Hit by a Pitch

I’ve been neglecting this site, mainly because I’m bored of sports (or at least bored of talking about sports — I still watch). I’ve started yet another blog and haven’t had much to say here lately. With Jose Mesa remaining unsigned, my future as a sports blogger is questionable (not really, but you know).

I still have three of four teams in the final four (damn you, Pitt). So that’s good. We’re going to our first Rockies game of the year on Saturday, and I’ve managed to avoid punching Carmelo Anthony and Brandon Marshall (Jay Cutler, I’ve got your back, yo) in the face, even though I want to most of the time.

Right now, the burning question on my mind is whether having three baseball teams would be whorey of me. I mean, I have the White Sox, the team that made me love baseball, even though they suck ass and I don’t live there and sometimes it seems like the magic is gone. I have the Rockies, and they’re exciting and still make an effort to woo a girl from time to time, but the whole Christian thing still bothers me when I think about it too much. I have to admit that I also have my eye on the Angels. They’re sexy, and my boyfriend Jon Garland was stellar in his debut with the team yesterday. Can I follow my boyfriend to a new team, or is a three-way battle for my fandom just too much?

I don’t know. How do you stay loyal to your hometown team when you don’t live there anymore and the team sucks? Shouldn’t they at least make an effort, or do they expect me to be loyal even though they’ve been dismal? What I do know is that I’m already sick of Yankees and Red Sox fans. And Cubs fans can Fukudome.

This is my original recipe, inspired by a dish I had at Privata Cafe in Chicago (as far as I can tell, the restaurant has been closed for a while but I think they do catering now). I’ve been making this for a few years and it’s delicious and very easy.

I’ve written more precise versions of this recipe before, but tonight’s batch turned out so well I want to document exactly what I did.

Ingredients

• 1 pound rigatoni (the sauce can accommodate more pasta, but I usually just make a box — you can always make more later for leftovers)
• a big handful of fresh cilantro (just remove the big stems)
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans
• 3 to 5 canned chipotles, sliced (or more if you like spicy)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• garlic powder to taste (1/2 to 1 teaspoon)
• salt to taste
• approximately 2/3 of a 14-ounce can of vegetable broth
• a few green onions
• crumbled feta

Prepare the pasta according to package directions (I usually start boiling the water after processing the cilantro and opening all the cans). Put the cilantro in a food processor and process a few seconds. Add to food processor all but approximately 1/3 of one can of the beans (so you’re adding one whole can and 2/3 of the other can — beans and juice), chipotles, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt. Process until smooth and taste — if it’s not spicy enough, add more chipotles and process; I usually add a little more salt here, too. Pour into medium saucepan. Add the rest of the beans and the veggie broth and stir well.

Cook the sauce over high heat until just boiling, then turn heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 to 15 minutes (I just simmer until the pasta is done). The sauce will stick to the pan a little — just scrape the sides and bottom of the pan when stirring. If the sauce seems too thick, add more veggie broth.

While everything is cooking, slice the green onions into 1/2 inch slices.

Toss individual servings of pasta with sauce (however much you like — I tend to heavily sauce everything). Sprinkle the green onions and feta on top and enjoy!

Leftover sauce is good with quesadillas — poured over them or as a dipping sauce.

Update: I made this without the oil and it’s maybe a teeny tiny bit less delicious but still very good.