Blues Highways Cookbook

I've had this small spiral-bound cookbook for over 5 years and never cooked a thing from it. That made it a prime target for my little project. I guess haven't used this one much is that I bought it on one of the last outings I had with an old boyfriend. Somehow I just left that sort of stuff along -- which was a mistake.

The author, Jason R. Girard, was the chef at Buddy Guy's Club on Chicago's South Side and he offers more than just downhome, Southern/Cajun Cooking, he offers a lesson in the blues as well. Each section of the book highlight a blues musical legend giving a brief biography and a woodcut illustration. Blind Lemon Jefferson, Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red are among those mentioned. I really enjoyed reading this little bios as well as the forward written by Buddy Guy.

The recipes include all kinds of goodies including Bananas Foster Baked French Toast, Hoppin' John, Legendary Jambalaya and Crawfish Etouffee'. Unfortunately, most of these dishes didn't sound good to my picky daughter, so I decided to cook up something for myself. I choose Bubba's Windy City Chili, making a 1/2 order and freezing it to bring for my lunch. It was a good choice, very easy and turned out yummy. This is a ground beef based chili with loads of green peppers and kidney beans. This has worked out great for my lunches ---very filling.

Another cookbook down -- 50 more to go.

Geometry of Sin

I found this pretty interesting and worth the ponder. What are all the combinations of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Could second place truly be a path to Hell?


Found at Bits and Pieces by way of Neatorama.

Using what I have

A few weekends ago, I spent the better part of two days going through all my clothes. I opened and sorted through every piece of wearable fabric I own. What a huge job, but a real success.

I had just tons of clothes, but felt like I had nothing to wear. Every morning it was a depressing face-off between me and the closet and the closet normally won. I'm about the heaviest I have ever been (which is a whole 'nother topic) and also a pack rat. Finding an outfit each morning entailed looking at all the stuff I couldn't wear or didn't like. It is a poor way to start out the day.

So starting with my sock drawer (the easiest) I looked at everything. If something was worn out, dated or unappealing I put it in either the garbage or donate piles. What a mountain of clothes for Goodwill --- 5 lawnbags full. I also made a pile of "love it, but too small" that I've stored away for a while. This stored selection maybe a problem in the future, but I just couldn't bear to get rid of some of those items-- I really intend to lose some weight.

Mornings run smoother now that I can easily look at what is available in the closet. Everything fits me and is arranged by color, just like all those professional organizers recommend. I feel like I have new clothes because I found some great things hiding in the drawers.

I learned one thing the closet adventure which can be applied to the "use what I have" project. You have to know what you have before you really can use it.

Check out Donald Crowdis at Don to Earth

Don Crowdis is a retired Canadian television personality who authors a very readable blog. Since Don is over 90 and a vital, well spoken guy, I decided I had better read him to keep my own hang ups about aging in check.
His current post on blogging raises the issue of the democracy of blogging. I'm not sure where I stand on this -- sure everyone can blog, but who are the readers? It's really hard to know if anyone is reading your stuff, unless they comment. If a blog falls in the forest, is there a sound?
Also, blogs can be echo chambers, I know that I tend to read blogs I agree with and not those that I don't. Since I have many views that aren't covered, as I would wish, in the mainstream press I tend to read blogs that cover them in the manner I agree with. It feels good to find similar minds, finally, after feeling like the lone wolf for years. But I also see the danger in being limited to only people we agree with. In fact, the growth of the 'blog media' may actually be a response to the sameness among mainstream media outlets because they just tend to echo each other, often using the same word in their coverage.
I'm getting a bit deep here for a Friday (especially pre Bears Super Bowl), I better pull out before I bring up Plato's Cave Metaphor....which I think applies. Are we just watching the shadows on the cave wall or have we broken loose and see it clearly in the sunlight?
Anyway, read Don to Earth -- he gives me hope about aging and still being ... cool or something.