STORM COMING

Yesterday and today have been quick catch-up days as the weather forecast is for a winter storm with snow, ice, rain, sleet and whatever else the gods decide to send us. For that reason I rushed about yesterday getting supplies for the duration of the storm.

This morning DH had an inspection appointment for his car meaning that I have to pick him up at the dealership this morning and return him when the car is finished. Fortunately I was able to get a workout at the Wellness Center done, get home and showered when the dealer called to say the car would be ready by 11:00 a.m. Yea!

Yea for two good reasons; one DH took my car to do some extra food shopping while I finished dressing and two; since we were already dressed and presentable why not go out for lunch? So we headed to Twisted Noodle in Chapel Hill, a place we find gets better and better.
http://www.twistednoodles.com/chapelhill/soups.html.

For a starter we shared a Chicken Sate appetizer. Next, the Glass Noodles Soup with Shrimp, chicken, napa, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms and glass noodles in clear broth, in a big bowl is just right for a cold, windy day.

Perhaps because I had been listening to Rachel Ray this morning, I was ready for something hot. Rachel had given a quick and easy recipe for a fast supper soup. One of her Mom's simple dinners designed for no more than five ingredients, a quick fix using boxed broth as a base.

First open a box of chicken broth and puts the pot on the stove to boil. While the broth is heating, get the next ingredients ready.

RACHEL'S VERSION:
Ingredients
1 quart chicken stock
1 16-ounce bag tortellini, dried or fresh
1 bunch spinach
1 lemon
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation
Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring the stock to a boil. Drop the tortellini into the pot and cook according to package directions. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the spinach and lemon zest into the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish each serving with some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

BONNIE'S VERSION:
Start the soup stock boiling. Look in the fridge. Got a leftover chicken wing, or back or bits? Find some celery or bok choy, chop it up and dump it in. Add a carrot. You could go with rice but I prefer noodles, either soba or cellophane. Chop some scallions.

By now you have really good soup but to make it better, go to the freezer. Quarter cup of peas, or whole kernel corn, lima beans or edamane beans, any one or two, add to the stock. Even better would be a brat or turkey sausage cut into chunks (or some baked tofu). Ollie's Noodle Shop in New York calls this "Little Bit of Everything" soup; when serving they drop one spare rib in the middle. It's meal in a bowl.

Now, set the table, make some tea. Ladle the stock into big bowls and serve. The idea alone is worth keeping 2-3 boxes of broth on hand just to make a last minute dinner. Sure you can go the pasta route if you want but if you are intent on getting into white, skinny summer slacks, forget about it!

My next food prep: roasting pears.
While dinner is simmering, roasting pears can be done easily in the oven. The secret? A non-stick, baking-sheet silicone liner. Heard Lynn Rosetta Kasper talk about this on The Splendid Table.

Ingredients: 6-8 pears, hard, firm flesh.
Margarine.
About 3 tablespoons of spiced sugar mix. About 50/50 mix of granulated sugar plus a combination of spices including cinnamon, allspice, ginger, clove and nutmeg or any proportion you like.

Turn oven to 375 degrees and rinse pears. Cut pears in half lengthwise, use a melon-scoop to cut out the core/seeds (leave stems). Brush lightly with margarine or spray with cooking oil, place cut-side DOWN on a silicone-lined tray and roast in over for about 18-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn each pear-half cut-side UP. Place a small dot of margarine into the center-well of each pear, sprinkle lightly with a spiced sugar mix and turn to a 350 degree oven.
Return to oven, checking again in fifteen minutes. Sprinkle more spice mix if you like. Bake another 10-15 minutes and check done-ness with a fork. When just tender-crisp turn off the heat and let the tray remain in the oven for about 10 minutes more. Remove the tray and let cool on the counter top. When room temperature, place pears in a lidded container and store in the refrigerator. Will keep for a week or more.

For a really rich dessert serve the cold pears topped with a spoonful of jelly and whipped cream. Or just plain works too.

OK, it's winter, it's cold and I am in a soup-making, roasting state of mind. Will also be practicing some Photoshop, sewing up scrappy bits, cleaning out the office and just maybe there will be time for a manicure. My best thought for the day:
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."
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