Alexa Voice Remote Pro

The newest iteration of the Fire TV remote adds a few new buttons and it's the "1" and the "2" I've wanted for years.  These can be programmed to launch two apps of your own choosing, in my case YouTube TV and ESPN.   I'll no longer have to use the five-tap, home-right-right-right-enter method to get to YouTube TV.   The other new features can be found at this link.

https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-alexa-voice-remote-pro/dp/B09RX4HKTD

Braised Short Ribs and Mashed Carrots

Chef Elaine splurged a bit to make these wonderful, fall-off-the-bone Short Ribs.  The link below details all the steps, but the short story is you make toasted breadcrumbs, sear the Short Ribs, make flavored beef stock, and let bake in the oven for at least three hours.  Remove the whole carrots and fork smash them.  This is the type of recipe where you want to stay at home and just take in the aromas all day. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/braised-short-ribs-and-carrots-12111742

 

Fire TV Cube 3rd Gen

The final piece of the wife-inspired desire for one remote control is now in place.  Not only is the third generation of the Fire TV Cube the most powerful with better picture quality, it includes an HDMI Input port which I've cabled to the Sony Blu-Ray player shown below.  The single, small Fire TV remote can now control all the devices (i.e. Fire TV Cube, Vizio TV, and the Sony Blu-Ray), and gone are the days of needing multiple remotes.  I should win a husband-of-the-year award for this one, even if it took almost fifteen years to accomplish.

https://www.amazon.com/All-new-fire-tv-cube-4k-streaming-device/dp/B09BZZ3MM7

Stocking Hat

Every time I give blood at the Community Blood Center they offer a gift in appreciation.  Usually, it's a T-shirt which I politely decline because I have a dresser drawer full already.  But yesterday's gift was really nice, the thick knit stocking cap, shown below, which I happily accepted.  I will use it during the coldest of winter jogs and perhaps in the hot tub when it's below zero outside.

https://givingblood.org

Picanha

Chef Rodney (aka my son-in-law) made an absolutely delicious Picanha, finishing it off with the butane torch seen below for some extra char.  A Picanha, also known as Rump Cap or Sirloin Cap, has wonderful marbling and a thick fat cap on top.  Its uneven thickness provides slices from well-done to rare.  Chef Laurie (aka my daughter) provided all the awesome vegetables, Hasselback potatoes, and lemon cookies.  Altogether, a true feast!

https://www.kansascitysteaks.com/all-about-steaks/cook-and-grill-steaks-and-roasts/how-to-cook-picanha

Mulled Pear Juice

Here's something a little different to warm up on a cold day.  Just simmer clementine (or orange) juice, pear juice, and a little lemon juice with the warming spices of cloves, cardamom pods, and ginger slices for ten minutes, strain, and enjoy.  Cardamom pods are a bit pricy, but you can eliminate them or use another spice.  

https://recipesfromapantry.com/warm-pear-clementine-juice

Killing England

A long drive to North Carolina and back provided the time (10 CDs worth) to listen to Killing England, the story of the American Revolution.  I now realize just how little I knew about that war, like what Benedict Arnold did to become an infamous traitor, how Prussian Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben professionalized the military, and that Benjamin Franklin convinced the French to join the conflict.  The following link takes you to my local Washington-Centerville public library, but you should be able to find it at any library.

https://encore.wclibrary.info/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1714945__Skilling

Lowes

As a Daytonian, when I see a sign showing there's a Lowes in a shopping center, I naturally think of tools and two-by-fours.  But in the Carolina's it may well be a grocery store and the one pictured below just south of Chapel Hill, NC was pretty cool.  They have a "Tarheel Deli" and "Outer Banks Seafood" among their North Carolina-themed counters.  And just down the road was the more familiar hardware store.

https://www.lowesfoods.com

Upside-Down Turkey

Chef Elaine knocked the Thanksgiving turkey out of the park with her best-ever bird using this upside-down recipe.  It spent Wednesday night in the fridge wrapped up, coated with salt and pepper.  Thursday, the bird was placed breast-side down on top of a loaf of sliced and buttered ciabatta bread and roasted at 425 for 45 minutes.  It got flipped breast-side up, the heat reduced to 350, and went as long as needed to get to an internal temperature of 165.  The remaining details are at the link below.

Word of caution:  Flipping a large, hot turkey is not a simple task.  Ask for help.

https://www.marthastewart.com/1164831/upside-down-turkey

Christmas Ale

Years ago when we frequented our local Pub at the Greene, we were introduced to Breckenridge Christmas Ale, in our opinion the best of the many delightful seasonal competitors.  It's also the only beer that would be served with a rim of cinnamon and sugar, the combo that works so well on French toast.  It might sound odd, but that rim pairs perfectly with the stronger, maltier profile of this beer.

http://www.thebeercritic.com/breckenridge-christmas-ale