Here We Go Again

     So blogging themes or rather pimping my blogs bling. Can be very addicting. What would have taken ten minutes to do, takes now a minimum of three hours of fiddling, with or without deleting, and we all know how I feel about deleting. The HTML language is a unknown planet for me. HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, already I am like what??? Basically to a novice, such as myself, it is the "code" behind every web page.

     Gaining an understanding of HTML requires me to go deep surfing.  Which ends up being a Sunday or two with good weather. But a Northeaster with a possible school closing could tip me into the favors of the HTML edge.

     These days I plan in advance the times, that I will teach myself something new. The last time I went too deep into web surfing, in the name of blogging. I caught a nasty Google Redirect Virus. Boy, I can't describe how irritated and desperate, I felt. Problem with that virus was you had to fix it with a browser besides Google. Wow, that was like an hour I wasted, trying to beat the virus from redirecting me, and then Google telling something I already knew. 

     So instead of trolling for blogging bling, I found myself trolling techie sites, to help me out of the pickle that I found myself in. I was not going to call my Dad, because he is way smarter than me. I would have to answer his serious questions : "What were you doing"?, "What sites were you on"? and my favorite "Why"?, that one stings the most.

     My main objective is to avoid Sensai Martin's (A.K.A my Dad) questions. This process took some time, because I had to read the solutions carefully, and cross reference with other sites.To get the overall best solution. I am sure that the computer monitor felt verbally abused during this process, but I don't care.

     Summer is just about over and my son's are preregistered for their annual wake up call. The planned event will kick off on Tuesday, August 30th at 0700 hours. I am taking the day off, so that I can relish in the grunts, groans and and overall apathy, that a new school year brings. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and good news I get my house back, squatters 0, Mom 1.

     The weather is changing again, it crept up on us. The mornings are cooler and the days are shorter. I wish I could bottle it, and sell it on EBay, I would make a fortune. When the weather gets cooler, my desire to make hearty meals comes back. In the summer, who cares. Next week the squatters must once again exercise their grey matter, and I get some semblance of order back until June 2012.

Rocking Tomato Pie

1 prebaked  9 in deep dish pie crust
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg white
5 or 6 vine ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
4 green onions finely sliced
1 tsp fresh lemon peel
1 clove finely minced garlic
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked provolone
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

 In order to peel, seed and slice tomatoes. Remove stems and cut an x into the bottom of the tomato. In a saucepan bring water to a boil, once water is boiling add the tomatoes for about 30 seconds, or until the skins begin to blister. Remove and cool in ice water. Peel the skins, cut in half and gently squeeze the seeds out. Slice the tomatoes and place in a colander sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Brush the pie shell with 1/2 of the egg white and in a 400 degree oven par bake the pie shell. Cool and brush the shell with the remaining half of the egg white, allow to dry and then brush with the mustard. Sprinkle the pie shell with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar and layer the shell with the tomatoes, green onions, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon peel. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (trust me it is worth it). In a small bowl combine the remaining cheddar, smoked provolone and mayonnaise. Top the pie with the cheese mayonnaise mixture and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.

Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken. ~ Bill Dodds