A winter landscape . . .

The winter is a stillness and a darkness and a sleep
But not a death, for in the earth the roots of life go deep.
A rest . . . then re-creation and a glad new burgeoning.
Every day in Wintertime is one day nearer Spring.
~unknown

There is nothing more exhilarating than a country walk across the fields on a cold bright afternoon in late January/early February. Todd and I did that just this Saturday past with Jess. The ground was muddy and quite hard to traverse in places . . . but it was a good walk and helped to clear away some of the winter cobwebs in the mind . . .



The eye can travel much farther in winter than summer. Open hedges and naked trees reveal much that will soon be hidden by a canopy of leaves and blossom. It's good to lean over a country gate and look at a field of fallow earth and to contemplate the beautiful bough structure of oaks and beeches.

The air rings . . . with silence and the odd bird call here and there . . . and each breath brings with it a crystal scented awareness of life that is around you, laying dormant and just waiting for the sun's warmth to come back to life.



There is a raw beauty to the landscape . . . there is not much colour, but there are dried seeds pods that have not yet fallen to the ground and dry grasses . . . golden globes of fallen apples rotting beneath the trees in the orchard . . . green moss laying amongst the roots of the trees . . . and as we walk back home beneath the pale gold of the sinking sun, fading into the smokey grey of winter's dusk . . . oh how very good it is to anticpate a hot drink and crumpets by our cottage fire . . . home . . . sweet . . . home.

It seemed all day yesterday that winter was not ready to loosen her grip on us just yet. The day was filled with cold winds and flurries here and there. Not enough to lay on the ground though, so that was good. I got to wear my mittens though. I had ordered a pair through Etsy a month or so back, when we were having our last spot of snowy days and I had thought I would not get the chance to wear them this winter . . . they kept my hands very warm yesterday, as did this tasty soup that we had for our supper. Easy and quick to make and very hearty, it did a great job of warming us up. Delicious!!



*Herby Meatball Risotto Soup*
Servess 4
Printable Recipe

This delicious one pot wonder will warm up your innards on a cold winter's day. It's hearty and full of lovely Italian flavours. Quick to put together it makes a delicious supper with some crusty bread on the side.

For the meatballs:
1 pound very lean ground beef
1 colve of garlic, peeled and minced
1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TBS olive oil

For the soup:
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
250g Arborio rice
1.2 litres of vegetable stock
1 (400g) (about 2 cups) of chopped tomates, undrained
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g of finely grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top of the soup for serving

First make the meatballs. Put the meat into a bowl along with the minced garlic, grated onion, parmesan cheese and then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Mix all together well with your hands and then shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs.

Place a large deep skillet on top of the stove and heat over medium high heat. Add the oil and once it begins to shimmer, add the meatballs and brown them evenly on all sides. Remove to a bowl when browned with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep warm.

Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring over medium heat for about five minutes, until softened. Add the rice and cook, stirring it until well coated with the pan juices. Add the stock, tomatoes, basil and oregano. Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer for another 5 minutes. You may need to add a bit more stock if it isn't soupy enough. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve in heated bowls along with some more grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top. Enjoy!



Over on The English Kitchen today, a delicious Cornish Banana Cake.