Soup of the Week & The Dresden Files

I made this simple soup on this snowy, cold evening and it was delicious!

Black Bean Soup
(Ready in 30 minutes or less)

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

In a large saucepan, cook onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of broth over medium heat until onion is tender. Stir in the oregano, thyme, cumin and cayenne; cook for 1 minute. In a blender or food processor, cover and process half of the beans for 30 seconds; add to the saucepan with the remaining beans and broth. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 1 5minutes or until heated through. Makes about 2 servings.

The Dresden Files - Birds of a Feather

New show on the Sci Fi Network on Sunday evenings at 9pm (EST). First aired on January 21. I watched it January 28.

Plot: A young boy wants to hire Harry because he believes that monsters are after him and his mom. Harry doesn't want to take the kid's money, but he also knows from his own experience that a child's monsters are often all too real.

Pam's Review: I went into this show not knowing what to expect. I had stopped watching Desperate Housewives because it was insulting my intelligence, so I thought I would give it a try.

The Dresden Files enters an exclusive club of the supernatural detective. From Kolchak the Night Stalker to X-Files, Joss Whedon's Angel and least I forget, CW's Supernatural. I was a fan of all these shows and miss them all.

I was a little lost in the opening minutes of the show. I wasn't sure what was happening and the questions I had continued to grow as the show went on. Are everyday people aware of these powers? Why does a wizard have a listing in the phone book? By the end, these questions weren't really answered and I guess I'm okay with it.

It was a very interesting episode. The crows/ravens were very creepy. However, they became comforting in knowing that they were going to watch over the boy. The skin walker really grossed me out. I had to turn away when looking at both skinned bodies. As for Dresden, he's cute, charming and witty, and yet obviously has some sort of tortured past relating to his father and uncle.

I liked the relationship between Dresden and the detective. I was surprised that they killed off the other woman so quickly. She would have been an interesting character to get to know. I suppose she had to die after her betrayal. I also look forward to seeing more of Dresden's friend, Bob, a magical ghost version of James Bond's "Q." He also lives in a skull.

I'm definitely along for the ride. It should be a very interesting series.