Every now and then (read: every day), things pop up in life that defy rationality. Today, it's this crap with Dunkin' Donuts and Rachael Ray.

I mean, really?

Really?

Are you fucking kidding me?

My leg has to be getting pulled. This is a ploy to get me to read an article about how the U.S. dollar is tanking; or how the reason gas is so expensive is because Dick Cheney is a collector of rare vintage oil; or the goddamn War; or even, even, that Ashlee Simpson married that bass player from that terrible band and whose offspring will be responsible for the End Of All Music Forever.

Sadly, it's none of those things. Because in this country of ours it's not enough to threaten a boycott of Dunkin' Donuts for their nearly adequate breakfast sandwiches and godawful coffee. No, one must make specious connections between a black on white paisley scarf and Yassir Arafat's choice of headgear.

To say nothing of the unapologetic spinelessness of Dunkin' Donuts that would make a jellyfish blush. But I don't expect much out of my multi-national conglomerates, so I can live with that.

To put a finer point on it, Michelle Malkin is a moron. While Dunkin' Donuts deserves the Cowardly Lion's share of blame for capitulating to this sheer nonsense, I must say that anyone who— for example— defends the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II has to be a outright asshat (apologies to FDR, but that's the way it goes down). She strikes me as the type of person who never outgrew high school (and/or a similar social construct) and is in constant need of some sort of drama to have her existence validated. Or perhaps I'm giving her too much credit. Maybe she just wants to cash in with the big boys: Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter-wannabe Debbie Schlussel...?

Honestly, lady, sophistry is not something to be merely dabbled in. You can't just say Rachael Ray made a poor fashion statement by possibly unwittingly showing support for terrorists. You could do so much more. I mean, why stop there? Why not bring in some questionable evidence to support the conspiracy between the Vast Left Wing Media Conspiracy and fucking Al Qaeda? It's fairly common knowledge that Osama bin Laden loves her Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous (the secret's in the extra virgin olive oil).

Why don't you go work on that for a few days and get back to me, eh Michelle? I can wait. I've got as much time as you do (which is a lot, clearly).

Bleh... It's not worth getting angry over cartoon characters.

I'll be nice.



Cheers,
Henry

P.S. ...

Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), eyeball it
* 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1 fresh bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon coriander
* Pinch ground cinnamon
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup chopped dried fruits - pick 1 or combine: figs, pitted dates, apricots, sultanas
* 1 lemon, zested and juiced
* 3/4 cup pitted mixed olives, chopped
* 4 cups chicken stock, divided
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons pine nuts
* 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
* 1 1/2 cups couscous
* Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation
Heat the EVOO in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples add the chicken and brown 3-4 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper, cook 5-6 minutes. Stir the fruits into the chicken and vegetables, add the zest of the lemon, olives and 2 1/2 cups of stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.

While chicken simmers, melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add nuts and lightly toast for a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Serve chicken over couscous, or vice versa, and garnish with parsley.