signs of spring

Can February March?
No, but April May. 

Although we're still 21 days away, signs of Spring are everywhere this morning: my husband packing his baseball coaching gear for the first day of team tryouts, my car already defrosted by the morning sun, and these lovely purple crocuses peeking out of the snow cover. As much as I enjoy the snowy months, I am ready for a new season to arrive and stay awhile. There's just something so rejuvenating about the very idea of Spring. 

sheer madness

Today my baby goes to the groomer. This is always a special day in our household, since our cocker spaniel, Rocket, LOVES riding in the car. Usually when we arrive at the grooming salon he proves his status as the ladies man and makes fast friends with the salon ladies, but today a crowd of dogs and hurried owners had him a little skittish. My favorite part of this experience is that we leave behind a fluffy little sheepdog and bring home a prancy palomino/show dog.

The before:

When we picked him up the skittishness was gone and, in true form, he was prancing around the salon like the little prince he is. Being the last appointment of the day has it's privileges. 

The after (pic snapped on a rare pause during toy monkey grooming):

slow saturday soup

A hungry traveler stops at a monastery and is taken to the kitchens. A brother is frying chips. 'Are you the friar?' he asks. 'No. I'm the chip monk,' he replies.

Wa wa wa waaa.

If you visit my kitchen, you'll probably be subjected to one of my corny jokes.  Laughter is the spice of life, right?, so silly jokes are the spice of my cooking.

Today is cold, snowy and perfect for staying in.  It's also perfect for a warm pot of soup.

I have a mild obsession with my slow cookers (yes, I have 2). Slow cooking is the ideal way to maximize my energy to prep in the morning, then forget about it until dinner time. Plus, I LOVE the smell of simmering flavors filling up my house.

On today's menu: a variation of Zesty Burger Soup nabbed at A Year of Slow Cooking.

It falls into my favorite soup category: Raid the Pantry Soup. On days when I just don't know what to make I start raiding the pantry and online recipe sites for ideas. This is what I came up with.

This is a hearty, colorful and hopefully zippy little soup that's a cross between my Taco Soup and a Chili.

My Ingredients: 
1 pound ground beef (lean), browned and drained
2 cans (10.5oz) diced tomatoes with onion, celery & bell pepper
1 can (15oz) black beans, drained
1 bag frozen sweet corn
4 cups beef broth
Seasonings to taste
Shredded mexican cheeses (for topping)
Crusty bread (for dipping)

Prepping It: 
Warm the slow cooker on low. I've read that you should never throw hot ingredients into a ceramic crock, so when working with hot and fresh ingredients, I always plug in the crock first and then prep my ingredients.

I seasoned the beef with salt, black pepper, onion powder and chili powder.  (Ground turkey and fresh onion would be nice alternatives.)  Then I browned, drained and added the beef to the slow cooker.  I dropped in the canned ingredients and corn (you could use canned or fresh corn, but I happened to have frozen on hand). I topped it off with the beef broth and gave it all a quick stir. 

Next is my favorite step: the taste! The original recipe called for diced tomatoes with chilis, but since I was raiding the pantry today, my diced tomatoes had a little less kick.  In the last hour of cooking I added some onion and garlic powder and a little chili powder to intensify the flavors.  I gave my bottle of Frank's Red Hot a long look, but thought better of it.  A flavorful alternative would have been my personal taco seasoning mix (it's fabulous, if I do say so...), but I wanted to embrace the original recipe a bit more.  I like to add my seasonings closer to the end of the cooking time (within the last 30-60 mins), since slow cooking can 'cook out' the intensity of fresh herbs and spices. I covered and simmered for 6 hours on low heat.  Once ready, I topped each bowl with a little shredded Mexican cheese with a sidekick of crusty bread. I asked my husband to bring home a baguette and he found this little cheesy pull-apart jewel instead. Hummunah.....

The Verdict:
We enjoyed the sweet mild flavor of this soup. I received a "heck yeah" when I asked my husband if he'd eat it again.  Two thumbs up.

a novel idea

About a year ago I started writing a novel. The concept and characters had been developing slowly, their fuzzy faces filling up the lobby of my mind, waiting for me to bring them into focus. I thought that reading extensively about good writing would give me the spark I needed to put pen to paper and finally create. But, while I learned about creating plot, plausible motive and really good bad guys, the writing came slowly. I was cautious and overly analytical. A chapter in one of the many 'how to' books (I've forgotten which one) got me to realize that writing is about releasing the pressure valve to my creativity, about letting it flow, no matter how imperfect. Once I accepted this, the writing came more easily and I cared a little less about editing. I started writing in earnest for no other reader but myself. It was a satisfying creative outlet. 

Then my laptop died. It was a prolonged, painful death. 

I had, thankfully, backed up my fledgling novela. But without the convenience my laptop provided, my brain became lazy. I found a lot of excellent reasons to put off writing, namely some 'necessary' craft projects. In an effort to break out of this funk, I've started a blog. My husband suggested it would be a good way to get back into the practice of writing, something, anything. You won't find my attempts at the next great American novel here, but my musings on life and things that fascinate me. So, here goes.