Chef Michelle, at your service

YUM!

Take some pot roast (slow cooked for 8 hours)...

Add some cheesy spinach bake (maybe a little extra cheese)...

And then eat!

Bolly-what?

I am in love with all things Bollywood. Well, that actually may not be true, but ever since "Slumdog Millionaire," I love Indian entertainment. (caveat: this does not include Indian food; curry is not my BFF)

After watching "Slumdog Millionaire," I youtubed the dance at the end and learned it. Yes I am THAT much of a dork. Here is the video:

Then, I was watching something else on youtube and

came across this!

So I learned the "jai ho" part of that dance as well.

(Do not question whether I have other things that I

should be doing, that is of no concern to you.) I also

went to the onDemand thing and did some of the

"bollywood" exercises.

All that to tell you this, I have now watched the new

Chris Kattan show on IFC and it is great!

I am a fan of Bollywood and want to watch more.

:)

You are right, it IS tasty

So, most of my friends and family may know, I am not much of a cook. Or, if you are speaking in technical terms, "I cannot cook." Well, I can make some things, but I really am not great. However, I surf the Internet quite often and one of my frequent stops is www.thepioneerwoman.com. I usually just read the normal blog and not the cooking or other areas. However, she just created a "tasty kitchen" portion that has both her recipes (I think) as well as other contributors. Well, the past two weeks, I have tried two recipes on the web site:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/crescent-chicken-squares/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/main-courses/panko-parmesan-parsley-pork-chops/

Let me say, they are amazing! I am very impressed with the ease of cooking (granted, I have made some mistakes, but nothing horrendous). The recipes are delicious.

Go to the web site, try it out. Be full!

:)

I can stop anytime I want to

Hi, my name is Michelle and I have an addiction. I am addicted to...

Yes, that is a red elephant. However, my addiction is not to elephants that are red, it is to the restaurant called, "The Red Elephant Pizza and Grill." (http://www.redelephantpizza.com/)

You should go and try it; however, here is a warning, once you go, you will go and go and go and go and go.

It is phenomenal!

I keep saying I will mix my food selection up when I am on my way to the Red Elephant, but I always get the pizza. I am crazy and spontaneous like that!

:)

It's time to get "reel"

I have been contemplating a huge decision for a while now. One that, once I make it, I cannot go back. I had to decide if I was going to purchase a "reel" mower. What is a reel mower you ask, it is one of those mowers that just has the spinning blades; it is neither electric nor gas powered. It runs off the sweat of your brow. Honestly, I really never knew they still existed until a few years ago. I thought they were a '60's thing. But, my friend Melanie bought one and I was intrigued. When I bought my house, I went back and forth (a little "mowing" humor for you *wink*) on whether to get one or not. However, my parents offered me theirs (probably 12 years old at the time...not me...the mower) and I said "YES!" After all, one less thing for me to buy. Well, 5 years later I began to waffle with the decision again. I was going to ask for one for my birthday, but since the one I had was still "working" (it lost its self propulsion ability and so I had to push it up the hill) I decided to get pots and pans instead. I know, you are saying to yourself, "gosh Michelle, you ask for some fabulous gifts for your birthday." If ever you find yourself in a quandary with what to ask for for a special occasion, ask me and I will help you, for free! Anyway, back to the story.

I went to mow the grass last night and the old mower would not start. The primer pusher thing would not push. I also pulled the starter many, many times, but to no avail. So I gave up. A bit more back story, I also have a weedwacker but the line ran out and well, um, we will not go in to details about that anymore. I decided it was finally time to "go green" and get a reel mower. Either I am environmentally conscious or the reel mower was a novelty I just had to have (you decide). So I went and looked for one at the store and I could not find one. I found your traditional gas powered mowers. So I asked for help. Nope, that is a lie, I am my father's daughter and walked aimlessly around until I found a box that I did not think a mower could fit in; think the size of about 4 shoe boxes. Sure enough, there it was! I actually read the box and it said "no tools needed," which was the go ahead for me to purchase.

I got home, sat out in the 1,000,000,000% humidity outdoors and put this bad boy together. I then tested it out and low and behold it is FABULOUS! I had a big, sweaty (gross, I know) grin on my face but I was mowing with the best of them.

Note to self, now I have to keep the sticks picked up in the yard, or as I like to call it, a one man (woman) game of "pick-up sticks."

Silly Allieness!

Allie is a silly dog!

She is scared of crop irrigation systems and so hid in the backseat floorboard last weekend on the way home from my parents.

Yeah, she gets hot because she can't feel the a/c back there!

And then tonight, a squirrel was climbing on the back bedroom window and it was driving Allie bananas.

Lake Seminole

The lake is wonderful right now, sunny and not too hot.  I did get a bit of a burn last Saturday, so this weekend I wore more sunscreen.  I know, you would have thought my first picture would be of the lake, but its the sky and sun.

Luckily, this wasn't our boat being towed!  :)

Jim Woodruff Dam (and lock).  I told my dad I would be a lock-keeper if everyone had to ask for passage using an old english accent.  He just kind of boggled at me.  whatevs.

Watch out for the snags!  The first time I saw this sign, I thought it said "snakes" and thought snakes could drop out of the tree limbs on to my head.   I was not happy.  Then I learned to read.  Amazing.