It Caught Me

courtesy of www.cdc.org

This is a picture of the lovely cold virus now inhabiting my body.  Well, maybe a cousin or something, but you get the idea.  Many of these nasty goobers multiplying in droves, making my lungs wheeze in distress.  Yippee.

It was only a matter of time, I guess, but I was really hoping the onset of cold season would have held off until, oh...say, next June or something.  After feeling like kaka on Friday, I recovered somewhat on Saturday and was able to enjoy a fine Friendstimas (yay, Friendstimas!).  It was a fine time, lots of laughter, good food, and great friends.  I can hardly wait for next year's event.

But then, I started to feel all kinds of the Queen of the Coughing and Sneezing Fits yesterday, and here I am today, bleah bleah bleah. I did make it to work, mostly because cancelling wasn't really an option, but it was a near thing, I tell you what.

Good thing there's coffee and delicious hot soup to be had.  A few bowls of this, and I think I will live:

Lobster Corn Chowder

You'll need: one cooked lobster, shelled and meat chopped; one cup frozen corn; half cup each of chopped onions, yellow and red peppers, celery, and carrot; two cloves garlic, finely chopped; four cups hot chicken broth; 1 cup cream; various amounts of butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Slosh a little olive oil in a large stock pot and heat.  Saute all vegetables in the oil, adding a little butter for "flavor".  When onion is slightly softened, add in lobster meat and hot broth.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or so.  Season with salt and pepper, add cream and stir well.  If desired, make a slurry with hot broth and a couple tablespoons of flour, add to hot soup and boil for a few minutes until it thickens.  Serve hot with toasted bread, and your cold will pack up and leave.

Eventually.  But, you'll at least have yummy Lobster Corn Chowder to make you feel better until the virus has wandered off over the distant horizon.