I suppose one could call it an early Christmas present…..
I’d been planning / hoping to get a new computer sometime in the next year or so. Mine was 4 years old and excruciatingly slow. Okay, maybe I have too many programs open at the same time, but that’s the way I like to work.
Mon mari’s computer was really old – probably close to 10 years, although bits of it had been replaced over time.
Wait…. this is meant to be a food blog…..
Spaghetti Squash, Mediterranean Style
Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 10oz (300gr) ground beef
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) tomatoes, chopped, with juices
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 1/3 cup Greek olives, chopped
- 3oz (90gr) feta, crumbled
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half the short way and scoop out the seeds.
- Place cut-side down in a baking dish and bake for 45 minutes at 400F, until the shell pierces easily.
- Using a fork, scrape out the strands of squash and put into 2 flattish bowls.
- Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, pepper and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, beef, sauté breaking beef up as it browns.
- Add paprika, cumin, and sauté briefly.
- Add herbs, tomatoes with juices and simmer, uncovered, until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes, depending on tomatoes. (Mine were from my own freezer and took a bit longer.) .
- Add tomato paste and stir well to combine
- Remove from heat and add olives and feta.
- Spoon onto spaghetti squash and serve
Okay, back to the computer saga:
The plan was that I would get a new, faster computer and mon mari would get my old one – we both end up with a computer significantly better than the one we currently had.
And we would do this upgrading and switching and so on in an orderly fashion with everything done carefully.
Best laid plans and all that…..
Mon mari’s computer quit working on Monday. I thought it was likely just the power supply but still it wasn’t worth putting any money into it so we jumped in to the ‘new computer plan’ with both feet.
I called my favorite geek, we discussed what I wanted and he set to work building it for me.
I got mine yesterday and mon mari should have his on Monday. As it turns out his old computer didn’t have a bad power supply. It had a motherboard that was so old it was corroded and splitting and falling apart at the seams.
It was time to retire it.
It’s so exciting getting a new computer – but I always forget how much work it is getting all the software installed and tweaked and pointing to the right files.
And then there are the little things that one forgets about…. like when I hit a keyboard shortcut and nothing happens and then I remember that I have to set them all up again.
Good thing I don’t have a garden to take care of.
New always introduced different and that takes getting use to. Spaghetti squash looks to be a comfort.
I am with you wholeheartedly on the new computer challenge . We get so used to what we had. Is change as good as a holiday ?? Changing computers has been and remains a bit of a struggle for me.
So, did you go with Windoze 10 or go completely off the rails and get an Apple? ?
My computer is also about 4 years old. Luckily I always buy desktop computers so I have been able to upgrade it a couple of times to keep it chugging along. Everybody buys laptops these day. I don’t see the point. I sit at a desk when I use my computer. They gave me a laptop at work and it sits on a desk connected to a monitor and keyboard.. They could have saved money.
Tanna, I keep telling myself to embrace the new. Keeps me from getting too comfortably ensconced in a rut 😉
Kate, it should be a positive, fun thing…. but then, we should have a chance to prepare, right?
brassfrog, Apple is to expensive and hard to maintain here…. no local dealers. Besides, I’ve been happy with my PC’s for more years than most people have had them…..;-)
wonky73, I totally agree with you. Laptops are fine for travel (I have one) and for streaming to the TV (LOL) but on my desk I want a desktop. Besides, they usually undergo many transformations and changes while I own them…. Even I can change a power supply!