Topher, my-daughter-that-wishes-to-remain-anonymous, and I were sitting around the dinner table the other night discussing strange and unusual things about ourselves. Well, it turns out we’re about as strange as Morticia, Gomez and Wednesday. I’m pretty certain they may revolt if I share their quirks (I know my teenager would disown me), so I am bravely going to pass along a few of my own. The shortened list is as follows:
- I almost never eat with spoons. I don’t know what it is I just don’t like them. Maybe it’s the way it contours to your mouth that feels odd, but the only thing I use a spoon for is cereal (trust me I’ve tried) — I even eat ice cream with a fork.
- I hate heights and I am claustrophobic. Sometime I will share the story of when my hubby and I, after not dating very long, went through a massive cave in Missouri. Most terrifying experience of my life. I was a little panicky, and then they decided to turn off all the lights to show us what utter darkness felt like. Good news: he didn’t go running for the hills. After that…I knew he was my guy.
- I’m picky about my candy for no reason whatsoever. I only eat green and clear colored gummy bears. With skittles it’s the red, purple and green. I’m just not a fan of orange or yellow anything.
- I love, love, love comfy jammies and robes. I have tons of them. For Christmas: jammies. My birthday: jammies. Valentine’s Day: jammies. All comfy. All super soft.
- I listen to Christmas music all day long from Thanksgiving day until after Christmas. Topher had a rental car onetime that had satellite radio, and I (and I seemed to be the only one in the group) was soooo excited to find out there was a Christmas channel all year long.
- I eat everything plain. I do not like condiments. No ketchup, no mustard, mayonnaise makes me want to throw up, sometimes (maybe) butter. My hamburgers have meat and cheese only. The only condiment I consistently use horribly offends my husband: A1 Steak Sauce. He grills amazing steaks, and every time, I “ruin it” by drenching it in A1. Weird.
- (This one isn’t for the younger kids in the audience.) I do not like anything green, except the items previously mentioned in #3. I hate lettuce (tastes like dirt to me), green beans ugh, peas make me gag, or anything else with a greenish hue. Yes, I know it’s contrary to what we’ve been led to believe about nutrition, but I take my vitamins, and I have been making smoothies with spinach in them mixed with bananas, berries, apples, and such so I can’t taste it. Actually my hubby makes them for me because I can’t even stand to look at the spinach going into the blender — and to be honest, I’m not sure if really uses any.
- I don’t like to eat any kind of meat that is served on the bone. I am a total animal lover, and if I didn’t despise vegetables I would become a vegetarian in a minute. Eating anything like ribs or buffalo wings makes me sad since I fixate on this tender morsel covered in skin and fur/feathers. Yes I know that boneless chicken breasts used to have bones in them. but if I don’t see them, I can trick myself into thinking this thing on my plate wasn’t walking around on a farm a week ago. For me, my meat is grown under the plastic wrapper in the back of the grocery store. I’ll save the trout-served-exactly-as-its-caught-only-cooked story for another day.
- I’m obsessed with my dogs. I totally understand why crazy old people bequeath all their inheritance to their dogs.
- I only eat the tips of my french fries since I only really like the crispy parts. Why waste the calories if you don’t really like it
If anyone has any bizarre things about themselves they are brave enough to share, please leave a comment below. I would love to know that I’m not alone in my weirdness.
So the other night on Pinterest, I happen to find a recipe which called for no greens, no “boned meat”, and nothing that needed a condiment. I’m still sort of a newbie when it comes to Pinterest, but I’m quickly learning that I’ve missed out on soooo much without it. I have quite a bit pinned, but the recipe below was too good not to pass along. Originally found here.
Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
- 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
- 1/3 cup condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend (such as Sargento)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese
Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.
Preheat broiler.
Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Oh, Shanna. I learned so many things about you from this blog. Not all of them were disturbing either. However, I cannot get passed the reference to spinach and bananas. Are you kidding me? Really? Spinach with bananas and other fruits. Call me a Popeye purist but the only thing I want with my spinach is vinegar. I don’t even want fruit on my plate if spinach is there.
But thank you for disclosing some of your eccentricities that make you special.
But please…….spinach and bananas?????? yyyyeeewwwwwww
Those are very odd food habits! Lol. I don’t have any weird food things ( I eat everything and anything) but I do have a few corks…. My closet is organized by the “type” of shirt and the color. I vacuum everyday. We have a French bulldog and he sheds. I can’t stand dog hair!!! I also vacuum the couch. My fridge has to be organized by food groups and by height of those food groups. Well come to think of it maybe I’m a little OCD. Yikes! I cant stand when people touch my ichilles tendon it gives me the heebies. I sing loudly ( and very bad) when I’m alone and sometimes when I’m not! Those are the only ones i can think of. So your not alone shanna, we all have our corks 🙂
Aubree- You are freaking hilarious! Don’t worry, if you every need to relieve some stress you are welcome to organize my fridge and closet any time!
Love the post! Some of my weird habits are:
1. I CANNOT stand the feeling of paper bags or Popsicle sticks, they give me goosebumps, when I eat a Popsicle I wrap the wrapper around the stick.
2. I buy fruit in 5’s. I only buy five apples at a time, five bananas, five pears, you get the idea.
3. I refuse to drink out of plastic glasses, they just never seem clean enough.
4. I too have a Skittles habit, I eat all the yellow first, then purple, then orange then green and last red. Don’t ask my why?? Speaking of candy, I only like pink and red Starburst.
5. Hair makes me gag; whether it’s in the shower, sink,or floor it makes me gag, the longer the hair the more it grosses me out. Cone to think of it I only like hair if it’s on a head!
I am sure I have other weird habits but that is all that I have for now. :o)
Ivy- I too do not like the feel of paper sacks. The buying fruits in 5’s is too funny! I’m so glad my followers are as crazy as I am!
Ok, so funny! I follow you on Facebook and clicked your link and this story about your quirks was the first to pop up. Thank goodness for this post because now I feel a little normal 🙂
1. I DO NOT or will not share my spoon, with anyone, I mean ANYONE! Not even my husband. When watching someone eat off of a spoon and there’s a tiny bit of food left on the spoon as they pull it out of their mouth, EEEK! I can’t eat anymore! It makes me sick.
2. All clothes hung in our house have to face front to the left. I’ve tried doing it the other way and I can’t makes me crazy.
3. Like Ivy I can’t drink out of plastic, it gives me the creepy jeebies
4. I also eat my cheeseburgers plain! Only meat, cheese and the bun.
5. Straws! I have a issue with straws! If someone takes a sip off of my straw I have to throw the whole drink away, yes, even my husband and my kids! I just can’t go there. Ha Ha
I’ve been married for almost 24 years and I swear I love to kiss my husband! But there’s no way he’s butting his mouth on my spoon or straw!!
Thanks for sharing and letting me share, that felt good! 🙂 Amie
Amie- You’re my sister from another mister! I also will not share utensils or any type of drink with anyone else. I have a total germ phobia. I’m glad someone else eats their cheeseburgers that way. People that work at McDonalds hate me because if it’s not the way I ordered it I send it back. I only drink out of disposable cups because I am weird. The list could go on and on. Thanks for sharing!