Fifty Before 50

50 Things to Do Before I Turn 50 A random list of 50 things I want to do before I turn 50 on December 21, 2020. I  have 8 years and 7 months to accomplish everything. This works out to 3136 days--strangely enough, it is also a Monday--and gives me approximately 62 days per item. Read about why I am doing this. My list is not complete. In fact, it stops at 30. The reason for this is simple...what if something amazing happens between now and 2020, like commercial Space (or even better, Time) Travel? I want to be able to augment the list to include new interests and opportunities. Suggestions are always welcome.  Read  To Kill A Mockingbird  by Harper Lee  DONE September 10, 2012 Ride a camel in the dessert  POSTPONED DUE TO COVID Skydive   POSTPONED DUE TO COVID Make great  Hollandaise sauce   First attempt DONE Sunday, June 17, 2012 , second attempt DONE Thursday, November 22, 2012, third attempt DONE Monday, December 24, 2012, f...

Ok, this one sucked. Hands down. It may have been user error however, because the masses said it tasted good and they didn't mind the clumps <sigh>. Made it Christmas Eve morning as part of our early celebration and I was heartily disappointed. Can't quite remember where I got the recipe... online somewhere maybe?

I decided to host Thanksgiving at my house this year. I have participated in several at other people's houses over the years in both the U.S. and Canada (where the holiday is the same , but on the second Monday in October) but have never cooked a turkey or made stuffing. Below is a pictorial of the experience. I ordered a fresh turkey from New Seasons Market, a locally owned mostly organic grocer. My "humanly raised" turkey. Insert ironic comment here. The savory bits for the stuffing. This was always the "boy" job in my house growing up.  Two loaves of crustless buttermilk bread added to the onions, butter, celery and spices.  Yes, I am a traditionalist when it comes to stuffing the turkey. It just doesn't taste the  same if you don't. All buttered up and ready to go. I added my secret ingredient into the recipe my co-worker gave me for cranberry sauce. Bubble, bubble. Toil and trouble. Totally mis-quoting ...

Sorry Betty Crocker , but Julia Child could totally kick your butt in a celebrity cage match if your only weapon was your H ollandaise sauce recipe. Thanksgiving morning I decided to make Eggs Benny for me and the kids because, hey, who doesn't want to make an elaborate breakfast on a day full of elaborate cooking? So started Hollandaise attempt #2. ( read about my first ever attempt ) I pulled out my trusty bright orange, 1986 edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook and thumbed to the proper page.   Strangely, it was nestled up against the asparagus section. Please note, there is a microwave option. I made it per Betty's somewhat vague instructions. Topped my eggs, ham and English muffin. Dug in. Asked the kids their opinion. The foodie kids that they are, they had many: too lemony, good consistency, too salty Apparently, this one is to be struck from the book.

It was a quiet Father's Day Sunday after a busy week and I was craving eggs benny. I decided it was a perfect opportunity to attempt my first pass on making good Hollandaise sauce. I walked to the market and picked up eggs, english muffins, ham and potatoes and it wasn't until I was partway home and read a Facebook comment from my friend that I realised I had forgotten the butter. Doh! “First hollandaise attempt?? It’s easy…All you need is butter. Lots and lots of butter” So finally after nearly two hours of prep I was ready. I decided to start with an easy recipe [1] and chose Julia Child’s classic take on this saucy staple (recipe follows). The ingredients. Please note the packaged hollandaise sauce. It was purchased as a back-up incase I totally destroyed the one I was making. Wisking water and lemon juice into the eggs. I used my Grandma's double boiler for this and put the pot on the simmer element. Starting to thicken over the bath just th...