That Damn Cat!!!!

So, I got home and got the mail while the garage door was rising. I looked at the mail and every piece was for my next door neighbor. Annoyed, I put the garage door back down (security concern), drove next door and delivered it to him.

Then I came home for good. I walked into the kitchen and Scruffy was sitting there to greet me (and to get his treats). Caley, however, came shooting out of one of the bedrooms (like she was shot out of a cannon), jumped on the table, skidded into the placemat that holds my clay dish and the three wooden apples, knocking all of it to the floor and breaking the bowl into three pieces!

That scared her and she ran away, leaving me to pick up the mess. Now, long term readers will remember it breaking before and why (I do, but not "why") and me re-gluing it. However, I don't remember the glue I used. I have some of that Gorilla glue Lu likes, but its one of those "glue and apply pressure for an hour" ones. No good way to do that on a round clay bowl. So, I have to either remember what I did before or research it. Plus, I would really, REALLY like to kill Caley...

Moving along... I dumped a container of thawed chili into a sauce pan and slowly heated it up for dinner. While that was happening, I got the last of the chicken wings out of the freezer and set them up to thaw. Jake told me today they finally got my Christmas present (which had been back-ordered) and they would be coming over Friday night to drop it off. I know that they will want to get home (Friday night? I would!) So, dinner's out, but I thought I'd at least have a snack for them. But there's a problem (isn't there always?)

The last two shopping trips where McCormick's Jamaican Jerk Seasoning was on the list turned up bupkiss! None to be found! So, I searched the 'Net and came up with a recipe for making your own Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. I prepared that while the chicken wings were thawing.

So, if you ever need Jamaican Jerk Seasoning and are forced to make it yourself, just combine 2 tablespoons of dried, minced onions, 2 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme, 2 teaspoons of ground allspice, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. That will give you about 1/4 cup of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Since I needed between 1/4 and 1/2 cup, I just doubled the recipe.

To that, I added 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup of orange juice (I juiced an orange I had on hand) 2 tablespoons of lime juice (another fresh lime, juiced), 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. I whisked it all together and let it sit, waiting for the wings to thaw. This will be the marinade that the wings sit in overnight.

BTW, there was a bunch of various recipes of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, ranging for almost nothing at all, to "add fresh mangoes." This recipe was somewhere in the middle, which is why I chose it.

So, the marinade is made, the chicken wings still thawing, and I'm hungry. I put some chili in a bowl, topped it with a dollop of sour cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and two fine-sliced scallions. I took that into the bedroom to watch some TV. I ate that washed down with some Labatt's beer. I made this theory up years ago, but still believe it to be true: The "burpiness" of the beer helps relieve the eventual gas of the beans, later on...

At 10:00 PM, I put the wings and the marinade into a gallon baggie, massaged the bag and put it in the fridge. I headed off to bed and sleep.