The Garden of Earthly Delights

A Beginners Guide To The Windows Command Line

2009-10-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

A Beginners Guide To The Windows Command Line: "

This is not another post about smilies. This article deals with the Windows command line.

The command line lets you communicate directly with your computer and instruct it to perform various tasks. For this you have to use specific commands. The commands are not necessarily intuitive, so they have to be learned, just like words in a language. Fortunately, there are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) replacing most procedures that formerly required using the command line.

However, sometimes using the command line is quicker or even the only way to access certain information. Thus knowing how to use the command line can be extremely valuable. And that’s where this Windows command guide comes in.

To access the Windows command line in XP, click > START > Run, type cmd into the > Open: field, and click > OK.

Alternatively, you can go through > Start > All Programs > Accessories and select > command prompt.

This launches cmd.exe, a window that reminds us of the old days in computer history: pure white text on a uniform black background. Despite its resemblance to a DOS windows, cmd.exe merely is a command line interpreter merely similar to DOS.

Now that you have successfully accessed the command prompt, what is there to do here?

To operate at command prompt level, you need to know some commands. Let me give you some basics to play with.

Help

First let me say that there is intrinsic help in the command prompt. If you’re not sure whether a certain command really exists or what it does or what switches there are to it, type the command followed by a /? and you shall be enlightened.

Switches

Switches are optional extensions to a command, which change the command’s behavior. We actually saw an example of a switch in the previous section. /? is a switch to any command, explaining its function rather than executing it in any way.

Note that you can add several switches to each command, but always leave a space between the command and each switch.

Now let’s get on with serious commands.

dir

The dir command lists the contents of the current directory.

There are some useful switches to it. For example dir /d (/d being the switch) will list the directory contents in up to three columns. Alternatively, you can use dir /w, which will sort the contents differently. With dir /p the information doesn’t scroll, but pauses at the end of the screen, until you hit a random key for the next screen full of data.

cd

To change directories, use the cd command.

Pick a directory seen in the previous dir listing. Directories are indicated by <DIR> in the directory listing. For example type cd desktop and you will switch into the Desktop directory. Type cd.. to return to the previous directory. To go directly to a specific directory, rather than haggling your way through each single one, type in the entire path. Let’s say you went back to C:\> and want to return to the Desktop directory. Simply type cd documents and settings\administrator\desktop.

Note that switching between drives doesn’t require the cd command. Simply type in the respective drive letter and a colon, e.g. d: to switch.

mkdir

This one is used to make a directory, i.e. create a new directory. Type mkdir name to create a directory called name.

rmdir

To remove a directory, use this command. So that would be rmdir name to remove a directory called name. Only empty directories can be removed.

You can of course create and delete directories located in any other directory, you just have to specify the respective path in your command, starting from where you are.

For example mkdir documents and settings\administrator\test when you’re in C:\ or mkdir administrator\test if you’re already in the documents and settings directory.

del

This is the command to delete files. It works similar to the mkdir and rmdir commands. So you type del example.exe to delete the file example.exe in your directory. If you’re not already in the right directory, you add the respective path.

This was a short list of commands to make you familiar with the command line environment. For an entire list of commands, please refer to this list.

We will now look at some very helpful commands for tasks that can not easily be completed by any other means. For all of them you can use the /? switch, to find out what all you can do with these commands.

driverquery

For a list of all drivers installed on your system, driverquery is the quickest solution.

ping

Ping must be the most popular command line prompt. It’s used to check an IP address and see whether the respective computer is online or responding, i.e. whether network communication between your and that computer is possible.

ipconfig

Here you can reveal network data of your own computer, such as the name of your computer in the network, your IP address or your MAC address.

systeminfo

The command to retrieve extensive information about your system, including Windows serial number, computer model, and available RAM.

This Windows command guide can merely touch on the surface of what the command line can do. For more extensive information, please refer to The Command Line in Windows and PCStats’ WindowsXP Command Prompt Guide.

If you got hooked, you might want to check out the following MakeUseOf articles dealing with the command line. Varun wrote about 10 Windows Command Line Tips You Should Check Out and he introduced Nircmd – A Power Packed Command Line Tool. Mark explained how to Change the Windows User Password via Command Line.

What command do you find most useful?

Windows command guide

Related posts

10 Windows Command Line Tips You Should Check Out (31)

Run Windows Commands Easily with Commands In Demand (21)

Nircmd – A Power Packed Command Line Tool (4)

Bringing Command Lines to The Web: Yubnub and More! (8)

An Introduction to the Linux Command Line (23)

A Happy Surprise: Bean and Farro Soup « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:18:00.000-05:00

A Happy Surprise: Bean and Farro Soup « Pink of Perfection: "Bean and Farro Soup
Serves 6-8

I was so craving protein the night I ladled this out and snapped the photo that I topped the soup with a poached egg and a little grating of Grana Padano just for fun. Definitely not necessary, but it will make the soup that much heartier.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 gloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
5 cups chicken broth
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup farro

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over moderately high heat, then sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots until onion is translucent. Add basil, rosemary, crushed red pepper, sage, and chicken broth. Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, chickpeas, and farro. Raise heat, bring soup to a boil, then reduce and simmer until farro is tender."

Basics: Chocolate Chip Cookies « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:17:00.000-05:00

Basics: Chocolate Chip Cookies « Pink of Perfection: "Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Words to Eat By
makes about 2 dozen cookies

To be totally fair, in Debbie’s directions at Word to Eat By, she calls for refrigerating the dough. Does anyone know what that would do? I didn’t have an hour to spare and was in a mad dash to make these and ship them off in a care package, but possibly the refrigeration is the one missing step in getting me to my perfect cookie.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
7 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

Preheat oven to 350 F. Adjust racks to lower and upper thirds of the oven.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars on low speed until it is smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla and egg and beat on low speed until fully incorporated. On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats. Spoon dough onto baking sheets by heaping tablespoons, leaving a few inches between cookies. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges, turning the sheets front to back and switching racks halfway through.

Remove the sheet from the oven and carefully slide the parchment or Silpats directly onto a work surface. When cookies are set, remove them to a cooling rack. Wait at least 5 minutes before serving or 20 minutes before storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature."

French Lady Onion Tart « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:14:00.000-05:00

French Lady Onion Tart « Pink of Perfection: "Onion Tart
Serves 4-6

for the pâte brisée
from Chocolate and Zucchini

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
ice cold water

In a food processor, combine the flour and the butter. Run it for about ten seconds, until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Add in the egg and mix again until it forms a ball. If the dough is still a little dry, add in a little water, a tiny splash at a time, until the dough comes together. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface, gather into a slightly flattened ball shape, wrap with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from fridge and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. On a floured work surface, roll out to fit a 9-inch tart pan, and transfer to said pan. Cut off excess dough.

for the tart filling
from Gourmet

1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
3 pound yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated comté

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté fennel seeds until a shade darker, about 30 seconds. Stir in onions, teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover onions directly with a round of parchment paper (I just covered with the lid of the skillet for the first 45 minutes or so and then continued to cook the onions uncovered thereafter). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degree F with rack in middle.

Brust tart dough with mustard and pour in the cooked onions. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges of tart are golden brown."

Like-A-Dream Hot Chocolate « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:12:00.000-05:00

Like-A-Dream Hot Chocolate « Pink of Perfection: "Hot Chocolate
Orangette’s adaptation of Dorie Greenspan’s Paris Sweets and Ladurée

1 ½ cups whole milk
2 ½ tablespoons water
2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, and sugar. Place over medium heat and whisk occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture just to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. At this point, blend the mixture. If you have an immersion blender, you can do this directly in the saucepan; if not, you’ll need to transfer it to a traditional blender. Either way, blend for 1 minute (on high speed, if using a traditional blender - and take care(!), as hot liquids expand when blended). The finished mixture should be very smooth and frothy."

Quick Mustard Pork Chops and Loving Nigella Lawson « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:10:00.001-05:00

Quick Mustard Pork Chops and Loving Nigella Lawson « Pink of Perfection: "Mustard Pork Chops and Gnocchi
adapted from Nigella Express
Serves 2

2 pork chops, each about 6-8 ounces and 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup pilsner-style beer
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoons butter
8 ounces frozen gnocchi

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over moderately-high heat. Cook pork chops, about 2 minutes per side, until they’ve taken on a golden-brown char and are cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Deglaze the pork chop pan with the beer, scraping up any browned bits. Let bubble for about a minute, before stirring in butter and mustard. Pour most of the sauce over the two pork chops, leaving a little in the pan.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook gnocchi until it floats, about 2-3 minutes. Drain the gnocchi before scooting them through the remaining mustard sauce and serving with the pork chops, and an arugula salad, if you like green things as much as I do. A practically instant supper."

Pork Chops with Apples and Shallots « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T19:10:00.000-05:00

Pork Chops with Apples and Shallots « Pink of Perfection: "Pork Chops with Apples and Shallots
adapted from Everyday Food
Serves 2

1 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound medium shallots, quartered lengthwise
1 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
1/4 cup white wine (all I had was just a drop of Lillet and it was so good in this)
1 sprig fresh thyme (if you have it)
2 pork rib chops (each 1/2 inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)
coarse salt and ground pepper

Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until shallots are soft, about 5 minutes more.

Add apples, wine, and thyme, cover, and cook until apples are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated and apples are tender, 2 to 4 minutes more. Taste season with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

While apples are cooking, season pork chops generously with salt and pepper; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. To serve, spoon warm apple mixture over chops."

Seven Vegetable Couscous with Chunky Onion Harissa « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:55:00.001-05:00

Seven Vegetable Couscous with Chunky Onion Harissa « Pink of Perfection: "Seven Vegetable Couscous with Chunky Onion Harissa
adapted from Bon Appetit

I know the list of ingredients looks daunting, but you can really think of this recipe as a blueprint, to substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand or look best at the store. Just make sure you don’t cut down on the volume of vegetables — you want this to be chock-full of fresh flavors.

Another note: I liked the idea of this harissa, but would make changes next time around (not sure about the vinegar or all the onions), maybe seeking out a more traditional harissa recipe to whip up in the food processor or just buying a tube.

for the couscous:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), minced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned broth
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
1 large yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) couscous
lemon wedges

for the harissa:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
6 green onions, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced

to make the couscous:
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over low heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add stock and next 8 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, peas, cilantro, then couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Fluff couscous with fork. Serve with lemon wedges and a spoonful of harissa.

to make the harissa:
Combine tomato paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in vinegar. Mix in onions and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir harissa well before using.)"

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Caramelized Onions « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:55:00.000-05:00

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Caramelized Onions « Pink of Perfection: "Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Caramelized Onions
Serves 2

3/4 cup red lentils
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water
pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 small onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sugar

To caramelize the onions, melt the butter over moderate heat. Throw in the onion and cook until beginning to brown. Sprinkle sugar evenly over onions and continue to cook until onions are brown, sweet, and sticky.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine lentils with water, stock, cayenne, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft and beginning to break down. Turn off heat, and stir in chopped parsley and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and serve with caramelized onions."

Spring Dinner For Two « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:52:00.001-05:00

Spring Dinner For Two « Pink of Perfection: "Sauteed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce
from Everyday Food
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine, or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half and half with fine results)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.

Pour wine into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. Right before serving, drizzle cream sauce over chicken. Serve with steamed asparagus."

Spring Dinner For Two « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:52:00.000-05:00

Spring Dinner For Two « Pink of Perfection: "Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Butter
from How to Cook Everything
Serves 2

2 artichokes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 lemon

With scissors or a large knife, trim the top 1/2 inch or so from the artichokes. Using a paring knife, peel around the base and cut off the bottom 1/4 inch. Break off the roughest of the exterior leaves.

Place bottom up in a steamer. Cover and cook 20 to 40 minutes. Sample an outer leaf when t pulls away easily and its meat is tender, the artichokes are done.

Drain them upside down for a minute or two longer before serving hot. Serve hot with melted butter mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice."

Taco Tuesday: Easy Tortilla Soup « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:48:00.000-05:00

Taco Tuesday: Easy Tortilla Soup « Pink of Perfection: "Easy Tortilla Soup
adapted from Domestic Reflections

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 cup cooked pinto beans
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 tablespoons chile powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
6 c. (or so) chicken stock (preferably homemade)

toppings:
tortilla chips
sliced avocado
quartered limes
chopped cilantro
sour cream

In a soup pot over moderate heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion and zucchini until soft. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes start to break down. Add cumin, chile powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant (a minute or so). Add stock and beans. Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes so the flavors can meld.

Ladle the soup into bowls, squeeze in lime, and top with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream (ideally the chipotle-spike variety — scroll down for recipe) and cilantro. Other add-in ideas: radishes, cheddar cheese, and chopped jalapenos."

Taco Tuesday: Fish Tacos « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

Taco Tuesday: Fish Tacos « Pink of Perfection: "Fish Tacos
adapted from Bon Appètit
Serves 2

half pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado chopped peeled avocado
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 teaspoons minced jalapeño chilies with seeds

1/2 pound tilapia fillets
1 garlic cloves, minced
4 5- to 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix tomatoes, avocado, 2 tablespoons lime juice, onion, cilantro, and 2 teaspoons jalapeños in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (You’ll probably have leftover salsa.)

Place fish in single layer on small rimmed baking sheet. Mix garlic, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon jalapeños in another small bowl. Drizzle over fish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil, enclosing completely. Place in oven until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Broil fish just until opaque in center, about 6 minutes. Cut fish into 1-inch pieces. Top each tortilla with lettuce, then fish pieces. Spoon salsa over and sprinkle with cheese."

July 11 (spools) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

2009-07-23T17:44:00.000-05:00

July 11 (spools) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Ladies’ Lunch Tarragon Chicken Salad « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

Ladies’ Lunch Tarragon Chicken Salad « Pink of Perfection: "Tarragon Chicken Salad
Serves 3-4

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade, but let’s be real)
1/2 cup purple grapes, halved
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 tablespoon dried tarragon leaves or 2 tablespoons fresh

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a ceramic baking dish, melt butter in the microwave. Stir dijon into melted butter and add chicken to the baking dish, coating in dijon and butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper and roast until done, about 20-30 minutes. Once chicken is cool, shred into bite-sized pieces with two forks.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together sour cream and mayonnaise. Fold in chicken. Add grapes, celery, and walnuts, season with salt and pepper, and gently toss. Store in the refrigerator for a few hours until flavors have developed, seasoning with more salt and pepper, if necessary, before serving."

Strawberry Buckwheat Muffins « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:23:00.000-05:00

Strawberry Buckwheat Muffins « Pink of Perfection: "Strawberry Buckwheat Muffins
adapted from Body + Soul
makes 12

1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup buckwheat or whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Toss together strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar. Using a potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla until combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (including juices). Fold until just combined. With an ice cream scoop or ladle, divine batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely."

$5 Dinner: Tomato Leek Quinoa « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:22:00.000-05:00

$5 Dinner: Tomato Leek Quinoa « Pink of Perfection: "Tomato Leek Quinoa
adapted from Bon Appétit
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only), about 3 medium-sized leeks
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-size tomatoes, seeded, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Mix quinoa, 2 cups water, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is just tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth and cover. Simmer until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and oil, stirring until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, onions, basil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Top with a poached egg, if you so choose (what isn’t made better with the addition of a runny yolk?)."

Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans | Simply Recipes

2009-07-23T17:17:00.000-05:00

Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans | Simply Recipes: "Simply Recipes
Spicy, Citrusy Black Beans
Ingredients

* 4 cups dried black beans
* 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) water
* 2-3 fresh sprigs oregano, or 1 Tbsp dried
* 3 bay leaves
* 6 small or 3 large sage leaves
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 4 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 yellow onions, chopped
* 2 chopped peppers – bell pepper, Anaheim, or jalapeño (your choice, depending on taste for heat), seeds, stems and ribs discarded
* 6 cloves crushed garlic
* 2 Tbsp Ancho red chili sauce, or chili powder or Tabasco to taste*
* 1-2 teaspoons of puréed chipotle in adobo, chipotle Tabasco, or chipotle powder (to taste)
* 1 Tbsp cumin, (crushed whole toasted cumin seed is best, if possible)
* 3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate or 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
* Juice of 1 lime
* 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
* Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

If using prepared chili sauce or chili powder, and if cooking gluten-free, make sure to purchase gluten-free products.
Method

1 Prepare the beans. Rinse and sort the beans, discarding any stones or shriveled beans. You can soak the beans overnight in cold water (cover with several inches of water) OR pour enough boiling water over them to cover by a few inches and soak them for an hour OR skip the pre-soaking step. Soaking will speed up the cooking process. If you soak, discard the soaking liquid after soaking.

2 Add beans to a large pot with 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water. Add oregano, bay leaves, and sage. Bring the beans to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are soft, but not quite done. The time will vary depending on how large, dry, or old your beans are, and if you have pre-soaked them, from anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.

3 While the beans are cooking, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add chili sauce, chili powder, and/or chili purée, cumin, and garlic. Sauté until spices are fragrant.

4 Fish out and discard the bay leaves, stems of oregano, and sage leaves from the pot of beans. Remove, but reserve, extra cooking liquid until there is about 1/2-inch of liquid above beans.

5 Add the onion mixture and salt to the pot of beans. Cook another hour or so until thickened. Add reserved liquid if needed.

6 Add half of the orange juice, and simmer. Adjust chili heat at this point – you may or may not want to add more of your chili paste. Just before serving, add remaining orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar. Salt to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with corn tortillas, and/or rice, sour cream, and salsa.

Serves 8.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com"

In the Freezer: Turkey Chili « Pink of Perfection

2009-07-23T17:15:00.000-05:00

In the Freezer: Turkey Chili « Pink of Perfection: "Turkey Chili with Tomatoes and Beans
Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes (or two small cans diced tomatoes with hot peppers)
4 cups cooked kidney beans
2 cups beef broth, chicken broth, or water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

In a large pot, heat oil over moderately high heat and cook turkey with onion, stirring frequently, until turkey becomes opaque. Season with 2 teaspoons chili powder, salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients, raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until flavors have had a chance to mingle. Serve with brown rice, lots of chopped raw onion, and cilantro."

Recipe for Crystalized Ginger

2007-09-10T21:13:00.001-05:00

I just found this recipe for crystalized ginger, which can be dipped in bittersweet chocolate. The byproduct is a sweet ginger syrup, for use in teas and whatnot. I love bittersweet chocolate, I love ginger, I hope I'll love the result of this long process.

http://apocalypse.org/~steve/sweet/ginger.html

[eta 9/12/07- I've been cooking the syrup down for the last couple of days and I think I'm almost there! The ginger is tender, the syrup fiery.]

[eta 9/13/07 - It has cooked down sufficiently. I have used a bit of the syrup in my tea, it's quite good. I think I'll try some on my chocolate sorbet next time. The ginger is drying firm. I'll try to dip them in the chocolate tomorrow.]

2007-06-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

I finally got my MP3 player working again and as a result have been listening to sigur rós a lot lately. Here are a couple of my favorite tracks from Ágaetis Byrjun, or "an alright start".

Svefn-G-Englar - very warm and mellow - I think this has been used in a few movies in the last few years

Flugufrelsarinn [Travelling Birds?]

Hjartað Hamast (Bamm Bamm Bamm) - The video on this one is pretty crappy - sorry, I'm not yet blog-savy enough to post music directly from my collection. I think this is my favorite song on the album. When the song's reaching crescendo it's like a wall of music, or a wave of music hitting you in the chest and breaking over you. Beautiful.

Feelin' Blue

2007-05-23T09:38:00.000-05:00

I haven't really felt like posting lately.

Earlier this week I made a couple of new jewelry items and a little purse that I'll post later - I need to find the digital camera first.

In the meantime, here is a vid:

I love this! It's been a year and there's still no sign that it'll actually make it past pilot (I think the content might have something to do with that), but I'm still crossing my fingers!

BTW - Ben, we should watch Maybe Logic soon. I'm booked solid for the weekend, maybe some weeknight?

ruination

2007-05-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

I really need to get a life.

Re: Your Brains

2007-05-14T13:50:00.000-05:00

I had never heard of Jonathan Coulton before stumbling across this vid on youtube sometime last week, then Ben is posting today about the guy. Hmm...

Yeah, it a WOW vid, but I love it - the action is spot on and the song is catchy as hell.

fine art

2007-05-14T12:56:00.000-05:00

I saw this over on Craft: - delightful! I especially like the pincushion monster and the flying thread!

Sometimes I wonder if this is what happens when I'm away from my "studio".

eta - I guess the one little thread guy thread isn't actually flying, he's been caught up in the pincushion-monster's claw. That's what I get for blogging pre-caffeine.

The Man in the Dirty Wifebeater Wises Up

2007-05-09T10:08:00.001-05:00

I'm going to come off as a conspiracy nut today, but hey, opinions are like assholes and I know you've got one too.

Bruce Willis on JFK and 9/11

RAW and uncensored

2007-05-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

I was reading Disinfo today when I came across an add for the Robert Anton Wilson DVD Maybe Logic. I have this DVD, a gift from Ben, but we haven't watched it yet (I think I remember Jess wanting in on it, too).

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Illuminatus! Trilogy, written with Robert Shea, but Schrodinger's Cat gave me a headache.

Guerrilla ontologist. Psychedelic magickian. Outer head of the Illuminati. Quantum psychologist. Sit-down comic/philosopher. Discordian Pope. Whatever the label and rank, Robert Anton Wilson is undeniably one of the foundations of 21th Century Western counterculture. This DVD is a cinematic alchemy that conjures it all together in a hilarious and mind-bending journey guaranteed to increase your brain size 2 - 3 inches!

George the Revelator

2007-05-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

I found this gem while indulging a craving for some Depeche Mode.

So I have been thinking...

2007-05-04T22:21:00.000-05:00

... about starting up another blog. I've started several blogs (and LJ's) over the last few years, with at most one or two posts each. What can I say? I am the queen of abandoned projects. Now that I have my friend and fellow blogger Ben of Consciousness is Nature's Nightmare to give me a gentle nudge (or kick in the ass) whenever necessary, I'm giving it another try.

Therefore, and without further ado, welcome to the Garden of Earthly Delights.