“long distance” friends

Yikes! Monica’s New Years resolutions are brash and steeped in that can-do spirit. But she’s a sunny, California gal. When I ponder the new year, I seem to channel Larry David.

After a week filled with movies, books, friends, food, cocktails and sleep, marvelous sleep, I am as resolute as winter itself. It’s time to run leaner, longer and stronger.  

Day one: the temperature barely reaches 20 degrees and gusts of wind hurl ice onto our faces. We are running  later than usual (a luxurious 8 am), but it is pitch dark.  I cannot see the information on my Garmin, a blessing.  My inner whiner materializes. Let’s stop. Now!

The week warms up incrementally. We relish running through the stillness. Talk turns to the holidays and our families. Before we know it, the run is over.  An often remarked upon truism; even factoring in the cost of Garmin’s, Newton’s and all those technical clothes, our runs are far cheaper than therapy and a lot more fun.

It is imperative for a distance runner to do weight and core work consistently. But each day, after work, I put on my pajamas the minute I come home, promising to face the music “tomorrow.”

At the time of year when we most crave fresh vegetables, what kind of cosmic injustice denies us fresh tomatoes, asparagus or basil? Want to eat something fresh? Try an onion. This body craves some comfort food.

The LDFs attempt an 8 mile run and it is arduous. Wasn’t it a short time ago when we considered a 15 miler a medium/short run?  A saving grace; Jean and I have observed that without marathon training, we are truly not as famished.

Future marathons are considered. The fatalist in me believes that if I don’t run a marathon relatively soon, I may never do it again (what is that about?) The Key Bank Vermont City Marathon, in Burlington, on Memorial Day may be the ticket. I ran it in 2008 and enjoyed the hip city, the azure beauty of Lake Champlain and those dedicated runners who choose this marathon. But I can easily be persuaded to run San Francisco!

For the fall; my first choice is the New York Marathon. Since the probability of scoring a lottery placement is nil, the LDFs are thinking of the Mt. Desert Island Marathon in Maine for October and Big Sur, CA in the spring. The Runner’s World rave reviews of these marathons only confirm our good taste!

Ok! It’s not too late! I resolve to run more, target the muscles and core, eat smart and enjoy every minute of these pajama days. There are books to be read, stacks of magazines to catch up on (in my dream world, this is tidying up!)  and Oscar research to complete.  Tasty soups can satisfy our need to eat smart and savor the grand bleakness of winter.

And one more thing—perhaps this year I can start blogging with the ease of Amy Adams (ala Julie Powell in Julie and Julia)…you know what they say about hope.

Sopa Azteca

Tortilla Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe from Rick Bayless /Frontera Grill/Topolobampo (adapted)

In Mexico, it’s more common to crush toasted chile pods over the soup than to add it to the base. You can follow that lead, or do both as we do in our restaurants.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon ancho chili powder
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 quarts chicken broth
4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack
A generous 4 cups (about 6 ounces) roughly broken tortilla chips
1 large lime, cut into 6 wedges, for serving

Directions

Put the ancho chili powder  in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work.)

Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).

Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls.   Pass the lime separately.

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