February's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

One day it is 60 degrees and the next we are having an ice storm! That's expected during this month before spring settles in. Face weather adversary with a bowl of love! We are nearing the end of our Black History Month, read slave's thoughts at the end of our recipe.

Roasted butternut squash makes a divine soup that you will never find from a can. Vegetables always react well to roasting and who minds having the oven on during these chilly days? 

 

Ingredients

• Approximately (3) butternut squash, peeled & cut into cubes
• 2 Tbs Unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt + 2 tsp white pepper
• 32 oz container of lower salt chicken broth
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ cup non fat half & half
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
  

Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Do your cutting.
Cutting and peeling the squash is NOT an easy task. Do not believe people who say just use a vegetable peeler. Ha Ha! First cut the two ends off.

Cut off the neck. Then cut the “bulb” down the middle.

With an ice cream scoop or sharp teaspoon, scoop out the seeds of the bulb part. Cut into cubes.

 
Now the “neck”, cut down the sides taking the skin off then slice and cube.
As you cut, place the cubes into a large bowl. Discard the seeds & strings.

Add melted butter with salt & pepper to the squash and stir until well coated.

Since I am serving with some roasted bratwurst, I coat them with oil and cut open the ends.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread the squash across evenly. 
 

Place in the oven and roast for 35 to 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender. Test with a fork, the pieces should be soft and the edges starting to brown. The roasting imparts a special flavor that makes this soup so good.

Remove the brats and cover to keep warm. 

 Check temperature it should read 155 degrees and be a nice golden brown. 
 

Mince the onion into a small bowl. Sweat the onions in oil in the dutch oven then add the squash.

 
Add the broth, honey and ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.
 

Carefully using a stick blender, puree the mixture until smooth. The scalding liquid can really burn, so take your time.
Stir in the half & half and return to a low simmer. Adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
A nice crusty bread fresh from the oven can also be an extra hug!

What a bowl of love for these days when you never know what weather will greet you!


For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4LWIP7SAjY
Happy to be serving my Master

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTM via @amazon

=========================

Some February thoughts as we hurry toward the end of Black History Month.

Countless brave souls have come before us. They have marched & fought and persisted in the face of unbelievable odds. There are those in our community that say these leaders would be disappointed and angry with us and our efforts today. Nonsense! Of course they want to be remembered. They want to show us what worked for them. But angry with us – NO!

I remember in early marches of the 70's the fear we felt. Any popping sound could have been gunfire. Any odor could have been tear gas. Any pain could have been our bones braking under a night stick.

Even during the “Rage Against the Night” march in Washington DC during the 1992 showing of the Aids Memorial quilt we were surrounded more by love than by hatred.

We must hold tightly onto that love.

I remember as we passed by the White House that night seeing First Lady Barbara Bush in the window watching. No doubt her advisers warned her against being seen. Still in that moment, she was not First Lady of the republican administration. She was a mother who understood the grief and love of those who passed by that night.

When we let go of love and embrace hatred we usurp our right to achieve. We become a mob monster. A hated thing in itself that will surely be destroyed.

Love has always been our strength. Carry it with you in everything you do. Embrace it and it will allow you to achieve!

Your end goal should never be “winning to their losing”. “We win – You lose”, We are right therefore You must perish. That kind of division is an easy trap. It has led to even less problem solving than the gridlock we push against.

Anger and rage are powerful energies yet they have no long term good. It is like slick tires spinning on a patch of ice. Its motivation quickly turns to frustration. Goals become negatives. Our solidarity crumbles in depression.

Embrace love, show love to those who disagree with us! LOL that will really piss them off! Yet seriously love is the greatest force in this life. Feel it, use it.

It will make you whole and fortify you against the northern winds. Allow love to motivate you, hold it tight, and make it part of your goal.

The Old Scythian Malady Meat Loaf

Ever hear of the term? Not many have. It is presented here for information and support of Black History month. Please read the short explanation after the recipe.

Here is yet another take on the old favorite meatloaf. Basic, yet wonderfully tasty and easy to throw together for your next meal.

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs ground beef
• 1 cup oats
• 1 carrot, grated
• ½ cup half & half
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp pepper
• 2 slices bacon cut in thirds

Topping:

• ¼ cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ¼ cup stone ground mustard
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  

What To Do:

 

Do your cutting: peel and grate the carrot, cut the bacon.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, oats, half & half, egg, carrot, sage, salt, and pepper; mix well. Let sit on counter as oven preheats to 350 degrees. 

 

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooking rack on. Spray it well.

 

In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.

Turn meatloaf into a platter to form and place on cooking sheet. Spread with the topping mixture and arrange bacon pieces on top.

Bake 60 minutes, or until no pink remains. Switch to broiler and let it develop a crust, about 5 – 7 minutes. This ensures the bacon in crispy. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then slice and serve. 

 

What a meal! For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoDPPgWbfXY

Honored to be serving my Master Indy:

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTMvia @amazon

The Old Scythian Malady

When a society decides to ban certain words they really screw things up! Slave was researching newspaper articles from 1888 about a police raid in Washington D.C. This raid was of an African-American “dancing party”. Men were dancing almost nude with each other, wearing women's clothing!

A large black man named William Dorsey Swann – (the “queen of the ball” was arrayed in a gorgeous dress of cream -colored satin) tried to keep the officers from entering. A total of 13 men were arrested and charged with being “suspicious characters”. Of course their names and addresses were published in the papers. This was the second such raid, one occurring just the year before.

Details are difficult to find. However it is clear that while some in the group were white (of high moral standing – according to the papers) Swann and most of his friends were black men who worked for white families employed by the government. In spite of the raids, public shaming, getting fired from their jobs, being disowned by families and even sent to prisons, they repeated gathered in secret in one another's homes to hold these “drag dances”.

Swann was found guilty and sentenced to 10 months in jail. The judge declared that Swann’s home had become a “hell of iniquity.” He told the court he wished he had had the power to impose a 10-year sentence.

“I would like to send you where you would never again see a man’s face, and would then like to rid the city of all other disreputable persons of the same kind,” the judge declared. “Thieving and petty assaults amount to nothing as compared with the conduct of these people.”

At the time, the organizers of Washington's underground drag parties had little support or validation. These were true rebels who sacrificed and showed great courage and determination. 

Their efforts laid the groundwork for the self-acceptance and community that made the Stonewall riots possible more than 80 years later.

The newspapers headlined that the men suffered from “the old Scythian Malady”.

Well 3 hours latter and going through at least 5 different internet search engines, slave found the reference!

AD 195: Clement of Alexandria wrote in his “Exhortation to the Greeks” an account of a Scythian king who found some men dressed as high priestess practicing at Cyzicus in the manor of Cybele. The king promptly slew them with arrows for depriving themselves of their own virility and communicating this effeminate disease to fellow Scythians.

Clement explains precisely what he means by "effeminate" and "to attract men". It has nothing to do with being a gay man and everything to do with worshiping the fertility goddess.

How gay is that?

Yankee Feeds a Reb Chicken & Dumplings

Dan'l, the young union cook had really gotten into trouble now! Not paying attention, he had wondered far into the woods, foraging for something to make the meals taste better for his men. He had been captured behind the enemy lines and was now forced to cook for these new Dixie Masters. He had never prepared any rebel dishes but knew this one had to be good if he ever hoped to see the beautiful green hills of southern Indiana again.

There are as many ways to cook this classic Chicken and Dumplings as there are southern kitchens. Each loving chief nurturing this hearty dish as their own. Northerners called these dumplings, in the south they would be called noodles. But either way here is an easy approach that still gives that old time granny goodness. Dig in and have seconds.

Ingredients:

2 slices bacon

3 carrots

3 stalks celery

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut up into bite sized pieces

32 oz chicken broth

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup half-and-half

3 tbs cornstarch

Directions:

Do your cutting: dice the celery and cut the carrots at an angle.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Cut two slices of bacon into thirds.

Place bacon in a dutch oven. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. 

Drain, crumble and set aside; reserve bacon drippings. 

 

Add, celery, carrots and chicken to bacon drippings and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will allow the chicken to start to turn brown for the best flavor.

Pour in about ½ cup of broth and stir to loosen up the brown bits on the bottom. Then add the rest of the stock. Heat to a simmer for another 15 minutes.

Mix cornstarch into half & half and crumbled bacon and stir into the mix.

Stir until thickened. 

 

Stir in the dumplings, let simmer for another 10 minutes covered.

(Note: Do not stir while simmering, or dumplings will break apart).

Serve hot. 

 

Make some corn bread to serve along with this classic. Slave uses the inexpensive mix and adds 3 tbs of honey to the batter.

This makes such a heart warming meal. A combination that has been comforting for as long as recipes have been recorded.

For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdoI4udLOxs

So grateful to be able to serve my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTMvia @amazon

Mabel Hampton memorial mustard-horseradish roast

Today's slow cooker meal is dedicated to a fascinating gay black woman whose struggles serve as inspiration for generations to come. Be sure to read the short story of her life following the recipe.

A hearty beef roast slow cooked in a bracing mix of horseradish and stone ground mustard is just what the doctor ordered to fight off the in-climate weather. 

 

Ingredients:

1- 2-3 lbs beef roast

4 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 Onion, sliced

¼ Cup stone ground mustard

Olive Oil

2 Tbs. salt + 1 Tbs. Pepper

2 Tbs. Paprika +  2 Tbs. thyme

2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

3 Cups Low Sodium Beef Broth

¼ Cup horseradish sauce

5 oz sour cream

 Gravy (Optional) Following

 3 Tbs. Flour + 3 Tbs softened butter

Wipe out the slow cooker and spray, set on low heat.

Clean fat from roast, and pat dry with paper towels. Thin slice the onion, mince the garlic.

Heat oil in a large skillet. In a small bowl mix the salt, pepper, paprika and thyme. Rub roast with this.

Brown roast well on all sides.

Place roast in large slow cooker.

Mix garlic and stone ground mustard. Spread evenly over the roast and top with sliced onion.

Mix Worcestershire sauce into the beef broth and pour around the sides of the roast. Set your crock pot on low for 6 hours. Cover and let cook.

At the 6 hour mark, mix the horseradish with the sour cream and stir into the gravy in the pot.

Recover and cook for a final 1 hour.

This is a good time to fix the carrots!

When 7 hours are up, carefully lift out the roast and tent with foil. Allow it to rest while making gravy.

Mix 3 Tbs softened butter and 3 Tbs flour into a paste. Place 2 cups of broth from the crock pot in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour mix. Mix well, stirring constantly until gravy is thickened. About 3 minutes.

Serve with roast. Maybe a green vegetable along with the carrots.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Honey Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

• 8 carrots, peeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 cup honey
• Salt + pepper

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Line with foil and spray a baking dish.

Peel and cut the carrots at an angle in 2 inch pieces.

Throw the carrots in a big bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Mix until the carrots are completely covered with olive oil. Pour on the honey, then season to taste with salt and pepper; mix until evenly coated. Cover with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, or cooked to your desired degree of doneness, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

If you are pressed for time, you can broiled them for 15 minutes instead of baking.

Variation: Instead of honey, try real maple syrup and butter instead of oil. Maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. 

 

For our music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8eb_ACLl8
Happy to be serving my Master Indy

socialslave

To satisfy and restore.

To nourish, support and maintain.

To gratify, spoil, comfort and please,

to nurture, assist, and sustain

…..I cook!

Please buy slave's cookbook:

The Little Black Book of Indiscreet Recipes by Dan White http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F315Y4I/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_vAT4sb0934RTMvia @amazon

============================

Mabel Hampton

An ordinary woman who's life and work serves as an inspiration to continuing generations of young gay black women everywhere.

Mabel Hampton was born in 1903 in North Carolina, and moved to New York City as an orphaned young girl. The uncle she had come to live with was abusive, and at the age of just eight years old, Mabel ran away.

Not knowing where to go, she took to the subway and ended up in New Jersey, where she was taken in and raised by a working-class black family.

Mabel turned seventeen in 1920, and soon returned to Harlem to find work. The Great Migration had spread black Southerners across the northern United States, and Harlem was becoming the center of black thought, literature, and arts. The Twenties were halcyon times and Mabel was right in the middle.

Mabel began her life on the stage as a dancer and singer with an all-black female ensemble on Coney Island. There, she met an older woman who introduced her to the word “lesbian.” Although she had fooled around with women before, this was the moment when Mabel realized there was a word for her desires, and for people like her. “I said to myself, well, if that’s what it is, I’m already in it!”. The two only had one night together. Of that night, all Mabel would say was, “she taught me quite a few things. I knew some of them, but she taught me the rest.”

In Harlem, Mabel performed at the Garden of Eden and the Lafayette Theater, and she spent her time with many prominent queer black women in the city: comedian Jackie “Moms” Mabley, entertainer Gladys Bentley, singer Ethel Waters (and her girlfriend, dancer Ethel Williams), and heiress and socialite A’Lelia Walker. “I had so many different girlfriends it wasn’t funny,” Mabel recalled many years later.

In 1924, Mabel and a friend were set up by the police and arrested as prostitutes. At the time, being an un-escorted woman at a bar was often considered enough evidence to be convicted of prostitution. Mabel was sentenced to the Bedford Hills Reformatory for Women for three years.
Shortly after leaving Bedford Hills, Mabel also decided to leave the stage. Performing was just one of the few jobs that were available to a young black woman with an eighth-grade education. Afterward, Mabel worked as a house cleaner.

In 1932, Mabel met the love of her life, Lillian Foster. The two lived together in the Bronx until Lillian’s death in 1978. They were always at the center of a large social group of gay women, and eventually donated their personal papers to the Lesbian Herstory Archives (LHA). Mabel become an integral part of the LHA; without their pioneering work preserving the stories and artifacts of queer women, we would know little about her life.

In 1984, Mabel was invited to address the audience at the New York City Pride Parade and she spoke about her decades of experience as a black lesbian in America:
“I, Mabel Hampton, have been a lesbian all my life, for eighty-two years, and I am proud of myself and my people. I would like all my people to be free in this country and all over the world, my gay people and my black people.”

For the last few years of her life, Mabel lived in the apartment that housed the first headquarters of the LHA. In 1989, she passed away after an extended battle with pneumonia. Her story, like so many others, needs to be remembered. It not only provides us with an account of early black lesbian life in New York City but also gives us a look at a fascinating woman would just would not give up!