tap tap tap…………..is this thing on?

Everywhere I go on the web, people seem to be asking – is anyone out there? Seems like we’ve just gotten the “how-to-let-people-comment-on-your-blog” thing figured out and suddenly – no one there to comment. As I described to someone else, people not commenting in some fashion leaves you with the tree falling in the forest conundrum, aka, what’s the point. I think of web pages as a sort of performance art – without an audience it isn’t quite the same. So come on people – you’ve come here for content, I delivered and the least you can do is comment. Same goes for other web pages you frequent. Send a little email, sign the guest book, or use the comment links!

Tomato Soup recipe Makes about 3-4 quarts.

I got asked for this recipe by the gang at work, so here it is! For those of you, ahem, who don’t like mushrooms feel free to omit them!

1 medium onion , two cloves garlic, 2 stalks celery chopped fine. (I did this in my food processor)

Saute these in a small amount of vegetable oil until onion starts to soften. Add 4-6 large mushrooms also chopped fine (see note)

Add 3 cans of whole tomatoes, chopped or processed in food processor. I try not to process these down to puree, but you don’t want too many chunks of tomatoes. Of course, I do like some chunks, so process one can less than the others.

Add some broth or bouillon. I used: “Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base” by Superior Touch. The instructions say to mix about 1.5 Tablespoon in a quart of boiling water. It’s a paste and is pretty ok as far as ingredients go. I started with a quart of bouillon – enough to keep the soup from resembling marinara sauce!

Seasonings? A generous tablespoon of parsley, a bay leaf, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

Simmer awhile and serve with a good bread. I serve by putting pasta and some parmesan cheese grated into a bowl and pouring the hot soup over it. Keeps well and freezes well. Don’t store with the pasta in the soup. It aborbs all the liquid. Add more broth if needed to keep soupy. Oh, the note — next time I make this I’ll probably slice the mushrooms more uniformly and saute them separately, adding them after the soup has simmered awhile. If you like your tomato soup creamier in texture, put through a food mill or blender until smooth.

Just a note on the Better Than Bouillon I found this and a few other links to it online. Apparently it’s sold on QVC. Well, I found it in my local Hannaford store for $3.29, instead of $4-5 a jar! Seems like a lot of people out there are using this stuff.

Got about half the remaining columns sewn together while waiting for Elvis to skate. Geesh, what a bod.

Productive day at home. Have three quarters of the columns sewn together on the new quilt. Looking good. Had some mighty fine homemade tomato soup for lunch and equally yummy dinner. Watched the skating tonight and that would have been ever so much better if they would provide a way to mute the commentators.

My other big accomplishment of the day was renewing my car registration via the web and then changing my mind and correcting it by phone. Hats off to — who’dathunkit? — NYS DMV — for a great web site process AND for the best phone service I’ve had in awhile from a government agency. I complimented the young man who handled my request both on the process and the ever so fine “hold music” – not too peppy, rather soothing, instrumental. A-OK. Stay tuned here for future updates on my decision.

Just re-polished my nails so I’m waiting for them to dry so I can go hang up my last hunk of squares to look at. Then off to bed and tomorrow, back to work in the land of mall wackies.

OK, speaking of back to work. The phone rang this morning and it was someone who barely identified themselves, but I remembered the name of the employment agency from a job fair. She was looking for a “K-Oh-na engineer.” OK, yes, I messed with her and asked her a few times – what sort of engineer? AH! – Kana. But in Chicago? no thank you. And ahem, just because I USED kana in my Williamstown experience (muttering loudly all the time) doesn’t qualify me as an engineer! LOL.

Congratulations to the folks over at WAMC our local public radio station, on the opening of their Performing Arts Center. Housed in a wonderful old bank building, it’s a great addition to the local concert and performance venues. I know that it will also make a great addition to what they make available on the air.