Today's Quest List

After a week or two of malaise, ennui, and what I would term "mopery" if that didn't already have a meaning which is entirely different, I seem to have my head somewhat back in the game, and hope to get this and that accomplished today:

1) Transform a nearly-gone-off pumpkin and some of yesterday's acquired apples into soup
2) FINALLY haul the two large bags of unwanted clothes and shoes to Housing Works (this still leaves a box of books, of course, but.)
3) Do something with the remaining 6oz of ground beef that is also about to go off; hopefully also to involve more of the vegetable bounty. I am thinking the head of cabbage is likely to be involved
4) Stop at store for flour, dental floss, and other necessities (this can be combined with #2, above)
5) Move furniture (and the jasmine tree) around so that the workmen who are coming tomorrow to fix the fire escape can reach the window with all their stuff
5a) Bring in window box still on the fire escape railing (maybe to take it into work for the nonce)
6) Launder ye unmentionables

Extra credit:
* Tack down lining on both wool dresses
* Have another go at spinning
* Get wine. WHY IS ALL THE WINE GONE? Let them drink prosecco!
* Answer some email that is owing
* Figure out some other errands this week that require, like, planning and stuff

If I am particularly moved, I may back-update with two more Experimental Kitchen entries from last week (Arabian-style baked beef and eggplant; fettucine con sugo di spinachi, only with collard greens).

Tales from the Experimental Farm Share Kitchen: Pumpkin-Apple Soup

I thought pumpkin would last awhile, like the other squashes. Not this one. So, it was needful to deal with it. In addition, I have a terrifying amount of apples from apple-picking yesterday. There is an obvious solution to these issues.

1. Take thy pumpkin. Halve it, de-seed and de-pulp it, brush with oil and a little salt and pepper, and roast til done (I think I gave it about half an hour at 400 degrees).
2. Extract roasted pumpkin flesh, which was about 2 c. worth.
3. Peel, core, and chunk 1.5 large Jonagold apples, also about 2 c. worth.
4. Dice about, eh, 2/3 c. onion and a clove of garlic.
5. Take a 1" piece of ginger and grate it.
6. Fry those three items gently in some butter til they're all nice.
7. Add 2 c. of broth (I used mushroom bouillon), the pumpkin, and the apples. Stir up good.
8. Add salt, garam masala, thyme.
9. There's the tail end of some hot madras curry powder. What the hell, throw that in too.
10. Stir in maybe 2/3 of a can of coconut milk (I used lite, it works fine).
11. Let simmer 30 minutes or so.
12. Immersion blend to a nice soupy glorp, without splattering boiling liquid all over oneself for a change.

It is very nice indeed, the more so with a dollop of yogurt on top. I wish I had had real broth to use (whether chicken or vegetable)--the bouillonosity was coming through the other flavors, which is not preferable. Also, I may have gone a curry too far. Choose one, not both.