I Am Away Right Now

Hi, I am away now and can't take your call. I will be back within a couple weeks. Please leave a message and I will respond when I return. I am currently somewhere in Northern Africa, and may not have direct access to my email. Should your matter be urgent, have a beer and relax. It is vacation time after all.

That's it! Vacation time has finally hit us. I am not working. And my brain has shut off. As you are reading this I may be sipping mint tea, or travelling on some camel. I may even be sleeping by the pool, watching TV or dancing in a disco. Maybe I am downhill skiing. 

Vacation

Great Chili Recipe

I'm going to call this one the greatest chili recipe ever. It also may be the easiest chili recipe to make. Either way, it is delicious and I will take you through the steps.

It was my turn to cook. I had some ground beef, a growling stomach and a beautiful wife. (That has nothing to do with the recipe but she is bound to read this.)

I last made chili a couple years ago but wanted an improved and easier recipe to follow. I found one I liked called Texas-Style Chili but we didn't have the needed ingredients. I had garlic and salt. That's about it. It is amazing how two things called chili could have completely different ingredients.

I often cook based on what I have handy and compensate by changing up the recipes. I will list the ingredients. Keep in my the measurements are in Metric. I will include Imperial but they aren't round numbers so you may have to make small adjustments. This what I used

Starting Chili Ingredients

Ingredients:
0.368 kilograms of lean ground beef (0.81 pounds)
1 - 540 ml. can of Red Kidney Beans (2.3 cups)
1 - 540 ml. can of Chick Peas (Garbanzo beans) (2.3 cups)
3 medium size Sausages
1 and 1/2 cups of Chicken Broth
1 medium sliced Red Pepper
6 medium Mushrooms, sliced
A handful of cherry tomatoes
1/2 a Carrot, diced
1 clove Garlic, chopped or minced
2 teaspoons Sugar
2 teaspoons crush Oregano
2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed Chili Pepper
Tobasco sauce
3 tablespoons of Breadcrumbs or Cornmeal
cooking Oil

Simmer the vegetables

A lot of this is based on personal taste and, as I mentioned, what ingredients are available. For example, I like merguez sausages. The spices really complimented this recipe. Also, while my source recipe called for beef broth I substituted chicken broth. And, lastly, cornmeal was recommend, while I used rice flour breadcrumbs instead.
If you use dried beans, let them soak first. Then after drained add to the recipe. Canned beans can be rinsed and added to the mix.

The chili is almost done

Steps:
In a large hot skillet, greased with your favourite cooking oil, brown the ground beef, garlic and sausages. You can drain off the excess fat at this point.

Stir in the chicken broth, sugar, oregano, cumin, chili pepper, salt and Tabasco.

Reduce the heat to a simmer. Leave covered for 30 minutes.
Add in the carrots, red pepper and tomatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the garbanzo and kidney beans. Stir and then add the breadcrumbs and mushrooms. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with corn bread or eat it by itself. Serves six. Enjoy! I will definitely make this batch of chili again. It was quick to prepare and a delicious recipe.

Serve the chili with a big spoon

H Is For Helpdesk

I called the helpdesk at work for a simple password reset.  So, this fellow overseas, after asking for my information then said, "Am I speaking to Sara?" Do I have to mention again that the helpdesk is offshore?

Really? Do I sound like Sara?

"So, let me confirm," he said. "Your employee I.D. is haychf4uhfn-blarg."

"What?!?!" I politely respond. "I did not understand what you said."

"With apologies," my colleague from across the water states. "Let me start over. H as in Hitler, 12345."

"Excuse me?" I say, "Would you mind repeating what you just said?"

"Yes, absolutely. H as in Hitler, 12..."

"Are you serious?" I interrupted. Did I just hear correctly?" Giving him every opportunity to change the path he is walking.

"Yes, I will repeat it, H as in Hitler, 12345."

"You have got to be kidding me!" I replied. "You should think about what you are saying before you speak. Is this how the company trains you? Your words are offensive."

"My sincere apologies for having offended you." He stammers, seemingly clueless as to why I was upset. "Is your I.D. H as in um, er, h-hotel, 12345."

"No," I reply. "It's S as in Stalin..."

I Have A Question

I have a few questions about toilet paper. Who designs toilet paper? What are those development meetings like? Are the ridges on toilet paper engineered for maximum cleaning ability or is it merely there for aesthetics?

"I like ridges."

"Bumps are more efficient."

"Smooth and soft paper protects sensitive tushies."

I did not do any research. I do not actually want to know. I prefer the uninformed guess work.

Do the researchers take their work home with them?

"Kids, we are trying something new for the next few days. Single-ply. So ease up on the fruit."

Or, is all the work done on the job? I am now trying to imagine what the cubicles look like. A desk, telephone, computer, a toilet. Maybe a sink to wash up. Oh, and some magazines. Magazines such as Home Decor, Rolling Stone or Sports Illustrated. And some lilac air freshener.

 Why hasn't Swiffer entered into the toilet paper market? They already have the disposable single use dusters and floor cleaners. What I am suggesting is a combination of the two. Perhaps some R and D into the micro-fibre angle for a soft comfortable clean to your bottom.

The Walking Dead

Season three of the Walking Dead has come to an end on AMC. I have seen most every episode of The Walking Dead with the exception of a couple at the start of season three. Having read every single one of the graphic novels, I eagerly anticipated the 2010 premiere of the AMC television series when it first launched. And then every subsequent episode, from week to week. Why I missed a few recent episodes is another story. I will catch up over the summer hiatus.

Even though I've seen most every episode, I did not love the show at the start. But I was spellbound. I could not miss an episode. But I wouldn't say I loved The Walking Dead.

TWD and I did spend time together over the next three years and we have grown to love each other. This realization finally struck during the last season finale.

The Walking Dead Season 4

I have compared this series to Battlestar Galactica, the tremendous space adventure drama of just a couple years ago. Both series explored the human race's struggle to survive after being nearly wiped out. When devoid of all hope, a spark grows amongst the remaining survivors and from this small spark there is hope. Both series show the struggle of humans to survive, and while both being based in the fantastical science fiction, are rugged and believable.

BSG was a better show.

If you have read the graphic novels, or seen at least a number of the episodes, you know that the main characters are just as likely to die as the walk-ons. There are no designated red shirt wearers here.

This is a brutal show. Brutal in that it is filled with gore, murder, blood, despair, corruption. It also shows heroic characters filled with hope and passion to live. Characters willing to put everything on the line so that their friends and family survive the living nightmare. And not to mention powerful acting and superior writing.

Forget about the zombie genre for a moment, why has post-apocalyptic literature been so popular over the decades?

From The Day of the Triffids, The Chrysalids to The Stand and The Road. Popular novels and each having been made into film. And  not to mention the Mad Max series or The Day After Tomorrow and the multitude of over films.

TWD may be escapist viewing but not of the relaxing kind. You may feel just as wound up as you would say after watching a Denis Leary monologue.

If you have seen the show, or are a fan, I am interested in hearing some feedback.

What did you think of the finale? What do you think about the changes they have made from the graphic novels to the screen? The new characters? The characters that died prematurely, or lived longer than expected? Are you as excited about season four of The Walking Dead as I am? Starts in October.

The Walking Dead Season 3