Hoodoo Voodoo, Chooka Chooky Choo Choo

Sister's lake view in Colorado

Stewie Chicken Vegetable Soup

Since I grew up understanding that soups were more medicinal than say, just regular dinner, I've always known they could have special healing powers with the right mix of concoctions. Menudo for example, being the ultimate cure for hangovers and lethargy.  For winter blahs and general body blues, this broth from the vegetables or the chicken is rich in vitamins and nutrients and is the perfect base.  I'm not a fan of removing all the fat.  Your gut tells you when you need a power boost of those fortifiers. Sometimes a single serving of steamed broccoli simply won't do.  You need a multitude of veg working together, along with some heat and acidity, fat and hot liquid. Mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, celery, onions, cabbage, potatoes, sweet peppers and peas went into this chooky brew.  Salt, pepper, oregano and a splash of vinegar is all that is needed. 

The broth was first made with the seared chicken, onion, heads of garlic, carrot tops, bay leaves, pepper corns and cilantro stems and simmered until the meat is able to be easily taken off the bone, then strained.

Chicken legs would not be my first choice but that's what I had to work with and I worked it and it worked because in this case, it was used mainly for it's bones to infuse the broth.  The vegetables were the main active ingredient to this medicine show.  

Shine Your Teeth to Meaningless

Sheet Pan Kofta sans the kebab 

I experimented with these herby, oblong meatballs, but instead of grilling, I roasted atop my sheet pan vegetables to save time.  Lots of parsley, grated onion, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, red pepper flakes, all-spice, cumin combined with ground beef and formed into little footballs. 475 for 20-25 minutes and you have a succulent, spicy meal.  

I was big-girl hungry on this day and added a dinner salad, along with these awesome chorizo and cheddar stuffed roasted jalapenos.  Through the years I've stuffed many a jalapeno, usually parboiling and leaving whole, scraping the innards or sometimes not if I want extra spicy.  But halving them and filling is by far easiest and you can eat twice as many!  If you doubt the smoky flavor punch you get from the common jalapeno, think again and try stuffing a few tonight.  

If you are feeling a little lonely, as my 'on the spectrum' coworker says, it's okay! in the most upbeat, confident voice. Her simple yet, perfect words make brilliant sense. It's a lonely time and I figure we're all sensing it in one way or another.  But also as she says, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter!  She's absolutely right according to almost every philosopher and spiritual leader.  Recognize the gloomy seclusion, smile at it, accept that it's real and have no fear of it.  It's just passing through. It's not you.  Admire a cheesy jalapeno and relax, you are okay in this moment. 

Soyrizo and Cheddar Stuffed Jalapenos

Snow in end of May for sis in Colorado

bake uncovered for 20 minutes on 450

Shouldn't be Ashamed

I no longer allow myself to define characteristics of my so-called personality.  But in the not so distant past, like yesterday, I was a major procrastinator.  I made lists of things to do and then didn't do them.  Like going to the DMV to change my married name.  This year the need for a REAL ID, forced me to the local branch.  After two painful hours of waiting, it turned out I had a copy of my marriage license, not the original.  After protesting and pleading with a supervisor, thinking it was their error, I realized the clerk was right.  So the dreaded afternoon to do this one thing resulted not only in failure but in embarrassment.  Not one to let a unique food opportunity pass, I stopped by a nearby Subway sandwich shop to feed my shame.  Subway shops in New York feel like a good place to do that.  But this location in the Atlantic Center was pleasant and the kid ran that sucker through the garden and back as I kept pointing and nodding yes to everything!  Clean, trust-worthy fast food is a rare treat and I proudly devoured at least 9 inches of my Spicy Italian foot long. 

It's Just That Simple

Simple, no frills breakfasts are sometimes the best.  If you haven't fried an egg lately, you can forget how special and satisfying that perfect combination of soft yolk and delicate whites with the slight crisp on the edges, can be.  Sopped up with, in this case leftover cornbread and a salty spicy chicken sausage is the perfect mix of all the elements needed to start a day.   

Not every day, just this one.  
 

Far, Far Away, In Those City Lights

If you grew up with your mom making Shake and Bake and you find yourself in a big city missing some of that Midwestern magic, you might adopt this little comfort food hack for baked chicken.  Basically, that mysterious little box only contained a highly flavored bread crumb mixture and that's what you'll recreate with Panko crumbs, I use a little corn flour, garlic and onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.  Put it all in a bag and throw the washed chicken pieces in and shake.  If you want to roll them in egg first, even better but not necessary.  In a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes gives you juicy, tender flavorful chicken.   

Another Midwestern feel meal was this Hamburger Breakfast Hash topped with poached eggs and green onions made in a skillet.  

Was I In Your Dreams?

A full blue moon on Halloween had me fit to be tied with my usual brand of lunacy.  But thankfully, the extra that I was feeling this time came in the form of love and affection for friends and family, desire, and of course, hunger like the wolf.  I immediately dreamt of making my sister T's famous spaghetti and meat sauce with bell peppers, onions, tons of garlic, mushrooms, hamburger meat, and fresh herbs.  

I do however find myself lonely in a strange aching way, not necessarily for things I can easily pinpoint.  I miss the trusting way I feel in a familiar house.  I miss feeling easy.  When you're younger there are bountiful laughs and smiles to gorge on, until you have your fill.   I could never have imagined living without a hefty dose on reserve, like I do today.  That carefree strength you naturally carried or maybe it came in the knowing glances of like minded individuals but it was everywhere.  Now, there is an emptiness suddenly to the air, that is true.  People seem so disconnected and I notice more cold strangers than compadres.  It makes sense that if all resources are diminishing, maybe that includes love too.  Just like you can see beauty in the trees and even in grey city streets I feel like love can be found in quick exchanges with friends and lovers but it's not plentiful and sometimes leaves me so weary and weak for it.   I know it's not fair to expect it from others, begging for morsels of adoration or affection.  So it must be a sluggish mind that leaves me needing to be thought of, attaching such romance to frivolous thoughts.  And also explains how I could eat a giant plate of this good memory pasta like it was the body of Christ himself.  

Halloween neighborhood photos, some celebrational, others more serene.