It's Sunday morning, Jan. 2, 2011 and I am off to a great start for the New Year. Sunday mornings are my favorite and what gets it off to a good start is a cup of coffee, the morning paper and reading the book reviews. What can make that even better? Getting a pot of homemade soup going so the aroma drifts through the house to mix with the rich smell of freshly ground coffee (one of my favorite smells). Making a pot of split pea soup with the leftover ham bone and stock from Christmas - even better. How much more Canadian can I get? I guess if I had a hockey game playing in the background that could up it a notch.
I love homemade soups and I love my Sundays to be relaxing. After working all week and doing something Friday and Saturday evenings, I need one day to unwind before I head back to work. Being of a certain age (over 40 and close to 50), working full-time consumes my energy. I remember how I worked full-time, raised a family, did my degree part-time, volunteered and I still had energy to spare. I think I used it all up back then because now I have to be in bed by 7 pm reading so I can fall asleep by 8 pm. I am an early morning riser, but even still, this seems to be a bit extreme.
I also live for routine. Control-freak comes to mind and I know that about myself, so keeping to routine keeps me balanced. I don't have to use much energy thinking about what to do, it is rote and it happens like clockwork every day. This leaves my energy to pour into the creative side I have (that is neat & tidy - that goes without saying) without it taking too much of my time. Patience may be a virtue, but it is one that has eluded me all my life. I also need to "check" things off that mental "to do" list I keep (in keeping with that control-freak nature I have) so it has to be something I can do in a relatively easy chunk of time and be complete. No masterpieces for me - good enough is what I strive for. While some people may search for just the right ingredients to put in a soup, I will find what I have, what I can buy in a small rural community, find a recipe I like and follow it loosely to create a great soup -- and get it all ready on the stove in under an hour. I maximize my energy. Being a natural morning person, I have to do all this when I get up and before I sit down to that first cup of coffee to read the morning paper (remember that mental "to do" list I need to check off). Yes I know, obsessive compulsive comes to mind, but it works for me.
And it works for my husband (most days). He gets great homemade soups that are nutritious and delicious. He also gets that same meal for several days. Fortunately for me, he is pretty easy-going about eating the same thing over and over. That is how I conserve my energy. A pot of soup will last us 3-4 meals making the evening supper during the week a snap. I get home from work, take the pot out of the fridge, put it back on the stove to heat up, make a quick salad or sandwiches and VOILA! supper served by 6 pm every day.
I have plenty of family and friends that think I have a "problem". They will laugh at my "quirks" and feel sorry for my husband. They can't imagine how structured I am or that it may be healthy for me, and even if they concede it works for me, they can't imagine living with me. I have to agree, living with me would be a challenge. I know, I have lived with myself for over 4 decades. It's taken me this long (and will take longer) to realize what works for me and what doesn't. When I am on the mountaintop of my life journey and can see for miles around, I am able to use my strengths (planning, organization, task completion, multi-tasking, efficiency, creativity, critical thinking, compassion) to serve others. When I am in the valleys of my journey with that myopic view these same strengths become my weaknesses (rigidity, narrowness, neediness) and it becomes all about me. I can be that self-centered monster in an instant.
That's what's great about being married. Over the years we have tempered each other's weaknesses, have mirrored each other to ourselves so we can see the beauty and the flaws we bring to the relationship. My husband broadens my view and helps me see that I can rise above the "weakest" link I have, that I can climb back up the chain to its source of love and light. He isn't just my life partner, he is my learning partner, collaborating with me to make life's lessons fruitful. I love that about him, he never thinks that you "can't teach an old dog new tricks". He knows that while it may take a lifetime for me to learn, it will be a lifetime full of great moments learning together. In the end he knows, "it takes a community to raise a child" and being children of God we express that community to each other in the most intimate way. It helps us remember to be that community for others and to support the learning that brings life to our community.
So we started with split pea soup and ended with relationships. Sounds like a great start to the New Year. Wishing you all a wonderful New Year - full of learning, joy, peace and LOVE.
For those who want a good recipe to follow for split pea soup - I got this one out of the food section in the Edmonton Journal about a year ago.
Ron's Pea Soup (from Edmonton Journal Food Section, around February 2010)
2 cups whole dried yellow peas soaked overnight (I couldn't find these so used 2 cups of dried navy beans and then put in 1 cup of yellow split peas on the day of cooking) 1 tbsp vegetable oil 8 oz double-smoked slab bacon, diced just over 1/4 inch or 2 cups diced cooked ham (I used the double-smoked slab bacon -- great!) 1 large cooking onion, diced 1 large carrot, peeled and diced 3 stalks celery, chopped (sometimes I use diced cabbage if I don't have celery) 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 medium-large russet potatoes, peeled and diced 1 meaty ham bone and/or split pig’s trotter or other soup bones, if handy (used a good meaty ham bone — wonderful) 7 cups chicken stock (if using the boxed stuff get low sodium) 1 rind (skin) Parmesan cheese about 4 inches square (if you have it) -- I didn’t have this so didn’t use 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 1/2 tbsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried savoury 10 grinds black peppercorns (I ground mine 10 times — that’s how I interpreted this) 1 bundle Italian parsley tied with butcher’s twine (I couldn’t find Italian so used regular parsley) 1 tsp dried herbs de Provence mixture (I couldn’t find this so didn’t add — just used a little more thyme and savoury)
In a large pot, heat oil on high and saute diced ham/slab bacon, then add onion, carrot, celery and saute until onion is translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and saute another minute, then add potatoes, drained soaked peas (and I added the split peas here), ham bone and cover with chicken stock. Add cheese rind, if using, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, savoury, groud pepper, parsley bundle and herbs de Provence.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and gently simmer, covered, 2 or 3 hours, or until tender, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to avoid sticking/scorching. When done, remove and discard bone, 2 sticks from rosemary sprigs, parsley bundle, bay leaf; taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, if necessary. (I didn’t do this next step, but if you like it smoother you might want to — I like my soups chunky). Using an immersion blender, puree soup in the pot just enough to thicken mixture while still leaving at least half not blended for texture. Gently simmer completed soup, covered and stirring occasionally, until serving.