I tagged @laimelde in that 11 questions meme, and she answered my questions. :) (Thanks, Kris!) So I’m gonna answer her questions just for fun.
Do you craft, and if so, what kind/s of craft do you do? If not, are there any you want to learn? - I crochet and paint pottery. Sometimes I make cards or magnets, and I occasionally do origami. I’ll happily dabble in almost any kind of craft, really.
Favourite dinner recipe - and either a brief description of how to make it or a link to the recipe. - In general, I love meals that are all in one dish: stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries, etc. One of my longtime favorite things to make is chili. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s extremely forgiving.
I usually start by browning a pound of ground beef in a big stockpot, then drain any excess fat. (If I want veggie chili, I skip this step and heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in the pot.)
Chop up an onion or two, a couple of bell peppers, and a few cloves of garlic and add those to the pot, cooking and stirring occasionally for a few minutes, till the onions and peppers are soft. Sometimes I also peel and grate a carrot and add that, especially if I’m making veggie chili.
If you want you can dice up a jalepeño or some other hot chili pepper and add it at this point; I don’t because I have kids who don’t like their chili too spicy.
Add a big can of diced tomatoes and a can or two of beans (I like to use one can of kidney beans and one of black beans).
Add 1-2 tablespoons of chili powder and a teaspoon of cumin. If I have any tomato paste in the freezer I might chuck a couple tablespoons of that in.
Mix it all up, bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat and cover.
After it’s simmered on low for about fifteen minutes, taste it and see if it needs salt, or more chili powder or cumin.
Serve with sour cream and shredded cheddar, and chopped cilantro if you’ve got it.
Beach, lake or river, and why? River. I grew up right next to the Missouri River in Omaha, and I just like that rivers are always moving.
What are you looking forward to? Friends coming to Japan to visit us in late spring. Moving back to the US this summer.
Which accent sounds the most attractive to you? I love any and all accents that are different from mine, which is an extremely boring, flat, Midwestern US accent.
Tell me about a scar you have. If you don’t have any, tell me your secret to not getting injured! I used to have a scar on my right index finger that I got when I was about 8 years old, and I was using a knife to try and scrape some wax from a red candle to use as fake blood in a haunted house I was making with a friend in his basement. That scar has mostly faded over the years.
Do you have any recurring dreams? What are they about? Nope, I never have, to my recollection.
What’s the last thing that made you laugh? We just finished watching the Parks and Rec series finale with @jenndoesnotcare. I laughed a lot watching that.
What do you consider your greatest achievement in your life so far? I have two kids who are healthy and smart and funny and kind.
Name a place on your bucket list. New Zealand.
Do you play an instrument? I used to play piano, flute, and violin, and I sang in choirs for years. I haven’t played flute or violin much at all for about 20 years, and I only occasionally play piano these days. I still sing all the time, though.
Thanks for playing along, Kris! :)
