No, the bones in my nose are not broken, but, apparently, I am losing my ability to discern scents.
More about that later….
After a few days of hot weather the temperatures have settled back down to normal and my lettuces are still doing well. I predict at least another week of serious salad eating.
For those of you who don’t grow your own lettuce, hot weather causes it to ‘bolt’, becoming bitter and ready for the compost pile. I have several kids of Romaine lettuce which is fairly heat tolerant.
We need it for mon mari‘s specialty: Caesar Salad.…..
Chicken Salad, Yogurt Ranch Dressing
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 2 tbs ketchup
- 3 tbs red wine vinegar
- 3 tbs olive oil
- lettuce – enough for 2 main course salads
- 3 medium carrots
- 12 – 15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup (8oz, 240gr) sweet corn, drained and rinsed if canned
- handful fresh oregano leaves
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
- Yogurt Ranch Dressing
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbs salad olive oil
- 4 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
Instructions:
- In small bowl whisk together ketchup, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Pour over chicken and marinate for 10 minutes.
- Prepare lettuce, tear and put into a large salad bowl.
- Peel carrots. Using vegetable peeler, shred carrots and add to lettuce
- Add tomatoes, oregano leaves and sweet corn to lettuce.
- Cook chicken breasts on barbecue grill for 10 – 15 minutes, turning once, or until done. They are done when no longer pink and juices run clear. Stick a skewer or knife in to test.
- Or you can sauté them in a nonstick skillet for about the same amount of time.
- Let chicken rest a few minutes while you toss the salad, then slice.
- Yogurt Ranch Dressing:
- In small bowl whisk together mustard, vinegar, dried oregano, and garlic powder.
- Slowly whisk in oil.
- Add yogurt and whisk to combine. It will be fairly thick – which means you have to toss well to avoid ‘over-dressing’.
- To assemble:
- Toss salad with some of the dressing.
- Add chicken, shredded cheese, more dressing to taste, and toss to combine.
- Serve, with any remaining dressing on the side.
Now. as to my nose….
Let me start at the beginning.
We bought a new washer last spring. It’s a front-loader, as is typical here.
My DD told me that she had bought a similar washer and that I should not close the door after use as mildew could build up causing an unpleasant odor.
My previous washer (also a front-loader) had a bit of an unpleasant odor.
I decided to always leave the door open slightly.
A few weeks ago I noticed a certain, uh, scent coming from the washer.
It was fine right after being used, but a few hours later there was a definite odor.
Mon mari ignored it.
It started getting more pronounced.
Yesterday we had a discussion about it…. again.
He decided perhaps the filter needed cleaning (?).
It did.
There was a dead mouse in it.
Or should I say there were the decimated remains of a dead mouse in it. There wasn’t much left (I was told).
That’s why I think my nose is no longer working as well as it should.
How could I not recognize the smell of decomposing mouse?
I always smell them – within seconds of them dying! (Just ask mon mari.)
I should know the scent…. I’ve been exposed to it often enough.
We’ve had them die in the walls, the ceiling, the furnace, behind the shower….
I really should have figured it out a few weeks ago.
He probably got in there because I was leaving the door open.
Sigh…..
I don’t know how the mouse got in the washer but I don’t think it could go from inside to the drain. I have a front load washer also and mine get smelly also. I run it through a cycle with a little bit just a little with a tiny bit of detergent and it seems to clean it up for awhile. That is the only thing I don’t like about the washer.
Good luck
Lovely salad Katie. Everyone I know with a front loader complains of the same thing. We just bought a new washer 6 months ago – our previous top loader was only 4.5 years old. It did a terrible job as it had a sensor to determine water levels which was never enough. It also had a “pumping” action to wash the clothes – they were never clean, and never rinsed properly. This time I bought a brand new “old school” top load washing machine with an agitator and a dial so I can control the water level – it is perfect! Sometimes, new technology is just not worth it!
ooohhh ghastly !!
I put in a cup of white vinegar in the cycle every now and again and it seems to keep everything gunk and smell free – but then I have never had a dead mouse in there!
Evelyn, mice can get into anything….. Sometimes they can’t get back out, though…..
Ina, we’ve always had a front loader here. We had the first one for 12 years and it did start to smell after awhile, but not right away. I was just being extra careful. The kind you have, top loader with an agitator doesn’t exist here.
Kate, I’m so sick of mice…..
Syrahsuzie – good idea…. I put vinegar in the kettle and the coffee maker – why not the washer!?