The Movement

What a great evening! Tonight, I decided to wine & dine myself in the comfort of my own kitchen, while listening to none other than The Movement. I thought their 2004 CD, “On Your Feet,” would be an appetizing blend to cook to on this bitter-cold evening, and in having devoured my delectable meal and downed a healthy serving of chilled Pinot Noir, I think I made a great choice.

I was introduced to The Movement by my younger brother, Marco (the true music guru of the family), and like many of the artists he has introduced me to, I became quickly mesmerized by the band’s infectious lyrics that are not only loaded, but clever and carefree. The sound that underlies this wicked group is a witty concoction of reggae, rock and hip-hop; all my guilty pleasures in one! Thanks to Jessica Newton (formerly Livingston) I was able to get a hold of The Movement’s 2004 CD, “On Your Feet,” which backed my solo-cooking project this evening in Chattanooga. Now, to let you in on an easy and rewarding recipe to try on your own time!

My father’s fiancee, Tatiana Bustos, told me about this yummy recipe during our Christmas vacation in UAE and it turned out to be quite nice, especially on such a cold day! Following her simple instructions, I made a stuffed red bell pepper. This is huge for those of you who know me well, as I am not a cook. There are various spins to this recipe, which you can find online, but I will share a quick-and-dirty version of how I approached this recipe along with the songs that accompanied each step (click on the songs underlined to get a taste of The Movement!).

Stuffed Red Bell Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375˚ - "Hola"
2. Carve out the top of the bell pepper (discard top) and clean the inside of the pepper
3. Brown 1 lb ground beef, adding Pico de Gallo, ground pepper, salt and garlic - "Scary"
4. Beat an egg, pouring half of its yoke into the bottom of the carved bell pepper
5. Stuff bell pepper with ground beef (to the top) - "Cold Outside"
6. Add remaining yoke to the top of the ground beef
7. Place in oven to cook 10 minutes at 375˚ - "Wolves"
8. At 10 minutes, add your preferred shredded cheese (mozzarella for me) on top 
9. Remove when cheese is melted
10. Add your choice of topping (avocado for me) and enjoy! - "The Connection"

Good vibes and a good meal! I strongly suggest that you check The Movement out. They are currently on tour and recently hit The Music Farm in Charleston, SC (miss all of you still there). Being from Columbia, SC, they will be performing February 5th at Five Points and I am envious of all those planning to attend. If you are, I welcome any and all "feel-good" texts/calls while you are there!

Thanks to everyone who made this night worthwhile (Tatiana, Jessica and Marco). The Movement's sound is easy and fun to love, as evidenced by my wild dancing in the kitchen while cooking a yummy meal. I hope you connect with their music and discover a part of you that you didn't know existed. "Let the verse take you away," my good friends. Good night.