Random five for October 12

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potatoes, russetThe spuds girl – I always buy redskin potatoes. I like them best. They are waxy and retain their shape. Best of all they aren’t dry. Our local store had a really good sale on russets. Russets are supposedly best for mashed or baked. The price was too good so I bought them. Turns out I don’t like russets. I baked them and they were very dry. I fried them with lots of butter and they were dry. I am going to try mashing to see it that’s any better. If anyone has any tips on how to make russets taste good without a pound of butter, I’m all ears.

The new math — I don’t understand WordPress stats. I recently read a post by a new blogger who had 1500 followers and 850 hits (views). How can that be? Doesn’t a follower have to view the page in order to follow?

I must be the lazy one – The beloved husband dumped poppy seeds from a bagel on the kitchen floor. He got out the vacuum cleaner and swept it all up. I was stunned. The old fashioned pan and brush would have done the job and been easier than lugging out the big stuff. But then I like light weight solutions best.

It’s a small world – I’ve been listening to the stories of Ebola in far away places (like Dallas, Texas). Somehow it’s not real until it hits home. My niece came home from overseas. She traveled through Brussels airport the day after the West African that died in Dallas. Her risk is extremely low but it makes you sit up and pay attention. I also heard this expressed by some bloggers from the  affected Dallas area.

Idea lag – I had a slow week for blogging ideas. That hardly ever happens. It’s me. There were the same crazies and odd circumstances in my life that there always are. I wasn’t paying attention. (Earth to Kate, earth to Kate — stupid person in aisle 7)

 

44 thoughts on “Random five for October 12”

  1. My daughter is an emergency room nurse…Ebola scares the living “you know what” out of me because I think of her. Her husband has even suggested she quit work, but she’s not yet to that point. Where do we hide? We don’t. Your humor is a great antidote to keep smiling even when our fears threaten to get the better of us. I think the whole world seems much smaller to me now that I’m a blogger. And there’s nothing wrong with deciding you don’t want to learn how to enjoy russets! LOL! I like yukon golds! 🙂

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  2. Laughing about the poppy seeds/hubby cleanup. My sweet one is on doctors orders for a high powered milkshake at noon. So he goes off to the gym for his two hour workout…I have his super loaded shake in the fridge for a few minutes and he loves it. Ta-day, last week he picked it up and took a swig…set it on the table and then proceeded to knock it off the table…broken glass and goop all over the floor…Aargh. I watched while he cleaned the whole room…took a rug outside for a wash job…room was once again clean as a whistle. He’s thinkin’ he’ll be very careful in the future.

    My mother liked to heat a little milk to add to the potatoes when ready to mash. I do that sometimes…I use a LOT of butter, sometimes sour cream and chives with it. Delish!

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  3. Nice to know you are human Kate I often wonder where you get your writing energy and ideas from. Im sure the lag does not happen often to you, as this post is very entertaining and I enjoy reading your random thoughts. Happy writing day to you.

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  5. CH makes the potatoes at our house and we use russets for mashed and baked potatoes. His mashed potatoes are delicious but he uses a bunch of Smart Balance and a bit of milk. We do love redskins too, they have the best taste. I like to slowly cook them in a pot of green beans with a teeny bit of bacon grease… I know!!!!! Also like them halved or quartered on a baking sheet with olive oil, sea salt and rosemary. I am always befuddled by WordPress.

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    • I am going to try mashed this week. I have 8 lbs. left so I have to keep trying things. We weren’t happy with the baked and I don’t think they were overbaked. I never order baked potatoes out because I always think they are dry unless you add a quarter pound of butter and a half pound of sour cream!

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  8. I admire your ability to come up with a Random Five every week. Maybe we all could do it if (as you say) we paid attention.
    Like you, I prefer the broom and dust pan. Men like machines.
    I like Russets for their thick skins. There’s something about the red skins I don’t like. My favorites are yellow potatoes.

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  9. You now have me dreaming of mashed potatoes or those little white numbers you roll in olive oil and parsley.
    Wordpress may as well be in Swahili. I don’t know what any of it means.
    Maybe your mind just needs a breather, especially after senior coupon day. Love the Random 5.

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  10. nina already mentioned my potato trick (yogurt in place of sour cream). I’ve also been known to throw in a bit of pureed celery (goes all the way back to when I had to hide veggies inside something else in order to get the kids to eat anything green). The pureed celery gives it a nice little tang, and also adds moisture (and doesn’t change the color just so long as you don’t go crazy with the celery … I use a ratio of about 1/4 celery to 3/4 potatoes).

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  13. I don’t know from redskins. In my book, russets are the classic baked potato. You bake them in a 350 or 400 oven for an hour (first piercing them to let the steam out). You could wrap them in aluminum foil first, which leaves the skins softer, but I don’t. When they’re done (squeeze them to be sure), crack them open where you pierced them, top with sour cream and chives (or yogurt and chives), or generous spoonfuls of first-press olive oil, or mashed avocado, or just plain butter, or the jus from the roast au jus — any of which removes the dryness. Add more topping, forkful by forkful, as you eat. Added bonus for me: I have always loved the crispness and crunchiness of the baked skins, all of which I eat up, even if I leave some of the inside on the plate. But I realize that’s peculiar.

    Re: followers and views. The followers don’t get counted in the views. They’ve already been counted, as followers. Views are from non-followers. What I don’t understand though, is how there can be more visitors than views. What are the visitors looking at????

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  14. I like russets for mashed potatoes and I always add my Grandma’s secret ingredient – a heaping tablespoon of mayo. I agree that they’re too dry when baked – the reds are better/creamer for that.

    I’m with you on Ebola concern; I feel we’re only one flight away from it .. just a matter of time. Frightening, really.

    I prefer the broom, too! maybe it’s the witch in me 🙂

    Love your Sunday 5 !! MJ

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    • Mayo….hmmmm. That sounds interesting. I haven’t tried mashed yet. My Mom used to throw in a spoonful of sour cream if she had it on hand (which she almost always did.) I always get good info from bloggers!

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      • on the followers – it’s true. If you have 300 followers and 200 FB friends once linked – voila – you have 500 followers. The views are different – people searching for something who “land” at our blogs – or readers who don’t subscribe 🙂

        I like sour cream in mashed but mayo is better – not sure why 🙂

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  15. I love russets, but maybe that’s because I like my potatoes on the dry side.

    I often quarter them, steam them in the microwave, and smash them on my plate with a bit of butter, salt and pepper. We also use them for steak fries ~ slice, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano or rosemary, and bake. I also use them cubed in soup or sliced for scalloped potatoes.

    I’m with you. The vacuum cleaner is the LAST resort.

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  16. I’ve going through a dry spell, too… I figure it’s just a rest and rejuvenation period.

    I hate my vacuum cleaner, so the dust pan would be my first line of defense no matter what. And as for math? As soon as you link your WP page to your FB page, all of the FB followers are added to your WP followers.

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