Eeeeekkkk, Nevermore, Nevermore

Yesterday, I had a totally different blog swirling around in my head but I had a bizarre encounter with wildlife that is preempting that post, the Future Mrs. Curtis Stone.

One of things I “inherited” when my mom died was her wacka doodle dog Tonka. She looks a lot like the mutt, Santa’s Little Helper, from Homer Simpson’s house. I like to think of her as a high functioning idiot savant, she will spend hours at the French doors, unblinking, unmoving during the daylight hours. Guarding us against killer butterflies and shrieking children jumping in the adjacent neighbor’s pool. But she has developed an ugly taste for blood.

The killer and her accomplice

Tonka has taken to bumping off baby birds learning to fly that land unprotected in the back yard. Now, every time she heads out all of the birds gather screeching warning from the treetops, enticing flocks from miles around. It is very reminiscent of Hitchcock’s movie, The Birds. As she stands proudly with feathers at the corners of her mouth, they dive bomb her presence to no avail. She is not afraid……or concerned……….swoop a little closer bird and I’ll give you something to squawk about. After the first few murders she is now under supervision like a toddler at the pool. I know you’re all feeling a little grossed out but here’s this week’s recipe. Naturally I picked poultry.

Sherried Chicken with Green Noodles
4 chicken breasts
1 ½ cup chicken broth
½ pound green spinach noodles
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ sherry or white wine
Grated parmesan cheese

Place chicken in a saucepan and cover with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve broth. Meanwhile cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Add a little melted butter to prevent noodles from sticking together. In a saucepan melt butter, add flour and stir with wire whisk until blended. Add boiling broth all at once stirring vigorously with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, paprika and sherry to saucepan and heat throughout. Arrange chicken on individual beds of green noodles and cover with sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

The weather right now is about perfect in Arizona. I’ve been sitting on the couch surfing the web with those French door open. The dogs were lying innocently at my feet, and a FREAKING GIANT BIRD FLEW RIGHT INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND LANDED ON A FAN. Pandemonium erupted, the dogs were so stunned they were slow to react. While the bird was flapping around my head I grabbed the collar of the Lizzie Borden of Dogs and crammed her and her wingman in the hall and slammed the door. The bird was now hunkered down behind the recliner hearing the warning cries of its mates a little too late. By opening my own condor like wing span and holding newspaper in my claw like hands I was able to herd the dazed bird to freedom. The whole exercise took less than 90 seconds, A bird in the house is worth two dogs in the hall. I consider it a victory that the damn thing didn’t crap in the house.