Bacon sandwich, late night snack

Man, that was good. Good bread, good bacon, good mayonnaise. That's it. 

I am taking as much time showing the bread as I took making it. Pan fried bread is simple as can be. The bread rises right there in the pan. The burner kicked up to high with the pan OFF the heat. The pan placed on the burner when the coil is fully hot, the pan absorbs the extra heat quickly, the heat turned down to medium-low to finish both sides. It is yeast dough, same as an English muffin but baked thinner than that and wider.

Broccoli, onion and angel hair pasta in beef broth with avocado and tomato

The soup was born as simple seared broccoli with a small snack of angel hair pasta with parmesan cheese, the sort of thing one whips out early morning following a night of the clubs.  Then it developed to soup by boiling the pasta right in beef broth. Or chicken broth if you like with additional vegetables and more complex flavors. 

Now it's become a comfort type craving.

Sear vegetables, burn them on one side in a pan and lift off with an ounce or so of wine. The controlled burn creates a layer of flavor diffused by the wine. Let that sizzle a few seconds until nearly evaporated then douse with some kind of stock. For years I used the stock that comes in cartons but now I like stock prepared by a nearby market and frozen. The stock is a meal by itself.

Angel hair pasta is preferred because it is fast. You do not need a whole plateful. You do not need a whole portion. Its surface starch will thicken the stock very slightly and absorb its beef flavor while swelling.