Matt in the Middle: Let Us Give Thanks for a Short Work Week!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Let Us Give Thanks for a Short Work Week!

cue the original theme music

Happy Thanksgiving week. This week shouldn't be too bad for you working stiffs as it's an abbreviated

week for most of us in the good old U.S. of A.. I know there's those of you who have jobs that require you to work on or the day after Thanksgiving (police, hospitals, media...) but for most of you you'll get a long weekend this next weekend. There are also you who are not in the U.S.A. - seriously, Matt in The Middle is and international phenomenon. Okay, it may not be a phenomenon but it is international! At my last job we always had to work the day after (Friday) Thanksgiving. How the heck was I supposed to enjoy Black Friday if I had to work? I did experience Black Friday one year by using a vacation day but I will save that for a blog later in the week as I do my annual Black Friday Tribute. This is my first year that I will have a blog on Black Friday so it will probably be a one-time tradition. Does that mean I should go out and experience it again just so I can blog about it? I will if Sugar Momma will go with me - there's NO WAY she will so I am pretty certain I am safe. She doesn't even like to shop on Pink and Periwinkle Tuesday.

Yesterday I was going to blog when I got home

from work but Fabio, who was going to go see the new Harry Potter movie with a friend yesterday, didn't get to go because his friend was sick. So, last night Fabio and Sugar Momma and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One. Splenda had already seen it at midnight on the night it came out and she was out with her friends. I didn't realize until this morning that I didn't blog yesterday. If you need to write me up or give me a verbal warning or give me a day off of blog without pay I will understand. I will blog a review of Harry Potter... on Middle Movie Reviews sometime today after I decide how I felt about it.

I didn't eat lunch yesterday and when I got home there was no time to eat before we went to the movie. We drove to the theater and got our tickets and then went to grab some fast food.

Steak and Shake is close to our theater so we decided to go to their drive-through and grab something. Steak and Shake pretty much says what they have there - Steak (burgers) and shakes. Bully for them for not falsely advertising their wares. They also have chili and fries and stuff but there isn't much for a vegetarian to eat there. So now I know not to go to Arby's or Steak and Shake. Fab and SM got food and I had popcorn for dinner (no buttery topping). I am sure my digestive system will be thanking me all day today. I also had a 55-gallon drum of Diet Pepsi. I never had to invoke my free refill rights. I usually sneak in my own food to the movies but there was very little prep time for this trip. We haven't gotten a new fondue pot since I accidentally left the last one at the theater when we saw Get Him To The Greek - fondue and movies, a match made in Heaven.

I think I may lie down for a little bit to recover from working all weekend, not sleeping and playing limo driver on Friday night. Hopefully visions of Deathly Hallows will dance in my head so I can multi-task in my slumber. I will let you know when it's there. Have a nice start of your, hopefully, short week and I'll blog you later Turkey and Mashed Potater! TTTL...MITM aus!

2 comments:

UnknownNovember 22, 2010 at 10:19 AM
kudos to Jill for not joining the zombie shopping freak day...never understood why people would want to do that...it is absolutely a sick, disgusting ritual...also add ice cream store managers to your list of people who work t-weekend!
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Matt HelserNovember 23, 2010 at 12:15 PM
Love me some ice cream store managers!

You're right...it's sick and crazy. Maybe with the way the economy is now people won't be so crazy this year.
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Matt In The Middle Blogssary

47% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 47 % estrogen
53% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 53% testosterone
Agitator (the) - Matt's podcast name (revealed in blog and podcast number 2
B. S. - blog stuff
Big Sexy - Jay Cole's drink of choice (Jack and Coke) - doesn't necessarily have to be Jack
Blogcast - our podcast (Dirty Laundry)
Bloggestion - now in Urban Dictionary meaning something suggested on a blog or taking a few minutes to understand (like suggested or digested)
Blogging Suit - like a NASCAR driver's racing suit with all of the sponsors patches
Blogssary - blog glossary
Blogisodes - episodes of this blog
BWAK - blogged with a kiss
Ca-Ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ka-ching
Cha Cha - revealed to be Sugar Momma's new name on premier podcast
Cheese & Quackers - our resident ducks. she is cheese and he is quackers
Ciaoloha - MITM's new mega-word "discovered" on Columbus Day 2011. It combines "hello," "goodbye," "love," "podcast" and "blog" into one happy little package!
Copyright - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
Dirty Laundry - our podcast/blogcast launched 4/1/11
Discomboobulated - a word Bret Michaels used on Celebrity Apprentice when he meant discombobulated though discomboobulated is an actual word
Fabio - the name my son preferred being called on the blog (the artist formerly known as Sparky)
Judii - the sister I never had but wish I did (my unofficial sister)
Ka-ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ca-ching
Kajunkles - used for people who don't know how to run correctly. Body parts moving against one another rather than together for the common goal of running (could be a noun, proper noun or a verb). Trying to accomplish something against seemingly impossible odds.
The Lost Sock - Cha Cha's brother (and my brother-in-law). One of the best people I have known in my life.
MADYM - One of my very good friends - Mary. She was given this name based on an acronym of her name by one of my other very good friends Stacee. Together they came up with the MITM theme song idea. She was also our maid of honor or matron of honor (I don't know the difference).
Middle - anything average or center (Middle of the country, Middle of life, average intelligence, a regular joe (or joan)...)
MITM - Matt In The Middle
Ms. Peabody - Maisy (our dog) because of Mr. Peabody
Nature Girl - Another very good friend- Sue. Given this name because of being a combination of Diane Fossey, Caroline Ingalls and Danielle Boone (lady Daniel)
Patent / Patent Pending - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
PFT - Plasma Fun Time - donating plasma - twice a week.
Roz - my pink/fuchsia i-pod nano. Named for Roz Kelly who played Pinky Tuscadero on tv's Happy Days. She goes with me everywhere to play my life's soundtrack and measure my steps with her pedometer.
Sparky - my son's blog pseudonym (see also Fabio)
Splenda - my daughter's blog pseudonym
Sponsorship Patch - when I mention a known product to try to get sponsorships and want to put a patch on my blogging suit
Stacee - a friend from high school that is a great inspiration to me continuously. The Cosmos keep bringing us back together electronically (MySpace, Facebook, Blog...) even though we haven't "seen" each other for nearly thirty years.
Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheels theme song of MITM. Idea suggested by MADY and Stacee
Sugar Momma - my wife, Jill
Trademark - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
TTTT - Ta Ta 'Til Tomorrow
TWSS - that's what she said
WTF - why the face?

Potato Soup

Ingredients Needed:
1 - 32 oz. box Vegetarian Vegetable Broth (I used Swanson's)
can substitute with chicken broth if you wish
1 - package of Country Gravy Mix (I used McCormick's)
okay to use sausage gravy mix if you wish
1 - 26 oz. package of frozen hash browns

Cook hash browns in a large pot. Cook potatoes until slightly browned stirring often so as not to burn the hash browns. While the hash browns are cooking prepare the country gravy mix as directed on package. Once the potatoes are done to your liking slowly pour the broth into the pot with the potatoes and reduce heat and simmer until hot. After the potatoes and broth are hot add the gravy mix and continue to simmer until thickened. Serve and eat.

** special note...I like it extra spicy so I add an extra package of county gravy mix to the finished mixture and whisk and heat.

Just like I always say - add whatever you want (peas, onions...) and make it your own. And, as always, ENJOY!

Sangria Wine Recipe (reposted from 4/22/10)

I also made Sangria yesterday to honor Earth's goodness (truthfully so I could get lit). I am not a wine drinker because most wines are too dry in my opinion and I am not a big fan of cotton-mouth. I liked the movie "Sideways" though so I want to like wine. I was watching Planet Green a couple of days ago while I was cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry like a real man and Emeril Lagasse was making paella on "Emeril Green". He also threw in, as an after-thought, Sangria so I hit the record button. Well he did it very fast and didn't say measurements or anything but he gave the basics so I came up with my own recipe and I think it turned out well though I made A LOT! Sugar Momma says I am a man of excess - isn't that what "man" means? Anyway, here's my Sangria recipe but I suggest you might want to cut the volume down unless you are having a small country over for dinner:

ingredients (I would suggest cutting the liquids in half)

3 liters of inexpensive Shiraz (Frontera Mendoza 2009)
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of brandy
1 cup of lime juice
3 limes
3 lemons
2 granny smith apples
2 large oranges
12 oz. sugar
33.8 oz sparkling water (Pellegrino)
64 oz. orange juice
ice

In a HUGE bowl slice the fruit and cover with sugar, mix. Add Shiraz and stir. Add ice to hold the fruit under while it drowns in the wine. Add Grand Marnier and brandy and stir. Add lime juice, orange juice and sparkling water and stir. Let sit for awhile so the tastes blend. Taste and add ingredients to taste (I added a little more lime juice and sugar). Find the biggest vessel you own for storage (mine is a pot like they used in those headhunter movies to cook people which is now sitting on our stove). Sweet and fruity just like me. Share with your friends/neighbors and your boss at review time.

Caprese Paninis

Ingredients you will need:

good loaf of bread (I used Italian bread)
mozzarella cheese
pesto sauce (I used jarred Classico brand - found by pastas)
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
tomatoes

And here we go:
slice the bread and brush extra virgin olive oil on both sides of each slice. Clean and separate basil leaves. Slice tomatoes. Grate Cheese. Lightly grill one side of each slice of bread. Flip the bread when lightly toasted. After flipping the bread spread pesto on the toasted side and top with shredded cheese while the other side toasts. Once the second side is toasted and the cheese is starting to melt remove it from the

grill and top with two slices of tomato side-by-side and put a basil leaf on each tomato slice. Remove another slice of the toast with the pesto and cheese mixture from the grill and place it cheese/pesto side down on top of the tomato and basil'd toast to form a sandwich. (They could just as easily be done in a frying pan or on a George Foreman Grill...)

Done! Very simple and delicious!