AFTER arriving back to Kansas last week, reality set in. I MUST simplify my life. I was looking for some face cream under my bathroom cabinet and found my bread maker. Doesn't everybody keep their bread maker there? Then I discovered a journal that I made a few entries in 1998. Seems like that year my 2 friends and I had taken off to Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Sedona, before heading back to Kansas. I had vowed to "simplify" my life back then. Perhaps that was the year that I had my one and only garage sale.
It's always interesting when I get back to Kansas and see how Doc has managed while I was gone. Oh, he flies back and forth all winter and spring for visits, so he is never gone long, but I am. First of all, I have discovered that I can't find many things in my kitchen. I'm sure they are in here somewhere, but I haven't discovered many of them yet. I did discover that all of my Teflon (is that when they still call it now?) spatulas have the tips burned off of them, so in the garbage they went. "WHERE is MY?".................is a common phrase I ask him.
After grocery shopping and getting basic provisions in the kitchen, I decided to make a pot roast. I even bought some fresh veggies to go along with it and also some extra to make soup. So yesterday, while it was pouring rain and storming, I decided to make soup. I've had a bad sinus headache and infection since arriving back to the land of GREEN, from the land of BROWN. Mold abounds and my nose and head would welcome the soup.
I got out my cuisinart food processor. Yes, I can chop veggies, but this is so quick and nice. I've owned the same one since 1980 and it has served me well. I got it down from the shelf but could find the little plastic part that you use to push the veggies down, while it is slicing them. This is where my "HAVE YOU SEEN MY?" comes in, but alas Doc was not there to ask. So, I had to improvise and I found a similar plastic "thingie" that belonged to my egg poacher. I used it to push the carrots down into the processor and it worked well.........too well. The plastic hit the blade and little shards of plastic were dispersed into the carrots. SIGH! After washing the carrots in a colander and then placing them on paper towels to dry, I was still finding flecks of plastic, as sharp as glass. So, I pick each slice up and wiped it dry, while inspecting it before I placed it in the pot. The last few carrot slices, I said to heck with it and threw them in the pot, casting fate to the wind.
Organic tomatoes were in a can waiting to be opened. After finding my can opener, I placed the can under it and it wouldn't cut the top off properly. Several minutes later, the can was open but tiny shards of metal were dispersed among the organic tomatoes. I figure between the flecks of plastic and the shards of metal, what the hell. All other ingredients were added without complications. It simmered for hours and the smell permeated the air.
Doc got home, tired from a busy Monday. It had poured rain all day and now the sun was out with humidity that you could cut with a knife. As I ladled the soup in the bowl, I wanted to ask him, "One shard or two?" but upon discovering the top part of my middle fingernail was missing I decided not to mention it. After all, it was Tropicana Pink and blended in beautifully with the organic tomatoes.
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20 comments:
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who does things like that. I've always told my children that the reason my potato salad tastes better than anyone else's is that I always manage to cut my finger chopping up something. I know I need to make my life simpler. Too much stuff at my house that never gets used. What am I saving it all for ??? Take care and hope today is a better one. 'On Ya' - ma
While your method of soup preparation would not overly concern me in a taste test, I would probably not want to watch you prepare hamburgers. But... that's just me.
As to your bread maker, it was probably in the bathroom searching for medication for a yeast infection.
Jimmy
Not having any of the things you mentioned, or a tv, microwave, blender, the list could go on, I guess my life is simplified. What you do have are lots of unrevealed acts of generosity & kindness instead :-). ~Mary
I love pot roast soup! There is nothing better in my opinion!! It's hot as hell here, and humid...feels like a sauna, so we are eating a lot of COLD sandwiches. I have two of those topsy turvy tomato planters...and they are loaded with Parks Whopper tomatos (these get huge) and Yellow Boys ( yellow in color and less acidic...perfect for beautiful salads)...and I can't wait til we can start having tomato sammies, and salads!
Love you my friend! I'll call you soon so we can talk again. I absolutely loved talking to you the other day!
Connie
LOL..what an adventure while cooking...and the drastic climate changes you go thru between Kansas and Arizona me i have to have a dry place...the soup looks delicious!~kbear
I am a close friend of Anne's and have dined with her many times, at home and away. She is an excellent cook and could have her own show, if she chose. I am surprised she did not tell you about the time I found a piece of glass in her cranberry relish. Nothing bad happened, but neither she nor I will ever forget it.
the thought of soup right now makes me want to crawl into bed. could be cuz it is so hot, too hot for soup. could be cuz when i'm not feeling well, soup is about all i can handle. so shard'n'aise, it's the new sauce for soup! grins, debra
I do think that your soup, with extras, sounds just perfect!
Sounds wonderful, shards of plastic, metal, fingernail and all. Wish I had some for dinner tonight-I am sooooo tired of my own cooking! Love, Margo
must be like a scavenger hunt to find your things when you come back from Arizona; sure keeps it interesting, I can imagine
simplifying life is always good; decluttering is good too
whatever you decide to do and how you decide to do it, just enjoy it
betty
That all sounds soooo good. I can sympathize with the sinus discomfort, and soup probably goes a long way in alleviating that. Cuisinart is a beautiful toy - I couldn't live without mine!
Glad you're back in the land of Green, I just hope it becomes a little more hospitable to you shortly!
Welcome home! Gosh, when I left Arizona for Florida, all of my allergies cleared up! Go figure. I never have done anything the regular way! ;) I'd have to completely start over at my house if I left hubby alone for very long. I already have to go through the "where did you put the ....?" every day! Anyway, it's good to hear from you again. Hugs! Linda
ROFL. I can' identify with the "Where is my..." thing, since moving out of our old house into the mobile home.
I call it revenge for a kitchen that denies you the necessities to become one with it....Thanks for the chuckle hon. By the way how was the soup? (Hugs) Indigo
I don't have to go away for a period of time to live the "where is the..." experience. Damn kids. Did you know kitchen knives work well as screwdrivers? Who knows what the screwdrivers were used for. and btw.. good cooks always add secret ingredients to their dishes. :D ~Sie
Rain, storms, intensely GREEN, sinus infections.....hell, it reminds me of when I lived in Missouri......
Oh my goodness!! I hope everyone survived that soup! lol
Lori
I'm just like my dad....I can't eat soup when it's warm outside! It's just not possible.
Russ
Welcome back to tornadoes and humidity! ;)
A good cook always add something of herself to the meal, yes?
Would you like to share that recipe?
Also - don't even try to get rid of things you don't need by yourself. Have a friend do it with you - it helps to have someone stand there as you go to put something back and say to you, "Do you _really_ think you are going to wear that again?" Then have another friend go through what is left with you - eventually, you will have space you can fill up with lots of new stuff you don't need!
xxoo
Oh Anne, this entry made me laugh out loud, thanks. Makes me doubly sorry that it took so long for me to get to it. I'm glad that you made it back all in one piece. Boy Howdy, do I ever know about the "where is..." dilemma. Since I'm working and Ernie is not, he is doing the dishes. Each night is an adventure. Bet the soup was lovely, extra protien and all. Paulette
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