Food Updated

Okay. With the weather as it is, I don't feel like grilling the tandoori chicken tomorrow. We will have that next week. Besides, I need to use the rest of the ground beef that I thawed this morning. I will make this Shepherd's Pie tomorrow. It's nothing incredible. It's just good, easy & affordable. We have had it a number of times. I think maybe I have given it additional seasoning in the past. But, I don't recall what. Oops.

An update on the Pea Soup - I loved it. Scott didn't think the addition of Caraway was a benefit. He wants tradition. Oh well. I will still make it again someday! I like Pea Soup. It reminds me of a date Scott took me on a few years ago. I guess I was pregnant with Gillian at the time.

He was surprised that I had never been to the iconic Pea Soup Andersen's. So, he drove me out to Santa Nella. Not too close. But, not too far. It will be fine! Uh. But, we didn't check the traffic news. And, it so happened that there was a big rig chemical spill that morning. So, the traffic was horrendous! It took us hours. All for Pea Soup! I was pregnant & starving. But, there was no turning around. We were so close. But, we were crawling along. We were sure ready for soup & bread once we arrived in the-middle-of-nowhere-Santa Nella.

It all made for a good memory. Which is something to really cherish. It amazes me, & often really saddens me, how quickly all the sweet times are forgotten. If there is nothing to make it stand out above the rest of the stuff in your memory banks, it just gets filed away & forgotten. I guess it is something to remind us how temporal this life is... And it is a good reason why I should be more faithful with journal/scrapbooking projects. (Let's not even talk about how far behind I am on that...)

Anyway. I will now give you Crescent's Pea Soup recipe. It is a good meal to make & serve during this rugged economy (& inclement weather).

Pea Soup with Caraway Adelle

Adelle, for whom this recipe is named, said, "For me, caraway seed added to split-pea soup makes the difference between mediocrity and sheer delight." Crescent & I agree. Scott is not so sure.

2 c. dried split peas

7 c. soup stock or water

1 bay leaf

2 - 3 t. caraway seeds

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 potatoes, scrubbed & diced

3 garlic cloves, mashed or chopped

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

salt & pepper to taste

Combine peas, stock, bay leaf, caraway seed & jalapeno in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low, and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients except salt & continue to simmer until peas & veggies are tender - about 30 more minutes. Season with salt & pepper.