I love Ina. I love that she introduced kosher salt to me. I love that she makes absurdly fattening foods. I love how her show makes me want to leave everything familiar and move to The Cape. I love how she makes me want to eat seafood, even though I hate seafood. Bottom line: I love this woman.
And I just received my first Barefoot Contessa cookbook. I rustled through the pages noting each recipe I would make, knowing all along it would involve new spices which meant $$$. Tonight was Mexican Soup night, which was perfect because Jordan is gone at the ballgame and so I can experiment and only torture myself. It ended up being completely necessary because of how ridiculously long this recipe took (partially my fault, I went grocery shopping at 5:15 and didn't start cooking until 6:15). All along this arduous process I pictured Ina's kitchen, her massive crisp kitchen, thinking mine would stay perfectly clean and orderly. Only, I didn't pre-cut the vegetables or have the proper bowl sizes needed. I also didn't have 75% of the needed chicken stock (obscenities flew in my mind when I discovered this whoopsidasie). Dang you Ina. I love you, but this just can't be my fault.
Here are some pictures, capturing the defeat... notice the progression of filth and general lack of organization in the kitchen.
the recipe... I'm sad because my book was splattered on by some neighboring veggies, and I'm not one of those people who says, "oh it gives it character". Maybe in another cookbook in another time. Poor Ina. 
Yes, I'm the loser that meticulously plopped all the veggies down. I'll admit it. I had time to, this part of the process took 45 minutes. There was time to kill.
Pre-Chicken and Pre-Tortillas. This is my really, really, really watered down chicken stock.
The west side of the kitchen, dirty.
The east side of the kitchen, dirty.
The almost finished product. My eagerness is unbearable.
Blow me away Mexican Chicken Soup.
4 comments:
forgive me but who is the countess?
carrie
or rather contessa
I share you love for all things Ina (cooking, her garden, Cape Cod)! It's a lust fest when I watch her show. Bravo for attempting one of her recipes!
Carrie- She is this wonderful woman who used to have a small restaurant called the Barefoot Contessa- she now has a show on the food network, I think, as well as many recipe books. She makes everything seem completely delightful... and highlights everything beautiful about life on the cape. You should try to catch her show... you know... with all your spare time;)
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