Try this: Curry Turkey Burgers

Here’s a great summertime meal from Rachael Ray. Really easy and delicious.  

• 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey (the average weight of 1 package in the supermarket) 
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• A handful of cilantro chopped very fine (about 2 tablespoons) 
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated or minced 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• ½ red bell pepper, finely chopped 
• coarse salt 
• 1 tablespoon (or more) of curry powder 
• Olive oil 
• Rolls 
• Mango chutney (we use Major Grey brand because it was available at the local supermarket)

Combine first eight ingredients and form into five patties. Drizzle with olive oil and grill (or pan fry) six minutes on each side. Serve on rolls with chutney, lettuce, and onion.

The summer that Supertramp helped me be a little bit hip

I read a newspaper article recently that asked folks: “What was your favorite album when you were 16?” No question about that one for me.

It was the summer of 1979 and I was working for my hometown’s summer recreation department. I was stationed in the program’s arts and crafts room, where every day for six weeks, groups of kids ranging in age from 5 to 11 would gather to braid boondoggle, weave potholders, and fashion log cabins out of popsicle sticks and copious amounts of Elmer’s glue.

Joining me on the arts and craft staff were two “older” girls, 17-year-old Lori and Sandy. These two were a riot, always laughing and making our long days cooped up in one of the airless rooms at the local elementary schools more bearable. Both Lori and Sandy also loved "Breakfast in America" by Supertramp, the big hit album of the summer, and they played it endlessly on the record player in our room. Day in and day out for those six weeks, we were serenaded by “The Logical Song”, “Goodbye Stranger”, and “Take the Long Way Home”, and I memorized every word of each track on that album.

And because Lori and Sandy were a year older than me and were among the “popular girls” in school, our shared loved of Supertramp created a bond between us that never would have happened during the regular school year. We got to know each other that summer, and talking, laughing, and appreciating together “Breakfast in America” made me feel a little more accepted and “hip”. So even with my bowl haircut, those thick glasses, and wide wale corduroy tunic with the black polyester turtleneck, I felt a little bit “cool” that summer of 1979, thanks to Supertramp and my friends Lori and Sandy.

Summer in Southie

Here in South Boston, we don't need to go to those fancy, expensive florists that line the streets of Back Bay and South End. We just go to the local park and pick the stuff that grows wild.

Rebel without a clue

A little Linsdsey, mad Mel, and some animals that want to kill you

Some random thoughts for the weekend:

Sounds unbelievable, but 2.3 million people watched the live broadcast of Lindsey Lohan's court appearance this past Tuesday on the TMZ website. (Compare that to the "just" 683,000 folks who followed the site's live broadcast of Tiger Woods' press conference.) Lohan's hearing, of course, ended in her being sentenced to a 90-day jail stint, and featured her now-famous "manicure with a message".

Lindsey thinks she's having a rough week? Mel Gibson has now been named as a potential suspect in a domestic violence investigation involving his ex-girlfriend. Two words for Mel: buh-bye.

Remember the BP oil spill? Yes, the underwater rig is still gushing an estimated 35,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil a day. Comedian Andy Borowitz reports: "At a time when many thought that news out of the Gulf of Mexico couldn’t get any worse, BP announced today that the oil in the Gulf needs to be changed every six months. “The oil will need to be changed every six months or every 15,000 lies,” said the BP spokesman. “Whatever comes sooner.”

So what will it be? Electrocution? Constriction? Or starvation? Here's a (not meal-time friendly) list of ten truly awful ways to be killed by an animal.

This product sounds like it might solve the problem of rooting around in the cabinets to find the correct lids to our self-propagating collection of Tupperware. Clear, silicone stretch lids in four sizes that seal anything in a mug, bowl, plate, or dish. The lids are re-usable and OK to use in the freezer and microwave. See ya later, Saran Wrap! Makes a great "Thinking of You" gift for your favorite blogger.

And finally, here's a recipe for homemade "Thin Mints".  I used to buy at least four boxes of these delicious slices of chocolate and mint perfection from a lady in my office who was shelling for her Girl Scout daughter. But the folks at BakingBites.com say these are easy to make at home and taste even better than the "real thing". I'll let you know how I make out.

Next up in Friday Funnies...

From one of my favorite websites: Awkward Family Photos

"Nothing could stand in the way of their love...not even a French door."

"Authentic all the way down to the rock holding the door shut."

Our Fourth of July in Boston

We took Otis over to the Old State House in downtown Boston for a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Many folks were in costume outside the Old State House.

The ornate top of the Old State House.

We walked through Boston Common and got this shot of the current State House atop Beacon Hill.

A singing group from Wisconsin was performing patriotic songs near Downtown Crossing.

We then drove out to Ashland State Park, about 40 minutes southwest of Boston, for a leisurely walk around this beautiful lake. 

We forgot to bring a tennis ball, but being very resourceful, Otis found another dog's discarded ball near the  water...and it was game on!

On the way back into Boston, we saw that the Queen Mary 2 had docked at the Black Falcon Terminal in South Boston. When built in 2003, the Queen Mary 2 was the longest, widest, and tallest passenger ship ever built. It can accommodate 2,620 passengers and houses the only planetarium at sea.

 

A truly sensational sunset over the city skyline.

Around 9:30, we walked over to Castle Island, where hundreds of people were milling about, enjoying the balmy holiday evening. The constant popping and booming of firecrackers was too much for Otis to handle, so we stayed only a few minutes before heading home.