Most likely you know this already. Soup gets better the next day. But if you've already had leftovers, the 2nd day can actually be even better if you add new ingredients. Wild rice and fresh tomatoes went in to make a full meal out of this full bodied broth and finish the pot.
Daggummit, it's the little things I tell ya that make life not just tolerable but downright joyful. Sometimes a chunky soup is all you need to live that day slightly happier.
this is a blog about the food in my life. what I eat, what I wanna eat, what I make, what I bake, what I wanna make and bake, ideas and recipes. it's also my thoughts on food or stories behind the meals. The lyric references are from my lifelong love of classic rock and funk and from working a hunnerd years in music retail.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
No, You Ain't Afraid to Stick It In
Monday, November 26, 2018
It's All About That Base
With the turkey bones I made a deep, rich stock for a tranquilizing soup featuring kale, potatoes, white beans and shredded turkey.
It truly is all about that base. Water, celery, garlic, carrot, onion, peppercorns and bay leaf all locked in a hot pot with the turkey carcass and left to reduce and give up every bit of it's flavor is about as poetic as food gets.Sunday, November 25, 2018
May Your Days Be Merry and Bright
I made a very small turkey this year so there was not a huge amount of leftovers. I had the idea to do a carnitas-type tostada with well-seasoned, crisped strands of turkey. Then using the leftover kale from the ginormous bag I bought plus the seeds of the pomegranate felt kind of genius. It's so dang festive and the colors are on point for the holidays.
The citrus guacamole was the base, meaning no beans so they were terrifically light. The seeds made them look lit.
I baked the shells in the oven using no oil so they were nice and crisp with no added fat.
Adding cheese is a sign of disrespect in many cases if you want to go authentic but who am I fooling? I can't even speak Spanglish. I'm here to make the food fun and cheery.
The citrus guacamole was the base, meaning no beans so they were terrifically light. The seeds made them look lit.
I baked the shells in the oven using no oil so they were nice and crisp with no added fat.
Adding cheese is a sign of disrespect in many cases if you want to go authentic but who am I fooling? I can't even speak Spanglish. I'm here to make the food fun and cheery.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
Thanksgiving 2018
Thanksgiving for me is a dinner made for all of this gratitude, an offering. And so it's bounty should reflect that level. When I look at this plate I am basically looking at my life that year. It shows we came out the other end of something yet again and hopefully both of us will be even better than before.
Finally a super moist delicious pumpkin cornbread. A raw cranberry relish that was better than any previously made. Gravy that held it's own in richness. Homemade green bean casserole with fried onion rings made from delicate shallots. Stuffing with sausage mushrooms, apples and celery. And a spinach apple walnut salad with bleu cheese to start. The creamy mashed potatoes were heavenly with roasted garlic and Parmesan.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Carry You Down
I am hesitant to write this story about what happened at work recently but all names will be changed to protect the innocent. Our fire alarms go off at ridiculously high volumes which is one huge point of contention for me. In fact, I could hear them full blast as I was riding up into the parking lot on this day. I got half excited thinking maybe we wouldn't be able to open and we would all be sent home to enjoy a full free day. Instead, I went to the morning meeting where the manager on duty gives a state of the union and makes necessary announcements. I don't have to attend. I'm like the girl from the Breakfast Club that just goes because she's bored. I like to study the higher ups and our mid level managers for kicks. We came to understand we had no working elevators but would open on time and somehow make it work. There were so many questions. How about the elderly? Strollers? Who would carry the bags and boxes down the steps for customers? The store is on stilts so there is no ground floor, everything must be schlepped down a full flight of stairs. Normally customers put large flatbed carts on the elevators and bitch about having to load their own shit in the car. They will love this. As everyone is beginning to talk at once I notice this manager was looking worse for the wear. His normally well groomed hair was disheveled and his head looked sweaty. His face was bloated. He had put on several pounds since arriving only a few short months ago. He had on tattered Keds type sneakers which made him look short. Perhaps he was called in the middle of the night to handle the issue with the fire department. There was talk of someone working on the problem since 3am, which was a broken pipe that caused a flood that caused the power outage.
Even so, our concerns were not addressed in any type of realistic plan. We were given answers that parents might hand out to their 5 year old. We'll see. We'll have to make due. He continues, 'we'll figure something out'. We're opening in less than an hour I thought, now's the time to and these are the people to make that procedure.
I'm just here for the ride and knew I'd probably not be inconvenienced at all but was miffed that many of my male coworkers would. They could hurt their back, be injured. We aren't supposed to be doing this type of thing and should not be asked. All day I'm thinking this was the wrong call made by a long term company man. This guy came here as an interim head dude. A hot shot from Spain with thick black hair and blue eyes. He speaks like Inspector Clouseau and I've often felt he mistakes people in Brooklyn for uneducated clueless idiots. I've seen him sighing and in general looks like he's above it all and wouldn't mind slapping some of us.

Handsome chicken breasts split and stuffed with apples and cheddar. Served over a bed of spinach and sweet potatoes. I was quite pleased with myself on this one. Adjustments for next time would be to keep the red skin on apples and to use yellow instead of white cheddar for more color.
Later that day I come to find out that this manager had horrible chest pains and an ambulance was called for him. And as the administrative offices are on the 4th floor....yep, they were unable to carry him all the way down the steps. Boom! What a karmic disgrace. I actually felt bad for him. Everyone makes mistakes, but this could have put him in jail. What if we had a fire? I would read a couple of weeks later that he is leaving the company after 30 years to 'pursue other ventures'.
Even so, our concerns were not addressed in any type of realistic plan. We were given answers that parents might hand out to their 5 year old. We'll see. We'll have to make due. He continues, 'we'll figure something out'. We're opening in less than an hour I thought, now's the time to and these are the people to make that procedure.
I'm just here for the ride and knew I'd probably not be inconvenienced at all but was miffed that many of my male coworkers would. They could hurt their back, be injured. We aren't supposed to be doing this type of thing and should not be asked. All day I'm thinking this was the wrong call made by a long term company man. This guy came here as an interim head dude. A hot shot from Spain with thick black hair and blue eyes. He speaks like Inspector Clouseau and I've often felt he mistakes people in Brooklyn for uneducated clueless idiots. I've seen him sighing and in general looks like he's above it all and wouldn't mind slapping some of us.

Handsome chicken breasts split and stuffed with apples and cheddar. Served over a bed of spinach and sweet potatoes. I was quite pleased with myself on this one. Adjustments for next time would be to keep the red skin on apples and to use yellow instead of white cheddar for more color.
Later that day I come to find out that this manager had horrible chest pains and an ambulance was called for him. And as the administrative offices are on the 4th floor....yep, they were unable to carry him all the way down the steps. Boom! What a karmic disgrace. I actually felt bad for him. Everyone makes mistakes, but this could have put him in jail. What if we had a fire? I would read a couple of weeks later that he is leaving the company after 30 years to 'pursue other ventures'.
Friday, November 16, 2018
The Beautiful Ones
Besides, I miss shopping the big aisles of a proper grocery store. I also am fond of the perks card. These magical plastic badges turn a nineteen dollar chicken into six dollars and fifty eight cents. That feeling you get when you save is real. Definitely a marketing scheme that works.
Pan roasted broccoli rabe with mushrooms and garlic.
We had us our first snow storm last night but by morning things were melting fast. We lost a lot of trees and branches around town. I don't understand the reason. Some say the trees were dry and branches just broke off. I thought maybe the ground was saturated and that caused the trees to fall. But that doesn't explain both. Could be the weight of the wet snow. I'm observing the trees more in general these last years. I've even began worrying about certain ones that I notice aren't blooming properly. I love the trees especially that live in the city because I imagine like us humans, they are tasked with finding the best way to survive in this crazy place and must have their challenges. The beautiful ones are even that more impressive when they stand proudly in the projects or in abandoned lots, along an otherwise uneventful block.
Labels:
baked porch chops,
Prince,
roasted Broccoli rabe
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