Orzo Mushroom Toss -different version

I stand corrected. This is the one I loved all winter- the one Peggy Gordon makes for us! She does add onion and if she is like me she adds onion to almost everything!

Orzo Mushroom Toss From Peggy G.

At first glance, you might think this is a rice dish, but it's actually a pasta side dish! Ya see, orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta, that's often used interchangeably with rice. In our recipe for Orzo Mushroom Toss, we used orzo for its nuttier flavor, which goes great with the fresh mushrooms!

What You'll Need:
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions
Get Dinner on the Table in 30 Minutes

What To Do:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Saute mushrooms 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients and cook 5 additional minutes, or until heated through.

Amazing

It is amazing to me how fast we get busy when we land in Iowa or Texas. I wonder if it would work to sneak into town and not tell anyone for a while. I don't think so.
I was hoping to not have a bunch of doctor appts this summer but here we are making multiple trips to Ames and the Dermatology substitute otherwise known as the plastic surgeon. Now Butch is getting some spots on his face attended to. I still have hopes we will soon not see any more things on the calendar that look like (Dr. Appt @ 10:50 AM).

I am slowly getting yardwork projects done. That is one thing that is neverending but rewarding. I can always think of a new one. The latest is a trumpet/honeysuckle vine for the hummingbirds. We have a large variety of birds in our yard the way it is but I wanted to add the hummers without having to fill the feeders all the time and what better way than provide them with their own supply of food.

Latest news on the trivia front. We won second place again. Go Team McDugan! That is the third week in a row in the winner's circle. And it was also exciting because one naughty team was caught cheating and got called out on it by the host. They were not a winning team but it was during the Double Down Round so the penalty was the removal of 20 points from their score and so even if they had been on top they could not have won. There were 9 teams all told. Two of them were one man teams. Gotta give those guys credit. They must really like trivia!

Son Gary is coming next week. It is always fun to have one of the "boys" all to ourselves for a visit. If your children are grown you realize how rarely that happens.

Last winter friend Peggy from across the street would make this amazing recipe and she would always bring me a dish of it. So I got to thinking about it and thought I would make some and share with a couple of my friends. My main house friend (Butch) will not eat it of course. So I started looking for the recipe because I knew Peggy had given it to me. Cannot find it but I think this one is close. I will post it anyway and if I find out it is different I will update the info.

Warning: It is hard to only taste. First thing you know the whole thing is gone!

Orzo with Mushrooms

READY IN: 35 mins SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
Saute onion and mushrooms until tender and golden brown.
Pour in broth, and bring to a boil.
Stir in orzo, reduce heat to low, and cover.
Simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
If after 15 minutes there is still liquid, remove the cover, and cook until liquid is gone.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Joke of the Week

Fred Brown is on his deathbed, the end near. His nurse, wife, daughter and two sons are at his side. He asks for two witnesses as he records his last wishes. “My son Bernie, you take the Mayfair houses. My daughter Sybil, you take the apartments in the East End. Jamie, my son, you take the offices at City Center. Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings along the river.” The nurse and witnesses are blown away by the man’s words. The nurse says, “Mrs. Brown, your husband must have been a brilliant businessman to have accumulated all that property.” The wife replies, “Property? Oh, no … he has a paper route!”

BEANS IN MY EARS

Listen to it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXnIQt8pmK4

Do You Remember?

BEANS IN MY EARS
Serendipity Singers 1964

My mommy said not to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
My mommy said not to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears

Now why would I want to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
Now why would I want to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears

You can’t hear the teacher with beans in your ears,
Beans in your ears, beans in your ears
You can’t hear the teacher with beans in your ears,
Beans in your ears

What’s that you say, let’s put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
What’s that you say, let’s put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears

You’ll have to speak up I got beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
You’ll have to speak up I got beans in my ears
Beans in her ears

Say mommy we’ve gone and put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
Say mommy we’ve gone and put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears

That’s nice boys just don’t put those beans in your ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
That’s nice boys just don’t put those beans in your ears
Beans in our ears

I think that all grown-ups have beans in their ears
Beans in their ears, beans in their ears
I think that all grown-ups have beans in their ears
Beans in their ears
____________________

First bike ride

Jason went with me and he was my bird spotter. He is very good at it. The kid always did have an eagle eye.

 The robin was my eagle eye. He got it from somewhere after all. I liked the way the sun was highlighting him.

 Our bikes at the bridge.

 Spotter Jason with his binoculars.

 Not the best photo but I did get it of a Baltimore Oriole and below is a  Yellow Warbler

 Yellow Warbler

And along came the Canadian Geese.