Matt in the Middle: KISS-Method of Blogging! (Keep It Short, Stupid)

Monday, February 7, 2011

KISS-Method of Blogging! (Keep It Short, Stupid)

Paul Crewe / "Bandit"

Hit it Hal....cue the music

Yesterday morning I told you who was going to win the Super Bowl and who was going to be Most Valuable Player (MVP) last night. I am sure most of you placed bets and won handsome sums of money based on the blognostcation so it would be nice to throw a little something to your tipster, you know, as a gesture. There's plenty of more predictions where those came from. Remember that I predicted the major categories of The Academy Awards (coming February 27th) at MIDDLE MOVIE REVIEWS. While you're over there make sure to vote on the poll in the right margin; I am trying to decide whether to visit Dan Aykroyd or Burt Reynolds and I am looking for your advise. It's like Donna Dixon vs. Sally Field/Loni Anderson/Dinah Shore Celebrity MITM-Match! Bosom Buddies vs. WKRP In Cincinnati. Vintage Saturday Night Live vs. Saturday Night Live with Norm MacDonald portraying Burt Reynolds. Help me Bloggi Kanobbi you're my only hope.

Ellwood Blues / Ray Stantz

While the first half of the Super Bowl was going on I was watching the game and making dinner while Sugar Momma was doing the taxes. I made spinach/feta cheese quesadillas, bruschetta and spinach-artichoke dip. They were all low calorie and low-fat but turned out really tasty. Guess what I packed for Sugar Momma for her lunch today. Let me know if you want the recipes.

I imagine most of you watched some or all of the Super Bowl. I hear all of the critics this morning talking about how half-time was bad and how Christina Aguilera messed up The National Anthem. I love, love, love, love The Black-Eyed Peas and thought the half-time show was incredible. I also didn't notice that Ms. Aguilera (cause I'm nasty) flubbed The National Anthem. I just kept wishing that Justin Timberlake (Yogi Bear/Boo Boo tie-in) was there with her. I hear that song live about three or four times a week so I consider myself pretty much an expert on the anthem and I didn't notice the flub. Granted, I was chopping artichoke hearts and mincing water chestnuts... (TWSS) but who cares? The biggest stadium in the country filled to capacity and the largest television audience every year might make anyone nervous; Roethlisberger played like he was nervous. I just kept thinking, "whoever bet the prop bet at Bodog that she would wear a cowboy hat is kicking him/herself right now."

Keep It Something Something

The Matt In The Middle Facebook page has tripled in "friends/fans" in three days. I wish my money could figure out a way to do that. It's all the way up to seven (friends not money)! I am trying to incorporate my new KISS method of blogging today. I can't remember if it's Keep It Short, Stupid or Keep It Stupid, Shorty. Maybe it's Keep It Short & Stupid? I guarantee at least one of those every time.

I am going to get back to cleaning the scum and villainy from our shower, finish washing the bed clothes (the tuxedo with tails) and the "regular" laundry and then I am going to dedicate a couple of hours to working on my writing today. By keeping track of my 2011 Resolutions over there in the right margin it is a daily reminder that I need to do that. I am going to try to spend a little time every day to getting my writing done so you can say, "I used to read him when he was keeping it short and stupid." I worked out yesterday but I may ride the bike a little later on too just for the halibut.

Have the nicest winter Monday possible. I will blog you again tomorrow after PlasMATT fun-time. If you need something today let me know because I am always looking for reasons not to do what I should be doing. TTTT...MITM (keeping it stupid or short). TA, M!

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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!

Monday, February 7, 2011

KISS-Method of Blogging! (Keep It Short, Stupid)

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