Suzanne's Blog Challenge

I'm playing catch-up here. The first challenge I'm writing about was Blog Challenge #5: Post an entry about a positive customer service experience you've had. Who was it with? Did you praise them on the spot? Did you go home and write a letter to the company management?

My best ever customer service experience was with AT&T, believe it or not. DS#1 has had more trouble with his cell phone and I even went last year and bought another one at our band's silent auction (a $250 phone for $50, what a deal!). So when this phone cratered on him and our contract was finally up for renewal, he, DS#2 and I went to the store to get new phones. The person who helped us was extremely friendly and helpful and he kept giving us all kinds of discounts. We ended up getting four phones that retail for $250 each for a total of $80. I was so impressed with his service while he systematically activated four phones, printed out rebate forms and receipts that I thanked him and then asked for his manager. I spoke directly to the manager about the wonderful service her employee had provided and that I wanted her to know personally right then. I've never gone out of my way to praise someone, but this guy restored my faith in service-oriented people, that they really do still exist.

The second challenge is from Blog Challenge #6: Share a recipe that you're "famous" for and a photo if you can. Write about how it became yours and any other story about the recipe that you'd like to share.

I'm not famous for any kind of recipe, but one of my favorites that I've had to double up in the last few years because it's such a hit is "Hamburger Corn Casserole." I got the recipe online somewhere many years ago and haven't been able to find it again, so I've been making it from memory for the last couple of years.

Hamburger Corn Casserole

3 TBSP flour
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (suit to taste)
1 cup instant rice
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 small onioned, chopped, sauteed with beef (optional)
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz. pkg frozen corn
3 TBSP butter or margarine

Mix flour, chili powder, salt and pepper. Set aside. Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray and layer the instant rice in the bottom. Sprinkle one-third of the flour and spice mixture over rice, dot with 1 TBSP butter. Layer ground beef over rice and sprinkle with one-third of the flour and spice mixture. Layer canned tomatoes over beef and sprinkle with remaining flour and spice mixture and dot with 1 TBSP butter. Layer frozen corn over top and dot with remaining butter. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Serves 4-6 regular people or two of my guys.

I don't have a picture of it because I haven't made it recently, but it is on the rotation for next week!

The next is Blog Challenge #7: What store best represents what type of person you are right now? Are you a Macy's or Wal-Mart type of person? Do you wish you were a different store? Take any direction you'd like; either where you shop in real life or comparing your personality to a particular store. Have fun with it!

The store that best represents me right now would have to be Wal-Mart. I don't like Wal-Mart because of their business practices, but they have everything I need. There's a little bit of everything there, much like my life right now. I wish I were more like Target in that it's always neat and clean and uncluttered, unlike Wal-Mart, which can be pretty disgusting at times. IRL, I only go to Wal-Mart for emergencies and shop at a local grocery chain and Target for everything else. Primarily though, either store represents how cheap I am. I don't like to pay much for anything!