Dream Fable

I had a dream a few nights ago that just knocked my socks off. And usually, I don't remember them. I just have this feeling after I wake up of knowing that I was involved in something awesome. Usually with a few Australian animals and a light show.

This one, however, was very different. It felt like it was November, and in rural England, where you see bits of old stone walls, and the twisty, newer roads give way to the straight, Roman ones. Just, old and misty, and very green.

The original dream involved myself and my two siblings, but I've changed it in this rendering.

It's spooky (and long) so consider yourself warned.

There were once three children who lived in a small town. Everything was generally peaceful. Everybody went about their business, and most of them were friendly. The children lived on a small farm with their parents, their dog Charlie, and many other kinds of animals.

There was one thing in the town that was very strange. Now and then, someone would come across an animal that had been killed in a particular way. It would be drained of all its blood, and the rest left out. People all had ideas as to what could have happened to the animals: a madman in the woods, some kind of wild creature ... some even said it was a vampire. No one knew for sure. But to be safe, everyone locked their animals in at night, and kept a close watch on them during the day.

The children had set off to play early one morning. They walked down the road, and out alongside the woods. On their walk, they found a chicken, headless and without its blood, in the ditch. The children shared their suspicions, but knew that chickens were not very smart, and it could have been anything that could have killed it. And on they went. They were still joking about the stupidity of chickens when they noticed a bell and collar on the road. They followed a short trail of blood into the woods, and came across a cow, missing all four of her legs, entirely bled to death. Horrified, they ran home.

None of the children told their parents what they had seen. They knew that if someone found out they were near that part of the woods, they would be punished. And besides that, they were curious. That night, after supper and before bed, they made plans to go back to that same place and investigate.

That's all I've got for now!

Tasty, Tasty Melodies pt. 5

So, I'm back! It's been awhile, I know. I'm sorry little interwebbies.

You happy few.

If you know me personally, you know why el bloggo might have been neglected for awhile, and it's for the following reasons:

- Finishing up my degree. It's been big, and busy. And now, facing the world for real - not just thinking about how scary it would be - is scary for real. This includes projects, papers and exams, and in order to do it justice, things have fallen away.

- I'm currently in Hometown for the next little while, so the last week has been dedicated to catching up, resting, and generally visiting the family. There has been a stirring of something, but I'll get on that
- not now.

- With the visit to Hometown, a new addition to the family: MAX! A cockapoo-yorkie cross who is very energetic, and basically requires constant attention.

So, the sum of the parts: been busy.

In honor of my newly aquired BFA, I'd like to share something that is based on a university cliché: the pack o' ramen noodles.

This can be made with beef, chicken or tofu. If you want to know how, let me know and I'll give you the tips. This recipe is for chicken.

This is meant to serve two hefty appetites, or three teeny birdie tummies.

Cliché Uni Chow Mein

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1 dash of regular mustard
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (if you must use dried, 1 teaspoon. It's just not the same.)

1 small red onion, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup carrots, grated
1 pack of snow peas, trimmed
2 packs of ramen noodles (flavour don't matter. Those things are saltbombs, and I won't have them!)

And here we go!

1. At least an hour before, but up to overnight, assemble all of the spices mentioned above with the chicken in a bowl, an leave it covered in the fridge. Really stir everything together so all of the flavours get distributed. I suggest making a paste, and then pouring it over the chicken, and git in there with your hands to mix it up.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, and then bring it down to a medium low heat. Get those noodles cooking. Triumphantly throw away the saltbomb packets.
3. Once the chicken's all ready to go, fry up the onion in a wok or large frying pan on a medium heat. Get them crunchy-tender, but not translucent or too mushy yet. We've still got a ways to go.
4.Toss in your chicken, and get in the habit of really stirring it. Get all of that delicious saucey goodness everywhere. The chicken should be very nearly on its way to being cooked before you add the next step.
5. Pop in your snow peas. If you have a big enough lid, or a large piece of aluminum foil, cover the wok or pan. Let it steam for awhile, until the peas are a little tender. Remove the foil and add your carrots.
6. Strain your noodles. Ideally, they should be on the side of underdone rather than a big gluey mass. Although, I've been there before, and it's do-able. Just get a spaghetti spoon or two forks and be mean with that bad boy.
7. Add your noodles to the wok, and stir for even sauce distribution. This is when you can taste what you've got, and get all fancy and add more soy sauce, or whatever you think it needs.
8. Serve, have water on hand, and feel good about how you turned a cliché into something very worthy of praise.

In terms of musical inspiration? This goes back to some more peppy music for me.
Like, okay. N*SYNC.

Yeah, I'm a dork.