Books and Soup and Lying Low
This has been a very cold winter by Toronto standards, with temperatures dipping into the −20° C range during January. There has also been a lot more snow than usual. Our big storm a couple of weeks ago dumped 55 centimetres over a 15-hour period. Even our dog Connor, who loves the winter weather, did not want to venture out. Unfortunately, February seems to be shaping up to bring us more of the same. For newcomers arriving from warmer climates, stepping out of the airport building must be truly shocking. The good news is it gets better – after February ... or maybe March? Here is how I weathered the storm.
Grateful that I didn’t need to go outside during the storm and the day after, I curled up with this great book: We Are Not Like Them, by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza – one that I certainly recommend. It is very relevant to what is going on today in terms of race relations in the United States and around the world. The authors of the novel approach the story of a young black man being shot and killed by a white police officer from the point of view of two best friends – one white and one black – who are intimately connected to the tragic situation. Brilliant!
My other cure for this brutal weather is to make lots of soups. My favorite soup is this one I found in an issue of Canadian Living magazine years ago. What I love about this soup is that it is so easy to make. It's done in the slow cooker so you can just throw in all the ingredients and go back to your book, and the ingredients are all things you would most likely have in your pantry. It also delivers a surprising WOW flavor. It is important to not leave out the peanut butter, although I usually reduce the amount.
The recipe calls for you to use an immersion blender to puree the soup at the end of the process. I personally recommend the Multiquick Hand Blender by Braun, which I have been using for years now and absolutely love! The long stick is perfect for reaching into deep pots without getting the handle messy, and the turbo power gets the job done quickly.
We can all benefit from a bit of hibernation from time to time. Whether you live in a cold or warm climate, you can take a lesson from the bear and lie low, relax, and recharge.
Your HomeStay Mom,
