A Year in the Making, Day 113

I missed yesterday's post, but in a good cause, as I went to see Avatar. If you haven't seen this yet, go! It's amazing, a true visual treat, and a wonderful treatment of a classic plot.

Here's yesterday's creation, only one picture, and it's not quite finished yet as I don't have the right clasp for it. It's rescued from an old broken brass bangle bracelet, combined with some vintage chain, and rounds of rhodonite:



And today's, another steampunk piece, a part from an old pocketwatch combined with jade beads and vintage chain.

Jade and Brass Steampunk Necklace:



I also made a batch of my carnivore's black bean soup:

Ingredients:
Four cans beef or chicken broth (or a combination of both)
Two cans refried black beans
Two cans whole black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
A half to a whole bulb of garlic, depending on taste
One medium sweet yellow onion
One red bell pepper
1-2 cans corn
1 lb hot sausage (or regular sausage with jalapenos to taste)
Two chicken breasts, diced
Sour cream (optional)

Directions:
Dice the red bell pepper
Drain corn
Roast pepper and corn in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, stir once


Dice the sausage and onions and saute them in a large soup pot (at least 10 gallons) until the onions are just beginning to get translucent.
Peel and press or mince the garlic (and jalapenos, if using) and add to pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
Strain and rinse the whole beans well.
Add broth, refried and whole beans, and roasted vegetables to pot, bring to a gentle roil.

Dice raw chicken
Toss chicken in pot, bring back to just boiling

Reduce heat to low, and let simmer, stirring regularly, for 20-30 minutes.

Best the next day

Optional: Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top



And today, I bought a lamb shank for Christmas dinner. It'll be my first attempt at lamb. Fingers are crossed, wish me luck!