Love, Sex & Babies: A political rant

With all the craziness going on in America right now I feel like I need to add put my opinion out there. So read if you want, or don't.
I am disgusted with the supreme court repealing laws that protect vulnerable voters. Let's be real. Justice is biased. There's not much that can stop it from being that way and they stole away one of the few ways that our democracy is kept closer to just. (Not that it's close by any means.
I am happy that DOMA was repealed. I am sickened by the ongoing lunacy of those who are opposed to gay marriage. Get over it. Marriage historically has never had anything to do with being a man and woman, it was always about money, land, power and safety and there are many documented cases of men marrying men, or women marrying women for these other reasons. Gay marriage is much older than deluded opponents will ever admit to.
I am outraged over Texas and how it has culminated in some of the worst persecution of women since they were burned at the stake. Poor Wendy, I fear it will come to naught when the next special session vote happens on 7/1. I have never had to have an abortion but I would in a heartbeat if I got pregnant when I couldn't afford to care for the baby; emotionally, financially, or physically. And I wouldn't have a second thought. There are millions of actual children on this planet dying and uncared for that live and feel pain. Pro-lifers never give a second thought to the current needs and pains of these children. Why bring more children into this world who will end up the same?
If I believed in God I would think he would want to see these children cared for. As it is, I believe we only live one life and I am horrified at the way we treat our fellow man. I am fervently in the adoption camp and plan to adopt at least one child in the future. In the mean time I will fight to help those who are hurting and in pain, WHO ARE CURRENTLY ALIVE ON THIS PLANET.
Live long and prosper. May we see a world in our life times without poverty, cancer, and starvation.

Update and Musings

I have been absent from posting due to a lack of time and things to write about but since someone pointed out today (Which made me feel special) I hadn't updated and they had noticed. I hadn't realized people checked this blog enough to notice so I will try to squeeze in more posts. :)
To preface this post I was grumpy today, not much was working out the way I wanted,and being out of 'The Flow' can be infuriating at the best, and depressing at the least. And I was far from the flow today.
Anyway, most of my projects were on hold as we waited to decide on the wedding venue, but now it is official and the official theme is Classy Harry Potter. I could not be more excited. I did manage to work on my wool Lorax. He just needs eyes and eyebrows. I have to get some sew on googly eyes.

I wasn't cooking much recently but I did attempt my first lamb chops and I have to admit they came out tastier than I could have hoped. They were pretty simple. I marinated them in garlic olive oil, dried rosemary, salt and pepper for an hour at room temp, then threw them in my cast iron grill skillet for 2 1/2 minutes a side. Then I let them cool under foil while I finished the rest.

As I was sitting here enjoying the food I realized that I had finally relaxed. I couldn't control the customers who refuse to pay, the awful drivers and and freeway traffic, nor the neighbor in the trailer park with the shrilly barking dog while I tried to read outside, but I can control my dinner. For the most part it is all up to me and my skills to create something delicious. Occasionally we have an oven mishap or I lose track, or the ingredients just aren't up to par, but for the most part it's all my doing, and the Virgo in me finds that one of the most relaxing things on earth.
I am a controlling person, I know that, it's one of my faults, along with severity and impatience, things I am working on as a friend, sister, daughter and partner, and luckily for me I have been able to at least partially harness this fault and put them to good for me, like cooking.

Buffalo Bacon Chicken Salad

Today I dreamed up such a delicious recipe it almost ruined my dinner because I was picking at it while cooking. (A danger of recipe making.) But at least it means I get to share something new with you!
Ingredients
1 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (Boil or buy precooked for the quickest and easiest shortcut)
1/4 c diced carrots
1/4 c diced celery
1/4 c diced onion
2-3 tbsp Frank Red Hot Sauce
1/2 c mayo
2-3 tbsp ranch dressing
3-4 pcs crumbled bacon
1/4 c crumbled blue cheese (I use applewood smoked, delicious)
Mix your ingredients together, chill and enjoy!

Easy Low Carb Beef Stroganoff

Happy Monday. (As happy as a non holiday Monday be.) And tonight I made my new recipe Low Carb Beef Stroganoff which I would like to share. It's quick and easy and even Josh really loves it. (He can be picky about low carb dishes so I know this one is good.)
Ingredients (Makes 2-3 serving)
1 lb ground beef (I get grass fed).
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic depending on your taste!
1/2 c beef broth
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c mayonnaise
2-3 large portabella mushroom caps
1 tbsp good yellow mustard
olive oil spray and 1 tbsp
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. While it is warming clean the portabellas and take out the gills. When the oven is heated spray a pan that fits all your mushrooms with cooking spray, then put your mushrooms in the oven for 15 minutes.
While the mushrooms cooked I browned the beef, onions and garlic in a pan with some olive oil.
When beef is close to done add the beef broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes drain the excess broth and add in your other ingredients. Stir to combine.
The mushrooms should be close to ready at this point (Partially cooked, not quite soft yet.)Take them out and spoon your mixture onto each of them. Put tinfoil over your pan and turn the temperature down to 350. Cook another 10 minutes. At this point take out of the oven, plate and serve. Voila. A total of 1/2 hour and you have a hardy dinner. Sometimes I pair it with my cabbage salad to add some brightness and green to the plate.

Needle Felting

Over the long weekend we started a new craft. It is called needle felting. Long weekends usually end up with me learning new crafts. Anyway, it involves using wool roving (unspun wool) that you tangle with a needle and shape into small creatures, or you can do it wet and make other types of items. The idea is that each of our projects will be used as part of the table decorations for the wedding, each creature themed to our books.

They are unfinished so far, and these are not all of them, only the ones I worked on. But here is the beginning of Ioric from His Dark Materials. Rhaegal from Game of Thrones and one of the mice from Hitchhiker's. (Teri helped make the base and ears. It is hard to see due to it all being white so far.)

The Fault in Our Stars

It is appropriate my shipment of books from Amazon is due in today on book Tuesday. A box full of cheap paperbacks, some trashy some wonderful. Some from my childhood. (Finally got a new set of The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. I was horrified to find out they did not have a kindle version of them yet.)

During my busy Monday wherein I did not get to write for you, dear readers, I was quivering with excitement because I knew I would get to write for you today. And share my new book love.
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green is one of the best books I have had the chance to read in quite some time. Which isn't to say I haven't been reading, I have, but nothing has taken my mind and my heart and wrenched it, torn it and tried to mend it back together in this way in longer than I can remember.

John Green's writing is so raw and poetic. He doesn't hold back anything or pretty up the realness of feelings. And that's what makes it so special. It feels real. I am usually a lover of Sci fi and fantasies, I like books as an escape, but I was due a dose of sobering reality.

But before you think it's all doom and gloom, he also reminds you that reality has its' beautiful moments. Like this line from the book. One of my favorites.

This book has given me a new appreciation for the people in my life, and how to love them and enjoy them as best I can. We are short lived creatures, but we can use the time to our advantage, not just for big things, but for the small things, like noticing someone.
But you don't have to take my word for it.

It Tastes Like Christmas

The weather might be bouncing around in the 90's here in California but we visited the north of Westeros this weekend, catching up on last week's Game of Thrones episode "The Climb" and last night's episode of "The Bear and the Maiden Fair". Without giving away spoilers I can at least say I was a little disappointed in their use of the bear. Not enough mauling or terror. It's a goddamn giant bear, it's terrifying, use that!

Anyway since our friends had dinner with family before our gathering we decided just to do dessert. Went to the book and decided upon poached pears. Mmm pers soaked in wine and honey and spices? Yes, please. It was pretty simple and easy to make, though I wouldn't recommend watching the show while making it, since it easily boils over if it gets too high, luckily Courtney seemed to have boil radar and totally caught it.
The pics don't really do justice to the taste. I really need a class in plating or something. But it tasted like winter, and Christmas and took us away from the heavy May heat.

We are narrowing down our wedding venue search. Pretty much just waiting to hear about about our favorite venue. It's a little unique so we have to be patient. But lots of ideas are brewing. Can't wait to share more.