Potatoes in the Mist

So...the Ruth Reichl pumpkin pancakes weren't very good. Not sweet enough. But I made pumpkin pancakes from a Jeanne Lemlin cookbook...much better.

Now I'm reading My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichl. I've always enjoyed her books - Comfort Me With Apples, Tender at the Bone, Delicious. I can't relate to this one entirely, because she is grieving her job at Gourmet (an alien concept to me - I've never had a job I've missed). But it's full of appealing recipes. I got the ingredients for her pumpkin pancakes. I like the Trader Joe's pumpkin pancake mix, but it disappeared off the shelves early this year. Her recipe looks like a good substitute (but rich, with a stick of butter and four eggs). She says you can make it with half a stick, but it won't taste as good.

I just finished The Comfort Food Diaries by Emily Nunn. I really enjoyed it. I might even try a few of the recipes.

I was having trouble getting to sleep, so I finished up The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. I thought it might be too sentimental, based on the title, but it was lovely. I also read a string of good Alice Hoffman books lately: The Rules of Magic, The Marriage of Opposites, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, Faithful, The Dovekeepers.

About halfway through The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman. Really enjoying it. It's about Camille Pissaro's mother (although he is also a character in the story). They're living in Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas.

I just finished The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman. She is hit or miss for me, but I liked this one. I like the idea of being a witch.

Sometimes I get nostalgic about clothes. I miss a gray wool sweater from college and a purple velour dress, also from college.

The new Ladies' Detective Agency book is out today :)

I just finished Tom Perrotta's frankly rather icky book, Mrs. Fletcher. The subject matter was a little...but his voice is always readable and engaging.

Sometimes I wake up way too early for no reason.

There is something soothingly mindless about Pinterest, a respite from one's problems. I saw a pin for crock pot cheesy potato soup. I couldn't decide if it was disgusting or good (a cup of milk, half a cup of heavy cream, a pound of Velveeta). I'm leaning toward disgusting. But I saved it anyway.

I tried a bath bomb for the first time. It was rainbow sherbet, and I was a little surprised when it turned the bath orange! But it smelled nice, and felt relaxing. The other one I got is birthday cake.

There are so many minestrone recipes out there. My favorite is from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood cookbook (the first cookbook I used when I was learning to cook, after college).  I was drinking a glass of Cupcake Malbec while I made it, and I added a tablespoon to the soup. It never hurts a tomato-based sauce.

There is something oddly satisfying about Pinterest this time of year. They dive headfirst into the whole pumpkin spice thing. The cooking continues...I made a caramelized onion tart yesterday and now there's a tomato soup cooking in the slow cooker. You add cream at the end.

Every summer I take a break from cooking - aside from my baked ziti, which everyone loves, and basics like baked potatoes and grilled cheese. Then in the autumn, like clockwork, the desire to cook comes back. Tonight I made what Eric calls "the bean dish" - pinto beans mixed with white rice, chili powder, and salt, then layered with sour cream and Mexican cheese in my red Le Creuset. It always tastes so good, and it's nice to make something with your hands.

My new apartment (well, I've been here almost 2 years) has a lot of Rear Window moments. It is situated so I have a direct view of other people's terraces. I've seen a guy showering, etc. (Just his back and shoulders). Right now I have terrace envy, because one neighbor enclosed their terrace and they have blinds (partially lowered) and soft, warm table lamps. Yet, I don't really want a terrace because I would be nervous about my kids being on it.

I'm making my first soup in a while...broccoli, potato and cheese soup from one of my slow cooker cookbooks. You brown some onion in butter, then combine it with water and quartered potato, and let it all cook on low for 6 hours. You add some chopped broccoli near the end. Then you serve it with grated sharp cheddar, and cream if you want (I usually skip that).

I finished Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand. I loved it. It's the last book in this trilogy, but she's planning to write another trilogy, set on St. John USVI. It'll be strange to read something she's written that's not set on Nantucket (although she does venture into New York sometimes).

There’s a new Elin Hilderbrand novel out today - Winter Solstice. Always a good way to start the day.

So saddened by the senseless massacre in Vegas. Gun control is our biggest problem as a country (along with Trump).