I’m very close to breaking a cardinal rule of blogging. But I’m not going to do it, because I am a warrior. A warrior for proper blog etiquette.
I know, I know, one is not supposed to talk about work on one’s blog. So I won’t; this word could refer to any number of things: the situation in Iran, the Republican Party, the subways that decide to stop in the tunnel for 15 minutes at a time without telling you why, work, those FreeCreditReport.com commercials that there’s no way in hell anyone can like*, or America’s Next Top Model.
That word is: Clusterfuck.
Man, I already feel better about “the situation in Iran.”**
*You would have dumped your finaceé because of her credit rating? You’re a dickwipe, and she’s lucky to be rid of you. Now, as punishment, she has to deal with your grungy bandmates hanging around your apartment while you sing passive-aggressive songs about her poor credit management.
**I AM still angry at the subway people. Because people on the subway stink, and I’d like at least a brief explanation as to why I am stuck in a car with them.
So to clarify, because someone in the other post’s comments thread wanted to know what to expect around here what with the Cheap Ass Monday shakeup; I know how you all fear change. Mondays, cool shit. Tuesday, Tight Ass. Wednesday, Top Chef. Thursday, Smackdown. Friday through Sunday, whatever the fuck I want, and you’ll like it. Clarified!
For the inaugural Tight Ass, I returned to the perennial favorite of all tight-asses: beans. Specifically, homemade refried pinto beans with roasted green chiles, the basis for a roasted veggie tostada. Fried corn tortillas smeared with refried beans, heaped with roasted potatoes, peppers and onions and topped with cotija cheese, some cilantro and green salsa.
Yes, this sounds like a lot for a Tight Ass Tuesday, but green chiles were canned and the salsa did come from a jar. I refuse to feel guilty about that because (1) this jarred salsa is sanctioned by my friends Juanita and Carlos, who are officially Columbian and Puerto Rican, respectively and (2) it’s really good. And versatile. And cheap. And it comes in a great big jar. (FYI: La Costeña)
If you want to get really fancy, you can do the double decker. To wit:
Tostadas, they are delicious. (I keep writing “toastada.” Maybe I’ll make one of those next.) The beans are earthy and creamy but the green chiles and cilantro keep things bright, and the spice is nice on a hot day. The potatoes add to the earthiness, and the peppers and onions fill things out without adding heaviness. The salsa also perks thing up, and the cotija is nice and salty. If you made the beans in advance, you could grill up some veggies – or, if you’re being less cheap, throw some chicken on the barbie – for this and the grilled chariness would make them extra delicious.
To sum up: Tostadas, delicious. “Sitution in Iran,” clusterfuck.*
Also a clusterfuck, but more of the mind-blowing variety and totally unrelated to food, work or FreeCreditReport.com: This? Is my nephew. He’s the guy in the middle, with the goggles. In Afghanistan. Walking by some kind of exploded, burning object.
My mind, literally is blown. Partly because he’s able to do this, and partly because none of us understand how my family managed to produce a military-minded Republican. I mean, my brother was in the Navy, but I’m pretty sure that was just to get out of going to college by gallivanting around the world in a big boat. Also, and perhaps most notably, it was NOT WARTIME. My 19-year-old nephew is in Afghanistan. Also, he could intubate you admist mortar fire if necessary, so look out. He’s no joke.
*So as not to minimize anything, know that I do recognize that the situation in Iran is, in fact, a giant clusterfuck.
Refried bean recipe: here (but use more garlic than I said there). Everything else, you can figure out. Use whatever veg you want, although I do highly recommend the roasted potatoes.
A YEAR AGO: The snozzberries taste like snozzberries.
[tags]food, cooking, cuisine, mexican, recipes, afghanistan[/tags]
Thursday Night Smackdown 
Oh Jeez. You are so not going to get grief from me over the canned green chilis and bottled salsa. Soooooo many good varieties out there. And yes, I could seriously bounce a quarter off this food. Yowsa.
Those tostadas look great to me. You have to use canned green chilis and bottled salsa…don’t you?
I want a report on how many people Google “Free Credit Report” and hit the link for the Tostada recipe instead.
I’m pretty sure a toastada wouldn’t taste as good as your current tostadas look, but I’m all for free-market recipe inspiration.
As for your nephew, it’s completely fucking weird how families can turn out such politically different people. Actually, I feel like I need to blog about that RIGHT NOW.
kellypea, i appreciate that.
unfortunately, when i threw a quarter at this is just sank into the beans, so we’re talking more of a metaphor here.
judy, the same columbian/puerto rican friends who sanction the jarred salsa also pickle and preserve their own chiles, so i have a slight complex about that.
kitty, i’m on it.
kristie, i don’t know about that. i’m really working on the toastada concept. since it’s toast, not tortillas, it doesn’t have to include other standard ingredients.
i think i could be on to something.
Clearly, the toastada has to have an egg on top.
I want a world where nineteen year olds carry backpacks that hold books or camping gear, not MREs and supplies to take into a war. I’m 55 and I’m not mature enough to deal with the things he’s probably seen.
Just be safe and come home so you Mom and your aunt don’t have to worry about you.
She’ll make you these really great tostadas.
I love making pinto beans like that. This toast/tost – ada is right up my alley.
BTW, it’s YOUR blog, so you can write about whatever you want. Talk Iran? Sure. Talk about the FCR.C guy? Why not? If we don’t like it, we don’t have to read it.
Your new motto: It’s my blog and I do what I want!!
heather, don’t think i didn’t consider it.
aldyth, he’s from san diego, so i don’t think his new jersey aunt’s tostadas have a lot of sway for him.
rachel, did i give the impression that i don’t talk about what i want to? because i will write about the free credit report guy all the live-long day. i was referring only to the general rule that one should not write about work on a blog where one is not completely anonymous. because, you know, doocing.
maryann, see above.
my nephew – also in Marines, still at Pendleton. Made it into Sniper Scout school too of all things – due for Afghanistan later this year. Go figure….I did get to see him a couple of weeks ago and made him chicken & sausage gumbo!
i’m sitting on my porch on a warm breezy night in Durham, NC with a couple of gimlets in me, and when i saw the initial pic, i audibly said “fuckin A!”
Fuckin a, woman…; )
But wait- the beans, they were dried, yes? Because if it’s truly cheapness and/or tightness of ass that you desire, the beans they must be dried and slow- (or pressure-) cooked.
kath, mine’s navy, traveling w/the marines as a medic (he had to do marine boot camp at pendleton, too). sniper school? holy crap.
vera, blame the gimlets, i say.
peter, they were not. i’m a tight-ass with my time, too.