Music, Quotes, & Food For The Soul

Music:

• Hey Good Lookin’ by Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams

It’s funny, I share a lot of country music for someone who isn’t a very big country music fan, however; I was born and raised in the country and I have country soil flowing through my veins. My dad was a huge Hank Williams Sr. fan. It’s a little too much twang for me, but I do love that my dad loves him, and I do like this song. And I absolutely love Tom Hiddleston’s version of it. I mean, it’s Tom Hiddleston! *swoon*

• Ain’t No Man by The Avett Brothers

These guys are a fairly new obsession of mine, and I just love everything about this song!

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Poetry:

The thing about Christopher Poindexter is he doesn’t title his poems, but I absolutely love him!!

Gahh, this man gets me every single time!! ❤

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Quotes:

<— This!!

<— YAS!!!

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Food!!!

This time of year soup brings a great comfort to me. I love a good, hearty soup with a nice complimentary salad or a big hearty piece of artisinal bread. It just feels like the season and there’s something so comforting about that feeling.

So today, I am going to share the recipe I am most proud of. I have shared this before, but it’s been a while. I absolutely love to cook (stay tuned for an upcoming post about this,) but one of the greatest joys of cooking is sharing my creation with others. This particular soup is a big hit amongst seafood lovers, and it’s one of my favorites. I can say with confidence this soup is restaurant quality.

I recommend serving this with a nice thick piece of sourdough bread, lightly toasted, fresh from the oven, with a pat of creamy, real butter. Oh, I’m salivating just thinking about it. For refreshment I recommend a nice, hearty stout or a rich red, wine, such as Cabernet Sauvingnon or a good Lambrusco.

   KRISTIAN’S MARYLAND CRAB SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning (I typically use about 3 tablespoons, but Neil and I love Old Bay! If you live near Balitmore & can get it JO Spice is just as good.)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 cups beef broth (I used an entire box of Sams Choice Organic Beef Bone Broth, about 4 cups)
• 25 oz can diced tomatoes
•  The juice from the diced, canned tomatoes. I find this is the perfect amount of liquid, but if you find you need more add a little water or beer. Miller High Life or Yuengling work really well in soups like this one. I prefer to use beer instead of water whenever possible, it just adds a little more flavor.
• An 8 oz bag of frozen vegetables (corn, green beans, carrots, and Lima beans)
• Half of 1 medium onion, diced
•  6 oz can of tomato paste
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 lb crab meat, cooked …I used Backfin, but lump and claw work just fine. I’ve found in soups, it all tastes good! (For true Maryland Crab Soup, it has to be blue crab, but I know that can be hard to find depending on where you live, so just get what you can, but try to get the most fresh and local crab meat, not only is it cheaper, it tastes better too.)

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a crock pot, cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3. Personally, I recommend the slow method, but if you’re in a hurry, the faster method is okay.
• Stir occasionally
• Serve in a nice, deep bowl, top with some parsley for garnish (optional)
• If you prefer, sprinkle on a little more old bay
• Enjoy!!

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I would be absolutely delighted if you would share some of your favorite songs, poems, quotes, and/or recipes with me!! It would make my 35th birthday extra special!!

Love & life lessons,

Kristian