Saturday, January 25, 2020

A Sweet Surprise

I love surprises, although NOT the kind that cause grief, like mud streaming down the sides of your rig right after you washed it, or possibly running out of fuel.  I'm into pleasant surprises, like this shop that quilts all the beautiful pieces of fabric we chop up and reassemble.

I began the day parked outside this building with two quilts ready to be stitched.  Even though it was 9:30 (and the sign said we open at 9:00), alas the door was locked up tight.  Keep in mind it took me 40 minutes to get there.  I called the number and discovered she was on her way.  She must live as far away as I do because it was after 10:00 when she arrived.

The pleasant result is that they are cheaper than my California quilter.  No surprise there, since everything is more expensive in California.
Then I was off to a furniture store looking for a nice SOFT headboard.  With two dogs sleeping on the bed who growl at my slightest movement, there's barely enough room for me without banging my head.  I'll relegate the hardwood headboard to the guest room.  To my surprise, I found exactly what I was looking for.  Pictures to come when it's delivered.

Finally back home, I picked up my mail.  Previously, I debated whether to call Mauna Loa regarding their small 6 ounce jar of nuts, purchased WELL before the pull date.  They were so rancid I could barely eat them.  At $9 a bottle, I was rather irritated.

I gave the gal all the pertinent information, and what to my surprise arrived in the mail yesterday?  Not one but TWO TEN OUNCE bags of nuts for free!  Now THAT'S the kind of surprise I like!!
On the other hand, THIS surprise I could have done without.  There are three humongous pork chops hidden in the bottom of this pot.  They started out in a frying pan, but by the time I added all the onions, mushrooms and can of mushroom soup, it was full to the tippy top.  I covered it and walked away.  

To my SURPRISE it bubbled over covering half the stove, making the biggest mess you ever did see.  I unceremoniously dumped them into this big stock pot and put it on the back burner.  Take THAT pork chops!!  I let them simmer for the next hour while I cleaned up the mess.
SURPRISE!!!  After a total of 90 minutes on the stove, they were as tough as could be.  I knew I should have used my instant pot.  Although camouflaged by mushrooms, here's only ONE chop on my most expensive dinner plates ... remember the melamine from Williams Sonoma that cost $25 each?
Surprise again ... that was WAY too much food.  So lets just add to the misery by having a piece of key lime pie.  Truly, I did not eat a quarter of a pie.  Surprise!  This is a mini springform pan about five inches across.  If you need a quick dessert, this is it.  

One can sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup cream, 1 cup cream cheese and 1/2 a cup of lime juice.  Beat the devil out of it for five minutes.  Add in some grated lime peel and pour into a graham cracker crust.  Ta-Da!!  
It really was delicious, but I ate WAY too much food and no surprise, was miserable most of the night.  I still haven't learned that lesson!

I was rewarded with a beautiful sunset, but in the interest of space, I'll post those pictures tomorrow.  Today I'm going for a long walk and hope there are no more surprises in store for me.






12 comments:

  1. Nice surprise to get those nuts in the mail. Sounds like a good company. Your pork chops look so yummy with the mushrooms and gravy, hard to believe they didn't taste as good as they looked. Now dessert sounds and looks delicious!! Looking forward to seeing the new headboard!

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    1. I'm looking forward to the new headboard too! Maybe I won't have so many bumps on my head! LOL

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  2. Sure wish I was on your kind of diet Nancy. Food sure looked good, but maybe you may have ruined the taste a little. Never had a headboard issue before, but I'll remember that there are soft ones out there if needed. I guess I'm just not tall enough.

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  3. Too bad about the pork chops but trust me, I have done this. Thinking that I'll like the chops better. They were tough. Yes, in the IP you would have been pleased. :)
    That dessert looks awesome! No baking? I'm making it!!

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    1. No baking Patsy. Super simple and pretty tasty!
      If the chops were thinner, they might have been better.

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  4. I have experienced the long night of haven eaten too much and have told myself I should never do it again. What is even worse is having a few too many rum and cokes on top of the meal.

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    1. There's nothing like being miserable all night long! Add rum to it? Oh my!!

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  5. If Tucson is anything like Orlando plug-in Mexican markets on your phone a lot of the Mexican and Brazilian markets in this area sell ethnic foods but they also have a restaurant as part of their establishment some you can sit down and eat or others you can get it to go if you can find a Mexican market that has that you can get some really good food and fairly inexpensive
    If I have to choose I would go Brazilian there like an army chow line with 25 different dishes you could pick from and guarantee you'll never walk away saying you're hungry you could at least get two extra day meals out of it
    Ask any Mexican Lawn crew and they will tell you which market restaurant is good just like home

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    1. Ok, I'm checking for markets. I do love real Mexican food. I'm surprised there are not more traditional restaurants around here, or maybe I just haven't found them yet.

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  6. I have done pork chops many times over the years just like that but never on the stove top. I always stuck them in my roaster then in the oven. Basically, I never like doing anything on the stove top, if I could figure out how to do it in the oven, for the very reason you mentioned I always ended up with some sort of mess...lol Dessert looks delicious.

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    1. In the oven ..... now that's a novel idea. I should try that since nothing else seems to be working! Thanks Deb.

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