Soup Monday (Except it's Wednesday)

A lot of bloggers have been participating in my mom's Soup Sundays exercise.  I'm not exactly prepared yet for real cooking here in my little cabin (and I *do* miss it!!), but I fell into joining the fray - quite by accident - on Monday night.  

Because of a whacky work week schedule, we were staffed a little differently on Monday and so there was a bit of a "better than your average Monday" mood goin' around (a good thing!).  Three of "the girls" were asking more about my little life here at The Fork (the temporary name for this cabin until something better comes along - although maybe it should be The Shrimp Fork 'cause it's so small!) and, in particular, what I eat . . . since I don't have anything but the woodstove to work with right now.  I was trying to explain to them that any variety of things could be cooked on it, but they just weren't buying it.  And, since I don't eat (much) meat, what *do* I cook?

A potential emergency (gas leak - all was well) found us rapidly evacuating the building and closing 45 minutes early that night, so I had some time before I had to pick Tucker up at my folks'.  Even though it was COLD (we hadn't even seen anywhere NEAR zero that day - WHAT a time for the boiler to go out at work!), I took the opportunity (both the extra time and the incentive to SHOW my coworkers what could be done) and went grocery shopping*.

The easiest, and most obvious (to me) thing to make on a woodstove is soup.  Plus, it being frigid out (temps in the minus teens), it sounded GOOD.  At the co-op (organic), I picked up beef broth, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, a red onion and a wedge of fresh Parmesan.  Once chores were done and I was snuggled in, the fire built up, I began . . . by ha - first finding a big pot!  Fortunately, there was one "stored" on (of course?!) the front passenger seat of my car and the lid had already found its way up here.

I sauteed the onions in butter and added the broccoli.  Next went in the carrots, potatoes, and broth.  From the larder, minimally stocked as it is, came hominy and seitan (mock duck).  Then, the lid went on and the soup began to simmer away.  

Fast forward through some dish washing and kitchen clean-up (and a glass or two of Montepulciano) and you get . . . this!  (Oh, and grate some of that wonderful, fresh Parmesan on top right before serving.)

* Grocery shopping.  Since I've been living a good distance out of town for several years - most of those being a traditional homemaker (often not leaving the 'stead for days at a time), I'm used to shopping in bulk.  Now, due to my limited storage capabilities, I'm actually looking forward to the challenge (?) of shopping as they do in Europe . . . which means stopping at the grocer every day or so for the fresh ingredients needed for meals.  It will be a fun task, I think!

And, with that, I'm 2 minutes late prepping for my day of (ugh) work.  But, tomorrow's a day off for me, so yayy!