Saturday, October 20, 2007

Black Bean Soup

It's been pretty cold and rainy here lately, which would usually inspire me to go on a baking frenzy. However, I spend eight to ten hours a day at work...baking. This has led to a soup making frenzy, but I'm usually pretty tired by the end of the day so it's more like a soup making need because I can just put everything in a pot and forget about it for thirty minutes or so. If that sounds like your kind of soup making experience, you've come to the right blog. This soup is ridiculously easy to make and pretty tasty, if I may say so myself.

You will need:
*2 tbsp olive oil, or some other vegetable oil
*3 bunches green onions, chopped
*1 can diced green chiles, drained
*1 can diced tomatoes, drained
*1 red bell pepper, diced
*3 cans black beans, drained
*4 cups veggie broth/stock
*1 cup frozen corn
*2 tbsp chile powder
*1 tbsp ground cumin
*2 tbsp granulated garlic
*1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
*salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium sized pot, saute the green onions, green chiles, tomatoes, and bell pepper in the oil until fragrant.
2. Add the black beans and stir.
3. Add the veggie broth (or stock).
4. Add the corn.
5. Add the chile powder, ground cumin, granulated garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
6. Simmer, covered, for about thirty minutes.


I had this with a dollop of Sour Supreme on top and some crusty bread...and some cat hair because Valhalla couldn't keep her big puffy face away from my bowl. At least I know it's cat-approved.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Daughterly Guilt Meme's

My mom has meme'd me twice, which is her way of kicking me in the ass to update this blog. Here you go, Mom. Two meme's for the price of one.

The Book Meme

Total number of books owned:
Not nearly as many as I'd like. Since I'm usually broke, I don't get to buy books very often so I probably own about eighty. I'm hoping that my big girl job will soon supply me with enough expendable cash to buy all the books I've been gazing at longingly in the aisles of the bookstore.

Last book bought:
The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Last book read:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I read this book about five times a year. It never gets boring.

Five Books that Mean a Lot to You:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Cunt by Inga Muscio
The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatly Snyder
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Best Five Books You Read in the Last Year:
Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres
Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories by Chuck Palahniuk
The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathon Safran Foer


Seven Random Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I am a chronic school drop-out. I am completely and totally unable to spend any extended period of time sitting in a stifling classroom listening to someone drone on about a bunch of shit I couldn't possibly care less about. I can't force myself to go every day, and I can't force myself to stay once I'm there. I genuinely enjoy learning new things, but I really truly hate school.

2. If you tell me to do something, chances are I won't do it. It could be something I really don't mind doing at all, but as soon as you say "Go do this," I can guarantee you it's not going to happen. I could be walking toward the sink to wash the dishes, but if I hear you say "Wash the dishes," I will turn around and walk away and let those dishes pile up for a year, fuck you very much.

3. I feel stupid about 99% of the time.

4. I used to be straight edge, but I'm not anymore.

5. I hate being wet, but I love swimming.

6. I love crossword puzzles, knitting, cats and Scrabble, and as such I believe the transition to old age will be pretty smooth.

7. I hate the saying "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." I spend much more time than I'd like to admit thinking about how much I hate this saying.


There you have it. I've meme'd. One of these days I might even post a recipe or two.