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st_aurafinaI pulled a muscle in my groin doing sidekicks in the pool yesterday. Today I am walking like a penguin.
I've started using Spotify. Not sure how to make best use of it, though, especially finding friends. Should I let it have access to my Facebook? Do I want my family knowing what music I'm listening to? Do I want to know what music they're listening to? One of my brothers-in-law and the only one I know for sure uses Spotify, is a big Daft Punk fan, and I'm not, particularly, so I'm undecided on the matter.
Anyone here on Spotify? Can I, like, add you or whatever? If I can figure out how to do that. So far, I've just been throwing random artists I like at it and seeing what it spits out, which is working okay, but I'm sure I should be doing more or something.
Book signal boost:
Death By Silver by Amy Griswold and Melissa Scott, aka![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amygriswold and mescott.
This book is heaps, heaps, heaps of fun! Murder mystery set in Victorian-era London, with magic as an everyday kind of thing. Queer representation, public school beatings, and magic teapots. Harry Potter meets original flavour!Sherlock Holmes. Go buy it! This book needs a fandom of more than me. (There are ebooks coming soon, or so I believe.)
ETA: It's also available at Book Depository with free international shipping.
Recipes cannibalised from other recipes so I can cook it properly next time, part two:
Beef and Kidney Bean Stew
Based mostly on Hearty Beef and Bean Soup, though this version comes as stew.
Ingredients:
1kg diced beef (Stewing steak, topside, something good for braising)
2 onions, finely chopped
1 head of garlic, finely chopped (The original recipe called for 2 cloves, wtf)
1 carrot, diced
A few celery ribs, chopped (That's right, kids! Ribs and kidneys!)
A medium sized potato, diced (You can leave the skin on. Just like with babies! Okay, I have to stop now.)
1 cup of kidney beans
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 red lentils
1 tin of tomatoes
1 jar of tomato paste
Some olive oil, maybe three tablespoons?
Sprig of rosemary
Handful of parsley, chopped (mine is flat leaf)
A shake of allspice
2 bay leaves
Sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
Optional detail: stock (but I don't like it - too salty for me.)
You also need a cast iron pot of some description - I use an enamelled Dutch Oven. The original recipe uses an electric slow cooker, if that's the way you like to do these things.
The night before, put the kidney beans in a pan and cover with water. The next day, rinse the beans well, cover them with water again, and put on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, then simmer for for ten minutes or until tender. If, like I did today, you forget to soak the beans, it's no great tragedy. You just need to simmer them for an hour or so. When they're tender, drain and rinse again, then put aside.
Heat the cast iron pot and add the olive oil. Add the onions, bay leaf, salt, pepper and allspice. Cook the onions until tender, then add the garlic, cook until soft. Throw in the meat, cook until browned. Add the rest of the vegetables, stir around.
Add the kidney beans, the barley and the red lentils. Stir until coated. Add the tinned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add the sprig of rosemary, half the parsley and the paprika. Stir to combine, then add water (or stock, if that's how you roll.) I add enough water to bring the level to about an inch below the top of the pot.
Cook at 150 Celsius for three or four hours, or until the beef is collapsing. Check hourly or so, to top up with water if needed. When it's done, add the rest of the parsley, and serve. This makes a really nice, hearty lunch by itself, or you can serve it with rice or noodles for dinner. Sometimes we serve it with sour cream. It's good!
I've started using Spotify. Not sure how to make best use of it, though, especially finding friends. Should I let it have access to my Facebook? Do I want my family knowing what music I'm listening to? Do I want to know what music they're listening to? One of my brothers-in-law and the only one I know for sure uses Spotify, is a big Daft Punk fan, and I'm not, particularly, so I'm undecided on the matter.
Anyone here on Spotify? Can I, like, add you or whatever? If I can figure out how to do that. So far, I've just been throwing random artists I like at it and seeing what it spits out, which is working okay, but I'm sure I should be doing more or something.
Book signal boost:
Death By Silver by Amy Griswold and Melissa Scott, aka
amygriswold and mescott. This book is heaps, heaps, heaps of fun! Murder mystery set in Victorian-era London, with magic as an everyday kind of thing. Queer representation, public school beatings, and magic teapots. Harry Potter meets original flavour!Sherlock Holmes. Go buy it! This book needs a fandom of more than me. (There are ebooks coming soon, or so I believe.)
ETA: It's also available at Book Depository with free international shipping.
Recipes cannibalised from other recipes so I can cook it properly next time, part two:
Beef and Kidney Bean Stew
Based mostly on Hearty Beef and Bean Soup, though this version comes as stew.
Ingredients:
1kg diced beef (Stewing steak, topside, something good for braising)
2 onions, finely chopped
1 head of garlic, finely chopped (The original recipe called for 2 cloves, wtf)
1 carrot, diced
A few celery ribs, chopped (That's right, kids! Ribs and kidneys!)
A medium sized potato, diced (You can leave the skin on. Just like with babies! Okay, I have to stop now.)
1 cup of kidney beans
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 red lentils
1 tin of tomatoes
1 jar of tomato paste
Some olive oil, maybe three tablespoons?
Sprig of rosemary
Handful of parsley, chopped (mine is flat leaf)
A shake of allspice
2 bay leaves
Sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
Optional detail: stock (but I don't like it - too salty for me.)
You also need a cast iron pot of some description - I use an enamelled Dutch Oven. The original recipe uses an electric slow cooker, if that's the way you like to do these things.
The night before, put the kidney beans in a pan and cover with water. The next day, rinse the beans well, cover them with water again, and put on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, then simmer for for ten minutes or until tender. If, like I did today, you forget to soak the beans, it's no great tragedy. You just need to simmer them for an hour or so. When they're tender, drain and rinse again, then put aside.
Heat the cast iron pot and add the olive oil. Add the onions, bay leaf, salt, pepper and allspice. Cook the onions until tender, then add the garlic, cook until soft. Throw in the meat, cook until browned. Add the rest of the vegetables, stir around.
Add the kidney beans, the barley and the red lentils. Stir until coated. Add the tinned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add the sprig of rosemary, half the parsley and the paprika. Stir to combine, then add water (or stock, if that's how you roll.) I add enough water to bring the level to about an inch below the top of the pot.
Cook at 150 Celsius for three or four hours, or until the beef is collapsing. Check hourly or so, to top up with water if needed. When it's done, add the rest of the parsley, and serve. This makes a really nice, hearty lunch by itself, or you can serve it with rice or noodles for dinner. Sometimes we serve it with sour cream. It's good!
no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 12:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-29 05:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 02:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-29 05:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 03:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 04:51 pm (UTC)Actually, I have a sudden enthusiasm for kidney beans, so I might try this.
It is probably for the best I'm not on Spotify. I am far too enthusiastic about Jedward and Swedish pop. And also Daft Punk.
Queer representation, public school beatings, and magic teapots.
It sounds like magic gay Cluedo, from the description on Amazon. Sadly I am already about to be crushed by my reading pile. Whyyy do people keep writing amazing things!
no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 04:52 pm (UTC)YES PLZ
Dang, no ebook? I'll just have to stalk the Amazon page or something...
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Date: 2013-05-30 07:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-28 06:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:13 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2013-05-30 07:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-29 01:13 am (UTC)OW OW OW on the muscle. I hope you feel better soon. :(
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Date: 2013-05-30 07:15 am (UTC)The book is heaps of fun, and the magic is really well written, so if you do get to it, I hope you enjoy.
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Date: 2013-05-29 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-30 07:16 am (UTC)