Quarantine

We’re sitting here under quarantine like everybody else. I’m seeing on FaceBook that it’s driving my extraverted friends a bit daffy, but fortunately for me, I kind of like the alone time. But one problem is, because we’re OLD, we’re in the high-risk group, so we’re supposed to be on stricter restrictions than the younger crowd and that means more creative cooking than usual. My fridge, which is normally a culinary Fibber McGee’s closet, is starting to look downright organized. And the freezer—well there are undiscovered delights (and horrors) there. I was pretty sure there was at least one missing person lurking at the bottom, since I hadn’t actually seen the bottom in several years.

It’s Terry’s fault. (I love being married cause you’ve got a built-in person whose fault everything is!) He invariably buys inedible frozen French-fried things, which neither of us is supposed to eat. Or he picks up a chemical tasting frozen dinner that goes into the freezer, never to be seen again because he forgets about it and I don’t know it’s there till I start rummaging around looking for some frozen peas for a tuna casserole. And I can’t throw it out, cause he “hites wiste” (Translation: British for ‘hates waste.”)

What is happening during the current pestilence, since we can’t shop (yes someone does it for us) is that I’m using up what’s on hand. I’m delving into the bowels of the freezer (sorry—unfortunate choice of word) and coming up with unusual items. But I want to use them up, frugal sort that I am, and I’m married to the original Mr. Frugality who grew up during post-war rationing in England. His mantra, in celebration of a clean plate is, “That’s how we beat Hitler!”

So in the interest of keeping Hitler at bay, I’m making soup with what I find in the freezer, fridge and pantry—some of which is still before its pull date.

Bottom of the Freezer Pasta Fazool

1 onion chopped

Little bit of olive oil

Some chopped garlic cloves (I think you can’t have too many, but 3 or 4 will do)

Whatever veggies you find in the freezer—about 2 cups

Jar of spaghetti sauce

Some kind of pasta--about a handful or so

Can of beans-any kind. I don’t rinse them even though most people do.

Saute the onions in the oil for a few minutes till they’re transparent, then add the chopped garlic and saute about another minute. You can use garlic powder if you’re out of the cloves, but how did you let that happen? Then just dump everything else in the pan and add enough water till it looks like soup instead of spaghetti sauce. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so and check to see if the pasta’s done. Serve it like they do at Olive Garden with some parmesan cheese, and then some more parmesan. No such thing as too much parmesan.