I couldn't remember how some of the music sounded so I looked up a recording of it being performed.

I really enjoyed listening to this version"Fiddle Faddle", which I am sure sounds about 700 times better than my high school orchestra did.

I also forgot how much I enjoyed "The Funeral March of a Marionette"

"Jazz Pizzicato" is a fun song just for being different for a few minutes. (It also inspired to write a song on the piano titled "Pizzicato".)

That's all for now. This songs bring back some funny memories, and I sincerely love the music itself.

Dinner musings

At dinner tonight-

Phebe: Is water always clear mom?
Me: As long as nothing is in the water, yes. It isn't as clear if there there is dirt or some kinds of bacteria-
P: or an octopus.
M: Well yes, it is hard to see through an octopus,
P: I don't want to met an octopus.
M: Why?
P: It would eat me.It has a big sharp beak.
M: I think you might be a bit big for it to eat. It eats smaller things like crabs.
P:Yea, crabs are so annoying. Maybe it eats giant lobsters.
M: Yea, but I don't think there are many lobsters your size.
P: I have 4 shirts on.

Thanks for the profound thoughts Phebe.

Just throw some quinoa in there

I finally took the time to cook some quinoa. I kept hearing about it and I finally cooked some I had picked up a while ago.I am impressed. It was pretty good. 

I had plenty of left overs though. So I searched around for another recipe to use it in. Eventually I just made something up. When everyone eats it, even with pre-dinner comments like "ugh, That stuff again?" you know it was pretty good. Even Phebe who has an aversion to anything that isn't a liquid, fruit or junk food said "This is fantastic! Can I have more?" I was floored. 

Here is the basic recipe-

Funeral potatoes-

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. diced potatoes
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 c. sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 2 c. grated cheddar cheese, or use a mix of cheddar and gruyere
• 1/4 c. grated onion (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 c. crushed cornflakes or panko bread crumbs (optional for crumb topping)
• Additional 2 T. butter (optional for crumb topping)

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Advance prep: bake/thaw potatoes: 60 minutes

• Total Time: 120 minutes
 
• Yield: About 8 cups

PREPARATION

1. Prepare the potatoes: Scrub 6-8 medium russet potatoes and wrap in foil. Bake the potatoes in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are easily pierced with a fork but not too tender. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and dice them. If you want, you can substitute plain frozen diced (not shredded) potatoes. Let the potatoes thaw before using them in the recipe.
2. Combine soup, butter, sour cream or yogurt, milk, cheese, onion, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the diced potatoes and stir gently until combined.
3. Place potato mixture in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
4. Optional: Mix 2 T melted butter with crushed corn flakes or panko bread crumbs. If using panko, season with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumb mixture over potato mixture.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

I used cream of mushroom soup instead of chicken, skipped the topping and I just dumped a bunch of extra quinoa in there. Ta da! Add some extra protein and a fun texture and everyone was happy. I was seriously surprised by how well received it was. There you go, a yummy dinner suggestion. I mean, even Phebe and Victor liked it at the same time!