Houston, We Have a Problem

Foudn this interesting little air traffic control/math program on Nasa's website. Kinda catchy, but perhaps this is why there are so many "near misses" in the air.

The Wheels on the Bus

My kid goes to school just a couple of miles from our house and, periodically, I get a chance to drop him off in the morning and awash in the energetic atmosphere of West L.A. moms and gaggles of kids set loose in a Jackson Pollock meets Lilliputia room of chaos.

Usually we drive the car, snake down the parking structure and take the elevator up to the pre-school center, but today, for some God-unknown reason, I thought it would be fun to strap my son into the bikeseat and peddle my way along Sunset Blvd., through the village center and past the park entrance to his school.

My son had great fun, we got there faster than I thought, and I got to listen to some really good tunes on the way home.

With the progeny safely in the hands of more skilled Lilliputian negotiators, I felt free to plan out my day, which involves some driving to the San Fernando Valley. So imagine my surprise when I saw the map below. I am getting one step closer to retirement.

Driving Chicken

Over the holidays, I loaded the family in the Subalu and headed East toward the mountains of snow in Colorado. Because of the stories of pain and chains in Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs, we took the Southern road, along Route 66 and up through Flagstaff (where we stayed in a really nice Radisson with Sleep Number Beds and Japanese food room service). The next day we travelled on the dipping, winding roads of the Navaho nation, slowly working our way up toward the Southern tip of the Rockies and on to our final destination.

All this time driving on the open road, miles from stop lights and traffic and signs, can lead any man to think about food (and, in my case, it's just another excuse); so when we arrived in Placerville, Colorado as the sun was chilling it's orange glow in the clouds and snow, I already knew what I would make for dinner.

Lou's Olive Chicken

A) A couple of Chicken Breasts
B) A can of Olives (you pick the kind, though Black are fine)
C) 2 Cloves Garlic
D) Bunch of Cilantro
E) 2 Tbl. Olive Oi
F) 1 Tbl. Balsamic Vinegar (don't go for the expensive stuff)
G) Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
H) Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice A on a bias, which means you make angled cuts along the side to make little pockets.

Combine B-H in a food processor or blender and mulch into a pulp. Adjust seasoning

Place most of mush in chicken pocket and place all of this in a baking dish. Add a little mush on top, but still keep some for later. Add a little more oil and vinegar if it's too dry. Stick in oven and bake 25 minutes or until done.

When finished, garnish with fresh, uncooked mush on top and serve.