Today I seem to be cranky, for no particular reason. I can’t imagine why; I’m not in pain anywhere, there are no sudden new stressors in my life, and it’s the wrong time of the month for PMS. Yet I’m impatient and irritable and wanting to bite someone’s head off.
Maybe the barometer’s dropping or something. Who asked you, anyway?
Last week I stopped for some groceries on the way home from the Artist’s swim practice. He spotted the Altoids by the cash register and asked if I would buy him some.
On the way home I observed that he smelled like mint.
“It’s the Altoids,” he chuckled.
“Can I have one of your Altoids?”
“Aw, man…”
“You’re allowed to say no,” I told him. “You don’t have to give me one if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, okay.”
I gave it a few seconds, then added, “…even though I bought them for you…”
“SIGH.”
What’s the point of having kids if you can’t torment them?
Got this recipe from scarybaldguy. In addition to passing along a great stew recipe, he has now also introduced me to Guinness Extra Stout. In his own words, here is the Best Stew Recipe:
The best beef stew I’ve ever had was in Dublin at the Guinness brewery, St James Gate. What I made today is so close as to be indistinguishable.
Stew:
2 pounds bottom round chuck, cut into bite-size chunks
2 medium Russet potatoes
2 carrots
Half of a large sweet onion
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Flour to coat beef
Salt & pepper to taste
1 bottle of Guinness Extra StoutDumplings:
1 cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
Salt & pepper to taste1. Coat beef chunks in flour and place in a large crock pot.
2. Chop vegetables into smaller chunks and add to crock.
3. Combine Guinness and brown sugar, then pour over beef and vegetables.
4. Cook on Low for about 6 hours.
5. Towards the end of cooking time, combine dumpling ingredients to form a soft (not sticky) dough. May need to adjust milk and/or flour amounts.
6. Form dough into small (approx 1 oz) balls and add to stew.
7. Cook on High for 30 minutes.
8. Eat yourself into a stupor. I barely managed 2 bowls on an empty stomach, and there’s plenty left over.