Stacerella

Something I never do at work is hang up on people. Never have I done that. Till today. And if I answered the phone at home, I’m sure I wouldn’t do it there, either. Had a customer call us up and talk and talk and talk without letting me answer her questions or give her the advice she was seeking — all without taking a breath at the same time. Obnoxious.

The voices in my head kept screaming, “Hang up! She’s not going to shut up. Ever!”

Normally I’m able to ignore the voices in my head, but she was going on and on, and disputing the fact that we would need to see her computer in order to tell her what’s wrong with it. She didn’t want to spend any money on fixing it so she called us “for free advice.” Her words. That’s what Google is for, people.

I couldn’t take her grating voice anymore, so for a change of pace, I listened to the dark voices in my head and rudely hung up on her. I didn’t need her b.s. today. Or any other day.

She called back and Joe told her the same thing I did, that we’d need to see the computer, and literally 2 minutes after taking her second call, he was able to get her off the phone painlessly. Frick.

Had some time yesterday to finally (finally!) crack open my new KitchenAid pasta attachments. They rock, people. Simply rock. I am in love. With attachments. The kind that plugs into my Mixinator. Lovelovelove. *swooning*

First up, whole wheat spinach pasta. The dough was a mix of two recipes I smashed together. Feeding the dough through the rollers was fun, but not as much fun as feeding it through the cutters. I loved that part the most aside from how easy the roller and cutters are to use. Brilliantly simple. Like, simple enough for this simpleton to work ‘em. And if I can work ‘em, people, YOU will be able to work them in your sleep. Trust me on this.

Lugosi, this one is for you!

http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/comic_con.do?source=m_dexter3_fb_0725_chatpage

Guess what the lovely UPS driver just dropped off?? Oh, yeah, baby! Sweet!!

Not sure where this recipe came from or who to credit for it’s inception, but I got it from the couple who brought this delicious dish to a dinner party we attended earlier this year. I loved it so much, I begged for the recipe. I’m shameless in that respect. Hee. It’s a very yummy dish, and fairly straightforward to make, so give it a whirl.

Cajun Chicken Casserole

1 lb of cooked and slicked chicken breast
3 tablespoons of olive oil (any kind you like)

Cook chicken in a skillet while your oven pre-heats to 375 degrees.

1 red bell pepper, coarsely cut up
1 green bell pepper, coarsely cut up
1 medium onion, coarsely cut up (your choice of onion type)

Remove chicken from the skillet and place in a rectangle dish; set aside. Sautee the veggies in the skillet till soft and heated through (about five minutes).

1 14 oz can of Cream of Chicken soup
Half a large can of diced or crushed tomatoes (your choice which you use)
Cajun seasons of your choice (I use a few dashes of cumin and chili pepper, and match it with a pinch of red pepper flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix soup, tomatoes and seasonings in a bowl to blend well; set aside. Place sauteed veggies over chicken in the glass dish and top with the soup and tomato mixture. Mix well.

1 C all purpose or whole wheat flour (I use a mixture of both)
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/3 C vegetable oil
3/4 C milk or water

Mix pancake batter up in mixing bowl with lid, cover and let it rest in the fridge for five or more minutes.

Pour pancake batter over the top of the glass dish mixture, spooning it up to about 1/2″ away from all edges. The topping will puff and rise as it bakes. Cook for 25 minutes.

If you notice about half way that the pancake topping is already golden brown, pull the dish from the oven and use a sheet of tin foil loosely draped over the dish (resist the urge to fold the tin foil down at the sides of the dish) to create a tent to shield it from burning while it cooks in the hot oven for the remainder of the time.

Serve with sour cream and guacamole or a light green salad.