soup & stitch & why the dishwasher wasn't working



Last night I made a favorite spicy, sort of Indian-tasting recipe called Gypsy Soup (recipe below). For some reason I was organized enough to serve it before we sat down so it could cool down. Although my husband's trick of adding ice cubes works, too. For some other reason I remembered that I'd been wanting to try out the candlelight mode on the camera. Looks sort of like peasant food, doesn't it, but without the rustic bread -- which would've been really good with this by the way.

This morning, waiting for the dishwasher repairman to arrive, I practiced some frankenstitch. Love this stitch, it could make the most fabulous patches. I can think of two places to use it right off the top of my head.

I may as well pass on what the dishwasher repairman told me, in case anyone else has the same problem. There was nothing wrong with the dishwasher even though a film has been coating our glasses & dishes and even the inside of the dishwasher for many months now. The deal is, companies have eliminated phosphates from their formulas because phosphates are being banned state-by-state. Wonderful for the environment but not that great for cleaning dishes. He said nowadays the dishwasher soap is basically baking soda and enzymes. And he gave me a few tips on how to have a better outcome. I have to write them down before I forget. Heck, I'll do it right here. 1) clean the build-up on the inside of the dishwasher by running empty through a cleaning cycle with a cup of vinegar poured on the bottom, do this twice. 2) Use purchased product to remove film. 3) Use citric acid. 4) Buy commercial dishwasher soap because it still has phosphates 5) Try Finish. The type of water may also affect how cloudy the outcome is. He said that dishwasher sales had risen because so many people thought their dishwashers weren't cleaning. We still had to pay for the service call but now we know. Anyone else noticing this happening?

Gypsy Soup
(Eat, Drink, and Be Chinaberry Cookbook & The Moosewood Cookbook)

Before beginning, you will need 1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (3/4 cup raw, soaked and boiled)

In soup pan or large saucepan, saute for 5 minutes:

3-4 T. olive oil

2 cups chopped onions

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 cups, peeled, chopped sweet potato/winter squash

1/2 cup chopped celery

Add and simmer, covered for 15 minutes:

2 t. paprika

1 t. turmeric

1 t. basil

1 t. salt

1 bay leaf

dash of cinnamon

dash of cayenne 

Add and simmer for another 10-20 minutes:

1 cup chopped fresh tomato (I used canned last night)

3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans

3 cups stock or water

1 T. tamari