Why I Didn't Create A Food Blog

I haven't mentioned food much on AliThinks lately, but I really love to cook. And eat. And I'm kind of a food snob. So how come I never made this a food blog?

1. Laziness
2. Dim-wittedness (no, really)
3. Working Mom Fatigue
4. All of the above

I'm lazy, because I cook without writing down what I've done. I'm dim-witted (no, really) because I get halfway through cooking before I realize that whatever I'm doing would make a great blog entry. I've suffered from that "Damn, what am I going to make for dinner?" lassitude after getting home from work. (I was never one of those organized moms Flybabies who made weekly menus.)

I tell you this because I'm making soup tonight, soup that just might kick the ass of every other soup I have made. What's in it? The basis is baked acorn squash that Allan prepared the other night. We didn't eat it, and there it sat in the fridge.

We spent the afternoon asking each other "So, what do you want to have for dinner?" Okay, well, maybe we did a few other things, but really, that question was on the forefront. Neither of us came up with a decent answer (the possibilities are endless! Or we could go out!), but the acorn squash kept talking to me. "Souuuuuup," it was saying. "Creamy souuuuup."

I chopped a couple of onions. I looked at the months-old apples in the fridge, and decided they weren't worthy of anything other than the garbage. I peeled four parsnips (the cashier at Kroger's had said "What are these?") and three carrots.

Then I clogged the disposal with the peelings. Fortunately I'm a whiz at taking apart pipes and getting the crap out. Just call me Drāno®.

Where was I? Oh yeah, onions, parsnips, carrots. Since the baked acorn squash had butter and cinnamon in the cavity, I decided to give a north African flavor to my soup. I sauteed the vegetables I'd chopped, then added a cinnamon stick, a bit of cumin, and a pinch of curry. Before I added the broth, I dissolved some strands of saffron in it. Once the broth was in the pot, I scooped the flesh of the acorn squash into it.

But wait! A blended soup is so much creamier if you add potatoes! I quickly peeled some new potatoes and threw them in the mix. Ho! Look! There's another acorn squash! I nuked that (but first I cut it in half, scraped the seeds, and placed it upside down in a dish. Then I put some water in it. Then I microwaved it for five minutes, then for another two). After it had cooled a little, I scraped the flesh into the simmering mixture.

Now I'm just letting it all meld together on the stove. I sipped at the broth a minute ago. Yum. (I added salt when I sauteed the vegetables. By the way, I can't abide free-flowing table salt. I told you I was a food snob.)

Now it's time to create the accompaniment to the soup. I have a loaf of flat-ish bread and a wedge of manchego. I might use some tomatoes, and what the hell, some bacon, too. I have no idea what I'm about to create. And this disorganized, improvisational, laissez-faire attitude is why I don't have a food blog.

Update: I rock. The soup was delish, although more parsnippy than squashy. And the bacon and manchego melts were, um, quite tasty. The best part? We have leftovers.

Comments

[Allan]

Now I'm hungry.

[LittleMike]

We've been doing weekly menus lately (based on our weekly schedule). Two meals from two of our favorite cookbooks, then the rest of the meals, we start with staples (chicken, fish, beef, pork, pasta, etc). We then decide how to cook them, make a shopping list, shop and enjoy!

[Mist 1]

Sometimes, I wonder why I didn't make a food blog. Then I remember that I don't actually cook. Sometimes, I don't even eat. Maybe I should make a drinking blog. Oh, wait...I already did.

[The CEO]

For being so lazy, you need an encyclopedia to follow your recepies.

[barb]

hey send some over my way! I'm a terrible cook! But I do have a butternut squash on the table waiting to be used. maybe you just inspired me!

[ms. sizzle]

manchego & bacon melts!? yum!

can't talk- running to store...

[Margaret]

I never keep track of what I add, and don't cook a whole lot. It's difficult with our schedules and vegetarian daughter.

[misschrisc]

I lOve mAKiNg sOUP!

I agree about having a food blog. Too much work! Besides it would take away from the time spent reading food blogs--much more fun!

[Susan]

My food blog is just where I place my favorite recipes.

I have never tried parsnips, what do they taste like.

Allan's baked squash recipe I would like to have!

I made a butternut squash soup a few years back, it was delish!

[bothenook]

freeform cooking is the best way to go. i am like you, half way through a prep before realizing a blog entry would kick ass, but alas, to late to do anything about it.
sounds yummy.

[Jack]

There is nothing like a good bowl of soup. I love it.

[Denise]

I'm so jealous that you can so readily find manchego! I have to go to the Strip when I need it.

Hey, we're not completely backwards here. I'll be the first in line to buy my annual case of Beajolais Nouveau (my favorite) on Thursday! W00t! ;-)

[rachel]

Sounds quite yummy!

[Gracianne]

I love soup. You could have added the manchego rind to cook with the soup. You take it out before blending it. You can do that with parmesan rind as well, it gives an interesting taste to the soup.
I think I created a food blog for all the reasons above :)

[Stephanie Quilao]

I feel your pain. I just brought back to life my food blog http://www.noshtoia.com. I started it a year ago, and stopped after 2 months, to focus on my other blog about the Skinny jeans. I love food too but frankly, the food blog was alot of work to cook, write, find ideas etc.

Well, I got the Nikon in april and found that my fave thing to shoot is food. I love doing the close ups. So, I decided that it would be cool to combine my passions of food and photography and bring back Noshtopia. It's about snacking, munchies and nibbles, so I have an easier time buying snacks throw them in a pretty bowl or plate, take pics and tell stories. It's fun!

Your soup is making me hungry. I think I'll make that for din-din.