Today is Tax Day. There is a lot of info about taxes and the IRS online. NPR interviewed people about taxes, etc., today, and I will say that it continues to be discouraging. Poor folks like us pay more than rich folks. Something is wrong with that. Much to talk about. New music (?) and recipes. Save your money. Politics dominates the news. We need to study a real, comprehensive, and complete history.

Kintsugi 4/15/25

Things to think about

A large part of the continental USA was once part of Mexico (including Texas).

The result of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was that Mexico lost a lot of territory.

https://www.slideserve.com/knoton/the-mexican-american-war-1846-48

But that wasn’t good enough. By the time of the Great Depression (1929-1939), some Americans were looking for scapegoats. They targeted “Mexicans. ” Local governments and officials deported up to 1.8 million people to Mexico, according to research conducted by former California State Senator Joseph Dunn, who in 2004 investigated the deportations under President Herbert Hoover. Dunn estimates around 60 percent of these people were American citizens, many of them born in the United States to first-generation immigrants. (more)

For a more complete view of our nation’s history, here are a (very) few resources from my library:

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
The American Revolution: A History by Gordon S. Wood
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman
Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
American Civil War at History.com (videos)
World War II at History.com (videos)
The American Experience series on PBS
15 Unsung Moments From American History That Historians Say You Should Know About

Here are recommendations that are on my “to be read” list. These are from ReVisioning History, an 8-book series published by Beacon Press.

A Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski
A Disability History of the United States by Kim E. Nielsen
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
An African American and Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz
A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross

People have been paying taxes for thousands of years. These seven artifacts show us that even ancient civilizations couldn’t escape taxes.

We are now using thought crimes as a pretext for deporting people. We’ve seen thought become criminalized in dystopian fiction like:

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (2 book series)

The current administration is now targeting African American museums, in particular in the Smithsonian system. An order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office resulted in a purge of books from the Naval Academy library critical of racism but preserved books defending white power. Maya Angelou is gone, but Adolf Hitler is still on the shelves. Oy!

Measles continues to spread, unchecked. It can be fatal. According to the CDC, ” The measles vaccine is very effective. Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective.” (more)

The Trump administration said it would freeze $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard, which is refusing demands that it make changes to policies and programs. Read more ›

JPMorgan just raised its recession odds for this year to 60%. (more)

Did you know these people were born of immigrant parents or were immigrants themselves?

Kash Patel, who leads the FBI, was born to Indian immigrant parents.
Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was born to Turkish immigrants
Vice President JD Vance‘s wife, second lady Usha Vance, was born to Indian immigrants
Former Vice President Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents, a Jamaican father and an Indian mother
Former U.N. Ambassador Nimarata Nikki Randhawa Haley, aka Nikki Haley, was born in South Carolina to Indian immigrants
Marco Rubio was born to Cuban parents who were not American citizens at the time of his birth
Elon Musk, born in South Africa, was an undocumented immigrant before gaining US citizenship
Melania Trump was born in Slovenia and obtained an H-1B visa before becoming a citizen
Peter Thiel was born in West Germany, grew up in South Africa, and became a naturalized citizen
Donald Trump’s mother was a Scottish immigrant, and his father was the son of a German immigrant

My investment accounts are rapidly losing value. Stock markets are confused. Tarriffs, which are taxes on consumers, are not taxes? John Roberts, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell all share some responsibility for where we are. The world is upside down. I don’t want Greenland. I want Social Security, NPR, public television, and the Smithsonian. April is National Poetry Month and Jazz Appreciation Month. How important are names? Cookling my way through Pati Jinich’s books. Spring is here. Summer is coming. Have you worked on those winter feet yet? Bidet or toilet paper? The rain is here and I am not Noah.

Wild Cooking Woman 4/7/25

Lagnippe

National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Celebrate National Poetry Month 2025 using the theme FAMILY in its many forms: found and chosen family, birth family, and family that defies categorization. Attend the Poetry & the Creative Mind virtual gala on April 24, 2025

Jazz Appreciation Month 2025: Lester Young and his “Cool School”

This year’s poster artwork features a portrait of jazz legend Lester Young (1909-1959). The portrait comes from LeRoy Neiman’s 2005 Big Band painting depicting notable jazz musicians in performance. Nicknamed “Pres”—short for President, Lester Willis Young is among the most respected saxophonists of the 20th century. With an innovative playing style, a slick fashion sense, and his cool cat slang, Lester Young’s influence on jazz music and culture is profound.

What is Jazz? Jazz is a kind of music in which improvisation is typically an important part. In most jazz performances, players play solos that they make up on the spot, which requires considerable skill. There is tremendous variety in jazz, but most jazz is very rhythmic, has a forward momentum called “swing,” and uses “bent” or “blue” notes.

To Scat Like Ella

Jazz is about making something familiar–a familiar song–into something fresh. And about making something shared–a tune that everyone knows–into something personal.

Jazz spread from the United States to many parts of the world, and today jazz musicians–and jazz festivals–can be found in dozens of nations. Jazz is one of the United States’ greatest exports to the world.

Go here for a larger, more legible poster.

Food is too expensive to waste. Here are some good sources for recipes for one or two:

The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen
Taste of Home’s Dinner Ideas for Two
One Dish Kitchen (blog)
Healthy Cookbook for Two: 175 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Enjoy Cooking for Two by Michelle Anderson
Good Housekeeping Dishes For Two: 125 Easy Small-Batch Recipes for Weeknight Meals & Special Celebrations
The Essential Air Fryer Cookbook for Two: Perfectly Portioned Recipes for Healthier Fried Favorites by Gina Kleinworth
Table for Two (blog)
Fix-It and Forget-It Cooking for Two: 150 Small-Batch Slow Cooker Recipes by Hope Comerford and Bonnie Matthews
The Heart Healthy Cookbook for Two: 125 Perfectly Portioned Low Sodium, Low Fat Recipes by Jennifer Koslo and Sarah Samaan
Baking for Two: 200+ Small-Batch Recipes, from Lazy Bakes to Layer Cakes by America’s Test Kitchen
Our Favorite Recipes for One or Two by Gooseberry Patch
101 Cooking for Two (blog)
All-Time Best Dinners for Two by America’s Test Kitchen
Cornbread Recipe For One or Two by Lynda Self
Chocolate Cobbler by Christina Lane
The Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook: 175 Super Easy Recipes Made Just for You by Joanie Zisk
10 small-batch recipes perfect for two from King Arthur Baking
Cooking for Two from The Spruce Eats

Mini Lasagna

from One Dish Kitchen/Joanie Zisk

2 lasagna noodles
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove -minced
8 ounces ground beef
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¾ cup tomato sauce
¾ cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese -plus extra for sprinkling over the top
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
Cook the Noodles: Boil two lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set them aside.
Sauté the Onions: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Cook the Meat: Add the ground beef to the skillet. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink.
Add Sauce: Stir in 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 3 minutes.
Prepare the Ricotta Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Assemble the Lasagna: Lightly grease a small baking dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of the sauce on the bottom. Lay the noodles across the bottom of the dish. Top with the meat sauce, followed by the ricotta mixture, and half of the shredded mozzarella.
Fold the Noodles: Fold the noodles over the filling to cover it completely.
Add Final Layers: Top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
Bake: Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Notes

Choose the Right Dish: A 5×5-inch baking dish is ideal for this mini lasagna, perfectly fitting two noodles. If using a slightly larger or deeper dish, you can add another layer of noodles, but avoid oversized dishes as they can make the lasagna dry.
Watch the Bake Time: Keep an eye on the lasagna as it bakes, especially if you adjust the dish size or layer count. Ovens vary, so baking times may need slight adjustments to achieve a golden, bubbly top.
Let It Rest: Allow the lasagna to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps the layers set, making it easier to slice and enhancing the flavors in every bite.

Bad Bunny is…..bad.

Things to ponder…

To figure out if your online accounts have been hacked, read here. If you aren’t a techie, ask a young person you know for some help.

Slavery in the English, French, and Spanish colonies, which later became the USA, lasted for 246 years or approximately 89,7900 days. Admiral James Stockdale was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for over seven and a half years, which is approximately 2,714 days. Elected officials who serve a four-year term serve for 1,416 days. We can do this.

April Commemorative Months

Autism Awareness Month
National Occupational Therapy Month
Black Women’s History Month
Financial Literacy Month
Jazz Appreciation Month
Mathematics Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Deaf History Month
National Poetry Month
National Volunteer Month
Records And Information Management Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Sikh Heritage Month
Stress Awareness Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
National Car Care Awareness Month
National Fair Housing Month
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Filipino Food Month

Don’t want to help pay for the wedding or the world’s second-largest yacht? Buy your books from an independent (or less dependent) bookseller. Here are leads to a few bookstores that ship, are good for a road trip, or are brick-and-mortar:

Did you know that …

If you plan to fly anywhere, you should know that there will be important changes to TSA procedures in 2025. BTW, you must have a Real ID or passport to fly after May 7, 2025.

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