The Story Summed Up

The Slayer stood alone against the demons. The only one to stand against the tide, to live, to fight, and to die giving her powers to another. Thus it had been since the first had been given her power by men who watched. For even as they feared doing to themselves what they had done to her, they were also afraid of what they had created. So there would be only one out of all who could be, so that they might control the Slayer.

Until there came a Slayer who broke every rule given to her and instead did as she thought right. Sometimes she erred, but she made the choice. Instead of dying alone as ancient words said she must, she came back because of those she loved. Instead of killing every demon that crossed her path in an inflexible slaughter she took the worst and left alone those no worse than most humans. She even loved one who was part demon and inspired another to be more than just a soulless thing. And at last she did not stand alone, but with other Slayers and then the power truly belonged to them, rather than being bestowed upon them by men. Their destiny their own to write for good or ill.

Beef Stroganoff

This is what I made for my grandmama last night. I understand this is her favorite dish.

Chop up one medium onion into about fingernail sized pieces, so that you have more than half a cup of onion. Also chop up one clove of garlic or else have the equivalent in garlic powder ready to go. Cut up three portabella mushroom caps (about half a pound), I know this looks like a lot, but as everyone who has cooked mushrooms knows they cook down a lot. Before you start cooking also have one pound (about .45 of a kilo for people with rational measuring systems) of beef cut up into strips about an inch long and dredged through a mixture of 2 tablespoons of flour, a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper.

Begin by sautéing the onion and garlic in one-quarter pound butter. I know that's a fair amount of butter, but it is going to be sopped up when you add the mushrooms after the onion is cooked to clear. Cook down the mushrooms then set the entire thing aside and use the same pan to cook the beef strips. I prefer my beef cut into almost ribbons because that way the center of the pieces cannot get dry in the cooking. After the beef is browned on the outside add 3/4 cup of red wine or water, if you have not got a mess of flour stuck to the bottom of the pan like I frequently do, it will deglase the pan. Add back the onion, garlic, and mushroom mix for a little bit of cooking, say ten or fifteen minutes. Then add one can of condensed mushroom soup, the kind with almost no actual mushrooms in it. Mix up the mess in the pan then cover and cook for one hour or more. Cook until the beef seems right to you.

While this is cooking have a nice conversation with your family or friends and heat up a pot of water to cook some wide egg noodles to go with it. Don't start them right away since you want to time them to come off about the time you get done cooking the stroganoff. At the very end as you are about to serve add on small package (8 oz. or about 220g.) of sour cream.