Beyond

I hope I never lose my sense of wonder. If that makes me naive, then so be it.

Monday 4 February 2008

planning and trimming

I've spent a very cozy early part of the morning curled up with a couple of cookbooks. I'm planning meals so there's less of the "hmm..." pause at 4:30 to think, what will we have for supper tonight? On that note, what food do I have to whip something up? (Granted, that has led to some good culinary experiences, so I won't entirely knock it.)

That works fine when the pantry is well-stocked with all sorts of basics, which is usually the case. But with winter being a time of unpredictable road conditions and me not wanting to go out just to buy one thing at the grocery store (there's country life again for you), it's good to think ahead. It also allows the trimming part - both in keeping grocery bills down and making sure we're eating healthy.

So tonight is a beef-lentil soup (courtesy of Everyday Italian), but with a little twist as I'm adding some nice kale. I tried to plant some to grow my own last summer, but it turns out that not only did we like it, it was a favourite of the chickens. Any time a plant tried to put up a brave little leaf, it was snapped up by rampaging hens. I suppose we indirectly got the goodness of it in the eggs they were laying (though I don't think about it too much in detail, as they also eat bugs). Still, I had hoped for some fresh kale. Some croutons made from dry baguette chunks that have been living in the freezer will round it out.

School today as we read through a few more chapters before embarking on our Middle Ages week (or weeks, if we're having fun and don't want to stop). Math and Grammar just won't be able to compete on the fun front, compared to knights and castles.

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