Sunday, February 09, 2014

Well it has been a while, hasn't it?  I seem to have lost my blogging mojo.  It's been about all I can do recently to keep up with Emma, work, and everything else.  I have been spinning some, but not much else fibery.  If I can get my act together, I'll take some pictures of my finished yarns, because they're very pretty.

Tonight, though, all I had the energy to do was take a picture of my dinner.  I was getting hungry this afternoon along about 5:00, so I wandered into the kitchen to see what I could find.  Sadly, the grocery elves have been slacking recently, and stocks were low.  Funny how that happens.

However, I do have a good store of dehydrated foods.  I also found a can of salmon, and that got me thinking.  From my seemingly bare fridge and pantry I was able to make a FANTASTIC dinner of salmon and corn chowder.

salmon corn chowder

Everything in this recipe except the milk was a stored food, even the cream (frozen when it was on sale around Thanksgiving).  It was wonderful to browse my dehydrated food shelves and have lots of options.  Corn, potatoes, hmmm, how about some carrots?  Ok, peas? Not this time.  Onions, parsley, garlic, yep.

It was relatively quick, too.  From idea to bowl was just under an hour, and that included the soaking time!  Actual time in the kitchen was much less than an hour, since everything was pre-chopped before dehydrating.  Except for sauteing the onions, it was literally just throwing things into a pot and waiting for the magic to happen.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Salmon Corn Chowder
4-6 servings

1.5 cups dehydrated corn
3 cups water
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3 T dehydrated onion
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp bacon fat
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1 cup dehydrated diced potato
1/3 cup dehydrated sliced carrot
1 T dehydrated chopped celery
1 T dehydrated parsley
1 tsp dehydrated chopped garlic
4 cups chicken stock (home made, frozen)
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14 oz (1 can) salmon, drained and crumbled
1 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream

Add the corn and water to a large stock pot and soak for about 20 minutes.  At the same time, add the hot water to the onion in a bowl and rehydrate for 15 minutes.  Drain any excess liquid from the onions into the stock pot, and saute the onions in bacon fat until tender.  Add onions, remaining dehydrated ingredients, and chicken stock to the pot.  Bring to a rolling boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until all vegetables are cooked and tender.  Add salmon, milk, and cream.  Heat through, stirring well.

Saturday, February 01, 2014

My contribution to the Ninth Annual Blogger's (Silent) Poetry Reading for St. Bridget's Day.



Wonder
by Sue Brady

Wonder is…
A thought, a flash, a flood,
An instantaneous kaleidoscope of images,
Too complicated to define.

A rocky coast…
Balsam firs draped in fog…
A river of stars across the sky…
Haunting loon voice under the northern lights…
A wren pouring out song…
Pebbles singing as the waves wash the shore…
Sun-warmed blueberries…

Ponderosa and sagebrush perfume in July…
Ridge after ridge of folded hills…
A crescent moon sliver in the dusky coral and teal sunset…
Hoarfrost on tall grass…
Cascading rivers…
The granite bones of the earth…
So much sky…

That feeling,
That tremble in the pit of my stomach,
That catch in my breath,
It’s gestalt.
The magnificent resonance of the universe,
Every part of everything
In one word…
…the truest truth.