Cold Begone Soup for one

When you've got what might be the flu, the last thing you want to do is stand around preparing elaborate soup. Of course, soup is exactly what you need.

Furthermore, soup for one always seems a ridiculous statement, a nearly impossible undertaking.

Yet here we are, and I'm happy to report that the little rice steamer earns it's jeep once again. It's perfect for soup for one. If you're whole family are sick, feel free to upsize this from the little rice steamer to the regular (or even industrial) sized one.

The simplest route is to put some chicken broth (bone or regular) in the steaming bowl and add noodles. If you add nothing else, I recommend turmeric powder and black pepper, especially if you have aches and chills. Other goodies to help hasten healing include fresh garlic, possibly a bit of sage (though it can take over the palate).  For flavor, throw in some chopped celery (stalk or leaves) and a bit of carrot. Be sure there's enough liquid that the noodles are swimming.

Cover and press "cook." When it all starts to boil, set a timer for ten minutes or so, depending on your noodles. Ladle the results directly into a bowl and serve -- golden noodle soup for one.

Rest, drink water, and enjoy.

18 hours later

18 hours after the second vaccine and a blanket of fatigue has just cloaked my shoulders while also it feels like every joint is being twisted in exactly the wrong direction.

 

I took what was left of my energy and set a chicken breast to thaw, then chopped an onion. It went into a pot with olive oil, turmeric, black pepper, rosemary, and salt. The I added a half cup or so each red lentils and yellow split peas and let that simmer while I peeled garlic, chopped the last of the kinda wilty celery and the white potatoes that were left from last week's delivery. (The red potatoes are still keeping well, so they can see a different recipe soon enough.) I stirred it and let it simmer while I fielded a couple emails, then added just enough chicken broth to cover the whole mess.

The bottle of room temperature water seems cool and refreshing against my tongue that feels hot and too big for my mouth.

I'm watching a bit more of There Will Be Blood while I wait for the chicken to defrost. Is there anything more luxurious than the way PT Anderson languishes camera time on his actors subtlely? It's an indulgence.

Golden Noodle Heal All

Homemade golden noodle soup that is a bowl of coziness and comfort during the dark chilly days of winter. Even better after it married for a day in the fridge.

Soup and company

This afternoon Chris and Vivian and I picked up some onions and had a good time working in the kitchen. This was a great way to kick off Thanksgiving Week, with easy camaraderie, coloring, and like-minded conversation.

There's nothing quite as satisfying as a bowl of French Onion soup on a grey autumnal afternoon. Light a fire in the fireplace while it simmers. It's simple and will warm you through, and onions are reported to boost the immune system, a perfect foil to the season's colds. Full recipe is here.