Weekend Cooking... Priazzo

 

"Food memories involve very basic, nonverbal, areas of the brain

 that can bypass your conscious awareness."

~Susan Krauss Whitbourne

Professor Of Psychology

Ahh... nostalgia. As you know, the older I get, the more things I miss from a certain time of my life. The 1980s, the best decade I lived. Well, that's not completely true, the 90's weren't bad either. I was newly married, and just trying to live a good life, with the love of my life. We had a lot of fun, still do, but without all the things we enjoyed. Like reading the newspaper, social influencers, and an array of food we enjoyed. Chow Mein with gravy, from our favorite hole in the wall Chinese restaurant, and the Priazzo from Pizza Hut!

Here's a commercial for it, from back in the day...

Oh my, my mouth is beginning to water. As good as the meat Priazzo was, my favorite was the Priazzo Florentine. All kinds of Italian cheese, ham and spinach came together to make my knees weak. I can't have spinach anymore, it was a casualty of Covid-19 Omicron. You would think that after all this time I would have those foods, like spinach and mushrooms, back to normal, but as I have said in previous posts, I think they are gone for good. Oh my.

🥹

Anyway...

Mental Floss, has a brief history of the rise and fall of that fabulous 1980's culinary yumminess, and another commercial that was done in the mid 1980s. At the time they seemed a little pricey, so I didn't buy them often, but when I did, I wasn't disappointed. 

A Taste Of Home has a recipe hack that looks pretty darn good to me. I plan to add different ingredients. I like veggie pizza, and I am going to make mine in a springform pan, using a regular pie crust, so we will see how it comes out. I will update on Sunday how it came out. 

Tip: 

If you use canned tomatoes in your own variation, 

use San Marzano tomatoes. They have the best flavor!

Until then, enjoy a little Dean Martin and visions of

 Rome, Portofino and the Amalfi coast.

Tip:

If you use canned tomatoes in your own variation,

 use San Marzano tomatoes. They have the best flavor!

Samsung S26 Ultra

 

"My cell service return all night, and all through the next day.

 It was like ancient times, with mead and beheadings and blacksmiths."

~Penny Reid

Homecoming King

My phone died a tragic death the other day. I bought it a couple years ago, and frankly I was sure it would die on day one. Let me explain. I had purchased a Samsung Galaxy 53A 5g from T-Mobile, it seemed like a good little mid-priced phone, but when I went to use it, there was a minor bit of trouble... it would call anyone but my husband! All other numbers worked, his wouldn't! For some reason, my new phone, hated his number! When I complained to customer service, several times, I finally received a replacement phone... a refurbished version, not a new one! I bought a new one, I should have received a new one, but deep in the contract, I had agrees to receive a refurbished version, if my new phone failed. Sigh. Two choices were in front of me... I could pay it off and go elsewhere for cell service, or I could deal with it, and keep a service I enjoyed! I am very happy at T-Mobile, so I took a deep breath and moved on. 

As I said... my phone finally went onto it's glory. It crossed the rainbow bridge. IT DIED! So, what to do?! Buy a new phone! Thank goodness I found a cell phone that finally, really, suited my needs... it features a phone with an amazing camera! The camera is probably the main consideration when when I buy a cell phone. I use at about the same rate as my Minolta camera, especially this time of year, as the Mexican Free-tailed bats return to Franklin Blvd. So far, I have been nothing but impressed my new phone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, I have been nothing but impressed! Here are some examples of my new cell phone/camera's awesomeness!

My first photo... a dandelion from the Cosumnes River Preserve.

The Many Moods Of The Mighty Simon

Photographed in a low light setting.

Color Vibrance in a low light setting.

Tyler and Joey taking a nap on my futon.

May 29th 2026

And my new Samsung S26 Ultra has tons of photo editing tools!

 I may make a comic strip featuring the adventures of the Mighty Simon!

Okay, so you know how I feel about my new cell phone,

 here's where you can read some opinions from the experts!

Good Housekeeping

Consumer Reports

CNET

So, that's my big news. I can't wait for opening night of the return of the bats! 

I will definitely be taking the video option for a ride!

Western Pondhawk

 

"Chasing dragonflies, like buying good books or eating gourmet food, can be a curiously addicting."

~Cindy Crosby

Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural and Personal History

If I have ever seen this particular dragonfly before, I never saw it this green or this beautiful! It's the, Western Pondhawk dragonfly, and I found it at the Cosumnes River Preserve. We were just walking along and then suddenly there it was. It was so beautiful! I love discovering new things, or at least seeing them in a new light!

Summer Sun, Somethings Begun

 

"Bees do have a scent you know, and if they don't they should,

 for their feet are dusted with the spice from a million flowers."

~Ray Bradbury

Dandelion Wine

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer, but reality says we have about three weeks until the season really begins. Either way, there are signs everywhere that cheer me up in a summer way, and one of them is roadside sunflowers, and little bees enjoying them. It's a pretty happy turn of events, and quite welcome. Especially when it's May 27th, and it's cold.

 Mother nature certainly has a strange sense of humor.

😂

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Burn After Reading

 

Chad Feldheimer: Manolo, you DIDN'T find this.

Manolo: I found it on the floor there.

Chad Feldheimer: Yeah I know. But...

Manolo: Right there on the floor there. It was just lying there.

Burn After Reading

2008

How about a spy story that will make you laugh, as much as it horrifies you? Well, I will say one thing for this Coen brothers film, it will do just that. And as outlandish has as it is, it's also completely believable. It's Washington D.C. after all! And we all know how the nation's capitol seems to be right now. We have a FEMA official who thinks he can teleport to almost any Waffle House of his choice. A Health and Human Services Secretary who has been known to swim in raw sewage, and snort cocaine off a toilet seat. Then there's Trump, need I say more? When you consider all these losers, the losers in the movie seem perfectly normal. The twists and turns are hysterical! The Coen brothers flair for ironic humor can't be beat!

Just watch it... and laugh. You need it!

Be sure to look for a particularly funny and surreal scene, where

 George Clooney sings, My Eyes Adored You, while showering.

On Memorial Day 2026

 

"True patriotism is usually born of great sacrifice,

 and is never the result of selfishness."

~Napoleon Hill

As we stop today, to reflect and meditate on the heroes that have served their country and their better angles, I share with you some Motown jazz to make your day a little more relaxing. I am so grateful to my daddy and my father-in-law for their sacrifices during WWII, and to my brother during the Vietnam war. They were men who answered a higher calling from their county, for freedom and democracy.

Gentlemen, I will be forever be grateful for your service.

"Let their remembrance be as lasting, as the land they honored."

~Daniel Webster

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Forplaint

 

"Never tell your problems to anyone... 20% don't care

 and 80% are glad you have them."

~Lou Holtz

Forplaint is a rare and obsolete Middle English word

 meaning, "wearied with complaining."

Forplaint used in a sentence... 

Trump's constant complaining about everything from what he deems the fake news, to how unfair it is that the congress doesn't just hand him billions for his stupid ballroom, has left me more than a little forplaint.

Weekend Cooking... Banana Cream Pie And Banana Pudding

 

"We must have pie, stress cannot exist in the presence of pie."

~David Mamet

Boston Marriage

One Banana

Yes, I'm back from the dead. Lordy have I been sick the last several days, but I am so much better now, and ready to seek out new recipes that make my mouth water! And in that this is a three day weekend, it's Memorial Day wouldn't this Banana Cream Pie, be great for a BBQ, potluck or just a day to yourself? I have taken certain days, settled down with the cats, and eaten a whole pie. There is no shame in that, so don't judge me! LOL! Anyhoo... I'm going to try this pie, if you do, let me know what you think about the recipe. 

Two Banana

Okay, I get it, eating a whole pie is a lot to take on, so maybe instead a creamy, dreamy serving of Banana pudding is more reasonable, and just as fun. When I went looking for more recipes featuring bananas, I found this one for, Banana Pudding, from the Magnolia Bakery, which was also featured in, The New York Times Cooking section. Perfect! What better recipe to try than this one? I have always dreamed of visiting there, ever since I saw it on, Sex In The City. I am a big fan of cupcakes, and theirs look fabulous, but their pudding is supposed to be equally fabulous! It's all about having a full New York City adventure, like visiting the Statue of Liberty, having lunch at Katz's Deli, and leaf peeping in Central Park. Well, that's my idea of an adventure anyway. I don't think that adventure is in my future, but having a little taste of New York definitely is! 

Happy Eating 

Enjoy your long weekend!

By the way, the Magnolia Bakery has nationwide shipping!    ;)

Pay It Forward

 

From The Purrallel Universe... Pay It Forward

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

~Aesop

I am sick. Ugh my stomach is messed up. It has happened on and off since the first round of Covid-19 (Omicron). It's part of the same thing that won't let me eat certain foods anymore. It all started, just like everyone else that has this long covid symptom, about 6 weeks after the last fever of the virus. At first it was a wide variety of foods that I couldn't tolerate, but now it's basically, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, chicken skin, pineapple and most nuts. It's not so bad, but when it all flares up, it keeps me sitting still and sleeping on my back. Anyhoo... I am exhausted and grumpy, and when that happens, I love to visit this little cat community on Youtube called, Purrallel Universe. It makes me feel better, and in the case of this video, it reminds me to pay forward, all the blessings I have in my life. To encounter strangers with kindness and empathy. It never hurts anyone to be a better person, and to find one's better angels. So enjoy the video, and subscribe to the account. You'll love following their adventures, and perhaps identifying with their message of hope, family, and life. 

The Last Of The Wildflowers

 

"I am going to give you a handful of wildflowers, 

so each petal that falls will remind you that the earth breathes and the moon rises."

~Carolyn Riker

My Love Has Not Forgotten You

It's been hot the last few days, and there is more of it along the way! The wildflowers are all drying out now, there's still roadside sunflowers, but the more delicate ones are definitely on the decline. Despite all that, I came across a small patch of California poppies, and they were so beautiful, they made me smile! I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed!

 Aren't they gorgeous?

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... To Die For

 

"You're not anybody in America unless you're on TV! On TV is where we learn about who we really are. Because what's the point of doing anything worthwhile, if nobody's watching? And if people are watching, it makes you a better person."

~Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman)

To Die For

Suzanne Stone always wanted to be famous. One day she achieved that goal, but it didn't come without the pain of others. I love this movie for it's dark humor, but I always remember that it was inspired by true events, the murder of Gregory Smart, carried out by a student in her class. Just in case you haven't heard the details of what took place, it happened in the early 90's, I am hesitant to give too many details away. I am saying just jump into it, so you can take in the full shocking twists and turns of events. The movie is available right now on Netflix. Watch it, and then tell me what you think about it. 

By the way, there is another film about Pamela Smart, Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story, which is available on YouTube. It stars Helen Hunt as Pamela, and while it was great, in fact I highly recommend it, I am a little sad that there wasn't more about Gregory in either film. But Pamela does finally find the fame she was looking for, but as you know, fame fades, and her case, what she will be remembered for the most, is her conviction for conspiracy to commit murder.

Pamela Smart Speaks Out 

(Oprah.com)

Fame

 By David Bowie

The Dear Only Knows

A rose is a rose,

And was always a rose.

But now the theory goes,

That the apple's a rose, 

And the pear is, and so's the plum I suppose.

The dear only knows,

What will next prove a rose,

You, of course, are a rose,

But were always a rose.

~Robert Frost

Something pretty and calm to begin another week on the calendar.

Just breathe.

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Empleomania

 

Empleomania

"Political fanaticism isn't about conviction,

 it's the abandonment of critical thinking."

~Nutribum Republic

 When it comes to Donald Trump, and his sycophants, they could best be described as suffering from Empleomania, rather than the drive to serve their constituents. Holding onto public office is their main concern, but not for the greater good. This past week was quite the eye opener, he finally actually admitted more than once, that he doesn't care about how the economy affects the American people. He enjoys winning at all cost, using everyone to achieve the win. It's all a game to him. Will the MAGA gullible believe him yet again? It amuses him to find out, as he basks in his own mania. Holding public office, provides him with the attention he craves. 

Ellipsis Weekend Cooking... Pimento Cheese And Tomato Sandwich

 

"I can't for the life of me not eat something that I want to eat. You know how if your turned on a facet in your sink to wash your hands, the idea of leaving the bathroom without turning it off is insane? That's how I am about ignoring delicious food."

~Mindy Kaling

Why Not Me?

I love brand new make quick sandwiches, although I will never forget my first bite of an Olga, or a Croque Monsieur. I am looking forward to this one, for hot days, like today, when I just can' deal with stuff! You know, cat dramas, shootings under your bedroom window,  being charge double at Amazon, a cats which insists on standing on my computer keyboard, and connecting me to a random MAGA website. Ugh... you get it. So, what's a girl to do? She makes herself a drool worthy sandwich, grabs a fruit salad, and a coke, and settles down front of a movie with the best husband ever! 

I love the use of Heirloom tomatoes, but it's not quite the time of the year for them, so I am substituting red onion or perhaps some bacon, to give it a BLT variation. 

Pimento Cheese And Tomato Sandwich

New York Times 

Can You Hear Me Now?

"Despite the constant negative press coverage, covfefe."

Donald J. Trump

 8647 this phone as soon as you can, and what I mean by, 8647, in this case, is to dump this bad deal and at least attempt to get your money back! Run for the door. Run for the border. Just run. And then learn from the situation, like the victims of Trump University, or any of the vendors and charities he stiffed over the years. You have at least 600,000 friends and neighbors who, like you, believed one of his scams. Become a smarter person now. Trump crypto was another massive scam. It is currently going for about $2.33 cents, down from it's all time high of $73.43 in January of 2025. Trump Media's all time high stock price of $97.54, on March 4th, 2022, has fallen to it's current low of $8.82 cents in today's premarket.

Donald Trump is a dangerous man, who will stop at nothing to destroy America and all we stand for. I know that only a few people read my blog anymore, so perhaps I am screaming into the void, but please, if you are still MAGA, but you have been catching him in lies, and grifting, please consider for a moment, whether or not, I am your enemy, just because I am a Democrat and I see Trump for who he is. I don't know that the midterms will be the great savior for us. Impeachment could happen as early as a year from now, but that will simply put J.D. Vance in office, and we all know where he stands. Just read the Project 2025 agenda. We are losing more and more every day, and we will continue to lose as long as we don't get proactive. We tried to warn you before, please hear us now!

It's starts with the little things. Usually so little, no one notices. Like with the fine print... one day you realize you will probably never get that phone you bought, or your money back either.