Chickadee

1000 Recordings Project: Promise by Sade You probably know Sade...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:21:00 -0400

1000 Recordings Project: Promise by Sade

You probably know Sade from her 1985 hit “Smooth Operator”. Her breathy, creamy vocals are the hallmark of the whole CD. A quote from the book - “vaguely exotic rhythmic undulations are balanced against catchy, wistfully sung hooks designed for radio… An oasis of calm, one of few genuinely subtle records to emerge from the mostly shrill ’80s.”

Genre: R&B, released 1985.

1000 Recordings Project: Live at The Old Quarter - Townes Van...

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:08:53 -0500

1000 Recordings Project: Live at The Old Quarter - Townes Van Zandt

This cowboy is a true Texan, in poetry and guitar playing. His music was best heard in a small club. He had a hard life, and toured only when he needed money. His songs were picked up by the likes of Willie Nelson and others. I picked this particular song for the humor, beware: many of his other songs are tinged with sadness. Good listen, though. Recorded in 1973.

Addicting, Easy Fruit Leather

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:23:23 -0500

Addicting, Easy Fruit Leather:

The only way I can get my husband to eat fruit… and it’s gone fast!

1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Project: The Comedian...

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:21:00 -0500

1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Project: The Comedian Harmonists

I’m not going to lie, it got a little old to listen to the German through this whole album, but, I can imagine, they were quite an entertaining group in the early 1930’s… if you understood German. Even if you don’t - it is amusing to listen to the American barbershop style in German. What sets them apart is their change of harmony from line to line, a departure from the traditional barbershop sound which maintains the same tight harmony throughout an entire song. 3 of them were Jewish, and sadly had to leave Austria when wartime came. I picked this song because I love the opening - unfortunately I could not find a translation. For further listening (in English), search for “Tea for Two” or “Creole Love Call”.

The Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 13:02:00 -0500

So, the Pioneer Woman’s recipes are not usually my faves, just because she is cooking for a huge family and I am cooking for just the two of us. But this soup is TO DIE FOR. And don’t cut the recipe in half: you will be perfectly happy eating the leftovers for days! Note: I made this recipe quicker by a) boiling the chicken instead of baking in the oven, b) skipping the tortilla strips part and just served with chips, c) no cornmeal. It was still amazing. If you want to follow the original recipe exactly, follow the link at the bottom to The Pioneer Woman’s blog.

Prep Time: 30 min., Cook Time: 1.5 hours, Servings: 8

Ingredients:

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
1/4 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
_____
FOR THE GARNISHES:
Sour Cream
Diced Avocado
Diced Red Onion
Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
Cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put chicken breasts in pot to boil. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. After the chicken is done boiling, rub the spices on them. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—-add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Original Post: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/chicken-tortilla-soup/

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Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:49:32 -0500

1000 Recordings Project: Why Can’t We Be Friends? by...

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:40:39 -0500

1000 Recordings Project: Why Can’t We Be Friends? by War

This album is on Spotify, but I couldn’t seem to link it to the blog, so here it is on Youtube. I picked the track Leroy’s Latin Lament Medley: A) Lonnie Dreams; B) The Way We Feel; C) La Fiesta; D) Lament because it is INTENSE. Most people are familiar with the song Why Can’t We Be Friends and at least the horn part from Low Rider. I think for these listening experiments I will try to pick a song that isn’t the biggest hit from the album. Unless of course, the biggest hit is my favorite. :)

War: R&B, 1975. Fun Fact: in the music video for Low Rider, the album cover sings part of the song.

1000 Recordings Listening: ABBA Gold Almost everyone is familiar...

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:41:00 -0500

1000 Recordings Listening: ABBA Gold

Almost everyone is familiar with ABBA, particularly Dancing Queen and other feel-goood, slightly cheesy to the modern listener hits. But, after listening to the whole album, I was most struck by the pianist, who clearly has mastered the art of pulling back vs. really embellishing.

ABBA: classic 1970s post-Beatles pop, empire has grown up around the music - Mamma Mia! Broadway show, books, museums.

"Listen to me… you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your..."

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 01:52:56 -0500

“

Listen to me… you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare me or count me equal? ….

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

”

- Isaiah 46: 3b-5a, 9b-11

I swear this song is about me. 7 years ago I was in Peru, when...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:55:21 -0400

I swear this song is about me. 7 years ago I was in Peru, when Britt Nicole’s song “Set the World on Fire” came out. I lost myself in college, was trying to pretend to be a shadow of who I really am. Now I’m on the other side, and there have been so many days that I’ve wondered if I’ve changed. But I haven’t… I’m still that girl.

Dreams, they come
Plans, they change
Yea, we’re gonna break
Yea, we’re gonna break
Things we face make us who we are
Baby you’re a star shining in the dark
Let’s go back to the summer, summer when
We dreamed in love, let’s go back again
Let’s go back again
Yea, back again, my friend
To the summer when…
I’m holding a picture from seven years back
I smile at the memory, it’s smiling right back at me, and I see
Brown hair and bright eyes, such a beautiful blue
A heart full of laughter with nothing to lose
That’s how I remember you

You were young, you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
And you fell, and it hurt
But you’re still that girl
And you’re gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl

Sometimes life don’t go the way you planned
And we all have days when we just don’t understand
Searching for meaning, it’s not always easy
But your story’s not over, it’s still being told
Your sunrise is coming brighter than gold
Let’s go back again
To the summer when

You were young, you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
And you fell, and it hurt
But you’re still that girl
And you’re gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl

What if the picture is bigger than you see?
And God has you right where he wants you to be
Just listen to your heart
He’s telling you with every beat
[x3:] You’re still that girl

You were young you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
Don’t you know?
Don’t you see?
All you need is to believe
But you’re still that girl
And you’re gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl

I see it in your eyes
I see it in your smile
You’re still that girl
You’re still that girl

Matthew 6: 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:16:00 -0400

Matthew 6:

²⁵“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’³²These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.³³Seek the Kingdom of God^[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

³⁴“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I found Elizaveta on iTunes today, and I’m already...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 16:29:19 -0400

I found Elizaveta on iTunes today, and I’m already obsessed. She is classically trained, and it shows. I love the piano intro. to this song - and it’s why I picked this one to put up. But go check out the whole album!!! LOVE.

And also, watch the 17 min. video of her recording sessions on iTunes. Just search Elizaveta. It’s free!

"I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to..."

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:56:00 -0400

“I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance, to live so that which came to me as seed goes to the next as blossom, and that which came to me as blossom, goes on as fruit.”

- Dawna Markova

Kari Jobe’s acoustic album came out today!!! There is...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:42:00 -0400

Kari Jobe’s acoustic album came out today!!! There is something so beautiful about this heart cry. This is the heart of worship… that when we are at our end, we can always hear the Lord speak to us on our knees. Do you ever feel like your joy has been stolen? You’ll find Him when you cry out to him.

Psalm 30: 8-12:

I cried out to you, O Lord.
    I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
⁹“What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?
¹⁰Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
    Help me, O Lord.”

¹¹You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
¹²that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Photo

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:05:01 -0400

Ignore the picture. Just enjoy the music.

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:08:00 -0400

Ignore the picture. Just enjoy the music.

"If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all..."

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:28:00 -0400

““If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life. (Abraham Maslow)”

- http://galadarling.com/article/dont-just-survive-thrive

Bruschetta Chicken

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:48:00 -0400

I earned the title of best-wife-ever with this DELICIOUS and SUPER-EASY recipe last night. Ian’s exact words were, “MMM this is so good…,” and then 20 seconds later, “you’re going to put this on frequent rotation, right?”. Ding, ding, ding, folks - we have a winner.

Prep Time: 30 min., Cook Time: 15 min., Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 pint red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8 basil leaves, minced

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts slice in half to create two thin pieces

salt and pepper, to taste

grated parmesan, to taste

Directions:

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden.) Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don’t oversalt, though!) Put the bowl in the freezer to chill while you cook the chicken.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then grill or saute them in the same skillet until done in the middle.

To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir. Arrange chicken breasts on a plate (2 at a time) then spoon a generous amount of bruschetta topping over the top. Sprinkle as much parmesan on top as you like.

Wallah! Serve with skillet potatoes, a green vegetable, a fresh salad, and/or a baguette. Another great idea would be to make some extra tomato mixture and keep in the fridge for a snack the next day. Just toast a piece of bread and throw on top.

To celebrate Canada Day, we went up to Osoyoos, Canada, where...

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:29:00 -0400

To celebrate Canada Day, we went up to Osoyoos, Canada, where Ian’s grandparents own a lake house. For you Americans out there… the terrain reminds me of New Mexico. We had plenty of fun hangin’ with the fam, cruising in the boat, playing games at an amusement park, and watching fireworks. The only downside was that I had some sort of weird reaction to something and my lip swelled up like a puffer fish. That’s why there are no pics of me! But no worries, I’m all better now! Hope you had a great holiday week as well :)

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Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:05:58 -0400