Day the 164th

Reader, I cooked. Yes, yes, I did.

I didn't do as much as I wished last night because although I did not make Vespers and went home first (so the argument might go that I had time to rest...ha), I also didn't do as much as I had once I arrived chez Weltha after Choir.

But I did make White Chili With Chicken and had some for dinner, and am having more for lunch. It's wonderful.

Were it a man (see yesterday's post about men) I would wish to marry it. Or at least date it very seriously. PS...many thanks to Sonnet XVII - Shakespeare, of course...Thought so...like that one, dahlin'...

Ah well...and thank you to my correspondent who commented about men's abilities to set up things (I love that 'thing' word...) involving wires, cables, etc. Yes, I like that about men. Also, being My Father's Only Daughter, I have a certain amount of that ability myself. But, alas, not to the degree of men. I like men. I really like them...

Oh, where was I?

You probably want to know what I have been eating.

I ate more cheesecake last night and am having more for lunch.

Why? WHY? you ask.

Simple. For the same reason that men climb Mount Everest.

Because it's there.

You will remember that I had Dinner Party For Six on Saturday night. That cheesecake has been there ever since. Cheesecakes are large things (there I go again with the 'thing' word), and because none of my guests would allow me to send any home with them (drat), I had it in the icebox, leering at me.

I should have taken it to work, but I did not. Oh well. I don't do this every day. Or week. Or month. And the next cheesecake will be chocolate. With praline topping.

But I did have White Chili With Chicken last night. And it's here with me today. Along with some Lentil-Balsamic Onion-Roasted Beet Salad. And a piece of You-Know-What.

So sue me.

In fact, this chili is so excellent that I am posting the recipe. Particularly for one of you, and you know who you are...

White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped* (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 (15.5 ounce) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (or cilantro)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken (or marinated grilled tofu)

Directions
In a large saucepan, cook onion, jalapeno if desired and garlic in oil until tender.
Stir in broth, beans, parsley, lime juice and cumin; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into chili.
Add chicken or tofu.
Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add sour cream and sprinkle of grated cheese if desired.

Honestly, I like lots of garlic in it, and as far as I am concerned, just go ahead and add the doggone sour cream to the recipe and have done with it.

Tonight, the plan is to cook some more. Or maybe hit a movie. I'm easy that way...I love to cook. I do. I love to watch movies, especially in the dark theater. I do. I'm your basic movie girl.

And now, to the Weltha Opinion Of The Day.

And the topic is:

ROCK 'N' ROLL

Like Joan Jett, I love Rock 'n' Roll. Probably for the same reasons that I like men who have done their bit in the military, War and History, and Doc Martens.

Because of the masculine thing that goes with it. RnR is a boy's game, and the best women in it have a certain amount of the boy to them. I like hard rock from the 70s.

Excuse me, that's "I LOVE hard rock from the 70s."

There's this odd androgynous side to me, and one of my secret fantasies is to:

1. Be really thin again like I once was (hence, this blog...)



2. Wear a skin-tight black T-shirt



3. And a pair of black leather jeans



4. And a pair of black Doc Martens



5. Complete with lots of black eyeliner, kinda smeared. Just kinda...



6. And my hair sorta slicked back like a boy's. Just sorta...



7. Sing my favorite dark, masculine, rock loves

What are those favorites, you ask? (You did; you asked; I heard you.)

1. "Bad Moon Rising" by CCR. This one makes my blood rise. Especially the line about the voice of rage and ruin...
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BmEGm-mraE



2. "Brown Sugar" by the Stones. Especially that line "just around midnight." I always want to sing that one with one shoulder sort of jerking in time to the music. You know the move...
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05gUxPdAvMQ&feature=related



3. "Start Me Up" by the Stones. If I have to explain why, you're hopeless. Hopeless, I tell you...completely and utterly hopeless.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzlgJ-SfKYE



4. "Layla" by Clapton. "Layla...you got me on my knees...Layla...." Any woman with this kind of power, I respect. Totally.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX5USg8_1gA
   
   And my all-time rock favorite:



5. "Gimme Shelter" by the Stones. I have always loved the way it starts out with this sort of dreamy Eastern feel to it and then launches into really hard rock wackitude. I love the chaos of this song. Love it. Love. It. No one can make music like the Stones.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDnJ0vXUgw&feature=related

Rock 'n' Roll is all of my "I'm so tired of being the Little Nice Girl" combined with my love of Boy Stuff and Boy Adventures.

Joined to my Youngest Child Only Daughter thirst for being the Absolute Center of Attention. Not at all times; just at some times...

I have a feeling I'm going to start working out to some of these...I like the electricity, the darkness, the chaos, and the macho-in-your-face of it all.

And you had no idea...right? Right.

Independently,

Weltha