Hungry Times Two

Little did I know when I made dinner on Election Day that I'd be serving up comfort in a time when right now we're all scratching our heads and wondering what's next. I just thought I was being savvy making a batch of stew in a Crock-Pot, saving some time for a night when I worked a late shift. Of all my kitchen appliances, this Crock-Pot gets the least amount of skin in the game. I use it maybe 3 or 4 times per year. But when I saw this Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew in Cooking Light, I figured since I had most of the ingredients on hand, I should give it a shot.  Maybe my slow cooker is reaaaaaaally slow, but after six of the eight hour cooking time on the low setting, the carrots were still crisp. So I bumped the cooker up to "high" and two hours later, the carrots were mostly tender.  The night before I made roasted chicken, and I popped in three beets while the oven was on. With those beets I made a salad with greens and crumbles of pungent a...

Fall finally decided to show up here in Charlotte, NC this week. Hoodies and sweaters were pulled out of closets, socks and slippers donned for the first time in months, and denim could be worn comfortably. Oh denim. I've never understood people who wear jeans in Southern humidity. They're like sweaty straightjackets for your legs and torso. Skin was meant to breathe, y'all. So with a chill in the air, one must make certain adjustments in all areas of life, from the closet to the kitchen. Gin & tonics are replaced with red wine. We buy apples and dried fruit for cereal instead of berries. And I trade daily cold drinks of seltzer for my favorite comfort of the cooler seasons - tea. Scott & I share an affinity for tea, and we have our rituals. "Tea and Books and Bed" is a totally innocent affair that involves piling up with reading material and decaffeinated brews. You do have to watch Scott with tea - one drowsy moment can result in a messy spill, t...