Dear World,
What in the good gracious is going on?!? Are you safe? Are you washing your hands? As of right now, I continue to travel to work (awaiting, what I believe, will be an inevitabel Work From Home situation in the coming week or so), but I am keeping my eye out for updates, travel bans, and event cancellation/postponing soon. All I can tell you though, in the meantime and aside from maintaining your vigilance on basic hygiene, is DON’T. PANIC. I mean it. Yes, this is scary and concerning, BUT if you start to panic or over worry, you will become stressed, which will compromise your immune system and make you more susceptible. Just relax. Just do your basic common sense due diligence when you’re out and about, and if you are traveling (as I have domestically been doing myself), the medical professionals of my household recommend traveling with Clorox wipes and wiping down the following:
- Seat Buckle
- The Seat Itself (if you can)
- Armrests
- Tray Table & Latch (outside and inside)
- Buttons above you for the light
- The light & outside/around the air vent
- The outside of the pouch BUT DON’T ACTUALLY USE IT! They can’t clean this, so just wiping the outside to place your now used wipes is about as good as you can get.
Additionally, open your windows. This is another tip from my scientist relatives who study air professionally. This will refresh the air cycling through your home more consistently and keeping your breathing space fresh, so keep that in mind as well.
As you read this, you may be wondering if I am panicking, and if not why. Simple. I lived in Hong Kong during the SARS epidemic, and for that experience, I am eternally grateful. The key was we didn’t panic. We took it day by day, and while our schools implemented a mandatory mask/glove protocol to help stymy the spread between students (and closed down for 3 weeks, which I’ve been seeing starting to happen among colleges and high schools already), we were diligent, we stayed aware, we did whatever we could to minimize contact. Just stay alert. (And not to sound like a broken record, or like my mom, don’t touch your face and wash your hands.)
Oh, and don’t wait to call/consult your physician if you do think you’re sick. It’s better to ask than to wait until it gets worse…but that’s just my opinion living in close confines with medical professionals. But on the note of being sick (or not), I looked to a family recipe for inspiration to keep the spirits high, warm, and content. Not everyone likes split pea soup, but it’s one of my absolute favorite comfort foods that my mom makes. Earthy, hearty, and just a hint of that sweet amid savory, it’s the perfect thing set and forget on a day when soup just sounds like the best thing in the world. I also changed the recipe slightly to be bone broth based instead of just water, which I think adds a great layer of richness to it.
Hoping this brings a little comfort to your own home.
— Cooking Maggie
Mama Sully’s Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium carrots, peeled (can used frozen riced carrots too)
- 1 onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
- 7 cups of warmed bone broth OR boiling water
- 16oz bag of split peas
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- (Optional) ½lb – 1lb of cubed ham or pancetta
Instructions
- Chop carrots, garlic, and onion. Sauté in a large pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft.
- In a separate pot, heat your 7 cups of water or bone broth to a boil. Add water or broth to your pot, along with the 16oz bag of split peas.
- Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
- Puree batches until desired consistency.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- (Optional) While soup is simmering, feel free to crisp up your cubbed ham or pancetta in a little oil over medium heat till browned. Add to soup and stir to incorporate.
The Real Cooking Maggie 