Techno Granny Cooks?

• Quick SUPPOSEDLY HEALTHY recipes:
  
  Everyone asks me how I have time to do all I do and still run four pod casts and a blog.
  
  So I decided to let you know all that I do:
  
  Run an 11 room, 100 plus year old house with, as my grandson says, “at least ten things wrong with it that will take me two years to fix.”
  Raise a 13 year old grandson without a spouse.
  Serve on various boards and committees.
  Serve as 2007-2008 President of NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh (National Association of Women Business Owners)
  Speak publicly at least twice a month.
  Host four talk casts.
  Post on one social network and one blog, at least for now.
  Run Dreamweaver Marketing Associates as Creative Energy Officer
  Cook at least three times a week so that I don’t have to guiltily listen to two adult sons say, “Did mom, cook?”
  
  So I decided to do one thing that grandmothers are supposed to do—give out recipes.
  
  This is especially since a recent episode made me realize that I should be observing the fifth commandment subset which is “Thou Shalt Not Kill Thyself with Unhealthy Crap!”
  
  I make no claims for these recipes and they are NOT tested by the American Heart Association so if you are on a special doctor prescribed diet, please do not tell your doctor, “But Techno Granny said it was healthy.” I do NOT know; this is just what I think and what I am trying.
  
  
  Okay, this is what I made this AM, Vegetarian Fried Rice (that means no chicken stock that I know of, and a few additives in the interest of time, Remember I said that I am TRYING to eat healthy.)
  This is a quick fix recipe and took me twenty minutes from assembly of ingredients to tasting it. (Sorry I am Italian, I have to have a sauce dish full, about two ounces, as soon as it is done to make sure it is edible to everyone else.)
  
  3 cups of Thai Rice (buy this please any brand at some wholesale food store)
  5 cups of water
  Bring water and rice to a boil
  Simmer for ten minutes or until water is almost cooked up.
  
  In the meantime, thaw out some frozen pea pods. (I like the big bags of Schwann’s, I can use some and store some and besides the Schwann’s man has three kids to take care of.)
  
  Also cut up some roasted red peppers from a jar, be generous, we are making enough for a couple of days even with Hungry Men in residence.
  Okay, 1 cup and this time I used Salonika purchased at Penn Mac in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, a great place to get inexpensive ethnic delicacies, especially Mediterranean ones. Also a great place at 6:30 AM on Saturday mornings to make contact with the rest of the crazy people who don’t know how to sleep in.
  
  1 cup cut up roasted red peppers (If your name is Martha, you can roast them in the oven and put them in a brown bag and peel them after they cool—preferably but no longer on Techno Granny’s agenda)
  
  1 jar or 1 can of asparagus, cut bite size, put this in last as it is delicate and you don’t want it to disintegrate (okay, Martha, fresh steamed would have better consistency but so what!)
  
  1 ½ cut frozen corn (again Schwann’s, the guy is a peddler and so am I—use whatever you have handy if you miss the Schwann’s man)
  
  By now you should have run cold water on some Sugar snap peas (you can get great deals on these at any of the oriental stores in the Strip in Pittsburgh or the market area in your City) I use about 2 cups because it will help me from buying a Dove candy bar later.
  
  I package of Sun Bird Fried Rice Seasoning mix or whatever kind you like or can find on sale, (this is where the additives and maybe unhealthy stuff comes in but it is also where the quick comes in, your choice to find a cook book for the spices but then I am not guaranteeing the taste)
  
  Now you are supposed to scramble an egg or two into this mixture but I did not do that as I was going for vegetarian and my guys don’t miss it.
  
  
  Okay so all of this stuff gets mixed into a waterless greaseless pot, that seals in moisture. You will spend a hundred dollars or more on one like this, mine looks like a wok and has a glass lid and a death sentence if any of my guys use metal utensils in it and they know it.
  
  So you mix everything together and add, chili powder, garlic pepper, soy sauce and green chilies (I keep a small can of chopped ones that I drain and put the rest in a jar for the next dish that needs spiced up)
  
  I have not taken the time to measure these out for you—be creative. I just sprinkle a little of all over the top, taste it and if it needs more add it. You may have to do this a couple of times sot I will say:
  
  Chili powder, garlic pepper, soy sauce and green chilies to taste.
  Caution: do not overdo it at first, you can always add more but if it is too hot you will end up with your air conditioner on in January in Wisconsin or you will have to throw it out.
  
  Okay that’s it, as you noticed this is not necessarily salt free and I am making no dietary or medical claims.
  
  Okay so you want the recipe in real life form, I can do that:
  
  Techno Granny’s Supposedly Healthy Fired Rice
  
  3 cups of Thai Rice (buy this please any brand at some wholesale food store)
  5 cups of water
  Cook rice according to directions
  
  While rice is cooking:
  Thaw under cold water about two cups of sugar snap peas
  Chop 1 cup of roasted red peppers from jar
  Drain 1 15 oz can asparagus and chop to bite size if needed (add last)
  1 ½ cups frozen corn, run under cold water
  1 package Sun Bird Fried rice seasoning mix or other brand
  All these to taste:
  Soy sauce
  Chopped green chilies
  Chili powder
  Garlic pepper
  
  Instructions, read the blog again
  Special note: easy on the hot spices and soy sauce, taste frequently, teaspoon full only please
  
  For you non-Italians, try all in teaspoons full until you get it right. This recipe is NOT for beginner.
• (c) Joanne Quinn-Smith 2007

The Techno Granny Story

No, techno granny is not a bunch of "middle aged" women from Bulgaria dancing to Techno music as seen on My Space. Techno Granny is the host of a show designed to hi-light 21st Century Technology in the hopes that more people will use it. Tecno Granny's slogan is, "If I can do it, you can do it." This blog is a bonified sign that I can do it.

Understand that less than five years ago, the best I could do is turn on the computer, search a few web sites and check my e-mail. I was a total computer illiterate. Now I just consider that my computer literacy is sub-standard because as I interview people on my show, I learn right along with my listeners.

I am here to give the non-technical generation hope. When my kids were growing up, it was "modern math" that we did not understand and now it is every other button that we are afraid to push for fear that we may open up pandora's box.

If you are a business owner, then you need to know about Free Conference Calling, Constant Contact, Search Engine Optimization, Blue Tooth Technlogy, Palm Pilots, E-Mail Etiquette.
If you are a parent or business owner you need to know about the dangers of My Space and Face Book and Blogspot but also the benefits. There will always be shady individuals out there who will distort something beneficial to their own perverted purposes, however we are not talking about them.

Protect yourself by all means but if you are not using some of this technology you will be marginalized out of the business arena or at the least will not be able to communicate with your kids or keep up with them.

Here's a funny technology story for you:
The Cell Phone

A young man wanted buy his mother something nice for her birthday. Mom is just a little older than me. So he decides to buy her a cell phone. He explains to her all the features on the phone. She is all excited; she loves her phone. The next day his mom is out shopping. Her phone rings and it's her son, "Hi mom," he says, "how do you like your new phone?" "I just love it, it's so small and your voice is clear as a bell but there's one thing I don't understand. How did you know I was at the supermarket?"
That was me probably ten years ago and I still feel it’s a good day when technology works.

That should not only make you laugh but give you hope that you can learn about technology too.

More on how Techno Granny got started next blog.
(c) Joanne Quinn-Smith 2007

Techno Granny Show

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