It's Butter Beef Season!!!
Now that winter has roared back into our lives, it's time to break-out the crock pot and whip up some comfort food!
For me, that's butter beef.
Whats in it? A little more than the name implies but not much...
My original recipe makes 8 servings
- 3 pounds of cubed beef stew meat
- \1/2 cup of butter
- 1(1 ounce ) envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1/ 2 cup of red wine.
Toss in some kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and then set your slow cooker on low for 8 hours!!!
I serve it over either egg noodles or mashed potatoes. It's a dee-light !!
Woodstock Redux
What a long strange journey just to dig up some dirt for Joe Getty's Christmas present
Went to Woodstock New York for Christmas and it was everything I imagined and more. Christmas Eve in the town square where Grandfather Woodstock was greeting everyone.
Then spending the evening with a couple thousand other folks from around the area and the country singing carols and basically dancing in the streets.
Next day my friend Helene and I drove to the site of the Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel New York which is about 70 milies outside of town. Stopped at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts where the festival was held.
After that we went on to Max Yasgurs farm. He orginially owned all the land where the festival and partying occured. The woman who now owns the farm was kind enough to give me permission to dig up a spoonful of dirt and a rock to bring back for music fanatic Joe Getty.
The whole experience was magic. And this year we'll see what appears to be dueling 50th anniversary concerts. One where Woodstock 1969 co-founder-producer Michael Lang is set to stage a competing concert to a previously announced event. Lang announced he's staging a concert at the Watkins Glen International Speedway that will feature three stages and 60 bands, with the lineup to be announced in February. Meanwhile, The Bethel Woods Center For The Arts announced last month it will stage an event at the 15-thousand-seat amphitheater. The venues are about 150 miles apart, and both events are happening the same weekend August 16th, 17th and 18th.
Heading Out !!
I'm ready to meet the elements in Upstate New York while I visit a friend who moved there a while ago and loves it. So she and I will travel round the village and take in a lot of music. If weather conditions allow we're going out to the site of the historic Woodstock Music and Art Fair that was held at Max Yasgur's farm.
It's going be quite a Christmans adventure!!!Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays to you and yours !!
All I Want For Christmas Is...
Happy Happy!! Joy Joy!!
Just like Jack can't stay away from doughnuts--I can't stop scratching!
The other day, I stopped for gas at my local, lucky, well-lit State Lottery Scratcher's outlet. And once again--as they have done so many times over the course of my life--the tickets spoke to me.
The bright lights...reflecting off their laminated surfaces...guiding me to just the right ones.
So I bought a handful.
Now, they're marinating at my home (as all valid Scratchers need proper seasoning)--building-up their Mighty Pay-off Powers!!!
Then, the week before Christmas...we'll arrive at the station...then gather round at the same location...waiting...in hopes that soon we will share...a present of money that Santa leaves here!!
The 2018 list of the happiest countries in the world has just been released.
The World Happiness Index ranks 156 countries based on factors like life expectancy, social support and levels of corruption.
Top 10 this year from 10th to first:
Number 10 is Australia,
Then Sweden
In 8th place New Zealand..
Americas Hat : Canada comes in 7th.
Then the Netherlands.. and then .Switzerland.
4th happiest country in the world is Iceland....
.Third is Denmark...
Norway comes in second...place
And 2018's Happiest country in the world is my native land of Finland.
The United States came in 18th.
Sleeping With Cats !!
Sleeping with cats: Recently Armstrong & Getty's Technical Director, Michelangelo, spoke regarding the problems he's having with his girlfriend's cat--who it turns out sleeps in bed with them.
Apparently, the kitty's restless--and will make it known when he has to go outside in the middle of night.
Well Mike--here's an argument to get the cat out the bed:
According to the findings of the Journal of the International Society of Anthrozoology (who collected data from 962 adult women) gals sleep better and feel more secure if they sleep with a dog (not a cat).
Of those adult women, 55-percent shared the bed with at least one dog, 31 percent with at least one cat and 57 percent with a human partner.
Researchers discovered dogs disrupted the owners sleep less and were associated with stronger feelings of comfort and security. Cats, it turns out, were just as disruptive as human partners and cats were associated with much weaker feelings of comfort and security than both dog and human bed partners
So--your girlfriend should get rid of the ca, get a dog, and perhaps keep you.
It's the science of sleep.
We're Doing It !!
As a life long smoker who finally got a handle on "the beast", I was pleased to see the report from the CDC regarding the number of cigarette smokers in the U. S.--the number has hit an all time low. Only 14% of adults smoke, which is down from 15 1/2 percent in 2016--and 67% fewer than back in 1965.
The senior author of the study attributes the drop to more smoke-free policies, and a hike in the price of tobacco products. More men smoke than women, and the majority of smokers are between the ages of 25 and 44.
Cigarettes are the leading cause of tobacco-related diseases and deaths in the U.S. I started smoking when I was 14--two packs a day for most of that time. I tried over the years to quit using a number of different methods including the patch, the gum, acupuncture, and the always favorite method "cold turkey" Nothing worked.
Then one day about 8 years ago I had a coughing fit that was so bad I couldn't come to work on The Armstrong & Getty Show. At that point, I decided it was time to stop!!!
So I remembere--you get nicotine through your gums. I decided I would just puff and not inhale. And I would only puff outside. That is what I did for almost a year. I still got the nicotine hit and went through the ritual of smoking.
After a year, I saw my doctor who promised me he could get me to quit smoking when I was ready. He prescribed an antidepressant called Wellbutrin. It's often used to help people quit smoking. I used that for about a year. And wonder of wonders I was off the smokes. Try it. It just may work for you.
Creator of a Thanksgiving Classic
Dorcas Reilly passed passed away earlier this month. You may not have heard of her--but the chances are very good you've enjoyed her work.
Ms. Reilly is the woman who created the green bean casserole.
She came up with the recipe for the Campbell's Soup Company back in 1955. Turns out, the original recipe card for the casserole was donated to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002.
Campbell's called her, "an incredible woman whose legacy will live on for years to come".
Reilly passed away on October 15th from Alzheimer's disease. She was 92. But she leaves behind her iconic green bean casserole--and the instructions on how you can make it.
Ingredients]1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions
How to Make It
Step 1Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole
.Step 2Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions
.Step 3Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
Enjoy!!!
MEGA MILLIONS !!!!
The excitement's off the charts as America dreams of instant wealth!!!
The Mega Millions jackpot jumped to $970 million--a single winner taking the cash lump sum would receive about $548 million.
And, since no one won on Wednesday--the jackpot for Powerball has skyrocketed to almost half a billion dollars. The cash payout is $248 million.
Now I've bought my final round of tickets for both. If I don't win this time--I am out! I'm beginning to think this may be a suckers bet...OR maybe not??!!
Good luck to everyone !!!!
Love Hurts
I didn't think it would be this hard at my age but I still find romantic relationships very tricky.
Recently I jumped into the love/ like pool with a lady I helped to quit smoking and thought it was going along swimmingly. But last weekend before our fourth encounter she called to let me know while she liked me and assured me I was a good guy our relationship wasn't going any further.
What I found troubling is the lack of information about what was specifically lacking in the relationship. Was it a lack of chemistry which I really can't do anything about or was there something I should be aware of so I could make changes. I mean "better to have loved/ liked and lost than never to have love / liked at all." But best if I can learn from the experience and become better...
Moving on toward the new year!
Woodstock the Town (Not the Bird)...
Crosby Stills Nash and Young sang about the musical landmark....in 1969.
'By the time we got to Woodstock
We were half a million strong
And everywhere was a song and a celebration
And before ...during.. and after the mammoth rock concert the tiny town in upstate New York's been a haven for artists and free thinkers of all stripes
I've always been curious about it's mystical powers and this year thanks to an old friend who lives there. I'm going to spend Christmas in Woodstock .
I have visions of a picturesque village covered in snow with holiday lights and decorations on the quaint buildings and town square
I'm looking forward to spending time with musicans and artists living and playing in the bars and clubs
But first I have to get there
.Its a 13 hour flight each way. I leave California at midnight and arrive in Newark New Jersey at 8 am. Then on to Albany New York where I will catch a bus for a two hour ride through the snow to Woodstock.
Rinse and repeat for the return to California.
Sounds exhausting but what an adventure!!!
!If you've been to Woodstock let me know your impressions....Send your comments to mailbag @ armstong@getty.com
Spicy Fun
I'm going out on my third date with the woman who initially wanted to meet me so I could help her quit smoking. (See previous Musing).
So I'll look sharp and slap some Old Spice on...and head out for fun.
Guys--you can still get Old Spice Classic cologne, a brand that's been around since 1937. When it was first introduced it was called "Early American Old Spice"--made by William Lightfoot Schultz's soap and toiletries company. At that time, the brand was targeted at women (with men's products being released later).
Over time, the men's products were much more successful and took over the brand.
For years, the brand was buoyed by the Old Spice Sea Chanty...
And the Old Spice Whistle provided by the same man who whistled the Andy Griffith Show theme--Jean "Toots" Thielemans.
Within the past few years, Procter & Gamble has made a big push to get a younger dudes to buy-in to what's looked at as your grandfathers scent.
To achieve that goal, they created an ongoing series of odd-ball commercials for both of TV and digital campaigns.
Actor Terry Crews is currently the face of the campaig--so slap some on and "Yo-ho! Yo-Ho !"
Wild Turkey Treats
A few Musings ago, I mentioned the rafters of wild turkeys that had returned to my neighborhood, roaming around and menacing small children--as well as one MARSHALL PHILLIPS!
During that Musing I offered up some fun facts about the turkeys with a promise--"COMING SOON"--what to do with a wild turkey at Thanksgiving.
Well here it is !
A recipe for homemade fried wild turkey nuggets from the good folks at the National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF )
Ingredients:1 wild turkey breast
2 cups milk (can sub buttermilk)
3 cups baking mix
12 ounces beer
2 tablespoons suga
r3 cups peanut oil
Preparation:
Cut breast into 1-inch cubes, place in large bowl and submerge in milk for 30-45 mins
Combine baking mix, beer and sugar in another large bowl and mix to form a thin batter
Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a skillet
Remove meat from the milk, dip in the batter and fry until golden brown
Drain on paper towels
Then gobble gobble.
PUMPKIN & SPICE and EVERYTHING NICE
Had my first PSL the other day--that's what the hipsters call Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte!
And I suspect, this items is just a little bit additive.
In case you are from another planet, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a coffee drink made with a mix of traditional fall spice flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), steamed milk, and espresso, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.
Starbucks developed the PSL after a string of winter seasonal drinks like the Peppermint Mocha and Eggnog Latte. So after lots of experimentation, in the fall of 2003 Starbucks was ready to go with its new fall seasonal drink--the Pumpking Spice latte.
It went on sale in only two cities, and sales of the drink exceeded the company's expectations.
The product went on sale in all U.S. Starbucks stores the following year. And since its introduction more than 200 million have been sold--making it Starbucks most popular seasonal beverage...
What makes it so special????
Licensed therapist David Klow explains...we like something that is both old and new saying, ''We crave new experiences. yet we are also accustomed to familiarity. When something combines a sense of newness with familiarity , it merges those two drives within us."
And it's yummy.....hitting us right in the pleasure center of our brain, making us feel good.
So, by now you're wondering..."How do I make a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte at home?????
1 cup milk.1 tablespoon pumpkin spice syrup.1 teaspoon vanilla simple syrup.2 shots espresso or 1 cup coffee.Whipped cream, to garnish.Pumpkin spice (equal parts cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ground clove), to garnish.
Raise a glass of the PSL .....and toast the season.
YOUR CAR IS SPYING ON YOU
Lisa Joy Rosner chief marketing officer of Otonomo, a compay that sells connected -car data , "The thing that car manufacurers realise now is that they're not only hardware companies anymore-they're software companies" --Daily Mail
Data collection is done by cars using built in sensors car makers say helps improve safety and performance but also can be sold to third parties.
Check list of types of information being harvested.
Your weight: Many car seats weigh drivers to let them know when their seat belt isn't plugged in.How often you actually buckle up. The safety alarm feature on your seat belt can let automakers know how often you strap yourself in
Where you've been. Where you eat and shop. The vehicles GPS system tacks your movements constantly and can help automakers triangulate your position.
What music you like. With so many cars hooked up to the internet its easy for car companies to track what radio stations or streaming you listen to in your car.
And your car records how you drive. It frequently sends performance data back to its automaker...how fast your drive...how you brake...and helps build up a "driving profile".
BUTTS OUT.
As I mentioned on The Armstrong and Getty Show.....my blind date a week or so ago turned into a counseling session for a very nice woman who was trying to quit smoking.
She'd heard the stories, that after decades of lighting up I'd finally quit smoking. That was about 5 year ago. Before that, I had tried a number of times to quit the nasty habit--but those attempts were unsuccessful.
The turning point occurred when one day when I started coughing, and it was so bad that I couldn't go to work. That's the point at which I said, "No more!!".
So I decided....to just puff.
I smoked but did not inhale...just puffed...for about a year.
I went through all the motions, including talking to a doctor who promised me that when I was ready--he had a guaranteed method to get me to quit.
After a year of puffing, he prescribed Wellbutrin, which is an antidepressant used by many to quit smoking.
And it worked!!!!
AND THE WHEEL GOES ROUND AND ROUND...
I'm going on a blind date this weekend. I asked the woman in question to meet me at a local casino for an afternoon of gaming.
A public place with many exits.
Since neither of us have seen the other I will wear a fedora with a press card in the hatband and my Raven Social and Athletic Club hawaiian shirt....
Now--since I invited her to the casino, a friend of mine asked if I was going to cover her gambling debts?
Hmmm....good question. So I pondered.
I decided I would bankroll her the cost of a dinner and drinks...say 50 bucks with the agreement that if she won big--we would split the winnings 50/50.
And of course I will still buy dinner and drinks. Sounds fair to me!!
And remember, always to tip your waitress and dealer....
TURKEY TROT
Well they're back--the rafter of wild turkeys that mysteriously appear at various times during the year in my neighborhood. A while back on The Armstrong & Getty Show I described the day my car was surrounded by the menacing birds slowly advancing on my vehicle intent on pecking my car. Well, the guys mocked me at the time but now that they are back I decided to do a little research and discovered the following:
Will turkeys attack ?
Yes. Turkeys can become aggressive. It's important to remember wild turkeys have a "pecking order" (no joke ). The birds will respond to you as they do to another turkey and will advance on you if they feel threatened. In fact, some turkeys have been known to repeatedly attack small children and the elderly and they have to be destroyed..
Other fun facts:
The bird really is named after the nation of Turkey. Some of the first Europeans to travel to the Americas saw the creature and it reminded them of a bird back home known as "Turkey bird" which is the African guinea fowl...who managed to get to Europe in the Middle Ages from Turkey. Basically our turkeys looked like their turkeys.
Turkeys can fly in short bursts and they are really fast. I learned that when I wondered where do turkeys go at night. It turns out while they spend most of the day on the ground--they sleep in trees at night. Turkeys can't see very well in the dark so sleeping in trees keeps them safe from predators that hunt at night. They fly up to roost at dusk, and fly down when the sun comes up to carry out their daily turkey trot.
Coming soon...what to do with a turkey at Thanksgiving.
ROAD TRIP WITH A GOAL: Scatter My Moms Ashes.
During the Armstrong & Getty July 4th vacation week I had arranged to place my mothers remains at a church she was a part of years ago---in Claremont, California. They are one of the few churches that still have a Memorial Garden that allows you to scatter ashes
I didn't want to fly with her remains for a number of reasons. Going through security....would be a problem.....and putting them in with the checked baggage seemed chancy. So--time to hit the road!
The actual ceremony wasn't until Thursday July 5th. So, I decided to do a whole So Cal tour--returning to my roots.
First, to Palm Springs where I got my first job in radio (and where a former girlfriend of mine lives).
Next, to Fontana where I grew up (and where a bunch of the Inland Empire tribe still live). Then, it was over to Rancho Cucamonga (where I had a number of adventures back in the day.
In Palm Springs, I dropped by KGX in Cathedral City--one of the station's airing The Armstrong & Getty Show! KGX happens to be on 920 AM which is the same frequency as the station where I started my career--KDES 920 AM Palm Springs. Talk about the circle of life! Had a great visit with the General Manager Garry Wing who was hip to the station's history and even had scrap books filled with KDES memorabilia.Wednesday.
I was in Rancho Cucamonga for Fourth of July fireworks at the Quakes Single-A baseball field and some quality time with seasoned friends.
Thursday it was time to scatter Doris Pearl Phillips ashes.
Love you mom.
Time to head back.
PUSH-UP TRAINING!
Step 1: Get a board. Check!
Step 2: Carry your board around the house. Check!
THE COUNTDOWN TO THE PUSH UP CHALLENGE!
I have begun my training regime aimed at being able to do 10 pushups in a row by the end of June. First step : An exercise outfit.
CREATING SCRATCHERS MAGIC
1. Buy them once a month when you feel lucky.
2. Set a monthly budget for your ticket purchases.
3.Purchase tickets from a clean well lit location.
4.Take them home and let them sit for a day or two.
5. Scratch only one per day using an older quarter....the ones with eagle on the tail side.
6. Use your quarter to scratch as long as its a winner...if you lose....switch quarters.
7. Again this method could improve your chances of winning .....at least a little bit.
TASTY BASICS
Hello all, this is Marshall Phillips, and this is the latest in my series of "Marshall's Musings".
For this edition of my musings--tasty basics.
Everything you knew about making scrambled eggs is probably wrong.
Julia Child learned that fact while taking cooking classes in France. Her professor, Chef Bugnard, watched as she "whipped some eggs and cream into a froth , got the frying pan very hot ...slipped in a pat of butter, which hissed and browned in the pan.
"Non". He said in horror, "That is absolutely wrong!!"
What you need to do is crack your eggs, add a dash of salt and pepper.
Then butter the bottom and sides of a frying pan.
Gently pour the eggs in...and keeping the heat low....wait about three minutes.....as they thicken into a custard.
Then stir the eggs....pull them on and off the heat.....until they are getting as thick as you want.
Pull them off the heat....they will cook a bit more...then once they reach the consistency you want.
Add your enrichment......heavy whipping cream or butter....and BAM !!! Scrambled eggs--de-luxe!
Sprinkle a little parsley or chives on top....and you are ready to eat..
Ingredients for larger serving...8 eggs
Salt & pepper
4 teaspoons water
1 1/2 tablesppons whipping cream or softened butter
Sprig of parsley.