Month: January 2015

Chicken Broth Options

If you’re in need of chicken broth, here are two options for you:

In a 5- 6 quart slow cooker, combine the carcasses and skin from two 2 ½ pound purchased roasted chickens or 1/1/2 pounds chicken wings and backs; 4 large carrots, chopped, 1 onion coarsely chopped, 1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped; ½ cup loosely packed coarsely snipped fresh Italian parsley with stems; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 3 cloves garlic, smashed; ½ teaspoon salt; and 10 whole black peppercorns. Add cold water, cover and cook on low for 12 hours. Strain broth through a large colander lined with damp cheesecloth; discard solids. Cover broth chill overnight. Before using, lift off lid and discard fat layer. Makes about 8 cups of broth.

Or

While you’re at the store, instead of buying the two 2 ½ pound roasted chickens, the 4 carrots, the onion, the bunch of celery, the fresh Italian parsley, the sprigs of thyme, cloves of garlic, salt, peppercorns and the cheesecloth, go to the soup aisle and buy Swanson’s Chicken broth, 100% fat free $1.19 for a 14 oz. can! Voila!

 

Is It Human Nature?

Fox News says they got it wrong. They apologized this week to millions of viewers here and across the globe for inaccurate, prejudicial statements either they or their guests made in the wake of terrorist attacks in Eastern Europe. They reported that there were ‘no-go-zones’ in Europe where ‘Islamic law supersedes local law’ and they said ‘Birmingham, England is a totally Muslim city where non-Muslims don’t go…’ Further they stated that the ‘EU poll shows that 69% of Muslims in France support ISIS…’ an inaccurate comment designed to terrify all of Europe. Their reports went on to vilify, exaggerate and yes, insult Muslims and non-Muslims across the globe. But here’s the thing. We all do the same thing. Not on the air but in our homes and jobs and minds. We cast aspersions on those we don’t know, make judgments, quote and re-quote inaccurate information and build the foundation for hatred. And we do it every day.

In Iraq we have ISIS capturing and killing Yazidis, (OK they released 250 of them mostly children and the elderly, thanks for that). But then we ask why. What is it about the Yazidis that would make anyone want to kill them? They are one of Iraq’s smallest minority populations, whose religion is considered a pre-Islamic sect that draws from Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism.  That sounds innocent enough but according to CNN, they have been persecuted because many Muslims see them as ‘devil worshippers.’ Doesn’t that translate to ‘they’re different’? And so, what if they are? Aren’t we all? How many kinds of Christian churches are there? How many different types of Jewish synagogues are there? How many religions are there? Look in the Yellow pages!  Read a book on World Religions!

(more…)