Beauty I'd Always Missed

White Chicken Chile Lime Soup

This tangy concoction was of my own invention, inspired by my love of creamy and tangy tasting green things, like roasted poblano peppers. cilantro, and lime.

After all we've been through and continue to go through, in the world, thank goodness, that goodness and beauty are always working hard, tapping us on our shoulders and saying, hey, look at me, see me!  The time is now! This will never be again.  Do something good right now!

A day off walk around the hood gave me inspiration for a warming Fall soup. 

White Chile Lime Soup

Onions, chopped

garlic, chopped

poblano peppers (fire roasted stovetop, peeled and diced)

bell peppers, chopped

jalapeno peppers freshly chopped

shredded cooked chicken

sausage (optional)

Slurry of sour cream, chicken stock & corn starch

Chicken Stock

Lime

Cilantro - one bunch, chop up stems, separate from leaves.

Green Onion - chopped

Sour Cream for garnish

Saute the onions and garlic, then add the chopped peppers (add a lot, these are the main star of the soup).  If adding sausage, add now and cook through until it begins to get crispy, before adding the cold chicken stock.  Pick up all bits with wood spoon off the bottom of pan and stir into broth.  Add shredded chicken and all the cilantro stems chopped from the bunch (reserve the leaves).  Bring to boil and cook for 20 minutes.  In a cup, add a big dollop of sour cream, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon and stir it into soup slowly. Let cook another 10 minutes to thicken.  In the last five, add the chopped green onions, squeeze a whole juicy lime in and add all the cilantro leaves.

Garnish how you see fit!  I like more lime, green onions and white onion finely chopped.

Eat, relax and be grateful

Just Walk in My Shoes

Trying out my new kicks on a solo walk around the neighborhood. Around the corner is a new community garden that looks a step above the rest, with these cool head statues.

Later at home, I botched my Spaghetti Carbonara.  The surefire way to screw this quick dish up is to scramble the eggs and that is exactly what I did.  No creamy, silky sauce but egg whites mixed in.  It's still edible of course and I did eat it but the magic was not there. 

Something in the Wind has Learned My Name

Breakfast tacos could stop wars.   Using one grill pan, I heated my soyrizo, scrambled the eggs just slightly before transferring into the tortilla, folding in half then finishing in the oven for a warm toasty tort and giving time for the cheese to melt and let the eggs rise and puff to the occasion.  One is more than enough but two says to your stomach, I love you twice as much! 

It also provided plenty of fuel for a walk around the neighborhood only to find one of my better ideas had come to fruition, a storefront type of food business.  No coming inside, no tables, nothing but a window and someone handing you food.  For me, this is a dream.  Take out is a huge business now.  Yes we love to eat out but equally and possibly more often, many prefer to grab and go.  But we also want amazing food.  Through the years, I tried to envision an introvert's food business, how it would look much different than an ordinary social hot spot.  I loved the idea of a quick hand off, a private transaction, almost intimate, like a  concoction made just for you.  

In my hometown, in a scary neighborhood, there was a place where late at night you could buzz a side door of this old brick apartment house. You had to climb up onto unlit wooden porch, stick your money in the mailbox slot and out would pop a nickle bag.  It was magical, dangerous and exciting.  This made getting weed effortless and far preferred to having to sit with your seller making small talk, smoking the obligatory joint while awaiting the moment to make your escape.  

This pop up Empanadas shop was perfect!  Cutely decorated and inviting, the window open and someone right there to hear and fill your food desires.  Still too full to try one unfortunately but hope to return.