Food Closures Lead to Pantry Raid

So this closed our beloved farmers market last Saturday:

Thanks for the graphic, Cliff Mass!

I shouldn't complain, really. That nice load of wind and rain recharged our reservoirs and brought the first snow of the season to the Cascades. Cliff Mass reports that reservoir levels added enough to supply the Greater Puget Sound for more than three months! Not bad, for a weekend's work. I'm only sorry that I had to go buy meat and eggs and carrots and apples at the grocery store, and I was amazed by the number of mushy apples Whole Foods had out. It's apple season, people! Where are those mushy things coming from? 2013?

To add insult to injury, Chipotle decided to start giving select customers E. coli, and has closed area restaurants while the matter gets sorted. Eek! I have to confess, at least one family member eats a Chipotle burrito or burrito bowl at least twice a month, so, between the Market and Chipotle, this is adding up to a real first-world crisis, here.

Tough times call for pantry raids. This week it was bean and bacon soup. Dried beans from the pantry and bacon from Sea Breeze Farm out of the freezer. Chicken broth from my last Skagit River Ranch chicken. I served it up with homemade bread and a truly disgusting salad composed of whatever I found in the "crisper" that wasn't wilted into molten goo. I'll spare you that recipe...

Here's to hard times, and hoping our Market returns this weekend!

Bean and Bacon Soup (adapted from Taste of Home)
2 quarts of chicken broth
1 lb of white beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
2 Tbsp chopped parsley*
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp salt
1 onion, chopped*
2 large carrots, chopped*
2 stalks celery, chopped*
6 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled*

Combine broth through pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add salt through celery. Cover and simmer an additional 20-25 minutes, or until beans are tender. Stir in crumbled, cooked bacon. Remove bay leaves and serve.