Do the Right Thing: Use Your Words

 

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s  participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them. I'm using: wild ~ loops ~ consistency ~ absentee ~ lost ~ Xanax
They were submitted by Jenniy of Climaxed.

                          

A little piece of fiction today. Hopeful fiction, actually. Hopeful because I'd love for it to be fact. I know, actually, that it should be.

Consistency is necessary, he thought. Not concurrence, in this small group of ours. Quite the contrary. Differences is the foundation from which we act here. Intelligent discourse, deep thought. It requires that we all think for ourselves, present our views and perspectives and interpretations, work together to come to very consequential conclusions. We are, after all, tasked with some of the most pivotal decisions of our time.

This isn't just about law, which is an ironic thought, it's about morals and values. It's about standards. Conformity. Behavior consistent with, not just societal standards, but higher standards, reflecting the level of influence we hold, the level of power with which we've been entrusted.

Consistency, conformity, standards. At the very least.

It would be nice if there were mutual respect and admiration among us. There had been at least the semblance of that in the past, a picture of civility. That's no longer how we are perceived. 

We don't have to break bread together, but we do need to comport ourselves with dignity. Both on with each other, and in public.

Apple & Honey Chicken Salad

I can no longer sit on my hands. That man's crazy as fruit loops wife with her known involvement in a wild, deadly insurrection, added to his not having recused himself from the issues involving her isn't playing well. Add to that his reckless acceptance of gifts, multimillion dollar gifts, from people with an agenda, to sway, to influence. 

And that on top of the last few among us having lied to get here, in private meetings and in public hearings, in front of the whole country . . .

We need to show that we respect ethical boundaries, and when we don't, we must agree to sanctions. And yes, even expulsion.

We are compromised, and the entire country knows it. Our approval rating in has hit a low 40%. The time has come. I have no choice, I can no longer be an absentee Chief. 

It would be in the best interest of the country if Thomas were to retire, just get lost. But, of course, he won't. This institution is in jeopardy due to my lack of leadership. I'm just going to have to put on my big boy pants robe, and take steps to have him removed, thought the Chief Justice, swallowing a Xanax.

 

Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:

On the Border 

Climaxed

 

Apple & Honey Chicken Salad

                                               ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast, cooked and cooled

1 small apple

1/2 cup walnut halves, shelled

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp honey

1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
*Shred the chicken and place in a bowl. Core (and peel, if desired), then chop the apple. Add to the bowl. Coarsely chop the walnuts, add to the bowl. Mix.

*In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon. Pour into the bowl with the chicken an mix well.

*Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.

Raking the Forest

  

 

 

It started with a laugh. But by the end of the day, it had turned into insight. Surprisingly, the inspiration was Hubs who was, at the time, minding his own business, raking the front lawn. So yeah, insight from raking. 

 

Watching him, the laugh came first because what popped into my mind was trump's comment that the devastation from forest fires is the result of mismanagement. You remember, don't you? Mr. inject-yourself-with-disinfectant announced that the government should be raking our forests. 

 

I know, forest fires are dangerous, devastating, and deadly, not really something to be laughing at, but it wasn't the fires themselves, it was the absurdity of the ignorance, you had to either laugh or cry (and sometimes both).

 

That night, after a broiling hot day and a refreshingly cold dinner, I would sit down to once again watch the latest of the January 6th hearings. 

 

 

 

  Summer Shrimp Salad

 

 

When they started televising the hearings, I had an overwhelming sense of futility. At this point, I fully believed that there were two groups of Americans, those of us who understand the jeopardy our democracy is in, the seriousness of a bloody coup under the direction of a maniac, and those who are so ill informed or brainwashed that they either don't understand the ramifications of an autocracy, or just don't care. Two impeachment trials and dead capitol police didn't change any minds, why would these hearings?

 

But as I watched the hearings, and even later, as I witnessed the republican politicians push back with lies and repeated disinformation, I started to have a little hope. The people testifying were those who had actually been there, part of the administration. They were coming forward with truth, context, timeline, and insight.

 

The hearings, of course, are going on right as Bannon is going to trial for ignoring his subpoena.

 

Before these hearings, there were no ramifications, no repercussions, and therefore no downside to continuing the lies, deception, and misdirection.

But now we're witnessing testimony from administration loyalists. And, part simultaneously (and part as a result) we're seeing the start of accountability. There have been not just subpoenas, but raids, confiscation of electronics, demands for records, arrests, and even trials.

 

I realized, as more former members of the administration seem to be coming to terms with what they had been complicit in, understanding their patriotic responsibility to come forward and swear to the truth (or, of course, some less patriotic and more self preservation/jump from the sinking ship, I don't want to end up in jail motivation), that these hearings have done something meaningful for all of us.

 

 

We, those of us who have understood from the beginning just what was happening, are now bearing witness to exactly who have been able to find their inner strength, recalculate their moral compass, and come forward. And we understand exactly who's left, still determined to keep digging that hole, and ignoring subpoenas. 

 

The result of these hearings is simple. They're raking the forest.

Wheat from the chaff my friends, wheat from the chaff.

 

Summer Shrimp Salad        
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 

4 oz wide egg noodles

1/3 cup Everything Bagel Vinaigrette

2 green onions

1/2 red pepper

1 cup grape tomatoes

8 oz broccoli slaw

4 oz fresh snap peas

12 oz medium cooked shrimp

OPT: serve with Giant Blueberry White Chocolate Chip Muffins

Directions:
*Cook the noodles to al dente. Immediately rinse a few times with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well. Place in a large bowl and refrigerate.

*Make the Everything Bagel Vinaigrette. Refrigerate.

*Slice the green onions and chop the red pepper.

*Add the cooked shrimp, green onions, red pepper, grape tomatoes, broccoli slaw, and snap peas to the cooked pasta. Mix gently. Add the Everything Bagel Vinaigrette. Mix gently.

*Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, mixing now and then. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

 

Recipe Words: Use Your Words

 

 Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s  participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.

At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I'm using:  devil ~ frogs ~ houseplant ~ goldfish
They were submitted by Rena of The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

                           

"I'll challenge myself to use my assigned words this month to create a recipe," I thought. That was before I got my words. Ummm, nope. Unless I think I can somehow convince my friends that I've not been possessed by the devil while working frogs, a houseplant, and goldfish into a recipe, I'm gonna have to go to plan B. I'm not that talented.

Unless . . .

Don't you just hate a challenge, even one you create for yourself, that your instinct is to run from? The problem for me is, it eats (pun intended) at me.

So it looks like, like it or not, I'd have to set out to create a recipe. 

 

Now had this been Halloween time, how easy that would have been. To conjure up the devil, a witch needs only to place her biggest caldron over a large flame. Fill with bone broth, bring to a boil, add eye of newt, and toe of frog, a houseplant and some goldfish.

But it's not Halloween. In fact, it's the middle of summer and it's broiling hot. No large flame, no steaming caldron of . . . anything. Cooking on the grill or serving cold dinners are my go-to this time of year.

So, I'll do a salad. That will work. I hope.

I'd made up a batch of Everything Bagel Seasoning, and looking for a fun new way to dress a salad, made a vinaigrette with it. We love it. In fact, I now have some in the refrigerator at all times.

 

 

 

Everything Bagel Vinaigrette

 

 

It's so easy to make, and versatile too, not only the dressing, but the seasoning itself.

 

So, mix together the seasoning, then make the vinaigrette as per the recipe below.  ↓ 

 

For a lunch or dinner, meal or side salad, make the salad using ingredients of your choice. We mix it up, depending on what we have in the fridge, like the salad pictured above ↑ a mixture of spinach, lettuce, shredded carrot, grape tomatoes, radishes, green onion, sunflower seeds, and blueberries, but you do you. Snip some herbs of your choice from your kitchen (edible only, please) houseplant, basil would go well, and/or chives. Toss with some of the dressing, and skip the croutons, sprinkle with goldfish crackers.

 

Ummm . . . and serve with a side of frogs' legs?

 

Sorry, the devil made me do it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯        

 

 

Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:

On the Border 

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver 

Climaxed 

Part-time Working Hockey Mom

 Everything Bagel Vinaigrette       

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

2 TBSP minced dried onion 

1 TBSP garlic salt

2 tsp Kosher salt

2 TBSP poppy seeds

3 TBSP sesame seeds

1 tsp sugar

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

2 TBSP red wine vinegar

3/4 cup oil 

 

OPT: serve over salad, spinach salad, or cooked vegetables

OPT: use as a marinade for chicken, pork, fish, or fresh vegetables 

 

Directions:
*Mix together the dried onion, garlic salt, Kosher salt, poppy seeds and sesame seeds to make the Everything Bagel Seasoning.

*Vigorously whisk together 2 TBSP of the seasoning with the sugar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and oil.

*If using as a marinade, pour desired amount over the protein or vegetables, cover, and refrigerate for an hour before cooking.

*Store the vinaigrette, covered, in the refrigerator. Whisk again before serving. 

*Store the remaining Everything Bagel Seasoning in a sealed container with your spices.