Peep of the Week for the 50th week of 2014

For the second time in the last few weeks, an enlightened soul has bestowed upon me the gift of 16 year old Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whiskey.  You will recall that my Son-in-Law, Brady Boyle, committed the class act at the Thanksgiving Bash.

It may seem to the rest of you that this country is going to hell in a hand basket.... what with cops being murdered and racial turmoil erupting in the face of our first Black Presidency.... with North Koreans censoring American corporations and Muslim Marathon Bombers defended by nutcase protesters....

Need I go on?

No, I need not.

But how can you not be upbeat when at the Nanepashemet Telecom Holiday Luncheon, our data input specialist, Catherine Elsier whips out a bottle of the King of Scotch and presents it to your MOAM?  Seems like she thinks that my letter to my alma mater, recommending that Catherine be accepted into the Masters of Public Health program at Boston University, held sway in securing her a spot in that elite program.

In reality, BU probably is as knowledgeable about my attendance as Columbia is of our POTUS.... my records are not sealed but must have crumbled with age by this time.  Catherine undoubtedly got the nod because she is a promising young talent that Boston University realizes will add to its prestige and endow alumni contributions for the long term.

Anyway....

Catherine is an Automatic Peep of the Week in accordance with the time honored ritual that governs such selections.

ANNOUNCING....

NANEPASHEMET PEEPS OF THE WEEK FOR THE 50TH WEEK OF 2014.

Catherine Elsier - Automatic

Gilbert Shaw
Jeb Bush
Kim Nestor
Vince Wilfork

Megyn Kelly

Nice to see a young lady like Catherine making such a big time gesture.
It gives me hope for the future.

Plus, Ryan polished off the bottle that Brady gave me.   I'm hiding this one from him behind the Vodka and Gin Bottles when he and Kim come by Christmas Eve.

Rigatoni Pasta Pie

I copied this recipe from Facebook where it was shared by Judy Goodman.

Rigatoni Pasta Pie:
1 lb rigatoni pasta
1 lb ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 small jar size of your homemade sauce
cooking spray
salt
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
4oz cream cheese
15oz ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 cup onion
spring form pan

DIRECTIONS:
Boil the noodles according to the directions on the box. Stop cooking when they're still very firm and avoid stirring so they do not fall apart. Once done, drain and run cold water over so they are cool enough to handle. You can add a little bit of oil if they start to stick.

Brown the ground beef and drain excess grease. Add chopped onion and garlic. After about 5 minutes add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add spaghetti sauce next.

Use a small mixing bowl to mix the ricotta, Parmesan, basil, oregano and 2 eggs until smooth. Set aside.
Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Use cooking spray on the bottom of the spring form pan first to avoid sticking. Put a zip lock bag inside a tall glass and fill the bag with the cheese mixture. Close the bag and snip the corner of the bag and pipe a small amount into each noodle. After piping, pour the red sauce over the whole top and push down as much as possible.

Top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. (Recipe calls for 2 cups but you could use low fat or skim to cut calories.)

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and then broil until the cheese turns bubbly.

Popovers

50 min
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
40 min
Yield:8 popovers
Level:Easy
Next Recipe
Ingredients
3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 eggs
1 cup milk, warmed for 30 seconds in the microwave (should be lukewarm to warm)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Special equipment: muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a pastry brush, coat 8 muffin cups with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and put the tin in the oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the eggs in a blender until light yellow. Add the warmed milk and blend. Add the flour, salt and remaining melted butter, and blend until smooth. Pour the batter into the warmed muffin tin and return it to the oven to bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/fool-proof-popovers-recipe.html?oc=linkback

The Public Trough

Peeps...
There are those among you who know that this MOAM is a proud alum of the University of Massachusetts - Amherst where I earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Political Science with Honors no less, and learned a lot about a whole bunch of other stuff during my four formative years there.

So you would think that when I watch the nicely done promotional ads that air on the Boston media detailing the positive environment at UMASS...... that I would have a sense of satisfaction and pride.... and you would be wrong.

UMASS is a great place, a great school, a fantastic asset for the state.   But so is Brandeis, Harvard, NorthEastern, Boston University, Boston College, Holy Cross, Assumption, Merrimack, Hampshire, Amherst, Williams, Smith, Holyoke.... etc.   Where are the ads for these fine institutions????

No Ads.  At least none of the scale and magnitude of the UMASS daily campaign.

And why would that be?

Simply put... it's because you and I pay for the UMASS ads.  They are funded by the bottomless trough of tax funds.  And the other schools don't have these unlimited budgets.   Are these ads necessary?  Apparently not for privately funded schools.

So every time I see a UMASS ad.... I get pissed off... even though I love UMASS.

Compost Bin Plan

I'm thinking of building this compost bin.  The pile of shredded leaves in the backyard are starting to be a blight on the property and this bin may spruce things up a bit, as well us as maybe speed the composting process.

Garage Design

Peeps of the Week and Bash Aftermath

The Bash was a raging success this year as usual.   We had Peeps come from as far as South Africa and copious amounts of food and drink were consumed.  In retrospect, the call to keep firearms out of the affair was a good one in that not one shooting occurred.  In fact, no punches were thrown either as a testiment to the sophistication of this annual event.


My best Son-in-Law, Brady Boyle, was a shining example of Nanepashemet Peepdom as he presented the MOAM with a bottle of the King of Scotch, 16 yr. old Lagavulin Single Malt, thus becoming an Automatic Peep of the Week.   A class move.   In an equally not classy move, Ryan Nestor consumed much of it in the following Thanksgiving Day haze.

ANNOUNCING....

NANEPASHEMET PEEPS OF THE WEEK FOR THE 48TH WEEK OF 2014.

Brady Boyle - Automatic
Ryan Nestor
Steve Lewis
John Garriboto
Sarah Crawford
Nathaniel Clarke

All in all, it was a thankful event, and a beautiful Thanksgiving with all of the Nestor offspring and their significant others expressing their thanks at our turkey dinner the next day,

I hope you Peeps enjoyed your day too.

Prelude to the Bash

Twenty four hours from now, the low rumble that you hear will be the Night Before Thanksgiving Day Bash at the corner of West Shore Drive and Gerry Park in Marblehead.
~
Despite warnings of an oncoming NorEaster, the Peeps will be in full Bash regalia as Peeps stream from all over Metropolitan Boston to be part of this social event of the season.
~
If you didn't receive an invitation, no need to worry, as invites are never proffered.   It is come as you are.... or as you would like to be.
~
Over the years, the much anticipated event has taken many forms, and this year should prove to be in keeping with the tradition of raucous yet refined interactions with an underpinning of sophisticated discourse punctuated by hysteria and gutter talk.  Dress is mandatory.  I hate it when people come naked and act as if they can meld in with everybody.
~
Please leave your weapons and firearms at home. We have never had a shooting or even a stabbing at the Bash, and it would be nice to keep the streak alive at least one more year.
~
And of course, if you bring a bottle of Lagavulin, the King of Scotch, you will be loudly and obnoxiously announced as an Automatic Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.   It is an Honor/Disgrace that not a few Peeps aspire to at the Bash every year,
~
So, rack up your A-Game, and I hope to see you here tomorrow night!

Bash Musings

The New England Patriots are again playing professional football at a level that conceivably could be classified as mastery.

Years from now, people will wonder what it was like to watch football games during the Brady-Belichick era.... much like people have asked what it was like to watch Bobby Orr play hockey, or Bill Russell play basketball.

The game was even better today, because Joanne and I got to watch it with our Grandkids, Will and Ethan, and with Ryan and Kim.   

The Hype is building for the Thanksgiving Eve Bash as well.   The highly anticipated annual event will be held in all of its Glory/Debauchery and the Beer will flow like Wine as in years past.

As usual, there are no invitations, and much resentment and rancor will flow to those who do not attend, so I would advise you Peeps to come and partake of this pilgrimage for the sake of your social standing and psychological well being.  

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

This little number may show up at the Night Before Thanksgiving Bash.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients

for the crust 
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed 
for the filling
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 full cup pecan halves
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Using a pastry blender, combine flour, brown sugar and cubed better until it resembles a cornmeal (this can also be done in a food processor.)
2. Press crust mixture into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
3. While crust is baking, beat together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla and melted butter. Stir in pecans.
4. Remove crust from oven and spread chocolate chips evenly over warm crust. Spread filling over chocolate chips.
5. Cover with foil and return to oven. Bake for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Notes

recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com

Immigration Kabuki Dance

This whole Immigration drama being played out by the Obama administration reminds me of a Japanese Kabuki Dance.  Lots of arranged protracted movements and posturing that look really weird.

Republican and Conservative pundits are in high rant mode as the President threatens to use the power of Executive Orders to give amnesty to Latin Americans who live in the US without a green card.

The POTUS maintains that he has the power to wipe the slate clean  for these five million or so immigrants who have taken up residence in the US in violation of laws that regulate entry into this country.  Conservatives maintain that he is effectively enacting legislation which is the purview of the Congress and a violation of the checks and balances built into our Federal system of Government.

Each side swaggers and postures away on what they will do if  Obama uses his "Power".

The  thing about Power is that you only have it if people don't challenge your actions.

POTW Week 46

I've been on this super efficiency kick this week.... planning out everyday, and analyzing what got done, what didn't, and why.  Staying focused is the key to accomplishment.   Yet some diversions to the plan are important to follow as well.

Another benefit of planning and evaluating your time is that when you get to the end of the day, after being pulled in numerous directions, your documented time gives you a feeling of satisfaction..... or at least verification that you didn't screw off all day. 

Announcing....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 46th Week of 2014 

Bill Quirk

Harvey Rowe

Mike Rockett

Dale Johnson

Taylor Swift

Pam Georgian

We are cruising to the holidays.