Congressional Vaccinations, Christmas Gifts, and Jambalaya
But most importantly... it's Christmas!
In this week’s issue of the Kitchen Pundit Weekly Wrap-up (name pending): Do politicians deserve to get the vaccine ahead of others? Do we really need to get $2,000 per citizen in COVID relief? Do we really need to give teachers Christmas gifts? Oh, and do you want a jambalaya recipe? All those answers (and maybe more!) below. Be sure to share and get your friends and family to sign up. Tell them if they sign up now, it’s free! What a great Christmas gift that is.
On Tuesday, it sounded a bit like Ilhan Omar threw some shade at fellow Gang member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez when she blasted Congressmen and women who were getting vaccinated before front line workers and teachers were.
Omar, who does have a bit of a point, posted her statement mere minutes after Ocasio-Cortez defended getting vaccinated.
When it comes to politicians getting vaccinated, I agree wholeheartedly with Omar that politicians should, frankly, be last in line if we’re talking about who actually deserves the vaccine. There are people who are far more important to our day to day lives who should definitely be way further ahead in line.
But at the same time, there is a certain benefit to politicians publicly getting the vaccine.
There have been a lot of skeptical people on both sides of the aisle who have cast doubts on the vaccine - including our own politicians - and it has a negative impact on the overall public perception of it. At this point in the pandemic, we need as many tools as widely spread as possible in order to combat the virus. The vaccine is our best tool yet.
So, when politicians are getting these vaccines publicly, it helps with public perception. The doubts will start to melt away, and more people will get the vaccine when it becomes widely available.
This is an important time in our country when the success of those who have made this vaccine a reality is depending on all of us to make sure their work pays off. That means that politicians - especially those who are popular, widely visible, and have loyal fanbases - will be getting them in widely publicized events in order to show Americans that it is safe.
It won’t convince everyone, as there are always conspiracy theorists. But, it will be a good start to finally getting through this thing.
Two Thousand Dollars? Holy @#$%
Donald Trump is now saying he will veto the government spending bill that includes COVID-19 relief for American citizens. Why? Because he wants us all to get $2,000 instead of $600.
Okay, Mr. President!
I did mention yesterday that I do not trust the omnibus spending bill coming out of Congress and, frankly, if Trump wants to blow it up, I’m all for it. Do I want $2,000 for me, $2,000 for my wife, and more for each of my two kids? Hell yeah, I do. But, do I want to continue down this destructive path of government spending? Absolutely not.
It is right and proper for the government to offer assistance during times like these, but all things have to be done responsibly, which is not something the government seems capable of doing. I actually do hope Trump forces some kind of change here, because 1) it would be hilarious and 2) people do need more.
But maybe we can all get more without the government giving another $30 million to the Kennedy Center? Just a thought.
Homestyle: Christmas Gifts for Teachers
On this week’s episode of Homestyle, my co-host Leigh Guidry and I discuss what gifts are acceptable to give teachers (no, not me I mean other teachers).
Naturally, Leigh helped her kids make crafts for their teachers, and I made candy for my kids’ teachers. There are other ideas, naturally, so you don’t have to stick with just those two.
If you want to hear more, you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, and we’d love to hear your feedback. Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast here, and if you have cooking, crafting, or family activity ideas, you can find us on Facebook and on Instagram (@Homestylepod).
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The Homestyle Podcast is a joint venture between myself and one of my best friends, education reporter Leigh Guidry. Throughout each episode, we discuss cooking, crafting, and other hobbies as well as how we make sure to spend time with our families despite how insanely busy life can be. The goal of the podcast has always been to take a moment to focus on what’s really important because, at the end of the day, family and life is more important than whatever distractions are going on in the world around us.
Recipe of the Week: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
A classic Cajun dish (by which I mean it does not include tomatoes like the creole version out of New Orleans does). Like all proper things, this works best with chicken thighs, which are fattier and have more flavor. But, I suppose if you are not a fan of dark meat, you could use some oil after browning the chicken to make up what you don’t have in rendered fat.
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. Canola oil
1 pk. Andouille sausage (not spicy)
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 cups rice
3 cups chicken stock
Cajun seasoning, to taste
Cook the trinity (onion, bell pepper, celery) in the oil on medium-high heat until bell pepper is browned and onion is translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking until garlic is soft. Remove from pot and set aside.
Slice and brown the sausage links in batches and set aside.
Slice and cook the chicken in batches, keeping the rendered fat in the pot.
Add trinity back into the pot with the chicken fat still in and lower the heat to medium-low. Add the chicken stock and let simmer, then add rice and cover the pot until the liquid is almost all gone and the rice is tender.
Add Cajun seasoning and stir.
Add sausage and chicken, stir to combine, and serve.
Final Thoughts…
I am not 100% certain I will be writing for the remainder of the week. If not, I’ll talk to you all again on Monday. Have a Merry Christmas.