Andrew Schloss's Slow Cooker Roasted Vegetable Soup
by Amazon al Dente at 5:57 PM PST, January 15, 2009
Long ago in a kitchen very much like yours someone cooked for hours at a time. She kneaded bread and rolled out pastry, and whenever the winds blew cold, she whipped up a pot of soup. Now homemade soup is considered so time-consuming that most home cooks never try, but that is exactly why soups are a cinch in a slow cooker. It is the only form of cooking that transforms long hours of barely simmering ingredients into a convenience. Although almost any soup recipe can be adapted to slow cooking, bean soups, vegetable soups, puréed soups, and long-simmering meat soups make the most sense. As with all slow cooker recipes, soups start with less liquid than you would use in a soup pot on a stove top. For many of them the amount of liquid is not even enough to cover the solid ingredients. Don’t add more; as the soup simmers, juices will percolate from the vegetables and the bits of meat will enrich the broth deliciously. The following recipe for roasted vegetable soup takes a little bit of prep time--about 30 minutes, but all of that is done in the oven--no standing by the stove (and the roasting can be done a day or two ahead if that works better for you). Roasting vegetables does more than simply cook them. It transforms them into something savory and sweet, meaty and voluptuous, not the sort of attributes one usually ascribes to produce. This otherwise straightforward vegetarian vegetable soup benefits from the transformation. Feel free to alter the selection of vegetables to fit your taste and what you have on hand, but try to keep the volume of vegetables approximately the same. Like most soups, this one benefits from age. The flavor will improve after it sits for a day. Garnish it with grated cheese, if desired. Roasted Vegetable Soup Ingredients: Directions: 2. Scrape the vegetables into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour 1 cup of the vegetable broth onto the sheet pan and scrape up any browned bits clinging to it; scrape into the cooker. Add the remaining 5 cups broth, the diced tomatoes and their liquid, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme, cover the cooker and cook for 2 to 3 hours on high, or 4 to 6 hours on low, until the flavors are blended. 3. Stir in the couscous and parsley and cook for 5 minutes more. Makes 6 to 8 servings Microsoft Game Studios is Stingy with the "Halo" themed Wedding Couple
by Amazon Game Room at 5:27 PM PST, January 15, 2009
Thanks to our pals over at MTV Multiplayer, the saga of the Halo themed wedding continues. But it is just me or does the video below make the folks over at Microsoft Game Studios look a little light when it comes to the action they are slinging on to the old gift table?
What the deal is here is that Desirai Labrada and John Henry met a few years ago over Xbox LIVE while playing Halo, later meeting in-person, falling in love, moving in together and then, yes, planning a Halo themed wedding that legend says was the brainchild of the bride to be. "Ah, another one slips through my fingers!" Now, of course not only do you have to be a couple of big time gamer geeks to do something like this--God love them--but I'm sure that it doesn't come cheap. On that last point, to help themselves out, last year the pair fired up a site, amatchmadeinhalo.com, where not only can they talk about their wedding plans, but also raise a little cash to help make it happen. This brings us back to the video. Basically it's the couple opening a care package from the Halo team. Having spent a little time out at the Millennium campus in Redmond and having poked around in its storage closets and offices, I can vouch for the varying quality of the shwag to be found there. Some of it is astounding, while some is, well, the usual run of the mill convention remnants. Honestly what they packed off is closer to the latter. Come on MGS and Bungie! These two are getting married. Where are the full-scale warthogs, the wearable Master Chief, Arbiter, and Covenant member costumes? And you have nothing Cortana? I know that they are going to be hitched by a Master Chief stand in and the bride has nixed the idea of dressing as Cortana for the ceremony, but I can't imagine that they couldn't have found a place for some of your A+ gear. I'm sure it's not too late though. I've no idea when the happy day is, but I'm sure you could easily make it an even happier one, for what have got to be a couple of the the franchises' biggest fans. Click the image below to redirect to the video: --Hobson's Choice
Foxes on SNL This Saturday
by ChordStrike at 5:02 PM PST, January 15, 2009
Seattle's own Fleet Foxes will appear on Saturday Night Live this Saturday (the host is Rosario Dawson). Congrats to the Foxes, who, according to Stereogum, are only the sixth indie band to be booked on the legendary comedy show. Set your TiVo's, if you, like most of the music team here, are a fan. --Renata Sadunas Leaked "Star Wars: Battlefront 3" Video a Last Remnant of Free Radical
by Amazon Game Room at 3:34 PM PST, January 15, 2009
It has been less than a month since game developer Free Radical left the building, but a Star Wars Battlefront 3 trailer leaked to the blogosphere today, which appears to be lifted from an in-house Free Radical meeting last year is a reminder that the UK developer had more up its sleeve that the less than well received Haze. From the look of the video, which is a pretty extensive series of cutscenes, as well as a few renders from the game that popped up at the very end of December, they had been working on SWBF3 for a while.
It's too late for this good work to help Free Radical now. It appears that the developer's assets and remaining IPs, including TimeSplitters, Second Sight and Haze, will probably be sold off piecemeal. And as for Star Wars Battlefront III, according to videogamer.com, LucasArts has moved the project over to UK development house Rebellion. We'll have to see if everything comes out as it was initially intended. News from the middle of last year was that the game was coming out on all platforms, but that was then. For now, take a look at what was to be, at least for Next-Gen and PC platforms. The video, from Kotaku.com's servers since it has been pulled from most other sources, is a little shaky, but gives a fair bit of insight into what Free Radical was aiming for. --Hobson's Choice George was telling porkies
by ChordStrike at 3:02 PM PST, January 15, 2009
Board members and patrons of Dallas Opera, TX were breathing a sigh of relief just before the new year, when the New York Times published a very eloquent denial from Dallas' new general director, George Steel, saying he was happy in Dallas and not contemplating a move back to New York to head up the fast-sinking New York City Opera. Today the same newspaper broke the story that George is, indeed, returning to the big apple to become General Manager. I'm linking to the Alex Ross blog, for the details. NYCO is in big trouble. They owe a large amount of money. Their original choice for the position, Gerard Mortier (Paris Opera / Salzburg Festival), walked away from the position at the last minute, because he thought their budget wasn't big enough. They are also homeless. The New York State Theater is under a massive renovation, which will keep the company flitting around the five boroughs in temporary accommodation for 2009/2010. I really like the idea of George Steel taking over. He is a proven impresario from his days at the 92nd Street Y, and at The Miller Theatre, where he built a reputation for imaginative, high-quality programming, that proved very pleasing to new and established audiences alike. He's also a conductor, which could save them a buck or two, as he could moonlight. I've even heard him sing counter tenor, but I should stop right there. This appointment feels a lot better than unsuccessful attempts to import big, expensive stars from Europe. I also think that City Opera's founder, Mayor, Fiorello La Guardia, were he around today, would also want to give the local boy a chance. Go GRS! Make us proud! -- Hugo Munday Guest Blogger Charlie Huston and the Stairs He Rode in On
by Omnivoracious.com at 2:17 PM PST, January 15, 2009
[Ed.: Charlie Huston's latest book, The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death (Amazon's pick as Best Book of the Month for January), descends into the grisly underworld of crime scene clean-up, appropriately inscribed with his indelible signatures: hilarious, inappropriate dialogue; outrageous supporting characters; and another bloody wreck at the intersection of Money and Violence. Honoring the theme of the novel, Charlie is posting on Omnivoracious all week, sharing "true stories about messes I've seen, helped clean up, and made." See more posts, and get more at his blog, pulpnoir.com.] THE STAIRS I FELL ON
Sweetie Pie, Drink Your Sweetie Pie Cocktail
by Amazon al Dente at 1:56 PM PST, January 15, 2009
Hey young lovers, here’s a hint: don’t forget to have a special cocktail on date menus or your romantic evening is doomed to be snuffed out like a candle. Or at least be rather boring (and do you really want to be boring? I didn’t think so). Whether it’s the not-too-far-away Valentine’s Day or this Friday when you’re inviting that hottie over and want to impress, you should always be ready to shake up a smooth and cutely-titled mix. Let me suggest the following recipe for the Sweetie Pie, whose balance of gin, sweet vermouth and maraschino liqueur, with a touch of simple syrup (to bring the sugar), is ideal for Valentine’s Day or any cuddly tête-à-tête. To make your Sweetie Pie cocktail (the below recipe’s from Good Spirits, by the way) really stand out to your sweetie pie, let me also drop a few state-focused suggestions. First, if you can get it, I think the newish Dry Fly gin works wonders in this drink (it’s from Washington State’s first distillery, and we’re darn proud of it--with good reason, as it brings a bright juniper flavor that mixes nicely). And secondly, go with Tillen Farms Merry Maraschino cherries (also from WA). These yummy maraschinos are the first “clean” maraschino cherries with stems, as they’re sweetened with pure cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and don’t contain artificial colors, flavors, dyes, preservatives, or sulfites. None of which would add to your amorous evening (and all of which would make you look like a cad to said significant other). Now, start shaking and making those bedroom eyes. Ingredients: Directions: 2. Add the cherry to a cocktail glass or pretty cordial. Strain the mix into the glass. Beware Sugar-Free Gum, Xylitol
by Wag Reflex at 12:36 PM PST, January 15, 2009
My purse is no longer a place for unmentionables to be carried about in private. My 14- month old daughter has commandeered the accessory and enjoys emptying the bag, one pen and credit card at a time. And though I usually keep it out of her sticky-fingered reach, sometimes I indulge her under my supervision. Last week, she had finished pulling scraps of paper from my checkbook and started pulling pieces of gum out of the package. She started feeding these to my attentive boarder collie, who will take anything out of her hands, usually because they are sweet and sticky. Luckily, he is not a fan of orange-mint sugar free gum and didn’t ingest any. For dogs that do eat sugar-free gum, they can develop xylitol toxicity. Unlike in humans, xylitol in dogs causes insulin release and can result in severe hypoglycemia. The low blood sugar levels can cause weakness, collapse and seizures. The xylitol can also harm the liver, enough to be fatal. And it doesn’t take much, as little as 1-2 pieces in a 25 pound dog! If you think your dog has gotten into your chewing gum, call your veterinarian right away. While there is no antidote, supportive care begun quickly can save your dogs life. --Dr. Olson "CSI" in Your Toy Box
by Toy Whimsy at 11:29 AM PST, January 15, 2009
There's been a huge amount of press about the departure of William Petersen from CBS' wildly popular "CSI." Interestingly, there are lots of little future forensic scientists out there (and lots of grown-ups as well) who are fascinated by the combination of science and mystery. You may not think about it, but there are lots of kid-friendly forensic science (and, specifically, CSI-related) kits that can help satisfy your children's curiosity while teaching them about science. ("CSI: Playground," anyone?) You can check out some of the kits and games here. -- E. Christian Moore Taj from SWV is Going to be on Survivor
by ChordStrike at 11:00 AM PST, January 15, 2009
To be frank, I've never seen Survivor, so the announcement of new contestants never mattered to me. That is, it never mattered to me until CBS recently announced that Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George from '90s R&B group SWV will be featured on the show's next season. I don't plan on watching the show or anything, but it does give me an excellent excuse to watch and share the videos for "Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)" and "Weak," which are both awesome jams. Thanks, Survivor! --Jeff Reguilon (Hat Tip: Idolator) Ricardo Montalban, 1920-2009
by Armchair Commentary at 9:40 AM PST, January 15, 2009
On the heels of yesterday's news of Patrick McGoohan's passing came Ricardo Montalban's as well. Montalban was famous for his role as the silver-maned, amply pectoraled Khan Noonien Singh in the best Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan (reprising a role he had played in the original series), for his portrayal of the suave Mr. Roarke in Fantasy Island, and for his Chrysler commercials ("rich, Corinthian leather..."). He was also a significant MGM player many decades ago. Remember the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside"? Introduced in the movies in 1947's Neptune's Daughter by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. I listened to a sample and thought it was Fred Astaire until the accent kicked in. He danced with Cyd Charisse as well (below). What a career! --David Yes to Strength Training, No to "Eating for Two"
by Armchair Commentary at 9:40 AM PST, January 15, 2009
Hello! My name is Erin O'Brien. I've been working as a pre/postnatal exercise specialist for the past ten years at fitness clubs in NYC and Los Angeles. I have a MFA degree from New York University and am certified in pre/postnatal, post-rehab and flexibility training through Esquerre Fitness Group. I am also certified for group exercise, personal training and Pilates mat and reformer training. I am the proud mother of two children and currently reside in Los Angeles with my husband, actor James Denton. I've taken the time to answer a few questions to help you achieve a new and improved you! 1. Why is it so important to work out while I’m pregnant? Isn’t this my time to put my feet up & relax while I still can? NO! Don’t fall into that trap. The main reasons to continue exercising through your pregnancy include: 1) Less weight gained = less weight to take off after the baby is born 2) You will have a smaller baby, which is easier to give birth to 3) You will endure labor better. For prenatal exercise help, check out my DVD set from Acacia, Complete Pregnancy Fix - it offers workouts for before and after you have your baby. On the Prenatal Fitness Fix disc (sold together with the set or separately) you will learn how to properly tone muscle, burn fat, and stretch while carrying you're little one! 2. Is it ok to adopt the “I’m eating for two” philosophy? Absolutely not. Your caloric intake should only be an extra 300 calories…that’s the size of a large banana. If you are suffering from morning sickness, you can’t let your blood sugar go down, so you’ll need to eat a lot of SMALL meals throughout the day. 3. How do I find the time to fit in a workout? I have a newborn! You schedule it in your calendar like you would a doctor appointment. Or, put the baby in a stroller, go outside and get a good cardio workout. Then once the baby falls asleep, go inside and do some weights…just do SOMETHING every day so you get in the habit of exercising for YOU. It will also help with postpartum depression! My DVD, Postnatal Rescue (sold separately or together as Complete Pregancy Fitness), offers three 15-minute workouts to ease you back into shape without hurting or overextending yourself! 5. I’m trying to lose weight, and intend to get in a regular cardio workout. Is it really necessary for me to do strength training too? Strength training is in fact a MORE important aspect of a weight loss program. The more muscle you have on your body, the higher metabolic rate you have… in short, this means that your “body furnace” will burn hotter during the day, consuming more calories. 6. Is it necessary to do all of my workout (cardio + weights) in one stretch of time or can I do half in the morning and half in the evening? Which is most beneficial? It is not necessary to do it all in one stretch – I actually think “2 a days” are helpful. The problem is, most people don’t have the time to work out twice a day, and usually that second workout is put off, and not completed. I like to work with weights in such a way that you are getting a cardiovascular response as well as putting muscle on the body. 7. No matter what I do, my arms still look flabby! Help! Unfortunately, just lifting heavier weights is not the answer. You need to hit it from three directions – weight training, cardio work, and clean eating. Check out my fitness DVD from Acacia, Strong Body, Ageless Body. I lead you through a 45-minute workout routine that works your arms, legs, and core. You have something to work toward - and a healthier, trimmer body to look forward to. White Castle to Use Recycled Bags
by Amazon Green at 9:30 AM PST, January 15, 2009
While bags themselves aren't inherently frustrating, if one cannot recycle them (and it matters to you) then yeah, maybe bags can be. That said, I'm always happy to see some better packaging available. From the White Castle press release: "White Castle restaurants will introduce new "green" food packaging in all 412 locations over the next few weeks. The formerly white paper sack and white corrugated Crave Cases are going "green" by switching to brown paper and corrugated. The new brown paper sacks are made from 100% recycled material. The new brown Crave Case packaging bears the recyclable icon." Read more. The one thing the press release didn't state was whether the 412 locations will have seperate bins within and around the restaurants for recycle and trash. We in the Northwest (sadly?) don't have White Castles around, so I wouldn't know. Anyone? ~Jeremy G for Amazon Green Scene
Cars on Film--My Lucky Stars
by CarLustBlog.com at 9:04 AM PST, January 15, 2009
This clip is the automobile chase sequence from the Jackie Chan film My Lucky Stars, which is set in Japan. Jackie and his partner are after two ninja-type bad guys who are driving a Ford Mustang II, of all things; as the scene opens, they commandeer a kei car and give chase. (Caution: brief rude gesture and bad language at about the 1:26 mark.) 0:02 -- Note the bad guys' efficient use of visually-impressive ninjitsu/parkour obstacle-avoidance technique. However, their choice of getaway vehicle--an extroverted Yankee coupe with a white vinyl roof and opera windows--does not exactly seem calculated to confer ninja-like invisibility in urban Japanese traffic. 0:14 -- Since the Mustang is not out-accelerating the kei car, I think it reasonable to conclude that we're dealing with the base 4-cylinder Pinto engine and a slushbox. 0:19 - 0:21 -- That's definitely the base suspension on the Mustang--note the vintage-70s body roll and oversteer. It's cornering like a Trabant, or like my father's LTD. Even the kei car, which is deliberately being driven wildly in the interests of visual drama, takes the corners better. 0:29 -- The music is cheap royalty-free imitation spy jazz played on the Wurlitzer organ in your Grandma's parlor. 0:35 -- Steeplechase with a kei car instead of a horse. Do Japanese backyards normally have white picket fences--and jump ramps? 1:12 -- Is it just me, or does the Pinto-based Mustang II seem to tower over the home-market Nissans and Toyotas it's weaving around? 1:28 -- HULK SMASH! HULK SMASH PUNY JDM COMPACTS! HULK SHOW RAGE! HULK WANT OWN ANGRY CARS FEATURE ON "CAR LUST"! 1:45 -- If I were writing the dialogue here, Jackie Chan would say something like this: "Relax, I saw Semir do this in Alarm for Cobra 11, and he didn't even scratch the paint on the BMW. We'll be fine." 1:59 -- I know this is a Jackie Chan film, but somehow, when it's a kei car jumping off the auto carrier and vaulting six car-lengths down the freeway, it's just not as impressive as when the Germans do it on the Autobahn with a $100k 8-series Bimmer. Still, one must give Jackie credit here for bringing the kei car down in the middle of two lanes of rush hour traffic without hitting anything. This being a Jackie Chan film, this is only one of dozens of over-the-top action sequences--including a climactic martial arts fight with ninjas in which some of the ninjas are wearing San Diego Chargers "powder blue" ninja suits. According to the editorial review of the film at Amazon.com, there is also a scene in which one character tries to hypnotize a duck. Using a base-model Mustang II for a getaway vehicle, vaulting kei cars off empty auto carriers, martial arts fights with powder-blue ninjas, all that I can accept, but duck hypnosis? That's beyond my power to willingly suspend disbelief. --Cookie the Dog's Owner Record Label Loyalty
by ChordStrike at 4:51 PM PST, January 14, 2009
In the decade or so since relaxed regulatory legislation begat new and ever more rapacious media consolidation, independent record labels have stepped up to the challenge by fostering loyalty through quality, charisma, and--occasionally--sheer stubbornness. Certainly, none among us shops exclusively by label, but certain imprints can be trusted to deliver a general level of quality that we can count on year in and year out. From hip-hop to opera, there are great record labels out there that both focus on a particular genre and deliver the goods in a way that's bankable without being predictable. We ChordStrikers have our favorites, but when you work with music day in and day out, you court the possibility of missing the forest for the trees. So for those genre junkies out there, what labels retain that magnetism for you? What label name would cause you to read a review in a magazine or online, assuming the artist or title didn't grab you on its own? What labels' releases do you check in on from time to time? Or as Morcheeba put it--albeit ungrammatically--"Who Can You Trust?" --Jason Kirk Guest Blogger Charlie Huston Has Had a Lot of Blood on His Hands over the Years
by Omnivoracious.com at 4:06 PM PST, January 14, 2009
[Ed.: Charlie Huston's latest book, The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death (Amazon's pick as Best Book of the Month for January), descends into the grisly underworld of crime scene clean-up, appropriately inscribed with his indelible signatures: hilarious, inappropriate dialogue; outrageous supporting characters; and another bloody wreck at the intersection of Money and Violence. Honoring the theme of the novel, Charlie is posting on Omnivoracious all week, sharing "true stories about messes I've seen, helped clean up, and made." See more posts, and get more at his blog, pulpnoir.com.]
Lucky Shops Amazon for: cashmere under $30!
by Lucky Magazine at 3:34 PM PST, January 14, 2009
So luxurious yet wallet-friendly, these super-soft knits are surprisingly affordable.
Sakas Cashmere scarf, $27.99, Lands End Baby Cable cashmere gloves, $19.99, Charter Club argyle cashmere socks, $24 for set of two, Isaac Mizrahi for Target ribbed cashmere camisole, $14.99 Patrick McGoohan, 1928-2009
by Armchair Commentary at 1:28 PM PST, January 14, 2009
British television icon Patrick McGoohan passed away Tuesday at the age of 80. He's best known in the U.S. for playing the title role in the futuristic sci-fi series The Prisoner ("I am not a number! I am a free man!"), but fans also remember him from the spy-thriller series Secret Agent. (That series is a bit confusing. It started as a half-hour series called Danger Man in the U.K., then the hourlong series became popular in the U.S. retitled Secret Agent, but often referred to as Secret Agent Man because of Johnny Rivers' theme song.) McGoohan's movie career included The Three Lives of Thomasina, Escape from Alcatraz, A Time to Kill, and Braveheart (he was King Edward Longshanks), and he was a contender for the original James Bond role. As legend has it, he turned down the role on moral grounds, and those standards are what a lot of people liked about his character in Secret Agent. Read more at MSNBC. --David
Sandwich Showdown--Domino's Vs. Subway
by Amazon al Dente at 12:42 PM PST, January 14, 2009
Over the past couple weeks Domino's has been touting their 2-to-1 margin win over Subway in a national taste test. Why wasn't I part of this test? Heck, nobody I know was part of this test. And nobody they know was part of this test. How can a "national" taste test can occur and nobody knows about it until it's over? Next time, Domino's, call me. Back to my point. Why is this taste test a big deal? Beating Subway in a taste test is like beating Paris Hilton at chess. Yeah, she can physically play chess and she might even know the rules, but she's so busy texting, checking her makeup, and ordering her seventh cranberry vodka that she isn't really aware a game is going on. Likewise, Domino's is too busy making inconsistently mediocre pizza to make a great sandwich. Sure their sandwiches might have a taste edge over Subway but I could go into my kitchen right now and make a sandwich that tastes better than anything Subway has. I'm not saying Subway sandwiches necessarily taste bad. They taste fine. I like them on occasion. But taste itself isn't the only thing Subway is focused on. They consider, among other things, taste, price, and nutrition. Here's breakdown of the nutrition side of the game. As you can see, you can get comparable Subway sandwiches with double meat and they're still far healthier than Domino's sandwiches. This breakdown is brought to you by the "Subway, Please Sponsor Me" foundation. In conclusion, Paris Hilton and Domino's need to stop multitasking. --Spanno Snail Caviar--Would You Eat It?
by Amazon al Dente at 12:42 PM PST, January 14, 2009
Thanks to Neatorama for cluing us in to the latest in the world of luxury gastronomy! According to Luxury Insider, snail caviar is brand new to the marketplace after four years in development. The caviar consists of "smooth cream-colored pearls that reportedly burst on the tongue with subtle autumn and woody flavors." Read more about this new delicacy at Luxury Insider. What say you, Al Dente readers? Would you eat snail caviar? Add your thoughts in the comments section! --KitchenMaus
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