Well, that was weird.

About Me

I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake.

Blogs I follow:

1. Memory soup

   Winter always seems to bring soup season. Even here in the desert where it rarely gets cold enough for it to truly feel like winter, I start making soup. As soon as the calendar ticks October, I get out the stock pot and start pulling the leftover summer veggies from the freezer.

   Making soup always dredges up childhood for me; memories of my parents making soup on the wood stove that heated our little house, homemade bread baking, and the smell of rain. Damp boots lined up behind the stove, reading while cuddled under afghans with our cats, and doing schoolwork under our parents’ watchful eye. Looking back, I realize that we ate so much soup in winter because we were dirt poor. Mom was a waitress who had been raised by her great-gramma, so she was incredibly thrifty & resourceful. Dad had grown up during the 50’s, and he’s never lost the “we just have to get it done, regardless of how hard it might be” attitude.

   And that’s what fed us when times were lean. My parents grew, hunted, or saved everything. And I mean everything was used; from the tops of celery that added flavor to soup or spaghetti right down to the bones from the Christmas ham or Thanksgiving turkey that became soup stock. Those habits have become ingrained in who I am; I save celery tops in my freezer, boil down every bone from roasts, hams, or turkeys, and I’m looking into starting a container veggie garden in the backyard of my rented house. And then…I make soup.

   With those memories dancing through my mind, I decided to make soup today.

   Potato-Ham Chowder

   3c milk
   2c chicken broth
   1 bunch celery, chopped
   1/2 lb carrots, peeled & chopped
   1/2 lb cooked ham, diced
   1 medium onion, diced or chopped (as you prefer)
   5 small potatoes, washed & chopped. Skins left on.
   4c mashed potatoes

   Seasonings are all to taste:
   garlic powder
   celery salt
   cumin
   sage
   Oregano
   salt
   pepper

   All liquids in the pot, medium heat. Once slightly boiling, add all other ingredients, starting with the mashed potatoes. Stir well after each addition, making sure the mashed potatoes break apart as this is your thickener instead of the traditional flour.

   Continue to cook on medium low heat for 2hours, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

   Serve with fresh bread or biscuits.