Last night our home was redolent with the aroma of chicken stock simmering on the stove. Bones, savory onion, garlic, carrots and celery, fresh and dry herbs, parsley, sage, thyme and savory all gently simmering and perfuming the air. Fall is truly here. In the summer I seldom make chicken stock, but now that the air is cool and the leaves are turning, soup is the call of the day. I love homemade soup for work in particular, fast and easy to heat up and eat, it fits into the day so well.
This morning I made the soup. I separated the bones from the meat (I don’t much like that part of the process) and diced the vegetables (onion, garlic, carrot and celery). I start by “sweating” the vegetables before I add the meat and stock. This allows the vegetables to start cooking and release their flavours. After the onions and garlic start to turn translucent I add the meat and stock. Once the stock is simmering I add any more vegetables – today orange bell pepper and lovely small Roma tomatoes from a friends garden – that I want, more herbs, fresh and dried and then later the noodles. The soup will be ready for lunch.
There is something soothing in the mundane actions of keeping your home. Making the bed, doing laundry, tidying, all lead to a feeling of peace and accomplishment. They are all very necessary and boring, but also can be comforting in the routine that they suggest. I like routine today. It is now Football Season and it is on the TV in the background and is definitely part of our Sunday routine!
Just before lunch we went on a walk around the SeaWall and Maffeo Sutton Park. It had to be a flat walk today as my knee is bothering me. It was great to get out. I got some pictures of the late-blooming roses, and honey bee! The chicken soup was waiting for us when we got home! Fresh air and activity makes everything taste so much better!
In the last couple of days I have really made great strides in the knitting of Irish. I am at or just past the waist shaping. And now I know how I want to finish it! The Cossack hat suffered a setback. My first band was way too small – so out it came and I have started with more stitches and I am not picking the loops of Dolce Vita up quite as closely together. I have finished the band again and this time it fits around my head! I have just finished the first knit round. Maybe it will be finished tonight. 6mm needles and only 4 or 5 inches to knit!
Happy Knitting
Lynette
I love cooking chicken, (and rooster) soup in the winter. You are right, there is something so comforting as the smells fill the house.
Here in Chile there is a very typical dish called “cazuela”, which is basically a chicken of beef soup. However the potatoes, squash, and meat in it are left in large pieces, along with sliced green beans and the herbs. The way to eat this soup is you “drink” the clear soup first, leaving the big pieces till the end, and then they are eaten with a salad. This is served summer and winter, in almost all small cafes, but is better when it is home made in the winter!
YUmmm….. Sounds a little like stew.
Which I like with bisquits and my husband likes with dumplings! I’m drooling already this morning and my tea isn’t even ready yet! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day!
Lynette
Ohh, I love both biscuits and dumplings! My youngest daughter loves to help me make dumplings, and my oldest loves to eat biscuits!
Have you got a favorite recipe for either? My recipe’s are all the old ones. Some times I think that it is hard to improve a classic! Recipe is from my Mum – who got it from her Mum! Enjoy!
Bisquits
2 cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
stir the above together and then cut in 1/4 cup room temp butter (will look like course crumbs). Add just over 2/3 cup milk. Stir and then lightly knead. Roll out, cut into squares or cut with bisquit cutter. Bake in 400 degress oven for 10 to 12 min!
Voila – Bisquits.
I think I use a similar recipe, but it calls for buttermilk instead of milk. I can’t get buttermilk very easily so I replace it with natural yoghurt. As you say, hard to change something that is already good!
I will sour milk with a little lemon juice when I need, but do not have, buttermilk. Yogurt sounds like a good option as well. I haven’t tried it but I should – I always some plain yogurt around!