I’m not much of a natural dancer
But I’ve got a friend who’s a natural dancer
You could call her a jumpin’ bean
She’s got ants in her pants and she’s gonna dance

I know a girl who’s a jumpin’ bean
She’s got keys and a token when she hits the scene
Yeah I know a girl who’s got a record machine
She acts like David Lee Roth when he turned 21

AND SHE TOTALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF A NIN CONCERT
BOOYEAH

I think one needs to keep nutritional balance in one’s diet after a breakup, otherwise one can fall into the trap of self-comfort via carbs, ice cream, and Nerds-on-a-Rope. This recipe is happily adapted from the Gourmet Cookbook, p. 270 (Grains and Beans).

ESCAROLE, SAUSAGE, AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

1 tsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot) broken into 1″ pieces
5 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 head escarole (** here is where I substitute 1 bag pre-washed spinach)
3 cups cooked or canned white beans, drained and rinsed if canned
3 c chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1/2 c finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (**absolutely not the stuff that comes pre-grated!)
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a deep pot, preferably not non-stick (interferes with browning) till hot but not smoking. Brown sausage, stirring, for 7-10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Add escarole and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add beans and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add stock and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in butter, cheese, tomatoes, and half of parsley, and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and contents are heated through. Serve garnished with extra parsley and olive oil.

Word to the wise here: the first couple of times I made this soup it was way too salty. Canned beans/tomatoes are loaded with salt; so is the sausage, and never mind Parmesan cheese. If you use canned veg, try making the soup with water instead of stock and adjust the salt to taste. Also, spend the extra twenty cents and buy unsalted butter. After you start cooking with it you’ll realize that salted butter slightly changes the taste of all recipes, and not necessarily in a good way.

Happy cooking and hold on to the ones you love.

Or should I say ‘Hallowini’? For Mark’s Halloween party was indeed a cross between a pumpkin and…dry vermouth.

Please note the eyeball in the martini glass. Priceless.

I was going through some old journals while I was home the other day and came across a rather odd figure.

If there are any of you out there saying, “Hah! I’d trust Premee about as far as I could throw her,” then you will be happy to know that in high school someone once threw me seventeen feet into a snowbank.

See? Totally trustworthy.