Killing My Meats

I'm a fan of cooking, partly because I like to eat, and because it's relaxing for me. I've grown accustomed to using a stove and an oven, but felt like expanding my repertoire. A little while ago, I bought a slow cooker in hopes of venturing into the land of tender eats and all day cooking. People say that it's nearly impossible to ruin food in a slow cooker, but apparently I am the exception to the stupid rule. I can make soups and pasta sauce in there with no problem, but when I start putting in meats, they come out tasting like crap. It smells amazing, but insanely dry. In fact, I tried making a beef roast in the slow cooker today, and when it was done, I took one bite and for the life of me couldn't swallow it because it was so dry. I honestly felt like I was chewing tree bark covered in sand. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, but I think I might retire this slow cooker and go back to what I know best, the good 'ol stove, oven and microwave.

Pwnage, and A Bit of Randomness

They had such high aspirations. Up 2 games to 0, my Pistons were poised to reach the NBA finals again. Perhaps it was poor coaching. Perhaps it was a lack of determination. Or perhaps it was the reliance of "performance under pressure" that backfired. Regardless of what led to their demise, the Pistons have reached the end of their post season run. I had the Pistons going all the way to the finals, where they would eventually be crowned the new NBA champions. I guess I'll have to wait for the next season to see this happen.

While we're on the topic of bad predictions, I TOTALLY missed the mark in my NBA playoff predictions. I had Houston beating Utah. WRONG!!!! I had New Jersey beating Cleveland. WRONG!!!! And I had Detroit over Phoenix. DOUBLE WRONG!!!! I think I need to stick with what I do best and leave the predictions of the outcome of games to people who know what they're talking about.

While we're on the topic of things I do best, I must say that eating has always been up there on my list of 'skills that help pay the bills'. Recently, I found myself craving Chinese food. It's been a while since I had a decent meal of the eats from the motherland, so I decided to go get some. I remember passing by a restaurant that most people (me included) would label as 'ghetto' based on the signage, decor, and name. It's called 'Chinese Dumplings', and I must say that I really enjoyed it. I love dumplings, and this place had exactly what I needed to feed my cravings. If you're up for a new spot to eat, give this baby a try. I highly recommend the Pork dumplings with chives.