Today is tax day in the good ol’ U.S.-of-A. The long and short of it? It’s a day when we . . . the hardworking
citizens of this great land . . . get to
figure out what we’ve earned vs. what we owe our bloated government. It’s a lot of rigmarole to go through . . .
but we all have to do it . . . well, the 52% of those of us who actually pay taxes, that is.
Rigmarole . . . a word that seems to be nonsensical but it is, in fact, a sensical word. It is variation of a medieval term
. . . Ragman’s Roll.
For those of you who have some knowledge of Scottish history
. . . or have at the very least watched the movie Braveheart . . . you may have
some familiarity with the term.
In 1291, before John Balliol took the Scots throne, each of
the Scottish nobility and gentry had to recognize Edward I as their sovereign. They signed a series of scrolls that included
the English statutes to which that agreed to abide by. The document was known as the Rageman.
Rageman was further used during Edward’s reign on a document
that appointed official justices.
Rageman Roll eventually became the common term for the court documents .
. . or scrolls . . . on which accusations were officially recorded.
In a mockery of the Ragman's Rolls . . . a game with the
same name was played. It involved a pile
of rolled-up pieces of paper tied with string.
Each scroll, purportedly written by King Ragman, was inscribed with the description
of a character written in verse. Each person would choose a roll and read what
was written inside. The contents were
supposed to reveal the reader's "true nature," aloud to the great
merriment of the group. Ah . . . simpler
times.
Philly Cheese Steak Casserole
1lb Wide Egg Noodles
1-1/2 Lb. Beef, Boneless
Sirloin Steak, About 3/4 Inch Thick
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Medium Onions, Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced or
Finely Chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 (14 Oz.) Can Reduced Beef
Broth
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Half-And-Half
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Cups Cheddar Cheese,
Reduced-Fat Or Regular, Shredded
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook and drain noodles as
directed on package.
Meanwhile, remove any fat
from beef. Cut beef into 3/4 inch
pieces.
Cook beef and pepper in
skillet 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is lightly brown. Stir in onions and bell pepper; cook 2
minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon
into baking dish.
In medium bowl, beat broth
and flour with wire whisk until smooth. Add
to skillet and heat to boiling. Cook,
stirring constantly,
until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat.
Stir in half-and-half and
mustard. Spoon over beef mixture. Stir
in cooked noodles. Cover and bake for 40
minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or
until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.
This is a remarkably flavorful meat marinated in a hearty stout. The beer tenderizes and flavors the skirt steak to perfection. Delicious!
