COMFORT FOOD for a LAZY, SOGGY DAY

              "All soup is soul food..." -Bee Wilson

Truth be told, I am a lazy cook. Cooking can be snoresville. Sometimes. I like making certain things, but if I can get someone else to cook, I will.  I like  baking Christmas things ( a lot)  and making soup is  great. Two things I like to do.   

 It's Fall, it's rainy and soggy and the days are lazy. This soup is easy peasy. You just build on the base, and go from there. No real measuring.  My crock pot lasted long enough to cook this, Then it died. Gone. Heard it go "ping and sproing". The ceramic bowl will most likely end up holding a flower next summer.  But for a little while, it held veggie soup.

KITCHEN SINK SOUP:

Start with a large pot or (working) crock pot. Dump in a couple of cartons of veggie broth. Throw in a couple of  large tins pea soup ( told you I was lazy), a can of beans, a bag of  frozen veggies, any type you like. You can even  toss in a can of diced tomatoes, add some rice, a few handfuls ( not too much), Spinach torn up ( the kind  you get in salad bags in the store), chopped celery, pepper, a smoosh of dried or chopped garlic  ( but not much,tends to be strong, unless you want LOTS of  garlic. Bleh.) Throw in  chopped broccoli ( but not too much, cause a lot of broccoli cooked in a crock pot kinda stinks) For fun you can also add brussel sprouts. Watch people go "ewwwwwww brussel sprouts" ( I like them.)Adjust  seasoning and let it cook long time in crock, or on the stove on low.  Add extra water if it gets too thick. Then just wait.........

So, now we need something to have with the soup. Something hot and gooey. Grilled cheese sandwiches. the type that runs over.  My mother only made open face grilled cheese. The tops  would bubble  so it would blister and burp. It was fun poking at the cheese skins, or peeling them off.

These days I put the sandwiches together and nuke them in microwave to get the cheese melted somewhat. Use whatever cheese you have in fridge. 

Slather both sides of the sandwiches  with butter and put them in the oven, turning over like pancakes till brown and golden. I actually watch them.  Making sure they don't burn. Doesn't take too much effort, and the end result is good. They come out all toasty and hot and gooey runny, and everyone eats them, squabbling over the last  quarter.

"I'm the first to admit I'm not much of a cook, but since soup mainly involves tossing everything in a pot and waiting, it's one of my better dishes..."

-Suzanne Collins ( the Hunger Games)

My mother's soup was not great. It was inherently greasy. Bleh. Had this aftertaste that you couldn't quite place.

She rarely served it to company. She saved it for us. Oh yay.

And she was a good cook. But soup did not quite connect with her. 

Though once she served it to my teacher who came to dinner. It was tolerable. I think it was cause she cooked it, a few hours,  with a cup of sherry. It gave it some sort of  flavour boost. 

To end up the day, my mother would make home made Cocoa. The real stuff. She called it French Chocolate ( her mother's 1930's recipe) . You can stir up a cup from a store bought pouch, but this should be made from scratch. You won't believe the difference. 

( And yes, I actually made this. Must have been one of my non lazy days)

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ( circa 1930’s) 

2 ½ squares Baker’s chocolate cut into pieces,  ½ cold water,  ¾ cups sugar

½ cup cream, whipped.,  Pinch of salt,  6 cups hot milk ( or Rice Dream, or equivalent)

Combine choc, and water and cook, beat with mix master over heat  till smooth. 

Add sugar, salt and beat and cook 4 more minutes.

Cool. Then fold in cream,  put 1 rounded tbsp of chocolate mixture in each mug and poor the hot milk over it, fill up cup. Enjoy by the fire. Top with whipped cream , etc. or have plain. Very different from a cocoa mix.

"Comfort food is the food that makes us feel good – satisfied, calm, cared for and carefree." -Ellie Krieger

Photographs 2020