Finally, a busy day, and more about beer

Planned to do some cooking today.  I have been looking for a soup recipe that doesn't require that I first cook a turkey and make stock.  I had thought I found one. in a Weight Watchers cook book--Spicy Black bean and Sausage Soup.  I had just about everything I needed except 1/2 cup of beer.  Now where do you buy 1/2 cup of beer?  First we tried the grocery store, thinking that they often have individual cans in their drink coolers, even if it is alcohol free-beer.  Nope, they only had it in six packs for $9.99.  So off to the liquor store to buy a six pack of real beer.  Except they only sell it in 12 packs, and we would have had to wait until the vendor opened  to get a six pack.  But David found a single can in the cooler at the liquor store.  It was one of the local breweries, not a big name, but fine for the soup. So I chopped onion, and cooked sausage and put the whole thing together.  First taste David turned up his nose and left the room.  I persevered a bit and finished a bowl.  Then it started to fight back so the whole thing went in the garbage.  At the same time, I was putting together a pot roast, also from a Weight Watchers recipe.  I have made this before, and if I follow the rather expensive recipe, I end up with a very rich and tasty stock.  We have this planned for supper, so I may get my soup yet.

 Then I made Marzipan squares, from a recipe that I spent a fair bit of time searching for this week.  As I read it, I became a little uncomfortable as I realized that she had left out ingredients, that were actually referred to in another part of the instructions.  The cake part is cooked and tested, seems okay, but has yet to be iced.

All of this was in an effort to test out the new mixer and can opener I acquired this week.  Very nice appliances. Both Cuisinart, and more expensive than I usually go.  What to do with the old ones?  Well, the can opener cost me $10 about 5 years ago.  Garbage.  The older hand mixer was also a good one, but has had a short in the cord just about since I got it, so no point in even sending it to the thrift store.  Garbage, again.

And it snows.  Deep, wet, heavy snow.  Several inches of it.  Just about the worst thing that could happen right now with pending floods  And it is much worse down South.  I seem to remember this happening in 1997, when they ended up calling it the "Flood of the Century".  Just saying!