Bustlin' Food

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Kitchen adventures have been few and far between this week; please accept my apologies. Autumn always seems to be buzzing with projects from all sides and you accept every one of them, big and small, because external buzzing quickly turns into a desire for the internal kind. And then there you are, saddled with your increasingly consuming Art Deco exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver and schedule of seemingly innumerable lectures around the approaching Remembrance Day. I've scarcely had time to heat a packaged chicken pot pie for one. Granola bar weekend (weekend!) breakfasts and lukewarm pizza-by-the-slice eaten on the fly are sadly becoming less and less shameful. At least I know it's not just just me who's stretched to thin; there's something in the air. Or water. Probably both. That being said, the light at the end of my tunnel comes with the opening night of the exhibit in 26 fast-approaching days.

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When my schedule leaves little time for preparing from-scratch meals, I remember why I made four servings too many of that chili a month ago. The practical, organized and Martha-idolizing side of me had enough foresight to hoard individual portions in the freezer for times of desperation. Now is that time. It is currently feeding me breakfast (almost), lunch and dinner. This Greek Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Rosemary is delicious and provides a much-needed bright punch of vibrant citrus. Of course, the tried-and-true Black Bean and Quinoa Chili is never unwelcome, either. Soup, chili, stew: get into it.

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With the prospect of real-deal free time in the not-too-distant future, I have been mulling over a few ideas on how to wind down but also reward myself a bit. The reason I mention it here is this: it will be a dinner party. I have a few themes kicking around and I have yet to decide on just one, but I thought it would prove interesting, if not useful, to collect, test and modify themed recipes for such an occasion as a fancy people dinner party.