Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Why did Dr. Oz lose? well, according to the exit polls, it’s because Fetterman won.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Republicans in disarray!

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

The willow is too close to the house.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Becoming a Normie + Bonus Recipe Thread

Becoming a Normie + Bonus Recipe Thread

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A Betty Cracker post is where I first read the word Normie. She described it as someone who did not obsess about politics as we all do here.

And I had to wonder, who could do that, in times like these? In Trump times, in MAGA times, when Democracy itself felt in jeopardy?

But now that the election is over and it looks like the American people overwhelmingly chose Democracy over insanity, I’ve been contemplating what it would be like to become a “normie,” just for a while. The republican controlled house will be a three-ring circus following MTG/Boebert over the crazy cliff. They’ll get nothing done and won’t have the votes to do much damage legislatively. And I believe they will continue their downward spiral of alienating voters.

The political press is going to be 24/7 orange turd clickbait. I thought we were all behind saving Democracy but it turns out, they are addicted to the chaos. And after being told the red wave was coming! The red wave was coming!  I’m sure it will be two years of “Dems in disarray!” as the House descends into madness. Somehow that will be super bad for Dems in 2024. Followed by breathless accounts of how Biden is too old, Harris is too female and OMG! we are doomed.

I don’t think my sanity can take it.

I have confidence in the leaders we have chosen to lead, to do what they can to counter the coming insanity, without my obsessing on every tweet, news article, and flashing “breaking news” banners. And come election time (real election time, not melting-orange-sicle/MSM election time), I’ll be ready to participate again.

What ever will I do with all that spare time? I have ideas, but mostly it feels like I need to get back to a life that is not overrun with whatever hell these last seven years have been. For the next month, I’m going to binge on holiday movies, plan out my holiday party menu and hang with Trixie as she recovers from her spay.

How about I start my normie journey tonight with another recipe thread?

This year for my Dad’s Christmas present, I’m creating a dozen+ frozen dinners. Chili, beef stew, pot roast, and tonight’s installment:

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

  • 1 lb ground beef*
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • ¼ tsp thyme
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 8 oz carrots, sliced
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 tsp crushed garlic
  • 2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes or tomato puree
  • 15 oz can red kidney beans
  • 15 oz can white northern beans
  • 16 oz chicken broth*
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • ¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 small bay leaf (remove before serving)
  • 8 oz ditali or small shell pasta

large saucepan or dutch oven

In saucepan, brown beef, add spices and mix in well with meat, add onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except pasta) and let simmer 30 minutes on a medium, stirring frequently.  Add pasta to soup, simmer on low for additional 10 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

*if you want to keep it vegetarian, substitute a meaty mushroom for the ground beef (saute with broth or butter) and vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

If you think this is similar to one of the Olive Garden’s soups, it is. It’s also fairly easy to put together and hearty on a cold November night.

ETA: I have a question! Do we have any New Zealanders here on the blog? I have some language questions only a Kiwi could answer. Email me or throw up a flag here in the blog, and I’ll touch base with you, if you’re willing.

Reader Interactions

94Comments

  4. 4.

    Spanky

    I see “Normie” and my first thought is the guy from “Cheers”. My second thought is about beer.

    Mmmmmmm! Beeeeer!

    What was the topic, again?

  5. 5.

    Jeffro

    TaMara, this is just 110% spot-on.  After the past week, all I want to do is make soup, eat soup, read books, and chill until New Year’s.  Thanks for the recipe!

  6. 6.

    narya

    If you plan leftovers in a soup or stew that has pasta, keep the pasta separate; if you freeze it w/ the pasta in it, the pasta will get mushy/pasty.

  7. 7.

    HumboldtBlue

    OK, I have taken the leap and started baking bread, poorly, but still…

    I made dinner rolls last week if you saw them you’d think they were perfect, I guess if you like yeast, they were. They looked perfect, but the heavy yeasty taste was far too much for me, so the birds on the roof were the beneficiaries of my labor.

    I’ve been looking up non-yeast breads for the past few days (the Rabbi would be proud, but he knows I’m not Jewish) and have come across a few I will try.

    Any suggestions from this gaggle of ingredient benders would be more than welcome.

  8. 8.

    TaMara

    @narya: You’re right and I usually don’t even add it to the soup until I serve it.

    But, if you only cook the pasta part way (less than al dente, even) and freeze it right away, it holds up pretty well. I did that for what I froze for my dad.

    If I asked him to add pasta to it after the fact, he wouldn’t bother to do it. LOL He’s not used to being a bachelor. ❤️

  9. 9.

    TaMara

    I have a question! Do we have any New Zealanders here on the blog? I have some language questions only a Kiwi could answer. Email me or throw up a flag here in the blog, and I’ll touch base with you, if you’re willing.

  12. 12.

    funlady75

    good post TaMara.

    watching TCM  movies tonite & making chicken soup tomorrow…

    chilling out on politics….family/friends a priority during holidays.

    cheers!!!!!!!

  13. 13.

    Peale

    Lets see. Things I’ve learned about cooking in the past month or so.

    *Hominy is a good addition to chili. I’ve never really cooked with it before as I associate it with grits, which I don’t like.

    *Thanks to Max Miller, we’ll be having venison stew for thanksgiving this year and foregoing the bird.  Its forced me to find where I can by venison out here.

    *I’ve fallen in love with roast pears with brandy, brown sugar, walnuts and allspice.

  14. 14.

    Pete Downunder

    @TaMara: I’m not kiwi, I’m a yank living in Oz, but I have many kiwi friends including the wife of my nephew, so if you don’t get a better response I’ll be happy to pass on your question(s).

  17. 17.

    eclare

    I think I have mentioned it, but I adopted a little pitt on Wednesday.  She is 45 pounds, still getting to know the kitties.  But no bad signs.

    She was left on the side of a road with two puppies.  I do not normally believe in capital punishment

    Her name is Lucy.  I usually use rap songs to sing to my dogs.  I think I will use the Beatles for this girl…Lovely Lucy meter maid!

  21. 21.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Peale:

    Is that what went wrong? My sister (an excellent baker and bread maker) mentioned that over-proofing would have an impact, so maybe that’s where I went wrong.

  22. 22.

    CarolPW

    @eclare: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Better than being a meter maid.

    I sang the Beatles now it’s time to say Good Night when we went to bed when Bisket was young, and she madly tore around the bed being a complete maniac.

  25. 25.

    dmsilev

    @HumboldtBlue: Try looking up one of the “no-knead” bread recipes. They generally use yeast, but only a tiny amount of it. You get a loaf that’s much less yeasty in taste, but without going Full Sourdough. Just bear in mind that they take several hours, up to a whole day, in rising time so it’s not something to do if you need bread quickly.

  29. 29.

    Pete Mack

    I much prefer sliced sausage to ground beef in soup. And I go for white bean kale and sausage more often than  pasta e fagioli. Both sound really good in this cold snap.

  34. 34.

    JoyceH

    Anybody here know anything about tempeh? It (along with tofu) is now a zero point food at Weight Watchers. I got some in my grocery order and am googling what to do with it.

    Also – new episodes out of Dead To Me!

  35. 35.

    Rachel Bakes

    Need to get back to baking-maybe this weekend will enable that. Love thr Christmas gift idea TaMara. We’ve been filling my in-laws’ freezer for Christmas and birthdays for several years now. My MIL feels any meal she doesn’t need to make herself is a good one. Three of us cook here so we run out of freezer space before Christmas arrives. Lasagna already in the freezer.

  38. 38.

    HumboldtBlue

    @dmsilev:

    Thanks, already been looking at no-knead breads.

    @Peale:

    I followed the recipe, so maybe like your mom is like this guy’s grandma (her recipe) liked over-proofed bread as well.

    @TaMara:

    Will give it a shot.

  41. 41.

    Peale

    @JoyceH:

    -Simmer it in water for 10 minutes before using it. Or steam it for 15 before using it.

    -I use it to make Tempeh bacon, but just remember. It is not bacon! That said, I’ll put some strips of it on avocado toast or in salads.

    -I’ve also used it to make Tempeh-black bean burgers. I generally follow this recipe, but I use different herbs and spices each time.  Also I skip the flax egg and use an actual one. I’ve used curry, chili spices, jerk, and taco seasoning mix and they’ve turned out fine.

  42. 42.

    Nelle

    I’m a dual citizen (US and New Zealand).  We were going to be in the States for about five years.  We’re here when Covid hit and haven’t gone back to live.  Don’t know if I can answer a question but have plenty of friends down there whom I can ask.

  46. 46.

    Albatrossity

    Normie is good. Foodie is even better. I was starting to get all worked up about Garland’s caution and dithering today, but I figured out that there is not one damn thing I, or any other jackal, can do about it. But I can cook for people I love, and I can get outside and see some birds who might (or might not) want to pose for a portrait. I can control those things, and so I will.

  48. 48.

    bbleh

    [Darth Vader voice] A Normie? No, you will never be a Normie.  Embrace your destiny!  TaMara … you are a Jackal.

  49. 49.

    bbleh

    @HumboldtBlue: If you can find fresh yeast cakes, like Red Star, I always found that much better than dry yeast. And I did double-rising (when did “rising” change to “proofing” out of curiosity), which seemed to make things less heavy and yeasty.  Also, I would suggest not entirely refined white flour (if that’s what you’re using); try at least half of something a little heavier, like “bread flour” or even whole wheat; that can keep the yeast flavor from being as evident.

  52. 52.

    Lady WereBear

    What ever will I do with all that spare time? I have ideas, but mostly it feels like I need to get back to a life that is not overrun with whatever hell these last seven years have been.

    You have made me realize how long the madness has been going on.

    Helmsperson, holiday revelry on full. Engage!

  53. 53.

    schrodingers_cat

    My cooking is in a rut right now. I am exhausted. However on the bright side, I just bought artist quality Staedtler watercolor pencils set of 60. I already have their normie version for serious enthusiasts (Design Journey line) and the  Student version of FaberCastell’s watercolor pencils.

    This was the last thing I did with watercolor pencils

  56. 56.

    Ohio Mom

    I don’t think it is possible to become a normie once you have become aware and engaged. I say this as someone who was a normie until late middle age. You can’t un-see and un-learn things, a mind stretched by a new idea can’t go back returns to its original dimensions, or whatever that quote is.

    I think instead you can aim for equanimity. You can cultivate bemused detachment. You can remind yourself that what you think really doesn’t matter.

    For an example from today, is Immanentize correct that appointing a Special Counsel is the exact right move, that seeing this happen is a sign for hope, or are the other voices I’ve read here and there saying that this is just Garland kicking the can down the road and running out the clock the ones to believe?

    It doesn’t matter which view I think is right! Time will tell and my thoughts change nothing. It was interesting reading immanentize’s thinking process but I am not going to get myself in a ball of rage one way or another.

    This isn’t up day I have achieved some sort of pinnacle of Zen acceptance, I can still turn into a ball of rage. But I try more and more to take a longer view.

    ETA: distracting oneself, through cooking or drawing, or another activity, is a good coping skill but that doesn’t make you a normie.

  57. 57.

    HumboldtBlue

    @bbleh:

    Thank you. I used all-purpose flour for the loaf of bread and the rolls I cooked. I’m building a list for Sunday’s shopping run, so I’ll see what my flour options are.

    My mom was an excellent baker, and it was always “rising” in our house. “Proofing” was for the yeast itself.

  58. 58.

    frosty

    @schrodingers_cat: ​
     It’s great getting new gear! Having hit something of a guitar rut I bought harmonicas last year. A new hobby to be mediocre at, but at least it will take me awhile to get there.

  60. 60.

    Albatrossity

    @Sure Lurkalot: Thanks! Not sure I am a fine cook, but so far nobody has died from eating what I feed them :-)

    On the other hand, my daughter is an excellent baker, and my son has developed into an excellent chef as well. I steal recipes from both of them!

  62. 62.

    schrodingers_cat

    @frosty: I have had an eye on these pencils (set of 60) since I was in India. They dropped below $50 and I had to get them. I have a small set of 12 and they are way more pigmented than the serious amateur and the student versions.

  63. 63.

    Zelma

    TaMara, I understand exactly how you feel.  I went on a news/computer blackout the day before the election and had pretty much decided to pull way back on my obsession.  I was amazed how much I got done.  But then the news was so much better than I expected and I got pulled back in.  I may be a hopeless addict, but I’d sure like to break the habit.

  64. 64.

    FelonyGovt

    I’m taking a 4 week class on drawing people. I draw fairly well but have always avoided including people because I make them look so awkward. We’ll see if this helps.
    Being a normie is tempting but I don’t know if it’s possible for me.

  65. 65.

    Obvious Russian Troll

    @Danielx: I’ve had good luck with Rummo brand if you can find it (imported from Italy). Shapes like penne rigate seem to work better than long thin noodles. It tends to keep a firm texture even if you overcook it a bit, unlike some of the others.

    Having said that, I’d still avoid putting it in Tamara’s soup recipe. (Which looks great!)

  67. 67.

    wombat probabilty cloud

    TaMara, FWIW, I engage in non-political things I love or feel strongly about for a few days or weeks at a time (thus “nominal Normie status”) w/o guilt. In my case, it’s authoring arcane scientific publications about new species of trees in C. and S. America, house projects, or long walks in the woods with my mate and beloved dog. In the first instance, it’s “Put your good where it will do the most,” b/c I’m a specialist in that realm (which I always thought came from Wavy Gravy, now realize it seems to be a Tom Wolfe quote), and it the other instances, it’s simply recharging, like being rotated from the front lines. Whatever works best for you. Your heart will guide you. A huge thank you for your contributions to this blog!

  68. 68.

    frosty

    @Ohio Mom: I can’t recall ever being a normie. My mom took me out of school in 4th grade to see Nixon whistle stop in my little town. In the mock election in Jr High in ’64 I knew enough about both candidates to vote for Clifton DeBerry of the Militant Workers Party. Followed all the news worldwide in ’68. And in my 20s living in California I subscribed to Washington Monthly.

    I oughta try the normie thing for a couple of months though… maybe start by not obsessively reading every word from all the Valued Commenters on Balloon-Juice.

  69. 69.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @frosty:  maybe start by not obsessively reading every word from all the Valued Commenters on Balloon-Juice.

    Sounds fucking drastic.  Just stop reading Steve in the WTF.  That should be a good start.

  72. 72.

    Grumpy Old Railroader

    @FelonyGovt: I’m taking a 4 week class on drawing people.

    Ha. When I first got serious about art several years back, I was taking a class in drawing techniques. The instructor suggested I sign up for her class in figure drawing and I expressed hesitation. She said “Grumpy, once you learn to draw faces and figures, everything else is easy.” She was right about that.She also advised that drawing and painting is a matter of getting the best tools, the best paper and acquiring all the techniques. Much the same as carpentry, plumbing or any other craft. You get the best equipment and learn all the techniques, tricks and tips of the trade​
    Tip #1 The length of human figure from head to foot is equal to the head length times 7. (drawing is knowing those little tidbits)​

  74. 74.

    raven

    U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker made a campaign stop at the Savannah Mall on Friday, where he spoke to about 200 supporters about his runoff against incumbent U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. 
    It was a highly religious speech from Walker, who exalted his own path, saying God has been preparing him for this race his whole life, and called himself “God’s warrior”  a few times. He also challenged Warnock’s godliness, saying he was not worthy of being a man of the cloth, and called the sitting senator a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

  76. 76.

    trollhattan

    @raven: Do you reckon Warnock can win this thing? Too distant to have any sense of how the campaign is playing, just hoping that bummed out Republicans won’t be bothered to show up and vote.

  78. 78.

    James E Powell

    @frosty:

    I was never a normie. I was only a kid in the 60s but I was a reader & we had two daily newspapers back then. When my oldest brother was drafted, I started paying real close attention to the news. I was 13 when Nixon was elected. Kent State was close to where I lived. Unrepentant Democrat every since. First votes were in 1974 for Governor Gilligan & John Glenn.

  79. 79.

    Gin & Tonic

    National Weather Service reports that Orchard Park, NY, has received 66″ of snow in the last 24 hours.

  80. 80.

    Ohio Mom

    @Gin & Tonic: That is a lot of snow. I wonder how much all that snow weighs and where the snow plows are going to push it to. Maybe they can dump it back in Lake Erie where it came from.

  83. 83.

    bbleh

    @raven: @trollhattan: from what I’ve seen from a distance, Walker is first and far foremost a celebrity (which goes a LONG way), secondly enough of a performer to take direction (especially in use of buzzwords aimed at particular constituencies, notably Christianists), and thirdly — and here I defer to Charlie Pierce — comfortable enough in his own skin to tell garbled BS stories like the vampire-movie one and make it seem folksy and amusing, which goes a long way with people who vote personal impressions of “character.”

    He can win this thing.  Every volunteer and dollar donated for Warnock will make a difference, and potentially THE difference!

  84. 84.

    bbleh

    @Gin & Tonic: thank heaven so-called “global warming” isn’t real then!  (And yeah yeah, the global warming models predicted exactly this sort of high-variance weather in the temperate latitudes, but who believes people who write sentences like that?)

  85. 85.

    Wanderer

    One thing that would be wonderful is to see the adorable rabbit from the Rand McNally book cover which Adam so effectively includes in his posts.  Seeing that rabbit replacing every photo of tfg would go a long way in reducing stress.

  86. 86.

    Kyle Rayner

    This is a fun perspective to read! I would generally consider most people obsessing over something so “normal” as US politics and democracy a normie, when contrasted with tumblr where people invest the bulk of our obsessing into drawing and writing obscene homoerotic stories about fictional superheroes. Didn’t realize the word got such broad usage. I guess we’re all a normie to someone! :)

  87. 87.

    sralloway

    Love Pasta e Fagioli Soup. Copied and saved the recipe.
    Liked seeing the Dansk Bistro setting, our everyday dinnerware since 1982. We had a Dansk outlet nearby and got great deals on their stuff.

  88. 88.

    Matt McIrvin

    @HumboldtBlue: Like I said earlier, I use “instant” dry yeast but I use small amounts of it, like 1/2 teaspoon for a 2-pound loaf, and just wait a longer time for the rise. That long rise gets you better, more complex, less yeasty flavors. Sometimes I do what bakers call a “retard” where you put the dough in the refrigerator overnight to slow down the rise and bake it the next morning. The low temperature lowers the activity of the yeast, but the bacteria and other microbes that produce interesting-tasting metabolites will still be going. What you get is a slightly more sourdough-like flavor without the trouble of maintaining a sourdough starter, which is too much commitment for me.

  92. 92.

    Drahcir

    Nothing wrong with being Normie for  a while.
    The danger isn’t passed, but President Snooze  Button will keep the lid on for a couple of  years at least.
    So  taking a break  is both morally acceptable AND a very, very good idea.

    There will be more conflict, which we  (the liberals) will probably ultimately win. It’s going to be a long, long LONG struggle though.

  93. 93.

    Mary

    @eclare: You are a very good person. And I don’t believe in capital punishment either, but sometimes….. Please give your little pittie  and the kitties my best wishes from afar. —Mary

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