Do I really hate to cook?
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
For years I've been telling people I hate to cook. Bake? Okay. Cook? No.
Well, that's not entirely true. For the past year or so, I've done a LOT of cooking. Most of it deals with soups, and make-ahead meals. But cook AT suppertime? No. Not. At. All. I don't like being rushed. That's kind of why Mr. L took over the cooking. He's not impatient like I am, and he doesn't mind being out in the kitchen cooking. (He makes the BEST meatloaf. I put his recipe in one of my Booktown Books and many readers have told me that's now the only way they make it.)
But, as I discovered last week, it turns out if I'm not rushed (like when baking), I actually enjoy the process of cooking a meal. I like assembling the ingredients. I like the measuring. I like the stirring. I like the tasting. If I've got an audiobook going on the kitchen CD player, I don't even mind cleaning up, either.
I made a batch of leek-and-potato soup for my Mom just this week. (It was featured in Booktown Mystery #3, Bookplate Special.) My brother and I go to the Rochester Public Market a lot and that's where I get my leeks. The recipe is easy.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves diced garlic
2 good sized potatoes (or about 1 pound)
2 good-sized leeks (or about 1 pound)
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup milk or light cream
Clean and chop white part of the leeks (I also toss in part of the green--for color). Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped leeks and garlic. Saute them over a low to medium heat until the leeks are soft (about ten minutes). Stir frequently; do not brown.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan except the milk/cream. Bring the soup to the boil and then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
If you prefer a smooth soup, mash the potatoes in the pan, or puree in a blender (I use an immersion mixer). Just before serving, pour the milk/cream into the soup; stir well and heat through. Serve with crusty bread and it's a meal!
Serves 4
I love my big Pyrex measuring cup. It makes it easy to take soup down the road to my Mom.
What are some of the dishes YOU like to make?
For years I've been telling people I hate to cook. Bake? Okay. Cook? No.
Well, that's not entirely true. For the past year or so, I've done a LOT of cooking. Most of it deals with soups, and make-ahead meals. But cook AT suppertime? No. Not. At. All. I don't like being rushed. That's kind of why Mr. L took over the cooking. He's not impatient like I am, and he doesn't mind being out in the kitchen cooking. (He makes the BEST meatloaf. I put his recipe in one of my Booktown Books and many readers have told me that's now the only way they make it.)
But, as I discovered last week, it turns out if I'm not rushed (like when baking), I actually enjoy the process of cooking a meal. I like assembling the ingredients. I like the measuring. I like the stirring. I like the tasting. If I've got an audiobook going on the kitchen CD player, I don't even mind cleaning up, either.
I made a batch of leek-and-potato soup for my Mom just this week. (It was featured in Booktown Mystery #3, Bookplate Special.) My brother and I go to the Rochester Public Market a lot and that's where I get my leeks. The recipe is easy.Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves diced garlic
2 good sized potatoes (or about 1 pound)
2 good-sized leeks (or about 1 pound)
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup milk or light cream
Clean and chop white part of the leeks (I also toss in part of the green--for color). Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the chopped leeks and garlic. Saute them over a low to medium heat until the leeks are soft (about ten minutes). Stir frequently; do not brown.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan except the milk/cream. Bring the soup to the boil and then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
If you prefer a smooth soup, mash the potatoes in the pan, or puree in a blender (I use an immersion mixer). Just before serving, pour the milk/cream into the soup; stir well and heat through. Serve with crusty bread and it's a meal!
Serves 4
I love my big Pyrex measuring cup. It makes it easy to take soup down the road to my Mom.
What are some of the dishes YOU like to make?
No comments have been added yet.
