More last-minute frustration

Really, why does this have to be so hard? If it’s not one thing, it’s another, and the problems just keep multiplying and pushing back any resolution. No wonder I never tried to buy a house before now. And honestly, I wouldn’t recommend the idea to anyone else. If I hadn’t made such a commitment of time and money to this project, I’d certainly be backing out. I’m buying a big fat money pit and waste of time.

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Last minute house fixing items

Everything seems to be falling apart at the last minute. The insurance agent I lined up suddenly came back with a price that’s twice what she originally quoted to me, so I have to scramble to get another insurance agent before next week. Also, the appraiser is asking for the owner to fix part of the floor in the dining room, and the contractor who’s supposed to be fixing the sewer line is suddenly MIA with the job half done (he was supposed to finish yesterday at the latest).
The owner’s willing to do the floor, but thinks he can’t get it done by Wednesday of next week, which means we might have to slide the closing date, which I really can’t do, because then I won’t have time to move before I have to be out of the house I’m renting.

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Carol’s Summer Tomatoes

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From the kitchen of: Carol in the Carolinas.

(This is a filling, great by itself meal)

  • One large tomato per person
  • Box of Croutons (Ceasar, or Regular)
  • Bottle Italian Dressing
  • Butter
  • Cubes of Cheese (Whatever is on hand, Cheddar, Mont Jack, both…..)
  • Whatever Trips Your Trigger Addition: Mushrooms or Broccoli or Zucchini or… Plain!

Remove top of tomato. Core out with a spoon to form a shell saving the insides in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 375. In Cassorole Dish, place tomato cases about 2 to 3 inches apart.

In Bowl, cut up the inside scoops that are too chunky into smaller chunks, add about a cup of croutons for every 2-3 tomatos…. Stir in 4 large splashed over tablespoons of italian dressing. Add about a cup of cubed cheese. If you are adding an addition, do it now.

Spoon into tomato cases pressing it down real good with a spoon as you go. Mound it high. Leftover goop can be heaped between tomatos. Dot with Butter and Bake for 30 min until tomatos are cooked and top browned well. Be sure when serving you share equally the cooked goop from around the tomatos! Prep time, 15 min! Then Baking! Melts in your mouth…

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Garlic-and-Herb Mashed Potatoes

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From the kitchen of: Unknown.

  • 4 pounds (about 6) baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup milk or heavy cream, or a combination of both
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped herbs (any combination basil, thyme, chervil or chives).

1. Place the potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and cover them with cold, salted water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain.

2. While they are still warm, pass the potatoes and garlic through a ricer or mash with a potato masher. Return the potatoes to the pan and stir in the milk or cream and the butter. (Add more milk or cream if they seem too stiff.) Stir in the parsley and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

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Green Bean French Fried Onion Casserole

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From the kitchen of: Durkee French Fried Onions.

  • 2 1 pound cans cut grean beans, drained
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 2.8 ounce can Durkee French Fried Onions

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 can onions, put in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with remaining onions, bake 5 minutes. Serves 6.

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Hash Brown Casserole

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From the kitchen of: unknown.

  • 2 pounds hash browns
  • 1 pound velveeta cheese
  • 1/2 package vidalia onions frozen or 3/4 cup onion
  • 2 cups Hellmans or Kraft mayo
  • 3/4 jar of Bacos

Break up hash browns. Cube Velveeta cheese, dice onion. Add bacon and mayo. Combine all in large bowl. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or 1 hour, until brown on top.

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Matt’s Garlic Cheese Biscuits (Like Red Lobster’s)

From the kitchen of: Matt Purcell.

  • 2 cups of Bisquick Mix
  • 2/3 cup of Milk
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (or substitute jalpeno, mozzarella, or swiss)
  • 1 teaspoon of Parsley Flakes
  • dash garlic

Heat Oven to 450 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms; spoon and drop heaping tbsp of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic
  • 1/2 stick margarine

Brush with butter and granulated garlic mixture over biscuits right out of the oven and serve hot!

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Pineapple Fried Rice

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From the kitchen of: Unknown.

  • 1 ripe pineapple, for serving rice (optional)
  • 4 cups cooked longgrain rice, such as jasmine, chilled
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 cup blanched, sliced Chinese long beans
  • 1/2 cup seeded, diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
  • 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

If serving rice in fresh pineapple, halve the pineapple lengthwise, leaving the leafy top intact and cutting through it. Hollow out each half, reserving 1 cup of the fruit for the rice and extra for garnishing. Save remaining pineapple for another use. Make a small slice on the outside of each half to create a flat base to hold the pineapple steady. Set aside.

Crumble the cold rice between your fingers to separate the grains, and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet, swirling to coat the pan. Add the onion and toss until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss until fragrant and soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger and toss for another minute.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the rice. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes over high heat, then add the beans, tomatoes, and pineapple, and fry 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the fish sauce and sugar, and toss until ingredients are well combined and rice is heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter, or if using fresh pineapple, fill each half of prepared pineapple with warm rice and garnish with extra chunks of pineapple.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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Sage Dressing

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From the kitchen of: Katie Mineart.

  • 4 cups dry bread crumbs
  • 1 package pepperidge farm sage dressing crumbs
  • 2 or 3 eggs
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 1 bouillion cube – dissolved in broth
  • melted butter.

Cook with turkey, or in dish at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

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Spinach Casserole

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From the kitchen of: Renee (Dallas, TX).

  • 2 bags frozen whole leaf spinach
  • 16 oz (large) tub sour cream (or lite sour cream)
  • 2 pkgs Lipton’s onion soup mix
  • Large can Durkey’s Fried Onions
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spinach per directions on package. Mix onion soup mix with sour cream until well blended. Add spinach to sour cream mixture and blend well. Sprinkle and stir in some Parmesan cheese
Put spinach mixture into small (non-greased) casserole dish. Drizzle melted butter over top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cover top with fried onions.
Bake at 350° for 1/2 hour

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