All-Season Grilled Chicken

So - I haven't posted anything in just about forever so here it goes... another recipe.  Tomorrow I intend (or will try, at least) to post a real post.  Something about my writing.

All-Season Grilled Chicken

12 oz chili sauce

¾ cup red wine vinegar

1 & ½ tbsp prepared horseradish

1 & 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp salt

4 chicken breasts (or chicken of your choice, of course)

Mix together all ingredients besides the chicken in a bowl then add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes.  Grill or broil the chicken, basting frequently with the remaining marinade until chicken is done, about 30 minutes.  Heat remaining marinade in a small saucepan and serve hot along with the chicken.

Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole

1 lb. ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 cup tomato sauce

1½ cups shredded mozzarella

½ cup sour cream

1 container crescent rolls

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown ground beef and chopped onion, drain and place back in pan.

Add tomato sauce to ground beef and mix.  Heat through.

Meanwhile, mix cheese and sour cream together in bowl.

In an ungreased 13x7 (or deep pie dish) baking pan, pour ground beef.

Coat with cheese and sour cream mixture.

On top of that, spread out crescent rolls to make a crust on top of the casserole.

Melt butter in small pan.  Once melted, add parm cheese to butter.

Spread butter and parm cheese over top of crust and bake for 17 - 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Honey Mustard Chicken

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey

2 tbsp fresh dill (or 1 tbsp dried)

1 tsp grated orange peel

Chicken of your choice (chicken breasts, thighs, etc.)

Heat oven to 400.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Lay chicken out on baking sheet.  Mix mustard, honey, dill and orange peel in small bowl.  Brush chicken with mixture.  Flip chicken over and brush the other side.  (If you're using chicken with skin on it, you'll want to do this underneath the skin.)  Bake for 30 minutes or until done.

If I Should Have a Daughter by Sarah Kay

I really do love this... and with weeks that are tough and strange and everything in between, these are the kinds of talks that will keep the head up, on and moving along.

Sober Sam

It's honestly one of the best businesses around and I recommend it to anyone.  I hope they are eventually able to expand... we used them last night to get everyone home safely.

http://sobersam.com/

Put their number in your phone, if you're in the South Jersey area.  You never know when you may or may not need them.  Unless, of course, you really don't drink.

856-520-5679

Christianity and Literature: As It is Understood

Throughout history, religion has been a strong force in the world.  The works of “Beowulf”, “Inferno” and “Everyman” reflect the importance of Christian values in the times in which they were written.  “Beowulf” is a particularly interesting piece in light of this being that the story is actually based around pagans yet it is flavored with a Christian world-view as it was passed down and then formerly written.  “Inferno” and “Everyman” would simply not exist if it were not for the religious beliefs that were held in high regard at the time in which they were created.  Throughout all three of these works, religious belief is not so much reflected upon or explained as it is understood to be common knowledge and is expected to be accepted as such. 

            In “Beowulf”, the first of the three monsters that Beowulf encounters in Grendel.  He is described as a “fiend out of hell” (Beowulf 1634) and we are told that he had lived “among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan”. (Beowulf 1634).  While this portion does give a little explanation as to who Cain is “For the killing of Abel the Eternal Lord had exacted a price”, there is still a lack of explanation as to who Abel is to the “Eternal Lord”.  It is expected, of the reader, to understand the context of the murder without further explanation.  Throughout the rest of the epic, references to the Christian God are made as they were common at that time.  In Beowulf, in particular, it appears that God ultimately makes the decisions as to what occurs “Almighty God rules over mankind and always has” (Beowulf 1647).  The story has been so strewn with these types of references that it becomes increasingly obvious that the writer did not want to misstep in the work and speak of the pagan gods in a way that would give them credit, regardless of context or placement of the story. 

            The literary masterpiece “Inferno” draws heavily and exclusively on Christian belief.  Dante provides the reader with a vivid picture of hell.  While the idea of hell is not an exclusively Christian belief in and of itself, in the context of a place of never-ending torment and punishment, Christianity, especially at the time of this writing, overwhelmingly holds it in high esteem of something to fear and avoid.  Dante paints us a landscape that no one would truly like to look upon.  “Abandon every hope, who enter here” (Alighieri 1843)  As Dante travels through the many levels, he addresses many of the issues and political beliefs that he holds in disdain.  His Christian beliefs as well as his political beliefs coincide on a grand scale, making his arguments of how they both compliment one another within his mind.  Throughout each Canto, sins are mentioned by name.  Not all of the sins are common knowledge unless the reader is schooled in Christianity.  For example, “the Simonists”, by secular standards, is not something the average Joe would know about.  The selling of sacred items means nothing without the knowledge of what a “sacred item” is.  Why this would lead to such a punishment “who take the things of God, that ought to be the brides of Righteousness, and make them fornicate for gold and silver!” (Alighieri 1891) would be of an even greater mystery. 

            “Everyman” is a lesson for those who believe in Christianity and the beliefs that come with it. “You think sin in the beginning full sweet, Which in the end causeth the soul to weep” (Everyman 2121). While this can be looked upon as an explanation of Christian belief, the story itself resides and thrives on the fact that people already held Christianity as their belief system.  This story goes on to explain, to those who agree, why some things are bad for you and some things are not.  In the end, all the soul truly has is God.  Death comes first to explain what’s going on to Everyman.  As Everyman begins to ponder his own impending death and what it really means, he does an inventory of his life’s worth.  All aspects of the life he has lived eventually abandon him except for Good Deeds “All fleeth save Good Deeds” (Everyman 2140).  In the Christian belief system, good deeds are part of the soul.  Goods, strength, beauty, discretion, friends and even family can disregard a person as easily as they came to be a part of his (or her) life.  When the time comes to meet one’s maker, there will be little to speak of without the good deeds that have been done.  “And he that hath his account whole and sound, High in heaven he shall be crowned” (Everyman 2141)

            Christianity is still a very powerful force in the world today.  While it has since split many, many times over since the time that these writings took place, there is still a wide-held though not necessarily dominant following of the central teachings.  For many of the followers of this religion, these tenets are still alive and well, making the reading of these works comparably easier to understand.  At the time of these writings, however, the Christian religion was the dominant force on the planet.  It had, at the time, held an influence that not only concerned itself with the soul but also for the concerns of politics and power.  Dante addresses this continually and almost flawlessly when he mentions his well-known political enemies repeatedly.  These men are of little renown now but at the time it was important, it was necessary to align religious belief with political belief in order to be understood.  In “Beowulf”, the dominant influence of Christianity is seen when the author adds in Christian phrases in order to make the story an ultimately Christian tale.  In “Everyman” there is simply an assumption, well placed due to the audience who would have seen it, that everyone is on the same page in their belief system.  The profound influence that the Christian church had on not these writings is overwhelming once it is understood.  Since the time of these works the theme of Christianity has been largely understood.  It is a curious thing to wonder if in future generations these works will continue to be understood as clearly as they were then and still are today.  Or, if like many of the works in times before these, the Christian God’s many names will begin to be understood as something else.    

    

Works Cited

Beowulf.  Lawall, Sarah and Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature.

Second Edition. Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002. 1632-1702.  Print.

Alighieri, Dante.  “Inferno”. Lawall, Sarah and Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of

World Literature. Second Edition. Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton &

Company, 2002. 1836-1942. Print.

Everyman. Lawall, Sarah and Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature.

Second Edition. Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002.  2121-41. Print.

The Power of a Woman: An Examination of Women Characters

            The power of women in “Beowulf”, “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale” and in “The Miller’s Tale” varies but still remains a prominent part of not only the text but the subtext as well.  In “Beowulf”, we have the power of a woman regarded as a monster but also the power of a mother wanting to avenge her son’s death.  In the tale that the wife of Bath tells, we have an old woman who’s power resides in her knowledge and wisdom and in “The Miller’s Tale” we have an ultimately clueless young woman who’s main power is merely her sexuality. Her sexuality is something that she uses to get what she wants but also what leads her into trouble, hurting those who love her and ultimately herself as well.

            In the story of “Beowulf”, we meet a man named Beowulf who is a legend in his own time.  The toughest man that ever was, he can beat out any other man in any type of physical triumph that is needed.  Between swimming, fighting and saving those around him, he has proven himself time and time again.  When the people of Heorot need a hero, they receive one in Beowulf.  He comes and conquers their foe, Grendel, in a fight that leaves them in awe.  “But you have made yourself immortal by your glorious action” (Beowulf 1652).  This awe, however, is short-lived by the rise of Grendel’s mother from the deep.  She comes charging in to make them pay for the wrong that she feels has been done to her son.  “Grendel’s mother, monstrous hell-bride, brooded on her wrongs” (Beowulf 1661).  She attacks those in Heorot’s hall ferociously. “Her onslaught was less only by as much as an amazon warrior’s strength is less than an armed man’s” (Beowulf 1661).  While the people of Heorot thought their troubles were over, they had unleashed a mother’s rage on themselves, “now this powerful other one arrives, this force for evil driven to avenge her kinsman’s death” (Beowulf 1662).  In the end, Grendel’s mother does lose the fight but not without putting up a good one and taking others with her when she goes.

            In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”, we are introduced first to a knight who has raped a woman along the side of the road.  In doing so he has gotten himself in a world of trouble.  His life is spared but only insofar as he can come to a proper answer to one question: “what is the thing most of all that women desire?” (Chaucer 2100).  He wanders for some time, trying to find the answer to this question, for surely a man who rapes a woman by the side of the road would not be able to find the answer within himself.  He receives many answers but none quite as good as that of an old woman he happens upon in the woods.  She lets him know immediately that she can give him an answer for that which he seeks, with an outright declaration of the knowledge that old age brings. “We old folk know a lot of things” (Chaucer 2102).  In order to save his own life, in desperation, he agrees to give her anything he can if she will provide him with the answer.  In this agreement, she holds the utmost power.  She has what he wants and he will do as she wishes in order to get it.  She holds his life in her hands.  For anyone, man or woman, the ability to save or end a life is one of the most – if not the most - powerful forces possible.  By her wisdom, she does, in the end, save his life.  The answer to the question: “Women desire to have the sovereignty and sit in rule and government above their husbands, and to have their way in love” (Chaucer 2102).  The truth of this statement is shown, not only when the old woman outwits the young knight at the end, demanding that he choose either the old woman or the young woman to marry.  Both of these choices having their benefits, both having their disadvantages.  The truth of this statement is also shown when the queen, the one seeking the answer to the question, has the power of giving or taking the life of the young man. 

            In “The Miller’s Tale”, we meet a completely different type of woman than in the two previously mentioned stories.  Her power is not so strong in that it is not made up of a mother’s love nor is it made up of a woman’s mind but, rather, it is made up of pure sexuality.  The power here does not only reside in the fact that this woman is attractive to many men “She was a prettier sight to see by far than the blossoms of the early pear tree are” (Chaucer 2070) but that she also knows she is attractive to these men.  This tale is not as serious as the others but the young woman, Alison, still holds a certain power in her hands.  There is the young man Nicholas, whom she wants and he wants her, there is the carpenter who is her husband and then there is Absolom, the man who pines for her.  “Till jolly Absolom was woebegone for wooing her, awake all night and day” (Chaucer 2073).  This power that she has leads all three men down a troublesome road.  Bringing them all to a different end, including herself when she abuses the power that she has over them.  She ends up with a husband, more jealous than ever, who is now looked upon by their town as absolutely crazy.   Nicholas ends up with “his bottom roasted well” (Chaucer 2082) and Absolom ends up having “kissed her nether eye” (Chaucer 2082).

           In all three of these works, women hold a very powerful place in the storyline.  Grendel’s mother is forlorn, as nearly any mother would be about her son’s death.  In pain, she attempts to avenge the taking of her son’s life.  In some ways, she does what she embarks upon even if she does not “win” in the end.  In the tale told by the wife of Bath, the old woman and the queen both show that what the old woman says is true.  In essence, women want to rule over men in all matters – including love.  Both of these women have the power to end the young knight’s life in their own way and both of these women appear to enjoy the power of doing so.  In the final tale mentioned, “The Miller’s Tale”, Alison does not hold the power to take or give life in the way the other women examined here do but she does hold a power over them nonetheless.  She does not give anyone their life back but she does destroy parts of their lives.  The poor carpenter in the story is now looked upon as a joke in his town, Absolom has lost his dignity and Nicholas simply learned that it is best to avoid playing with fire so one does not get burned.  All of these women held a certain type of fire and power inside themselves, all in different ways.     

Works Cited

Beowulf.  Lawall, Sarah and Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature.

Second Edition. Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002.  1632-1702. Print.

Chaucer, Geoffrey.  “The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath’s Tale”. Lawall, Sarah and

Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Second Edition.

Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002. 2099-2106. Print.

Chaucer, Geoffrey.  “The Canterbury Tales: The Miller’s Tale”. Lawall, Sarah

and Maynard Mack, eds. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Second Edition.

Volumes A, B and C. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2002. 2067-82. Print.