Pumpkin Soup Recipe

A work in progress, loosely based on a Rachael Ray recipe :

A splash of vegetable oil (how could Dad not have Olive Oil?)
2 Tbl butter
1 yellow onion.. chopped
2 granny smith apples... chopped
Salt and pepper
Some flour (2-3 Tbl?)
6 cups chicken stock
2 dried bay leaves
29 oz canned pumpkin
2 cups half and half
dry thyme, cinnamon, allspice
small bit of nutmeg
small bit of cayenne


Cook the onion in the oil & butter with salt & pepper 'till close to tender; throw in the apples 'till they are hot. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute. Whisk in chicken stock. Chuck in some thyme and a couple bay leaves Simmer for a while (this ended up being 1/2 hour, since I had accidentally bought a can of Pumpikin Pie Mix. Late night trip to the store. Hooray!) Whisk in pumpkin. Whisk in half and half. Simmer for a while to thicken. While simmering, add in the various spices listed 'till you like it. Use lots more cinnamon and allspice than cayenne and nutmeg.

Eat.

"Murtha Fawners"

Who woulda thunk it? The Flavor of the Month for the Democratic Party is one of only two Congresscritters that favors a military draft!

Hey Dad... If you're reading this... Happy Birthday

Thanksgiving in a bottle! (Actually, five bottles : Broccoli Casserole, Smoked Salmon Paté , Turkey & Gravy, Corn on the Cob, and Pecan Pie.) They even have zero carbs, or calories, for that matter.

(Note to anyone else that might see this : don't tell Dad 'till Wednesday.)

Tachophobia doesn't run in my family

... just so ya know.

Assuming Judge Alito is confirmed...

we will have the first Supreme Court with a majority of Catholics. Check out the top ten ways SCOTUS will change!

Viva Our German Shepherd!

Vatican Policy on Homosexuals and the Priesthood

A report of the new policy is out and seems to be exactly right... if a man with homosexual temptations can get them under control, he shouldn't be a priest. If he can demonstrate that he can get beyond these temptations and doesn't ideantify with them, he can become a priest. Sane and sensible. Im guessing that the reaction in the mdeia once the actual document is released will, of course be hysterical and nonsensical.

The SF Comical Knows How to Cash in!

There is no newsday slow enough to justify a major city newspaper to put a rant by Bill O'Reilly front page, above the fold... but as city egos go, that of San Francisco is the Titanic... or rather, the iceberg into which the Titanic crashed. (San Franciscans refer to SF as "the City") I figure that ptting the rantings of an egomaniacal blowhard against a egomaniacal blowhard of a city would guarantee that people would actually buy the Chron for a change.

Idiots on the March!

A cafe/bakeshop in Chicago called A Taste of Heaven ran into some trouble when they posted what seems to be a completely innocuous sign... aparently it didn't occur to the owner that he was asking for trouble from the easily-offended. Apparently, simply asking people to reign in their children (or themselves, for that matter!) a bit is too much to ask.

"judgealito"

... sounds like something they would serve at Taco Bell.. "the new judgealito bell grande with jalepenos!". OK, maybe I just need sleep.

Clean your screen.. the hi tech way!

The screen on you computer getting a bit smudged? To clean it, click here!

Beware of Avocado Smoothie!

Had lunch yesterday, which included an... avocado smoothie. Felt really, really bad after lunch and went home. It's very tempting to blame the avocado smoothie, though I have no evidence.

Gotta Love Talking Points

Rhetoric, circa Nov. 2004 : "Bush is a crazy right winger; you you give him power, he will go crazy right wing things."

Rhetoric, circa Nov. 2005 : "Bush appointing a conservative judge is a sign of weakness, since it shows he is caving in to the right wingers."