Hello Friends and acquaintances, Happy Weekend! I hope your grills have been hot, you beer cold, your children occupied, and your refrigerators full. Welcome to another edition of the Depressed Kitchen where I try, (sometimes in futility), to feed a family of 4 on about $100 a week with the aid of my collection of classic cookbooks and Grandma Kettle, a child of the Great Depression.
This week the healthcare debate continues to rage, although I still haven't heard any good arguments against the public option. Also, some information came out from the AG's office that brings hope, and another poster tries to school me on the torture debate, which got me thinking. So come on in, grab yourself some coffee, I got some iced tea, or if your here in the afternoon I've always got cold beer. We'll talk. Maybe you guys can help me shove this whole torture issue back in its box so it will quit eating at my psyche. Or maybe we will just have a few beers, chat, and swap some recipes. That would be good too.
Here is what CNN had to say about the healthcare issue this week. http://www.cnn.com/...
I smell something.
Critics say a government-sponsored option could drive out private insurers and potentially lower the quality of health care. Some fear that such a program would hurt those who have a plan they like, because employers would opt for the government program if it were less expensive.
"A public plan is a non-starter," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, leaving the Capitol meeting. "They're trying to come up with various ways to have a public plan without calling it that."
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, who chairs one of the committees writing the Senate bill, said negotiators "are trying to thread the needle" to create a so-called "public option" that Republicans might support.
"The government-run plan is most concerning to most Republicans, so we're trying to figure out a way to help keep the insurance companies feet to the fire in a way that doesn't frighten Republicans away because it sounds too much like government," Baucus said.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, said negotiators are at an "impasse" but later softened his description to say, "There was not a meeting of the minds."
While the Senate struggles, the House source revealed more proposed details.
The Democratic plan also includes a penalty for those who fail to enroll for health-care coverage, but the source did not have details on the amount of the proposed financial penalty.
The discussion draft also includes options for paying for the new system, including imposing a tax on employee health-care plans. The new tax is just "one of the options we're going to talk about," according to the source, who cautioned the draft is an early version and could be updated.
I just don't understand the problem with a public option. Nobody will be forced to purchase public coverage, only those who have no other option will be covered. Just like generic peanutbutter. Nobody is FORCED to buy generic, but folks do. I do not like the idea of a penalty for not having insurance. We have something like that for car insurance here in CA, but folks still drive around without it. Damn, life's hard enough isn't it? Taxing benefits is out of the question in my mind. I mean, doesn't that actually increase the burden on folks? How are we helping here?
Hey, you hungry? I made this the other day. It didn't suck.
Ma's Cheese Toast
1 sliced batard (bread) use whatever you like. I use a multigrain bagette so I don't feel bad about the cheese.
1 cup (about) your favorite cheese. The old favorites are great, especially for kids. If it's just grownups, try a smoked gouda, or a paladin blue, or seasoned chevre.
salami, sliced in half
thinly sliced tomatoes
anything else that mught be yummy with your chosen cheese
Arrange your bread on a baking sheet and top with your cheese. Be sensible, don't overload the little breads, and don't put ingredients that don't go together. Try halved salami sliced and cheddar, or thinly sliced tomatoes, basil, and gouda, maybe fome fontina and ortega peppers. Heat at 350 until the cheese melts. This should hold off a hungry group for thirty minutes while you get dinner going. If it is too hot to turn on your oven, try a toaster oven. You could even plug it in outside if you want.
Did you hear what came out about the Ag yesterday? It gave me hope, but I think I told somebody that until a special prosecutor is actually appointed I am being strung along as the party faithful. I have some hope now; I certainly want our government to do the right thing. I am worried though when he says he is "leaning" towards appointing a special prosecutor. "Leaning?" Great heavenly day, people in our care died because of what we had done to them. For no good reason. We have caused extreme physical harm, we have caused mental retardation. Have you heard what we have done to children? I have heard, and I am filled with despair. It's a good thing I have no role in this other than to teach how our government is "supposed" to work. You know, I lost my job over this shit.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
I would lose more, if I could. What saddens me even more is that some of us have become numb, desensitized. "The US killed people during interrogation? So what?" You guys know we have two female journalists captured by N Korea right? They have been convicted as spies. We cannot complain no matter what they do to those young women, because we have done the same or worse. It's the karma stupid.
Hey let's have some comfort. I got this recipe from a Fannie Farmer cookbook published in 1916. It's about as comforting as they come. I reprint it here just as it is written. Back then recipes were not laid out like they are today with ingredients first.
Chicken Hollandaise
Cook two tablespoons butter and one teaspoon finely chopped onion five minutes, add two tablespoons corn-starch and gradually one cup chicken stock. Bring to boiling point and add one teaspoon lemon juice, one-half teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, and one and one-third cups cold cooked chicken; when well heated, add yolk of one egg slightly beaten, and cook one minute.
This book says to serve over rice timbales, but I imagine this would be great over mashed taters or even toast. Since I grilled a couple of chickens the other day, I have plenty of left overs, and since this won't heat up the house too much it is right up my alley.
I was told something by another Kossack a few days ago that shook me and then plunged me back into the abyss. We were talking about torture. She wrote that:
"I said everything is up for debate. Everything SHOULD be up for debate if only to demonstrate how incredibly wrong certain arguments are. The debate has raged for a long time on torture and there is overwhelming evidence that it is extremely harmful both to those who are tortured and those who do torture. There is no upside, there are no benefits.
But that is not to say the debate should never happen.
I love talking to people who don't agree with me. It gives me an opportunity to exercise my logic muscles and I am of the oppinion that if I can't defend my positions, then I should rethink them. I have no problems whatsoever defending my positions on torture. I have no problems whatsoever pointing out false arguments on torture or stupid, contrived, hypotheticals on torture.
I do hope I've clarified this a bit further for you."
In some ways I agree. We should not be afraid to ask the question, whatever question we have. We should never fear open honest discussion because it is healthy. There are a few things however that there is no debate about. To me debate means that an issue can go either way. This is what Princton.edu had to say about the definition:
argue with one another; "We debated the question of abortion"; "John debated Mary"
consider: think about carefully; weigh; "They considered the possibility of a strike"; "Turn the proposal over in your mind"
discuss the pros and cons of an issue
argument: a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal; "the argument over foreign aid goes on and on"
argue: have an argument about something
the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
See, the connotation here is that somehow there is a postive on the other side, or otherwise we would not be "debating" the issue. We do not "debate" with a child about the reasons not to put a plastic bag over their head, because there is no positive side to it. Sure, you look like an astronaut for a couple of seconds before you run out of air, but that is not cool enough to warrant "debate." We do not "debate" about whether guns should be allowed in schools, or whether absolutely blind people should be allowed to drive. If I were to walk into the DMV with dark glasses, a white cane, and a seeing eye dog, what do you think their response to me asking for a driver's license would be? Would there be "debate?"
Now this Kossack was obviously not pro torture, she relished the chance to prove someone wrong on the issue. I just do not feel that there is room for "debate" on this issue. Shaming and prosecution, sure, but "debate?" What if, as it seems has already happened, we lose the "debate?"
Let me clear away these dishes and set out a new plate. Do you need another beer? How about a glass of wine? Be sure to have some bread on hand for this next dish, you will want the soppin's.
Ma's Clams with Salt Pork
As many fresh clams as you can afford. I am lucky to live in CA where steamers are often less than 4$ a lb. This would also work with mussels or even shrimp, although I would do shrimp differently.
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
diced salt pork
3 cloves of garlic
fresh parsley
Fry the salt pork until crispy but not burned over medium heat. Remove to a paper towel. Put in the wine and broth. When the pan is nice and hot put in the clams and cover. About 10-15 minutes later take off the lid, press in the garlic. Let simmer one more minute so you don't have a raw garlic taste. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with parsley and salt pork. I serve this in my biggest bowl with sliced fresh bread. We all just dig out of the one bowl. Be sure to provide a toss bowl for the shells.
Lets state this another way. I have a ten year old son. He has a sweet cherubic face. His hands are much smaller than mine. He enjoys cartoons, video games, cookies, and his dog. Maybe you have sons and daughters about his age. He still hasn't learned to ride a bike yet. Why do I say this? I say this because of the things I have heard, from people who would know better than I, about what that GI report and those photos show. Imagine these little children, you were one once too, being stripped naked and covered with insects. Imagine now, if you have children, or know children, imagine that sweet child being raped annally by a CIA interrogator in front of his father to make him "talk." Picture in your mind that sweet face, being stripped naked in front of his father, strapped to a chair, legs spread, with a CIA agent holding a hammer over his testicles. I am reminded of the prize winning documentary ONE. In that movie, there is the story of a grandmother holding an infant. Both are naked, and they know they are about to die any moment by the firing squad. Yet she still tickles the child, cuddles it, and sings to it. Do you think those tortured in our care behaved any differently? I don't. Folks is folks. I have nightmares. Should this stuff be up for "debate?" My real question is why does this bother me so much, and not others? Do you think the president has nightmares too?
Whew, well let's have some dessert. Coffee is ready. This recipe comes from the same 1916 Fannie Farmer. I like a cake that thinks its a pie, well this is one of those, you know like a Boston Cream, except different.
Washington Pie
Cream one-fourth cup butter, add one cup sugar gradually, two eggs well beaten, and one-half cup of milk. Then add one and two-thirds cups flour mixed and sifted with two and one-half teasponns baking powder. Bake in round layer cake tins, put between layers raspberry jam and sprinkle top with powdered sugar.
I can't provide baking times or temps, because this book doesn't give those. Remember in 1916 some of our great grandmothers were still cooking over a woodstove. So, I usually heat to 350, and check constantly after thirty minutes. I also have some homemade jam I got at the church social last December, (that's the only time I go to a church, lol). I loves me some home made jam.
I got it all off my chest and I feel better for it. Thanks for the visit, be sure to leave your recipes if you can spare any. It's good to talk to you guys, and it's cheaper than the therapist.