Aeryun's Thoughts...

Today was a very sad day. We should be moving back home today. But, nope, we are still in Florida. Hell, it's possible we could be here for another year, depending on how long the Medical Board takes, and whether or not Jeff has to appeal. @@

But, that's not what I wanted to talk about today. No, I wanted to talk about...


MEATLOAF! :)

It's one of those dishes that no two are a like, and every household has at least one recipe. I happen to have two, but that is because Jeff really didn't like my original one. Tried something a little bit different while cooking mine tonight, and it was my best one yet! It was fully cooked, but still nice and juicy. YUMMY, if I do say so myself.


2 packages of ground beef (here this equals to about 2.5 to 3lbs)
1 half package of real bacon bits
1 med onion diced and carmelized
3/4 of a bag of shreded colby jack cheese
2 eggs
a cup total of Ketchup, BBQ sauce, and mustard
enough panko bread crumbs to bind (added in small intervals)
salt and pepper to taste

I dump everything in one of my huge bowls, and squish it all together with my hands. when I can gather it into a ball that doesn't fall apart, I know I've added the right amount of bread crumbs. I pat it to get out as much air as I can, and mold into a oval shape in a glass pan. Tonight, I baked it on 425 for 40 min, then took it out, painted BBQ sauce on top, then stuck it back for another 25 min at 350. As I said, YUMMY!

So, who has a meatloaf recipe they want to share? :D

Some people fangirl Alan Rickman, some Danial Radcliff and or Tom Felton. Me? I fangirl Food network personalities. (Tyler Florence is a cutie. ^.^)

I've been watching Food Network for at least 15 years. I have learned more from them than my mother ever even tried to teach me. Rachel Ray taugh me how to cook a meal so that everything was finished at the same time. Sandra Lee taught me to look at packaging to see what I could get for less. (ie...using pre-packaged spices seasonings instead of buying each spice or herb individually.) Still haven't figured out what I want to learn from Guy, yet, but he's at least fun to watch.

But, the one person who has taught me the most, is Alton Brown. He turns cooking into a science lesson, and for some reason the way he explains things makes it easy for me to learn the first time. He has also made me the Thanksgiving Queen! I have used this recipe for every turkey I have ever made, and I have yet to have a dry, nasty bird. Seriously, the very first turkey I ever made was perfect. I'm even moving up to a 27 pound bird this year, and am not scared. It really is very easy. And I start cooking and prepping for Thanksgiving the week before anyway, (I don't like spending the entire holiday in the kitchen, and I HATE getting up early...period.) So, this works into that nicely.

It is not a good recipe if you fry your turkey. It's just too moist. Water and hot oil is not a good combo. But Alton even has a brine for that type of bird too. (I have not tried this. That much hot oil scares the crap out of me. I've had two second degree burns that covered my entire right hand, both times. On top of that, I burn myself quiet often just cooking bacon and fried chicken. I'm not tempting fate.)

I cannot sing this methods praises loud enough. I really suggest you try it! I doubt you will regret it!

Expect more Turkey Day recipes coming up. :D

Well, it seems all my worries were for nothing. Thankfully! I got to sleep through the worst of it, and there was little to no damage around here. Thank goodness that this is the last hurricane season we have to deal with.

Tonight's recipe is a recent development from my kitchen. I got the idea from Rachel Ray, but changed just about everything in her version to things my family would actually eat. I have two versions, as I don't like taco meat and Jeff and the boys don't like refried beans. They could be combined into one dish, if you happen to like it all. :D

Mexican Lasagna
2-3 lbs ground beef
2 packets taco seasoning
2 bags Mexican blend or colby jack cheese
1 full jar of taco sauce
enough flour tortillas to fit pan (size needed and amount depends on baking dish used)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown meat and add taco seasoning and fix according to packet directions. Layer sauce, tortillas, meat, and cheese and repeat, having the top layer be just tortilla, sauce, and cheese. Bake at 400 for 35 to 45 min until golden brown and bubbly. Let sit for 5 min then serve.

The only difference in the second version is I replace the taco meat, with slightly thinned refried beans and diced onion. (I thin then down with a little chicken broth)

I had planned on talking about how Jeff, and now it seems my daughter, has baby-itis. I'm just not feeling it for tonight, though. So I think I'm just going to ramble for a bit.

I now know what the guy from Alien felt like. None of my four ever moved this much, nor this forceful. This little dude has literally almost knocked the computer off my lap. I didn't think it was possible until I saw the damned thing lurch. LOL He makes my clothes jump, he makes my boobs jiggle. I'm glad it doesn't hurt like it looks like it should. He's kicked my bladder with surprising accuracy, as well as whatever part of the birth canal he's near. Those hurt. I imagine that when I'm getting kicked in the birth canal area, that's as close to knowing what a guy feels when he's kicked in the nuts as I am going to ever get. It hurts as much as I imagined it would. LOL

Brianna and I rearranged the living room today. We had to, I got sick of having to doge Wii controllers. So, we moved the kids desk from one wall of the corner it's in to the other, and moved my section of the couch down a foot or so, then moved the love seat next to it. Lots more room in here now. The coffee table might actually get to stay with my blessing now. (I hate that table, seriously hate it)

Took an accidental break from Snarry today. I was doing a Yahoo search for a Girl!Harry fic list, and stumbled across a hilarious HP/Marvel crossover. I have always been a fan of stories that took the way the Wizarding world was written, and show just how idiotic some of the things are. This story does it in spades, and in a very intelligent, yet funny manor. Unfortunately, I believe this fic has been abandoned. But this is one I'll enjoy just getting to what is here.

Yet another day with no writing done. I am very glad for the 500 word min in the Mini Fest. I highly doubt I'll be much over that. I may just give up writing all together after this is done. It's supposed to be fun, and for whatever reason it's not at the moment. I do really hope that changes. I had lots of fun and enjoyment writing MM. Maybe I'm just trying to hard?

Jeff's Medical Board Package was sent off to who ever makes the decisions today. Not as much fanfare over that as I thought there would be. We've only been waiting for, oh something like 2.5 to 3 years for this. Seriously, after a person is on a "Profile" (a Profile is what the Air Force calls what they put a person on when he cannot participate in PT, and/or has job restrictions.) for over a year. Jeff has been on a profile for at least three years, and I'm thinking it's closer to four. I'm not sure whether or not they include the time before the back surgery or not. *shrugs* Hopefully we will have a decision in a few months. Whether or not he appeals that decision, is another matter.

I also found out that the person I'm being a Surrogate for is planing on staying in the same suite as she is putting me in while I am in LA. While I understand the logic to this thinking, I am DREADING that time. After all that shit she put us through last month...it was already to the point where I fill up with dread when I get an email from her. I just want this over and done with, so that I can cut all ties with her. I have found that she is a user. She creates friendships with people expecting that to change how business works with them. She did it to her embryologist as well as her lawyer and his wife, and now she's done it to me. LOL Road to hell, I now know that personally. Still, want to do it again, though. Possibly, depends on the carrier abuse I get from the alien. LOL

I cannot believe I am saying this...But it hit me the other day how much I really want to move back home. I could have sworn I hated it there. I know I hate being that close to my mother. But, aside from that, I have the urge to be back there. Creeped me out when I realized, but it's still true. LOL

Going to try and continue adding recipes for as long as I can during this. Tonight's feature, what Jeff and Brianna lovingly call: Heartburn in a Bowl.

1 chuck roast (cut into inch cubes) or 1 package of boneless skinless Chicken thighs (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 med onions (cut into chunks)
2 green peppers (cut into chunks)
2 reg cans or 1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 reg cans or 1 large can or tomato sauce
1 can of Italian flavor tomato paste
1 1/2 cups of Italian dressing
Italian type herbs of your liking

Toss everything into a pan, (I use my lasagna pan), and stir until mixed completely. Put into a pre-heated 375 oven for 45 min to an hour. Serve over mashed potatoes.

So, I'm going to take today to bitch about writing, with a dessert recipe chaser. :)

I entered fandom late, like after OotP came out late. I had no idea there were fandoms out there, or what fanfiction was. A friend talked me into reading this, as she put it, really amazing story. I'm not sure I can agree with her opinion of the story, but I will always be happy I read it. (cannot say that about all the stuff that has been recommended to me to read) A little known epic, A Year Like No Other was my introduction to all things fandom and fanfiction. It also introduced me to a longing I had with the canon story, one that I could not name before reading this fic. Harry needed someone there for him, not just using him, but someone there to help him keep things together. And yes, what better person to do that than someone who was just as used and had been through everything Harry was heading for? Severus Snape. I wish I could say that I was one of the ones that saw through JKR's hate of all things Snape, but unfortunately (or fortunately, I'm not sure which would have been better in the end) I was blinded by what I like to call "Author knows best so follow along blindly". If for nothing else, I have to thank Aspen for removing those blinders. (even if Draco has taken over the story. *shudders*)

I spent a good year devouring all things Severitus, mentor, adoption. As long as it was Severus taking care of Harry, I was in heaven. Then, this other little know fic, Blood Magic. I hemmed and hawed over Severus' and Remus' relationship. Missy had to coach me through it. I had no idea what slash was. Needless to say, a second set of blinders got removed after that story. So, I then spent another year or so devouring all things Snarry. (ok, so I'm still eating through it like there is no tomorrow. But that's not got anything to do with me writing...or not much at this point. LOL)

Sometime during those years, Missy started writing Fanfiction herself, and being the best friend I am, I gladly beta'd for her. (Even if she was writing OFCs and Het) I think it took me another year to work up the courage to write something myself. Then, a bunny bit and would not let go. It was a Severitus, and it started out as my wanting to try and see how much I had gotten right with what I thought would happen in book seven. After said book, it turned into me trying to fix what I, and several in my family, considered a disaster of a book.

When I first started writing it, it was like I could never stop. I was writing all the time. Laundry piled up. A few dinners got burnt. I turned out the first 10 to 15 chapters in record time. Then, I had a pissy husband and muse and slowed down a bit. In the end it took about 2 years from my frist chapter posted to complete the story. ( I learned the hard way not to argue with your Muse. No matter how much you do not like the idea, write it anyway. If you still really don't like it, at least you have it out and can possibly tweak it, if not change it completely.) Well, I've pretty much been stalled since the end of MM. I've had two really good bunnies come by and nibble on me. But they haven't stuck around for long. And I have never experienced that feeling I had with the first chapters of MM.

I've looked at fests, and some of them where very interesting. But I've also seen and heard what is done to people who can't fulfil their end of the bargains, and just don't feel it's worth it. I don't think public humiliation is the way to deal with anyone. (I understand that the Mods are put in a tough situation with exchange fests. I'm not even going to debate that.) So, I had pretty much stayed away from fests completely. The the Snarry-a-thon was born, and I found a fest I could participate in with all my heart. Until I ended up spending most of the time in Greece waiting for idiot doctors to get their heads out of their asses and do a simple (turned out to be not so simple) transfer. So, there went my participation for writing for that. I did faithfully read just about every entry. I have written for BBtP Challenge for two years. But both of those were very short ficlets, and not very good IMHO. (Missy disagrees, but I say she is biased)

Then Accioslash posted about another no fuss, no stress fest...The Mini_Fest. I looked into it and went "Hey, I can do that!" So, I signed up. (now we get to what all this has been leading up to. why I feel the need to bitch about my writing) I've procrastinated, and dealt with life as it's smacked me Gibbs style, and yet I've still gotten a little written. And I actually love the idea. Yet, I can't seem to go any further than the start. It's written in narrative, and now it seems like everything I want to write is in dialog. Why can't I just stick to one damned style? Why is writing all of a sudden a chore? Where did that feeling of accomplishment go? And it's not just this fest fic. It's all writing. I pretty much had to make myself finish MM, as I refuse to have an abandoned fic. I would seriously love to know what in me changed to make writing such a pain to do. I do know part of it. I read entries from people bashing writers for SPaG errors, misused words, and for writing something they know nothing about, and virtually raise my hands and then ask myself why I'd want to put myself through such scrutiny and abuse. I had enough of that crap in school, why deal with it as a 30 something adult? But, that's not all of it. I read Well Known Authors stories and see those same errors and know that no one is perfect. I know this is done for fun, at least for me. (I don't want to write for money, that would take every last drop of fun from reading and writing) So, what else is keeping me held back, and how the hell do I fix it? I've grown because of fanfiction. Yes, that is true. My vocabulary, punctuation use, and several other areas have improved greatly. And most of all, what I had though of as an already pretty open mind, has been expanded tenfold. (I'm still a Taurus, and a full out Slytherin, so keep that in mind when dealing with me. LOL) So, how do I go about fixing whatever broke along the way?

Now, for the dessert chaser. :D

I got this, Better-Than-Almost-Anything Cake, in an email the other day. And figured I'd get the stuff to try it, while I was out getting what I had forgotten I needed for the pasta I posted about yesterday. I did everything in the directions, except on the cake I made to put the hot fudge topping on, I added enough heavy cream to the topping to make it pourable. Oh, did I mention I made two cakes? One hot fudge, and one caramel? No, Bad Jennifer! Yes, I made two. And they are both pretty damned good, and I don't like caramel. So, I suggest you try them. YUM!!!!! :D

So, I joined up for Wrisomifu. :D

A little over a month ago, my husband asked if I could make a baked pasta dish with seafood. So, I thought about it and after several tossed out ideas, this is what I came up with.


Mini Penne
.40 lb of both bay scallops and Shrimp (peel shrimp and cut into scallop size pieces) (the weight is a little weird because I asked for a large handful at the counter.)
8 oz of lump crab meat
1 lobster tail (removed from shell and cut into scallop sized pieces)
1/4 C heavy cream
2 1/2 C milk
2T butter and 2T margarine
4T flour
3 large garlic cloves (minced)
Parmesan and pecorino romano cheeses (grated)
Fresh mozzarella (Cubed)
Finely shredded mozzarella


As my favorite person on Food Network, Alton Brown, would say, "Preparation is your friend." Make sure you have everything cut up and ready before you start. I had to throw out one roux because I didn't. *hangs head in shame*

Preheat oven to 375 F. Boil water, cook pasta, drain and set aside. Melt butter and margarine over low heat, and add flour. You want a very pale roux here, so do not overcook or walk away. Add garlic once the roux is just starting to change color. Stir in milk and whisk continuously until the mixture boils. Add a handful each of parm and romano cheeses, whisk until fully incorporated. Add in scallops, shrimp, and lobster and remove from heat. Pour into a large mixing bowl, add mozzarella cubes and lump crab meat, and mix lightly. Add most of the pasta. (you can add it all, but I like a saucier mix, so I didn't.) Mix lightly until combined, and pour into a 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella, parm, and romano cheeses. Bake until cheese is just starting to brown, and serve.

Jeff's only complaint was, the garlic wasn't pronounced enough. So, next time I'll be making it with more garlic. I liked it as it is.