HOW I BEGAN
Along with the recipe, I set the can of lentil soup can on the counter. It was certainly visible! I’d be sure to see it and use it as a starter for making a quick batch of stomach-warming soup as the weather turned cooler in October. Right?
Wrong!
The can of lentil soup simply disappeared. Ipso presto—it was gone. Gone for good, it would seem.
My suite mate, aka husband, and I went into full search mode. (My counter is not pristine, but it is semi-tidy, I would say.) Still – no can of soup appeared. I scoured the kitchen counter multiple times. Checked the pantry. Still, no soup can.
Let me pause right here to say: Don’t judge me!
If you are a purist and always make recipes from scratch, save your censure. I have a lot of irons in the fire. Busy all the time. Semi-homemade is my fallback. (Smile!)
WHAT TO DO NOW . . .
“Do I have a can of something or other I could start with instead? Something that could serve as a similar base?”
Lo, and behold, I found a can of barley soup on the pantry shelf and went to work. Technically, lentils are legumes and barley is a grain, but they have similar textures. So I begin.
Things proceeded smoothly from this point. I mixed a tiny can of tomato paste with the warming vegetable barley soup in the pan and then added chopped onions and carrots, fresh from the fridge.
The meal was nourishing, served with an end-of-season ear of corn, heated in the microwave — along with applesauce seasoned with cinnamon.
Chef Sandra Lee, a popular Food Network star of the early 2000s, advocated creating nutritious menus from ready-made sources and also from fresh ingredients. You may remember she gained even more exposure during this era as First Lady of New York, spouse to former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is once again in the news.
She developed this cooking concept, “Semi-Homemade,” which involves using about 70% store-bought products and 30% fresh ingredients to create quick and easy meals but taste like they are made from scratch. The goal is to save time and money.
If recipes from scratch interest you, here is my Best Salad Dressing recipe, shown in the carafe on my counter above. I published it earlier along with 10 Snapshots from my day HERE.
What about your household?
Do you make meals from scratch? Create semi-homemade? Or, do you use DoorDash, GrubHub, or Instacart? Maybe a combination of these? Inquiring minds want do know your secrets!
Have you ever lost something, supposedly in plain sight?
Want more soup? Another blog post about tasty soup
Good morning, Marian! No judgement at all–but did you ever find that missing can?
I’m sure your soup was delicious!
I usually cook from scratch–but I often purchased vegetable broth and canned beans if I don’t have time to cook them first. Lentils cook quickly though. I make a similar lentil soup–probably spicier than you would eat and with a touch of lemon.
This week I made soup from leftover roasted squash and chickpeas!
Sadly, It never appeared even though two pairs of eyes went on the search. Yes, I often make soup from scratch, but this was a busy, busy day. I’m sure your roasted squash and chickpeas combo was delicious. Lemon perks up a lot of dishes.
That is so strange about the can!
I think it’s great you made such a warm, comforting dish on a busy, busy day!
🙂
PS–I wonder if the missing soup can is with all those single socks that disappear and an earring I lost years ago? 😂
Ha! Single socks and lost earring–yes, a mystery.
Thanks for both of your comments, Merril! 😀
You’re welcome, Marian! 😊
Missing things baffle me. You may find it in the most unusual place (have you checked the fridge?) I like to make things from scratch but when time is tight semi-homemade works too. My spaghetti sauce is usually from a can or jar with added fresh ingredients and I always start my chilli with a package mix. There is only so much time in a day! Your soup looks delicious.
Like me, you have many irons in the (creative) fire. We have to eat and we also have to save our sanity–ha!
Thanks for checking in, Darlene! 😀
Let us know when you find the soup can! I remember a post where you were hunting, desperately, your glasses. 🙂
Yes, Melodie, I’m prone to distraction, which I guess causes losing things.
By the way, I do enjoy cooking and find it a pleasant change from housework and writing. On Monday, I made Adobo chicken (Philippines) from MCC’s Extending the Table. Delicious as always. 😀
Wow, Marian! So weird that the can was never found. But you exercised your ingenuity and made soup anyway! What a tasy meal! I wouldn’t judge you, because I have never made soup from scratch!
Love chicken adobo! A friend who is from the Philippines makes the best chicken adobo!!
Yes, I love chicken adobo. I have some leftovers in the fridge I’ll serve today. It is always tasty and pairs well with rice. Good to hear from you, L. Marie! 😀
Lentil schmentil! Barley soup to the rescue.
Isn’t it marvelous God put our brains safe and secure in our heads. It’s the memory section that keeps escaping!