Just like that...

 

  Well, well.  Just like that. Suddenly it was Thanksgiving.  And I cooked and I cooked and I cooked.  And I was frazzled. Then the party of 6 turned to a party of 5.  Then my son got sick and it turned to a party of 4.  lol  But nevermind... I cooked a small spiral ham and a 13 lb turkey and glazed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and pecans. I made cornbread stuffing with crimini mushrooms, onions, celery, and dried cranberries. I made smashed red potatoes and turkey gravy. I made home canned green beans with onions and garlic. I had jellied cranberry sauce and whole sauce too. I made a pumpkin and a cherry pie.  And we 4 ate ourselves into a food coma and took a plate and 2 pieces of pie to my sick boy. (The next day I made him some turkey and rice soup.)  After our guest was gone and my husband and his brother who had traveled down from Minneapolis were watching tv, I cooked down the turkey carcass and made 5 quarts of beautiful broth, 4 of which I canned in the electric canner and 1 went in the fridge for soup.  It took 3 sets to get all the dishes done. I know people think I'm nuts, but I don't care how many people are at my house for a meal...we use real dishes.  I did try cleaning up as I went as much as I could. It was still a lot.  SO I got to sit a spell between sets. That helped. It was grand, but I'm really glad it's over. 

  The next 2 days were nonstop. And when Sunday came and my BIL was heading home, I made sure to tell him goodbye and make him promise to call when he arrived safe and sound,THE NIGHT BEFORE. Because no way was I gonna be able to get up at 7 AM.  lol  I intended to do nothing but laze around the whole day, but of course I couldn't as there was laundry to be done (himself's work clothes mostly, but it turned into everything). lol  Once himself was back home from getting his spiritual batteries recharged, he helped with it all.  I'm still tired.  

  To give our systems a rest and try to get back on track, we had a Meatless Monday today. I made sweet potato and chickpea Buddha Bowls that were quite good. I used leftover sweet potatoes, and some vegetables that were languishing in the bin.  The chickpeas are cooked in a spice mix, and instead of roasting the vegetables in the oven, I used my big cast iron skillet to pan roast them and used sesame oil. I had some leftover quinoa from Wednesday night's supper of Peanut Butter Tofu that I used for the grain. The vegetable ingredients were : Kale, Red and Yellow Bell Pepper, leftover steamed broccoli, Red Onion- quartered, and sweet potato.

 The chickpeas were tossed in a bowl  (after draining rinsing and patting dry) with some grapeseed oil and spices. Cumin, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder and salt & pepper. Then in about a  tablespoon more oil in a small cast iron skillet, I cooked them until the crackled a little over medium high heat. Didn't take long and they were toasty and spicy and done. 

 Then I made a dressing for the whole shebang of a quarter cup (plus or minus-- didn't really measure it, just eyeballed it and tasted it, lol) Tahini, about a tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup and a tablespoon or 2 of hot water to thin it down once you've got it all mixed up. It was divine. 

It was a really good bowl -- who doesn't love a BIG bowl of healthy supper on a cold night ?  We finished of f the last piece of pumpkin pie for dessert and it a perfect amount of food. Good and healthy, tasty and using leftover items and vegetables that would hit the compost heap in another few days felt right, somehow.  This week winds down the month and then it is December, and all the madness starts.  Not so much for me, actually. But it's hard times for lots of people and I am a bit of a shelter for some who have these hard times. It's okay... there's plenty of love to go around. We have a very cozy house that's warm and inviting, coffee or tea or hot chocolate is always available.  We keep our Xmas holiday very small, sometimes we have had big Xmas Eve suppers and invited friends who have no other family, or none in the area. Sometimes it's just us. We really have everything we need and even some to share, and though we live on a pretty limited income, simple food, and simple drinks can go a long way to easing the culture shock we go through this time of year.  The week of Xmas, and almost NEVER before, I will get a few ceramic snowmen and Santa Clauses out of storage and put up a small fiber optic tree. I have a raggedy old Gifting Stag (I love him !!) made of papier mache that will make an appearance if the mice haven't destroyed it in the garage. A few Xmas wreaths that I made myself.  That's it. I have no grandchildren and my big family stopped celebrating together years ago, so everyone spends the day with their own. I'm okay with all of this.  It's too much for me these days, as I totter off in my dotage. lol   I expect December will zip through just like November did, and shock me with it's arrival and departure. And the nit will be New Years Eve and then it will be my 70th birthday, which I am looking forward to, as I join the ranks of the old and decrepit.  LOL  Be assured-- there is a LOT of freedom in being old.  When you turn 69, you get a taste of it.  I looking forward to the whole pie next year. Sliding into old age with a BANG !

  Til next time...

Helllloooooo...November !

 

  Hard to believe it's November already.  It's been a busy few weeks around here and the older I get, the faster the months fly by.  Finished out 1.5 months of the pantry challenge and spent a little over 20 dollars at the grocery. Not bad. Didn't really make a dent in the pantry either. Did free up lots of freezer space, so there's that. We are also now eating plant based meals every other day instead of just a random time or two each week.  Mostly makes me have to become a little more creative with my cooking, but it's definitely healthier. We might actually become vegetarians by the first of next year. Maybe.  lol  

  Temps a little cooler, but then it heats back up again. We're in the mid to high 70's this week. Had some damp and chilly days too, so got to make a nice dairy free Creamy Potato soup for supper one night last week.  I'm going to share that recipe so I can send a link to some folks asking for it. This time I used some of my home canned red potatoes that I got from my produce guy's little front yard market, I bought a good sized box from him and canned most of them. I usually can them in big chunks to use for stews and breakfast potatoes, and then pint jars of them diced to use in soups. I also buy fresh potatoes and use them regularly but the price of potatoes has been sky high around these parts the past 4 months. (Like everything).  And I like having canned potatoes for  back-ups, in case I run out.  They worked really well in this soup.  I know not everyone cans or likes canned potatoes, so I'll put this recipe the way I make it with fresh potatoes.

  Here it is:  Creamy Potato Soup.  (without the dairy)  :)  

  **ingredient list

 Red or Russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced. I use about 6 large potatoes to make soup for 2 with leftovers.

 1 nice sized onion, diced

 2 stalks celery, washed and diced

 1-2 medium sized carrots, scrubbed and diced

 2-3 Tablespoons Olive or Sesame Oil (or veg oil, or butter--your choice)

 2 quarts vegetable broth (or water)

 Sea salt and ground black pepper, and any other seasonings you like in your soup. I like fresh minced garlic in it.

 A dash of  liquid smoke (optional) I use it because it gives an illusion of bacon or ham in the soup.

 1-2 cans Cannelini beans or Navy beans 

I use my instapot to make most soups these days. I have a gas range and the price of propane is thru the roof, so I use it as little as possible.  With the InstaPot on the brown/sear setting, put your oil, onions, celery and carrots in and sweat them well. After about 15 minutes, add the diced potatoes. Add the minced garlic and seasonings and mix it well.  Add the broth or water and make sure you have enough to cover the vegetables. If you need to, add more.  Set it on the soups/stews setting and  let 'er go.  It usually takes about 20 minutes to cook the carrots and potatoes through. Depends on how small you diced them. I always put these vegetables in my potato soup because it's added nutrition and it looks pretty. lol  

  When the vegetables are done to your satisfaction, put the can(s) of beans into your blender, liquid and all. Add a couple of ladles of your soup to it and blend until smooth.  Stir this into your pot of soup. If it's too thick, add a little water. If it's too thin, add more beans.  But this should be just about right.  Taste it and add more salt if needed. We don't use milk, but we do use butter, I will sometimes put a spoonful of butter into it at this point. It makes a really nice silky creamy soup. Serve it with some yeast rolls or buttery crackers or whatever you feel like. 

These are 30 minute yeast rolls that I baked in my Ninja Foodi Grill.

Hope you enjoy-- Bon Appetit !