Quality Time

Two recent events have conspired to get me back in the kitchen more than I have been in a while. First, I started student teaching down the block from house which not only makes me happier than my old job but frees up two hours a day that I used to spend commuting. Second, I started subscribing to a veggie box.

Once summer rolls around I like nothing better than puttering around at the market for whatever is in season. But the box of veggies is a nice alternative for the winter months plus it sort of throws down a weekly challenge. Week one I got cauliflower, which I don't normally buy, I turned into a nice Indian style curry with a heavy hand of ginger. An abundance of parsley turned into a hummus and tabboulehi lunchbox. Last Wednesday, it was a big bunch of kale which turned me to one of my favorite winter soups.

Simple and hearty, start by sauteeing onion and Italian sausage in a splash of olive oil. Throw in some finely chopped fresh rosemary as the onions turn golden and then add a quart or so of chicken broth* and a cup of lentils (to expand or contract recipe just keep a 2:1 broth lentil ratio). I'm a sucker here for the lovely, petite French lentils.

Let that simmer until the lentils soften up, add salt and pepper to taste. Then chop up the kale and throw that in towards the end.

*You make your own broth right? It's about as hard as making tea. But you can boil it down and make your own bullion cubes. And it's addictive. See evidence below of my kitchen in the throes of a fix: