TED - The Energy Detective - Does It Work?

This last week, in order to get a better handle on my energy costs, I ordered a TED. TED (The Energy Detective) is a simple, yet extremely accurate, home energy monitor that will allow me to see electricity usage in real-time. The unit has its own web server built in and the connections are relatively simple. The main display which comes up on a PC or Mac looks like the pictured sample. I’ll do a follow up blog when I get this hooked up and working.

Followup: The unit has perform flawlessly up until March 2010 when the Gateway unit suddenly died. When I called, the TED people immediately sent me a return authorization and promised to send out a new unit. Nice!

Notebook Stuffed Banana Peppers

So, at the end of the growing season I found myself with quite a few Banana peppers, some time on my hands and the desire to do a little experimental cooking. Now, I’ve stuffed bell peppers in the past, but never anything like this. My thinking was ‘How hard can it be?’ Duh!

My plan was to use a standard stuffing mix and to perhaps try cooking them in the slow cooker rather than an oven. I like the way a crock pot works. Just load em in and let em go for about five to six hours on low.

The recipe was doodled together as is pictured at right. In case you can’t read the ingredients list, here it is;

1 lb ground beef

12 banana peppers, de-seeded and cut long ways

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 Tblsp. Parsley, dried or fresh

1 Tblsp. Basil, dried or fresh

1 Tsp. olive oil

¼ cup instant rice

1 dash dill seed, ground

1 small egg, beaten

2 Tblsp. Shredded cheddar cheese

De-seed the peppers and wash them in cold water, then put aside. Mixed the rest of the ingredients (use only half the cheese and tomato sauce) and then knead everything in a large bowl. (Just like you were making meatloaf). Next, stuff the pepper halves with the meat sauce and make a single layer of these in the bottom of a large crock pot. Carefully add a little tomato sauce to just cover each pepper, then add a sprinkling of cheese. Cover this with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Cover and cook on low for at least five hours.  When and if I ever get these made, I’ll post some pictures and comments.

What is this weed? Does anyone know?

So what goes with BBQ'd Chicken?

H1N1 plus H5N1 May Equal Trouble Brewing

This latest flu map shows the southeastern tier of states is now well involved with the spread of the H1N1 flu. While the current strain remains on the mild side, that is no guarantee that it will remain so. I feel, increasingly like a person in a gas filled room waiting for someone to strike a match.

I feel this way because once the virus becomes firmly established in the Midwest, it will then have a better chance to also impact the so-called ‘mega pig farms’ where large numbers of hogs are maintained in close quarters. Pigs can get infected with the flu just like humans. But, even more significantly, pigs can become infected with both human and avian forms of the flu virus at the same time. If an H1N1 (swine) virus should happen to have infected a pig that was already sick with an H5N1 (avian) strain… and, if gene re-assortment occurs, there is a possibility for a whole new strain to emerge. This ‘new’ virus could theoretically be more virulent and more infectious. Current vaccines would have no effect and we could have another ‘1918 meltdown’ all over again. Now, I’m not saying that any such thing will occur, but I tell you I feel like we are just asking for trouble with the way we manage pig production. They are, after all, a proven link from us to the bird form of flu which has proven to be deadly.

One after thought. The states with the highest population of mega pig farms are concentrated in the Midwest. States which will become increasingly involved with the H1N1 virus soon.

Stuffed Bell Peppers - Cajun Style?

So, do flu masks really work?

"Let me try and answer a couple of questions a lot of people will be asking themselves fairly soon."

• Is there any proof that masks actually help protect you from the flu?
  
  
• What kind of mask should I get?
  

The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. There has been a study conducted in Australia during the winters of 2006 – 2007. You can go to the website and check it out in its entirety (this will cost you some money for the abstract). In brief, the study was conducted on 286 adults most of whom had kids in 143 households. They were broken up into three groups; one that got to wear surgical masks, one that wore so-called P2 masks that are specially designed to filter water droplets from the air and one group that wore nothing and therefore acted as a control group. All of the groups had one thing in common and that was children who were sick with a respiratory illness. The two groups that wore masks were instructed on how to properly wear them and were asked to do so when in the presence of their kids. After just one week, researchers found that the group that wore no masks were four times more likely to catch either a cold or the flu. Another interesting thing was that the two groups that wore masks appeared to be equally spared.

This brings me to the answer of the second question as to what type of mask you should consider purchasing. The surgical mask is made of paper and is the least expensive. You can find them in most pharmacies. The other masks like the ones labeled as NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) N95  and which are often made from a combination of cloth and paper and which have gotten a lot of press… are now priced all over the board. They can be found on the internet (watch out for price gouging). My bottom line is you may want to seek a cheap surgical mask solution and here’s why.

In order to achieve the promised 80% reduction in your chances of getting the flu, you will need to investigate practices like ‘self quarantine’. Also, it would pay to; 1) have a heightened awareness of those around you, 2) stay away from crowds as much as possible, 3) wash your hands often and well, 4) cough into your arm and 5) wear your mask in a proper fashion whenever you are around sick people.

Now for the bad news…the flu may hang around in you locale for a couple of years! If that’s the case, you will be going through quite a few masks! (This fact alone may explain why it’s been tempting for some to hold ‘flu parties’ where they attempt to get sick from someone with the flu). Once you’re over it, you’ll be pretty much immune to that particular strain. (If your luck is really bad, like mine, you might get the regular flu strain and therefore catch it twice). Bummer.

In a future blog I’ll cover who’s really at risk and why.

Forsyth Missouri Harvest Moon and Car Show - Oct 3, 2009

This coming October 3^rd, the Chamber of Commerce in Forsyth, Missouri will be celebrating a Harvest Moon Festival and Car show.  The event will be held in the Shadow Rock Park area proper. It will feature vendors from all over the area and includes a good old fashioned chili cook off. The cook off will be an interesting event for sure. There will be three categories of contestants; Professional, Amateur and Wacky. I think I fall into the wacky group. Not sure. My chili, should I pay the $10 entry fee, is still a work in progress. My last batch wasn’t all that good. OK, it was edible but on the sweet side of edibility. I think I will need to man-it up if I hope to walk away with a ribbon.Information concerning the event can found at the Forsyth Chambers web page. You can find a registration form and other information pertaining to the kind of chili they will accept. I don’t think CASI rules apply here, but if you have a doubt give them a call. For my entry there will definitely be some beans, a no-no in regular competition chili. I am of the group of chili lovers that believe if there are non beans, then there is no interest! 

 

Click here for video link.

I think other than the Christmas Parade; this will be the last event of the year. The weather should be agreeable, and if you are a people watcher, like me this is a great event to attend. See you there! Oh, and I do plan to get video of this event up on You Tube. Look for it at Danomanno

August 2009 Garden Report

June Garden Report

Dieting page 1 of 2

Dieting Page 2 of 2

The Nuts, They are a Falling!

It's not that I have anything against ACORNites, I'm sure they are a class act! No, It's these other nuts I'm worried about. You know, the ones I'm voting out of office next year!