Thursday 13: So cold. So so cold

keep my scarf on, in the house. I grocery shop with my mittens on. The car never warms up enough on the drive to and from work. Yesterday was foggy all day, with these teensie little snowflakes... or was that freezing fog? I'm grumpy.

Yes, it's January. Well and truly past the holidays, but spring feels so so far away. Time to dream of tropical vacations, short sleeves, skirts without tights, open-toe shoes. At the very least, have lunch with a friend who just returned from a tropical vacation and (not) think stabby jealous thoughts the whole time you're with her. I may be grumpy, but I'm evolved. Evolved grumpy.

I am also needing, desperately, to break my blogging slump. I'm feeling caught in these busy weeks with the only must-write posts being the Friday gratefulness moments. Somehow I have a deal with myself regarding those. Must. Happen. Seriously. I don't want to overstate it, but if you don't see a post when you wake up Saturday morning (because I know you, you look, yes you do, thank you very much dear reader), give husband a call. Order flowers. Come visit the hospital. Well, check visiting hours first, but do order the flowers.

So here's my stab at a not-Friday-night post, whooo! Thirteen things that help cut my winter chill.

1. Seed catalogs! The promise of spring, and sprouting little plants and warm earth makes me very happy. I don't think about August and the weeds, just the happy spring planting times!

2. Looking at my Instagram feed from summer months. Color and warmth.

3. Pinterest. Run a search for "sunshine" or "yellow" or "babies." You will smile with the results.

4. Laughter. Just a big old gut bust. Get it where you can. Tonight for me there was a line from Modern Family: "Please don't turn my marrying my daughter into something ugly." Hilarious. (I know, you need context. Trust me.)

5. Music. The Christmas music is long gone; I'm usually done with that by the day of Christmas, easily. Now is the time to get on the upbeat new music, and luckily my dear music friend Jen has provided a lovely sampling for the new year, which I'm able to listen to as I come and go in the car. Happy music is a great way to cut the fog.

6. Pomegranates and grapefruit (not necessarily together, but that can work too). Two winter fruits that I only get to enjoy for a short season, so I REALLY enjoy them. As in, most days I will have one or the other. And my favorite method for hacking a pom? Check it out:

7. Lights. OK, here's where I confess that the Christmas tree is still up. (Husband is embarrassed, a bit, by this turn of events, but I just haven't been very motivated to take it down. I have a feeling this coming weekend will be the golden moment...) Aside from Christmas lights, I'm a big fan of all lights (more or less--flourescent, well, they're not on anyone's love list, are they?)--candles, SAD lights, a little strand of twinkle lights to cut the cold...

8. My Uggy boots. Soft and white and I always warm up when I'm wearing them.

9. Hot chocolate. I have not made nearly enough hot chocolate so far this winter... must work on this!

10. Read recipe books with summer recipes, and fantasize about summer cooking. I can't wait to make summer salads and cobblers and fresh vegetables sautes, straight from the garden.

11. Hot baths. There are times when only a hot bath will warm me all the way up. Glorious!

12. My house uniform... I guess the Uggs could fall under this, but they are truly their own separate warmth generator. For me, coming home and getting into my comfy pants, long-sleeved T shirt and '70s-style tie-wrap sweater is just so rejuvenating at the end of the day. I know, odd to use the word rejuvenating when talking about the end of the day, and relaxing, but it really does give me a second wind to change my clothes and make the transition into the evening. On those rare occasions where I hop right into making dinner and don't take the time to change, my whole evening is less relaxing.

13. Color. Anywhere, anytime. Wandering a fabric store, popping into the flower shop, even browsing spring clothing--though that can be somewhat depressing if I then have to go back and warm my car up to get home... maybe that one should be online only!

What helps you break the winter chill? Tell me. I'm always up for new ideas!

For more Thursday 13s, go here!

Super solo supper

There are those who find the title of a book I'm currently reading--Alone in the Kitchen with An Eggplant--a tad odd. I can understand that. When I'm alone in the kitchen, an eggplant would be one of the last things I'd reach for. Nothing against the beautiful aubergine, it's just not one of my "craveables."

The book is a collection of essays specifically about those meals you eat when you are by yourself, especially if that is not how you cook and eat on a daily basis. The writers confess to their own indulgences, from one-pot spaghetti to a kippers mash (no thanks!) to salmon and lentils quite elegantly prepared. There are also a few tales of solo restaurant adventures, that somehow "all eyes are on you" endeavor that unnerves many. Together they make up a quite readable and occasionally inspirational book that fits handily into one of my favorite genres of essay + recipes, a la Cooking for Mr. Latte and The Soul of a Chef.

When I have one of those rare evenings to myself, it's a fab opportunity to have exactly what I want to eat. Not that my men's tastes and mine differ so dramatically, but there are a few things I favor that neither of them find extremely palatable. My solo suppers over the years have varied according to mood and season and what's in the pantry/fridge, of course. I went through a major phase of pasta carbonara a few years back when I ate alone more frequently. In those days I threw cream on just about everything; that's a whole other, more wild-thyroid-related post. I do still treasure the basil-tomato-pasta combo, but tonight, with fall so well and truly entrenched, soup once again hit the menu.

Along the way I was able to not only indulge my whims, but also to illustrate four of the 13 favorite foods at the same time... how handy!


I made a curried butternut squash soup late last week, with a coconut milk base. Between that and the fruity salad of grapefruit, pomegranate, arugula, blue cheese and hazelnuts, the boys would have hit the speed-dial for pizza delivery! What is it about the male tastebuds and fruit in salads? (How's that for a wild generalization?!) I'm sure there are men who do appreciate berries and apples and pears in a salad, I just haven't ever met one.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, roasted
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 tsp. curry powder
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 can lite coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, cut into quarters and place on a baking sheet. Roast in a 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the flesh pierces easily. Remove from oven and cool.

Saute diced onion in 1 Tbsp. olive oil in 2 quart saucepan. When translucent, add the curry powder and stir, toasting the curry, until it is fragrant. Scoop out the butternut squash in spoonfuls and add to the onions, pour the vegetable stock over and bring to a simmer until squash is so soft it falls apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Put the squash mixture and coconut milk in a blender and puree in batches, blend until smooth. Add more broth or coconut milk to taste, to achieve the desired consistency. Pour back into saucepan and warm through on the stove. Add salt and pepper to taste. If a stronger curry flavor is desired, add a half to 1 additional teaspoon curry powder.

Serves 4.

Sher's Favorite Fruity Salad (one of many!)
Arugula
Grapefruit sections (click for help on sectioning)
Pomegranate seeds (click for tips on cracking a pomegranate)
Chopped roasted hazelnuts
Blue cheese
Brianna's blush wine vinaigrette
This is pretty willy-nilly, and completely according to mood. Arrange the arugula in a salad bowl, layer the grapefruit sections, pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and blue cheese on top; drizzle with dressing and you're good to go! You can portion this individually or to feed as many as you'd like. If you have leftovers, call me. I will happily polish it off!

As you can see from the picture, entertaining oneself while dining alone is critical. I'm afraid I'm not one for sitting at the dining room table, fully set with candles lit. I've seen that in movies and thought, who on earth really does that? Maybe it's a sign of civility... which I am obviously lacking. While I'm not a big one for eating standing up in the kitchen, I am all over the book/magazine/dvd/tv as meal companion. Tonight, Mad Men (Season 1, now available on dvd) kept me company as I also put together a couple of soups (more soup, it's almost like the Soup Nazi moved in) for a board meeting tomorrow night.

To come: Cream of Cauliflower Soup and Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.