Alrighty then. (Deep sigh.) Another night for soup, my friends, it's that special-kind-of-hell cold again. I'm doing my best to plumb the depths of warm, cozy, rib-stickin' recipes, what with the recent heat of chicken gumbo and shrimp curry (both quick, weeknight, healthy dishes), and the long-baked (kitchen warming!) Gallic drama of cheese souffle and pissaladiere (savory French tart) to lift my spirits.

But tonight, I'm going back to the basics, my friends, plain ol' (steaming hot!) soup. Simple, comforting avgolemono (Greek egg-lemon soup), in fact, on the table in thirty and just so unbelievably yummy. Warming and filling, yet light. Delicious with grilled pita, perhaps a Greek salad. Basically, that perfect winter food that takes your mind away to a warmer spot while warming one's oh-so-stuck-here body. I don't know about you, but that's exactly what I need. Practical Fantasizing. Soooo Minnesotan, yah. And, as such, rather moderate to boot! You betcha, baby!

(And before you leave, pause to bask in the sunshine Maud drew in Facebook and kindly shone around a few days ago - thanks Maud! It's so cheerful it almost makes me forgive her for kicking my butt up, down, and all around in Facebook Scrabulous!)

Okay. It's over. Not just 2007, but the parties, cocktails, appetizers, rich meals, excess good cheer - over! Enter ye moderation (in fact, a little deprivation wouldn't hurt at this point) and reside in thee for a spell. Please? At least until my birthday this weekend...

Hey, there's nothing wrong with risotto, cream puffs, chocolate mousse, prime rib, mashed potatoes, lobster, champagne, or caviar - a sip and a taste of something lovely can always fit into a healthy diet - it's just the all-in-the-same-week aspect that is a bit, uh, immoderate. Heck, often all in the same day! Egads but it's been a very Merry Christmas. Whew.

And so. It's a New Year and time for a slice of...cold, hard reality. Or at least a plate of pretty salad greens alongside a nice piece of fish. Or a bowl of brothy soup. A mug of hot tea. A lovely ripe pear. A handful of raw almonds. My go-to restorative, depuffing foods. In fact, several such meals in a row, followed by several long, brisk walks, and I'll be feeling like myself again in no time.

Right?

Unctuous. Isn't that a fabulous word? Chef Judy Rodgers uses it in her gorgeous The Zuni Cafe cookbook, specifically in her recipe for Chard & Onion Panade with Fontina, which I made today. And oh, unctuous it is... smooth, creamy, and rich. Almost deadly, in fact - it is so good, and so rich and substantial, I could imagine actually hurting myself with this thing, this panade. Good thing I'm a moderate epicurean (wink).

So, a panade, what is it, other than unctuous and substantial? Imagine a cross between a silky, savory, crusty bread pudding and the best gratineed French onion soup you've ever had and you'll be starting to get the picture. Alongside a roast, it would stand in as a moist, decadent stuffing. On its own, it would replace a risotto or pasta. Oh dear, I feel an obsession coming on...

And this isn't all I made today! I also simmered a simple soup, thinking Nathan wouldn't dig panade (I was quite wrong, it turns out). Chicken broth, little bacon, onions and garlic (in a bouquet garni, Nathan's not a huge fan of lots of chopped onions in soup), herbs, and chicken, with a touch of cream to finish. And quickly sauteed bits of asparagus and a drizzle of truffle oil for John and me. With a generous grinding of black pepper, it was absolutely delicious.

Way to put this snowy day to good use, eh? I'm sitting in front of a big, roaring fire as I type this, pleasantly full of soup and (mostly) panade, while John reads next to me... Nice. I'm thinking our soft bed (with clean sheets, yay!) is going to feel more-than-good when I slide in. Ahhhhh... (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

Man, I had The Best, most kicked-back, lazy-ass, do-nothing day yesterday, and it was awesome. A no-guilt, slug-city existence, I read a whole book (The Virgin of Small Plains, marginal but entertaining), watched two movies (Higher Learning and the hilarious There's Something About Mary), wore my jammies all day, drank a huge pot of coffee, cooked nothing yet ate like a king (leftovers, baby!)... I basically checked out for an entire day. That does not get to happen very often, if ever, so I really relished it - I oohed, ahhed, giggled, talked to myself, swore, sang, danced, licked my plate, giggled some more. Thanksgiving indeed, oh yeah. Lovely!

But today, I'm over it, itching to get things done. A long, brisk walk, laundry, I already gave the kitchen a good scrub down. I'm also back on for healthier eating, I basically look and feel like a puffy puff puffball - bye bye grains and gravy, hello fruits, veggies, and filtered water. Perhaps I'll simmer up a cozy, healthy soup for dinner tonight, that sure sounds nice. (Not turkey soup, however, I actually quite dislike turkey soup.)

Welcome back, Moderation, I missed ye...

Snow Day! Woo hoo! No school, so Nathan's home with his dad (playing outside, I'm quite sure) and John's working here at home. My plan is to snowshoe - of course! - then head out with John for a La La Lucia's Lunch. How fabulous!

It feels like a baking day, although I admit I won't achieve it. But what a nice day to bake foccacia or challah, huh? I love the idea of sitting in front of the fire with a book while waiting for the dough to rise. And to smell baking bread mingled with woodsmoke? Heavenly! Freshly-baked bread with a steaming bowl of garlicky cabbage soup, sprinkled generously with melty gruyere, yeeeaah. Or even a quick version of simple tomato-garlic soup or black bean soup. Wow, any of those sound damn good. (Bonus: toasted challah, or French-toasted challah, The Kill, for breakfast tomorrow... Or warm foccacia sandwiches for lunch...) Have a cozy day!

Hey, me again, just have to report on our romantic Lucia's luncheon feast, groan. We each opened with plenty of fresh, warm bread and perfect French salads. Then tucked in to hearty walleye gratins - pieces of tender walleye and diced potatoes napped in a decadent sauce and run under the broiler until crispy and browned. To finish? The best damned piece of truly evil devil's food cake I've had in years - check out the guilty resignation on John's face as he's forced to dig in, ha. And then...yes, there's more...we stepped next door to grab some items from Lucia's To-Go. Uh, yeah, that should do us for the day. Enjoy yours!