Showing posts with label soup for a winter's day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soup for a winter's day. Show all posts

Thursday, January 21, 2010

I am doing homework, really...

Lighting my lampada in the morning makes a huge difference

in how the day begins!

I knew yesterday that I could not study as hard today.

But this day started out better...

the first days are always hard when beginning a new endeavour...

New people (fellow students, teacher)

New place (wow is the college big)

New bus route (not bad and going home always seems to come quickly)

Same (since late November) apartment though!

Whew for home and for a familiar downtown that I love.

I don't know if I have ever loved living somewhere as much

as I love downtown Ottawa...

I am SO THANKFUL that I still live downtown...

Another Cleo picture.

Cleo is happy to have such a following with some very lovely humans.

I often have to kick her off my chair so that I can blog!

Previous dinner picture.
I miss my social life, but am probably going to a potluck tomorrow.
Studying is hard. I have more than 500 flashcards
already. Etc.
***
Today we had SUNSHINE.
I feel SO HAPPY in winter in Ottawa in sunshine.
I tell you snow blue sky and seeing skaters on the canal
and I am happy.
Much happier than in summer, to the shock of many
who shiver through winter dreaming of summer!
***
My dishes (I got backlogged due to feeling rotten last weekend)
are almost done.
I have been listening to French CBC while doing them,
so it is almost not procrastination!
***
Today my class was a bit lighter in amount of new things.
I think the teacher knew he needed to give us a little break.
Not that I do not have pages of extra exercises that I will do
in a do-it-to-practice but it is not required
book.
Really helpful.
Wow. Lots to do but with God's help,
the prayers of many (I thank God for each prayer)
and personal elbow grease,
I can do it, day by day.
***
Okay.
Time for dinner, French flashcards.
***
QUESTION for you:
Next week for Orthodox Christians is fast-free week. I have some beef chunks in the freezer.
Any suggestions for a simple way to use them?
I am thinking some sort of stew or goulash.
Also:
Any suggestions for a super fast base for soup for lent?
I am swapping soup recipes with a lovely lady at
my local bakery -
she is going to give me a lentil and bean soup recipes
and I am giving her a quick and easy borscht recipe (without the cabbage).
But a simple base for soups I still need.
Key word: simple and fast.
Please share your culinary wisdom with me!!
Merci!!
Bonne soiree!
(Thank you, have a good evening!)

Monday, January 11, 2010

Soup


I bought this mortar and pestle
before I left for the Holidays.
My sister had given me
cardamom pods last year
and I finally, when I could grind them,
I forgot what recipe I wanted them for!!
So I found this lovely soup recipe -

Lots of great spices;

I love spice and after my first batch,

I think I would add more pepper to it.

It reminds me of what pumpkin baby food

looks like

but it tasted quite good,

I can assure you!


I am trying to start this new year and chapter of my life
with better eating habits.
This soup is a good beginning...