Maggie's Farm

Home cookin'. A good day for this. Nice snowfall.

It's a southern Italian bean soup/stew. Real, non-Americanized Italian peasant food. If you are from around Napoli, it's pronounced something like "fazool." Otherwise, "fajole." Fagiole are la Carne dei Poveri. (No, I am not a paisan but I married a half of one.)

I see recipes online which include meat, but Pasta Fagioli is best made with meat broth (chicken or beef), and properly has no meat in it. When it was a meatless Friday meal, of course veg. broth. Why did the RC's get rid of meatless Fridays anyway?

This recipe about gets the basic version, but I use canned cannelini (white) beans for convenience - stupid not to - (no chef, unless cooking for hundreds, would waste time with dried beans), and chicken or beef broth instead of vegetable broth. I am not enough of one of the poveri not to have meat broth around. 

Another recipe includes tomato sauce. I've never had a Pasta Fagiole with tomato in it other than a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, and believe it ought to be without the tomato. It's meant to be pleasantly bland, cheap, and filling. If I make it, no tomato but I'll add some hot pepper flakes to give it a little zip.

Any small pasta works in it, but I like to use the small shell pasta. Serve with a plate of simple crostini, eg with oil and garlic and maybe some herbs on them. You can put some shaved parmesan on top of your soup if you want.

The thing with Italian cooking is that you make it your own way, and never follow a recipe after the first time.

No, my Mom never made this or ever heard of this, but my wife's Grandma made it to please her husband who required it weekly to feed his Neapolitan soul. Mrs. BD kindly claims my version is better than her nonna's.

Matthew 4:12-23 - Christ revealed as a prophet

4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.

4:13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,

4:14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

4:15 "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles--

4:16 the
people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who
sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

4:17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

4:18 As
he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for
they were fishers.

4:19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fisher of people."

4:20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

4:21 As
he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and
his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their
nets, and he called them.

4:22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

4:23 Jesus
went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and
every sickness among the people.

Not due to the lovely snow. Just quirks.

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Psalm 40:1-11 - Doing the will of God

40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

40:2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

40:4 Happy are those who make the LORD their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods.

40:5You
have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts
toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of
them, they would be more than can be counted.

40:6 Sacrifice and
offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt
offering and sin offering you have not required.

40:7 Then I said, "Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me.

40:8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

40:9 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.

40:10 I
have not hidden your saving help within my heart; I have spoken of your
faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast
love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

40:11 Do not, O LORD, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.

You can  tell them by their work

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When I was little, all we had was Instant. Later, percolated.

At some point in the US, things like Mr. Coffee appeared and, now, those one-cup pod machines. More particular people have those steel machines that make espresso etc.

We use those pod things. I like Cafe Bustelo. However, in Europe and especially in the UK, instant is routine. Nescafe especially, which I think is the world's biggest coffee product. 

I learned to appreciate instant during our last two visits to England. Heat the electric kettle and pour a spoon of grains into a mug. Not bad. 

What do our readers think about instant coffee?

Listen and watch here.

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Good stuff:

Mostly England, I think