Third Estate Sunday Review

Video of the week Cornel West Green No More!

Great Grandpa's got advice that no one asked for (Ava and C.I.)

If you missed it, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appears never to have read a book, has now 'written' one: BE USEFUL. And now believes not only does he have a mind but he has something worth sharing from it.

America today, he wants you to know, is "a generation of wimps and weak people" who are "weak" and "too pampered" and need to "turn off the iPhone."

As great-grandpa's tits continue to grow, he wants you to know that the kids need to get off the tablets and phones and it's time to "teach kids to be tough . . . go out and do sports."

Oh, sports. Are we considering body building a sport? Reality, in 2023, now more than ever, children need to develop and strengthen reading skills. That means more steroids for you, Arnold. And as someone probably told you years ago, if you can't be useful, try to be happy.

Tweet of the week

Lara Trump claims Apple is "shadow banning" her version of "I Won't Back Down." But when Naomi Wolf listened to it, it gave her menstrual cramps pic.twitter.com/CFRPG2f7j4
— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) October 8, 2023

Someone's cooking in the Kitchen

Trina covers recipes at her site. She and her readers have been on an Instant Pot kick.

Instant Pot Potato Soup in the Kitchen

Mason e-mailed to say that we need a soup recipe for the Instapot before concluding the week of recipes. He suggests The Recipe Rebel's recipe for Instant Pot Potato Soup:

Ingredients

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to brown.*
Add the salt, garlic, parsley, thyme, and pepper. Stir and cook for one minute. Turn the Instant Pot off and add the broth, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits.
Slice and cut potatoes into 1 cm cubes and add to the Instant Pot.
Add carrots and celery. Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual, high pressure, for 3 minutes.
It will take about 20 minutes in total, including the time it takes to build pressure. Once the cooking time is over, do a gradual quick release by slowly opening the valve to release the pressure. You don’t want to let it all release at once, or it could sputter and foam.
When the lid is off, turn the Instant Pot to sauté.
Make cornstarch slurry by whisking together the evaporated milk and cornstarch, then stir it into the soup. Cook and stir until thickened.
Now it’s time to season and serve. We use cooked, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped chives or green onions for garnish. If you like, you can add extras right into the soup for more flavor!

Seems fairly straight forward. Now this week we focused on Instapot recipes and we also had one last Saturday:

Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe in the Kitchen

Rachel notes that I haven't had a vegetarian recipe this week "and I hope you're not going to make it through this week of Instant Pot recipes without offering a vegetarian one." Thanks to Rachel, we'll note this recipe from The Herbeevore:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup bell pepper chopped
1 (14 ounce) can No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes
3 tablespoons No-Salt-Added Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Spice Blend
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
8 ounces dried penne use gluten free
2 cups No-Salt-Added Vegetable Stock

Instructions

Set your Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini. Sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, Italian spices, and stir.
Add the pasta to the Instant Pot. Pour the vegetable stock over the pasta. Do not stir. Lock lid, and set to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes.
Quick release the steam, taking care not to put your hands or face near the steam valve.
Once steam has vented and the pressure valve has gone down, stir the pasta. It will continue to thicken for a few minutes.
Serve with a side of fresh garlic bread and top with parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

I'll do more instant pot recipes next time.

2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken in the Kitchen

Brenda e-mailed to say she loves recipes at Our Balanced Bowl and recommends 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken in the Kitchen:

Ingredients

1-1.5 lbs chicken breast
12 oz. jar of salsa verde (preferably Trader Joe's brand)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

For Instant Pot:

Place raw chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Release steam valve for quick release. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!

For Crockpot/Slow Cooker:

Place raw chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into the crockpot/slow cooker: Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!

For Oven:

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!

If you like that recipe, Brenda suggest you surf the other recipes at Our Balanced Bowl.

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole in the Kitchen

Coy e-mailed to note Simple Life's recipe for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 medium carrots chopped
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (see the note about salt)
1 cup long grain rice
1 pound chicken (see note)
1 cup frozen green peas

Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (or a 10 ounce can of store bought)

3 tablespoons salted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Before you begin chopping your vegetables, set your Instant Pot to Sauté . This way when you are done prepping your carrots and onion, it will be hot and ready for you to put the vegetables in. (Read the notes to learn how to skip this step.)
Once the Instant Pot says "Hot" add the butter and stir quickly, so that it doesn't burn. Add the chopped vegetables (carrots, onion, and garlic). Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning, until the carrots are tender. Turn Instant Pot off.
In this order, add the chicken stock, rice, and set the chicken on top (please be sure to see the note about the chicken). Close the Instant Pot and set to High, Manual, 10 minutes. (Make sure that it is set to seal on top.)
It will take the Instant Pot about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once it is done cooking, let the Instant pot have a natural pressure release for 10 minutes (be sure to watch the time), then turn to venting until all the pressure has fully released.
(Between coming to pressure, the cook time, natural release, and quick release it will be about 34 minutes.)
While the Instant Pot is doing it's job, make your homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. (Read the notes to learn how to skip this step.) In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour.
Gradually whisk in the chicken stock. Stir in the milk and the spices. Continue stirring, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes while stirring to prevent burning .
When the 10 minutes is up and you have vented and fully released the pressure of your Instant Pot, open it. Remove the chicken, cut it to bite sized pieces (or shred in the IP). Return the chicken to the IP, add the peas, and the Cream of Condensed Chicken Soup. Stir to combine and enjoy.

Thank you to Coy for that recipe. Again, I'm trying to focus on Insta Pot recipes all week.

Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers in the Kitchen

Michael e-mailed he had the perfect recipe for the Instapot from The Food Network:

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers, preferably red, orange and/or yellow (2 to 2 1/4 pounds total)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces lean ground beef (90 percent lean)

2 plum tomatoes (about 8 ounces), cored and diced

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar

3/4 cup pre-cooked white or brown rice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

If the bell peppers don't sit upright on your cutting board, trim about 1/8 inch off the bottom to make level. Cut the top 1/2 inch off each pepper. Remove and discard the stem, then finely chop the remaining flesh from the trimmed top. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membranes as you can. Set the hollowed-out bell peppers aside.
Set a 6-quart Instant Pot® to high saute (see Cook's Note). Add the olive oil to the pot; once it's shimmering, add the chopped bell pepper, onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef, then cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes more. Stir in the diced tomato, chicken broth, tomato paste, chili powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato starts to break down and the mixture becomes thick and saucy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar and the rice until cheese is melted and rice is combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Turn off the saute function, then spoon the filling into the reserved bell peppers. Wipe out the Instant Pot bowl.
Set the rack into the bottom of the pot, then pour in 3/4 cup water. Add the stuffed bell peppers (they should fit snuggly).
Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick-release cycle is complete (this should take about 1 minute). Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid, then top the stuffed peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar, dividing evenly. Place the lid back on the pot and let stand until the residual steam melts the cheese, about 1 minute. Use tongs and/or a large spoon to transfer the stuffed peppers to a plate and sprinkle with the parsley.

If you missed it, last week I noted I was going to do a week of Instapot recipes.

Instant Pot Chicken Potpie Casserole in the Kitchen

I feel like no sooner did I type the words "Instapot" in the last post then everyone started e-mailing. Sheila was the first. So here's a recipe for Instant Chicken Potpie Casserole in the Kitchen from Adventures of a Nurse:

Ingredients

1 pound cubed chicken
16 oz bag frozen mixed veggies
16 oz egg noodles
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian Seasonings
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Instructions

Place your pot on sautee, Add chicken, spices, and olive oil.
Saute about 2-3 minutes until the outside of the chicken is white.
Add Egg noodles, broth, and veggies.
Cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
Do a quick release.
Stir in heavy cream.
Place pot back on saute.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until thickens.
Serve.

Sheila swears by it and I can see why, it's easy and tasty.

sdf

Stan goes to the movies

Most weekends find Stan offering a movie review (without spoilers).

THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER

THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER. I was eager to see this film. Word that reviewers found it awful had me worried but this is a really strong horror film. To be sure, it wouldn't be half of what it is without Ellen Burstyn. She returns as Chris -- mother of Regan. She was nominated for an Academy Award for the original EXORCIST (and won one for ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE). Linda Blair played Regan and returned for the first sequel but Ellen's never appeared in any of the sequels before. She brings real gravity to the role and that's due, first and foremost, to the fact that she's an incredible actress, but it's also due to 'lived experience.' We have lived with her as Chris for years and years. We've seen the original film dozens of times and we know what Chris had to endure. So we've got that 'lived experience' with the character that we don't have with the newer characters. We identify with her and would even if Ellen walked through the film with no emotion. She doesn't though, she delivers one of her high caliber performances.

And I don't get how the critics dismiss that.

What am I saying?

I've read Ava and C.I. for nearly two decades. As they note repeatedly, women do not get the credit they deserve when it comes to acting. And that's proven with the negative spin on THE EXCORIST: BELIEVER. If this was a sequel to some 70s film -- say FRENCH CONNECTION -- and Gene Hackman walked through a two minute cameo they would be going to town on the film. I remember years ago, reading Ava and C.I. talking about AGNES OF GOD and how Jane Fonda and Anne Bancroft really deliver in that film but the critics pretended not to notice and that this was two of the country's strongest actress who both studied with Lee Strasberg and were members of The Actors Studio and the critics ignored that as well. But they rave over two similar men. Or, as Ava and C.I. have pointed out, the critics go to town praising Robert DeNiro for his weight gain in RAGING BULL but act like Jane Fonda doing the same to play the lead in THE DOLLMAKER was not worth noting. Really? Because unlike DeNiro, Jane's body was the breathing poster for her workout business -- gyms and videos and albums and books.

So I guess it's not surprising that Ellen Bursytn has delivered an amazing performance and the critics would rather talk about something else.

Let me note my ten favorite Ellen Burstyn performances:

1) RESURRECTION

2) ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE

3) THE SPITFIRE GRILL

4) THE YARDS

5) REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

6) THE EXORCIST

7) THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER

8) LUCY IN THE SKY

9) THE LAST PICTURE SHOW

10) TWICE IN A LIFETIME

Let me note some stuff. First, Ava and C.I.'s latest is "Media: The week of WTF?," so check that out. Second, Rebecca continues the story of transphobe Martina Navratilova in "macho martina gets more disgusting." Third, Ruth's "MAGNUM P.I. returns (for final season)" covers the new episode this week of MAGNUM P.I. and my girlfriend wants me to note, "Ruth is 100% right. If you like the show, you will love this week's episode."

Going out with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

Books

1summerread

"Mafia Wives (Susan Williams' WHITE MALICE)" -- C.I. reviews this book.

"The Sewing Circle" -- Marcia reads Axel Madsen's THE SEWING CIRCLE.

"Ellen Sander's The Lifestyle That Classic Rock Unleashed" -- Trina reviews this book.

"Phyllis Diller 1917 – 2012: News, Quotes, Interview" -- Ann reviews this book.

"Call Her Heroic (Ava and C.I.)" -- Ava and C.I. review this book.

"Boze Hadleigh's Hollywood Gays" -- Marcia reviews this book.

"Robert Sellers wrote a book of garbage" -- Kat reviews HOLLYWOOD HELLRAISERS.

"SCREAM VI and THE BOYS" -- Stan reviews Ron and Clint Howard's THE BOYS.

"the world according to joan" -- Rebecca reviews this book.

"Elton John and Whitney Houston" -- Kat reviews Elton John's autobiography and a biography on Whitney Houston.

"DON RICKLES: THE MERCHANT OF VENOM" -- Isaiah reviews this book.

"Crispy Calamari in the Kitchen" -- Trina reviews AIR FRYER COOKBOOK FOR BEGINNERS: EFFORTLESSLY GRILL, ROAST AND BAKE HOMEMADE MEALS: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS WITH QUICK, TASTY & HEALTHY RECIPES.

"Vincent Price and Universal" -- Marcia reviews John L. Flynn's 75 YEARS OF UNIVERSAL MONSTERS and Vincent Price's I LIKE WHAT I KNOW: A VISUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

"3 books to skip" -- Kat reviews Bertill Nordahl's CAT SEVENS, CARLY SIMON AND LEONARD COHEN AND ALL THE OTHERS, David Redford's NEIL& JONI: 2 LIVES, 21 ALBUMS and Ellen Sanders' ROCK AND ROLL WOMENHOOD: CASS ELLIOT, GRACE SLICK, LINDA RONSTADT, FANNY AND MORE.

"THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY" -- Mike reviews Elizabeth Kolbert's THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY.

"Paul Kupperberg's DIRECT CONVERSTIONS: TALKS WITH FELLOW DC COMICS BRONZE AGE CREATORS" -- Isaiah reviews this book.

"JOAN BAEZ: THE LAST LEAF" -- Ruth reviews this book by Elizabeth Thomas.

"A JOYOUS TRANSFORMATION: THE UNEXPURZGATED DIARY OF ANAIS NIN, 1966 -1977" -- Ruth reviews a book by Anais Nin.

"An aging queen writes a bitter book about The Way We Were" -- Marcia reviews a bad book about THE WAY WE WERE.

"Travis Stewart's bad book supposedly on Stevie Nicks" -- Kat reviews a bad book supposedly about Stevie Nicks.

"Austin Breakfast Tacos: The Story of the Most Important Taco of the Day"-- Trina strongly recommends this cookbook.

"GET LOST" -- Isaiah looks at this comic magazine

"Lucille Ball and HERE'S LUCY" -- Stan reads up on the second half of Lucille Ball's life.

"Melody Thomas Scott's Always Young and Restless: M..." -- Ann reviews this autobiography.

"ROCK AND ROLL NIGHTMARES" -- Elaine reviews this book about crime in the music world.

"ALL THE LEAVES ARE BROWN" -- Kat reviews this book about the Mamas & the Papas.

"SAPIENS: A BRIEF HISTORY OF HUMANKIND" -- Mike reviews a science book.

"Stephen Rebello's DOLLS! DOLLS! DOLLS: DEEP INSIDE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, THE MOST BELOVED BAD BOOK AND MOVIE OF ALL TIME" -- Stan reviews a book about the making of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.

"Elizabeth Taylor -- two books" -- Ruth covers Katy Holborn's ELIZABETH TAYLOR: AN ELIZABETH TAYLOR BIOGRAPHY and Gian-Luca di Rocco's WOMEN IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT: CHARTING SOCIETAL PROGRESS THROUGH THE FILMS OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND JANE FONDA 1944-1981.

"Split Image: The Life of Anthony Perkins" -- Ann reviews a biography about Anthony Perkins.

"Andrea Warner's BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE: THE AUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY" -- Mike wonders why he bothered to read this book?

"Worst summer read ever is by Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince" and "'the fondas: henry, jane and peter' is a very bad book" -- Marcia and Rebecca review Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince's THE FONDAS: HENRY, JANE AND PETER.

"Cookbooks and Air Fryer Cauliflower in the Kitchen" -- Trina reviews two cookbooks.

"Do not read ENDLESS HIGHWAY at AMAZON" -- Isaiah lays it out for AMAZON's KINDLE.

"Naomi Klein's DOPPELGANGER" -- C.I. reviews Naomi Klein's latest book.

"Demetrius Sherman's BLACK COMIC BOOK HISTORY" -- Isaiah reviews a book about the history of comic books.

"Stefan Kanfer's Ball of Fire: The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball" -- Marcia reads up on one of her favorite entertainers.

"Anne Edwards is a waste of time and a killer of trees" -- Elaine reviews Anne Edwards' A REMARKABLE WOMAN: A BIOGRAPHY OF KATHARINE HEPBURN.

Musician Hussein Rassam plays on after fleeing Iraq

After the U.S. invasion in 2003, millions of Iraqis were displaced, including engineers, doctors, artists and other professional escaping the war. One of those refugees is musician Hussein Rassam. Rassam lost both his parents in an attack. "I didn't accept it, to believe that they had gone...For three years I was lost," he said. In 2015, Rassam left Iraq. Traveling through Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Hungary, and finally ending up in Brussels. "I was trying to communicate as a musician so I recorded an album with a label in Brussels then I continued my life as a musician," Rassam said. "I think playing a concert is stronger than sharing my story," he said. #featurews #fullframecgtn Watch CGTN LIVE on your computer, tablet or mobile https://cgtnamerica.vhx.tv/videos/hd-... Subscribe to CGTN America on YouTube Follow CGTN America: Twitter: @cgtnamerica Facebook: @cgtnamerica Instagram: @cgtnamerica TikTok: @newstoks This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.