Buffets, Hibachi, and Homade Meals

I had a pretty busy schedule this past weekend.  It started on Saturday morning when I met up with LeeAnn for breakfast at the Horshoe Casino Buffet.  It was delish!  I wish my tummy had room for one of everything.  I mean, EVERYTHING I tried was SO super yum!

I had to work after that, but had a couple of hours to kill before work.  Turns out the place I work at has a cot.  I slept for a couple of hours and then went to work bright eyed and bushy tailed.  **No worries,  I used my coat instead of the pillows**

Sunday was Double Date Night with Mitch and Dom, and Rich and I.  We all met up at Hibachi in Fairview Park.  It was quite the show!  I was so enraptured that I forgot to take pictures :(  Both of the boys, Dom and Rich, managed to catch shrimp in their mouth tossed by the chef!  Not only did Rich pay for dinner (<3) but he also generously tipped our chef!  Such a sweetheart!  Afterwards Mitch and Dom had to get home, but Rich and I made Sundaes and watched football.

Monday I was super unproductive until about 7 pm, when I went over Mitch and Dom's to watch Dr. Strangelove.

It was a lot better than I was expecting.  Did you know it has a young (very young) James Earl Jones in it?!!  There was a bit too many planes for my liking, but the story was pretty good.  Here's a picture of the first scene:

While I was there I asked Mitch if I could use the blanket on the couch I was sitting on.  She said yes and then said she had warmer blankets.  I said I was fine, but she kept pushing it.  "Stop" I laughed "you are a blanket pusher!!", then Dom got a look on his face and slowly picked up a blanket and threw it on me.  "BLANKET RAPE" I yelled!  Dom then pointed out "It's not rape if you like it".  Touche sir.  This is me with my 2 blankets:

 Tuesday was a really bad day to be out, so I stayed in and did "indoor chores".  I did laundry and dishes and straightened the condo.  Then it was time to cook.  My cooking project of the day was roasting a chicken.  The package said that there was a neck and giblets included.  I pulled out the giblets  but couldn't find the neck.  I did NOT want to cook a chicken neck along with my chicken, so I called home to see if my parents knew where the errant chicken neck might be.

Mom and dad had me check the neck area, nothing, then check inside the chicken.  I had done this already, but double checked, still no neck although I did find an errant kidney (ewww).  Dad finally said to open the giblet bag and see if it was in there.  EWWW, I did not want to see giblets, but, he finally reminded me I was an adult and giblets wouldn't hurt me (other than offending my sensibilities!)  Turns out Giant Eagle puts their chicken necks in the giblets bag.

Finally it was time for cooking!  I rinsed off the chicken then rubbed it with garlic salt, pepper and a little paprika, then it was ready for the oven:

2 hours and one amazing smelling condo later I had this:

The skin was crispy and the meat was juicy, tender and falling off of the bone (see leg bone).  After it cooled down I pulled all of the meat off of the bones and had a huge container full of meat (it was a 6.55 lb chicken):

What should be my next cooking project?  Maybe a roast?  Oh, I'm trying Atkins, once again, so any cooking projects for the next little bit will have to be meat/low carb veggie related.  Wish me luck!