I hope everyone was happy about the outcome of the Super Bowl. I’m happy that all the hype and media blitz is over for another year.
We had a touch of winter last month but there is a promise that spring is just around the corner, while on our walk we saw some daffodils and crocus sticking their heads out of the soil and getting ready to burst into bloom. I know thinking spring is close is wishful thinking, but one gets a bit of spring fever after all the gray weather.
Traveling Neighbors
Edy is off to Australia this time, hope she can deal with the heat and smoky atmosphere.
February Birthdays
Andrea celebrates her birthday this month.
Book club will be at Bev’s home, #310 on Feb. 10th. We will be chatting about Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Let Bev know if you’re coming or not. This book is proving to be a challenge for me. Maybe because it is outside my usual reading material?
Soup Du Jour
Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14 ½ oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, do not drain
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded skin removed
¼ C minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp lime juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Crushed tortilla chips
Shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
Directions
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; sauté onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chilies, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Stir in chicken.
- Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Top servings with chips and cheese.
- Freezer option:Before adding chips and cheese. Cool soup; freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary. Add chips and cheese before serving.
Recipe from Taste of Home
Serves 8
Tips Du Jour
Getting Every drop
When a rubber spatula is too large to use to scrape clingy bits of tomato sauce of paste from a empty jar or can; try this trick: Add a tablespoon of two of liquid to the contain, put the lid on the gar or swirl it in the can to wash the bottom and sides of the container, and then empty it into the pot. A bonus: Rinsing with a splash of wine or broth adds extra flavor.
Seeding Peppers
You will want to use this trick when you make the Tortilla soup.
Use a grapefruit spoon to scrape the seeds and veins of peppers. The spoon’s serrated edge pulls the veins from the inner core and walls and its rounded sides glide around the chile or bell pepper more easily than a knife.
New Toy
We have this new kitchen appliance in our house. It is called a June Smart Oven. It the best thing we have ever purchased for our kitchen. It is a toaster oven on steroids. Have you heard the man at the fair describing his kitchen hack? He says this thing “slices, dices and, wait, there is more.” June is like that, a one appliance wonder, it roasts, broils, toasts, bakes, dehydrates, slow cooks, air-fries, reheats and keeps warm. It is very smart; it recognizes food when you put it in the oven then cooks it to the right method and temperatures. It even tells you when it wants a bath.
One of its neatest tricks, it boils eggs without water, like magic, you put an egg in the oven and 14 minutes later a perfect “boiled egg”. It is so fun, you put what ever in the oven, then sit back and let it do its magic.
You can watch the progress of the item cooking on your iPhone or Android. If you would like to see it in action, give us a call and I will bake you off a Trader Joe’s croissant in minutes, from the freezer to finish in a flash., by the way they are delicious.
Take a look, www.juneoven.com
Restaurant Review
I had lunch at the new PCC grocery store in Ballard recently. Not only is the store beautiful it has a large deli area, you can get anything from Indian food, taco bar to prepared to order clams and mussels. A nice salad bar and prepared items i.e., mac and cheese or other items. It has a nice area to eat your lunch and, in the summer, there is a roof top area to enjoy the summer weather.
Located at 1451 NW 46th St, across the street from the Trader Joe’s complex.
206-538-0130
Hours 6 AM to 12 PM
Neighborhood News
Streetzeria will be celebrating its 6th anniversary on Tuesday, March 3rd. Greg Bye will be holding his annual benefit dinner. Proceeds will be donated to Richmond Beach Community Association. Minimum suggested donation is $10 per person per serving (cash or credit)
The Fire Safety Center next door to the restaurant will be open during the event so families with children can take their dinner over to the fire house to eat.
Dine in or carry out.
Party Time
Let’s join in the Streetzeria 6th anniversary celebration, we can order pizza’s, pick them up and bring them to the 3rd floor common room. I will make a salad, someone could make brownies or cookies and we could meet, have some great pizzas and enjoy the night. Contact Doris if your interested.
