The Sound of a Gentle Word

So let's make these recipes a regular thing again, and maybe get a better name for them.
 
PS: Comrade Gato and I kissed and made up, don't worry.
 
Anyway, here's a simple pasta dish that is delicious and, I want to say, relatively healthy?  It can be served as a main course or as a side dish with a variety of meals.  I mean doesn't that title alone sound delectable?
 
Pasta with Sautéed Garlic and Almonds
 

 
Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta, any shape (I think penne works well for this)
• 2 cloves minced garlic (two big spoonfuls, if you're using pre-minced garlic like me)
• 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/4 medium-sized onion
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• Seasonings to taste (I recommend Italian seasoning and oregano)

 
Pro tip: the almonds should be the only "unusual" ingredient here.  I recommend always having onions, garlic, butter, and parmesan in any well-stocked kitchen.  They are ubiquitous and useful in a myriad of dishes.
 
 
Preparation
 

 
Dice the onion (and mince the garlic, if you're using whole cloves).  Melt a tablespoon of butter in a small pan and sauté the almonds, garlic, and onions.  Sauté until the almonds start to brown a bit, then lower the heat. 
 
Concurrently, boil the pasta in a few quarts of water for about ten minutes, or to desired softness (I like it al dente).  Drain the pasta, and then mix in the remaining butter until butter is melted and pasta is coated. 
 
Mix the parmesan in with the sautéed garlic, onions, and almonds and let it melt.  Then, mix all in with the pasta.
 
Then serve...and.......enjoy.....................
 

 
Cripes, wasn't that easy and delicious?  If you're having it as a main course, I recommend pairing it with a nice side salad and a tall iced tea.  The dish is vegetarian, too - though not vegan.  If you wanted to make a vegan version, you could use a butter substitute that doesn't feature dairy.  One of these days I'll post a meat dish for youse guys again, though I think Shane made things meaty enough for a while?
 
See you next time, sailors~
 

So, Comrade Gato, my part-time lover...we meet again.
 
You know, negating the fact that we talk weekly, sometimes daily.  That's beside the point.  The point is, you think just because I gave you a guest spot once, you can muscle in on my territory?  Uh-uh, gorgeous.  I'm still the pretty princess of BZP chefs and you can't unseat me.
 
For those to young to remember, I used to post recipes on this blog, which was initially inspired by KIE's culinary blog entries (I still maintain that, during its heyday, Byron's was the best blog BZPower ever saw).  I'm no fancy Chef de cuisine or Sous-chef or anything, but I love to cook, and I wanted to share simple, easy, and diverse recipes to show that it's not a complicated task.  Often, I see young folks talk about how cooking looks so difficult and impossible, and I wanted to say hey man, don't worry!  It can be really easy!
 
I was in college when I first started the series, so my entries really stressed fast, simple things that could often be made in just a dorm room, with only a microwave and cheap canned/boxed foods.  I've been out of college for a couple years now (and moved out to my own place before that, even), so my own cooking's gotten a little more seasoned.  But I still want to highlight that cooking is simple (and fun) - and maybe upset that awful stereotype of the post-graduate life being all cereal, PB&J, and spaghetti.
 
Seriously, screw spaghetti.  Spaghetti is for people who've lost hope.  I should make an entry titled "20 things to do with pasta that AREN'T spaghetti but are just as easy and just as cheap." 
 
That all said, I'm going to start with a recipe that actually requires no cooking at all.  Why, you ask?  Because I want to strike back against Gato with something that will hurt him.  Shane, baby, I see your meat sushi and counter with...something healthy, you pansy.  You and your precious jingoism and your gender binary.  I'm coming for you, and your cuteness won't protect you this time.  Like the Hulk, today we're going....GREEN.
 
 
Fresh Salad with Mango and Avocado
And Home-Made Cilantro/Jalapeno Dressing
 

 
Ingredients

• 1 head of lettuce
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 avocado
• 1 scallion
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (I fresh-squeezed mine, but you can get a bottle for like a buck or less)
• 2 jalapeno peppers (i use pickled jalapeno in lieu of fresh, but fresh is better)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp celery salt (or regular salt if you're boring)

All of these can be picked up in the produce section of your local grocery, so don't act like you don't know where to buy an avocado.  Ray. 
 
Preparation
 

 
Peel and slice the mango and avocado, and slice the red pepper and scallion.  Wash the lettuce and cilantro.  Set all these aside.  Mmm, they all look so colourful and delicious.  Put some color in my gut.
 
Now dice some of that mango, chop 1/4 cup of the cilantro, and dice the jalapenos.  Throw these in a medium bowl with the olive oil, celery salt, and lime juice, and mix.  If you have any soy sauce or red pepper flakes, feel free to add a little - or just experiment!  Cooking is all about just adding or substituting whatever looks good and rolling with it.  Anyway stir all this stuff together.
 

 
Oh, oh dang, son. Did you just MAKE a SALAD DRESSING?  You know, the kind of stuff that you usually have to buy in bottles?  Oh man.  You did.  And all you had to do was stir.  You're incredible.
 

 
Tear up your lettuce and cilantro leaves with your hands, and toss them in the dressing.  Top with the mango, avocado, and red pepper slices, and ENJOY.  This quantity serves about 2-4 people and can be a side dish or a main course. 
 
I always tried to give vegetarian alternatives for most of the recipes I posted, since it's socially-conscious and my buddy Rob (Janus here on BZ) is vegetarian, but I can't give a vegetarian alternative for this because it already has no meat.  Dang, son! 
 
I'd like to get back in the game of posting recipes regularly.  Feel free to recommend cuisines/types of dishes/whatever you'd like me to cover.  I'd also be happy to feature guest spots.  I just wanna encourage good, easy food times among my peers.  Put down the hamburger helper, knowhatimsayin?
 
In conclusion: EAT IT, SHANE.

[05:19:13] McSmeag: but let's be honest, everything is a complicated issue
[05:19:28] McSmeag: ~*why's u have to go and maek things so complicated*~
[05:20:40] InnerRayg: who me?
[05:20:53] McSmeag: I see the way ur
[05:21:04] McSmeag: ~*Actin liek ur somebudy else gets me frustrated*~
[05:21:17] InnerRayg: please I'm merely an observer, like a scientist watching a hill of ants
[05:21:42] McSmeag: ~*~LiFe'S LiKe ThiS U FALL N U CRAWL N U BRAEK N U TAKE WHAT U GET N U TURN IT INTO~*~
[05:22:00] McSmeag: ~*Honestly, u promised me im nevr gonna find u faek it*~
[05:22:12] McSmeag: *~*nO nO nO*~*
[05:22:47] McSmeag: i just sang avril lavigne to you, you're a privileged man
[05:22:55] McSmeag: i don't do that for just anybody
[05:23:05] InnerRayg: am I privilaged because I would never in a million years recognize it

 
i regret nothing, and everything

im so mad about accidentally changing my name to "Smeagol4" i thought the name change screenw as a logins creen what a disaster sorry about the lame user name 4 the next 45 days or whatever anyway happy new year bzpower love u, kiss kiss

refer to this post
 
i fulfilled t6he sentence and was removed from staff, mystery solved, champagne 4 everyone
 
 
now how about we work on making bzpower that 24/7 party zone eh eh
 
 

I was reading some old arguments between Bonesiii and D.Viddy and i got such a bad headache and couldn't get to the end of any of them god bless bzpower

HERE IS A CONVERSATION I JUST HAD WITH MY BOYFRIEND, WINDRIDER
 

AA: this cognac though
WR: yeah???? describe the taste like a wine connoisseur
WR: i.e. use the crazy adjectives
AA: uHm lET'S SEE
AA: it's got a sharp, locomotive buffet cloaked in a smooth, lustrous vessel with subtle oaky overtones and hints of velvet
WR: I lost it at "locomotive"
AA: <3<3

 
 
MERRY CHRIDTMAS YOU TERRIBLE PEOPLE, I LUV U

It took Slylock Fox and next it's going to take you

This is the name thing i mentioned in my last entry btw, filled in my deets below
 
 

 
Your real name
Andrew
 
Your detective name (favourite colour and favourite animal)
Green Cat???
 
Your soap opera name (middle name and street you live on):Arthur Cabells Mill?  That'd be it, presently, or maybe Arthur Cabells.  Most of the other streets I've lived on previously are pretty generic (Arthur Nancy, Arthur McFarland, etc), but Arthur Wildwood and Arthur Ridge Pond are pretty interesting.

 
Your star wars name (first three letters of last name, first two of middle)
MACAR
 
Superhero name (color of your shirt, first item to your immediate left):
it was Burgundy Ice Cream when I was doing this yesterday but today I guess it'd be Red Lamp. :|
 
Goth name (black and one of your pets):
 BLACK STORMY

 
 
Everybody participate and be stupid with me

I think this bzp blog is just going to become a place where i post stupid conversations i have with friends. This was in reference to a dumb "everyone has six names" meme thing
 

Me: My superhero name is "Burgundy Ice Cream" :|
SO: my superhero name is Heather Glass
Me: since when is heather a colour
SO: heather gray
Me: man don't be like that
Me: you're Grey Glass
Me: admit it
SO: that's the color of the shirt i'm wearing D:<
SO: no, it's heather
SO: it's a legit shirt color, end of story
Me: man don't be all pretentious >8|
SO: I"M NOT
SO: shut up it's like Jean Gray
SO: her regular name is her superhero name!
Me: i'm stickin my tongue out at you
Me: and your pretentious faux names for reg'lar colours

 
spoilers: I went on to lose this battle