Statuary Progress - Bratwurst and Potato Salad

Today has been A Bad One, damn it.

Bad, as in "I can't fucking get out of bed even though there's a whole pizza from Al's in the kitchen". I slept like I hadn't slept in a month - which I hadn't - and when I finally gave in to the imprecations of a cranky bladder, I was one hot mess.             

Fortunately yesterday was A Better Day, and I managed to snap a few photos of Kissimmee Statuary, which will stay on display for some preset time.  I have to say that with one notable exception, this group of sculptures did not come close to the quality of the last few displays:

Going back to yesterday's blog post, I read today that the Grinch Principal from Brooklyn, the one who outlawed Santa Claus, Thanksgiving, and the Pledge of Allegiance, has been set straight by someone with a higher pay grade in the New York City Department of Education. Apparently the Assistant Grinch, acting under instructions, had sent out a memo that exhorted the staff to be "sensitive of the diversity of our families" and once the policy went into effect, including referring to Thanksgiving as a "harvest holiday" a whole lot of folks got upset, including a number of those "diverse" families.  My answer to the issue of diversity is to embrace it, not by exclusion but by inclusion.

But first - regarding the Pledge of Allegience - what the hell is the problem? Who is objecting to this? If the objectors are folks who do not believe in God, well big surprise, we had those folks around when I was in elementary school (and God knows that's a hell of a long time ago) and they simply stayed silent when the words "under God" were spoken. 

If the problem has to do with the student's feelings towards this country, then simply stand silent. Or move to another country. Let your conscience be your guide. But, do not force the majority to give up the opportunity to participate in this simple but powerful daily classroom ritual. Yes, I am the mother who 23 years ago damn near decapitated my son's blobbish kindergarten teacher when she could not explain to me why, after 3 weeks of school, there was no American flag in that classroom. Call me crazy, everyone else does. I am also the mom who almost got killed at a Tae Kwan Do tournament in Miami by some thuggish POS because he and his family refused to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance and the playing of the National Anthems of the U.S. and the Republic of South Korea, and I said something. Since the ATA is all about teaching and demonstrating respect, I can only assume his overprivileged spawn rarely attended classes and lolly gagged on the floor while everyone else spoke the bowing in and out oaths while facing the U.S. and South Korean flags.

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Well ... it's been three days since I wrote that- maybe two, I can't remember anymore.  I couldn't really leave the house except to see my therapist. I had to miss a Tai Chi class. I could not cook, bake, or write. My body hurt all over, as if I had the flu. I don't get the flu, never have. My brain took a long leisurely trip to the Ninth Planet (Pluto, damn it!) and left the rest of me behind. I apologize for late posts and missed days. Here's a quickie recipe to remind us all this is nominally a cooking blog. Do not be put off by the canned German potato salad - it works well, tastes good, and fills up hungry people. I usually double it, as my boys love it.

1 pound cooked bratwurst, cut in slices

no-stick cooking spray

1 smallish onion halved and sliced

1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and sliced lengthwise

1 - 1 pound can German potato salad

Real bacon sprinkles (Hormel) - optional

Dried parsley flakes

Spray a nonstick skillet with Pam or one of her generic siblings and place over medium heat. Add the bratwurst and stir fry until lightly browned on the cut sides. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, until they are crisp-tender (I like them more tender than crisp, but use your judgment). Stir in the potato salad, parsley and bacon sprinkles, then cover and cook on medium low until the sauce bubbles lightly and everything is heated through evenly.  Sprinkle with more parsley.