This recipe was in the Washington Post this morning. I had never heard of chayote squash before. I can't say if this soup is any good, but I saved it to give it a try. You can try it first :) Chicken Rice Soup With Avocado The Washington Post, January 20, 2010 Dinner in 40 Minutes * Course: Soup * Features: Fast Summary: Soup's on, and it's not what you'd expect. Cooked long-grain rice does double duty here, in the vegetable-packed broth and as a binder for the small meatballs made from ground chicken. The last-minute addition of cubed avocado adds a silkiness to each slurpy spoonful. And where there's avocado, a little lime is right at home. For best results, use a non-cloudy, good-quality chicken broth. Chayote squash lends sweetness to the soup, but feel free to omit it if you can't track it down. We found it at Whole Foods Market. 4 servings Ingredients: * 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, preferably homemade * 1/2 -inch piece ginger root * 1 medium clove garlic * 1 small or 1/2 large fennel bulb * 6 to 8 baby-cut carrots * 1/2 medium onion * 1 (9 ounces) chayote squash (optional; see headnote) * Leaves from 6 stems cilantro * 3/4 teaspoon salt * 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika * 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano * 8 ounces ground chicken * 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper * 1/2 cup cooked long-grain rice * Flesh of 1 ripe avocado * 1 lime * 1 to 2 Thai or serrano chili peppers (optional) Directions: Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high to high heat. Meanwhile, add the following to the broth as you work: Peel the ginger and cut into 3 slices. Use a knife to smash and peel the garlic. Core the fennel, then cut it into small dice (1/2 cup). Cut the carrots into small dice (1 cup). Peel the onion and cut into small dice (1/2 cup); peel the chayote, if using, and cut into small dice (1 1/4 cups). The soup should be bubbling at the edges or at a slow boil while you add the vegetables. Finely chop the cilantro to yield 1/3 cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano; stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes; the vegetables should be almost tender. Meanwhile, combine the ground chicken, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano, the white pepper and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro in a medium bowl. Mix well, then add 2 tablespoons of the cooked rice. Uncover the soup and increase the heat to medium. Use a small disher (scoop) or tablespoon measure to form the chicken mixture into about 16 balls that are slightly smaller than walnuts. Drop the meatballs into the broth as you work. Cover, and reduce the heat to low; cook for 5 or 6 minutes. The meatballs should be cooked through. Cut the avocado into small dice. Cut the lime into very thin slices. Seed and mince the chili peppers, if using, to taste. Uncover the soup and discard the ginger slices. Add the remaining rice and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the avocado. Cook for 1 minute to warm through, then remove from the heat. Divide among individual bowls and garnish with the lime slices, the remaining cilantro and the minced chili peppers, if desired. Serve hot. Recipe Source: Adapted from “The Elements of Life,” by Su-Mei Yu (Wiley, 2009). Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post. E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions. Made This Recipe? Write a Review (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) * Print This Recipe * E-mail This Recipe Nutrition Facts Information per serving Calories: 211 % Daily Values* Total Fat: 9g 14 Saturated Fat: 1g 5 Cholesterol: 40mg 13 Sodium: 1273mg 53 Total Carbohydrates: 18g 6 Dietary Fiber: 6g 24 Sugar: 3g Protein: 17g *Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Total Fat: Less than 65g Saturated Fat: Less than 20g Cholesterol: Less than 300mg Sodium: Less than 2,400mg Total Carbohydrates: 300g Dietary Fiber: 25g

I don't eat pork anymore, but when I did, I loved Cuban sandwiches! The black bean recipe I use is a Cuban recipe as well. That's about all I know for Cuban food, however. My city has a very large Hispanic population so you can get just about any ingredient you need in the regular grocery stores and there are lots of little restaurants around. I love it because I can always find the specific peppers and other ingredients that are called for when I decide to make something. There aren't many "pure" places that focus only on one country, altho there is Mexican restaurant that's great. I noticed a Guatamalan place opened recently but I haven't been there and know nothing about the cuisine. The rest are pretty much a mix of different Hispanic cultures. I like everything I've tried sofar tho! Lisa

It means different things for me and others...no biggie really. Home staples are necessary for many reasons. Daily life and being prepared for an odd day when nothing sounds good being busy... Long term is about being prepared for a power outage, a freak storm, or often just your neighborhood is having issues...freak down power line, burst water pipe... I do have a list of comfort staples, and a storm prepared list having been through 9-11, (my kitchen window over my sink had that horrific view)...then Hugo, then storm Sandy...and friends and family in NewOrleans and Miami... For me it has been a tough 15 years past. Being prepared for any disaster or just daily life is part of our stock-up. My pantry has a variety. I mostly shop in my freezer from garden harvest and things i dehydrated. In the pantry i stock italian tuna, canned salmon for cakes, (that is a good recipe posted above). Salt cod for cod cakes. I keep salt cod in the freezer. Rice pasta, lots of dried grains and beans...lentils etc. Tomatoes and peppers are frozen but cans are a good staple if you don't garden. I have 1/2 loaves of good bread frozen. DH is the baker. Always have bread and croutons frozen. Even small desserts are frozen. I used to have on hand the Costco Giradelli brownie mix but never used it so i took it to my MIL for the grandkids. It is a good quick mix. If you purchase loaves of bread, freeze immediately one third of it so you always have a bit to take out in a pinch. (it thaws very quickly). I would try and visualize 5 quick meals that you would like to serve in a pinch and have those ingredients on hand. I think more of fridge crisper drawer staples like celery, parsley, carrot, cilantro, beets, leeks, fresh greens...collards, kale, and salad greens. Pantry with onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, variety of potatoes.

Annie, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy your venison burritos. Restricted diets can be so hard. DH has been told by his doc he needs to lay off carbs and cut his quantities back (hard for him to do with fast/takeout food). He’s been doing modestly well since but is always hungry now. A minimum of 2+ months to go before I can get him back on track with healthier home cooking. Going to embarrass myself… I realize I’m tired, my brain is overwhelmed right now with other things… I literally cried with happiness! Yes, I’m a happy-crier : ) Ok, no more blubbering… Monty_Abby… welcome : ) : ) : ) Ah!!! Sourdough rye??!! Some people can do it all! I made rye a few times and called it quits (brick dense, hard, taste was off). Yours is perfection. And it’s sourdough. Heavens. While the platter looks wonderful (capers, fresh cracked pepper, salmon… oh my), I’m fixated on the bread. Hopefully, someday, I can tackle sourdough… and I’d love to try sourdough rye! I’m hoping you’ll guide me as I flounder! Uhm… I found a recipe on a blog I love, but the sourdough uses spring water. May filtered water be used instead? If not, is the spring water bottled? (Making notes for not too distant future baking). Here? We ‘enjoyed’ tv dinners. Night before was Taco Bell. Enough said.