What's Cookin'?

Since all news channels were otherwise occupied yesterday (all day) and I was unable to get a morning weather report, I retreated to Ina Garten's calm kitchen on "The Barefoot Contessa."  I picked up a recipe for pastitsio, Greek-style lasagna, that I think the Ladies of Fair Play might enjoy sometime when the weather allows for safe travel.

Gearing up for barn chores, I look like Nanook of the North:  two long-sleeve knit shirts, a scarf double-wrapped around my neck, a hoodie sweatshirt under a heavy canvas jacket, and thick fleece gloves.  The ambient temperature was down in the 20s, so I wasn't overdressed.  Rubber boots protect from the mud, but not from cold so my toes "is froze" by the time I get back to the house.

Weather is really causing problems.  The hasp to the top half of the chicken coop door stuck yesterday and in my struggle to get it open, I almost pulled out a rotten board that keeps the two halves together.  Aarrgh.  Outbuildings have settled out of alignment and hardware needs to be resituated.  A couple of doors should be rehung.  I need good weather and a full-time handyman.

Between cooking show programs I'd DVRd and those on TV, I spent the entire day in one kitchen or another.  I learn a lot even on recipes I'll never make.  New techniques, use of spices and herbs, etc., get filed away in my memory bank for future use.

All that cooking and what did I have for dinner?  I raided the freezer again and pulled out a serving of split pea and barley soup, hot, hearty fare on a cold, depressing day.

It's raining.