What to do with Left Over Paella?

what to do with left over Paella?

This has never been a problem for me before… I have never had ‘left over’ Paella. The fact has always been that there was always more demand but limited supply. However, a while back, I had far too many pans going and alas… too much Paella even for the heartiest appetites!

So, what to do?

Actually, it seemed like an elegant solution. Most of the best stuffed pepper recipes I have found contain a significant portion of rice… and since my seafood Paella is without shells… well, it just seemed like a good idea to stuff a half dozen peppers with Precooked paella! It made for a great ‘after painting the spa house party.’ The spa house needs some varnish now… but that’s not for today… today, is to enjoy the stuffed bell pepper with Paella!

Roger Freberg

Here’s my Paella recipe… without shells

Fixing the Spa House Roof

the Pharaohs have returned!

About 15 years ago, I assembled a Philippine Mahogany Teahouse that arrived in a crate without instructions and only a small picture! I got a great deal on the house since it had been sitting in a warehouse for three years or more gathering dust! Then came the Laguna fire here in California and everyone wanted to buy it back! ha!

Although it is a wonderful teahouse, I knew that it would have problems down the road with our weather and our 40 mph plus afternoon breezes! Eventually the roof came tumbling down and I needed to fix it. It’s now a ‘work in progress’. I am no contractor, but engineer Kristin (my daughter) gave me some pointers and I was off and running.

I have added 3 skylights which will be wonderful at night with company and a little champagne.

a skylight makes all the difference

I still have a long long way to go… finishing the roof, painting, varnishing….

Roger Freberg

PS. I remember when I first put the spa together in the tea house… I was filling it with water and turned around to see my three little daughters in swim suits ready to dive in! It was cold… but they didn’t care!

Wall-E says ‘You’re Fat’… get over it

Wall-E features loads... and I mean wide loads of fat people!

Yesterday, Laura and I went to see the new hit movie ‘Wall-E’. It was a relaxing diversion with a sweet — and some might say – romantic ending.

However, there was quite a bit of distress in the audience causing squirming in the seats and a virtual ending of the frequent sounds of the spilling of popcorn, munching of goodies and sloshing of drinks. What was so shocking that all activity stopped? It was the representation of the ‘human space travelers’ that had over the course of a 700 year evolution ‘evolved’ into reclining ‘lardos’… watching t.v. , eating junk food and ‘living’ 24-7 from their traveling recliners! It was not a pretty site … and for those in the theater who felt ‘fat’ … it stopped them cold. This was good, it made them think!

However, the ‘fatties’ and the ‘codependents’ on the internet have launched a huge ruckus about the allegedly anti-fat people bias of the movie. Frankly, I think it is a public service. The message is simple… lose weight and become more active.

Try and find a picture of the ‘fat astronauts’ of Wall-E on the internet… I found the one above and that’s it! Sounds like the ‘fat is ok’ groups have exerted some pressure. You’ll just have to go to the movie.

Hey, I’ve been there. Being fat may not be a choice, but staying fat is.
However, no ‘self help’ group is going to get some gargantuan human to shed a few pounds without a little pain… sometimes all it takes is for us to look into a mirror or watch a movie of what can logically happen if you allow weight gain to get outta hand! By the way, those who know me, know that I am from the old school that reminds folks where ‘sympathy’ is in the dictionary… between “sh*t and syphilis”… so — a while back — when a good like minded friend of mine told me I was ‘fat’… I shrugged which said to him that I ‘needed a second opinion’…. so, he quickly added ‘and you’re ugly ,too!’ ouch!

I can live with the ‘ugly’ part, but the fat is gone thanks to Jenny Craig… and it can happen to you too!

Roger Freberg

Summer Projects

Something to do every summer
It’s amazing to look around and see how many projects that just ‘appear’ when summer rolls around.

First project (under construction above) was to design and construct a new roof for our spa house… no simple task given maintaining the existing walls and creating a new internal ‘free standing’ structure. Thanks to Kristin’s input and design… it works.

Moms Favorite Table!
Mom loves this simple table that calls back to some remote beer garden somewhere. Part of the appeal is the heavy construction and ample seating for eight folks under this ‘double trussel’ table. Laura repainted it and it turned out great.

More projects to come!

Roger Freberg

Happy 4th of July

Let us be thankful for men and women like these

Let us be thankful today for the food on our tables, the wonders of our country and the opportunity to choose our own destinies.

All would not be possible without the American Soldier.

Roger Freberg

The armed services of the United States represents what is best in America… a meritocracy where talent and commitment can rise to the top …