Photographic evidence that I am, indeed, not in Chicagoland anymore!
Thankfully, all of that snow is gone now (pic was taken in the parking lot here at the apartments, 4 days after blizzard #1). It's going to be 70 degrees today. Yep.
Yeah...the FIRST blizzard, on 2/1, which dumped over a foot of snow, and left 5 foot high drifts here and there, closed down the entire state for 2 days.
Then the snow gradually melted over the next week. And then there was another blizzard a week later, which brought with it record breaking cold temps. That one shut the entire state down for another day.
My place of employment was closed for all three of these "snow days," which, I have been told, is unprecedented. But that's because the weather doesn't usually DO THIS here! And the city of Oklahoma City owns a grand total of 23 plows.
Oklahoma City is 700 square miles in area. They ONLY plow the highways and some of the main roads through town. That's it. The rest of the roads become deeply rutted luge tracks made out of ice if it stays cold.
It's a joy to drive in.
Anyway, my employer did offer us the opportunity to work yesterday to make up some of the hours, because the policy at my company is kinda strange. You have to earn every minute you want to take off with pay...be it if you want to get paid when the office is closed for a holiday, or when they close for a snow day, or if you're sick, or you have an appointment, or you want to take, dare I say it, vacation.
For the first 5 years of employment, you earn about 7 hours every 2 weeks. Then it goes up a bit for the next 5 years, etc. It's never very generous, though. It works out to 24 days a year, and considering that MOST companies give you your holidays and sick days separately from your vacation time, it works out to not quite as much paid time off as most other companies.
So anyway, I had a bank of 6 days built up after the depletion of the December holidays (and the Thanksgiving weekend the month before that). Then I got a sinus infection. Then there was an ice storm. Then there were the two blizzards.
I went from 6 days to 1 in very short order, and NONE of those days off were for my own enjoyment!
I got back 6.3 of the 8 hours I had to use this past week, though, by working most of Saturday. I just couldn't bring myself to be there at 6 am, which was what they offered, take it or leave it. I took as much as I could.
I have to leave work early tomorrow to go through the hoop jumping that's involved in renewing my massage therapist licenses, so that will bring my "paid time off bank" down another 2 hours.
Yes, there are more than one license. I have to be licensed to practice, AND I have to be licensed to own my own business. Lovely. Double your money, double your fun! At least for the city.
The original process of establishing your first license in this town was much more complicated than the renewal will be, thankfully. The first time involved making stops at 5 different places, one of them twice, and three separate trips on different days.
Renewing is not as complicated. It only involves 3 different places, and 2 trips. *roll eyes* And, you have to do it every year.
Illinois has state wide licensing. You go to one place, one time, and from then on out, your biannual renewal is done through the mail. VERY simple and easy.
EXCITING news in the cooking department! We were at our preferred health food store yesterday, stocking up on teas for colds, since we've both been sick and have used them all up. Dave stopped me in one of the aisles and said "Hey, look at this...."
He spotted a product that touted itself as being "giardiniera."
Giardiniera is a seemingly Chicagoland-specific condiment made up of chopped veggies, spices, and oil in a jar. It's customarily served with Italian beef sandwiches, which are also Chicago-specific. (New York's version is very different, and is served with red sauce, not giardiniera)
The one product I have found in OKC that says giardiniera on the label is not the real stuff. It's pickled cauliflower and carrots in a jar of vinegar. There are no peppers, there is no celery, there are no spices, and it's not in oil...so...in a word...it's NOT giardiniera!
ANYway...I stopped to look, and then I nearly screamed out loud in delight!
Not only was it real, Chicago-area-made giardiniera, it was MY PERSONAL FAVORITE BRAND!!
This brand also makes muffaletta olive relish, and the best pickles on the planet.
The company is "That Pickle Guy," and I was introduced to it by friends of the Guy himself back home. The Guy runs his business out in the western suburbs of Chicago, from which I hale.
Back home, his stuff is on the shelves at Whole Foods market, Binny's, and the major grocery stores, as well as little specialty and gourmet shops.
It's easy to come by up there, and this entrepreneur has really created a fortune for himself by making these products, and selling them locally!!
I thought I'd never have it again, because I just assumed he would remain "home town" based.
I jumped up and down, I hugged Dave, and I squealed, and he allowed me a high five. I couldn't contain myself!
And now, in the crock pot, I have my famous and much copied "Sloppy Giuseppes" cooking.....you take a nice beef roast, cut it into large-ish chunks, and brown it.
Throw that into the crock pot, with a jar of giardiniera (I prefer the mild), a cup of beef broth, and some crushed Italian seasoning blend, maybe some whole garlic cloves.
After you cook the crap out of it for at least 8 hours on low, use a couple of forks to shred the meat and mix it into the savory, delicious mixture in the pot. Cook a little longer after you shred it.
Then, slice open a lovely, soft kaiser roll, use tongs to put the beefy/giardiniera mixture on the bread, top with freshly grated peccorino romano cheese, again, IF you can find it.....and enjoy!
Keep lots of napkins on hand, and a nice cold beer.
I.
Can't.
Wait.
Dave's never experienced my Giuseppes before. He's in for a TREAT!
Yeah...the FIRST blizzard, on 2/1, which dumped over a foot of snow, and left 5 foot high drifts here and there, closed down the entire state for 2 days.
Then the snow gradually melted over the next week. And then there was another blizzard a week later, which brought with it record breaking cold temps. That one shut the entire state down for another day.
My place of employment was closed for all three of these "snow days," which, I have been told, is unprecedented. But that's because the weather doesn't usually DO THIS here! And the city of Oklahoma City owns a grand total of 23 plows.
Oklahoma City is 700 square miles in area. They ONLY plow the highways and some of the main roads through town. That's it. The rest of the roads become deeply rutted luge tracks made out of ice if it stays cold.
It's a joy to drive in.
Anyway, my employer did offer us the opportunity to work yesterday to make up some of the hours, because the policy at my company is kinda strange. You have to earn every minute you want to take off with pay...be it if you want to get paid when the office is closed for a holiday, or when they close for a snow day, or if you're sick, or you have an appointment, or you want to take, dare I say it, vacation.
For the first 5 years of employment, you earn about 7 hours every 2 weeks. Then it goes up a bit for the next 5 years, etc. It's never very generous, though. It works out to 24 days a year, and considering that MOST companies give you your holidays and sick days separately from your vacation time, it works out to not quite as much paid time off as most other companies.
So anyway, I had a bank of 6 days built up after the depletion of the December holidays (and the Thanksgiving weekend the month before that). Then I got a sinus infection. Then there was an ice storm. Then there were the two blizzards.
I went from 6 days to 1 in very short order, and NONE of those days off were for my own enjoyment!
I got back 6.3 of the 8 hours I had to use this past week, though, by working most of Saturday. I just couldn't bring myself to be there at 6 am, which was what they offered, take it or leave it. I took as much as I could.
I have to leave work early tomorrow to go through the hoop jumping that's involved in renewing my massage therapist licenses, so that will bring my "paid time off bank" down another 2 hours.
Yes, there are more than one license. I have to be licensed to practice, AND I have to be licensed to own my own business. Lovely. Double your money, double your fun! At least for the city.
The original process of establishing your first license in this town was much more complicated than the renewal will be, thankfully. The first time involved making stops at 5 different places, one of them twice, and three separate trips on different days.
Renewing is not as complicated. It only involves 3 different places, and 2 trips. *roll eyes* And, you have to do it every year.
Illinois has state wide licensing. You go to one place, one time, and from then on out, your biannual renewal is done through the mail. VERY simple and easy.
EXCITING news in the cooking department! We were at our preferred health food store yesterday, stocking up on teas for colds, since we've both been sick and have used them all up. Dave stopped me in one of the aisles and said "Hey, look at this...."
He spotted a product that touted itself as being "giardiniera."
Giardiniera is a seemingly Chicagoland-specific condiment made up of chopped veggies, spices, and oil in a jar. It's customarily served with Italian beef sandwiches, which are also Chicago-specific. (New York's version is very different, and is served with red sauce, not giardiniera)
The one product I have found in OKC that says giardiniera on the label is not the real stuff. It's pickled cauliflower and carrots in a jar of vinegar. There are no peppers, there is no celery, there are no spices, and it's not in oil...so...in a word...it's NOT giardiniera!
ANYway...I stopped to look, and then I nearly screamed out loud in delight!
Not only was it real, Chicago-area-made giardiniera, it was MY PERSONAL FAVORITE BRAND!!
This brand also makes muffaletta olive relish, and the best pickles on the planet.
The company is "That Pickle Guy," and I was introduced to it by friends of the Guy himself back home. The Guy runs his business out in the western suburbs of Chicago, from which I hale.
Back home, his stuff is on the shelves at Whole Foods market, Binny's, and the major grocery stores, as well as little specialty and gourmet shops.
It's easy to come by up there, and this entrepreneur has really created a fortune for himself by making these products, and selling them locally!!
I thought I'd never have it again, because I just assumed he would remain "home town" based.
I jumped up and down, I hugged Dave, and I squealed, and he allowed me a high five. I couldn't contain myself!
And now, in the crock pot, I have my famous and much copied "Sloppy Giuseppes" cooking.....you take a nice beef roast, cut it into large-ish chunks, and brown it.
Throw that into the crock pot, with a jar of giardiniera (I prefer the mild), a cup of beef broth, and some crushed Italian seasoning blend, maybe some whole garlic cloves.
After you cook the crap out of it for at least 8 hours on low, use a couple of forks to shred the meat and mix it into the savory, delicious mixture in the pot. Cook a little longer after you shred it.
Then, slice open a lovely, soft kaiser roll, use tongs to put the beefy/giardiniera mixture on the bread, top with freshly grated peccorino romano cheese, again, IF you can find it.....and enjoy!
Keep lots of napkins on hand, and a nice cold beer.
I.
Can't.
Wait.
Dave's never experienced my Giuseppes before. He's in for a TREAT!
1 comment:
Hey Yeah on the Giuseppes! (you could have asked me to send a care package...in the future don't hesitate)
Your work, my head is still reeling. ?? what a deal. Thank goodness at Wheaton, THEY close things early and close the campus, we get paid.
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