HOW TO SPICE UP A “SMART ONES”

• Chop up a whole medium onion.
• Cut up about 6 to 8 dried tomato pieces into ¼” strips.
• Open a small jar of sliced mushrooms.

Sit out 2 Fettuccine Alfredo “Smart Ones” by Weight Watchers – the one with the broccoli florets in creamy parmesan sauce.

In a medium to large skillet, pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, drop in a scoop of diced garlic, and your favorite hot sauce. Bring the oil to medium heat and then drop in frozen chicken tenderloins. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the top side of the meat as it begins to sizzle.

Once the meat has begun to thaw on one side, flip it over, salt, and pepper that side.

Cook the tenderloin until a golden brown, remove, allow to cool enough to hold and cut into strips and the cut across making about ½” cubes of the chicken. Sit the cubes aside.

In the skillet, add a little more oil and then drop in the onions, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are translucent and limber. Remove from the heat and sit aside.

In the microwave, cook the 2 Weight Watcher’s meals until done. Then dump the Fettuccine over the contents of the skillet, add the chicken and stir.

It’s ready!

Oh yeah…you have to sip on a Yuengling Black & Tan while cooking. If one isn’t enough…oh well, open another!

There should be enough for two people to eat on two different nights!

GOOD DAY – GOOD FRIEND – GOOD FOOD – GOOD BEER

Ron and I were up and at’em this morning, both getting our vehicles oil changed. When I arrived, about 20 minutes after his appointment at the dealership, his car was ready. I through the Service Manager my keys and hopped into the car with Ron.

After walking 3 laps around the park (just under 2 miles), we drove back to my house, watched a little demo of my new TV and sound system, and unloaded a case of Yuengling Black & Tan Ron had brought me back from North Carolina.

Then it was off to Ruby Tuesday’s for lunch!

We got into it little the barmaid because the tap was dry of Samuel Adams, which is the only decent pull at Ruby’s! We then ordered Sam in the bottle and when it came time for round 2, she informed us they were out! “Damn,” I said out loud, “what’s this place coming to?”

To give her credit, she too was concerned about the quality and quantity of beer stocked by Ruby’s in Harriman. She also came back with a new one for us to try and it turned out it satisfied our taste buds…at least this time. The beer was Wild Hop Lager, which is brewed in California.

We finished them off with our “salad bar” salads, and settled up our bills. Turned out that I got a random “survey” coupon with my ticket, so I went on line and gave the head office an ear/eye full! I got a $4 off coupon for my trouble and possibly, in the long run, get some good beers on tap there.

Later, at home, after helping my mom with some financial things, my wife had supper waiting. Oh, how I love her chicken bake casserole and homemade slaw! Yummmy! I think I’ve already posted this recipe…and it’s worth a try…takes minimal effort and turns out great every time.

VISITING JOHNNY CARINO’S

The family made another assault on Knoxville Sunday, with the eight of us hitting Johnny Carino’s on Lovell Road!

We arrived a few minutes before our 5 PM reservations, so they told us it would take a few minutes to prepare the table. Therefore, the obvious thing was to hit the bar and order beer for the Knights and wine for the Dragons.

It was just minutes before we were seated, so we took our libations to the table with us.

Here are a few of the Dinner Menu choices:

Cedar Planked Salmon - Seasoned salmon roasted on a cedar plank with a sweet citrus balsamic glaze, served with garlic sautéed spinach and angel hair pasta with tomatoes!

Chicken Scaloppini - Tender chicken breast pan-sautéed with sliced mushrooms, diced roma tomatoes and flavorful bacon in a lemon butter cream sauce. Served with spaghetti!

Chicken Marsala - Tender chicken breast pan-sautéed with fresh mushrooms in a sweet “Pellegrino” Marsala, served over a bed of fettuccine!

Carino’s Combo - A bountiful combination of our Homemade Baked Lasagna, Hand-breaded Chicken Parmigiana, and Spaghetti with Spicy Marinara!

Grilled New York Strip - A hearty 12-ounce USDA Choice center-cut strip steak perfectly seasoned and basted on our open-flame grill. Served with roasted

rosemary potatoes!

SPICY SHRIMP & CHICKEN - Penne pasta tossed in a spicy

cream sauce with cayenne pepper, shrimp, chicken, sun-dried

tomatoes, green onions & mushrooms!

The food was wonderful, as was the family fellowship.

Later each end of the table ordered a single dessert with four spoons each. We all got two or three delicious bites, which was all we had room for anyway!