Chicken Tacos

In an effort to keep my husband, WD, from setting up residence at any of the numerous taco trucks around town, I decided to venture away from the Old El Paso taco kits that I usually buy and make my own chicken tacos. The corn tortillas and toppings were a no brainer--the simpler, the better. Just a little onion, some monterey jack cheese, sliced avocado and a little cilantro. But I needed a recipe for some really flavorful chicken.

After searching around online I found the perfect recipe for shredded chicken at For the Love of Cooking. Pam has such great recipes including one for Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup that I'd love to try. And if you're looking for cookie recipes, she has many of those to choose from too, and they all look delicious. I'm so glad I found her blog. Now, I just need to find a recipe for Tacos al Pastor and WD can break his addiction to taco trucks for good!

Shredded Chicken (from For the Love of Cooking)

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and boil for 20 minutes (or longer--I've let it boil for an hour before which I blame on Twilight). Shred chicken with 2 forks after they've cooled.

Wordless Wednesday: Still...No Snow

Soccer Revisited

A couple of weeks ago, the fabulous Keri at It Flickers Dimly, tagged me for a photo meme. It's the one where I'm supposed to choose the 4th picture from my 4th folder on my computer and post it. Well, this is the 4th picture from the bottom 4th folder (here's the one from the top). I know I'm changing it up a bit but I still wanted to play because I really like this picture.

It's a pic of Big pup, my 6 year old, at soccer practice. I took it back in September when the weather was perfect. None of this ice that we're having today.

Looking at this picture reminds me of how much fun soccer practices/games were. Right now, "we" just signed up for tiger cub scouts and after only 2 meetings I'm about to lose my mind. I don't like it. I'm not crazy about the discriminatory aspects of the organization. I'm really not crazy about the possibility that I'll have to serve as secretary or treasurer or leader or something like that. And if I end up getting one of those positions, I'm fully prepared to tell the internet about their secret handshake.

Right now, sitting in my lawn chair out in the sun, watching a bunch of kids kick a ball around sounds pretty good.

Second Chances

Get ready, Putz, here it comes!

Scientists say that Venus used to be very similar to Earth. But then something happened to the atmosphere. And now conditions there cannot support life. Hmmm...

What if Venus was the first "Earth?" What if millions of years ago things were being played out there like they are here today? What if the people of Venus didn't take care of their planet and eventually, their excess and apathetic ways caused the planet to heat up to what it is now, almost 900 degrees F?

But the temperature change was not sudden. Let's say that gradually, as Venus' temperature rose, some humans began to die out as others began to evolve in order to adapt to the changing atmosphere. Their bodies changed in order for them to survive 200 mph winds, the lack of water, the heat, and high atmospheric pressure. After thousands and thousands of years, these "aliens" continue to learn and create and explore beyond their planet.

And I believe they are at that point in their technology where they are trying to communicate with us by making frequent trips to Earth. I also believe that our government has known this for years. I think that in us, these beings recognize their past and while they might be trying to learn more about their own origins through us, they may also be trying to warn us of our future here on Earth.

Whew! I'm glad I got that off my chest!

Take Out Your Pencils

Okay. So...yeah. The Inaugural Poem. I don't know. It was okay. Good but not great. And it certainly didn't help that Elizabeth Alexander followed the President and his own speech. How do you top that? I think people were expecting a rousing, moving, rhythmic poem and instead got a quiet, cerebral poem that starts off promising but ends talking about, gulp, love. Love? In an inaugural poem?

The general concensus on the internet is that this is the worst poem in the history of the universe, but what do you think? Do you think she did okay or do you think that even Nicholas Sparks could have come up with something better than this?

Praise Song for the Day by Elizabeth Alexander

Geithner Shmeithner

A couple of months ago, Merriam-Webster announced its Word of the Year for 2008. The winner? Bailout.

Sure, it may not be as exciting as "w00t" (from 2007) or as funny as "truthiness" (from 2006) but "bailout" has its benefits. At least for me it does.

You see, I'm a huge fan of NPR. Last year, when they weren't talking about presidential candidates and the election, they were talking about bailouts. And when they do a story on a government bailout, it usually involves an interview with the Secretary of the Treasury. And I have a big audio crush on Henry Paulson. I've never seen him but I have heard him many, many times while driving Big pup to school each morning. But don't ever ask me what he's talking about. I tend to get lost in that low, gravelly voice of his. So if he doesn't look anything like Kevin Costner, I don't want to know, okay?

Wordless Wednesday: Working Dogs. But Not Literally.