I have to talk about food again. I simply must. It’s a huge part of my life now; hours spent chopping, kneading, standing at the stove, not to mention meal planning and grocery shopping.

Wait—I’m actually lying. This is the first week I’ve ever meal planned. When I got back from spring break, I did a big restock but bought almost nothing that would help me survive the week (also false, I’m clearly alive and well, but I did eat the same soup four days in a row, which got boring). So, when I was last in the public library, the cookbooks caught my eye, and I checked one out. It marketed itself for busy people who still want to eat good food, so… yeah.

I have a lot of ingredients just lying around, unused, so I wrote everything that I had down and started flipping through the cookbook. Y’know, I’ve always wondered how someone becomes a better cook, but it’s the same way you get better at anything: keep trying new things and failing and sometimes succeeding. Some people are so effortless in the kitchen; they just know what needs to go into the pot next, how long to cook the chicken, and what flavors work together. I aspire to be that person, and this cookbook better help.

So, I’m flipping through the cookbook, specifically the pasta section, because I love a good pasta and I have way too many noodles in my cabinet right now. The name of the game is USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT. I’m flipping and comparing their ingredient lists to my ingredient list when I find a recipe for pasta e ceci, which sounds Italian. (I googled it and I was right—also, ceci is the Italian word for chickpeas!) It’s a chickpea stew, and I bought a can of chickpeas to make fake chicken salad with (it’s good, I swear). I also, unfortunately, bought a whole jar of mayo just for that recipe, so if anyone knows anything else that requires mayo in bulk, let me know down in the comments.

This stew sounded perfect. It requires a leafy green (that I didn’t purchase) and doesn’t call for carrots (which I will be adding). It also calls for whole canned tomatoes, but Aldi only had diced :/ We persist! 

Actually, allow me to digress: back in my day, I was an Aldi pro. I’d accompany my mom weekly, she’d send me on errands, I’d return empty-handed because I’m the worst finder you’ll ever meet, and then we’d find the item together. The point is, I knew my way around Aldi. Emphasis on knew. Since COVID, my mom learned the joy of ordering her groceries online, so all she had to do was pick them up. She doesn’t like shopping; it saves her time; it’s convenient. I get it. I, however, like shopping, but I’ve lost my muscle memory for Aldi. Now, I feel like a massive buffoon wandering the aisles, doubling back, getting in people’s ways (unintentionally, of course). I’ll learn in time. Thanks for sticking through my rant, by the way. I just needed to let the people know.

Back to my stew…

I’m really excited to make it. I made some awful dumplings recently—inedible, threw them away—I do not like throwing food away. Furthermore, it took me about two hours to make! I had to dice the chicken up all tiny, chop carrot shreds, and mince celery, all with one itty bitty knife that really wasn’t up to the task. I think the problem was really the dough – I have glutinous rice flour, maybe that will work better than all-purpose? Dumpling lovers and experts, I await you in the comments. Anyways, I was heartbroken and hungry, a terrible combo. Therefore, when I sat down to write this, all I had was food on my mind.

Now I’m thinking about breakfast…

Remember how I said that I could take the bus to Aldi, but usually drive with friends instead? Well, I’ve been taking the bus recently, and to my surprise, it only takes about ten minutes each way. I take the 12 there from the Main Library and the 12 back from right outside the Aldi. Once, though, I walked back to campus with like 20lbs of groceries, in the cold, so imagine my surprise and embarrassment when the bus stop my friend and I were so desperately searching for was in front of our faces the whole time.

Public transit is such a blessing, but it has led me to several impromptu adventures. If the next bus isn’t coming for 45 minutes, suddenly walking for 30 doesn’t sound so bad. When I got back to school from winter break and realized I’d forgotten my phone charger, a state away, I walked to the CVS and got a new one in single-digit degree weather because there were no buses running. When it didn’t work, though, I did not venture back out into the cold. Even I have limits.

Well, thank you all for reading this ridiculous blog! I used to think I was writing for no one, but every now and then, someone will tell me, in real life, that they keep up with my writing, which is crazy to me.  If these bring you even a snippet of joy, then thank you. This is for you. But I’ll stop shouting into the void now. Bye!

Kiah<3

P.S. I made the stew, and it is so good!! However, I have enough for like four days… again.