Friday, September 15, 2017

Expectorant Expectant: Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.


Use Your Words, a multiblogger writing challenge | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I'm using: calendar ~ expectant ~ interjection ~ prevention ~ unearthly
They were submitted by Rena of The Blogging 911.

                          
The calendar tells me that Fall is on the way. How I dread cold and flu season. If only there were an injection that assured prevention from the unearthly suffering from these common fall and winter afflictions. Sadly, it seems, an expectorant is in our near future. And isn't that a pretty picture?

Wait, my word is interjection not injection? And expectant not expectorant? Oh. OK. Sorry. Never mind.

But as long as I'm complaining, may as well get a few issues off of my chest. 

1) The calendar does in fact say that fall is coming fast. In one week actually. Fall is a favorite season of so many people I love, my mom and College Boy are two of them, but I'm a summer lover and I hate that summer seems to be gone in a minute. Strict schedules, no flip flops, less daylight, slippery roads, turning on the heat, colds and flu . . . stop me when I get to something worth looking forward to . . .


Chipotle Ranch Corn Chip Chicken, chicken breasts marinated in chipotle ranch dressing, coated in corn chips and baked until crispy. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner #chicken
Chipotle Ranch Corn Chip Chicken
Chipotle Ranch Corn Chip Chicken, chicken breasts marinated in chipotle ranch dressing, coated in corn chips and baked until crispy. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dinner #chicken


OK, cold weather meals are really satisfying, I'll give you that.

The whole cold and flu season leads me to my next issue:
2) Prevention. This is an ongoing pet peeve of mine and it speaks to the whole "it's all about me" culture. Our ability to prevent illness, our right to protect ourselves is greatly undermined. This was a huge issue for me when College Boy was in elementary school. Parents based their decision to send their kids to school on their own schedules, not the health of their children or the best interest of their children's classmates. I can't tell you how many times kids came to class coughing, sneezing, even with a fever. And every time it was my kid who suffered, ended up on a nebulizer for a week.

It never ceases to amaze me how many school aged kids are in the grocery store coughing and sneezing at all the other patrons. You know the parents kept them home from school, at least one step in the right direction, but then took them to the grocery store to spread their germs on the parents. Great.

3) Expectant isn't just about babies any more. Seems everyone these days is living their lives in a constant state of expectation. If we are all takers, who's going to be left to give? Work ethic is a thing, everyone. Making goals, striving towards them, reaping what you sew, any of that sound familiar? Expectation can be a dangerous. So can needing an expectorant, but that may be another story for another day.

4) Interjection can be as painful as an injection. Conversation is a thing of the past. No one really seems to have the time to listen to each other any more. You know, exchange ideas? Other than in 140 character blasts. People more and more seem to be talking at each other not with each other. Interjection is the death of conversation, it shows you're not listening. Wait, hear the other person out, react to them, then make your point. 

5) What is this unearthly attitude of companies to whom we pay our money that they have no obligation to provide customer service? We all know if we need something from a company we'll spend hours in the automated voice service loop and if we ever do get anyone on the line there's a good chance they will be more indignant than accommodating. Yes, cable company, I'm looking at you. I'm about done with you.

End of rant? Not hardly. I'm sure I'll have more by the end of the day. Lucky for you, you won't have to hear about it. Anyone who sits down at my dinner table on the other hand . . .


Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:


Chipotle Ranch Corn Chip Chicken        
                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com


Ingredients:
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup Chipotle Ranch salad dressing
3/4 cup crushed Chili Cheese flavored Fritos
3/4 cup crushed Spicy Nacho flavored Doritos
3/4 cup crushed Tostitos
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:
*Trim the chicken and cut each breast half into 3 pieces of similar thickness. Place into a sealable plastic bag.
*Add the salad dressing to the bag, make sure all of the chicken pieces are completely coated and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to a day.
*Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan.
*Place the crushed Fritos, Doritos and Tostitos onto a large plate. One  at a time, remove the chicken pieces from the bag and press all sides into the chip mixture until well coated. Place into the prepared pan.
*Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken. Place in the oven and cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

16 comments:

  1. I hear you, many people and companies are greedy, self-centered bitches. There are a few good ones left, though :-)
    There is such a thing as chipotle ranch dressing, now *that* sounds delicious!
    Happy Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I have an unbelievable story about a few companies I had to deal with this week. Thinking about putting the whole story together as a post.

      Delete
  2. I cut the ties to cable last month and have not been happier! I have an Amazon fire stick and can watch what I want when I want, but do you know what? I'm barely turning on the tv any more! win-win!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's because you're spending all of your time at baseball games. What an amazing season your team is having!
      Now lets see how you feel when winter comes . . .

      Delete
    2. They ARE having an amazing run. Fingers crossed for October. I was lucky to get to go twice this week, but now the person who owns the season tickets says she is using them for the rest of the year ... and who can blame her. The ball games are what I miss the most about not having broadcast TV. I have a feeling I will be spending lots of time at watch parties at Buffalo Wild Wings! :D

      Delete
    3. Well, you know my fingers are already crossed for MY team for October. I grew up wit box seats so I know how much fun that experience is, glad you got to go. And yes, watch parties are so much fun!

      Delete
  3. I am so looking forward to Fall, our weather is perfect. Cool, crisp,sunny, breezy...I love fall. Colds, flu and more allergy season is NOT welcome but I'll be vigilant to avoid it. Hot cocoa, a roaring fire, curling up with my kitty and a book. ahh yes
    Now, this chicken...woman this is right up my alley.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love the Fall weather before it gets really cold, but I'm a summer girl at heart!

      Delete
  4. I'll be there to listen! Especially if you're serving that chicken!
    P.S. Great job on the words!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Amen to #3. Today's generation expects more and more, until there is little left to give That recipe looks mighty tasty, and I expect I will like it very much :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we seem to be taking "entitled" to a whole new level. Something's gotta give.

      Delete
  6. I love Fall it's my favorite season of them all even though I can't stand pumpkin anything. Living in the South it's like your regular summer there. It's still hot but not cooking your brain hot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I'd like Fall in the south myself. But we're gonna have to agree to disagree on the pumpkin thing.

      Delete
  7. Oh yes to all of it! Dislike the end of summer. I'd be happy with 75 degrees for 9 months of the year, maybe a little nippy on Christmas and then by February warming up again.......And don't get me started on the cable company, sick kids that are sent to school and people who don't listen!

    ReplyDelete

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