Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food

Friday, April 16, 2010

Awesome Cajun Barbecued Shrimp — New Orleans Style



Another version of delicious BBQ shrimp by scaredy_kat @ flickr

From Denny: Here's a seafood recipe that is quick, easy, incredibly delicious, a crowd pleaser and quite popular! What more could you ask for in a recipe? There are as many variations of this dish as there are "Down on the Bayou" cooks from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Of course, you will want to use Louisiana shrimp. They are far superior to shrimp from the toxic heavy metal waters of China. They are also fresh.

This particular recipe came from a local person whose son has a delightful blog where he recounts his new food experiences. He is a nine year old food critic! Every kid is a food critic as any parent will know. This one writes about it and it's a good blog. I thought it would be fun to help promote his writing and his family's recipe he enjoys.





Barbecued Shrimp — New Orleans Style

From: Sean Prados whose 9 year old son, Michael, writes Junior Food Critic, a blog where he writes about his food discoveries and kid friendly restaurants.

Serves: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

2 lbs. (8 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 large onion, very finely minced
3 ribs celery, finely minced
5 to 10 cloves garlic, finely minced (roasted garlic best)
3 to 4 tbls. chopped parsley
2 tbls. chopped rosemary leaves
4 to 5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (12-oz.) Abita Amber Beer (full-bodied or dark beer if this is not available in your area)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 lbs. shrimp, heads and shells on
Salt, pepper and Creole seasoning, to taste
1 lemon, cut in wedges
2 green onions, chopped


Directions:

1. Over medium-high heat, melt 2 sticks butter in large skillet or paella pan. Sauté onion and celery 3 to 4 minutes. Then add garlic.

2. Stir in parsley, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Melt remaining butter and add to pan with beer and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Submerge shrimp in sauce and add seasonings to taste. You may need to do this in batches. Over-seasoning works since shells prevent some absorption.

5. Squeeze lemon juice over shrimp after cooking. Garnish with green onions. Serve with French bread for dipping.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Funny Odd Couples: Cats and Their Weirdo Friends

From Denny: Cats must have been the original artists created in the world. They cross species boundaries easily for some unusual friendships. Check out the latest "homies" of choice odd couples for a grin! Included are some "conversations" if cats could talk...






Hey, cabbie! Can you give me a ride over to 32nd Street? It's on your way.






There's a reason why I'm named the pig. Just who do you think you are? Get outta my way, cat! Notice how the cat slips on by him anyway to win the race. :)







We are only snuggling. Nothing to worry about here. He's not my type. I only like bad boys.







This crazy crow keeps stalking me. I thought cats were supposed to be the famous stalkers in the animal kingdom. Oh, well, when you have fans you might as well enjoy your fame!







Who are you? I'm the patient dog, silly cat. It's my job to teach you house manners.






So, what's for dinner, Mr. Bear? Guess who came to dinner... Did I invite you, silly cat? Are you crazy to mess with me or what??? You are so lucky I am still waking up from my winter's nap.







Hi, Honey kitty. Hi, baby, how's it going today? Oh, by the way, I'm not the local salt lick for the neighborhood. I'm just saying...








Do you think our fur coats are too matchy-matchy or anything? I hope we don't get reported to "What Not to Wear" TV show! You keep watch while I sleep and let me know if the camera crews show up unexpectedly.







Hmmmm... what's for dinner or should I settle for conversation?







Sweetie, you need a shave! Your horse whiskers are tickling me!







I just got downsized from Geico for faking a British accent and doing it badly. Can you spare a gecko a bit of your meal? I promise I won't eat too much.







Kiss me, you silly rabbit! Tell me about your day.







Do you mind if I come inside for a while? Looks like you have a good gig going on there. Listen, squirrel, I am so not letting you anywhere near my food bowl - not now, not ever. Now dance on the window and entertain me.







And the cat exorcist calmly sat there, knowing the snake was trying to slide past him without getting noticed.







And the monkey took his pet kitten down to the local park to show off to all his friends. And the cat said: I'll get you in our next reincarnation. I knew I should have divorced you in the last life time.




Text by Denny Lyon
Copyright 12 April 2010
All Rights Reserved

*** Photos are not mine - free use to make up your own silly captions for them! :)


*** ALSO for more fun over at Dennys Funny Quotes:


More Funny Tax Cartoons to Keep You Laughing




*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Thinking Persons Funny Quotes 4 Tax Season

From Denny: Tax season is so much fun, don't you think? One fact I've learned in developing a spiritual life is that when you are stressed: laugh. Laugh a lot and laugh often as a counter balance to whatever situation you are experiencing.

I sure hit the gold mine when I went looking for funnies about paying taxes to the government. The cartoonists have been busy too so I included lots of visual goodies to pair with the quotes for your entertainment. Enjoy!











*** For tax season laughs over at The Social Poets, check out Funny Tax Quotes - Cheeky Quote Day 14 Apr 2010


*** Laugh at funny tax quotes and tax cartoons, find out about the Fair Tax idea versus how we collect our taxes now and look at a news clip that breaks down how our tax dollars are used by the federal government.



Funny Tax Quote

* Rich bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others. - Oscar Wilde



*** ALSO for more fun over at Dennys Funny Quotes:

More Funny Tax Cartoons to Keep You Laughing


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Funny Tax Man Cartoons

From Denny: Check out the latest funny cartoonists commenting, lamenting and downright complaining about tax season. Didn't they ever hear of the software Turbo Tax? Walks you right through it - only to find out all your itemized deductions did not add up to the allowed level that you could have done in the first place in only 5 minutes. Oh, well... :)

One of my favorite cartoons is the one where Daddy is asking his kid to pull a number out of a magician's hat that he can give to the IRS. Nothing like creative accounting! Of course, saving the best for last is the cartoon about the IRS going to the ends of the earth to locate and fine those wealthy off shore tax cheats.

Keep grinning as the deadline for getting this year's taxes mailed out is closing in on us. These silly cartoons will keep you laughing as you rush to the post office before midnight.




































*** ALSO for more fun over at Dennys Funny Quotes:


More Funny Tax Cartoons to Keep You Laughing



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Kid Friendly Recipes: Chocolate Quesadillas, Very Best Fudge

From Denny: It's still April so I suppose I can sneak in this cute photo of fudge in an Easter basket. :) I've been wondering what to do with this "orphan" recipe until I came across another delightfully simple recipe that is also kid friendly for when you want to work in the kitchen teaching your kids how to bake.

What's also fun is the second recipe is from a local Louisiana nine year old boy who is trying his hand at blogging. He catalogs his new food experiences and talks about his food choices at the restaurants he thinks are kid friendly. A food critic is born! And since I like to encourage budding writers, well, here I am promoting the kid. I do enjoy precocious kids! :)






Very Best Fudge

From: Family Features - Nestlé Test Kitchens

Makes: about 4 pounds

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar
1 can (12 fluid ozs.) evaporated milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups miniature marshmallows
4 cups (24 ozs.) or 2 (12-oz.) pkgs. Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
2 tsps. vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Line 13x9-inch or two 8-inch-square baking pan(s) with foil.

2. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in 4- to 5-quart, heavy-duty saucepan.

3. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.

5. Pour into prepared baking pan(s). Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.






Chocolate Quesadillas

From: Catherine Prados. Her 9 year old son, Michael, writes Junior Food Critic, a blog where he writes of his food discoveries and kid friendly restaurants.


Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 flour tortillas
2 squares Baker’s chocolate (German chocolate works well), melted
Confectioners’ sugar


Directions:

1. Place one flour tortilla in a quesadilla maker or skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

2. Spread melted chocolate over the tortilla.

3. Place the second flour tortilla on top and close the quesadilla maker or put a top on the skillet. If you are using the quesadilla appliance, cook for 1 minute or until desired crispness and slight browning are achieved. If using a conventional skillet, cook for 1 minute and then carefully flip the quesadilla to brown and crisp the second side.

4. Remove from quesadilla appliance or skillet and place on large cutting board. Cut into six pizzalike triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.


*** A funny post: Roundup of Late Night Comedy 13 Apr 2010


*** For more recipes like this please visit Romancing The Chocolate! :)

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Weekly Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 11 Apr 2010

From Denny: This has been a wild week. The starting weeks of pollen season and we all have been sneezing and experiencing watery eyes and sheer misery. I've come to the conclusion that the attack of the killer plants is all about putting our bodies on overload so we will start dumping winter's toxins. Spring is the time of year when our livers go through detox - and do it for free! The Big However is that it can be inconvenient scheduling to say the least. When the liver starts detoxing you get sluggish, lethargic and sleepy, not exactly productive. See? Nothing is wrong with you after all; it's just Nature's regular Spring house cleaning. Tell that to your boss while you are dragging in to work or not as peppy as usual... :)

Seems like Blogger has had issues this week as well. It's been sheer hell trying to get anything published. The old editor will accept editing and copy and paste but won't publish. The new editor will not accept editing or copy and paste but hey! just push the publish button and it works! Totally crazy with all the toggling back and forth between Blogger dashboards...

But the good news is that after waiting over a year for a fix on the Google Connect for those of us with blogs that carry Google ads, we no longer experience disappearing followers. I always try to put these widgets on all my blogs so other bloggers can advertise their blogs too when they become followers. That's how many of my readers found me - by seeing me listed as a follower or visitor on someone else's blog. So, please be sure to join up on the various blogs to make sure you get seen - and I have plenty of fellow bloggers as company to keep me sassy! :)

Oh, and if you are a fellow blogger, make sure you count your blog stats with your feed counts. Feedburner does a stellar job of counting your views, clicks and visits to your blogs. These views may not be physical visitors to your blog as they are viewing in a reader - so won't get counted by your blog counters. I finally got around to adding in my feed counts to the totals and was pleasantly surprised and downright shocked at all the counts I had not known were always waiting to be noticed. This week alone over 105,000 folks showed up or viewed in a reader posts on all my blogs. Thank you for such a fabulous response, especially over at Delicious social site! You are amazing! Do try to pay a physical visit to the blogs as each one is created with a specific theme, color sense and emotional or spiritual feel to benefit the reader.

It's funny how when you start a blog - The Social Poets was my first - you never realize how things are going to morph and grow. When I branched off into other blogs to park different themed posts like spiritual quotes and my spiritual thoughts about them over at Beautiful Illustrated Quotations it has been astounding the response for what I figured would be a small niche market. Well, I sure was wrong about that assumption.

When I was having fun tripping through the Creative Commons area of Flickr and put up themed posts over at my photo blog, Visual Insights, again folks flocked to grin along with me! Who knew how much fun we all could have together? Serious or funny - readers are interested in good content. Sooner or later they will find you. So, if you are like I was 18 months ago, thrilled just to have 20 people a month show up at my first blog but wondering how anyone would find out about what my blog was offering, don't despair. Bookmark your posts and your readers will begin to find you through the search engines and social sites. It just takes time.


Here's a tax season grin since I just spent three hours doing my taxes:









The Social Poets:


Whats Happening in America, This Weeks Political Cartoons - 10 Apr 2010

Opinion: Obama Issues Kill Order 4 American Cleric

Funny Allergy Quotes - Cheeky Quote Day 7 Apr 2010

How to Survive Allergy and Pollen Season

Monday Roundup of Late Night Comedy - 5 Apr 2010





Dennys Global Politics:


Iran Pushing 4 Nukes, Reprocessing Spent Nuke Fuel, Palin Unpopular, Political Death Threats - News Headlines 9 Apr 2010

USAs New Weapon Global Strike, U.S.-Russia Nuke Deal, Who Does Not Pay Taxes in America, U.S. Kill Order 4 Cleric - News Headlines 8 Apr 2010

America Not Ready 4 Cyberattacks, Pelosi Death Threats, Iraq Violence, Kyrgyzstan Riots, Skinhead Leaves Hate Behind - News Headlines 7 Apr 2010

Obamas Nuke Policy, China Hacks India, Britain Votes, Net Neutrality, Guilt Study, News Headlines 6 Apr 2010

Breakdown of Who Are Tea Party Members, Bizarre Karzai, Obama Picks New Justice Soon, Immunity for Pope - News Headlines 5 Apr 2010





Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:


Poem: Legacy of Love

Your Dreams: 5 Common Characteristics

Still popular on BIQ: Does Your Life Feel Like a Disaster?

3 Quotes About Facing Tough Times

Uplifting Soul Quote: What is Your Power in the World?

Spiritual Energy: Can Simple Words Add to Our Quality of Life?





The Soul Calendar - science:


What Do All the Recent Global Earthquakes Mean?

Come to Iceland: Experience Living With a Volcano in Your Back Yard

Moon Water: Order Up Your Cocktail Today

New Astronomy Photos: Cosmic Rosebud, Winds of Change Black Hole, Orion Nebula





The Healing Waters:


How to Survive Allergy and Pollen Season

A Poem About Healing Ourselves

Unlocking Foods Healing Powers

Good News: Afghan Orphanage Female Director Honored

Beautiful Metaphor for Life: Boats





Food blogs:


Spring Into Grill Season: Mouthwatering Steaks

Chef Rocco Dispiritos Cheap Yet Healthy Comfort Food

Yummy Homemade Coconut Cream Pie

Play Fun With Your Food: Mini Frittata Crostinis, Mini Wonton Quiches

Awesome Sauces 4 Spring and Summer Seafood

Forget the Birds: Awesome Recipes 4 Stale Bread





Humor blogs:


Funny Surfing Peruvian Alpaca

Outrageously Dumb Criminals: Robbers Called Bank For Money To Go

The Funny Side of Allergy Season - Ahh, Choo!


Funny Comics Review The News - 26 Mar 2010





Visual Insights - photo blog:


Funny Odd Couples: Cats and Their Weirdo Friends


Dennys Photo Gallery: Spectacular Sunrises





*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Whats Happening in America, This Weeks Political Cartoons - 10 Apr 2010

From Denny: We all have heavy hearts as we watched the coal mining disaster in West Virginia unfold this week. I haven't commented any about this news story as I had a bad feeling all the miners were dead. When families are grieving they need to hold onto hope as they process what they already know to be true. Like so much of America I've been praying for the families of the miners as they travel through this sad journey.

The harshest fact is this disaster should never have happened. The owners and managers of that mine were fined constantly for not ventilating the mine properly. That's mining 101 in any one's book. It's bad karma when business people exhibit this depraved indifference toward others. This is another sad example as to why we must place restraints upon unrestricted free trade and rash business practices. Safety should be the utmost priority for workers.

Moving along to political disasters there is the much touted Tea Party, comprised of loud screamers and unhooded racists. There is a nasty violence growing among these loosely formed - and increasingly trending as - domestic political terrorists. Too many of their leaders have advocated violence against America's lawmakers and President. Too many of the wing nut followers have taken up the call and phoned in and faxed death threats to the President and the lawmakers, primarily Democrats.

There is just something inherently so terribly un-American about Americans calling on other Americans to turn on each other like a pack of rabid dogs. There was a time when this country used to stand for something and we stood together - in spite of our political differences. The toxic atmosphere by this generation's version of Republicans and vicious talk show hosts has turned America into a virtual wasteland where neighbors don't trust each other any more or care for one another like they once did. How long before America comes to its senses to realize how much the worst and darkest parts of themselves have been manipulated into doing the bidding of vicious people?

Adding more insult to America is the Virginia governor who was pandering to his Republican Party racists and promoted the month of April as Confederate Month. The Civil War was the ugliest war in America's history where brother literally fought against brother - and not always for the reasons listed by history books. Many families fought on both sides of the war. For some in the South who were wealthy it really was about fighting against abolishing slavery. They knew if slavery was abolished they would go bankrupt as slavery was the cheapest labor on the market. Depraved but true.

Most in the South, especially those who were not wealthy, fought for state's rights over a centralized federal government which frightened many. You have to remember, in another time, Big Business and Congress charged the first impeachment process toward President Andrew Johnson over the fact he was serious about turning America to a centralized banking system.

Immature people hate and fear change. They want what they already know over an uncertain future even when all turns out well in the end. Which brings us to the Tea Party folks who dread change like temper tantrum throwing toddlers whose whole world is self-centered interest. They don't want change even when it will benefit them. I guess these are the control freaks in America who don't like their authority taken away. They did such a lousy job of leadership they did not deserve to continue in power because they caused so much misery to millions of fellow Americans on so many levels.

Speaking of abuse, the Catholic Church has yet to accept accountability at the heart of the Vatican. The corruption is so rampant the Church is already fractured and breaking up on a spiritual level. It's time to decentralize this Church of one billion members into country or continental groups where it is more manageable to keep track of and discipline unacceptable clergy. No one should have the right to prey upon little children. It's despicable. It's even more despicable to enable these guys to continue, not standing up for the vulnerable in society and doing right by them. To be excommunicated by a corrupt clergy means nothing to the real God. If you are right with God then He is right with you. No church can exercise otherwise.

To prevent this sexual abuse in the future it's time the federal governments - where especially America should take the lead and - should start taxing the church environment. Exempting churches from taxes has been a wrong social experiment that requires correction. The church environment, no matter the religion or the denomination or sect, has been an environment ripe for corruption. It is easy to hide wrong-doing like Muslim terrorists, easy to develop an unhealthy cult like the bizarre Waco crowd, and easy to encourage sexual predators in a group that is above the touch of the law - like the recent Protestant and Catholic situations.

On a lighter note, cartoonists had great fun lampooning the new iPad roll out in technology. Steve Jobs was compared often to God and his followers as mindless sheep addicted to the newest technology.

More fun was poked at the IRS season with all kinds of good humor and hand-wringing by the average taxpayer. Well, at least we are rid of King George Bush's excessive taxation "fun." That's one piece of good news. I figure if we all howl loud enough, and vote often, over the next few years we can fine tune our current government's efforts into something good for all. We must continue to press hard against the wealthiest interests as the lobbyists have not left our lawmaker's sides as the thorns in the side of the American public.



Mourning the coal miners who lost their lives:























The iPod "roll out":


















Racist American Militia Groups Rising in conjunction with the Tea Party. Makes you wonder how many of them have dual-"citizenship" in those two groups:


































The economy, and how America is faring, as it spurts and sputters trying to revive itself:


















Obama and the strange twists and turns of his Presidency, his choices:



























Republicans and their strange shenanigans:














Religious Sex Scandals in Europe - their turn:
















Tiger Woods - who still doesn't "get it" - again. He actually had the nerve today to compare his comeback with that of golfer Hogue. Hogue was in a terrible car accident where he was told he would never walk again. He was a hero. He had thrown his body over his wife, and, in so doing, saved her life. He eventually learned to walk again and returned to golf. Somehow, Tiger Woods is living in a fantasy in his head if he thinks he can even remotely compare himself to this man of good character and heroics. Woods must be an undiagnosed narcissist and that condition is very difficult to treat:









The Perils of Education in America:










That Irritating IRS:












*** For more of the "Irritating IRS" cartoons that were not available for embedding and so very funny, go here.


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Ratings and Recommendations by outbrain