Shopping Around the World

Thanks to everyone for another great edition of Shopping Around the World last month.  It’s so awesome to see the various prices, recipes and pictures from around the world!

Items to price this month:

FIVE items of your CHOICE – Something that you go to when making the family dinner.  Perhaps this is one of your family’s favorite?  A quick meal?  A snack?  List your FIVE items and discuss what the meal is.  Having pictures will also be fantastic to share.

Having this in mind and that it has been raining and yucky a lot this week, mom went for something that was warm and soul comforting.  First up, get out that crockpot that has been sitting in your cabinet not earning its keep.  Wash it out and put it on the counter.  Then grab a box of slow cooker liners.  (You will thank me for this later.)  Put one of the liners in the crock pot – they are awesome.  Easy cleaning which is right up my mom’s ally.  This is what the box looks like.  You can usually buy a box in the grocery store for around $2.00 – don’t worry, they won’t melt in the crock pot.  Now here is what else you will need:

Now let’s break it down.  One box of Zatarain’s New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice ($2.49); one package of Smoked Sausage ($2.00) and one bottle of Francis Coppola Pinot Noir ($20.00).  Open the bottle of Pinot Noir and pour yourself a glass to enjoy.  Open the box of Zatarain’s and pour contents into crock pop with the directions on the box in adding water.  Then with a sharp knife, slice the entire package of sausage into tiny mouth sized bites.  Now here’s the important part to remember.

1) Make sure your glass of Pinot Noir never gets empty.  Repeat often and necessary while cooking in the kitchen.  2) While putting the ingredients together, chopping and drinking, make repeated groans to show how much you are working in preparing dinner.  This goes well when the spouse and children are in the next room.  Let them think that you are really overdoing in your cooking capabilities.

Now, throw that cut up sausage in the crock pot, put on the lid and place the dial on high for a couple of hours.

 Now remember that glass – don’t let it be empty.  When the Red Beans and Rice is almost done – trust me you will smell the fabulous aroma throughout your crib, turn on your oven.  Mom uses these Dinner Yeast Rolls.  She bought the entire pack at Sam’s for around $10.  She pulls out for, sticks them in a pan and sprays them with butter and then pops them in the oven to warm up.

In the meantime, she sets the table and tells everyone to clean up and get ready for dinner.   Now, remember the crockpot?  Open up and serve.  Afterwards if you have any leftover, remove them and then pull the bag out of the crockpot and toss it in the garbage – the crockpot is now clean 🙂

.And here is the final product.  Look at all of those spices and yum-yum!

 

Dear Bacon

Dear Bacon,

If it’s good enough to put the crying thing in to settle them down, why can’t I get in it too?  It seems like the screaming miniature human gets a lot of attention in this contraption.  I don’t seem to be getting the same kind.  Why?  Can you explain that to me?  Signed Dogsad

Dear Dogsad,

Aaww – you poor thing.  I’m really sorry that you feel left out.  I really am.  Right now though, your humans are going through a lot with the small human.  This will pass when they don’t have to be so fussy with them.  You just be patient and stay cute my friend.

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 Dear Bacon,

This means WAR!  There I was hanging out on the sofa after a really rough day of chasing the mailman and squirrels.  I was minding my own business, had my feet popped up and was enjoying a nice glass of 2012 Francis Ford Coppola Pinot Noir.  Then the lights started flashing.  My dad took this picture of me and put it all over the internet – he’s even talking about Christmas cards?!  I will be ruined!  What can I do?  Signed Sparky

Dear Sparky,

Give me a second friend… snorts and squeals ridiculously loud in a paper bag.  Okay, I’m back.  Breathes in to get my bearing.  What you need to do Sparky is get a hold of that camera.  Delete the picture is tops.  Then you need to get on the human’s computer and start deleting.  I would wait until the humans all asleep and then pounce into action.

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Dear Bacon,

If you’re happy and you know it, throw your hooves in the air.  If you’re happy and you know it, look so cute.  If you’re happy and you know it then your face will surely show it.  If you’re happy and you know it, throw your hooves in the air!  Signed Cute as a Lamb

Dear Cute as a Lamb,

I’m off now to throw my hooves up in the air!  You look as adorable as well me!  Have a great one my friend and thanks for sharing!

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Dear Bacon,

When the humans asked me if I wanted a pancake and I said yes, this is not what I meant.  I wanted a pancake to eat not wear.  What in the world were they thinking?!  Signed Panbunny

Dear Panbunny,

I could teach you a trick with that pancake sitting on your head my friend.  My daddy taught me how to flip it off of my head and into my mouth.  You can do it – I know you can!  Happy eats.

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Dear Bacon,

SQUEAL!  Look what I made!  Mini-me’s!  Aren’t they just too cute?!  Signed Surprised

Dear Surprised,

They are totally adorable my friend!!  So very cute.  They look just like you… well except for the bright eyed, bushy tailed, surprise look – snorts.

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Remember friends – send your questions/pictures to me at baconthompson@gmail.com

Thanks!!

 

Movie Night – Rock Style

   Saturday night the Hotel Thompson had an open social so that Bashful, Manny and Princess Coralena could get to know one another.  For the occasion, mom got a 2006 Francis Coppola Pinot Noir out of the wine cellar and opened the bottle.  I mean heck, Bashful did some drinking in France so I guess he’s old enough now.

The bottle was popped and the social began.

It was a very entertaining night.  Manny has so many wonderful stories from France.  Bashful talked about his time with Easy and some of the things that were not posted.  There are some things that happen in France that stay in France my friends 🙂  Princess Coralena opened up and talked about her life in Hawaii.  It turned out to be a wonderful evening.

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Sunday, they all cuddled on the sofa, mom made popcorn and we all watched a movie.  The rock trio got to pick the movie and they chose a classic, “The Pebble and the Penguin.” It was the cutest movie ever!  We all enjoyed it, even dad.

After the movie, they all helped Bashful pack for his new field trip.  Princess Coralena and Manny were so excited for Bashful.  They talked about his adventure, where he was going and pondered into what kind of activities his host family would do with him.

Monday morning, they all hugged and said their goodbyes.  So far, so good.  Everyone is getting along just fine – just like we’ve been together forever!