One Soup to Rule Them All

I don’t cook
though I played one for six months
in County Jail lockup 1970
but wife is stressed and stretched and strung
with work hell so I’ve begun
making one large Dutch oven soup a week
to help feed and ease my she.

I’m good at it, find it fun.

My one recipe fits all –
for today’s chili
pour 1/4 cup olive oil in Dutch oven pan
finely chop 4 medium onions
4 carrots
4 stalks celery
11 sprigs parsley
add to pan
saute over medium flame with lid on
stirring frequently
add 1 pound fake meat soy protein mix
cook and stir 20 minutes
add 2 small cans kidney beans
1 small can black beans
1 large can diced tomatoes
couple shakes MSG, salt, black pepper
4 capfuls cream sherry
bit of water
pack of chili mix
bring to boil
lower flame and simmer 50 minutes
fill a blender with cooked beans and veggies
puree
pour back in
add frozen corn
simmer 30 minutes
eat.

Same basic flow for black bean soup
but replace chili mix with cumin
and fake meat with nothing
or navy bean soup with bay leaf and thyme
and smoked salt
or potato soup with spice of choice.

Soon I’ll can the cans
cook dry beans
cut and cook tomatoes.

Best navy bean soup I’ve had.
Pretty good chili.
Fine black bean.

Secret is simple –
more finely chopped veggies than you’d think
and slooooooow cooking.

Nature and chemistry do the rest.

– Smith, 2.9.2016

Lady has taken over the small family web design business, and trying to get a handle on scheduling 2-3 others, plus admin, plus customer relations, plus doing most of the billable coding is beating her down until she figures out the proper mix.

So I’ve also taken over most breakfasts with egg & muffin sandwiches alternating with oatmeal . . . the oatmeal’s extra tasty slow-cooked with milk, vanilla, and raisins, and sweetened with brown sugar and local maple syrup.

I already handle the laundry and dishes, as well as assorted shopping chores and errands, and usually the catbox. And I normally drive so Lady can work on her laptop or catch up on sleep in the passanger seat.

In a few weeks I’ll be 70. Strange trip. Started writing and singing blues lyrics at 56, took up romance with Lady at 59 after 20 years celibacy, and now becoming a cook in my late 60’s.

Who’da thunk it?