I honestly believe that as a manager, a huge part of my job is to advocate for my employees. Am I insane? I don't think so, but please everyone, let me know if I'm off the mark.

I modified this from a couple of recipes and a couple of ‘hints’ I found in different places. I think it’s approaching Popeye’s territory myself.

Traditionally it’s “red beans and rice” of course, so I wrote this up calling for kidney beans, but honestly if you want to switch it up with a combination of kidney and black beans it’ll taste great! And speaking of beans … DO NOT substitute canned beans. Don’t. They’re full of additives, they cost more, and they’re pre-cooked and thus have already lost some of their nutritional value (can you tell I have a vendetta against cans?). I’m going to assume you know how to make rice, or at least can read the instructions on the rice bag.

Easy-peasy but not quick … the beans need to soak overnight, and this dish needs a good 3 hours on the stove. Adjust the spice levels to your taste before you add the sausage; it will add more saltiness. Also, if you use cooking wine instead of table wine, watch the salt; cooking wine is loaded with it.

Okay, here we go:

Jennifer’s Beans and Rice

1 pound dry kidney beans
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small or ½ large jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
dash liquid smoke
dash Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 cup red table wine
6 cups water
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced


Rinse and soak beans overnight in a large bowl of water.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, peppers, garlic and celery for 4 – 5 minutes.

Rinse beans and transfer to large pot. Stir cooked vegetables into beans, then add remaining ingredients other than the sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 2 hours or until beans start to become tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Add sausage and continue to simmer for 45 more minutes.

Serve over rice (clearly).

HOLY DAMN did I ever make the shit out of some beans and rice last night. This is approaching Popeye's level, which as we know is the Gold Standard of beans and rice, period.

I took what was already a decent recipe and charged it up a little with some liquid smoke, some Frank's Red Hot, half of a very large jalepeno, and some red wine. It's actually *not* that spicy, to be honest. I'm going to try and write it up later but I don't really do the "measuring" when I cook things like this, so the spice levels might be pretty off. Your mileage may vary.

While I was waiting for my car to get done yesterday, I had to sit through several minutes of that Rachel Ray creature on the tv in the lobby. Jesus Christ. How is she still alive? How has no one murdered her yet? I didn't even make it five minutes, no kidding, before I wanted her dead. Not only is her voice really grating, listening to her screech "SIMMMER!! SIMMMMER! SIIIMMMMMERRR!" at the audience made her sound like a condescending bitch. Holy cow.

Now, that aside, I do have to recommend the place I take my car, which is Amigo's on 36th and Lyndale. Very nice folks, fair, reasonable prices, don't ever pressure you into doing anything extra (although if they find something, they will make a recommendation for you). Also, the guy who usually works on my car is named Fonzie, so, I don't know what else you're waiting for.

I need to post about my trip to San Diego! Sadly today will probably not be the day. We have a huuuge event this afternoon at work that I have to speak at, twice, as it turns out, and I feel ready but still will probably prep some more this morning. At any rate, it was great, as long as I was not in the car with my Dad driving because that seriously about came to blows, he was *such* an asshole. Otherwise it was a fantastic time!

I did not knit one thing the whole time I was gone.

Also I had a great idea for people who responded to the Handmade '11 post on the fb and now that's been shot to hell. Will reconfigure.

I'm debating whether or not to get rid of all of my beading/jewelry supplies. I have a couple thousand dollars worth of beads, stones, notions, tools, and other supplies that have been hanging out taking up space in my closet for the last few years, and it suddenly dawned on me today that maybe I'm ready to just ditch everything. It either needs to be relocated or sold, because I need the space for something more productive. Right now I'm not all that particular which option wins out. I'm not convinced I absolutely am done with it, but on the other hand I don't get burning desires to bead, either. When I think about getting rid of it for good, I don't feel bad about the idea.

I would need to figure out *how* to, though, because I'm not really in the beading or jewelry communities at this point at all, so I don't know anyone to even start with as far as getting the word out that I'm having a sale. The idea of cataloging and photographing everything in order to list it online makes me gag ... there is a LOT of stuff. Beads are tiny, so a lot of money invested fits into small containers. However I have about 50 of them. Plus 2 three-drawer wheely carts, and a portable file drawer, and a big stand up tackle-box with another 50 drawers in it. Plus another 6 small drawers just full of tubes of seed beads. Oh, and there are 2 rubbermaid tubs full of gift boxes, display trays and stands, table covers, a cash box, gift bags, and various other craft show supplies. Almost forgot about those.

So. Yeah. It's a lot of stuff. I wasn't exaggerating when I said it was a few thousand dollars worth of stuff. I just have NO idea where to even start to find a buyer ...

Happy 2011 and such! While I do ultimately think it's just a number written on a piece of paper, people like symbols and the first of anything is generally a positive thing.

I'm planning on clearing several things out this weekend that don't belong here and don't need to be in my house or my space at all anymore. I'm taking down the christmas tree, getting the mounds of recycling from xmas weekend out to the bins, putting away all the xmas decor and cards and such, getting rid of the milk crate of junk I brought home from Julie's about 2 years ago and never did anything with, etc. Plus various chores and bill paying kinds of blah. I ordered a new vacuum from overstock which unfortunately won't be here til probably Wednesday, but I'm still going to be getting a lot done.

I didn't make 'resolutions' as such, but I am going to be embracing some change. Which, is going to be hard. Change is challenging, and change takes some courage. A lot of this would be much easier if I had someone working alongside me, but I don't, and that's sortof what it is right now.

In the last couple of months, I feel like I've gained a lot of clarity about myself and where I'm at and why, which makes it easier for me to move forward for some reason. I think I just have to really work something all the way through before I can put it aside and move ahead, which kindof sucks. Not my favorite trait. Anyhow, there are a few things I feel like I'm really ready to walk away from and a few things I feel like I'm ready to try harder at, and all are good.

Aaaand I'm currently hiring a full time person.

email resumes to fleur@livejournal.com