Misfits, King Arthur branches out and the return of the Sterno

Misfits arrived today, one item missing and already credited, the miso tofu.

So, no miso tofu,  I rethought today's menu, and ended up making a thick soup using all these carrots, the rest of the yellow potatoes and the last of the chicken stock.  With a container of hot cooked spices including ginger, I found in the freezer, cumin, umami seasoning and some of the coconut milk you see here. Enough for five bowls. Today's lunch was one bowl, with cheese toast.

The tomatoes will go in a tomato egg cheese bake in the toaster oven.  Spinach will probably be steamed with a poached egg on top. And included in cannellini bean fritters,  that's if the beans are correctly labeled. But, as Tigger's Mom pointed out, if they're at least in the same food group, it'll work.

I haven't baked recently, but I'm thinking about raisin bread, since I haven't made bread much either. Nice for breakfast for Gary, too. And afternoon tea when Handsome Son visits next week.

In the baking world, I just received a fancy catalog with products, largely mixes, and expensive lovely equipment from King Arthur flour. 

I think they've saturated the market of people baking from scratch starting in the pandemic, and now they're moving on to people with less time, so mixes. Also income, so fancy equipment. 

I really like some of the beautifully designed measuring spoons and cups, and the ravioli pan, where you press the pasta in the depressions to fill, then cover.

Then I realize my battered old measuring cups and spoons are still operational, and I can make, and have made,  ravioli without faffing around with a special pan. 

I can make a nice cheese filling without three kinds of flour and cheese, come to think of it. And I don't think I'm in the market for a stand mixer, beautiful as it is. But it's lovely to page through anyway. Baking porn.

Speaking of my primitive kitchen, I pulled out my old Sterno stoves, of our long ago camping history. One's a two-burner, posh, and there's this, which was stored flat and took ages to figure out how to fold it right.

Nice to set a pan or kettle on, and I'm thinking of using it on the deck in warmer weather, to make my pot of tea on the spot instead of carrying it, boiling,  through the house and outside.  

I need Sterno fuel, the outdoor kind is fine, no need for the caterer's indoor sort.  It's a plan. Handsome Son loves this kind of idea and I've no doubt he'll endorse it. I'm surprised Sterno is still available, decades since we used it.

So that's my Outward Bound summer plan. Making tea on the deck, life in the fast lane.

Happy day everyone,  January has been fast and agonizingly slow at the same time.   Be like Billie, small but determined. Hang in there.

Breaking: word is my Senator Booker supports RFK. I've written demanding to know if it's true and if so, be ready to be primaried.