Getting Back in the Groove

Two weeks of holiday celebrations, my parents, all my mom's cookies, my brother, roasted potatoes and chicken Kiev, old family friends, turkey and all the fixings, Christmas, pies, First Night with the Boston Pops, Vietnamese dining, dining out on huge portions of beef and roasted goose at Longfellow's Wayside Inn, fish and chips, clam chowder and topped all off with a trip to the Loveless Cafe for fried chicken the day we got home (and I only gained .25 lbs!)

It's time to get our feet back underneath us and back into the groove (and any other number of cliches.) Meals have been super easy. I have no idea where to find the camera as my husband brought it home. We're still inventorying, doing laundry and going through mail while jumping into our regular schedule of work, gyms, library and friends (and preschool research). With no pictures, and few recipes - I blog tonight only for you (you know who you are!)

Since coming home I've cooked very simply and fresh. Monday after a trip to the grocery store and a huge bok choy that caught my eye (poor cashier asked what it was and the lady checking bags said she wanted to come for dinner becuase we were having greens) we had stirrfried bok choy, red peppers, tofu and water chestnuts with hosin garlic sauce over brown rice. Last night was potato and onion soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, salad with Parmesan vinaigrette and turkey apple sausages (from the freezer). The little guy was skeptical about that soup, promising only one bite (a whole bowl and two sausages later, and one bite of spinach he pronounced it a pretty good meal!) I love this soup recipe for it's simplicity; potato, onion, stock, salt and pepper (and butter). Simmered together and then passed through the food mill for a very smooth warm and comforting creamy soup with no cream. Tonight it was vegetable frittata with Swiss chard (frozen like spinach), potatoes, mushrooms (cut by the little guy in his new egg slicer.)

Easy Potato and Onion Soup (ala The French Chef)

• 8 cups largely diced potatoes (the French Chef says to peel - I'm not making Vichyssoise which is potatoes and leeks, just potato soup, so I do not peel)
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 quarts stock, water or water and bouillon (I used bullion)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 stick of butter (you don't have to use it, I'm sure there are more nutritious ingredients out there like cream- but I wanted it to taste good!)

1. Bring the stock, onions, and potatoes to a boil and simmer for 25 to 45 minutes until soft.
   
2. Put the soup through a food mill using the smallest holes you have. Some of the peels will make it through, some will not. Stir in butter (it melts better if you chop it up some, but I just threw in the whole stick!). This is a double recipe from the French Chef, enough for dinner and a few lunches. Good for a tender tummy (without the butter) or just a cold rainy night.
   
3. I always add a salad and some form of protein for dinner (the little guy likes to float pieces of his sausage in the soup). Garnish with parsley - if you have it and want to be fancy. You can also add greens to the soup if you want.