Sunday, November 29, 2020

What's For Lunch Mr. Hawk?

 I checked my Mickey Mouse watch first thing in the morning.  There is one slight problem ... you can't see it in the dark.  It might have helped if Mickey had glow-in-the-dark hands, but even his white gloves don't show up.  Turns out it was 3:45.  That's 2:45 to California folks.  

Once awake, there's no going back to sleep, so I got up.  It was a 2-cup-o-Joe morning.  That got my brain to working on the watch upgrade problem.  If I'm really really lucky, I think I have it solved.  

 The Elks Lodge has WiFi.  I might possibly even talk them into using the "special" one with no traffic.  I can sit and have lunch, even the liquid variety if I wish, without sitting in the flower bed.  If it takes six hours, I can even sack out in the back room.  

In the meantime, as I hit the fridge for the umpteenth time, I spotted this guy sitting on my fence again.  He comes back every year about this time, so the lunch menu must be a good one.  I finally stuck my longest lens on the camera and lugged it outside.  

Still not the best of images ... he's a very long ways away up in a tree and I'm holding the camera against the stone pillar.  What a beauty.

 He flew down to the fence and sat watching for several minutes.  In a flash, he took off in a downward dive and landed in my corral.  I've no idea what's there except ants and skunk holes.  Wouldn't it be cool if he got a skunk?  Hahahaha

I know, no way, but it's a nice thought.  He came back up to the fence with his prize.  What's for lunch?  Whatever it was, it was too tiny for me to see.  I'm thinking maybe a lizard?  He took about three bites and it was gone. 

You looking at me???? 


 In a flash, he was gone, back to his perch in the tallest tree.  In no time however, I had another visitor.  Isn't he a beauty too?  This is the baby that got caught in my skunk trap.  Very smart kitty kitty this one.  He ate all the food I placed AROUND the trap, even some inside, but he NEVER stepped on that trip plate again.  We had a stare down for about ten minutes!!

 For MY lunch, I picked another Every Plate recipe ... a simple hamburger.  Kind of boring really, and I skipped the accompanying roasted carrots.  Let me just say this was one of the best burgers I've ever had with the simplest of ingredients.  

Salt and pepper, fry the burger.  Mix mayo up with a tad bit of wasabi.  I would NEVER buy that hotter-than-fire condiment, nor even THINK about putting it on a burger, but it was the best thing I ever did.  

Add to that a heaping clump of carmelized onions with the tiniest bit of sugar ... I'm not kidding, I could have eaten FOUR of these!!!  I bet it was much better than what the hawk had for lunch!!


 Now for some exceptional dessert ... flan.  It's one of my favorites, but I don't make it much due to the size the recipe creates.  Wait ... I found a recipe for Instant Pot flan ... meaning it was a much smaller pan.  I think I rather overdid the caramel part.  It was beautiful, but maybe a bit beyond burnt.

I thought the 14 minute cook time was a little long, but did just as the directions told me.  The hardest part was letting it cool in the fridge for 3 hours.  

At last my magnificent dessert was ready!!  I flipped it over to the plate.  Nothing.  I gently tapped the bottom.  Nothing.  Pretty soon I was slamming it on the counter, trying to get it OUT of the pan.  At last it fell, just as I was lifting the pan, causing the sauce to splatter all over my kitchen.  Great ... and it's pure sugar ... a gooey mess to clean up.

No matter ... I'm ready for the taste test.  It should be soft and pillowy.  It was so dense I had to cut it with a knife.  Really?  It didn't even TASTE like flan.  It was like chewing on one of Cooper's rubber play toys.  Where's my shovel!!!  This is NOT a picture of my flan.  It didn't even last long enough to get one.


 It died a horrible death as I slammed it into the hole in the corral.  So much for flan!!   Hmmmm maybe that's what the skunks have been after!!  

Better luck next time honey!!  Leftover Halloween candy was dessert.


 

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful visitor!! The first one, I mean. Yes, the kitty is pretty too.
    As for the flan, don't give up! Try it again for less time maybe in a springform pan? I'm touching wood but my IP has only let me down once (with yogourt) and that was because I didn't follow the recipe correctly. :)

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    1. Springform pan may just work. I'll try it. Thanks Patsy!!

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  2. There she goes planting skunk food again
    I tried it once and it didn’t work so I hope this helps
    I’ll give you a hint and who’s got the best flan. Any Brazilian or Mexican grocery store,, there’s no cooking.. there’s no cleanup.. it comes out perfect every time.. you can have as much as you want.. And you can always go back for seconds ..

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    1. Isn't that stuff wonderful? There was one Mexican store around here, but I'm not sure they are still open. I'll have a look see.

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  3. Beautiful animal pictures! I've never made or even had flan I don't think..The hamburger looks very yummy and I love wasabi!

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    1. Well Shirley, you just mix as much as you want with mayo and smear it on your burger. What a flavor enhancer!!

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  4. I've never eaten flan either. I like your idea about the Elks Lodge.

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    1. I think the Lodge will work. Got my fingers crossed. If you are ever near a Pollo Loco, try out their flan. It's really very good for a restaurant.

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    2. I think the Lodge will work. Got my fingers crossed. If you are ever near a Pollo Loco, try out their flan. It's really very good for a restaurant.

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  5. Great pictures of the Hawk.
    If you are in fact burying your Cooking Mistakes that is great bait for attracting Skunks and other Animals.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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    1. That could be true, although I've never buried anything out by the fence, which is where they seem to be doing the most digging.

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  6. Good solution with the watch, let's hope it only takes an hour or so.

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  7. Beautiful pictures of the Hawk and the orange tabby. Sounds like a good plan to get your watch updated. Enjoy your time at the Elks.

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    1. I'm hoping to run into the Sheriff and get the State Trappers number!

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