I think the solution is a plan. You obviously can’t just run off, even if that’s what ALL of us dream of doing at some point! I mean look what happened to Chris McCandless. Write down the things you want. Thing of ways to work toward getting them. What things are you passionate about? What makes you happy? Even if…

None these days...but when I was very young and babysitting, I’d put the kid to bed and this house had “little smokies” sausages that I would eat cold right out of the fridge. They were glorious!

Taking y’all back to the 70's: the “Flying Saucer.” A round slice of ham or bologna, with a cold dome-shaped scoop of mashed potatoes on top of that, and a 2 inch square of cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes! Flying Saucer!

I only build veggie burgers these days, but I agree with the condiments on top and bottom. Cheese directly on the “burger.” If you’re going to add lettuce, add some LETTUCE. Not some whimpy shreds that will wilt instantly. Crisp, crunchy stacked leaves - or nix it. Another tip to keep the burger slightly apart from…

We make Korean cheese corn frequently when I make a Southern veggie plate for dinner. You always need one “rich” element on the plate (traditionally mac and cheese). The cheese corn is a nice change-up. You really can’t taste the mayo, it just adds creaminess, and you can sub sour cream if hot mayo squicks you out.

I enjoyed this piece, and I’ve never been to a Cheesecake Factory. There aren’t any near us, which is odd because we have all of the other usual suspects. I probably wouldn’t visit one anyway. But I enjoy reading about menus the same way I enjoy watching YouTube videos of people eating the whole menu from places I…

Funny story: I was walking my dog and found an old basketball in a ditch. She’s ball CRAZY so I got it for her and we went to the park where I kicked it around for her. I tucked the ball under my right arm as I walked her back home. She kept yanking the leash and looking back at me to make sure I had her ball - which…

It’s called lactose intolerance. I just discovered it personally this year - at 54! My daughter is experiencing this too. Thankfully it isn’t TOO bad and I’ve never been a big dairy person anyway.  Cheeses vary in terms of how much lactose they contain, so I have to be careful with soft cheeses or too much of any…

Just every now and then. Like this week it’s been raining non stop so no way to get outside. She likes a car ride and then a stop for nuggets. I get the 4 pack. So she gets 2 and my husband gets the other 2. I don’t eat chicken.

Chicken nuggets are for getting crunch, texture and sauce into your mouth efficiently. When I get my dog a Happy Meal, I ask for extra Honey Mustard and Hot Mustard and dip my fries with wild abandon. She eats the nuggets because she gives zero shits about the chicken sludge they are made of. I would go as far as to…

Chicken nuggets are for getting crunch, texture and sauce into your mouth efficiently. When I get my dog a Happy Meal, I ask for extra Honey Mustard and Hot Mustard and dip my fries with wild abandon. She eats the nuggets because she gives zero shits about the chicken sludge they are made of. I would go as far as to…

Good to know! The Thai basil at the market comes in these rather large bags and it’s hard to use all of it up before it goes bad.

Cool that you made your own paratha. I get mine (the green onion variety) frozen from the local Asian market. They carry it for some reason.

Don’t have an air fryer, but I do have an oven and a huge bunch of Thai basil I need to deal with. You’ve given me the kick I need to just take care of it this afternoon.

Are the vaccines readily available in Oz now? My son, his partner and their daughter live north of Sydney. My son was recently able to get the Astrazeneca shot but his partner has not been able to get hers. Currently, they can’t leave and we cannot go there. It’s maddening. We haven’t seen our son since January of…

I’m with you. I’m very skilled, but not competition ready. Also, I don’t have the urge to be in front of a camera and sell my personality. Which one would I be!? Too old to be the young, arrogant whippersnapper. Too privileged to be the hardscrabble underdog. Not old enough to be the elderly matriarch, etc.

I can’t recall if any lunchroom food was a favorite, except I remember grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade vegetable soup or chili. I like that a lot. Oh and fish sticks, because we didn’t have fish sticks at home.

I wish I could just get a good black bean American-style taco. Taco bell’s beans are mushy and if you sub beans, they add way too many of them. When we have taco night at home, I rinse and season a can of black beans and sprinkle those at the bottom of the shell and then pile on the toppings.

That’s not what I learned in school - but I only finished law undergrad and never took corporate law. I wonder if someone with a law degree could weigh in? Maybe it’s different for corporations rather than private individuals? I don’t know. I only mentioned it as (maybe) a way to skirt the new law. Of course, none of…

I understand that, but it would sure cause a lot of discomfort for them! And yes, keep an ear to the ground.