Apparently changing my address did not change my taste in food. I'm still the woman who will happily take the time to mill her own flour for cornbread, then get an unreasonable amount of satisfaction out of finding cooked rice already waiting in the freezer.
I see absolutely no contradiction there.
The grain mill doesn't even have a permanent home in my new kitchen yet. I'm still figuring that one out. But at least I know where it is when I need it!
I've been getting acquainted with life here in the countryside, and that's what my latest YouTube video is all about. The garden, my everyday routines, and getting out to explore more of this beautiful area.
Some things haven't changed
When I made that pot of pinto beans and homemade cornbread, I was thinking about my mom and grandmother.
That was a meal I grew up eating, and I still crave it.
I don't know if I'll ever outgrow those kinds of foods. And frankly, I don't particularly want to.
Although I should probably mention that I'm still not adopting my dad's side of the family's tradition of putting cornbread in a tall glass, pouring buttermilk over it, and eating it with a spoon.
Nope.
I'm sorry if you love this, but if you do, HOW COULD YOU???
Some family traditions are perfectly fine staying with other family members.
But I do love a warm, filling meal that doesn't require me to make a dozen decisions when I'm hungry.
That's one reason I've gotten into the habit of cooking extra rice and beans. I can use them in different meals throughout the week, and the rice freezes beautifully in individual portions.
I love cooking from scratch. I also love not having to do it three times a day.
The savory breakfast bowl I keep craving
I've been making these warm savory bowls in the morning, and I look forward to them so much.
I know a lot of people immediately think of eggs, toast, or oatmeal for breakfast. But I really enjoy something warm and savory, especially when it's cold outside.
The basic bowl is simple. What makes it so good to me is the broth.
What I put in my bowl
- Cooked chicken
- Steamed broccoli
- A little cooked jasmine rice
- Cooked cannellini beans
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- A splash of fish sauce
- Rice vinegar
- A little chili crisp
- Sesame oil
- Fresh ginger, when I have it
- Miso paste
I don't have exact measurements for everything because I usually adjust it to taste.
In an upcoming video though, I go into more detail and show you how I do it if you're interested.
How I make it
I start with the chicken, broccoli, rice, and beans already cooked. This is where having things prepared ahead of time really comes in handy.
Then I warm a cup of chicken bone broth in a saucepan with a little fish sauce, rice vinegar, chili crisp, and sesame oil.
Sometimes I'll add fresh ginger and let everything warm together so the flavors come through.
At the end, I stir in the miso paste.
Then I pour all that wonderful broth over the chicken, rice, beans, and vegetables.
Oh my gosh.
It's so good.
You get that savory flavor from the broth, a little tang from the vinegar, and just enough heat from the chili crisp. Which if you haven't figure out yet, chili crisp has become one of my favorite condiments this year since trying it for the first time.
Oh chili crisp, where have you been all my life????
And because the ingredients are already prepared, I can put the whole thing together without much fuss.
I don't particularly care whether somebody thinks it looks like breakfast. I want to eat it, so that's what I'm having.
The pinto beans I've been making are another option for those bowls, too.
That's one of the nice things about cooking ingredients in larger batches. I can put them together differently depending on what sounds good that day.
A new place, familiar routines
I'm still figuring out little things around the house. Where certain things should go, what I want to do with the garden, and how I want to organize my days.
And of course, I want to keep exploring the area. Being close to the water and having places to walk with Georgie were important reasons I wanted to live here.
I'm also grateful to have my friend Tracy nearby. We've known each other for years, and now we can actually meet for coffee instead of only keeping in touch from a distance.
But in between those new experiences, I'm still doing the things I've always enjoyed.
Making food I love. Spending time outside. Working on creative projects. Having my little routines.
I think it's nice that I can change where I live without feeling like I need to become a completely different person.
Besides, Georgie seems perfectly happy as long as she's with me and she walk, do the zoomies in the house, and a little cha-cha-cha with her toy dog (hint if you saw my recent video and YouTube post about you'll know what I mean...if not, go take a look), she's content.
The Story Post Mail Club
And if you enjoy getting something other than bills and advertisements in your mailbox, I also have The Story Post, my monthly snail-mail club.
Each envelope includes a personal letter, artwork, and little creative pieces such as recipes and reflection prompts.
Join The Story Post Snail Mail Club - It's a fun way to get a unique art print that I create, a personal letter by me, slow living prompt card, recipe card, and a few extras each month.
Things I Mentioned
I've started consolidating my "stores" like my Amazon store and ShopMy store into the ShopMy store. It's just a far better experience for the user and much prettier.
If you're every curious about the items I'm using in my videos and pictures, head on over to ShopMy Store.
You can navigate to Apparel & Beauty, Home, Travel, Georgie's Favorites, Camera & Gear, Art Studio, and YouTube Feed (which are items I mention in that video).
It's a lovely way to help support my channel without any extra cost to you. So thank you!
