Thankgiving: the Aftermath

Canadian Thanksgiving comes early and this year our household was reduced by one third, leaving just the two of us to deal with the Big Bird.

This year’s favorite leftover meal was my adaptation of Mulligatawny Soup, which turned out fabulously well!

Mulligaturkey

2 to 3 cups chopped turkey
6 to 8 cups turkey broth
1 onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
2 T butter
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 T mild curry paste (I like Sharwoods)
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup uncooked white rice
Cream or plain yogurt (optional)

Saute the veg in a large soup pot, add curry paste, broth and tomatoes, simmer for 1 hour. Add turkey , salt and pepper and rice and simmer 30 min. Swirl with cream or yogurt if desired.

Today's listening pleasure- Amanda Stoloff Quartet. "Still Life" 4 stars

Spider Season

This spider's sense is telling her that lean times are coming, despite a strangely summerlike September here on the coast. My yard is festooned with the evidence of her industry, in fact, after a half hour of sitting in the back yard, I discovered that strands of spider silk were attached to my toes.

I think it's safe to say that my respect and admiration for the eight-legged artisan is a one way street! So if you come calling and I don't answer the door, come out back and rescue me. I'll be the large silk wrapped mummy hanging from Miss Spider's web...

Freedom Road

For me and for my university bound son, the road to freedom is a two lane highway north.

On the first of September there is already a nip in the air that sweeps away the stupor of summer. He is ready for this and I am more ready than I expected to be to let him go. My mantra for motherhood, that the ultimate goal in parenting is an independent child, has somehow done the trick. The anticpated rush of tears and despair never happens. I am truly thrilled for him, deeply proud of his achievements and successes and convinced that he has made wise choices for this next phase of his young life.

For both of us, a new phase of independence lies ahead like an open, sunlit field.

My Kind of Blackberry

Every summer I can remember is punctuated by blackberries- first the anticipation, then collection, then...my most favorite food ever, blackberry pie.
I am not a religious or particularly spiritual person but while I'm picking blackberries I feel as if the earth is blessing me with a glorious gift, thorns, spider webs and all.

Since U Been Scone

Sigh. I think I have been home alone a little too long! Now I know why little old ladies bring baskets of muffins to the local banks, etc. They are filling up the empty nest with baking!

But I do love my scones. This is a good basic dependable recipe.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 3 T. sugar, 1 T baking powder and a half teaspoon salt. Cut in 5 T butter and stir in about a half cup raisins. Beat together a half cup light cream and one egg. Add some vanilla if you like and stir the liquid quickly into the dry ingredients. Knead lightly, turn onto board and cut into 8 scones. Bake about 17 minutes. Check at 15 if your oven runs hot. I love these with blueberry jam!

Pie Princess

Man, I make a lot of pies in the summertime. Lyle dubbed me Pie Princess a quarter century ago so in this season I try to live up to my royal responsibilites.

This here is a plain ol' blueberry pie, four and a half cups fresh berries, three quarters cup sugar, half teaspoon cinnamon, quarter cup flour, juice of half a lemon.Let that mixture stand while preparing your favorite pastry. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, then 350 for 35 minutes.

Today's listening pleasure, Nina Simone, The Blues, five stars...I LOVE this music!

Disblurbia

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good thriller. There is nothing I enjoy less than a poor one.

I was looking forward to a pleasant evening watching "Disturbia", newly out on DVD. I guess I should have known better. Thrillers used to be made for grownups. Now they have replaced beach movies
as the mindless and boring teen flick genre of choice.

"Disturbia" employs the gimmick of Hitchcock's classic "Rear Window". Too bad it completely misses the mark as far as style, production and charisma of its actors. Electronics are the stars of this movie. Sigh. Yawn.

No wonder I'm glued to the Turner Classic Movie channel.

Today's listening pleasure, "The Essential Billie Holiday", four and a half stars.