"And nothing else compares ..."

Nope. I'm not going to go through the whole "I can't believe it's been so long since I updated, and here's why" routine.


You're welcome.


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First things first:


Rebecca wanted the Steak Rolly Thing recipe, and so I shall share. Actually, I can't remember now whether Adam called them Steak Rolly Things or Beef Rolly Things, so I guess that'll be up to you, Rebecca. The true name is "Grilled Beef Rollups", and the recipe comes from my copy of the Greenville (SC) Junior League cookbook, "Uptown Downsouth". I got this book in 1989, soon after our move to Greenville, and have used many of the yummy recipes in it.


I can't recall exactly when I first made the Rolly Things ... but when I did, Adam let me know pretty quick that he really loved 'em. They are a little time-consuming, but most of the work is done the day before you plan to eat them. And one word of caution: I made them one year at Christmas time (when my house was full of Lees and Starks), so I doubled the recipe. Whoa, Nelly ... plan to have half a day and an extra refrigerator available if you ever do that.


Without further ado ...



Grilled Beef Rollups
serves 6


2 0.6-ounce packages dry Italian dressing (Good Seasons)


Olive oil


Water


Red wine vinegar


3 pounds top round steak


Unseasoned meat tenderizer


2 teaspoons garlic salt


1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


1 pound bacon, partially cooked


4 Tablespoons dried parsley


1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon


Prepare Italian dressing according to directions, using olive oil, water, and red wine vinegar. Pound steak to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Use tenderizer according to directions. Sprinkle meat with garlic salt and pepper. Place partially cooked bacon lengthwise on top of steak. Combine parsley and tarragon, and sprinkle over bacon. Roll up meat, beginning at narrow end. Secure with toothpicks at 1-inch intervals. Cut into 1-inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Marinate in Italian dressing for 24 to 36 hours, turning meat several times. Grill over medium coals until desired doneness. (Don't overcook!)


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I went to Wilmington last weekend to see my girl, and had a really nice time. We ate out, and shopped, and played XBox with Jud ... and spent the entire day on Sunday at their beach house on Topsail Island. (Well, it's not really theirs, but I can call it that if I want to. It belongs to the family of one of Jud's school friends from Ohio, and they just leave it sitting there for Jud and Emilie to enjoy.) The beach was perfection ... not crowded at all, and it was only hot until noon, when the breeze changed and the temperature was ideal. You know I wanted to stay.


But I behaved and came home on Monday. Thbbt. I'm already wondering when I'll be welcomed back.


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I started my class this week ... and information was quickly crammed into my head concerning the anatomy of the eye. We also started learning some of the things that can go horribly wrong with it. I now know that my horrible sty (or external hordeolum) was a thing of little consequence, compared with a detached retina.


On Monday, we will take our first field trip, to Jervey Eye Group, where one of the doctors will talk to us for about an hour. We are supposed to be "in uniform" for that, and I still have to shop for some white shoes. I've already bought my white lab coat and pants.


I've made all 100's on my daily tests so far. But people, the day I make less than 100 on a damn open-book test (that covers material I've read already) will be the day I know my brain has turned to mush. It's not that hard. If I had to do it without the book, then yeah ... hard.


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Look who turned 9-months-old yesterday at Nana's house:



Isn't she something? We celebrated by eating some bananas and peaches with granola, and taking 2 naps, in between lots of crawling and cat-chasing.


The celebration was topped off with a giant goose egg on her forehead, thanks to a fall onto Nana's foyer floor. I could hardly stand to look at her afterwards, it broke my heart! (Just in time for her weekend trip to see the other Grandma who loves her more than life itself, her MawMaw.) Hopefully, it looks better today than it did last night.

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So yeah, I'm off to buy white shoes. Everybody try to enjoy the weekend!