Silence is one part of speech, the war cry
of wind down a mountain pass another.
a stranger’s voice echoing through lonely
valley’s, a lover’s voice rising so close
it’s your own tongue: these are the keys to cipher,
the way the hawk’s key unlocks the throat
of the sky and the coyote’s yip knocks
it shut, the way the aspens’ bells conform
to the breeze while the rapid’s drum defines
resistance. Sage speaks with one voice, pinyon
with another. Rock, wind her hand, water
her brush, spells and then scatters her demands.
some notes tear and pebble our paths. Some notes
gather: the bank we map our lives around.
Today’s special recipe is a feature from Kathy Gizzi, of Rotonda West, Florida. It looks so tasty I cannot wait to try it myself. This time, we’re all going to do it together, yall with me? Tonight’s dinner is: Tomato and Beef Casserole with Polenta Crust. We’ll need:
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper < or zucchini. I don’t care too much for it so I substituted with bell pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring 3 cups water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornmeal; reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in steak seasoning and 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Spread cornmeal mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
2. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is well done; drain and transfer to a bowl.
3. Sauté onion and bell peppers in hot oil in skillet over medium heat until crisp-tender. Stir in beef, tomatoes, and tomato paste; simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes. Pour beef mixture over cornmeal crust. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle casserole with parsley just before serving.
Enjoy!
Do you have a tasty recipe you would like me to try? Send it in! I love recipes and will try it seriously, no joke. :). Just be sure to send a picture along with it so I can feature it on Recipe Sunday.
Social media has completely taken over the internet. Today there is pretty much nothing you can do that does not involve some kind of media outlet, or does not at least benefit in some way from its usage. Social media can be defined as any computer-mediated tool that allows people to create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities. If social media was a real live place, where would you want to live and why?
As I prepare to release my 3rd collection of poetry next year (2015), I have to take the time to thank everyone who has supported this blog specifically for its poetry. Interestingly enough, in the attempt not to prematurely release pieces from the upcoming album, I have written a lot of new poems specifically to be featured on this blog; and as such will now be included in the book. It may seem that I’m “letting the cat out the bag”, but in all truth some of the poems that will make it to the book was first published here to this blog, and now they will also make it in the book. It would appear that blogging has in many ways helped to inspire me to write more and to compile a list of select poems I think will really speak to you, the people. I get to see which ones you really seem to like and those you don’t in an effort to make sure that this next piece is indeed a masterpiece. Blogging and Poetry…who knew?
The PBS Blog 