Monthly Archives: January 2011

Chinese telegraph

As promised, I have come to share an amazing game with you. We played this not only on Family Vacay, but also at our fantastic New Years party, where I learned that it’s called “Chinese Telegraph.” Or maybe Dave made up that name–I’m not quite sure. Anyway. It’s a laugh and two halves, folks. And perfect for large groups, when you’re looking for a game that everyone can play together.

Here’s how it works.

First, count the number of people in the group. Let’s say there are 12 people: obtain a stack of 12 pieces of paper for each person. In this case, we had 12 half-sheets in different colors of construction paper. Everyone also needs a writing utensil.

Everyone should number their sheets 1-12. Note: the flip side of the sheets can be used for a second round of the game.

Now we begin: everyone writes a sentence. Any sentence. For example: Three girls stuff their faces with ice cream while a starving dog looks on dolefully. Or Elvis Presley mans the submarine bravely as the giant octopus attacks the vessel.

Once everyone has written their sentece, they pass their entire stack of papers to the right. Or left. Whatever.

Everyone looks at the sentence that has been passed to them, puts the sentence at the bottom of their new stack, and on the fresh sheet draws their interpretation of that sentence.

When everyone is done with their drawing, they pass the stacks again to their left. The next person looks at the drawing, puts it at the bottom of the stack, and writes a sentence to interpret the picture.

And so on, and so forth, until everyone receives their original pile back.

Just like the telephone game, the difference between the original sentence and its final embodiment is absolutely hilarious.

Now the most fun part begins: one by one, everyone takes a turn standing up to show the whole group the succession of pictures and sentences that takes us from the initial idea to the final interpretation.

 

Laughter is inevitable.

Side-splitting.

And it makes for great candid shots if you have a camera in hand!

Explanations are 100% necessary. What the heck did you try to draw here??

Why did you draw this person sitting on this other person’s head?

Have the Abominable Snow Monster and the sun teamed up to destroy Planet Earth? What is happening in this picture???

Next time you’re in a large group, play this game! If you hate it, a full refund* is guaranteed.

*No refunds will actually be provided to anyone at any time for any reason. That was false advertising up there, dude.

Spicy Tuscan Soup

In the beautiful realm that is Tasty Kitchen (I know, it’s like I’m addicted) this recipe has gotten rave reviews time after time, and after staring at its mug on the internet for any number of months, I finally did my duty to mankind as well as to my own palate and made it.

And am I ever thankful that I did.

I figured if it was anything like Olive Garden’s Tuscan soup, it would be pretty dang good. Well, it surpassed even my loaded expectations.

Let me break it down to you real simple-like. In five words: Love, adoration, creaminess, love, creaminess.

Five adjectives? Spicy. Hearty. Satisfying. Flavorful. Delicious.

Five verbs? To eat. To sigh. To crave. To devour. To repeat.

After making it for the first time and failing to photograph it, I immediately made plans for making it again. So here is take 2, which I will hereby refer to as “Take Awesome.”

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

1 lb spicy breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean’s hot sausage)

1 red onion

3 slices bacon

5 cloves garlic

3 medium sized red potatoes

1 quart chicken stock

3 c roughly chopped kale leaves

1/2 c heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper, to taste (go heavy on the black pepper)

Good evening, ingredients! (It’s always important to say a kind ‘hello’ to the ingredients–it makes them ever so much more cooperative.)

Step one: grab that sausage.

Tear it into rustic chunks with your fingers. I tried to make them all about the size of a meatball.

Then lick your fingers.

Just kidding! Please don’t obey me blindly. Except when I tell you to send me things–like a sample of that batch of cookies you just made. In that case, don’t question me. Or else.

Toss the sausage into a hot Dutch oven, and cook it over medium high heat until cooked through (about 10 minutes).

You’ll have to give it the occasional stir to make sure the pieces get browned all over. Remove the sausage to a plate and set it aside. But don’t worry–we’ll meet again.

Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and dice the bacon. Aren’t red onions just beautiful?

Make sure when you snap the picture that the bacon is completely out of focus. Check.

Add the bacon to the Dutch oven, and cook over medium-high for 5 minutes.

Soon it will start browning and your salivary glands will be activated.

Just direct your streams of drool away from the pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

Wash the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, and then slice them into half-moons (1/4” slices).

Now let’s return to the Dutch oven, and pour in that chicken stock.

Toss in the potatoes too, while you’re at it.

Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, and test the potatoes for doneness. You want them to be almost done–but not quite.

In the meantime, wash and roughly chop the kale. My grocery store was out of their supply of kale–with the exception of these prewashed, prechopped bags. My hand was forced! In Take 1, I dealt with kale in its natural state. But in Take Awesome, the work was all done for me. I have mixed feelings about that.

So back to business: once the potatoes are almost-done-but-not-quite, add the heavy cream . . .

. . . the reserved sausage . . .

. . . and the kale.

I like lotsa lotsa kale. Plus, it wilts down just like spinach. So what looks like ‘lotsa lotsa’ will actually become a healthy, moderate amount.

It’s also the right time to add copious amounts of black pepper. Taste the soup and season it to your liking.

Simmer it for another 5 minutes, stirring to incorporate everything.

Grab a ladle, and let’s serve it up.

Some buttery chunks of garlic bread wouldn’t be amiss at all. No sirree.

I love how this soup is full of ‘stuff’–it means that each bite is a fun adventure in flavor and texture. Just look at what this spoonful turned up.

If I haven’t made myself clear, I highly, highly recommend this soup.

But the only thing that will fully convince you of the awesomeness and wonder of this soup is actually making it. So what are you waiting for? Grab your grocery list! Add the ingredients! Hop to it!

Thanks for letting me order you about–it may happen quite frequently on this blog. It helps give my bossy older sister tendencies a good airing.

Click here for printer-friendly version: Spicy Tuscan Soup