Friday Orts and Blurb (Gastronomic Edition)

Courtesy of Taste of Home

April weather in Small Town has been, to put it in technical terms, weird. We've had highs in the 80s early in the month and snow as recently as this week. My peonies shot up, developed gorgeous buds in the warmth of spring, then shriveled when temperatures dropped into the 20s.

Today it's chilly and rainy so I'm making soup for the final time this season. Of course, I've said that at least half a dozen other times this month because if it's below 50, that's soup weather and I looooove soup. This may really be it, though.

Also, I had bought a spiral ham during the post-Easter sales and that hambone has mocked me every time I opened the freezer for the past three weeks. Mwahahaha, hambone! Tonight you are SOUP! Delicious-looking Navy Bean Squash Soup that made my mouth water just looking at the recipe!

Husband is not so crazy about beans and ambivalent about butternut squash so he will not be as warmed by the prospects of tonight's supper as I am, but at least now he won't have to dread the leftover ham any longer.

*****
Speaking of supper, do any other wives out there ever wonder how weird it would be to have a meal waiting for you when you come home from work every night? I am the cook in the family, and Husband is the money guy so I never have that experience and he always does. (Not to be all gender-stereotypical or anything, but that's the way we've gravitated and we're both exceedingly happy with our roles, so back off, Betty Friedan.)

Last night we decided at the last minute to go out to eat and Husband asked what supper would have been if we'd eaten at home. Pizza meatloaf, I told him then, and I'm guessing that's what he'll expect to be on the table tonight.

Whoops! Sorry about the beans, honey!

*****

And finally, the blurb.

You know how I've been all hand-waving and excited about the Friday blurb choices up to this point? How I looooove my garlic chopper, and my pineapple slicer, and my mandoline?

This week the new kitchen product for review was whole grain spaghetti. Do not expect hand-waving excitation, because this stuff is next door to nasty. It may be heart healthy and wonderful when compared to good ol' unhealthy American Beauty pasta, but spaghetti? I don't think so.

I should have been tipped off when I poured it into the colander and realized that the cooked strands did not bend. Seriously. They were softened but lay in the bowl like so many pick-up sticks; forget about winding them around a fork for easy transport.

As for the taste, well, it was okay, maybe? Kind of like I would imagine cooked shredded wheat to taste?

Thumbs down, and spit it out.