February 29, 2008
You are all correct, Jamie Oliver's restaurant in London is called "Fifteen."
Unfortunately for the rest of you, Mary Moore was quickest with her keyboard. She wins Oliver's latest cookbook, "Jamie's Italy." Congratulations Mary, and I'm so sorry the rest of you did not win. I hope you aren't too disappointed. I'll do another cookbook giveaway next week! Keep reading!
Mary, to claim your book, please send your name and address to my e-mail at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com.
Have a great weekend!
I must admit that I haven't paid much attention to this Jamie Oliver character, who is the star of "Jamie's Kitchen" on TLC. I do know that he recently killed a chicken on live television in order to make a point about the welfare of chickens in Britain's poultry industry.
I also know that some of the recipes in Oliver's new cookbook, "Jamie's Italy," look pretty darn good. As soon as I cracked the book, I saw one for squashed cannellini beans with garlic, which sounded like a quick, easy and delicious topping for crostini or pita wedges. I'll share that after the jump.
The first person who can tell me the name of Oliver's London restaurant can have this book and enjoy all the beautiful full-color photographs and illustrations, not to mention the recipes.
Before we part ways for the weekend, I'd like to subject you all to a video that was shot and edited by my co-worker, Evelio Contreras. The star is another co-worker, Pete Dybdahl, who promised to score me one of the free breakfast burritos at McDonald's this morning. As you'll see, when the cashier told Pete that he could only get one free burrito because the rules were one per person, Pete thought only of himself.
Oh well, I'm not sure I wanted to eat one anyway.
Continue reading "Free cookbook! Silly video!" »
I will preface this blog entry with an apology to those who are sick and tired of hearing about Peeps. Later today, I'm going to announce the latest cookbook giveaway. So maybe that will make it up to you.
And now, on with our regularly scheduled entry:
Apparently, the makers of Peeps (JustBorn, Inc.) are not content to just send me a new and different shape, color or flavor every month (and every major holiday. Or minor holiday...).
Now, they've sent me the results of a survey that included such important questions as "If Peeps came to life, what male public person or celebrity might it become?"
The answer: Will Ferrell. Isn't that exactly who you were thinking?
The best one, though, was "What person or celebrity is in most need of Peeps?"
Answer: President Bush.
To kill a few brain cells by reading the entire survey, look for it after the jump. And tell me: What do you suppose President Bush would do with a box of Peeps?
Continue reading "The Peeps persona" »
February 28, 2008
What you see below is a very unusual form of art by London photographer Carl Warner. Warner has created several landscapes made entirely out of food, and you can see more at the link above. Thanks to the folks over at Slashfood for bringing Warner to my attention.
I think they're beautiful. If I had one, I'd frame it and hang it on my wall. What do you guys think?
February 27, 2008
This is one of those recipes you're supposed to protect with the assertion that, "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you." Of course, the person who gave me this recipe, retired Roanoke Times copy desk editor Nancy Caldwell, is one of the top 5 sweetest people I know.
She kindly passed it on to me, so I'll kindly pass it on to you.
It also helps out blog reader Kat with the question of what to do with leftover buttermilk. It calls for 1/2 cup of buttermilk plus several tablespoons.
This cake is rich and brownie-like. The homemade chocolate icing is slathered on in the pan while the cake is still hot. It cools into a deliciously sugary, dense dessert.
Continue reading "A killer recipe: Texas chocolate sheet cake" »
After last week's entry about National Banana Bread Day, one reader made this scrumptious recipe and said it turned out killer good.
I just had to have the recipe and thought you all would appreciate it, too. It came from Southern Living.
It's after the jump. Enjoy!
Continue reading "Not-so-random recipe: Cream cheese-Banana nut bread" »
February 26, 2008
According to the USA Today, all of Starbucks' 7,100 stores across the country will close three hours early today for barista training. That makes closing time 5:30 p.m. The stores will open again tomorrow at the regularly scheduled time.
It wouldn't surprise me if Starbucks' announcement is what prompted Dunkin' Donuts to offer coffee specials this afternoon. One chain's early closure is another chain's window of opportunity.
Between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. today, you can get a small latte, cappucino or espresso at Dunkin' Donuts for just 99 cents. So if you're experiencing Starbucks withdrawal symptoms, maybe you should rush out to DD and get your caffeine buzz on.
We all know a food blog just isn't a food blog without delicious pictures of food. We also know that at some point every week, each of us sits down to such a beautiful meal or snack that it would be a pity to not capture the exquisiteness on film for all to see. That's why I'm launching a new feature on the Fridge Magnet blog called the Photo of the Week.
I urge you to submit your food photos to me by e-mail at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com. Submit as many as you like; I will pick one each week to feature on the blog. Then the rest of us can drool all over our keyboards.
The inaugural Photo of the Week was sent in by regular reader Amy Hanek. Amy prepared these chocolate heart cakes topped with ganache and drizzled with chocolate. I dare you to tell me you don't want one right now.
February 25, 2008
Thanks to alert blog reader Teresa Z, I have discovered that Flat Rock Grille at Valley View Mall isn't a chain at all!
After a tip from Teresa, I called Flat Rock and talked to Dan Shean. Dan runs the restaurant with his wife, Tracey Anderson, and another business partner. The team bought the local Flat Rock in May 2007 and have been working hard ever since to restore the food and service to top-notch quality.
Shean, who worked for Outback Steakhouse for 20 years, said they've been sourcing all of their food and other products locally in an attempt to keep their dollars in the Roanoke Valley.
I guess I'll have to hit up a different chain restaurant in order to find out whether they really do compare to some of our locally-owned establishments!
As long as I'm setting the record straight, I'd like to address a rumor that The Roanoker Restaurant is closing. The rumor floated past me sometime last week, but owner Butch Craft assured me that they are NOT closing. She said she hopes the 66-year-old restaurant has many, many years of business in its future.
When it comes down to choosing between a locally owned restaurant and a chain establishment, I almost always prefer to go local.
Not only does that mean I'm supporting a mom 'n' pop in a notoriously difficult line of work, but the service and food should be superior.
Should be.
But a couple of experiences lately have caused me to wonder if I should cut the chains a little slack.
This Saturday, after a long day of priming and painting our downstairs bathroom, my husband and I decided to clean up and go out for dinner. Because we had a coupon for the Flat Rock Grille at Valley View Mall and didn't feel like going far, that's where we ended up.
On a Saturday night, most restaurants around Valley View are full to the gills with tired shoppers ready for a table. That was the case at every restaurant we passed to get to Flat Rock, including Shaker's, Olive Garden, TGIFridays and Texas Steak House. The fact that we were able to get a table immediately at Flat Rock sort of concerned me.
It shouldn't have.
Continue reading "Cutting the chains some slack" »
February 24, 2008
Are you about to dig into an eye-popping beauty of a meal or snack? Then, STOP! Before you do, take a photo first, and e-mail it to me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com.
Your photo could be featured on the Fridge Magnet blog as the Photo of the Week.
February 22, 2008
I got a crazy press release today that confirmed a rumor I saw in the blogosphere earlier this week: not only do we have molecular gastronomy, but now we have molecular mixology, too.
The makers of Cointreau have unleashed special kits upon some of the most talented bartenders in New York City that will allow them to transform the liquid version of the liqueur into "Cointreau Caviar."
According to the release: "After a year of research in Paris, the Cointreau team has found a way to turn liquid Cointreau into solid "pearls" of the beverage that can be served on the side of a cocktail for eating or for suspension within a cocktail like a Cosmopolitan or Margarita.
The "spherification" process (the multi-step scientific technologies used to create the Cointreau "pearls") is elaborate and proprietary and was revealed for the first time in the U.S. last night in NYC to the city's top mixologists."
I guess that means we won't be seeing Boone's Farm caviar anytime soon.
Continue reading "Is it a drink or a chemistry experiment?" »
As we have all learned, there's a national day or month for just about every different food on the face of the earth.
There's even a National Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day and a National Crab-Stuffed Flounder Day.
Those are silly, but tomorrow's day is one that I can wrap my head around: it's National Banana Bread Day.
I absolutely love a good slice of banana bread. There's nothing better with a hot mug of coffee or tea in the morning than a thick slice slathered with butter and microwaved for just a few seconds to get all warm and melty.
I've been guilty in the past of simply mixing overripe bananas into a banana bread mix. It's not as good as made-from-scratch banana bread, but it's a quick and easy way to avoid letting the fruit go to waste just because it's too black for raw consumption.
I found a perfectly delicious-looking recipe for homemade banana bread on Simply Recipes. I'm going to attach the recipe after the jump.
Does anyone out there have a killer banana bread recipe? And what's your vote -- nuts or no nuts?
Continue reading "'Tis the weekend for banana bread!" »
February 21, 2008
It's picture day on the Fridge Magnet blog!
As promised, faithful blog reader Lori floated a few Peeps in a mug of hot cocoa and took some pictures for us all to enjoy. Now, I was imagining that Lori would use the chicks, which would look like they were going for a ducky little swim in the cocoa. Instead she used the bunnies, which look like they are doing the backstroke or something.
If you've got a fabulous food pic, e-mail it to me in jpeg format at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com and I'll share it on the blog.
Sometimes you just have to feast your eyes on a tantalizing piece of food porn. This is a Smoked Paprika Chicken prepared by one of my dad's co-workers. He has joined the ranks of the Smoked Paprika Chicken fan club. In case you've missed this recipe, check it out here.
February 20, 2008
New York Times food writer Mark Bittman has debunked a few kitchen myths on his blog, Bitten.
One of them? That you shouldn't rinse mushrooms because they'll soak up the water. Turns out that's just not true.
Check out the other myths debunked here.
Although the one about baked potatoes isn't really a myth, I certainly agree that the only perfect baked potato comes out of an oven, not a microwave!
News of the weird: According to the Serious Eats blog, the founder of Wisconsin cheese company Roth Käse has bought a huge, underground cave north of Nashville that he plans to use for aging cheese.
Continue reading "Bits of news from Bittman and beyond" »
As a little kid in Leadville, Colorado, we had the perfect spot for a lemonade stand.
Right at the end of our street, on a visible corner, there was a huge, gray, perfectly rectangular rock. I always thought it looked kind of like an elephant at rest. The back of that elephant rock was the best place to set up plastic cups and a pitcher of Kool-Aid lemonade.
That was so long ago that I don't even remember if we actually sold any lemonade. I'm pretty sure, however, that I never did anything as admirable with my earnings as Alexandra "Alex" Scott did with hers.
I learned about the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation this week after receiving a box of candy from Mike and Ike. The company that makes Mike and Ike, JustBorn, have introduced a new flavor called "Lemonade Blends." A portion of the proceeds will go to ALSF.
According to the ALSF Web site, Alex's parents founded the non-profit organization after their daughter died of neuroblastoma at the age of 8. But by then, she had already helped raise almost $1 million to help fight juvenile cancer.
Continue reading "Taking a stand against cancer" »
February 19, 2008
You guys just have to see this video. It's a clip from an episode of the Maury Povich Show featuring a girl who is terrified of pickles.
I stumbled across the video during my daily journey around the world of food blogs. It was featured on Diner's Journal, a blog by Frank Bruni of The New York Times.
Bruni acknowledged that he usually sticks to more serious matters on his blog. Lately, those matters have included how much to tip a waiter for a $2,000 bottle of wine and whether fancy New York restaurants will let you carry out a doggie bag.
But today, he condescended to blog about pickle paranoia. As he put it, "this post tilts sillier and more vacuously theatrical than most."
I suspect one reason for Bruni's decision was so that he could ask readers what food scares them the most. And since it's such a tempting question, I can't help but ask it myself.
Personally, I'm only frightened by the thought of eating foods (term used loosely) like brains. And bugs, but we've been there before.
What scares you?
After two days of eating soup and crackers, I'm ready to tackle the double pack of Rock Cornish game hens that have been thawing in my refrigerator since Sunday.
I had lofty goals for those little chickens on Sunday night, but for the second week in a row, my Sunday dinner plans were foiled.
Tonight is the night.
Rock Cornish game hens really are just miniature chickens. According to my "Food Lover's Companion," they are a hybrid of Cornish and White Rock chickens that go to market at 4-6 weeks of age.
I love Cornish hens for several reasons. First, they are the perfect size for just one couple. My sister and her husband sometimes even have Cornish hens for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner when they're not going to be able to drive up and dine with the whole family.
The hens are also very versatile.
Continue reading "Back in the game" »
February 18, 2008
My Valentine's date started on Saturday night with a hot new dress, cute new shoes and reservations at one of Roanoke's finest new restaurants.
It ended about 45 minutes after dinner with me in the bathroom, violently ill, still wearing my "hot" dress. It was not so hot at that point.
Because I do not know and will never know whether my illness was food-related or simply the result of a nasty virus, I don't want to mention the restaurant. Suffice it to say that even if I had not gotten deathly ill afterward, I wouldn't have been SUPER impressed by either the food or the service. Better luck next time.
Here's what I learned, though: Sometimes, the truest gestures of love come in unexpected ways.
I thought my Valentine was going to show me how much he loved me by pouring my wine, feeding me a bite of his dinner, opening the door for me or putting his hand on the small of my back while we walked. And he did all those things.
But it meant so much more to me when he wiped my sweaty face with a cool washcloth, brought me ice water and hovered outside the door, repeatedly asking in a nervous voice if I was going to be okay. And when I was recuperating on the couch yesterday, he went to the store and bought me ginger ale and medicine and rented "No Reservations," that cheesy flick about two chefs who fall in love.
He drew the line at actually watching the movie with me, but that's okay.
For better or for worse, right?
In sickness and in health.
February 14, 2008
I do like to talk about chain restaurants sometimes. But for the most part, I'm more interested in local establishments.
I receive tons of e-mails and press releases from the corporate guys, and I usually give them a polite scan before hitting "delete." Today, though, a Carrabba's spokeswoman sent me an e-mail that grabbed my attention.
That could be because the sender, Amelia Turner, opened by saying she grew up in Southwest Virginia. She had also checked out my column and my blog, which I think is nice. But it also has to do with the fact that Carrabba's is sponsoring a contest, starting today, with a grand prize that includes a free trip to Las Vegas.
All you have to do is log on to the Carrabba's Web site and write a love letter to your favorite food. Sounds bizarre, I know, but once you check out the site, you'll see a few examples there. The contest starts today and runs through the end of March.
If I had to write a love letter to my favorite food, it would probably begin, "Dear Macaroni and Cheese, you are so creamy and delicious. But I love how you can sometimes be all crunchy on the outside..."
If y'all enter, good luck. If you win, I want a postcard from the Sin City.
I know there are lots of folks out there who can't stand Valentine's Day. They're either sad because they're alone or they just think it's been commercialized like all the other holidays. And I would agree wholeheartedly that if Valentine's Day is the ONLY day you show your sweetie how much you love them, you've got a little work to do in the romance department.
However, I love Valentine's Day, and here's why: because wonderful little treats, like these lovely cupcakes made by my co-worker, Stephanie, pop up all day long.
This morning, I also came in to find a single rose on my desk in a bud vase. It was left there by my boss, and each of us in the Features department got a different colored rose and a different vase. How cool is that?
Don't forget your main man or your lady on V. Day, but also remember that this is a perfect day to practice random acts of kindness and remind everyone you appreciate, including your friends and family, how much they mean to you.
Come to think of it, now's a perfect time to remind all of you how much I appreciate your readership and comments every day. You make my job incredibly fun.
Tell me about your Valentine's Day so far. Have you encountered any wonderful surprises? What do you plan for the ones you love?
February 13, 2008
Hey folks, as you might have noticed at the end of my Front Burner column today, I've got Sunday brunch on the brain again.
Ever since before I started this food beat, I've been dismayed by the lack of a truly unique Sunday brunch experience in Roanoke. I'm craving something quirky and cool that doesn't just serve standard breakfast options until 2 p.m.
Until recently, the best brunch I'd experienced around these parts was at Cafe Succotash in Vinton, which has long since closed. I can remember having some kind of twist on eggs Benedict with spinach and fresh tomato, all washed down with a poinsettia (champagne and cranberry juice).
Continue reading "Where's the best Sunday brunch?" »
February 12, 2008
The Seafood Company, which was located next to Heavenly Ham in Roanoke for the past year and a half, has closed.
Owner Frank Guilfoyle, who also owns Heavenly Ham, said the restaurant's business was growing, but not quickly enough given the amount of time and money that he was having to put in.
Heavenly Ham has been around for more than nine years, and Guilfoyle said "that's really the most paramount thing."
I think what he was trying to say is that he couldn't afford to let The Seafood Company drag Heavenly Ham down.
Continue reading "And one less restaurant for Roanoke..." »
Alexander Farm Road in Dublin will be the site of the newest addition to the Fatz Cafe restaurant chain, according to a press release.
Fatz Cafe is a Southeastern restaurant chain with locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. It looks like this will be the first Fatz for Virginia.
My sister, who lives in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is a fan of the restaurant. It has a casual atmosphere and serves American-style appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees and desserts.
The press release also says Fatz is home to the "World Famous Calabash Chicken."
I've never had the chicken, but here's how it was described in a review in The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph:
Continue reading "New restaurant for New River!" »
February 11, 2008
UPDATE posted Tuesday: Speaking of bugs in chocolate, check out this entry from one of my favorite blogs, Slashfood.
Here's the quote of the day in food news:
“Insects can feed the world. Cows and pigs are the S.U.V.’s; bugs are the bicycles.”
That was spoken by a guy named David Gracer for a New York Times article about edible bugs. Gracer is apparently a huge proponent of eating bugs (entomophagy), and he has been traveling around trying to talk chefs into hopping aboard the bug bus.
Now, I like to think of myself as a fairly adventurous person when it comes to food. And I think the argument that bugs are simply the land version of shrimp or crawfish is a compelling one. But could I eat a bug? Well, I just shuddered, if that tells you anything.
What do y'all think? And I'm sure one of you is going to point out that I've probably eaten lots of bugs, just without knowing. Thank you in advance for that.
The beautiful fruit tart you see pictured here was served to us at a dinner party on Saturday night. My friend would like for us to believe that she slaved over it herself, but it actually came from Fresh Market. But it still blew us all away with its gorgeous presentation.
And speaking of being blown away, I doubt if I'm the only one in Southwest Virginia who had my fabulous Sunday dinner plans ruined by power outages and other weather-related snafus.
We're extremely lucky that we didn't suffer anything more serious. But we had two beautiful filets in the refrigerator, some organic potatoes for baking, asparagus and the makings for a Caesar salad on hand when our power went out about noon yesterday.
A trip down the street confirmed the worst: that a neighbor's entire pine tree had been uprooted and slung against a power line. We knew it would be a while before we regained the use of our stove, and hubby was not in the mood to fight the wind in an effort to grill up those steaks.
By the time power did come back on, all we had time to cook was a can of soup and a couple of sandwiches. We ate that in front of the gas fireplace and it hit the spot. But not quite like that filet mignon would have...
What supper plans did you lose out on because of the weather yesterday?
February 7, 2008
UPDATE: Today (Friday), Matt tried out a different look at alcohol sales in Virginia. Instead of ranking it by dollars, he ranked it by volume. He had to use the 2006 numbers because he didn't have the 2007 numbers by volume yet. But the results are striking: Apparently, Virginians love their cheap vodka! Hit the first link below to see.
Check out Matt Chittum's blog, Datasphere, today for a fascinating look at Virginians' favorite liquors.
Matt took the 2007 figures from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and broke it down into a nifty bubble graph. The result? It appears that Virginians bought more Jack Daniels last year than any other distilled liquor.
What? You mean Jim Beam didn't come in at No. 1? Even after they recently celebrated their 11 millionth barrel?
I might be responsible for one of those barrels. But I digress.
According to the ABC data, Jim Beam came in second, followed closely by Grey Goose, Seagram's Crown Royal and Absolut.
Check out the graph and let me know what you think.
Happy Chinese New Year!
According to my friend and editor, Kathy Lu, today is traditionally the day to make and eat Chinese dumplings or potstickers.
Kathy's father is Chinese and her mother is from Taiwan, so she remembers her mom going through this long, arduous process of making dumplings from scratch in her childhood kitchen.
Kathy says her mom started with flour and water for the dough, and the consistency had to be just right so it didn't fall apart when the dumplings were boiled.
After the dough is ready, it has to be rolled out in individual little rounds, then stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Other meats can be used or vegetarian dumplings can be made with cabbage, mushrooms and other veggies.
Because it is such a time-consuming process, Kathy's mom used to make hundreds of the things at once and freeze whatever wasn't immediately eaten.
Continue reading "Hello, dumpling!" »
February 6, 2008
Those of you who keep a regular eye on this blog know that I am being stalked by Peeps, the soft, pillowy, marshmallowy candy.
That's right, stalked by Peeps.
They keep appearing in my mailbox. Every time I think I have been frightened as much as possible, a new and different kind of Peeps appears.
This time, as you can see, they are green. And accompanied by giant tulip Peeps.
Most of the time when a restaurant attempts to master two entirely different styles of cooking at once, I am suspicious.
Take Circles, for example, a short-lived restaurant in Vinton, which served French, Italian and Thai food. I never made it out to Circles because it didn't last long; the owner closed up shop to move downtown and open City Corner, the buffet-style joint beside Corned Beef & Company.
But just the idea of Italian food and Thai food coming out of the same kitchen baffles me. I don't know why -- they both come out of my kitchen. Just not on the same night.
Fast forward to now, when I actually find myself advocating that you guys try out a quirky little place on Williamson Road that turns out Latino and Italian food.
El Buen Gusto opened near Civic Mall within the past several months. It's located in a nondescript little brick building that looks like it could have once housed a check cashing service or something.
Continue reading "One of those strange combinations" »
February 5, 2008
Chicken Rules at Towers Mall has closed its doors for good, and people are depressed.
My editor, Kathy Lu, is one of them. She wrote a Cornershot for yesterday's newspaper about how the little rotisserie joint was her go-to spot for a dinner that tasted almost homemade.
Kathy even brought a Chicken Rules pot pie to a potluck once. I remember because I had to restrain myself from eating the entire thing.
Since Kathy's Cornershot ran, I've heard from several readers who also miss Chicken Rules already and wanted to know why it closed.
Today, I talked to Vernon Johnston, the former owner, who said business was steady for the three years his restaurant was open, but it never grew.
Johnston opened the restaurant in 2005, and it survived the coming of Fresh Market and Ukrop's. Still, Johnston said, the location was not ideal. He believes location was "80 to 90 percent" of the reason he had to close.
"It was off the beaten path where people didn't go," he said.
Johnston doesn't know what his next move will be, but he doubts if he will ever open another restaurant.
In other restaurant news, Coda coffee shop in Grandin Village is closing. Retail reporter Jenny Boone has the scoop on that over at her blog, The Storefront. Check it out.
After yesterday's post, several readers wanted the recipe for chicken wings cooked in a pressure cooker.
This recipe, from Miss Vickie's pressure cooker Web site, produces a sweet, Asian-style sauce, but we were also successful in making buffalo wings in the cooker on Sunday.
One editor's note: After the wings came out of the pressure cooker, we slapped them on a cookie sheet and baked them in a 450 oven for about 10-15 minutes to crisp up a little bit and seal the sauce.
They were deliciously tender.
Keep sending those comments about using a pressure cooker. So far, most of you seem a little nervous about the idea!
Continue reading "Pressure cooker wings" »
February 4, 2008
Behold, my most beautious new kitchen tool -- a Fagor 6-quart stainless steel pressure cooker.
You know you've purchased a serious gizmo when it comes with an instructional DVD that shows you how NOT to blow yourself up.
All former concerns about pressure cookers aside, this is an incredibly easy tool to use. The pressure cookers of the 1940s or even 1970s are things of the past-- or at least, they should be. If you're still using one of those dinosaurs, consider updating.
This bad boy made me two batches of falling-off-the-bones chicken wings last night for the Super Bowl in six minutes!! Six minutes! Since when can you cook anything that fast?
All of the food at my house -- jalapeno dip, pigs in a blanket, veggie pizza, chicken pizza, spinach dip, cheese and crackers -- was delicious, but the guests descended on those wings like a swarm of locusts.
Do any of you use a pressure cooker on a regular basis? After I've had more time to experiment with mine, I'd like to do a column on them. I'd be interested to hear about your experiences.
February 1, 2008
My friend and co-worker, Meg, today sent me this picture of a root vegetable and bean soup she made this week.
Like many of my friends and acquaintances (including my mom, who was so sick she sounded like a man on the phone the other night) Meg has been struck down by a nasty cold and has been having trouble shaking it, so she decided to bury her misery in a hot bowl of homemade soup.
The icy weather outside is another indicator that this weekend might call for soup. While I was cleaning the ice off my car this morning, I heard a loud "CRASH! BOOM!" and saw half of my neighbor's pine tree fall on the roof of his aluminum shed. Poor John is going to have to thaw out after he spends tomorrow morning cleaning up that mess.
It was all I could do to avoid going back inside, firing up the crockpot and climbing back under a blanket.
Here's the recipe for Meg's new favorite soup. In addition to its warming qualities, it's also a great way to put some in-season vegetables to use.
Have a wonderful, warm weekend.
Continue reading "Root vegetable extravaganza!" »
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