Email From Ann in very snowy Chicago...
So I tried a new soup today: parsnip soup with potato, onion and apple. I peeled and chopped everything, sautéed in a little olive oil, then added a splash of dry sherry, and finally water. Brought to a boil, simmered until everything was soft, and pureed it with a stick blender. I followed a recipe from a French cookbook. Very mild, subtle flavored, but nice. A good soup to have with a salad, sandwich or in my case, cheese, pickles, crackers, and an orange. ( I still love the celeriac soup, which has a more pronounced, complex flavor. )

I continue to use the pandemic as an excuse or a reason to try different recipes. Earlier this month I tried a barley mushroom soup with chicken meatballs. The meatballs were really incidental as the mushrooms and barley combo was so flavorful. Then last weekend I scribbled a recipe while watching America’s Test Kitchen and made their beet salad with a spicy yogurt. Recipe called for watercress, but I used red leaf lettuce. The fellow recommended using the microwave to speed up cooking the beets. He must have quartered his, mine were more a large dice. He said to microwave the beets for 25-30 minutes (in a Pyrex bowl, some water and a cover). I only cooked two beets, but half the cubes had dried and crisped so it was more of a salvage recipe. Aaagh! The next night, though, I consulted the Internet and found recommendations for starting off at 5 minutes - and that turned out perfect for the beets. The yogurt had lime juice and zest along with some cumin and coriander. I skipped the garnish of toasted pistachios. All in all, a pretty tasty beet recipe! The lime and beet were a nice surprise!