Eat Like a Rabbit

On occasion, we find opportunity to eat at IKEA. Generally, a sale draws us in, and we arrange to have friends go with us. The activity is so much more fun with another couple. When IKEA Orlando opened, we were still newlyweds, and we took along fellow newlyweds, Tim and Magally Putt. We enjoyed a variety of vegetarian dishes. Magally, also enjoyed the Swedish meatballs, which are not vegetarian.

This is a report on three trips to the newest Aldi in town. I have enjoyed shopping at Aldi and enjoy trying new items. I have spoken with some people who think that Aldi is a horrible idea. They don't want to bring their own bags and do not realize they are nice, thick, strong bags. I also hear complaints that the items are not brand-named. These are obviously people who have been fooled by marketing. Mind you, I don't complain about the concept of marketing. After all, that's how my husband makes a living. But I have found items such as Pine Sol, Colgate, Pringles, Anchor, and the same names I see on produce at Costco. I give these people the benefit of the doubt and call it an oversight.

This restaurant is consistently good. It has a menu rotation for every season and has a nice selection of teas. It was a tad warm this fall day; so only Gerald selected a warm tea. But everything was good. Paul and I absolutely loved our sandwiches. IF I could only make them like that at home! Surely it can't be that hard!

After a long plane ride home from Texas, we called my father to meet us at this restaurant. This visit was far superior to the previous one (not that the last one was horrible).

This is the same Garlic Soup recipe from Moosewood Restaurant's Simple Suppers cookbook. Only, this time I served it over soft wheat bread and cheddar cheese. You can see from the images the recipe is to ladle broth over bread and cheese. The concept makes sense. Tons of people dip their grilled cheeses in soup. This soup just makes the meal less messy.

Trader Joe's always has interesting products to try. Some people complain that just when you find the perfect product, the store changes its selection. Other shoppers find it literally the "spice of life".

Compliments of "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home," this is by far my favorite soup recipe ever. I love how the broccoli did not overcook to that darker, nearly brown color--even after sitting a while. I used purple onions and orange bell peppers to create a true variety of color pleasing to the eye and to the taste buds. The color of the broth comes out a rather bright yellow when the egg and lemon are added. I feel you could easily skimp a bit on the egg and do just as well. I chose to use brown rice and was very pleased with the results, but it's nice to have a variety of options for cooking.