SoupSpoon

a fresh new year and a bowl of soup

About to post for the last time in 2008, and I am thinking about how full this year has been for us.
Full of change.

Changes in jobs, returning to school, a minor surgery, saying goodbye, moving, and finding myself challenged with the drive to live with wild purpose have each torn my heart open.

I find myself much more weepy lately. A verse, a page in a book, an old home movie, a fading photograph: my throat gets tight. Not so much out of sadness, sometimes it is sadness, but more so with the tenderness of an eager heart. I was writing to a friend a few weeks back and right there onto the page I wrote how I felt, and then realized that "Yes, that is exactly how I feel." Funny how that happens. I told her that it feels like my heart is soft and raw. Though that might be a bad thing to some people, what I am learning is that I think it is the healthiest I have ever been.

When my heart is raw, I feel God more. In the raw openness of (wounds) and emotions the purification of Salt is more noticeable. It stings. Truth and conviction make their messy impression much more quickly when my heart is already open, (sometimes bleeding), and raw.

Though I sometimes check myself when yet another batch of tears surface, I always seem to find myself grateful to be touched, grateful to feel something, grateful for the joy that comes from tears.

I look back at 2008, with a heart that has been opened, even though the opening hurt.

I look ahead at 2009, with a heart that longs to love, even though loving may hurt.

Healing comes in many sizes: a walk, a long conversation, expression, and usually a warm bowl of soup. A few weeks ago we came across this healing recipe, and added it to our list. Egg lemon soup with a garlic broth seemed the perfect remedy for the chill of winter. I followed the recipe and the soup came out completely delicious, but I do have a few suggestions. We wished it had more broth, and we also thought the lemon dominated the garlic. Perhaps next time, and yes there will be a next time, we will double the quantity of broth and bump up the quantity of garlic. (I have posted the original recipe without my updated quantities.) I wish I had made twice the quantity of broth so that I could add a few extra cups to thin the soup out a it. It was lovely as is, but just a bit thick.

I am excited for 2009. Yes, excited is a good word for it. We do not make resolutions, but we do make goals with plans, and I feel open, raw, and ready.

Here is to a good New Year, however it happens.

Egg Lemon Soup
Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman from the New York Times

2 quarts garlic broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup lemon juice (to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
optional: a good size broccoli crown, broken into small florets and steamed for 5 minutes

1. Bring the garlic broth to a simmer and season as desired with salt and pepper. Add the rice and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and beat in the lemon juice. (Make sure the eggs are well beaten. Try not to end up with scrambled eggs in your soup.)

3. Distribute the optional broccoli among 4 soup bowls. (Slowly drizzle) about 1/2 cup of the hot broth into the lemon/egg mixture and whisk together (Constantly and quickly) as you drizzle in the broth. (This should be a thick velvety combination). Making sure that the soup is not boiling, stir the egg mixture back into the soup and turn off the heat. Stir for a minute or two, taste and adjust seasonings. Add the parsley, and serve.

Yield: Serves 4

Advance preparation: The garlic broth will keep for a day in the refrigerator and can be frozen.

Daring Baker #8

Holy Challenge.

This months Daring Baker could quite possibly be the definition of a baking challenge. When the challenge starts with a disclaimer about the number of pages (pages) in the recipe, one can only take a deep breath and begin. Eighteen pages later I found myself at the end of the recipe and a little blurry eyed.

This month's challenge is brought to us by the adventurous Hilda from Saffron and Blueberry and Marion from Il en Faut Peu Pour Etre Heureux. They have chosen a French Yule Log by Flore from Florilege Gourmand.

Month after month I am faced with a recipe that I would typically never try were it not for Daring Bakers, and I love being a part of this Daring world wide voice.

This month is no exception, but I must be honest with you. I look at an eighteen page recipe with very similar exhaustion as you probably do. I want to be certain that you do not start thinking that I casually confront this sort of challenge with a turn of my wrist and a yawn. Oh no. There are days of planning, scheduling, and many pep talks, and still after all of that; I sometimes wonder why the heck am I doing this again?!?

But, all in all, the challenge proves worth it. (that's a good thing.)

This Yule Log had six components that were each individually fantastic. The Dacquoise Biscuit, Mousse, Ganache Insert, Praline (Crisp) Insert, Creme Brulee Insert, and Icing could be used as fabulous recipes each on their own. Though the recipe from Daring Baker gave us some flexibility with flavoring, I followed the basic recommended chocolate variations. (And yes, I did in fact use Rice Krispies, and am now wondering how in the world to use the rest of the box.)

After each month I like to assess whether or not I would ever make the recipe again. This recipe I might consider making again, but I might rather have you make it.

Either way, it was a challenge well spent.

For the whole whopping recipe click here.

a quiet revolution

Usually Christmas comes to me first through the eyes with glitter and lights, through the hands that give and receive, and through the flour dusted counter tops that lead a trail to the oven that is always warm.

But this year Christmas came first through my heart.

Silence, songs, and faith in this quiet revolution; this has been my Christmas.

This Christmas I am reminded of the heart I long to have; the heart to accept my purpose, as absurd or revolutionary as it may seem. May I have the peace to rejoice in the revolution the way that Mary did. 

May I have the humility to accept with a contrite, broken, humble heart the wholeness that is Christmas.

The beauty in this simplicity reminds me of the humility that marks the most significant acts in history. Out of conviction in something grander than one's self, the greatest figures of our time have laid down their pride and stood on mountains, stages, and sidelines to follow the unclear path that is lit by a Lonely Star. Nothing in and of myself is big enough to die for, but something better, bigger, certainly is.

Christmas gifts are much richer when the heart that gives them is star struck by the sacrifice of Christmas. I pray that my heart gives and receives this way all year.

In this spirit of giving, while listening to Over The Rhine's Christmas album called Darkest Night of the Year I made a batch of Viennese Crescent cookies from a lovely blog called Cucina Nicolina. I recommend the blog, the cookies, and the somewhat jolly melancholy album. (Also, click on the link to Over the Rhine's website just to see how beautiful it is. I grew up on this band from my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, and think that you will all fall in love with them too.)

The crescent cookies are lovely, elegant, and perfectly simple. After the slow baking, the butter and almonds take on a browned rich flavor balanced perfectly with the dusting of sugar.

My heart rejoices this Christmas. I am beginning to enjoy the true depth.

I hope that wherever your heart is this season, you feel renewed Faith.
Merry Christmas.

p.s. you might want to get started

Pssst. Just as a reminder, it is time to get a Whiskey Cake in your refrigerator. Remember? Last year? The Temptress? Well, I just wanted to send you a cheered reminder. Click here for the recipe.

mom's banana bread

I am the youngest of four children (four plus a few more that we claimed as family).  Not only am I the youngest, but I am the youngest by a lot. Therefore, many of my formative years were spent enjoying one-on-one  time with my folks, and desperately missing my siblings. My middle sister would call frequently, this is when phones had cords, and I would tangle myself all up in it while we talked. Most commonly, especially in the winter, she called with this desperate sounding voice needing mom's banana bread recipe. A warm slice would be the only thing that could get her through exams. From the sound of it, I thought this was very important business. Like any admiring younger sister would do, I responded. Quickly.

Shuffling through the sticky stained recipe cards, and reading it off line by line became nearly routine. She never wrote it in a permanent place, and I convinced myself that was because she would rather hear it from me anyways. (Admiring younger siblings typically inflate their own importance.)

But now, as adults, it is high time the recipe is recorded in a highly visible place, because truly this is the best banana bread recipe one will ever find. Completely moist and rich with flavor, there is nothing quite like a warm slice with butter melting into the tiny nooks. (It is completely okay to lick the plate.) I know that you too probably have an heirloom banana bread recipe, and I would be happy to hear about it. I might even make it, but know up front, that it is up against steep competition.

I have eaten many slices of this banana bread for breakfast, snack, and everything in between. The loaves freeze beautifully too, so go ahead and make a batch.

It just feels more like home with a slice of this on your plate.

Mom's Banana Bread makes 4 mini loaf pans or 2, 9 inch loaf pans
I love to make the mini loaf pans and give them as gifts, but the large loaf pans are perfect to keep for yourself.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6 bananas)
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (if you use plain yogurt, add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to batter)
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease pans and set aside
2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat. Mix in bananas and yogurt. Combine until smooth
3. Fold in dry ingredients until completely combined but do not over mix (be gentle or the loaf will be tough)
4. Pour batter evenly among the loaf pans. (If you are making mini loaves, I find it easier to set the loaf pans on a baking sheet pan and then put them in the oven)
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes for mini loaves, and 60-70 minutes for 9 inch loaves. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Slice, slather with butter, and share