I had a hamburger seasoned with adobo tonight, and it was spectacular. My next door neighbor is Puerto Rican and uses it in everything, so I took her advice and tried it out. I’m not sure if I have ever had it before, but I loved it tonight.
Also, I had a cold orzo salad with artichokes and a bunch of other stuff that I picked up at the deli, and I really liked that. Any good recipes floating around out there?
I’m going out to walk the dog for a couple hours. Behave yourselves.
tagged45
I would hope that a wise Latina could help you arrive at a better burger!
Adrian
Did you use spice powder? Doesn’t it contain MSG?
cleek
tagged45 gets it in one!
MikeJ
And when you return:
I used to wake up in the morning
I used to feel so bad
I got so sick of having sleepless nights
I went and told my dad
He said, ‘Son now here’s some little something’
And stuck them on my wall
And now my nights ain’t quite so lonely
In fact I, I don’t feel bad at all
….
Steve V
Couple of hours, wow! My greyhounds, the laziest dogs in the world, are happy with about 30 minutes.
Brachiator
@tagged45:
Oh, snap! Good one.
But sounds like a delicious dinner. Out here in Southern California, I am investigating the wonders of Peruvian chicken (Hidden treasure: Peruvian restaurants in Southern California).
And here’s a little something from the LA Times for beer lovers:
BEER OF THE MONTH
Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
What’s going on here? The silver-on-black label is a clue. It’s a very dark beer, almost opaque, and you’d expect a porter, but it’s dry. It’s a schwartzbier, a relatively uncommon style in this country (the only really widely available American schwartzbier is Samuel Adams Black Lager). Think of it as a stout, made with the same sort of roasted malts, except that it’s a malty, low-hopped lager. So it has a very foamy tan head, a clean lager flavor and a paper-dry but pleasantly rounded palate, with a mild chocolate aroma and just a little bite in the finish.
AfroPonix
Have you ever tried Quinoa? Mix it with goji berries and almonds…or whatever else you want and it’s great for breakfast.
Comrade Stuck
thumbs up!
andrea
I like Penzey’s Adobo blend on beef or chicken. Brachiator, if you’re up north, check out Limon in the Mission — great roast chicken and other small plates.
JDreyer
Hey John, don’t eat too much meat. The newest studies are really bringing to light how bad the stuff is for you. I hope to read your blog for the next 40 years or so, so don’t kick off early!
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1887266,00.html
Steve V
@Brachiator:
I’m afraid I’m a much less cultured Angeleno than you, being concerned this evening with finding the best location to watch the NBA Finals.
cleek
i’ve been hitting the Fat Tire 1554 recently. very dark, but not as heavy as a stout or porter. crisp and dark… and interesting pairing.
The Main Gauche of Mild Reason
As far as orzo salad goes, it’s hard to beat orzo with olive oil, sun-dried tomato, kalamata olives, artichoke, parsley and a little lemon juice or vinegar, chilled until it’s ice cold. Tastes like summertime to me.
Michael
I make a pocket in the middle of mine. If I’m in an Adobo mood, I’ll get the peppers in sauce, chop ’em up and stuff ’em in the pocket.
Sometimes, I’ll go for a garlic-bleu cheese blend in the pocket.
Sometimes, I’ll skip all that, and will use lime and tequila in my patty making (along with chipotle powder) and will grill them over mesquite.
The most awesome thing ever is Tik n Xic, a Mayan fish barbecue that requires a large, dense white type fish rubbed in achiote paste and onion, wrapped in banana leaves and slow grilled over hardwood.
DP
This is one of my favorite orzo salads:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-Salad-with-Heirloom-Tomatoes-and-Herbs-109781
I usually use grape/cherry tomatoes, either heirloom or not depending on what’s available.
Chunk
“Adobo” is a pretty generic term just meaning season or marinade. It can also refer to the meat that has been seasoned or marinated with it. It varies from culture to culture. I like the kind that comes in cans of chipotle, which I imagine is the kind you are talking about as well.
Pork adobo tacos.
Comrade Stuck
Dinner was turkey ground with bouncing baby Brussel Sprouts and sliced Leek, washed down with Japanese fine ground Macha green iced tea.
Tom Hilton
Pasta sauce:
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3-4 large shallots, chopped
~ 1 1/2 lbs. small tomatoes (cherries, sungolds, grapes, whatever), sliced in half
5-10 basil leaves, chopped
Vermouth
Vodka
Salt & pepper
Fry up the bacon until crisp; remove from pan. Sautee shallots until soft and translucent. Deglasse the pan with vermouth, and cook down the liquid. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, ~5 minutes. Splash in some vodka, cook another minute or so. Add basil. Salt & pepper to taste. Serve over fresh pasta.
gex
Those walks will do wonders for sweet, sweet Lily. And for you too!
The Main Gauche of Mild Reason
@The Main Gauche of Mild Reason: Oh, and feta cheese goes in there, too.
ruemara
Right now, all my salads involve french sorrel and arugula, since the sorrel and arugula have taken over large chunks of the square foot garden this spring. But I will say they do make tasty additions to a burger. Have you tried sofrito in your burger yet, John? It’s a puerto rican condiment that adds a lot of pepper flavor. My mate gets jars from his parents, their own private recipe.
Beer of the week-Black Butte Porter.
gex
Tonight I am eating fast food/gas station junk food as we’re in a rented Dodge Charger driving from Minneapolis to LA. Good times.
In the middle of Nebraska now – using my work laptop and the Sprint card for Internet. Wow, I love living in modern times.
Also, sweetie and I have decided we are going to start collecting Playtel pretend marriages – one from every state that allows it trying to get the best coverage we can, no matter what DOMA says. Starting in Iowa on our way home.
Wonder if we’ll be in violation of some law if/when DOMA ends?
gbear
Walk the dog for a couple of hours?? Lily IS a chick magnet!
PS: I hate artichokes. I can not stress this enough.
Litlebritdifrnt
My DH likes his burgers (if he ever eats them) as well as his steaks with my home made BBQ sauce. (It is best to make it in advance and let it “fester”) recipe follows:
In and old mayo jar put equal parts of (in England brown sauce) any cheap steak sauce and ketchup. To taste add yellow mustard, chopped garlic, worcesteshire sauce, and soy sauce, shake all ingredients together and taste to ensure the right “kick” (or taste test on DH who will undoubtedly say “needs more kick”). Add more garlic, or mustard or whatever until the required “kick” is achieved. Leave to “fester” for several days so that when you serve it the person eating it goes “whoooooooo that has a kick”
freelancer
Ack. That I-80 from Omaha to Denver is one of the most mindless days of driving ever. It’s right up there with Omaha to Chicago.
Comrade Stuck
@ruemara:
when I first read this I thought you said French Squirrel and wondered how they’d taste. (grew up in Appalachia)
Christ I need glasses.
Litlebritdifrnt
PS) John when you were eating your burger what did Lily do? Did she leave you alone or did she look at you with the “you are sat there eating that burger and I have been living on grass, and sticks, and dirt and am starving and you are sat there eating that burger” look?
Litlebritdifrnt
@gex:
gex – after years of languishing in motel rooms with my DH after some school function I recently discovered wi-fi, so instead of having to watch ancient episodes of “law and order” I can catch up with my favorite blogs. It really helps with the blog withdrawal symptoms.
Jon H
“I had a hamburger seasoned with adobo tonight, and it was spectacular.”
As a building material?
Wai.. oh, adobo.
Nevermind.
Brachiator
@Steve V:
Peruvian chicken will go very well with a Lakers victory.
Added to my Food Quest List. Thanks.
Michael D.
Wow! I have to agree with Sullivan – WHAT was Bill Keller thinking in doing this interview???
Full Episodes
Litlebritdifrnt
“I had a hamburger seasoned with adobo tonight, and it was spectacular. My next door neighbor is Puerto Rican and uses it in everything, so I took her advice and tried it out. I’m not sure if I have ever had it before, but I loved it tonight.
Also, I had a cold orzo salad with artichokes and a bunch of other stuff that I picked up at the deli, and I really liked that. Any good recipes floating around out there?
I’m going out to walk the dog for a couple hours. Behave yourselves.”
I have a question for the girlies on here, WHY THE FUCK IS JOHN SINGLE? I mean really, he likes to cook, he likes to clean, he loves animals, I know the steelers thing may be a bit annoying but WTF? I mean apart from the fact that perhaps he LIKES being that way, I cannot fathom why some enterprising female has not snapped him up. Thoughts? (Please ignore the fact that we are talking about you John).
gex
@freelancer: Yeah, and the cellular broadband service sucks too. CDMA 1XRTT. No EVDO except around Omaha.
Of course, the last time I drove the entire state of Nebraska was 1988. No only no cellular broadband, but no iPods or laptops. There was this thing… what was it? Bukes? Buchs? Ah, books.
We actually do all our travel via car rather than air. The TSA is something I’d rather not deal with, and we enjoy the time together. Get a few books on iPod, some good podcasts, and the time flies.
jhaygood
This slays – amazing:
Chopped Mexican Salad
1 large head romaine lettuce, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 medium green apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 C. fresh corn kernels (cut from 1 ear of corn)
1 1/2 C. crushed tortilla chips
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced, for garnish
In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, apple, corn kernels and tortilla chips. Toss well. Drizzle with dressing. Toss until well-coated. Top with avocado slices and serve.
Dressing
1/3 C. pine nuts
1 t. ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil
To make dressing, toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat 2 minutes, shaking frequently. Add cumin and continue toasting and shaking pan, 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper, vinegar and olive oil to pan and whisk until ingredients are blended. Cool.
Makes 4 servings.
Comrade Stuck
And the beat goes on.
gex
@Litlebritdifrnt: This.
I’m a gay girl, so what do I know? Sometimes I wonder about straight women. My coworker who is watching my dog is about the greatest guy ever, smart, capable, interesting, active, kind, on and on. His fiance dumped him and took their dog.
I guess if there’s no connection, there’s no connection. But, well Newt Gingrich has been married several times, is all I’m saying. I don’t understand.
Ming
Don’t blame me — I’d jump him but he lives 300-400 miles away.
He says he has a face for radio, but in my experience, that’s not an issue.
Joshua Norton
Must be an exhibit at Epcot Center, because there’s no such place in the real world. The only big communist country is China, and them righties loves them the Chinese as long as they keep the shelves at Walmart filled for them.
LV-426
Are you trying to make my dog hate me?
How do you get a dog to stop fearing rollerblades? I want her to pull me when I’m on them but she wants to protect me from them instead.
Ramalamadingdong
Litlebritdifrnt – He’s a catch.
Comrade Stuck
@Ramalamadingdong:
Just wanted to say I love your handle. Rolls right off the tongue.
Notorious P.A.T.
Me too. Sigh.
John says he wears glasses thick enough to see the future. 99% of today’s women write a man off just for that.
Dog Is My Copilot
This recipe is yummy…
Crispy Baked Cod with Greens
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 pound cod fillets (or other firm white fish)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby spinach
Zest of 1 lemon
Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine the bread crumbs, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a second wide, shallow bowl. Set aside.
Divide the cod fillets into 4 pieces. One at a time, dredge each piece first through the mayonnaise mixture, turning to coat both sides, then through the bread-crumb mixture, again turning to coat evenly. Arrange the fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and flakes easily.
While the fish cooks, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the garlic and onion, then sauté until the onion is tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté until it just wilts, about 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the lemon zest. Divide the greens among 4 serving plates and top each serving with a piece of the baked cod.
LV-426
I’m not a female but I have a theory.
Maybe it’s the easy access to college coeds? Isn’t that what office hours were invented for?
eyelessgame
A good simple orzo salad:
1.5 lbs orzo, cooked
1 can chopped olives (4.25 oz)
1 8 oz jar julienne cut sundried tomatoes in olive oil
1 8 oz package crumbled feta cheese
A bit more olive oil
Directions: mix.
(If desired, chop tomatoes smaller.)
Comrade Kevin
Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
Gordon Biersch make a good schwartzbier, but it only seems to be available in their restaurants; I’ve never seen it bottled before.
coyote
@LV-426
Our method for dealing with rollerbladers, recumbent bicyclists, people with baby backpacks, and other strange “threats” was to give some treats to our dog as the threat passed by. After a few encounters, our dog associated those events with good things, not bad things. Even better is if you can get the threatening person to give your dog a treat. You could even stage some encounters.
Notorious P.A.T.
“Otis! My man!”
geg6
Let me first second the recommendation to try sofrito. I could drown just about anything in that. Wish I knew how to make it. It’s a little tough to get easily here in Western PA. As for why John is single, I have no idea why. Sounds like a great guy to me and the Steelers/Pens fandom is a major plus in my book. And he’s not at all far from me. And it’s not a face that makes a man attractive. I’d go out with him if he asked but that is unlikely since I’ve waxed lyrical over the current man in my life. Oh, and I believe I am significantly older than him. Probably too old, sadly.
The Grand Panjandrum
@LV-426:
Since I don’t know John personally I won’t speak for him, but that is actually pretty insulting. He comes across as a professional in writing (OK except the Pens and Steelers stuff) so I doubt he would jeopardize his career just to get laid.
I’ve spent a lot of time in office hours and have never once been tempted to cross the line. Silly me, eh?
CaseyL
Single is good. I’m single and that means, to quote David Spade, I get to do whatever I want whenever I want.
Possibly, John feels the same way.
To wit: He didn’t need to discuss with anyone but Tunch his decision to add another member to the household; nor the expenses, modifications in schedule, and changes in routine that entailed. Nor does he need to justify going on hours-long walks with Lily.
I could list more advantages to being single, but the list gets embarrassingly long pretty fast.
Mind you, I like the idea of romance. It’s just, having lived with a Significant Other, I find that actually cohabiting is better in theory than practice.
Origuy
Currently listening to the Basque group Oreka TX, playing the txalaparta.
LV-426
Steeler fandom. He’s kind of fairweather about hockey. I think I remember berating him for not having a Pens thread last year during the early rounds of the playoffs.
Comrade Stuck
@Notorious P.A.T.:
Otis Redding wrote it. This is why I hearts the internets. Can’t help but learn something every day/
demimondian
@The Grand Panjandrum: I agree. I, too, have spent many hours alone in the office with female students, and have NEVER touched one of them beyond a pat on the back on the way out the door.
It’s inappropriate — there’s a huge power differential between teacher and student, even at the graduate level, and it’s nothing more than sexual harassment to take advantage of that fact.
Comrade Stuck
An expert in Netipotology too.
The Main Gauche of Mild Reason
@gex:
There’s sort of a catch-22 of dating, at least from my perspective. Guys can be really selective about women (have particular looks, education, activities, etc in mind), or they can be more willing to accomodate a variety of traits. The first strategy ends up selecting “ideal catch” women that turn out to be really selective themselves (because they’re obvious to a lot of other men, too), so there’s a high failure rate in compatibility. The other strategy results in more success because it’s a much larger pool of women, but tends to select women who don’t have a clear idea what they’re looking for–and because they don’t have a good idea what they’re looking for, they’re likely to end relationships more frequently. So often it comes down to the choice between rejection on the front end, or rejection on the back end.
LV-426
@The Grand Panjandrum:
I think you seriously need to lighten up. Do I actually need to put a sarcasm tag after a line like ‘isn’t that what office hours are for’? Isn’t it obvious I don’t really believe that and am clearly making a joke?
Screw it I’m going back to fulll time lurk.
Laura W
@Comrade Stuck:
I’ve missed you.
Have you abandoned the hummers?
geg6
LV-426: He wouldn’t have the opportunity to be a bandwagon fan if he had a woman around like me. Just ask my John. I’ve made him more of a hockey and college basketball fan. And that’s where this John and I part ways. The ‘Eers are the mortal enemies of this particular Panther.
Carrie
@Litlebritdifrnt:
I tried, but he won’t cross the border to bring me ramps.
Comrade Stuck
Putting sarcasm tags on BJ comments is like like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500/
John Cole
@CaseyL: This.
I had a big response but Tunch attacked my hand and hit the back button and lost it. I like being single for now. I’ll know when it is time for a change.
ExcuseMeExcuseMe
This one is great. I sometimes use goat cheese instead of feta. It’s just as good without any cheese at all.
We often roast the vegetables for one night’s dinner, and then use the left overs to make this.
Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Ina Garten
Ingredients
1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta
For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.
Comrade Stuck
@Laura W:
Nope. My computer died a month ago and I just got a new one two days ago. I have a backlog of snark to unload afore I do anything else.
EJ
Adobo means lots of different things in different cultures. The Filipino version is a marinade made with soy sauce and vinegar. The usual meats are chicken or pork.
Mix together 3 parts soy sauce to 5 parts plain white vinegar. If you’re not using a relatively sweet and light soy sauce, add some water or it will be a bit on the salty side. Peel and smash up 10 or so cloves of garlic, add a small handful of uncracked peppercorns and a few bay leaves. Simmer the meat for 30 minutes to an hour, or until tender.
Then, remove the meat and brown it in a little oil in a separate pan. Thicken the sauce with a bit of cornstarch, then add the meat back in. Serve over rice.
demkat620
@Litlebritdifrnt: I’ve been wondering that myself. John’s a great guy.
SiubhanDuinne
@ freelancer / 25
So, then, pretty much anything into or out of Omaha in any direction? Do I have that about right?
Litlebritdifrnt
@demimondian:
I have told DH time and time again, (unfortunately) NEVER to be alone with a student (male or female), it is a sad fact, but it is a fact, it just takes a student who is pissed off at a grade or whatever to make a completely and utterly unfounded accusation and a teacher is toast, there is no “innocent until proven guilty” in these cases, it is “accused and therefore guilty” my solution? Never ever be alone with a student, male or female.
Comrade Stuck
@Laura W:
Where is Fuckhead?
CaseyL
I’m envisioning a Rube Goldberg-esque action sequence here (Tunch attacks hand; hand twitches on mouse; mouse clicks on Back Button; John curses, loudly, as text vanishes), and laughing a lot.
Was that Tunch’s way of telling you you can pay vast quantities of attention to the new roomie, OR you can write long posts/comments on the ‘puter, but you cannot do both?
gex
Wow, this OT took a bummer of a turn…
TenguPhule
Bring out your Snark!
Bring out your Snark!
chuck
I like being single. When I’m stuck in a relationship.
I like stable relationships. When I’m single.
Laura W
@Comrade Stuck: Done Gone Galt, I ‘spect.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
That’s a feature, not a bug. Some of us need to be viewed with blurry affection in the morning.
Another thing about being single: you get to plant your damn garden just the way you like. You can take that literally or make it a metaphor, as you please.
Blue Raven
I am a big fan of both Puerto Rican and Filipino adobo. But I’m so surrounded by Mexican cuisine, the latter’s easier to find if I head for a Goldilocks chain bakery/restaurant than the former at the grocery store. More’s the pity. When one of my older sisters married a guy from San Juan, adobo chicken was one of the first dishes she learned from his sisters and it was instantly a part of our family’s repertoire at gatherings.
(sighs in blissful memory of family reunions with French-Canadian, Polish, American, and Puerto Rican food)
gex
@chuck: Isn’t that the truth?
Jager
I have a pork loin in the oven, stuffed with swiss chard, swiss cheese and mushrooms. I’ll be serving it over brown rice with peas and fresh corn. As I’ve been into coleslaw lately, tonight we’re having one we invented last week, cabbage, spanish onion, carrots with an asian sesame dressing whipped into it. BTW, Pour a little lowfat chicken broth in the roasting pan with the loin!
The wine, haven’t decided, as I’m drinking a tecate right now. We are having french vanilla ice cream with fresh peaches for dessert. Mrs J will be a happy woman when she finishes her photo shoot! That’s what we’re having in the midst of So Cal’s June Gloom!
Little Dreamer
@John Cole:
You don’t know how to push a forward button to get back to it? Are you serious? Come on John, I know you’re better than this.
Firefox has an UNDO feature, if you have nothing else.
Laura W
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse:
Sorta read my mind there, Comrade Mary.
John Cole
That was what my drill sergeant said when I was in the army. Fortunately, modern plastics make glasses much skinnier than the thick glass birth control glasses the army makes (or made when I was in).
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
We’re doing one hell of a job advertising for ourselves, aren’t we?
Little Dreamer
I’m eating balogna today in honor of the idiocy we’ve been experiencing.
John Cole
@Little Dreamer: Doh.
demkat620
@Laura W: Yeah blurriness is needed at my age. It’s a downright comfort.
GReynoldsCT00
Dunno, he’s had more than one proposal from members of the commentariat, including me!
Steeplejack
@Steve V:
Because greyhounds are like hummingbirds: 30 minutes for them is like two hours for a normal dog. I used to dog-sit my brother’s greyhound (retired racer) and Italian greyhound (miniature version of the former), and walks usually involved walking to the park, zooming around after the Kong for 10 minutes and then me dragging them home in exhaustion/cardiac arrest. Followed by treats and a five-hour nap. Tough life.
Laura W
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse: There are far worse character traits in life than honesty, humility, vulnerability and self-depreciation.
Steeplejack
@Brachiator:
I’ll have to look for this, because I love Sam Adams Black Lager. It’s my everyday beer, and I’m sucking on one right now. [Glug]
Steep +1.
Little Dreamer
@LV-426:
Personally, for me, I don’t date former conservatives. Only original lefties work, I can’t get excited otherwise. It reminds me of my dad, ewwww!. ;)
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
True, Laura. Like being earth-shakingly gorgeous in real life and lying about it on the Internet in order to appear honest, humble, vulnerable and self-deprecating.
Now where’s that Undo button so I don’t let my secre
demimondian
@Litlebritdifrnt: It’s a very difficult situation. It’s certainly true that a student could abusively accuse a teacher of inappropriate contact or language, and the result could be right out of _The Crucible_. I never had that happen, and there were times when I had students who were very distressed, and for whom privacy was a necessity.
There’s one big difference between my life and your DH’s, though — I taught college and graduate student. My students were all above the age of consent, so the most damaging accusation (child sexual abuse) couldn’t ever be made, anyway. My career might have been ruined, but at least I wouldn’t have gone straight to jail.
Notorious P.A.T.
@LV-426:
I got your joke )
demimondian
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse: Poor you. I don’t have to pretend that I have a face suited for radio and a form suited for the printed word. (And no picture books, either; we’re talking King James Bible here.)
John Cole
Can we please talk about anything other than my marital status? I have parents for that, you know. I like being single. I like being able to be self-centered. I like not having to watch Lifetime just so we can “spend some time together.” I like not putting the seat down. I like being able to quit vacuuming halfway done, leave the vacuum there in the middle of the room plugged in, and watch an entire football game without having anyone ask me, then ask me again, then tell me, and then order me, and then beg me to finish vacuuming. I like having both pillows. And on and on.
Steeplejack
@Michael D.:
Jeez, I was all over this last night in an earlier thread. Jason Jones completely pwned the entire Gray Lady! It was actually sad to see.
demimondian
@John Cole: John — they’re not really talking about your marital status.
They’re talking about why you have resisted their feminine wiles — you did know that women are as proud of those as we are of our excellent pick up lines, right? The fact that you have any feelings involved in the matter has nothing whatsoever to do with this — it really was a question that was asked of the *women*, not the men.
— demi “married for 25 years this December” mondian
Laura W
@John Cole: Wow. Cliche much?
geg6
I don’t know if anyone is watching Keith, but he just had a segment on that was sorta priceless. I usually detest her, but Margaret Carlson just went off on a rant about the Palins that peaked with her calling Bristol and her redneck ex-fiance at the RNC the Charles and Diana of the Klondike(??). It was marvelous and had me stunned for a minute. Awesome.
Jager
John,
I was single for 15 years after a 20 year marriage that commenced when I was a mere 22 years old. (had a shotgun wedding at Fort benning, Ga-Rangers lead the Way!) There were times during my late blooming bachelorhood when the only way I knew what day it was by counting the shirts hanging on my closet door! I test drove the the really hot Mrs J 2.0 for 11 years before she decided it was “time”….hold out as long as you can, even if she is the proper mate!
John Cole
@Laura W: Sorry. I didn’t mean to overly generalize, just talking from past experiences.
Besides. I just got a dog. If you knew anything about me, you would understand that is enough commitment for me for at least two years. I hate making commitments. I resist making follow-up dental appointments just, well, because I don’t know what I will be doing in six months. What if something better is happening then when you want me to be there having things jammed into my teeth?
zirconium
I’m beginning to think you got that dog so you would have an excuse to walk and get exercise.
When are we going to see photos of Tunch and Lily curled up on the couch together?
Johnny B. Guud
OT, but Calculated Risk has a sobering post on the impending implosion of CRE “option ARM” loans:
Martin
Enjoying Rachel calling out the birthers. Someone needs to get her to put up Obama’s real birth certificate.
geg6
John, I’m a woman but I totally relate to your reluctance to commit. Believe me, no pressure from me!
Comrade Stuck
@John Cole:
I bet Cavemen didn’t have these problems.
Death By Mosquito Truck
@Comrade Stuck:
He was killed by a mosquito truck.
Martin
Well, I have to say there’s nothing better than sharing your life with someone who loves you, cares about you, and will always be there to pick you up when you’ve knocked yourself out after slipping and falling from naked mopping. Because without that, you have a cat that’ll probably start eating your organs if you forgot to feed him. I think you’re safe with Lily, at least.
Always plan for the inevitable.
Little Dreamer
@John Cole:
Wow, we might have been almost perfect together, except that you used to be a Republican. Whodda thunk it.
Litlebritdifrnt
Rachel is kicking butt, I have a real girly crush on her.
Death By Mosquito Truck
@John Cole:
Whattabout a fake online bromance? Is that in the cards or are there too many strings?
Comrade Stuck
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
I should have known. Hi mosquitohead.
Little Dreamer
@Martin:
Funny that you bring that up. I asked TZ recently why in the hell John would mop naked (wondered if this was some secret man thing I wasn’t aware of, perhaps) and he said “I honestly don’t think I can even contemplate that question”.
I have to admit though, I did honestly iron a shirt topless once when I was in a hurry and burnt my nipple. It’s all healed now. ;)
Death By Mosquito Truck
@demimondian:
It’s practically eerie how much you know about women. ;)
John Cole
@Little Dreamer: It made sense at the time. I had cleaned everything, to include scrubbing the inside of the toilet, and I was filthy and sweaty and going to shower, so I just decided I would mop my way to the shower and then just turn it on when I was done.
In my defense, I put more thought into my plan than Rumsfeld did the Iraq occupation.
Little Dreamer
@zirconium:
Well, I don’t know, perhaps you are a fan of method acting? I like natural emotions. I think it would be best to wait until they actually like ummm, sniff each other, exchange glances, watch each other for a while and then perhaps curl up together on the couch? Let them get comfortable together first, geez… and I thought I moved fast.
Litlebritdifrnt
@John Cole:
John I understand, I got divorced at the age of 21 in 1981, I dated and stuff in the preceding years, but it took me 10 years (okay nine and a bit) until I found “the one”. I married again in 1991, ten years after I divorced. You just have to be single for a bit. I get that.
Little Dreamer
@John Cole:
Hey, you didn’t kill anyone. Bravo!
Martin
Speaking as a man, there are countless secret man things that shouldn’t ever be contemplated, many of which you don’t even want to be aware of unless you’re committed to being a lesbian. That said, naked mopping barely rates.
Betsy
My always-praised orzo salad:
Cook a box of orzo. Toss with plenty of olive oil and lemon juice. Chill. When cold, toss with toasted pine nuts, scallions, and feta cheese. Win.
gex
@John Cole: I guess this is an advantage I have going after the gay ones. Never had a girlfriend that nagged like that.
Death By Mosquito Truck
Wow.. that’s a MILF! (meal I’d like to feast on)
Betsy
@John Cole:
Also, I totally sympathize. I’ve been with my current BF for a little over five years now, and people (other than close friends with whom you would discuss this sort of thing) have decided it’s ok to start asking if/when we’re going to get married. That it is an incredibly intimate question to ask, and potentially fraught, does not seem to occur to them.
(I’m not actually as uptight about it as I sound here; I generally just smile and say “oh, you know, sometime.” But there are some issues that need to be dealt with, and fuck if I feel like explaining those to strangers.)
Betsy
@Death By Mosquito Truck: It is that rare but beautiful combination of easy as hell and really delicious, so people are way more impressed with it than they should be. Which is just fine with me. Very little makes me happier than when people (genuinely) praise my cooking. I do realize that’s a little pathetic. But true nonetheless. In college I had a guy I didn’t know propose to me over my chocolate cake. I was so proud.
Danton
Hacked Chicken from Sichuan
(Ban Ban Ji)
4 chicken breasts on the bone
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp dark Chinese soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp white rice vinegar
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
4-6 diced green onions
4-10 seeded, shredded dried chile peppers (cayenne, Thai, or Sichuan)
¼ to 1 tsp cayenne chile powder (more is hotter) soaked in a few dollops of sesame oil
Cover chicken breasts and bay leaf with water in a saucepan. Gently simmer until thoroughly cooked. Remove from water and set aside to cool. When the chicken is cool, remove the white meat from the bone and roughly shred it.
Mix the powdered chile and sesame oil and set aside for 10 minutes. This releases the heat of the chile
Mix peanut butter, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, and vinegar thoroughly.
Add chicken to the peanut butter mix and then add the ginger, garlic, green onion, shredded dried peppers, and the chile powder.
We serve this on Stoned Wheat Thins, which is not very Sichuan-ish.
Indylib
We had grilled chicken legs, some with bar-b-q sauce, some with adobo seasoning, and some with Famous Dave’s chicken spice, corn on the cob, green beans with carrots and almonds, and some really tasteless watermelon. My kids are outside s’moring it up in the fire pit and it’s all of 55 degrees outside.
We here in southern Wisconsin are a little wishful for something that resembles summer.
Little Dreamer
@Betsy:
Betsy, take it from another, the best answer is “why in the hell would we want to do that?” – they’ll never ask again! ;)
demimondian
@Comrade Stuck: I believe that he’s a truck head. But I’m not sure.
Little Dreamer
@Martin:
Gee, is THAT why my ex husband brought a strange woman home one day?
Been there.
demimondian
@Death By Mosquito Truck: Check your snark detector, truck…I think that batteries might have burned out.
Betsy
@Little Dreamer:
Hee! I’ll be sure to try that next time. :D
Death By Mosquito Truck
@Little Dreamer: You mean a different strange woman, right?
Little Dreamer
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
No, I mean a strange woman – she was very young, very blond, flighty, quite anti-social, and completely frigid. I’m NONE of those things. ;)
KRK
@John Cole:
Amen, brother.
Little Dreamer
@Little Dreamer:
I’m standing in the shower remembering this conversation and suddenly realized I should probably elaborate on what i meant by “very young”: she was no Willow Palin – a couple years older than Bristol – and quite legal and consenting, just not very ummm, fun. Not sure why she followed him decided to go home with him, she was fully aware I was going to be there. By far the worst bisexual/mixer experience I ever had.
Ash Can
@John Cole:
The average person puts more thought into pouring a cup of coffee than Rummy put into the Iraq occupation.
@Betsy: I got a recipe very similar to that from my aunt-in-law, and it’s fabulous. In addition to the ingredients you name, her recipe calls for 2 cups of halved grape tomatoes (ideally, both red and yellow) and some fresh shredded basil, and it calls for the orzo to be cooked in chicken broth (one big can for a one-pound box of orzo). The orzo absorbs almost all of the broth, so it doesn’t need much draining, and very little of the broth is lost. Oh, and the pine nuts must be toasted. Yum!
yam
I don’t know if you have enough East Africans in your area, but if you can find Berbere powder, this has become my new secret culinary weapon. It makes a great rub, an addition to just about anything and is on par with curry power on the usefulness scale.
tripletee (formerly tBone)
I’ve never had adobo. I’m assuming I’d find it shelved between the arugula and dijon mustard in the local Leftist organic market? Also, does it always cause the conversation to veer between recipes, naked mopping and shitty swinger experiences? Just trying to decide how much to buy.
elisathon
@geg6:
(de-lurking)
See if this works for you:
Daisy Martinez’ Sofrito Recipe
Makes about 4 cups.
If you can’t find ajices dulces or culantro, don’t sweat. Up the amount of cilantro to 1 ½ bunches.
2 medium Spanish onions, cut into large chunks
3 to 4 Italian frying peppers or cubanelle peppers
16 to 20 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large bunch cilantro, washed
7 to 10 ajices dulces (see note below), optional
4 leaves of culantro (see note below), or another handful cilantro
3 to 4 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into large chunks
Chop the onion and cubanelle or Italian peppers in the work bowl of a food processor until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients one at a time and process until smooth. The sofrito will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes beautifully. Freeze sofrito in ½ cup batches in sealable plastic bags. They come in extremely handy in a pinch. You can even add sofrito straight from the freezer to the pan in any recipe that calls for it in this book.
Pantry Notes: Ajices Dulces, also known as cachucha or ajicitos are tiny sweet peppers with a hint of heat. They range in color from light to medium green and yellow to red and orange. They add freshness and an herby note to the sofrito and anything you cook. Do not mistake them for Scotch bonnet or Habanero chilies (which they look like)–those two pack a wallop when it comes to heat. If you can find ajicitos in your market, add them to sofrito. If not, up the cilantro and add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Culantro is not cilantro. It has long leaves with tapered tips and serrated edges. When it comes to flavor, culantro is like cilantro times ten. It is a nice, not essential addition to sofrito.
DaBomb
Here’s my recipe choice: Jamaican Chicken Curry
2 Tbsp of veggie oil
4 bone-in skinless chix breasts halves; halved crosswise
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium onion chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 Tbsp curry powder(Preferably Jamaican)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 carrots thinly sliced
1 can(13.5 oz) cococnut milk
1 pkg of frozen peas, thawed
cooked white rice for serving
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot heat oil over medium high. Season chix with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, brown chix. Transfer to plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, cumin, curry, thyme, and 1/2 cup of water and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened, 3 to 5 mins. Add carrots, coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and chix with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover partially, and cook until chix is cooked through and carrots are tender. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Serve over rice.
Lord Faahtass
Isn’t cold orzo salad akin to I love my wife? Dumb ass! It’s SUPPOSED TO!
jen
John, I assume you are speaking of Adobo as in powdered seasoning from company like Goya that comes in a shaker bottle and can be used on ANYTHING, anything and is a complete life saver, all purpose jack-up-the-flavour indispensable addition to your spice cabinet. I have been an addict ever since living in Miami for many years, so much so that I had to get people to pick it up in Amsterdam or mail it to me from south Florida while I lived in England. Use liberally when grilling meat or fish, or vegetables. Can be used in a pinch for a quick vinaigrette…………
Bill Belichick
What, no kale? Nonetheless be careful about what you digest. Next you’ll be buying birkenstocks and a Volvo. Before you know you’ll be up here with us heathens of the People’s Republic, cheering on the Patriots when you’re not protesting all of Society’s injustices.
tung sol
Orzo Salad
1 ½ cups orzo
1 large red onion
2-3 tomatoes, diced
½ cup black olives, halved and pitted
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
3 Tablespoons capers
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (preferably white)
juice of 3 lemons (approx. 12 Tablespoons)
½ lb grated pecorino or asiago cheese
bon apetit
tung sol
R-Jud
This spicy chicken recipe is bloody fantastic. We’ve made it four times since last week.
I turned it into a soup today by thinning out the poaching liquid with stock and soy sauce. Whack some noodles in there, pour it over the chicken and raw veggies. Delicious.
asiangrrlMN
@John Cole: How about a woman who would watch sports with you, tell you to shut the fuck up if you tried to talk about your feelings and wanted to have sex twice a day? I’m not offering, mind you. I’m just reminding you that we do exist. Oh, and one who will tell you to get the fuck out of her house and go home already.