Saturday Night Supper

My readers from Boston will know what I'm talking about. Growing up, Saturday night meant several things. Bath night. One scoop of ice cream for dessert. Hot dogs and Baked Beans with brown bread for supper. My 84 year old mother and my brother still eat baked beans on Saturday night, though the hot dogs are often replaced with turkey burgers (a little healthier).

This is the time of year when start thinking about Saturday night supper. Mostly because, it's NFL Playoff time and my way of bringing good luck to Boston teams in ANY sport is to host a New England Comfort Food party to go with the game. How wonderful that the Pats had their first playoff game on Saturday night! Perfect! A HOME game no less.

I started preparations early, because I was working at the winery that afternoon. Found my stash of saved cans for steaming the brown bread and got that done Wednesday. B&M Brown Bread can be found sometimes in grocery stores here in the Northwest, but it's a rarity. Fortunately, it's easy to make if you have cans and a big pot to steam it in. Takes a few minutes to whip up, 3 hours to steam. This link has a recipe similar to the one I use, called Brown Bread in a Can. It's an interesting read with a couple of bean and bread recipes to choose from.

Next up, the beans. Thursday night I soaked the small white beans so they'd be ready to bake on Friday. I use a recipe from Durgin Park that tastes just like the ones my Grandma Sully used to make. I will admit to liking Julia Child's crock pot version that also includes ginger...but I digress. I was using my bean pot, so it had to be the Durgin Park recipe. With salt pork, onions, molasses, dry mustard...no ketchup, no bacon, no sugar. My house smelled awesome as they slow cooked for about 6 hours. Fortunately, the back deck was as cold as my fridge, so they stayed out there to keep cool until I needed them!

Another must have for New England Comfort Food: Clam Chowder. Made the base for this from an old RI clam cookbook I've had forever. You cook some salt pork, save the bits, add potatoes and onions, flour, clam juice then throw in the clams. Save it with those flavorful bits of salt pork until you need it. When it's time to serve, you add the milk and cream, or in my case, half and half.

And where there is New England food, there is clam dip. With Ruffles (have RRRRRidges). I have a clam dip recipe from that same RI cookbook that I could eat with a spoon, it's so good.

Throw in some steamed all angus beef Oscar Meyer weiners (on sale), Gulden's mustard, and you're all set for half time. Don't forget the Sam Adams Winter Ale...and finish up with Boston Cream Pie. It's a WINNING combination.

GO PATS!

Two Years of Husum BBQ

Yesterday all the locals and friends came out to celebrate the two year anniversary of the Husum Roadside BBQ. Now, anyone who has had the pleasure of consuming pulled pork sandwiches, ribs and chicken from the hillbilly smoker knows how SMALL the dining area is in the building. OK, maybe COZY is a better word. Summertime soirees mean we expand into the parking lot, but whatever could we do in winter?

Put up a MASH tent. String up party lights and install a wood stove. Run some power out there for the amps, add some chairs and tables. Voila! Husum, we have an event center for the winter.

Then you invite Joel to set up a Wind River Cellars tasting area, where the customers can buy a bottle of deliciousness to wash down their BBQ. He even had a thermos carafe of hot Bad Seed Cider to warm us up!

Add local troubadour Bob Connolly to entertain us with his ballads and bad Irish jokes.


Put the Husum Yacht Club members on notice for an All Hands on Deck meeting to coincide with the festivities.

John and friends have been working all fall to figure out a way to get the surplus tent up. Judging by the happy faces I'd say this is a huge success. Next up for the MASH tent: movie and popcorn night, showing, of course, the original MASH movie. Come as your favorite 4077th character. Details soon.

Junk Mail

I was almost done writing this when Microsoft decided my computer needed updating, and closed it down without warning. I lost my whole story. So I'm trying to recreate the brilliant writing that has disappeared. I hate it when that happens. Curse you, Microsoft!

Somehow I got on the mailing list of someone who blasts Obama lies. Not exactly somehow...he found my chair@ email on the County Dem website. I like to think he is just letting me know what is going around. But I doubt it. There is a blind cc mail list. So we play a little game. He sends me his crap, and I send him back links debunking the crap, showing him how quick and easy it is to check these things our. And politely request he verify before forwarding said crap 'to everyone you know'. He shouldn't take offense. I do this to everyone who sends me crap. Even my mother has been the recipient of my little push backs. I feel like it is the least an honest person seeking truth can do in this day and age.

Today's email was a combination of disinformation. A claim that Obama is a Manchurian Candidate, that 'no one' at Columbia knew him so he couldn't have gone there, and that he uses a stolen Social Security number. Really? Faux News interviewed 400 people who were at Columbia at the time and no one remembers him? I don't think I even KNEW 400 people when I was in college, never mind 400 knowing me...some classes where so big, it was easy to remain anonymous. It's all so very silly. And hateful.

Last week a friend forwarded me a hit piece supposedly by Thomas Sowell that a prolific sender of crap sent to her. I sent her the link sorting out the truth from the fiction, which she forwarded to the sender. He agreed to check before sending in the future. Good on him.

Instead of spending so much time and energy circulating lies and misrepresentations about the President, they should think about the things that have been accomplished in these last three contentious years, with full obstruction from their party. Here is a handy site to get started. A little more irreverently named WTF has Obama done so far can also help your perspective. And maybe spend a little more time looking into their candidates, who have plenty of honesty problems themselves. Spend a little time perusing Politifact. Michele Bachmann is the Queen of False and "Pants on Fire" ratings. Learn more about Rick Perry, "retired" governor of Texas, who may have more going on in the hypocrisy dept. than they might realize. Or look more closely into one of the biggest egos and hypocrites around, Newt Gingrich. Politifact also has a nifty list of Obama promises kept.

Full disclosure, I was a Hillary supporter in 2008, but I think she got the best end of the deal and has done a great job as Sec State. I am not 100% happy with President Obama. But he has to consider more than just MY opinion. The man has a big country to run. He came into a big mess that required everyone on board to start fixing. With half of our elected representatives doing more to make him a one term president, and to get themselves reelected than working with him to make our country a place of which we can all be proud.

So keep sending me your crap, sir. I'll keep sending it back, corrected, in hopes that you will share more honestly with your blind cc list.

Comment on Comment Trolls

I like a good 'discussion' as much as anyone, but if I ever read the comments that follow a news piece or editorial, I begin to fear for our civilization (or lack thereof). It's one thing to be funny, or even sarcastic, but more often than not there are any number of truly mean and nasty comments. People who write publicly need thick skins. Which is one reason I've been reluctant to put what I really think 'out there'. But my skin is getting thicker as I become more and more disgusted with the rampant ignorance and inhumanity in our society.

Today's Oregonian had a follow up piece by Steve Duin. I like Steve's commentaries. He wrote one for Thanksgiving about an eighth grader, Nikita Wolf, who was on a field trip into Portland with her class. One stop was the library. When she went to check out her books, she found out she had fines for some overdue books from her local branch she'd forgotten about. The librarian wouldn't let her check out the books. A stranger in line paid her fines. She was so surprised (after being totally humiliated-remember, she's 13). When she got back to school, she wrote

"As I walked out of the library, my new book at my side, I was reminded of a quote my mom used to tell me: 'Blessed are those who give without remembering. And blessed are those who take without forgetting'."

And so she made a promise to herself that she would help others so they could feel what she felt that day a stranger paid her fine.

Duin goes on to post some of the nastier comments written after his original post. Go here to see for yourself. Some people have way too much time on their hands and no compassion in their hearts. He was so taken aback at some of the comments, and worried about Nikita would feel if she saw them, so he sent her teacher a note. The teacher shared it with his student, who answered Duin personally. After thanking him for the first article, and how much it meant to her, her family (especially her grandmother) and friends she wrote

"I would also like you to know that I saw the stream of comments online. When I let the whole world see what I write, I expect that everybody will interpret it differently. Because of my ability to understand this, you do not have to worry about whether or not I was wounded by the sometimes harsh opinions of others. If getting some of my writing published did anything to me, it just made me want to write more."

Nikita, I hope to see your name on a byline someday. And may the classless, cynical comment trolls learn something from you.

Boston, We Have a Manager

Well, THAT's a relief. Finally, the Red Sox have a manager. I personally think no one can fill Tito's shoes, and the candidates weren't fit to shine them, but hey, no one asked me. I would have hired my forever friend Karen. She lives nearby in Braintree. Hates her day job. And love the Red Sox. She also knows baseball. She's very smart. Can you imagine? The first woman manager???

Alas, I'm dreaming. We have Bobby Valentine. We'll give him a chance because that's what true fans do. We have to. But seriously, I'm thinking the vendors need to get on board and start selling Groucho Marx glasses to the fans as they stream in from the Kenmore and Fenway T-stops. It would be so much fun. Even better than the A-Rod Blonde Masks! I feel a big opportunity here...

Barney, always Frank

After over 30 years of service to his district in Massachusetts, Barney Frank has decided to move on at age 71. His district was redrawn and would have required lots of campaigning and fundraising, which he admits he hates. I'm not even 60 yet and I get exhausted just thinking about what campaigning involves. I hope he stays active and outspoken on issues he's championed over the years, such as gay rights and tough financial regulation. His district certainly appreciated him, reelecting him time after time.

Never one to mince words, I love his comments yesterday on dealing with the current House:

"The Republican Party today in the House consists half of people who think like Michele Bachmann and half of people who are afraid of losing a primary to people who think like Michele Bachmann. And that leaves you very little ability to work things out."

Right you are, Mr. Frank. Good luck in your next endeavors, and may your district's next Representative serve them as well.

O My

Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, it's been hard to ignore Oregon football. It's a lot like Texas that way. You know, Aggies and Longhorns hard to ignore. Here it's the Oregon U. Ducks and the Oregon State Beavers. The Ducks, with their flashy Nike uniforms, complete with duck wings on the shoulders and mallard green helmets, and push up performing mascot, were (until last night's upset by USC -I heard you cheering from here, Cami) in contention for another trip to the 'natty'. OSU, with their 'rabid beaver' mascot and Halloween color scheme, have a lot of heart and for the last couple of years, the Rodgers brothers from Richmond, TX. Until Jaquizz left for the pros and James was taken out by the knee last year. James is back, but it's definitely been a rebuilding year. Next weekend is The Civil War, when OSU goes up against the big O down in Eugene.

About the big 'O'. Fans like to make the an 'O' with their hands. Well, it turns out that most of them don't quite make a perfect 'O'. It's more like the ASL sign for 'vagina'. Many of the football players take sign language for their foreign language requirement, 29 members of the current team as a matter of fact. It's a natural choice, as they are used to signals from their coaches and teammates. Once they find out from their professor what the fans are actually 'saying', they refrain from making the 'O'.

“I did the ‘O’ once, and I never did it again,” said LaMichael James, the team’s star running back...

Which makes his teacher, Joanna Larson, very happy.

“I’m so proud of him,” she said. “We’re trying to spread the word to make the ‘O’ more of a rounded shape.”

Success Through Failure

I am happy to live in a state with two strong women as my Senators. Patty Murray has been tasked with co-chairing the task force to solve our budget woes. Mission impossible. today she told Candy Crowley on CNN's State of the Union:

“As long as we have some Republican lawmakers who feel more enthralled with a pledge they took to a Republican lobbyist than they do to a pledge to the country to solve the problems, this is going to be hard to do.”

No kidding. I liked recent op eds by EJ Dionne and Paul Krugman pointing out that failure of the so called 'super committee', doomed from the start (obvious to any of us who have been paying attention), is a good thing. Both call out the news media. Dionne notes

"... genuine compromise can’t happen because Republicans refuse to accept any significant tax increases. This is not a partisan statement. It is just a description of the facts. It is maddening that the media are so desperate to avoid being attacked as “liberal” that they cannot describe the situation as it is."

Krugman says

... let me give a special shout-out to “centrist” pundits who won’t admit that President Obama has already given them what they want. The dialogue seems to go like this. Pundit: “Why won’t the president come out for a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes?” Mr. Obama: “I support a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes.” Pundit: “Why won’t the president come out for a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes?”

Hey Mr. Pundit, Obama supports a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes. So do most of the American people, so REPORT THAT. An epic fail of the committee means the Bush tax cuts will expire, as will a few others. The budget cuts, to the tune of $1.2 trillion, agreed to in last summer's deal will happen. This would add up to an over $7 trillion trimming from the deficit over 10 years. I can already hear the screaming from the GOP. Then maybe sanity and reason will prevail and we'll find the way forward. With a combination of spending cuts and tax hikes. What a concept.

It's Time for STEWS

I love fall. I love it when it gets cold enough to really appreciate a nice hot bowl of soup or stew. It's here. Stew Time. Here's my latest creation, a composite of several recipes. You can leave out the lamb to make it vegetarian.

Moroccan Stew
serves 6 or so

In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp each ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander and sea salt; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp each ground nutmeg, turmeric, and curry powder. Set aside.

Heat 1 T olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook 1 chopped sweet onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1 lb ground lamb, cook another 5 minutes or so. Stir in 2-4 cups finely shredded kale (I like kale so I put in at least 4 cups) and the reserved spice mixture. Cook for 2 minutes until kale begins to wilt and spices are fragrant.

Pour 6 cups of vegetable broth into the pot. Stir in 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained -I still had a bunch of tomatoes from my garden so I used them), 1 Tbs honey, 4 large chopped carrots, 1 large peeled and diced sweet potato (I used a butternut squash instead which I peeled, cubed and roasted first), 2 diced potatoes (I used one red skin, one yukon gold because that's what I had on hand- you can use more potatoes, esp if you are making a vegetarian version), one can garbanzo beans (drained), 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, 1 cup dried lentils (I used Tru Roots sprouted bean trio that I get at Costco) and 2 Tbs tomato paste. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes or until veggies and lentils are cooked and tender. Season with black pepper to taste.

We had this Thursday night for dinner. I'm looking forward to a repeat tonight. I just might throw in the rest of that bag of kale I got at Trader Joe's the other day....

Occupy the Gorge

Everyone has heard about the big Occupy Portland camp, but today's Oregonian let everyone know about probably the smallest Occupy camp in the country, in Mosier, OR (pop. 433). Unlike its big cousin in the city, Occupy Mosier had a plan for seven days of protest against corporate power, income inequality and big money politics. They set up last Friday, and yesterday, they moved out as promised. (Oregonian photo)

Mosier sits along the Columbia River, about halfway between Hood River and The Dalles. When you take the exit for Mosier, you pass a park and ride where about a dozen tents were pitched, and as you head into town, a school, then the local business area. Mosier is home to local favorites Ten Speed Coffee East, and my personal favorite, The Thirsty Woman Pub .

My friend Jamel was inspired, and decided to Occupy Wall Street Husum. Yes, there is a Wall Street in Husum, WA (pop. 6,327). I doubt the Wall family would be thrilled to have a full encampment.