The Art of Reinvention

Today I made a soup over three times before deciding it was right. Thanks to my mom's bountious garden and her equally bountious generosity, I had a large bowl of tomatoes that were needing attention. Last night before calling it a night, I decided that today they would become a pot of homemade tomato soup with some nice, subtle French seasonings.

As I cooked the tomatoes down, they seemed kind of over-whelmed by the size of the pot I chose. I went to the refrigerator and decided that the chicken broth in the container would be a good addition; and, while I was at it, the pizza sauce would as well. After all, it was 99% tomatoes. What would a little basil and oregano hurt in with some marjoram and thyme?

After milling the original soup's contents of tomatoes, onions, and the more "French" spices, I added the broth, the sauce, and still it looked a bit demunitive in the cooking pot. Maybe some meat would bulk it up. Later, after thawing and cooking some ground sausage, it was added to the mix. NOW we were getting somewhere.

Another visit to the fridge found me face-to-face with a container of white rice from last night's supper. Hhhhmmm...that would thicken things a bit, so in it went. Now I'm thinking Mexican. I have some shredded Mexican style cheese, some sour cream, and some tortilla chips. That, with a packet of fajita mix and some added ancho pepper, and the taste grew richer and more interesting--in a good way.

I love the art of reinvention. It makes life so much more layered, more rich, more interesting. Whether it be a recipe that comes to life through trial and error, a change in our attitudes about ourselves and others, or our whole perspective of our place on this amazing planet, reinvention is not only fun from time to time, it is a necessary element of creating peace with ourselves and others.

So...go out there and have fun. Mess up a recipe; change your hair color; smile at people you normally frown at; bless those you normally curse. It's all about the reinvention and, with practice, we can make it a work of art.

Have a fine day.