Pages

Monday, January 23, 2017

OCTOPUS ON THE ROCKS- A DELICACY I SERVE ALL THE TIME---Told in Nana Diana STORY FORM

This, my friends, is
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
What we are going to talk about today is 
The Feeding Frenzy For Little Ones
otherwise known in some circles 
(those without children) 
as Lunchtime.


Join me at the table as we get set up. 
Places please! 
Are your hands washed? 
Three little girlie
heads nod up and down. 
Okay- Sit! 
No SweetCheeks! 
That is NOT your chair. 
Your chair is the one 
with the plastic wrap over the seat- 
Good, good...
Player number three has assumed the position
 I think that's what it's called-
I don't watch a lot of football-okay-
I go to the football PARTIES-
I pretend that I am watching football...
but basically, 
I am making jokes 
at everyone else's expense- 
 So, Player #3 has taken her place. 
Ria wants to sit on the bench 
with the pillows.
That is her favorite spot. 
pinterest
However, there is a small glitch in this plan. 

SweetCheeks is sitting NEXT to the bench. 
That means that she can, 
at any given moment, 
touch the food on Ria's plate~ 
That makes Ria scowl and howl. 
This will NOT work.
 Shift SweetCheeks. 
She does NOT want to move
 because she can't SEE. 
See? See what? 
It's got nothing to do with 
the view out the window-
it has everything to do with 
"seeing" Ria's plate. 
Too bad, so sad-
You're moving because....
the bench is built in and can't be moved. 
Okay-two down...One to go...
Lulu can sit anywhere because 
she will mind her p's and q's. 
Well, most of the time-
we might discuss this later.
Lulu sits in a chair.


Now, we throw 
ANOTHER player into the queue. 
It is MyHero! 
He has heard the word FOOD- Lunch? 
Where is HE supposed to sit? 
Lulu is in his "regular" place-
whatever that means...
since when did God stamp 
YOUR NAME on THAT chair
I ask ever so nicely(not)....
MyHero takes the only seat left.
It is next to SweetCheeks. 

YAYY-She says...Papa is sitten wif me. 

"I don't want to sit by her", he whines-
"She touches me with her greasy hands." 

"Dey NOT greeeezy,Papa! she exclaims-
 rubbing her hands on his shirt to show him. 

Players #1 & #2 are giggling
as MyHero inspects his shirt sleeve.
Sadly, he cannot find any grease.

What are we having you ask?
Here it comes, folks! 
My super-secret special meal 
that EVERY kid will devour 
with joy in their hearts. 
What is it you want to know.....Ready? 
OCTOPUS ON THE ROCKS! 



Stop gagging...
you will love this, I promise. 
Here is how you fix it. 
Take one hot dog. 
Split it in half leaving about 1-1/2" unslit.
 Cut the slitted sides into "legs"
Yes...yes...now you are getting the idea. 
Cut each side about 3 times. 
This will give you a 6 legged octopus 
(which no one will comment on
 until they get to Kindergarten 
and know it has 8 tentacles). 
Stand him (or her) upright on a paper plate.
Spread the legs out and put in the microwave.
 Zap it for 1 minute. 
The legs will curl up a bit-perfect. 
Put two dots of ketchup on for eyes 
and 1 big one for a mouth. 
Great~ Good Job! 
Now, the rocks 
(which you have made beforehand and have waiting on the stove) 
That happens to be macaroni & cheese. 
The trick is it MUST BE the shell kind 
Octopuses /Octopi?-
 DO NOT LIKE
to sit on any old macaroni.
You need SHELL shaped macaroni. 
I like the Velveeta brand cuz it's easy. 

(yeah...yeah...I know...y'all make yours from scratch-it sucks to be you). 

So, make a nice little mound of shells 
on the plate. 
Plop Mr.Octopus in the center...
Make a  big smile-y mouth 
the first time 
you serve this
so you don't
 scare the Bejesus out of the kid. 
Then, ah yes...
what is the vegetable 
to go with this delectable dish 
you want to know? 

It is SEAWEED. 
That's right! SEAWEED-
also known as Spinach. 

Your kid doesn't eat spinach? 
You will be surprised and amazed. 
You will be overcome with joy-
you will almost faint-
You will send me letters 
of praise and blessings~
Yes! They do eat spinach
 IF they think it is seaweed!
 (barring that-try green beans 
but it doesn't look nearly as cute 
as you can  plainly see).

So, there you have it folks. 
A gourmet feast for any child. 
And, if you are very good, and don't whine, 
one day soon I will tell you how to make 
Nana's Bananas.

This is longer than my regular posts
and a story from when 
SweetCheeks was little.
I might throw one of these in
now and then---
just for fun.

53 comments:

  1. That is so much fun!! At the moment, I also now have the Beatles going through my head, "I'd like to be, Under the sea, In an octopus's garden..." -Jenn

    ReplyDelete
  2. How cute is the octopus! Sometimes creative presentations make all the difference!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Diana, I loved the story and laughed about it too. Oh those good old days when kids love mac/cheese and hot dogs. I made this once for Emma and she only ate the mac n cheese. Did Hero clean his plate? I miss your little girls' pictures. Blessings to all, xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is hysterical! I can so relate to the chair "game". By girls still kick each other out of "their" seat when they return home. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  5. Giggles ~ giggles ~ you made me laugh this morning! I love fried wieners and macaroni and cheese, I will have to try this for our Lil Willy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. listen, sometimes only velveeta will do. It doesn't taste like homemade but homemade doesn't taste like it either. My parents, both horrendous cooks, leaned heavily on velveeta. Yes, I became obsessive about learning to cook at age ten.
    The octopus is adorable. I wonder if he would look even more authentic with a bratwurst. The little pockets of fat would look like the suction cups (I'm sure those have a real name, forgive me David Attenborough).

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are too funny. Thanks for the laughs. I still don't think my Grand kids would eat spinach. But I may have to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are so funny! I have had real octopus and I hated it. This one looks much better. Your hubs seems to have a lot of patience with the kiddies - love it. sandie

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love this. You are so down to earth. My grandson is coming down to visit this weekend. Two of his favorite things to eat and a vegetable throwed in also Genius! This is what we are having. Thank you for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love your stories....I could listen to them all day...and again and again! We have the same "commotion" at meal time....who doesn't want to or can't sit by who...and who calls "dibs" on the seat that someone else wanted! hugs...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Diana, can I please have a seat at your table? You are the fun Nana, I know. This is so cute! My younger grands are now 12 and 13 but I may still make this for them. Have a fun day--I know you will! xo ♥

    ReplyDelete
  12. No matter the length of your blog, keep the grans coming. What treasures and memories. Love it when you share some of Sweet Cheeks capers.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It there any left! I was just thinking...it's lunch time! Doesn't an octopus and some seaweed on the side sound good! hahaha! Enjoy your day! Sorry about the Packers...boo hoo! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my goodness, that is so funny. Sometimes you have to get really creative to get the little ones to eat. This is a great idea and I bet they loved it.

    Have a great weekend Diana. We are getting lots and lots of rain.

    Hugs,
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a fun way to serve up a child's lunch . . . you are so clever and so much fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. So cute and fun for the children. Fun to read also.
    Thanks Diana for making me smile!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yes in a form they like, they will eat almost anything. For years I bought POPEYE spinach because Julie asked for it, she hated it but she would eat it because POPEYE did, and he was big and strong.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I will have to try this for my sweetheart, Colleen. She loves hot dogs and mac and cheese so this should be a hit:)

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is so cute and funny, Diana! My grandkids would love it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Children are so funny with all their "aversions" when it comes to food!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a fun lunch story! Hmm...might have to make thus fun version for my boys. Lunch time around here can get a bit boring as they want soup or a sandwich.
    I hope you are enjoying your day!
    Hugs!!
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  22. OH, I hope to have grandchildren one day and I will make them the hot dog octopuses, with the shells and seaweed. They will think I am a GENIUS but it will be our secret that I stole it all from YOU! HA!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I wish I would've known about this when my kids were little...or when I was teaching the littles. How fun! I think you should write a kids' cookbook. This one recipe would sell the whole thing. Awesome...oh and that chess game of seating? Very familiar. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  24. aren't these cute...am sure all kids would love it...
    we've made all kinds of cute stuff for the little ones over the years.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a great tale! I wonder if my teenagers would like octupus on the rocks? :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi sweetie, I so remember this from another time-in fact, I meant to make it for our grands but forgot-so know I'll save it again. Sending love your way today.
    Noreen

    ReplyDelete
  27. Love that she wiped her hands on his shirt to prove her point.

    ReplyDelete
  28. OMG..Where do you come up with this stuff..Hysterical...I'm still laughing..I almost gagged when I read the title..Great idea..love the presentation..the real one AND the story xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  29. Before I became vegetarian, whenever I cooked hot dogs on the barbecue, I always sliced the ends into quarters so that when they cooked the ends would open like flowers which would then become crispy and crunchy and wonderfully dippable into Dijon mustard – yummy! It seems kids aren't the only ones to enjoy pretend octopi as food. (Not to mention calamari of course...)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Fun!! Getting them all seated was more of an issue than preparing the food, right? :)

    Love the photos at the top!
    xo
    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  31. Now that is creativity at its best!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. haha, that was one fun post! I love the Octopus on the Rocks and hey! My rocks would be Velveeta brand too. :o) Thanks for sharing.
    hugs,
    Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  33. This was a fun post. I love the octopus idea! Now if I can finds some kids..
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  34. Oh my goodness, I have to try this on my grandchildren! Better yet, I am going to send this whole post to my daughter and let her make it for them. Too funny!

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is such a cute idea and what kid does not like hot dogs and mac and cheese. Love this idea. I am going to make this for Abby next time I make her dinner. Have a great evening. I will talk to you soon.
    xoxo
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  36. An octopus hot dog is a great treat for children of all ages. This was such a cute story.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Such a fun lunchtime story! Did your hero enjoy his octopus as much as the girls did?

    ReplyDelete
  38. He's missing two legs/arms/tentacles. Someone call the vet

    ReplyDelete
  39. Just as I was ready to call it a night I came over for a visit, now I can go to bed chuckling. Too cute Diana!
    I must show this to my husband, He loves his hot dogs. Shhh...don't tell any body else that.

    Have a terrific week!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Just as I was ready to call it a night I came over for a visit, now I can go to bed chuckling. Too cute Diana!
    I must show this to my husband, He loves his hot dogs. Shhh...don't tell any body else that.

    Have a terrific week!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Oh my goodness. That is so funny and what a great idea!

    Have a wonderful, fun week ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  42. Love your stories like this! I'm all about the boxed mac and cheese too. I saw some Cracker Barrel brand mac and cheese at Walmart and am kicking myself for not getting it. I can totally relate to the chaos that is meal time with kids. My mom babysat for us for a few days when the boys were little and we were off to Vegas. She kept calling me and saying how she hadn't had a hot meal the entire time she'd been here. She said as soon as she sat down, someone either spilled something or needed a refill, etc. I just laughed and said "Welcome to my world." :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. That's one appetizing octopus and macaroni rocks! I do relate to the seating delema especially those greasy sticky hands! Even tonight, our oldest daughter (age 38) has a nasty cold and no one wanted to sit near her at dinner terrified she would share her germs!!!

    ReplyDelete
  44. You are amazing. What a great grandmother! You have to be patient to type all this dialogue and you are funny too!
    Thanks for your visit. I love you dropping by.

    ReplyDelete
  45. You are the grandmother with the mostest. Very clever.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Well...I have never seen anything like that! That-a-girl with the spinach...very sneaky!

    ReplyDelete
  47. When I first glanced at it, I really thought it was octopus... then I got a good look and said phew... lol. I was lucky both of my girls loved spinach and still do... not sure how I got lucky that way... Your lunch times sound very entertaining Diana xox

    ReplyDelete
  48. TOO CUTE and my grand child will sooooooooooo be eating this one day. Thanks for the smiles, Diana! : - )

    HUGS! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  49. I'm going to HAVE to make this for the quads! They will love it!
    .

    ReplyDelete
  50. I'm laughing...you had me...when I first saw the "octopus" I did gag and then read...stop gagging! LOL On a good day, I may very well repeat myself and there have been some not so good days lately...anyhoo. Those little plastic chairs on metal legs...when I was visiting, Daddy said to Mom, "Gladys, change that porch light bulb; my hands are too big." I slipped outside to do that small chore and 88 year old Dad had "thoughtfully" positioned one of those little chairs for my 82 year old mother to stand upon. I gulped and climbed on that little chair and changed the light bulb then drove to Lowe's and bought them a 3-step ladder. When Mom asked how much I spent, I replied, "Probably not as much as an emergency room visit" and she piped down.
    Sheesh!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Clever dish! Never a dull moment at your house! xoxo

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment~They bless my heart~