where have i been??
plowing through really long frakken books, that's where.
Dreamsongs II, by George R R Martin
Storm of Swords, by George R R Martin
Bread Matters, by Andrew Whitley
i haven't been reading as much. my brain has needed a little break, and now that it's had one, i can feel my books, and my friends books, and the library calling to me. . . . read. . . read!!! it's like the zombie call, but instead of "brains. . .. brains. . . . must eat brains!!!", i hear "books. . . books. . . must read books. . " again. nice.
speaking of eating. . . . .
it's time for cheater's chilli!! delicious thick chilli in a quarter of the time!
cheater's chilli:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small can green chiles
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
pinch of hot pepper flakes
1 tbsp cilantro
1 can kidney beans
1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded or chopped small
salt & pepper
heat oil in heavy saucepan. add onions, canned chile, and garlic. cook, stiring, till onion is soft. add everything else, and stir it in. cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened. uncover, and simmer another 10 minutes. serve hot. can be plain in a bowl, over rice, with corn chips, or rolled up in warmed torillas.
you'll never want taco bell again.
i will try not to be gone so long next time.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
been MIA
yes, yes, i know i've been MIA for a while. i've been, uhhh. . . . Martining. martinizing? martin-ing?
finished the first Dreamsongs book. I'm not supposed to talk about it till the review is published. suffice to say, Martin rocks my world. i think if he and I were to have dinner sometime, we would get along nicely.
finished A Clash of Kings. this i can talk about all day! my favorite characters didn't make as much of an appearance as I'd have liked: Catylen, Arya, Daenarys, and Jon Snow. I shouldn't complain too much, as those characters did get their chapters, but not enough. Tyrion is becoming a fast favorite to root for, but then i remember what happened when I was rooting for Eddard all that time. I laugh everytime the boys play at war, because i figure Daenarys is just going to show up one day and kick all their asses (as soon as she manages to get herself, 3 baby dragons, and a nomadic army who is deathly afraid of water, across a few thousand miles worth of ocean, that is). Adorable little Arya is goofing around with one of Robert's bastard boys, and Jon-boy is soon to inherit all of the North. if those kids play their cards right, they could be the start of their own little dynasty. so long as they don't get killed/poisoned/maimed/ first. don't tell me what happens. i've got too much in my too-be-read pile to go get the third book right now. but i will read it, i promise.
and when i finish all the Martin i can get my hands on, there is always this:
started Harrison's Nova Swing. another one I'm not supposed to talk about till the review is published (next month! eek! i better get my butt in gear!). lots of beautiful metaphors.
read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. I can't believe i hadn't read this yet. Gaiman does contemporary mythology like no one else. and this book is hilarious. go find a copy. your library probably has is. i'm still deathly scared of spiders. Anansi be damned. i squish spiders when i find them inside my apartment.
i get all my books from the library, but i spend actual money on my manga. how crazy is that?
damn you, ladies of CLAMP! what heroin is in your manga that i must spend all my hard earned money on your trite plot-lines, lack of read physics, adorable yet hilarious characters who are forlorn and heartbroken, and whose vulnerability makes them all the more attractive? not to mention i totally want Yuko's wardrobe. I am now the proud owner of the first 3 volumes of Tsubasa. they make those early edition 3 volume issues so damn cheap, you can't help but get 3 volumes for the price of one. but then you are addicted, and must buy more!!! when is barnes and noble going to start mailing out those 10% off coupons, or $5 coupons, like Bed bath & beyond does??? cuz i think those store managers get mad at me when i spend three hours in the graphic novel area, reading manga but not buying any. althuogh i do make purchasing suggestions to teenagers with money.
Super Easy Enchiladas.
you need cooked chicken for this. a great dish the day after you bbq'd a bunch of chicken. it would probably be good with leftover thanksgiving turkey too.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small can diced chiles (use the medium or hot ones, the mild is too mild)
1 cup chopped and seeded tomato
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
sea salt
8 ounces cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice of what you use)
one single sized serving container of plain yogurt
10 soft shell tortillas, 6-7" across. it's OK to use 12 if that's what's in the package.
preheat oven to 350. heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet. cook onion and garlic till soft. add chiles, tomato, cilantro and good pinch of sea salt. stir. simmer 15 minutes till it thickens some. (you want as little tomato juice as possible in there). in a small bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, yogurt, and chicken. grease a large baking dish. fill each tortilla with an equal amount of the cheese-chicken mix, and roll up the tortillas, placing them seam side down in the baking dish.
cramming them all in the baking dish should help them stay rolled up. pour the tomato mixture over the tortillas, and put in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. remove from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and then put back in the oven for another 5 minutes. let sit a few minutes before serving.
see? super easy.
finished the first Dreamsongs book. I'm not supposed to talk about it till the review is published. suffice to say, Martin rocks my world. i think if he and I were to have dinner sometime, we would get along nicely.
finished A Clash of Kings. this i can talk about all day! my favorite characters didn't make as much of an appearance as I'd have liked: Catylen, Arya, Daenarys, and Jon Snow. I shouldn't complain too much, as those characters did get their chapters, but not enough. Tyrion is becoming a fast favorite to root for, but then i remember what happened when I was rooting for Eddard all that time. I laugh everytime the boys play at war, because i figure Daenarys is just going to show up one day and kick all their asses (as soon as she manages to get herself, 3 baby dragons, and a nomadic army who is deathly afraid of water, across a few thousand miles worth of ocean, that is). Adorable little Arya is goofing around with one of Robert's bastard boys, and Jon-boy is soon to inherit all of the North. if those kids play their cards right, they could be the start of their own little dynasty. so long as they don't get killed/poisoned/maimed/ first. don't tell me what happens. i've got too much in my too-be-read pile to go get the third book right now. but i will read it, i promise.
and when i finish all the Martin i can get my hands on, there is always this:
started Harrison's Nova Swing. another one I'm not supposed to talk about till the review is published (next month! eek! i better get my butt in gear!). lots of beautiful metaphors.
read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. I can't believe i hadn't read this yet. Gaiman does contemporary mythology like no one else. and this book is hilarious. go find a copy. your library probably has is. i'm still deathly scared of spiders. Anansi be damned. i squish spiders when i find them inside my apartment.
i get all my books from the library, but i spend actual money on my manga. how crazy is that?
damn you, ladies of CLAMP! what heroin is in your manga that i must spend all my hard earned money on your trite plot-lines, lack of read physics, adorable yet hilarious characters who are forlorn and heartbroken, and whose vulnerability makes them all the more attractive? not to mention i totally want Yuko's wardrobe. I am now the proud owner of the first 3 volumes of Tsubasa. they make those early edition 3 volume issues so damn cheap, you can't help but get 3 volumes for the price of one. but then you are addicted, and must buy more!!! when is barnes and noble going to start mailing out those 10% off coupons, or $5 coupons, like Bed bath & beyond does??? cuz i think those store managers get mad at me when i spend three hours in the graphic novel area, reading manga but not buying any. althuogh i do make purchasing suggestions to teenagers with money.
Super Easy Enchiladas.
you need cooked chicken for this. a great dish the day after you bbq'd a bunch of chicken. it would probably be good with leftover thanksgiving turkey too.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small can diced chiles (use the medium or hot ones, the mild is too mild)
1 cup chopped and seeded tomato
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
sea salt
8 ounces cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups shredded cheese (your choice of what you use)
one single sized serving container of plain yogurt
10 soft shell tortillas, 6-7" across. it's OK to use 12 if that's what's in the package.
preheat oven to 350. heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet. cook onion and garlic till soft. add chiles, tomato, cilantro and good pinch of sea salt. stir. simmer 15 minutes till it thickens some. (you want as little tomato juice as possible in there). in a small bowl, combine 1 cup cheese, yogurt, and chicken. grease a large baking dish. fill each tortilla with an equal amount of the cheese-chicken mix, and roll up the tortillas, placing them seam side down in the baking dish.
cramming them all in the baking dish should help them stay rolled up. pour the tomato mixture over the tortillas, and put in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. remove from the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and then put back in the oven for another 5 minutes. let sit a few minutes before serving.
see? super easy.
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