Contest Update and Funny Story

I didn't win the Jimmy Dean Crumble Rumble.  I can't seem to find the winner listed anywhere yet, so don't know what kind of recipe won or which blogger is going to meet Rachel Ray.  I kind of had a feeling my potatoes were not original enough.  They were pretty though and I got to use up a bunch of potatoes still left from my CSA boxes.

No use crying over our losses, on to the next show!  I am currently working on Johnsonville Pastaville contest with Italian sausages and the Hungry Jack Use Up the Box contest with instant potatoes.  I did a test round with both on Saturday, the Johnsonville recipe was an all out failure.  I'll share that bad experience later.  I was kind of impressed with my Hungry Jack trial, but I already have a good recipe for them and you can only enter once.  Which recipe to go with?  Hmmmm.  I have time to think on it, that is not due Dec 17th.  Johnsonville isn't due till January so we have more time for testing. I will share my entries once I have sent them into the sponsors.  Now time for a random funny/sweet story.

I have mentioned my neighbor Tony before, the retired Italian man from the old country that lives on the corner.  He brings me vegetables and fruits from his yard, his friend's yards and maybe Market Basket, I am not sure.  He also kind of stole my cat.  She spends her days with him and only comes home at night because he carries her home and opens my front door (without knocking, scares the crap out of me) and tosses her in when it is bedtime.

Yesterday Tony came by the house with a gift for me and the boys that made me both laugh and cry at his generosity.  He just came home from visiting his son in California, who takes him on whirlwind adventures every time he visits.  In the bag was a branch of grapes from Napa valley.  How cool?  Also he got the boys t-shirts from San Francisco.  So thoughtful!

I scored a tacky coffee cup from Vegas.  I use the word tacky with the utmost respect.  There are only a few tacky things I covet and love; cookie jars and coffee mugs.  

How ridiculously sweet is that?  He thought of us and got us all these nice things while on vacation.  Now the funny part.  He also included a brochure from every single place he visited on his trip including a subway map for the Bart and a map of the state of Nevada.  Hmm.  Thanks?  Next time I get lost in the state of Nevada on my way from Woburn to Boston I'll be all set.  Maybe this isn't funny to anyone else, but it just cracked me up!

Thank you Tony for thinking of us!  Not that he will read this, I don't think he is computer savvy.  I love my neighbors.