Moving, Resting and Finding Lost Recipes

It's been a dizzying yet wonderful weekend and I am smiling but oh so ready for a nap. :-)

 

Thanks to the hustle of my lovely rellies - parents, aunt and uncle - I am officially out of the old apartment and into the new. :-) It felt so good to close the door for the last time, content with happy memories and hope for healing and renewal.

 

Saturday dawned brilliantly sunny and gorgeous, and my aunt and uncle treated us all to breakfast at The Rusty Wagon. :-) Doesn't that just sound like the perfect place for scrambled eggs, sizzling bacon and pancakes drenched in syrup? :-)

 

Thus fortified we drove into town to track down the necessities I needed for my new place. Things like a broom, potato peeler, toilet paper and pepper. We had such fun scouring our favorite best deal places and finding nearly everything on the list. Hooray! :-)

 

By early afternoon we were ravenous, so I treated my fabulous helpers to coffee and goodies at the local Dutch bakery. There's something so splendid about sitting down in a bustling bakery, drinking coffee out of sturdy chipped mugs, visiting amiably whilst nibbling on Nanaimo Bars, Latte Mocha Bars and chewy Mocha-filled Florentines dipped in dark chocolate.

I arrived home in time to bask in the setting sun streaming through the trees in my back yard. I still can't believe I get to live here. :-) I feel like I'm on vacation in a cabin somewhere. I can't stop looking out my windows at the gigantic cedars and tangled blackberry vines, across the creek to the trees covered in moss and bright green buds. When I open my windows I hear the sighing of the wind in the branches and the cheerful gurgle of the creek. There are some darling black squirrels that frolic about, their feathery charcoal tails twitching nervously as they nibble on various treasures. I love it here. :-)

After all my rellies departed, I got down to business, hauling boxes, sorting, arranging, organizing, until I collapsed into bed sometime after 11 p.m. As usual, I overdid it, and Sunday morning I was hobbling about like an old woman. :-) I decided then and there that I was taking a holiday, so I did. :-)

It was a glorious Sunday, stormy, rainy, blustery and cold, perfect for resting achy bodies and disappearing into good books and movies. As the storm raged I read "Mossflower" by Brian Jacques and "A Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson, sipped Vanilla Caramel tea and nibbled Thin Mints, frozen York mint patties and a German Chocolate cookie. :-) It was wonderful. :-)

I also found the cookbook I was looking for, so I can finally share a picture AND the recipe for the Chickpea Stew with Kale, Tomatoes and Green Chilies I mentioned on Friday. :-)

 It was a good weekend. :-)

Chickpea Stew with Kale, Tomatoes and Green Chilies

 (Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped

3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15 oz cans, rinsed

6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Salt

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 can roasted, mild green chilies, chopped

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 small dried red chili

4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced or 1-2 cans diced tomatoes

1 Preserved lemon, skin only, diced into 1/4 inch pieces (I didn't have this, so I didn't use it)

 

Directions:

1. Boil or steam greens until wilted, then chop coarsely and set aside.
2. Cover chickpeas with cold water and gently rub between hands to loosen skins. Tip bowl so skins flow off. Drain.
3. Pound garlic in a mortar with 1/2 tsp salt until smooth, or mince with knife. Add dried spices, 1 tsp oil and 2 Tbsp each of cilantro and parsley. Pound until rough paste is formed. (I threw the whole lot in food processor and blended until smooth.)
4. Heat remaining oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, chilies, thyme and dried chili. Cook for 7 minutes then stir in garlic paste, chickpeas and 1/2 cup water or broth.
5. When onion is soft, add tomatoes, greens, 1/2 tsp salt and another 1/2 cup broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lemon and serve.