Sunday, September 28, 2008

2008 Fall Television Schedule

So, I think I've figured out what I'll TiVo, what I'll watch live (if I'm home) and what I'll watch online for the fall season... at least until the schedules get shuffled or shows get canceled. If you need a printable fall schedule in order to make your own choices, click here.

This may seem like a lot of shows, but it's about normal for me. I don't watch a lot in real time, but that's why I love TiVo. Sometimes I wish I had a dual tuner TiVo so I could record more than one show at a time, but I'd never leave the house if that was the case. Same for having more stations although I'd love to get BBC America, The Independent Film Channel or Sundance Channel.

Monday
8:00pm
TiVo: How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Live: Chuck (NBC)
Online: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX)

9:00pm
TiVo: Prison Break (FOX)
Live: Heroes (NBC)

10:00pm
TiVo: My Own Worst Enemy (NBC)

Tuesday
8:00pm
TiVo: House (FOX)

9:00pm
TiVo: Fringe (FOX)

Wednesday
8:00pm
TiVo: Pushing Daisies (ABC)
Live: Bones (FOX)

10:00pm
TiVo: Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)

Thursday
8:00pm
TiVo: My Name Is Earl (NBC)
Live: Smallville (CW)
Online: Ugly Betty (ABC)

8:30pm
TiVo: Kath & Kim (NBC)

9:30pm
TiVo: 30 Rock (NBC)

10:00pm
TiVo: Life on Mars (ABC)

Friday
8:00pm
TiVo: Everybody Hates Chris (CW)

10:00pm
TiVo: Life (NBC)

Saturday
nothing unless something is repeated from earlier in the week

Sunday
8:00pm
TiVo: Valentine (CW)

So, that's 1 show on CBS, 3 shows on CW, 4 shows on ABC, 5 shows on FOX and 7 shows on NBC. CBS would have had one more show if they hadn't canceled Moonlight.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I made some Stuffed Pepper soup the other day and just finished it up today. I made 16 Bean soup a week or two ago, but didn't think to take a picture of it. With the bean soup I followed the recipe on the bag of beans, but for this one I made it up based on these four online recipes. Here's my take:

1 1/2 lbs of ground beef (80 % or leaner)
1 medium/small yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large green peppers, chopped (around 2 cups)
2 small or 1 large potato(es), chopped
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 32 oz carton of beef broth
3 whole cloves garlic
salt/pepper/spices to your liking
2 cups cooked white or brown rice

Brown beef in a large pot with the onions. Add the green peppers and cook about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the cooked rice) and bring to a near boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 25-35 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Place 1/4 cup of cooked rice in the bottom of individual serving bowls. Pour soup over rice and stir before serving.

Keeping the rice separate really helps the soup from getting mushy. The soup was very tasty, and I'd definitely make it again.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Sugar Cookies


I had two leftover egg yolks from the coconut macaroons so I dug around for a recipe that called for just yolks and found this one. The cookies were delicious, but my quest for the perfect sugar cookie continues.
This quest started when the Original Cookie Company went away, and I could no longer get their sugar butter cookies at my local mall. I loved those cookies. I miss those cookies. The pictured cookies came very close to the recipe I hope to find but were just a little off.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Coconut Macaroons

From the Baker's coconut recipe. On the bag of coconut the chocolate dip was optional. I dipped one (in milk chocolate, the only kind I had on hand) and wasn't impressed with the results so I didn't dip the others. But I used the leftover melted chocolate to make chocolate covered raisins so it wasn't a total waste.



It's kind of hard to discern the chocolate covered raisin blobs on the black plate. I don't have a picture of the chocolate dipped macaroon since I ate it before I took these shots.

I had been thinking about making macaroons since I watched the "No Pork, No Pressure" episode of Dinner: Impossible. The episode was shot around Cleveland and has Chef Michael Symon making a Passover dinner for the congregation of a synagogue that's right down the street from me. I wish I was invited to the Seder because everything he made looked really delicious.

The episode also made be hungry for brisket. Luckily, Jack's Deli and Restaurant (14490 Cedar Road, University Heights, Ohio 44121) has a great brisket, and I had it for dinner last Friday. I'll have to do a proper review of that place sometime.

If you missed the show last Wednesday, it'll be on again September 13 at 3:00pm and September 14 at 11:00pm. Of course it's bound to be shown at other times too since the Food Network plays a lot of repeats.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Durham, North Carolina

At the Sarah P. Duke Gardens









The Iris Fountain



Details of the fountain




















At the Tobacco District