Events/Holidays

What More Can I Say?

/ Ally Bean / 14 Comments

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Try as I will to make myself believe that Valentine’s Day is a Big Deal, I cannot do it.  I understand that it’s a holiday and that it’s based on love & friendship.  Love is good.  Friendship?  I’m all for it.  

And  I get that many people think that it’s the most romantic time of the year.  I’m happy for them.  Enjoy.  

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But to me it’s just another day in the middle of February– and a good excuse to buy a pretty bouquet of red/pink/purple flowers.  And maybe eat some expensive chocolates.  Nice things to do, but not all that compelling.  

I don’t have any specific reasons why I feel indifferent to Valentine’s Day, but I do.  So instead of pretending otherwise, I’ll just end this Valentine’s Day post with the wisdom of Eeyore.  I think that he sums up my thoughts beautifully.   

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“We can’t all, and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it.”

~ Eeyore 

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Speaking Of Archetypes

/ Ally Bean / 5 Comments

“If you can’t say something good about someone, come sit next to me.”

~ Alice Roosevelt Longworth

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‘Tis the season of… meeting and socializing with lots of different, unique people.

So we’re sitting at home discussing where we’ve been and Zen-Den, who is not at all fluent in archetypes because he did not major in English in college, asks me:  What’s up with X?

I explain to him that she considers herself to be a Possibilitarian.  That it’s an archetype.

And he counters with: that’s the most ridiculous term I’ve ever heard– you mean, someone who doesn’t actually do anything, just talks about what is possible?

I tell him that’s the gist of it–  someone who focuses on aspirations.  Who thinks and talks about what might be.

A dreamer with a fancy vocabulary.

He nods in amazement.

Then Z-D, who doesn’t usually drink very much, asks me:  Do you suppose if I drank more alcoholic beverages more often I could call myself a Chillaxatarian?

I tell him that I’d refer to him as such.  And that he could definitely get X to refer to him as such.  And that by doing this he’d have his own, very special, archetype.

A goofball with a bottle of beer.

He nods his approval and then wanders off to the frig to get something more to drink.

And so, with that, a new archetype was born.  One that encompasses all that is relaxed and beer related.  One that you know is bound to be popular.

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Hallelujah and pass the brewskis, there’s a Chillaxatarian in our midst!

Yesterday’s Turkey Is Today’s Soup

/ Ally Bean / 4 Comments

My mother was a very good cook.  Not a chef mind you.  A cook.

I have her cookbook of all sorts of practical, yummy recipes.  Mom got most of her recipes from magazines and from the newspaper– then tweaked them.

Here is one of Mom’s recipes.  I have no idea of the original source, but do know that this makes a very tasty, rather healthy soup.

Enjoy!

Split Pea Soup With Ham & Turkey

2 carrots (or more)

2 celery stalks

1 medium size onion

2 small turnips (or use cabbage)

1-16 oz. package of dry green split peas

2 Tablespoons salad oil (or less)

1/4 lb cooked ham, diced

2 teaspoons salt (or omit entirely)

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon cumin (more or less depending on preference)

8 cups water

1 lb cooked turkey cut into 1/2 inch pieces

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1.  Dice carrots and celery.  Chop onion.  Peel and dice turnips (or chop cabbage if using that instead of turnips).  Rinse peas with cold water and discard any stones or shriveled ones.

2.  In pot with salad oil in it– over medium heat– cook carrots, celery, onion and turnips (or cabbage) until tender crisp.  Stir in peas, ham, allspice, bay leaf, cumin and the water.  Over high heat cook to boiling.  Reduce temperature to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes.

3.  Stir in turkey.  Cook 10-15 minutes longer to blend flavors.

Makes 6 main dish servings (huge) or 8 soup servings (normal size)

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[FYI, when I make this recipe I use cabbage, half the recommended amount of salt, and triple the amount of cumin.  But you do whatever suits your fancy.]

[Also, in recent years I’ve made this soup substituting leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery for the turkey.  I’m sure that Mom would approve.]