Restarting for Fall

I haven't felt much like cooking or blogging the past month or so. It was too hot to cook much and I was really eating just a lot of salads and grilled stuff. Nothing to write home about.

Now that the weather is getting cooler, I'm thinking about cooking again.

Went to one of the newer "ethnic" markets on Main St yesterday just to see what it was about. It was ok. I prefer Price Rite or Food World for bargain produce. Both are brighter inside and easier to shop. But it wasn't an unpleasant shopping experience. I also think Price Rite has better pricing.  No matter, I bought an avocado for $1.50 (good price) and paid 99 cent/lb for a gorgeous tomato. Plus pints of grape tomatoes for 2/$3.  All very good prices.  They had a bundle of fresh thyme for 99 cents (GREAT!) and italian parsley was only 69 cents a bunch. The dill was also very reasonable but they were out of it. Bummer. I love fresh dill.  The big steal was a package of shitake mushrooms, a nice bunch, for $1. And 2 nice sized portobellos, also about a dollar. It was cold and rainy yesterday while i was shopping, so my mind went immediately to thoughts of mushroom soup!  I bought a big bunch of celery, too. 

Then I went to Big Y. Had a funny experience with the butcher counter.

I asked for a Chuck Blade Roast.  They usually sell it as either blade steaks, cut across, or they filet the tendon out of it and sell is as "Flat Iron" steak.  Either way, it's a delicious cut of meat and it makes a WONDERFUL pot roast, better than brisket.  And I like it for company because you can slice it, rather than most chuck roasts, which you typically just "pull" or chunk. (Equally delicious... but the blade makes a nicer presentation).  Anyway, I asked for the blade roast and the butcher says "I can get you one, but it's not good meat. You won't like it".  I stared at him, speechless. "Huh?" He again tells me it's not good as a roast. He tells me it's very tough and full of gristle.  And I responded "Ahh... you have to know how to cook it. It's actually the best meat there is for pot roast, it cooks up tender, sweet and delicious if you do it right!"  He continued to argue with me, trying to talk me out of this piece of meat.  Well, as it turned out, it was too expensive. I don't really need it until next Saturday, anyway. So I told him I'd be back on Saturday for it.   But I am kinda turned off by the butcher trying to talk me out of it. I mean, I know they take customer service seriously there and I know he was trying to avoid me being disappointed. But what kind of butcher doesn't know that chuck blade makes outstanding pot roast???  Anyway, Stop and Shop has the blade steaks $3.49/lb this week. I know I can ask for a roast there, so I'll go in on Wednesday and ask for one.  It will be fantastic for Rosh Hashanah.

Tonight, I'm cooking for the week.  

First up, that pot of mushroom soup!

I cut up the 3 kinds of mushrooms, a big onion, diced, 3 ribs of celery diced and sliced up 2 big carrots.

In a 4 quart soup pot, I added a tablespoon of oil and began to brown the onion. Then added the celery and carrots and let it cook down. I added the mushrooms,  salt, pepper and a teaspoon of hungarian paprika and let it cook down.  I added a few sprigs of fresh thyme (removed from the stems) and some chopped parsley. Plus some dried dill (half a teaspoon or so).  I added 1 envelope of onion soup mix (yeah, I know..... i cheated!), a cup and a half of pearled barley (it was the end of the package) and a half cup of whole dried peas (again, what was left in the bag).  I then added a couple quarts of water, to fill the pot.  It smells wonderful.  Brought to a boil and turned down to a simmer. It will  need to cook 2 hours or so, I think.  Soup sort of cooks itself.  

I love homemade soup and it's so inexpensive to make. I can make an entire pot of soup to eat for a week for the price of a can of Chunky Campbell's! And I control the sodium and the fat. I'm big on homemade soups. (even if I start from a powdered broth or canned stock, it's still economical and healthier than canned). 

For supper, I've got some mushrooms and onions I didn't use in the soup, so I will probably cook them with some chicken breasts. I will make some brown rice with it and I've got butternut squash that I cut up.  I love butternut squash.  I also have some fresh spinach. Steamed with garlic will be the way to go there.  Will probably cook the chicken in a skillet with the onions and mushrooms, some garlic and deglaze with some marsala wine.   Haven't made that in ages. 

I leave for my cruise a week from tomorrow, so my cooking this week will be to use up what's here. I don't want to leave leftovers since I won't be home for 9 days.