Seafood Chowder

3 slices bacon
2 c. water
1/2 lb. monk fish (or any white fish or red snapper)
1 pkg. Knorr leek soup mix
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 can whole kernel corn
2 tsp. instant chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp. sherry
1 pkg. frozen snow crab meat
1 (8 oz.) pkg. small, cooked frozen or canned shrimp

Dice bacon and fry, not crisp. Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add fish and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add soup mix and stir until smooth. Add milk, corn and seasonings and bring to boil. Add crab meat and shrimp and bacon; bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes after correcting seasonings, if necessary.

What Friends Are For

Winter has been getting me down lately. It’s been too cold to sleep in anything less than a sweat suit complete with a ski mask, too windy to keep a cute hat on my head, too rainy to wear my new suede shoes, and too snowy to believe I really live south of D.C. But fortunately for me, I have friends that just refuse to let me wallow in 30-degree misery. My best girl friend on this planet, Nicole Y., had us for dinner recently with two other couples. She made two pans of a lasagna-type meal (I forget the appropriate Italian name for it) - one vegetarian just for me. I brought over the salad and 5 bottles of opened wines, a sampler bag. We all sat around her huge oblong dining table covered with great food, each couple relating how they met and married. The food, the wine, the great friendships and our kids quietly playing in the next room was just what the doctor ordered for me. Afterwards, our little girls (practically pre-teens now!) decided on a dance-off in the living room so us adults joined them in shaking our booties to Jay-Z. It was a great party. By Sunday night however, I was too cold again to bother with anything or anybody. But my girl Kaitlin, who could pass as a supermodel, was not getting a group together for pizza without me. So at 8:30pm nine of us headed over to Lily’s Pizza; pies made mostly out of fresh or organic ingredients. I got the meatless Hawaiian, while my husband ordered the carnivore pie with spicy BBQ sauce. Cold beer pitchers for all. Afterwards we headed further into downtown for drinks in an intimate underground bar (membership required) for $5 specials. It was the kind of Sunday night that makes you loath Monday mornings, but I  needed it. By Tuesday I was shopping at TJ’s for snacks, as is the custom each Tuesday when we head over to Meghan and Amy’s house faithfully at 8:45pm to watch “LOST” and eat junk food. I did a chocolate theme with Joe’s O’s cookies (the all-natural version of Oreo’s) and hot chocolate for dipping them in. Pigs in a blanket made an appearance again as well as chips and dip. As always, the show had us on the edge of our seats although no questions were answered like the show’s promos always promise. By 11am Saturday we were in our seats with 3D glasses on waiting in anticipation for Alice in Wonderland to start. First movie ever Johnny Depp has no ounce of hotness. The funny thing was that my daughter didn’t invite a friend to come with her to the movie, but my husband did. So him and his bro sat up there whispering and laughing the entire time. Good thing I really like his friends. Later that night we headed over to Coop’s new pad for his house-warming party--us and about 200 other people. Lots of food and lots of ping-pong tournaments. I could continue with all the friends and food I have been blessed with over the course of this past week, but I think it would bore you. Plus today is Tuesday. Got to go shop for snacks for tonight’s “LOST” shin-dig! BTW, the temp is 72 degrees and gorgeous. Things are looking up…and bound to be getting even busier. FYI, I leave for Madrid in one week from tomorrow.