I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Our was quite lovely, and, as per our usual, a bit unique. When I asked the hubster what he wanted to eat, he was rather loud (though not at all overbearing) in his enthusiasm for green chile. “A New Mexican Feast!” he said. Since I have very little power to refuse him (he’s so cute!) and the idea was a good one, I was in. Slow simmered green chile, perfect pinto beans, homemade tortillas, and, as pictured above, cinnamon-vanilla flan. Or, as our friend Jeff once called it, phlegm (it was not one of his kinder moments). Everything was delicious, especially the flan. That’s a ringing endorsement from our furry friend Milo, at least. Yes, I know he is on the table, licking our plates. It’s our house damn it, and we make the rules. Or should I say that the cats do? Maybe sometimes.
Anyhoo, lest you think I am totally against Thanksgiving fare, I am dry brining a chicken as I type, and will be serving it for dinner tonight, along with with stuffing, mushroom gravy, baked potatoes, and cranberry sauce. As they say about our fine home, “Oregon – things are different here.” Indeed, they are.
Well my pretties, we are knee deep in soup season. We’ve had all sorts around here lately: butternut squash, tortilla, white bean, chicken noodle, and this one here, German Potato. There’s a lot of ingredients down there, but it is super easy and delicious. It is unlike any soup I’ve had before, sweet and sour, with just a little kick. It begs to be eaten with pumpernickel rye slathered in butter and a glass of lager and maybe an Oompah Band playing on the hi-fi. Adapted from Ray L. Overton’s Winter Soups, a book I highly recommend, if you can find it. I bought mine way back in 1998!
German Potato Soup
1 teapoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds medium sized new potatoes, thickly sliced
2 large bratwurst sausages
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons + t teaspoon coarse brown mustard
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the olive oil. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chives or green onion, and simmer for twenty minutes. For the bratwurst – you can either add it whole and slice it after it’s cooked (don’t burn yourself!), or slice it beforehand, your choice. Garnish the soup with the chives or green onion and serve. If you’d like to gild the lily, fry up some bacon and sprinkle over the top.
Good Morning Gentle Readers! Good Morning Jimmy Fallon (I hope)!
This post started out as something completely different. A dear friend of mine lost her father recently (big hug to you, sweetheart) and wrote how she would love to hear about more normal activities, as she is knee deep in all of the tasks inherent with the loss of a loved one: cleaning house, dealing with banks, bills, a will, etc. When I first read the message, I could comply. I was up to my usual.
Then, yadda, yadda, yadda, I quit my job and our car got stolen (though, thankfully, not on the same day). Not fun or normal. Yet, in the midst of it all, I found myself smiling and laughing, in part because of Jimmy Fallon. In case you don’t know who I’m talking about, I mentioned his awesome work hosting the Emmy Awards a while back. Then I saw him, along with Justin Timberlake and the best house band in late night television, The Roots, do an equally awesome history of rap on his show. I watched it on a loop for about half an hour, and then dashed off to the computer whenever I needed a pick-me-up. It made my heart fill with glee, people! I was dazzled and singing at the top of my voice (that is, where I could keep up).
Then I got to thinking about how that seems to happen every time I watch Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It’s just a terrific show. I love his style (check out the suit and shoes in the video with Justin – tip top!), his sense of humor and easy laughter, the way his smile lights up his face, his sincere interest in his guests, and most of all, I think, the sheer fun factor of the show. He’s fearless and up for anything. Let’s rap! Let’s play football poker! Let’s get bothered in a tree! LATE!
It made me want to be there, as a guest, sharing a laugh and a smile. But I’m not famous. I’ve written a novel that has yet to have representation and write a little blog all the way across the country. What to do? It being election season and all, I decided to launch my own campaign to be a guest on the show. This week begins with my credentials in the everyday, and the two following Mondays will be, let’s say, more nuanced.
I guess I’ve really taken the Mark Twain quotation from my last post to heart. I may succeed, or I may crash and burn, but hot damn, I’m out of the harbor! As well, I know the video isn’t the best quality (sorry Brian Williams), and our cat Milo speaks before I do, but I had a grand time making it – a blast of silliness and sheer Colleen style goofiness. It took the sting out of a craptastic week and put a smile on my face (and that of my hubster/camera man). Jimmy, I hope you like it, too!
Jimmy Fallon, cutie patootie of my television set, you did a terrific job as host of the Emmy Awards last night (I like your show, too). I’d go so far as to say that Billy Crystal probably thought you looked mahvelous, and that’s saying a lot. What a hoot that was, especially seeing Jimmy’s imitations – he’s good! Not to mention the belly tickling humor, all the touching speeches, and the great opening number. Jon Hamm, let’s be square dance partners some time. You can toss me up in the air. Yes? Okay!
Of course, the handsomeness of the tuxedos and the gorgeous gowns made me swoon. And they were mostly good too, pretty and sparkly and fine. Save a few, of course. I don’t think ladies should look like they are draped in blue plastic or are in the process of imitating a Victorian lamp, no, no, no. But who am I to judge, really? If you feel pretty and your boat is afloat, I should keep my lip buttoned. It’s not like I’ve ever had to choose a dress for the world to see.
As I am well aware that I become rather like a child once an award show comes on (as in, do not talk or distract me in any way unless there is a commercial), I thought ahead and made a simple supper that could easily be eaten directly in front of the television – Cauliflower cheese soup and our go-to green snack, crispy kale (recipe here). This soup is good, my friends, and for it’s mind boggling simplicity, it’s truly hard to beat. How about that crazy cauliflower color, too? Orange like cheetos, but totally natural, certified organic even. Mmm hmm. Here’s the recipe –
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
1 head cauliflower florets
1 quart vegetable stock
4 ounces cheese, grated fine – I used colby jack, but cheddar or gruyere would work nicely, too
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
dash cayenne pepper
salt, to taste
Place the florets in a soup pot (mine is 3 1/2 quarts) and add the stock. Unless your florets come from a very small head of cabbage, the stock won’t cover them all, so don’t fret. Turn the heat to medium-high, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes, until very soft. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth – or you could leave some of the floret pieces whole if you like it chunky. Taste and add salt as necessary. Add the cheese, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and well incorporated, about one minute. Serve. We had ours with the kale, rye crisp and a little butter, but crusty bread would be nice, too.
I hope the weekend treated you well. Ours was a slice of pie – heavenly and ever so good. The fact that I actually made a pie being the veritable cherry on top of it all, indeed.
Our weekend began in earnest on Thursday evening, as my former students and their friends came for dinner, an ever so brief game of gnome bowling (much more boring than anticipated), and lots and lots of top notch conversation. Broken record alert – I am so very proud of these young men! They are unremittingly kind, smart, thoughtful, and funny. I feel ever so lucky to have them in my life. Oh, and Matt, if you’re reading, you were the inspiration for the pie. After talking about it, I just had to have some, though mine is nectarine, not peach.
We spent our Saturday with new friends who feel quite old (but not at all elderly). We have so very much in common (crafting, gardening, a love of nature and more) and the conversation was just so easy, the best combination, really. They have a gorgeous place in the country, full of flowers, wildlife, and beautiful vistas, the very place I’ve imagined when I fancy a Cooper-Sohn retreat in the woods. Add to that the fact that we had delicious food, the company of adorable and sweet children, and a fire under the stars, well, you know. It doesn’t get much better. Thank you Twists! Oh, and p.s., if you’d like to see their lovely home and the beautiful things Beth makes, I’ve added the link to their blog – My Heartstring under friends.
Yesterday, oh yesterday I spent harvesting lavender. Which sounds much more pedestrian than it was, I assure you. Maybe harvesting isn’t the word I want. Picking? I don’t know. In any case, I spent ten hours (no exaggeration) removing the fragrant spent buds from the stems clipped in our back garden so that I might make some sachets. I never imagined it would be such an undertaking. I watched bad television, four movies, wore holes in the thumbs of a pair of rubber gloves, and felt as sweet and sleepy as Dorothy and the gang in that field full of poppies. Cross your fingers that the end product will be worth all the labor. I will most definitely post pictures if it is.
For now, it is a picture of pie, another blissful weekend gone by, and a happy week to come. Let’s enjoy it!
Another p.s. – this is post 401! How about them apples?
