Seasonal Sundays (Week 6) Early February

Happy snowy Sunday morning! This week's recipes and ideas (including my collection of tomato soup recipes) are perfect for mid-winter meals and projects.

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Enough. January's as good as gone but at last, my Word of the Year has made itself known.

Enough. Enough, stand-alone plus the mural of meanings of Enough Is Enough.

My always-wise sister sparked the idea. I'd mentioned feeling pressure returning to Kitchen Parade after so long (and soon, A Veggie Venture too), needing to come back with a bang, extra smart, extra compelling, extra everything.

"Didn't Emily," she asked, "just talk about that in her podcast?"

LOL, for us, first-name-only Emily is right up there with Heather and Rachel just like Adele, Enya, Cher, Beyonce, Madonna ...

And sure enough, writer/author/thinker/podcaster/seeker Emily had. I'd already listened to 5 Strong Ways to Finish Regular but listened again and came to accept that coming back, all on its own, was accomplishment enough.

Luka made a difference too, in that Everything Smart I Learned from My Dog kinda way. Luka has enough – kibbles 2x a day, a couple of dozen frisbee throws, a scritch whenever he asks. Give that dog food, fun and affection and well, it's enough.

Enough. It's the idea of acceptance that what we have (or had) is plenty.

Enough. It's the idea of aspiration that if what we have isn't enough, well, maybe we need only reach for enough, not perfection nor an abundance.

Enough. It's the idea of forgiveness, of others and of ourselves.

Enough. It's the idea of generosity, that if we have enough, we have enough to share.

Enough. It's the idea of a reminder, admonition and even an outright order to just stop, right now, while we can, before things go too far.

Enough. It's the idea of drawing a thick line, standing for what's right.

Time will tell whether or where "enough" will guide. But for now, it's enough.

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PICK ONE

Pick One is for those of us overwhelmed by life's unending choices. If that resonates, then check out this one recipe and then call it a day. It's one that I think could make the most difference, the one I hope will become a regular in your kitchen, as it is in mine.

• THE RECIPE Veggie-Lentil Burritos with Cilantro Sauce
• WHY THIS, WHY NOW I had to conjure supper at the last minute one night this week and what a Supper Saver these burritos are. So quick, so delicious!

What's New?!

Wondering about a recipe from the last while? Check Recent Recipes from Kitchen Parade and Recent Vegetable Recipes from A Veggie Venture.

• THE RECIPE Finnish Whole-Wheat Flatbread Hot bread to the table in just minutes.
• ANOTHER TAKE Grilled Flatbread Rye flour, fresh herbs. Great flavor, great texture!

HOMEMADE TOMATO SOUPS

I work hard to avoid recipe repetition for Kitchen Parade and A Veggie Venture. But as time passes, it becomes clear that I can't help myself some times, with oatmeal cookies, say (just scroll down a bit), beet salads, say.

And tomato soup, apparently!

• THE RECIPE Winter Tomato Soup Roasting, slow-cooking draw out summer flavor.
• ANOTHER TAKE Summer's Tomato Soup Ripe summer tomatoes only, please.

• THE RECIPE Rustic Tomato Basil Soup Left chunky for a change of pace.
• ANOTHER TAKE Slow-Roasted Tomato Soup

• THE RECIPE Two-Can Ten-Minute Homemade Tomato Soup Made from scratch in just ten minutes without weird ingredients.
• ANOTHER TAKE Peasant Cabbage Tomato Soup

Hello, Plant Mamas!

My Canadian grandmother brought home these other-worldly plastic tropical flowers from Hawaii when I was a kid: at six or so, I learned to pronounce "anthurium".

And now the live plants have become my favorite houseplant! They're easy to grow and showy. The leaves are glossy and heart shaped, neat and orderly in a pot. Two or three flowers bloom at a time, they're also heart-shaped though smaller with an odd-looking, um, protuberance. Even during the periods without flowers, it's a really attractive plant. I mostly see plants with red flowers but picked up one earlier this year which was a lovely pinky-purply lavender, very pretty.

And ... keep an eye out, because for the last couple of years, they've popped up before Valentines at Trader Joe's, Sam's Club, the local grocery, etc.

Anyone else have a favorite houseplant to recommend?

Lunch at the Kitchen Table

• THE RECIPE Kalamata Tuna Salad Bok Choy Wraps
• ANOTHER TAKE Chicken Salad for Sandwiches

The Dinner Bell

Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, the dinner bell rings. If we're gonna eat, somebody's gotta cook, some nights fuel, some nights a feast. Let's make it good, a welcome end to our days.

• THE RECIPE Chicken Cacciatore The classic Italian dish, chicken slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce.
• ANOTHER TAKE Italian Lemon Chicken Italian-style baked chicken, lemon-y and garlick-y.

• THE RECIPE Maple-Glazed Chicken with Easy Skillet Creamed Carrots & Onions Oven-baked with a maple syrup and rosemary glaze.
• ANOTHER TAKE Rainbow Chicken Chicken and vegetables baked in the oven.

• THE RECIPE Chicken Stew with Chickpeas & Kale A hearty, one-pot supper with warm spices and fresh vegetables.
• ANOTHER TAKE Spiced Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower Tagine A one-pot supper with warm spices.

Good to Know

• THE RECIPE How to Cook White Rice Basics done well, for dinner, for the freezer.
• ANOTHER TAKE Oven-Baked Brown Rice So good, make it every week.

Put an Egg on Top aka "How About Eggs for Dinner?"

Why should breakfast get all the eggs?! If eggs for dinner were a club, I'd be president, chief marketing officer, resident evangelist, public advocate and ... hey, wanna join my club? Start here!

• THE RECIPE Homemade Egg McMuffin A family favorite!
• ANOTHER TAKE Gashouse Eggs The old-time comfort food, just an egg and bread fried together, with so many names.

Something New to You? A Challenge!

It's one thing to know what we like. It's another to get caught in a rut of repetition. Every so often, I may offer a challenge to try something that just might be new. The challenge is yours to accept – or y'know, not – but I hope to pique your palate!

• THE RECIPE Butternut Squash Soup that Actually Tastes Like Butternut Squash Just three ingredients + an unusual technique bumps flavor.
• ANOTHER TAKE Butternut Squash Soup with Mango & Toasted Coconut

Dump Those Cheap-o Surge Protectors

Wow. Who knew?

We happened to be in our bedroom during the day one afternoon when there was a loud "pop" sound and the electricity went out.

But no problem, it came back on very shortly.

Or so we thought.

That evening, we realized that certain lights wouldn't turn on. It was a puzzle for a few weeks, we kept finding new outlets/light fixtures that didn't work both on the main level and in the basement.

And it wasn't until the electrician came that we learned what had happened.

An inexpensive surge protector had "blown up". The circuit breakers did their job, shutting off the electricity.

But the electrical surge also blew the electronics of a half dozen dimmer switches, not too expensive to replace but still, not cheap either.

But then we learned that the surge also blew out the electronics of a furnace and the entire freaking furnace had to be replaced.

I'm no expert on what's a "good" surge protector and what's not so I'm not going to recommend anything specific ... but do recommend taking a look around and replace anything you're unsure of.

Anyone else have trouble with surge protectors?

Meal Prep

• THE RECIPE Creamy Slow Cooker Beans How to cook dried beans from scratch in a slow cooker.
• BUT CHECK FIRST Why Dried Beans Won't Cook Good to Know!
  

This Week's Soup

• THE RECIPE Spicy Cauliflower Soup
• ANOTHER TAKE No-Cream Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Finnish Food

• THE RECIPE Karelian Borscht (Finnish - Russian Beet Borscht Soup) Rich beet color, big earthy flavor, either meaty or vegetarian.
• ANOTHER TAKE Borscht Beets Roasted beets tossed with sour cream and horseradish.

Lookin' for Love

We're all proud of our best recipes that family and friends (and the Internet!) just love. But what about the recipes we love but are, ahem, so far under-appreciated? This recipe is just that, it could use a little extra love!

• THE RECIPE Chocolate Shortbread Cookies A simple chocolate cookie, tender and crisp, barely sweet.
• ANOTHER TAKE Chocolate-Almond Shortbread Cookies Almost sugar-free, great for shipping.

Soups & Salads Especially for February

What sparks us in February? Seed catalogs, of course. But for many of us, February is the last real month of winter, almost the last chance for a seasonal cook to revel in cold-weather specialties. So there's soup, of course! And salads, of course! That's why I spent a year gathering all of A Veggie Venture's best soup and salad recipes into easy-to-scan month-by-month collections.

Dig into Seasonal Soup & Salad Recipes for February, tons of ideas!

Here's a sample!

• THE RECIPE Best-Ever Lentil Salad
• ANOTHER TAKE Summer Lentils

• THE RECIPE Quick Corn Soup with Coconut Milk Fast and flexible, all pantry ingredients.
• ANOTHER TAKE Paleo Carrot Soup A simple warm carrot soup, just enough fresh ginger, cardamom and coconut milk.

Feeding a Sugar-Conscious Sweet Tooth

You too? We're cutting back on sweets without demonizing dessert, usually with smaller batches, smaller servings, shareable desserts or fruit desserts in addition to limiting frequency. But some times?

• THE RECIPE Roasted Applesauce with Raspberries Glorious color and brightness!
  
• ANOTHER TAKE Naturally Sweetened Apple Butter Apple Butter as it should be, naturally sweet with just a touch of butter.

Trending

My Top 10 Recipes are predictable, hello Should Cooked Pork Be Pink? and (Sloooow) Baked Potatoes (How Long to Bake a Baked Potato). But every week, seasonal recipes catch the internet's attention and start to trend.

• ONE QUICK TIP How To Keep Green Onions Fresh for Weeks No special equipment, no time commitment.
• OKAY, ONE MORE How to Freeze Stock in Canning Jars No more leaky freezer bags!

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment on this page or send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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