Saturday and Sunday in the Snow

I woke up around the usual time on Saturday. I putzed around, drinking coffee and watching it snow. Then I shaved, showered and got dressed. I left just after 9:00 a.m. to get my haircut.

There was about two inches of snow on the ground (it was difficult to get a read on exactly how much snow as the winds were blowing it all around). The roads had not been touched by snow plows or salt (I assumed they are concentrating on the freeway first) so driving was tricking and the ABS brakes saved my ass more than once.

I got my haircut and gave my barber a Holiday tip, wishing her a Merry Christmas. Then I went to Kroger’s. I got everything on my list, plus everything I needed for Christmas cookie baking. I have not heard from Tracey since I visited her in the hospital (I don’t even have her new address to send a Christmas card) but she mentioned then that her and Steph might be stopping by to bake cookies. So, I thought I should be prepared, on the odd chance they do. You never know with biker babes!

I checked out the butcher counter cooler (I always do) and saw some beautiful lamb chops (seriously). So, I bought two for my Sunday supper. Slipping and sliding, I got the cart out to the car (they hadn’t plowed or salted the Kroger parking lot then).

It was snowing like hell, with no signs of stopping. So I decided to treat myself and stopped at Leda’s Coney Island and got my usual weekend breakfast: homemade corned beef hash, two eggs over-easy, rye toast and coffee. Damn, that was good!

Back on the roads, nothing was still plowed or salted (20 mph was the top speed). So, I skipped Costco and GFS (they were on the list, but not that critical). I finally got home about 11:30 a.m.

I unpacked everything after treating the cats. I changed clothes and stripped the bed. But this time I immediately remade it, using my flannel sheets. Normally, flannel sheets are too “hot” for me, but it’s been too cold for too long…

Then I decorated the inside of the house for Christmas. I couldn’t find my nesting crib set or the branch lights I bought last year for the now-dead bay leaf tree. I remember thinking I’d put them somewhere safe and accessible but I’ll be damned if I can remember where that was! Getting old is a b*tch!

But, I managed without them to make the house festive.

By 3:00 p.m., I had about five inches of snow in the state park grill. But, as I said, the wind was tricky. There was less than an inch of snow on the roof, and as you can see in the photos below, some of the shed roof is actually clear.

Good Thing I Filled the Feeder!

I took a moment to run the car out to the road and back several times. I don’t have a snow plow contract this year. My neighbor usually does this, but his driveway hasn’t been plowed, so I think they are out of town. I packed it down enough so I am sure I can get out come Monday morning.

I decided that, when the going gets tough, the tough make soup! So, I made some soup. If you remember, I was impressed with the Time Out potato soup with bacon. So, I searched the web and found a Wolfgang Puck recipe that seemed close (it had sharp cheddar cheese and the Time Out didn’t). But, I like cheese…

I started prepping the veggies by peeling a carrot and then dicing it. Next I cut a large yellow onion into medium dice. Then, I chopped up a leek (the recipe called for two small ones, but they didn’t have small leeks at Kroger’s). Finally, I minced a big clove of garlic. Note: the recipe just calls for a “clove of garlic” but I like garlic and went with a big one. I also peeled three pounds of Idaho potatoes and cut them into 1/2 –inch cubes,

I sliced a 1/4 pound of thick cut bacon into half-inch lardons. Then I fried them in my Dutch oven. I pulled them out and kept about a tablespoon of the grease. I added a 1/4 cup of butter to the pot and threw in the leeks, onion, carrot and garlic. I cooked those for about five minutes.

Then I worked in a 1/2 cup of AP flour. I let that cook a while and then slowly stirred in 6 cups of chicken stock. I added in the potatoes and brought it to a boil. I cooked it about 15 minutes or so until the potatoes were tender.

I put about a pound of shredded sharp cheddar cheese in a bowl and stirred in some of the soup broth. Then I added it back to the soup. Finally, I added the bacon back in and a cup of heavy cream. I seasoned it to taste with some salt and pepper.

I ate a big bowl of that with some crusty bread. It was excellent!

I continued to eat that throughout the night and all day Sunday (I know that my style of potato soup does not freeze well).

Sunday, I just screwed off… I didn’t even make my lamb chops. The potato soup and bread was more than enough. I did get a little fancy and added some chives as a garnish for my Sunday supper, though.