Domestic Geek

So, yesterday my boss gives everyone in the office these Bono's Bucks to be used at Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q restaurant. The only one in Denver is at Dry Creek & I-25. The problem was they were photocopies and cut really weird. We were all afraid to use them. Well, the opportunity to have free ribs overcame my doubt as to the vailidity of the documents, so I stopped and to get some grub on the way home from work. Fortunately, the certificates were legit. It was actually quite good. They had fried okra, which, amazingly enough, Marcus actually really likes. I still have another certificate, so I'll have to do that again sometime next week.

I meant to write about this a few days ago, but I have been rather busy at work and really tired this week because good old Aunt Flo came for her visit and she's being a royal pain this week.

It's become common knowledge at work that I'm poor right now. Having a can of tuna fish everyday for lunch was probably a big tip off. Also crying and mentioning that I needed to quit and find a higher paying job was another! The owner said he'd help me any way that he could to get through this really sucky period Marcus and I are in because he really likes us both and doesn't want to lose me as an employee. Anyway, he gets all kinds of gift cards from restaurants that he never uses. He gave me some gift cards for El Senor Sol so that Marcus and I could go and have an evening out. There aren't any locations close to where we live. The closest ended up being over by Ocean Journey. We decided we were going to go for dinner on Sunday.

Sunday was the day we had a lot of hail here. After the hail let up, we ventured out. We got stuck in a traffic jam on Westbound I-70. I swear, there is not one day around here anymore that the traffic does not suck! I found the place easily enough. We were seated at a horribly rocky table. The place was so empty, we thought that they might be closing soon. When our waiter brought out a vacuum, Marcus asked what time they closed. He informed us that closing time was 9pm, yet it was only 7. Supposedly, there had been a children's party there earlier and the kids had made a horrible mess. Cleaning became more important to our server than checking on his table. Apparently this location is also a bar, so Marcus ordered wings as an appetizer. They never showed up. Our food arrived and it was pretty decent. Still no wings. Marcus asked the waiter about the missing wings. He comes back and claims that the wings were frozen and couldn't be cooked. Um...OK. Don't most wing places deep fat fry the wings frozen anyway? So, no go on the wings.

When it comes time to pay the check, Marcus asks the cashier if it is ok to put the tip on the gift card (since we're poor and have no cash). She says sure, but can't figure out how to ring up the gift cards. Eventually, someone figures it out, but they weren't supposed to put the tip on it. Oh, well.

So, a decent meal...just not a stellar dining experience. Definitely not someplace I'd go back to if I was paying. I've still got a couple of gift cards. We'll try a different location next time and hopefully have a better report.

All right...I'm going to go lay down. My cramps are killing me.

I tried some Jicama today. It tasted like bean sprouts, yet had the texture of a raw potato. It was tasty.

The other day, Laura posted a pic of her shopping list for a meme she was doing. I'm rather proud of my Thanksgiving list, so I figured I'd share (click on image for bigger). Graphics used on the list were found at Graphic Garden. The great thing about keeping this list on my ol' computer is I don't have to strain the brain every year trying to remember what I need to get. I print it out, check my cupboards for stuff I already have, stick it on a clipboard and off to the store we go.

This year's shopping trek only took two hours and three stores. That even included walking around most the the new Walmart at I-70 and Tower Road to help Dad find a squeegee. It could've been done with two stores if either King Soopers or Walmart carried Kellogg's Stuffing. The only place that seems to carry that anymore are Super K. I hate shopping at Kmart with a passion, especially the one on Colfax/Chambers. There were some King Soopers listed on the product finder list. Last year I drove around to all of them hoping to find my elusive stuffing, but to no avail. I ended up at the Super K over on south Broadway. This year I wasn't going to drag Dad all around town and waste gas, so I suffered the Super K closest to my home. I thought I was screwed when I couldn't find it anywhere, nor could I find an employee to ask for assistance. As I was giving up and heading for the door, I found a small display in an aisle! Victory!

See, I make this really good shrimp stuffing that I think I found on the back of a stuffing box one year. I tried it one year with a different brand of stuffing and it just wasn't the same. It's got to be the seasonings they use or something. Thus the special trip every year. Anyway, I put the recipe in the extended just in case it every disappears from their web site. It is SO GOOD!

Well, I guess I better wrap this up and get going to the pizza job. I said I was going to make a pumpkin pie from scratch this year and I mean it! I've got a couple of pumpkins sitting on my dining room table that need to be cooked today so that I'll be ready to bake the pies tomorrow night. I'm going all Martha and even bought a tiny leaf cookie cutter to decorate the edge of the pie. If it turns out decent, I'll post pics.

I'm really craving tuna casserole right now. Unfortunately, Marcus hates anything with tuna. Oh, well.