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January 27, 2014

January

“The days are short,
The sun a spark,
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.”

– from “January”, by John Updike

There isn’t much that’s new to write about these days. It’s still cold. It’s still snowing.

It’s still January.

It’s inconceivable that we aren’t at least a month further into the winter. Surely I’ve already done a full season’s worth of shovelling, of scraping ice off my car, of walking with my shoulders up to my ears in a futile attempt to stay warm.

It’s still January.

I do what I can to defy the weather. If I’m walking with my ears up to my shoulders, at least I’m still walking. I take some comfort from William Carlos Williams’ tribute to the month:

“Again I reply to the triple winds
running chromatic fifths of derision
outside my window:
Play louder.
You will not succeed. I am
bound more to my sentences
the more you batter at me
to follow you.
And the wind,
as before, fingers perfectly
its derisive music.”

– “January”, by William Carlos Williams

Perhaps most pertinent to this cooking blog is Maurice Sendak’s take on the month:

“In January it’s so nice,
While slipping on the sliding ice,
To sip hot chicken soup with rice.
Sipping once, sipping twice,
Sipping chicken soup with rice.”

– “Chicken Soup with Rice”, by Maurice Sendak

On those days when I feel bookended between dark and dark, when I have to summon the strength to shake my fist at winter, there’s nothing I want more than to make soup. You’ll find my Chicken Soup with Rice recipe here; read on to find out how I defied winter this week with a bowl of Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup.

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup
(from Canadian Living)

1 pound (450 grams) stewing beef cubes
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups sodium-reduced beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 cup large curly egg noodles
1/2 frozen peas
3 cups baby spinach

Sprinkle beef with pepper and salt. In Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 6 minutes.
Stir in broth, 3 cups water, tomato paste, herbes de Provence and vinegar. Bring to boil; reduce heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until beef is tender, about 2 hours.

Stir in noodles and peas. Cook over medium heat until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach.

Filed Under: Soup

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says

    January 27, 2014 at 4:23 am

    Egg noodles and peas – this is perfect! It's been very cold here this Winter, this would help fix that!

    Reply
  2. Angie Schneider says

    January 27, 2014 at 9:26 am

    The soup looks warming and delicious, Beth. Perfect for January.

    Reply
  3. Natalie Aguirre says

    January 27, 2014 at 11:50 am

    Soup is great on these cold winter days. Wish I could be more excited it's winter. I just want this frigid weather over.

    Reply
  4. Joanne says

    January 27, 2014 at 12:18 pm

    Haha, yes I think Maurice Sendak definitely got it right! And so did you with this soup!

    Reply
  5. bamskitchen says

    January 27, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    I am not even going to rub this in but it was sunny and 70 degrees this last weekend in Hong Kong. I am sure by next month I will be melting in the heat. I love a good hearty soup and yours looks delicious!

    Reply
  6. Beth says

    January 27, 2014 at 1:05 pm

    Sigh. Hong Kong sounds lovely, Bam. Lucky you!

    Reply
  7. Elzbieta Hester says

    January 27, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    Nice, very nice dish…making me feel warm just looking at it. Lovely…and so is the little poem about short January days…:) ela

    Reply
  8. Crystal Collier says

    January 27, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    How dare you tantalize me with such tastiness? I love those poems, but winter? Not so much. Florida has been cold the last two weeks, and I'm seriously ready to crank the heater to 80. Of course, the month of perfect weather is only a week away, so I can survive until February.

    Reply
  9. amy (fearless homemaker) says

    January 27, 2014 at 3:12 pm

    Oh, I love the little poem by Maurice Sendak! How lovely and perfect for this time of year. And this is the perfect soup for such sipping. =)

    Reply
  10. vanillasugarblog says

    January 28, 2014 at 1:09 am

    Today I noticed that it was quarter of 5 and the sun was still with us.
    This made me so happy; spring is coming.
    And I think by the end of Feb the sun will be setting at 5:30pm.
    YES!

    Reply
  11. Chris Scheuer says

    January 28, 2014 at 1:51 am

    What a yummy soup. We're expecting a bunch of snow tomorrow. It would be PERFECT!!

    Reply
  12. Belinda says

    January 28, 2014 at 2:43 am

    Oh, Sendak! This is one hearty soup!!

    Reply
  13. Cathleen says

    January 28, 2014 at 3:56 am

    I am loving this soup right now! I'm really cold, and I would welcome this

    Reply
  14. Catherine says

    January 28, 2014 at 4:03 am

    Dear Beth, Oh, yes winter is making its self known this year. There is nothing timid about winter this year.
    Another very cold week and yes, these winds have howled all weekend long.
    The nice hot soup is comforting, healthy and delicious. I love soup too.
    Blessings dear. Catherine xo

    Reply
  15. Juliana Levine says

    January 28, 2014 at 4:15 am

    Such a nice and comforting beef soup Beth…I love everything in it…yum!
    Have a wonderful week ahead 😀

    Reply
  16. grace says

    January 28, 2014 at 8:32 am

    vegetable beef soup is something that brings me more comfort than even chicken noodle soup–it's my mom's go-to dinner on a chilly night.

    Reply
  17. Katerina says

    January 28, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Today is rainy and still cold here. This is the perfect soup for this weather!

    Reply
  18. Barbara says

    January 28, 2014 at 11:41 am

    My kids always loved Chicken Soup with Rice! They knew it by heart.
    Nice warming soup, Beth!

    Reply
  19. yummychunklet says

    January 28, 2014 at 5:32 pm

    Perfect quote for this soup!

    Reply
  20. CQUEK says

    January 29, 2014 at 10:00 am

    You certainly made tempting and delicious soup

    Reply
  21. nancy at good food matters says

    January 29, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    Hi Beth, For some reason, this January has felt Very Long to me, too. Maybe the much colder than usual weather accounts for that. But, remember, the daylight hours are (slowly) lengthening. We are almost to February. Love these poems—especially the Updike. To soup and staying warm…

    Reply
  22. Kitchen Riffs says

    January 29, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    Boy, my back sure feels like I've done a full season's worth of snow shoveling! Enough, already. 😉 But this soup certainly would hit the spot after being outdoors. Really nice — thanks.

    Reply
  23. I Wilkerson says

    January 29, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    Isn't soup the perfect winter dish! "Between the dark and dark"–love it!

    Reply
  24. Daniela Grimburg says

    January 29, 2014 at 8:36 pm

    Hope the weather will get better soon, it's such a harsh winter this year.
    Love the beautiful quotations, very well chosen.
    This soup is real comfort food at its best!

    Reply
  25. Liz Berg says

    January 30, 2014 at 2:36 am

    I think I've done at least a winter's worth of shivering!!! Your soup would bring me a lot of warmth and comfort, though…I need to add it to my menu!

    Reply
  26. Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says

    January 30, 2014 at 8:22 am

    Dear Beth, I hope that the weather will get better/warmer soon – it seems to be a particularly harsh winter this year! Love all your lovingly selected quotes – Maurice Sendak (and the famous Chicken Noodle Soup with Rice) is one of our favorite authors too. And the recipe for the Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup sounds like comfort food at its best!
    Stay warm and safe!

    Reply
  27. Julia says

    January 30, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    This beef noodle soup is so perfect for the cold weather and snow! A perfect choice in January! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Guru Uru says

    January 31, 2014 at 4:25 am

    Such a warming and delicious noodle soup 😀
    Lovely!

    Cheers
    CCU

    Reply
  29. scrambledhenfruit says

    February 2, 2014 at 8:55 am

    I love Sendak's Chicken Soup with Rice…it's always a favorite of my second graders. We had fun this week with A.A.Milne's Furry Bear. But since I'm NOT a bear and I DO care if it "froze or snew", this is just the thing I need to shake the chill out of this cold, cold winter. 🙂

    Reply
  30. Chocolate Shavings says

    February 2, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    I'm glad you tried our February cover recipe ! Such a comforting dish for this time of year 🙂

    Reply
  31. Beth says

    February 2, 2014 at 9:43 pm

    I loved it. I know I can always rely on a Canadian Living recipe – that's why I make so many of them!

    Reply
  32. allieksmith says

    February 2, 2014 at 11:28 pm

    I'm pretty glad it's now February! Trucking through winter!! Your soup looks delicious and so warm and comforting!

    Reply

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