Weather ~ One Pot Mexican Pasta ~ Picture of the Day ~ Melinda Plumbridge ~ National Drink Wine Day!!!!

Good 37º drizzling cloudy morning. 

 

I was quite surprised at the "warmer" weather yesterday morning, and this morning. The forecast was/is for super cold weather. I forgot to bring in the hummer feeders and amazingly they were't frozen. This was/are the predictions:

• Yesterday 2-17
  

  

  Chance Rain

  High: 54 °F
• Last night 2-17
  

  

  Showers
  Likely

  Low: 36 °F
• Sunday
  

  

  Rain/Snow
  Likely

  High: 40 °F
• Sunday
  Night

  

  Rain/Snow
  Likely then
  Snow Showers
  Likely

  Low: 27 °F
• Washington's
  Birthday

  

We did get 5 minutes of some blue sky and sun coming through.

 

Dude was happy ... and even was Bruiser, as he lounged in the sun ... and the heat wave hit 64º!

 

The weather people said we'd probably get 2" of snow on the valley floor. Not. We got maybe 1/10th of an inch of rain so far and there is a sprinkling of snow on the top of my mountain. I'm at 1200 feet and Fielder Mountain is 3,750 feet.

 

My friends up in Idaho have gotten several feet of snow in the last couple of days. Glad it's them and not me!! 

 

 Later in the afternoon dark clouds started moving in...

One Pot Mexican Pasta and Sausage

 

3 cups halved grape tomatoes, divided
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound smoked hot sausage links, precooked (sliced into coins)
1-2 jalapenos, sliced (to taste)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 pound dry spaghetti
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
5 cups water

Reserve (set aside) 1 cup halved tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large (12") braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once water is boiling, remove the lid and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it).  Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking.  The liquid will be mostly absorbed when the pasta is finished cooking.

Add remaining tomatoes and cilantro and toss to combine.

 

**Choose your favorite sausage. Hot Italian sausage is great, but chorizo would be good too. You can substitute 1 pound any dry pasta for the spaghetti, just cook until al denté.

You can substitute green chiles for the jalapenos or leave out the jalapenos completely.

 

Here is a quick (56 seconds) video of how it was made.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2d5ZkWqCns

 

Picture of the Day.... perfectly timed!

 

 

 

 

 

Special birthday today, my nephew's wife Melinda Plumbridge is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL!!

I traveled, in 2009, with Mel and her pals to Greece and Turkey...

L-R, Pat, Laura, Julie, Alice, MEL, me, Ed (Pat's hubby)

Mel is quite the artist. Here is her website with her art:

http://www.tahoeart.com/melinda_plumbridge-portfolio

 

 

Historically this date.......

1911 – The first official flight with air mail takes place in Allahabad, British India, whenHenri Pequet, a 23-year-old pilot, delivers 6,500 letters to Naini, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away.

1954 – The first Church of Scientology is established in Los Angeles, California.

1979 – Snow falls in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the only time in recorded history.

2001 – Seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt dies in an accident during the Daytona 500.

 

And births this date include....

1919 – Jack Palance, American actor (d. 2006)

1925 – George Kennedy, American actor (d.2016)

1950 – Cybill Shepherd, American actress

1954 – John Travolta, American actor

 

Later a quick run into town to the pharmacy and to the market for chicken thighs. I got into two nice conversations... one with a military veteran (he was wearing a hat) and he talked about his brother who just got out of the Army after 30 years and several tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. He said physically his brother is ok but suffering from PSTD. That is so sad.

 

The next guy I was chatting with was trying to figure out what to buy in the meat department and was wearing a TRUMP hat. We had a nice chat also. He worked most of his life and then was diagnosed with cancer and given 5 weeks to live. That was 5 years ago! A miracle. Good for him!

 

 

Dinner was a spinach wrap slathered with mayonnaise mixed with Franks Redhot Sweet Chili, topped with shredded chicken thigh, sliced tomato, and lettuce. Carrots on the side with Ranch dipping sauce...

 

 

Chair, wine, and TV....

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Sunday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National Drink Wine Day (YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE)

 

 

Interesting:

https://nationaltoday.com/national-drink-wine-day/