Maxwell 24: Juicing, Chiropracters, and Faux Insurance

[Dru]

You aunt sounds amazing, @PennySycamore. ❤️

[anjulibai]

This book post was about plugging affiliate links. The Maxwells must be hit up for money if they are doing a whole series shilling books written by other people.

[dripcurl]

I am completely dumbfounded (I should be accustomed to this Maxwell crap by now though) that she only described TWO books in the entire post. At least do 3 to make it feel complete! When one makes a post about two items it’s usually in the context of a “best of” or a contest... “Our readers voted ___ the best bedtime story for girls and ____ for boys”. A post like Teri just did is for general recommendation, so it felt very bizarre to just have two items. Not sure why I care so much, it just looked unbearably awkward.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

2 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

Fuck me, what a dull post. Teri makes those book descriptions sound totally unappealing. It’s so sad that they squash imagination out of children. Trained to be little Jesus bots.

No, Mini-Steves. Jesus had imagination, drive and originality. Steve is the one who lacks it.

[socalrules]

Anyone know how much you make from someone buying from an affiliate post? The books themselves aren’t expensive so how much could they really be making? Do they get a check or just amazon credit? Honestly, I can see a few of their followers buying the books but I can’t see them buying the expensive kitchen items resulting in the Maxwells receiving substantial amount of money.

As to the discussion earlier about not being allowed to have friends, I think Joe, and maybe Jesse, no longer follow this rule. Joe and Jesse seemed to be having fun In the photos with their colleagues at that Magento thing in Las Vegas. They looked really happy. The more time they spend with other Magento people the greater chance they are likely to develop relationships with people raised differently than in fundy land. I cannot see Steve approving of their being on The Strip or even hanging out with people they may have just met in Las Vegas.  If they took photos together they obviously enjoyed their company. The fact that Joe and Elissa are so rarely mentioned on the blog leads me to believe they aren’t living a truly Steve Maxwell prescribed life. They may have the same hateful beliefs but not necessarily the Maxwell lifestyle. 

[nastyhobbitses]

4 hours ago, SPHASH said:

Why in the hell would Smug Joe give Griselda Teri a kids book for mother's day?  Oh that's right can't give her anything that SHE can enjoy has to be a practical gift.  No perfume, nic-nacks, day at the spa etc.

It would have been nicer if Joe gave Teri a book for her, or perhaps a book she enjoyed reading as a child so that she could share it with the grandkids -- then it would still be practical, but would feel more personal to Teri instead of tailored to her set role as Grandma. 

[catlady]

On 9/18/2018 at 9:36 PM, Black Aliss said:

Let us know how it turns out. The term "small zucchini" is so imprecise (says the woman who seeks out recipes that specify amounts in ounces or grams!). My favorite zucchini user-upper uses 1# of pasta to 2# zucchini or yellow squash and a half-pound of ricotta (plus loads of basil and garlic) and I automatically double or triple the amount of carrots called for in most recipes.

Still shaking my head at someone encountering their first zucchini in 2009.

Ok, I’m making the zucchini pie, but I kind of messed up.  While I was browning the beef, Mr CL said he was taking Cousin to the movies in an hour and a half.  Oops.  So I rushed the rest of the prep.  I had put Italian seasoning in the beef, and I ended up using half a pound, layered at the bottom.  I saved the other half pound for tomorrow’s spaghetti*.  

I cut up two smallish zucchinis, two large carrots, three celery stalks, and half an onion.  I had the half onion and didn’t feel like cutting up another one.  Not sure how much tomato sauce I used.  I combined the vegetables and added enough sauce to coat them without being dribbly.  I put the veggies over the beef and drizzled a little more sauce.  Then I covered it with the pie crust and had a nice well-proportioned dome over the edge of the dish.  Here is where I fucked up:  in my haste to get it in the oven so the guys can get to the movie on time, I forgot the cheese and the rest of the seasoning.  

It’s baking now, so we will have the cheese over the top.  I’ll let you know later how it turns out.  

*since we’re low carb, I found some edamame angel hair spaghetti that has only 20 carbs per serving instead of the usual 41.

[sleepy_doggos]

Ok, I’m making the zucchini pie, but I kind of messed up.  While I was browning the beef, Mr CL said he was taking Cousin to the movies in an hour and a half.  Oops.  So I rushed the rest of the prep.  I had put Italian seasoning in the beef, and I ended up using half a pound, layered at the bottom.  I saved the other half pound for tomorrow’s spaghetti*.  
I cut up two smallish zucchinis, two large carrots, three celery stalks, and half an onion.  I had the half onion and didn’t feel like cutting up another one.  Not sure how much tomato sauce I used.  I combined the vegetables and added enough sauce to coat them without being dribbly.  I put the veggies over the beef and drizzled a little more sauce.  Then I covered it with the pie crust and had a nice well-proportioned dome over the edge of the dish.  Here is where I fucked up:  in my haste to get it in the oven so the guys can get to the movie on time, I forgot the cheese and the rest of the seasoning.  
It’s baking now, so we will have the cheese over the top.  I’ll let you know later how it turns out.  
*since we’re low carb, I found some edamame angel hair spaghetti that has only 20 carbs per serving instead of the usual 41.

Sounds yummy!

[anjulibai]

2 hours ago, socalrules said:

Anyone know how much you make from someone buying from an affiliate post? The books themselves aren’t expensive so how much could they really be making? Do they get a check or just amazon credit? Honestly, I can see a few of their followers buying the books but I can’t see them buying the expensive kitchen items resulting in the Maxwells receiving substantial amount of money.

As to the discussion earlier about not being allowed to have friends, I think Joe, and maybe Jesse, no longer follow this rule. Joe and Jesse seemed to be having fun In the photos with their colleagues at that Magento thing in Las Vegas. They looked really happy. The more time they spend with other Magento people the greater chance they are likely to develop relationships with people raised differently than in fundy land. I cannot see Steve approving of their being on The Strip or even hanging out with people they may have just met in Las Vegas.  If they took photos together they obviously enjoyed their company. The fact that Joe and Elissa are so rarely mentioned on the blog leads me to believe they aren’t living a truly Steve Maxwell prescribed life. They may have the same hateful beliefs but not necessarily the Maxwell lifestyle. 

Which is funny because Joe was always Steve's favorite. Wonder how much of Joe's smugness was an act to survive Maxhell.

[catlady]

Ok, I thoroughly butchered the zucchini pie recipe, but interestingly, we all liked it anyway.  We will definitely try it again.  

I reread the actual recipe, and here is what I did “wrong”:  I did not pre-cook the vegetables with the meat before constructing the pie.  But apparently I should have done this and then baked the pie for 50 minutes.  This sounds like the vegetables would end up mushy, which I don’t like.  I baked it for only about 35 minutes.  The zucchini chunks were still a little firm, but they were fine.  I won’t precook the vegetables next time, but I will bake it for the full 50 minutes.

I didn’t add the flour or the Parmesan to the tomato sauce.  This might have held the filling together a bit better; we had “pile,” which is what we call any pie that doesn’t hold its shape when sliced.  I will try thickening the tomato sauce next time.

The only item I put in the food processor was the carrots.  I rough-chopped the zucchini, celery, and onion; but we were ok with the chunkier texture.  I ended up with about 6 cups of vegetables, which i’d guess was nearly double what the Maxwells used.  We each had 1/4 of the pie with no sides and didn’t really need anything else.  

I’m going to try again over the weekend.  It’s a little labor intensive for a weeknight, but I had the day off today.  I’m also going to do smaller sizes and freeze them.  

So overall:  good recipe, and has lots of room for adjusting to personal preference.  

[HerNameIsBuffy]

how do you all think the pie would taste with mushrooms in lieu of the beef?  Or any ideas for another additive to to make it vegetarian (without using faux meat)?

[Jigsaw3]

Folks, you've missed the most egregious problem in that post: Teri MISSPELLED THE NAME OF THE BOOK. For real. She spelt "The Gardener" as "The Gardner".

Teri homeschooled for thirty-something years, and she can't even get the title of a picturebook right. That's appalling.

I'm posting this at 10:30pm EST. Any bets on how long before Steve corrects the typo? Screenshot here for posterity.

 

 

[MamaJunebug]

5 hours ago, nastyhobbitses said:

It would have been nicer if Joe gave Teri a book for her, or perhaps a book she enjoyed reading as a child so that she could share it with the grandkids -- then it would still be practical, but would feel more personal to Teri instead of tailored to her set role as Grandma. 

He probably gave PSarah an appropriate Mother’s Day gift. ?

9 hours ago, Dru said:

Maybe Elissa didn't want Teri reading absolute shit to her kids. Then again, Teri likes the book so it is probably shit as well. I'm not familiar with it.

I started listening to the book being read via YouTube. The gardener book. Interesting enough, a series of letters by a young girl sent to the city during the depths of the great depression. No religion so far, but far better written than aught PSarah’s churned out. Maybe Teri doesn’t let her own children read such non-biblical stuff. You know how parents can be. *mystified shrug*

[PennySycamore]

@Dru, my aunt is amazing!  I hope to live to be her age and not only because I want to live to see the US become minority majority.

[Dominionatrix]

13 hours ago, IReallyAmHopewell said:

I'm amazed they read SECULAR storybooks!

Agreed. Who knows where that train's going after it dies! 

[Melissa1977]

3 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

how do you all think the pie would taste with mushrooms in lieu of the beef?  Or any ideas for another additive to to make it vegetarian (without using faux meat)?

While I'm not vegan, I use mushrooms instead of meat in some recipes. It really works, but sometimes it's better to cook (totally or just a bit) the mushrooms alone, to make sure they lose their water. Similar procedure as when you brown the meat before cooking the whole dish.

[samurai_sarah]

4 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

While I'm not vegan, I use mushrooms instead of meat in some recipes. It really works, but sometimes it's better to cook (totally or just a bit) the mushrooms alone, to make sure they lose their water. Similar procedure as when you brown the meat before cooking the whole dish.

Great, now they know our secret! ?

[danvillebelle]

FYI for anyone not that familiar with OCC:

https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/7-reasons-not-to-participate-in-operation-christmas-child-this-year-hesaid/

 

[catlady]

9 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

how do you all think the pie would taste with mushrooms in lieu of the beef?  Or any ideas for another additive to to make it vegetarian (without using faux meat)?

Well, i’m not fond of mushrooms (not since childhood; I do try them every few years, but they’re still one of the few things I dislike), so I defer to @Melissa1977 above.  I’d also be open to just eliminating the beef altogether.  We frequently have meatless meals, and this is one that would work just fine without it.

[MamaJunebug]

7 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

While I'm not vegan, I use mushrooms instead of meat in some recipes. It really works, but sometimes it's better to cook (totally or just a bit) the mushrooms alone, to make sure they lose their water. Similar procedure as when you brown the meat before cooking the whole dish.

I appreciate that tip! Love mushrooms. *need* meat, but trying to eat a little less of it. 

[MamaJunebug]

2 hours ago, danvillebelle said:

FYI for anyone not that familiar with OCC:

https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/7-reasons-not-to-participate-in-operation-christmas-child-this-year-hesaid/

 

I am a Dollar Store devotee, but there is precious little there to send to impoverished kids. Actually, it’s about the same amount as for first-world kids — after the truly useful art and school-ish supplies, so much of it is JUNK. This is in the toy aisle, mind you. Elsewhere, the value & quality is just fine. 

The part about the differently gendered kids in the article above was almost unnecessary if that illustration is from OCC, and I presume it is: look! 3 Poor girls love dollies! The 1 Poor boy loves .... a box!

SM*aching*H

[HerNameIsBuffy]

8 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

While I'm not vegan, I use mushrooms instead of meat in some recipes. It really works, but sometimes it's better to cook (totally or just a bit) the mushrooms alone, to make sure they lose their water. Similar procedure as when you brown the meat before cooking the whole dish.

Thanks - that's what I do, too, when using them in lieu of meat.  I may run it past the fan and see if they'd like to try it.

[nausicaa]

On 9/20/2018 at 9:59 AM, danvillebelle said:

Jumping off one of the above posts, it still just astounds me (but it shouldn't) how utterly insular they are.

Take the sewing.  They could be doing SO MUCH GOOD with that skill.  Make quilts for Project Linus, for shut-ins, for their beloved elderly.  Make things for charity bazaars or raffles.  Hell, make stuff to sell at the fair and give the money to a good cause.

I know I rant about this all the time and all the FJ old-timers are sick of it, but it seriously kills me that there are six able-bodied, healthy adults in that house who claim to love Jesus and want to follow him so much they can't even live in their own condo or wear contrasting buttons, and yet they do practically nothing to go out and help the needy in their community. 

They should be donating blood, washing sleeping mats at homeless shelters, doing office work at food banks, and cooking at soup kitchens. And with their carpentry skills, they'd be amazing volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. I don't even think they participate in a neighborhood clean up day. 

I always wonder if one of the kids, reading the Gospels for the nth time, asks Steve why they don't go out and meet more people to serve them and do more for those around them.  Many of the apostles were younger than Anna when they grabbed their sandals and hit the road. You'd be hard-pressed to describe Jesus and his ilk as "insular."

[SPHASH]

2 hours ago, MamaJunebug said:

I am a Dollar Store devotee, but there is precious little there to send to impoverished kids. Actually, it’s about the same amount as for first-world kids — after the truly useful art and school-ish supplies, so much of it is JUNK. This is in the toy aisle, mind you. Elsewhere, the value & quality is just fine. 

The part about the differently gendered kids in the article above was almost unnecessary if that illustration is from OCC, and I presume it is: look! 3 Poor girls love dollies! The 1 Poor boy loves .... a box!

SM*aching*H

Remember when Goofy Anna and Scary put tools in a boys box cuz they wanted him to learn a life skill.  SMDH.

[NeckPunch]

Meh, I don't find fault in Teri's book bag. If she struggles with mental health and it can be exasperated by young children (this is speculation on my part based on her stories of depression when her kids were small), this is a nice way to spend quality time with the grandchildren and create memories, without feeling overwhelmed. Yes it's structured and controlled, but if that's what she can take then I think it is smart of her to recognize that. It is not her job to get on the floor and play like the "aunties" do, especially if she doesn't feel inclined to play that way anyway (and with her bad back/neck she couldn't anyway). She's just not a youthful/playful grandma. And I even think Joe and Elissa's story book gift is thoughtful. They value what she does with the grandchildren. 

There. I am done defending Teri. Mostly she sucks, just not at this.