by Charlene Teglia | Jan 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
Kids picked up some awful bug, and this led to much wailing and finally to putting 1 kid in bed with me. She finally went to sleep, I could monitor her fever without staggering around the house all night. Win win, right? Except the 2nd kid, who came down with it first and is still in the mopey tired stage, had to come snuggle with mom, too. The bed is not that big. The night was not that restful. Still, it was easier than staggering around the house with a thermometer all night.
It’s nights like this that make me appreciate the times they do go to bed and stay there. Because parenting doesn’t end after a 12 or 14 hour shift. Sometimes it goes on all night, too. (Where was the husband? He has the bug, too.)
Today it’s writing for me, school for them. Bring on the coffee!
by Charlene Teglia | Jan 20, 2009 | Uncategorized
Starting off Monday with a holiday always makes things feel sort of off-beat, and today is the Inaugaration, so it’s another “not quite a regular week” thing. I’ll be having my kids watch the ceremony so we can tie it into our social studies lessons about elections, citizenship, and voting.
We spent the weekend on the road, so our rhythm is further scattered for “regular week”. We took a trip to the lovely Oregon Outback and it restored our souls.
And now I have a sky full of stars and wide open spaces lurking in my brain. That’s a nice thing to bring into a new week.
by Charlene Teglia | Jan 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
Annd via the random number generator, the winner is Nadia Lee! Nadia, I’ll need your snail mail addy to send your book.
by Charlene Teglia | Jan 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
A box of Out of This World author copies arrived on my doorstep yesterday, and I promptly re-read my contribution, Wolf In Cheap Clothing. I love this story. Of everything I’ve written, it’s my favorite. If somebody only read one story by me, I think it should be this one. The anthology also contains rocking stories by the compulsively readable Shannon Stacey and Summer Devon, wild and crazy alter-ego of Kate Rothwell, the only one of us who actually looks like a romance author.
I’m serious. Romance authors have those beautiful, long-haired photos. On the day beautiful romance author photos were being done, Shan and I were apparently out knocking over a Dunkin Donuts. (“Give us the coffee and nobody gets hurt.”) So we are hiding behind Kate/Summer’s glamor, but we are all in this anthology together and you should not miss it!
Here’s your chance to recieve your own copy, mailed anywhere in the world. Comment to put your name in the hat, and I’ll draw the winner on Friday.
by Charlene Teglia | Jan 14, 2009 | Uncategorized
Shan (fellow anthology mate, buy our book!) asked for more on the chocolate chili. People, when you can have a one-pot meal with high fiber, vegetables, low fat and chocolate, you have a friend.
First rule of chili: there are no rules. In general, chili has meat and beans, but both meatless and beanless varieties abound. You can do whatever the hell you want and call it chili, pretty much. If anybody sneers, say, “I’m creative!”
Start with a pot on the stove, low heat, or a crockpot. Crockpot you fill, walk away, and come back when you’re ready to eat, so you know which gets my vote.
Either one bag pre-soaked dry beans (leave ’em in water overnight, drain, rinse) or 2-3 cans red kidney beans, drained.
Small onion, chopped
Green pepper, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped (or you can cheat and use some frozen cut carrots)
1 can drained or a cup of frozen corn
1 square dark baking chocolate
canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, whatever blows your skirt up, it’s your chili
ground turkey or ground hamburger; we use turkey, but see above
cayenne pepper
cumin
chili powder
Throw it all in the pot. Chili powder gives you that chili flavor, so put in at least a teaspoon. Cumin, 1/2 tsp, and cayenne, it depends on your tolerance. Cayenne is hot. Start small, you can always add more. Maybe 1/4 tsp and add as you like after tasting a spoonful that’s cooked a while.
I like to mix beef broth with the tomato base for the liquid, but suit yourself. I also make it fairly thick so it’s easy for kids to eat without spilling. If you want more soupy consistency, add more liquid. Ta da. This is not rocket science. This is chili. Make yourself happy with it. But don’t forget the chocolate.
*Forgot to add: salt to taste. Since there’s salt in the beef broth, if you use that it’s usually enough. Also, brown and drain the meat first if you use meat.
Recent Comments