Soup For You!

Oh, how I wanted to come back here with an interesting, thoughtful, fun-fact-filled post! But I never wrote one. Nevertheless, February is almost gone and I'll be darned if I'm going to leave another month-long gap in the archives. So, I present this as a noteworthy event: I have made a pot of soup from a recipe found in a magazine! Why is that a big deal? Well...
Close family members know of my secret compulsion: I spend a significant amount of time reading cookbooks and collecting recipes. It's only embarassing because I rarely, if ever, actually cook. So this is a red-letter morning, here! I saw a recipe in the newspaper yesterday, and today, I made it! It came out yummy, and I can already think of three ways to tweak the recipe to make it  even better. (The challenge will be following through.)
But this is enough for today! It's a minor domestic miracle, I tell ya.

Food, Glorious Food!

"Glorious" is indeed the adjective to employ when you're talking about Audrey D's cuisine.

It's no wonder the carrot in this matzoh-ball soup is smiling!

She is the multitalented woman who knitted this scarf I mentioned earlier. Here, she created the most heavenly chicken pot pie in the world. And, get this, she had never made one before!

As cooking is the most ephemeral of the arts at which she excels, I wanted to immortalize some of it here.

We Interrupt(ed) This Blog...

...for a wicked virus involving feverish delirium, muscle weakness, and much bronchial tumult, followed by Thanksgiving, a return to work on Bookish Friday (the day after T'giving,) a restorative outing to see our favorite bar band, and now, frantic rearrangement of junk so that the basement windows can be replaced today. My apologies to faithful readers. Both of you. Until something more interesting happens (soon, I promise,) here are two happy orange things that buoyed my spirits while I was sick: my new little Nertera (also known as coral-bead or pincushion plant,) and some of the prize-winning peach jam that's handmade in Vermont every year by my friend Kathy.

Yes, I Do Cook Sometimes

The cold autumn rain kept us indoors this Saturday, and I baked up a storm. Brownies and oatmeal raisin cookies and apricot-blackberry-oatmeal bars. I don't know what came over me!

Here's the oatmeal thing, which is supposed to be cut into bars, but all I had clean was a round pan, because of the aforementioned brownies. (Where is my other square pan?!) I plan to pop this in the freezer before I think of a reason to eat it. The brownies and cookies? Took them to a party. My willpower goes untested today.

Nature Loves A Spiral...

...and here she puts a decorative scar on the very last of the tomatoes.

Picture Perfect Margarita

When my brother-in-law asks if you want a drink, it's a good idea to say yes then also. He and my sister have that (among much else) in common, the ability to "whip up"; that is, produce exceptional food and drink at a moment's notice. Something refreshing and yummy is bound to appear; salt-edged, lime-garnished, froth-topped and trimmed with a hot-pink bendy straw, no less, Gary nails the presentation.

Out On the Water

The Seneca Lake Pier

Below, the Stroller IV, our tour boat

We had beautiful weather at the lakes, and we went for two boat rides. At Watkins Glen we toured sedately around Seneca Lake in a 1934 "motor vessel" made of Phillipines mahogony that was purpose-built and has been plying the lake tour route since it was christened.

At Otsego, we rode in the front on the second-story prow (what's that called?) of a much bigger ship. So fun. The trees cover most of the shoreline, as something like eighty percent of the lakefront property is undeveloped. And then we had lunch.

Ken on the Glimmerglass Queen, on Otsego Lake

A medieval style tower built by a landowner; below, a sailboat race

Veggie burger at Cooperstown's Lake Front restaurant comes with fruit, yum.

Inviting The Usual Suspects?

I don't think I'll attend any catered barbecues this summer. Just to be on the safe side.

Lemontini

When my sister asks you if you want a drink, just say "yes," because she knows what she's doing. Chilled glasses? Colored sugar? Check, and check. It's not just a drink, it's a cocktail.

Cue The Lovin' Spoonful!

As in: "Darlin' Be Home Soon" 'cause my cup has been (more than) half empty since Thursday

(and the fridge, even more so.)

Don't come home hungry.

Spent the weekend in a Spring Cleaning Frenzy, so if temperatures suddenly drop back to freezing, it's my fault. At least the closets and garage will be tidy.
DH brought me back three cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, which I've heard much about. They were quite delish, as good as homemade; as a matter of fact, I'd eaten one-and-a-half of them before it even occurred to me that I ought to document. Cupcake photographs are de rigueur, no?
In other news the two doves were back at the nest this afternoon. I took this photo from the garage window, and you kind of have to trust me that you can see a tail and part of a head in the middle of the foliage:

The camera doesn't reveal it as well as binoculars do, but my binoculars won't take a photograph.

Driven Indoors

At loose ends for the day, had a quick snoop around the garden to check on the spring bulbs (peeking through) but then the rain started in again so I found myself in the kitchen, with a fistful of lasagna noodles and a gleam in my eye. As a result, DH will see dinner on the table tonight, after this goes in the oven.


Later, the rainy ducking-out to the mailbox was rewarded with a package! Yay! The buffalo-nickel button covers I'd ordered from an etsy seller.

Next Week: The Cabinets Under My Kitchen Sink!

Just kidding. But I do want to update you on the fridge contents: DH made vegetarian meatloaf, mashed potatoes and string beans for dinner last night, and above you'll see a shot of the bacon's ultimate fate, as French toast accompaniment this morning. Sorry that one's not quite in focus, but it was still before 9 a.m. on a Sunday. A beautiful Sunday, sunny and brisk and almost spring, as evidenced by this, the first one to bloom in the yard:

Just Throwin' It Out There

I need your help. Obviously.

Reduced to this, am I?

This is my fridge. NOW what?

I love the way my fridge looks: I have no complaints, really:

Seems to be full of healthy food; eggs, veggies, real butter, real mayo, some hummus. skim milk (okay, half and half as well), wheat germ, yogurt (in the back there, not visible) but WTF do I make for dinner? (I have a turkey breast and some veggie meatballs in the freezer. And a pound of bacon in the meat drawer.)

All I need is someone to pull it all together and cook for me.

Don't all three of you answer at once.