It was a quiet week for the most part, with some good news from the 2026 US Midterm elections, and a new concert!

Not a Fan of the Early Sunset

Daylight Savings Time ended? Began? I can never remember which one it is. Either way, the clocks fell back an hour and now it's dark by 5:00pm. I don't like it. It'd be nice to have a little bit of daylight after work.

Good Election Night in the US

The nightmare is by no means over, but we at least have some semblance of sanity returning to congress and state governments come January. Democrats won big, taking control of the US Senate and House of Representatives, as well as plenty of state elections as well. Texas turned blue. Georgia turned blue. Ohio will have a Democratic governor, and my home state of Pennsylvania will now be controlled by Democrats. I'm hoping we see better party leadership than we've had for the last 2+ years to help push back against the cruelty of the Trump Administration.

Spanish Love Songs Show

I got the new Spanish Love Songs album, Future Nausea on Wednesday, which is awesome by the way. I also found out that they changed venues for Thursday's show in Philly. It meant that it was no longer sold out. I quickly grabbed tickets and the show was awesome. Maxwell Stern and the Good Light Band and Future Teens opened and the venue was small and intimate. I'll be writing more about this this upcoming week.

Spanish Love Songs playing live at the Ukie Club in Philadelphia

Cooking

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili Soup

It's an older recipe I have, but with the weather turning a little more chilly, it's soup season. I'm not sure where I found it as I've been making it for over a decade, but it's delicious.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth
  • 4 Jalapenos, seeded & diced
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. Oregano
  • 14.5 oz. Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
  • 15 oz. Can Cannellini Beans
  • 1 Small Onion, diced
  • 1 ½ lb. Chicken Breast, cubed
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 8 oz. Can Corn
  • 1 tsp. Cumin
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 2 tsp. Chili Powder
  • 8 oz. Cream Cheese
  • Shredded Mexican Cheese

Directions

  1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (dutch oven), heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat and sauté onion, both types of peppers and garlic until soft and tender
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper
  3. Add another tbsp oil to pan and lightly brown chicken on all sides
  4. Season with chile/chili powder, cumin, and oregano
  5. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, beans, and corn
  6. Bring to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, seasoning as needed
  7. Add cream cheese and stir until completely melted; remove from heat
  8. Serve with crumbled bacon and cheese