Snow: A chore or a treat?

 A blanket of white

Yesterday afternoon, it started snowing in earnest around 3 p.m. and did not stop until around 8 p.m. We got a beautiful blanket of fresh snow, and for several hours it went undisturbed. Last night, I briefly walked around our neighborhood, bundled up. There's something fun--even as a grown adult--about being the first person to make footprints in a fresh layer of deep snow. I was able to trace my own footsteps going back home. The harsh wind was not uncomfortable when I was very well bundled up. I've heard that in Scandinavian countries, part of the hygge lifestyle that helps everyone enjoy long, dark winters is spending time outside to appreciate the coziness and warm of their homes in contrast. It seems there's something to that.

The beginnings of yesterday's snow

I grew up where snow was a novelty. While I lived there, I was also in school, so "Snow Days" were a real thing that relieved you of obligations. After leaving home for college, I was faced with more snow than I'd ever seen in my life. Then, graduate school was in an even snowier part of the country. At some point, snow lost its magic, and now I know the frustration of seeing a layer of snow on the ground and knowing that you *still* have to drive to work, *still* have to try and get a workout in, and hot chocolate *still* has calories--even on a snowy day.

So snow has gone from a novelty and an enchantment to a bit of a chore. But I have tried to remind myself of the beauty of snow lately, and I think it's working. Yesterday, I was giddy watching it come down. And my nighttime walk in the freshly fallen snow really sparked the joy that I remember as a child. 

You can absolutely make risotto. Yes, you!

The first time I made risotto myself was 2016 or 2017 in my first apartment after graduate school. A friend had stayed with me for a few days prior because she had a job interview in the city where I lived, and on her last night staying with me, she cooked risotto for us for dinner. Because the few things I'd heard about risotto were 'you have to literally stand at the pot stirring for the entire evening!' and 'it takes hours and hours!' and 'it's so easy to burn!', I assumed that my friend was nothing short of a wizard for managing to make risotto in my little apartment in an afternoon.

Not to sell my friend short, but it does not take a wizard to make risotto. It takes (i) buying the right kind of rice (which is at the grocery story--so this barely even counts as a hard part!), (ii) broth of some kind, (iii) and some aromatics (i.e., onions or shallots! also easy!) and whatever you want to flavor it with (cheese usually, maybe meat, some vegetables). Since her visit, I've made a caprese risotto from the Single Guy Chef blog (singleguychef.blogspot.com) many, many times over the years. Yes, it takes some time; yes, you really should not just walk away from the pot; but no, it does not take hours, and it is not impossible.

Last night I made another recipe from the Cravings cookbook by Chrissy Teigen. We picked a porcini mushroom and pea risotto. I swapped regular mushrooms for the dried porcini (because that's what I could find at Aldi), and therefore skipped the soaking step. Instead, I just cooked the sliced fresh mushrooms in a skillet with butter and olive oil for about 4 minutes, took them off the heat, and added them to the risotto at the end.

Mushrooms, shallot, and arborio rice prepping for risotto

It ended up absolutely delicious. Creamy, but with some chew to it because the rice was not overcooked to the point of mushiness. The mushrooms did not end up rubbery, because they weren't overcooked or boiled along with the rice; they were simply sauteed and added back in when no more cooking needed to be done. Grated Parmesan cheese and some frozen peas added at the end made it fantastic. Oh, and there's butter in there. You can do it, you really really can.

Did Monday Motivation last?

Happily, yes! Yesterday, I felt surprisingly effective with work. I had a fun, long chat with one of my coworkers, too. Decent coworkers make life so much better.

Today's delights:

• My nighttime walk in the snow;
• a fresh pot of coffee this morning;
• a loved one has been looking for new jobs, and they found one they're genuinely excited about, so we are hopeful now; and
• some of our loved ones only received their Christmas gifts from us yesterday, so it's so fun to see that they enjoy what we got them.

Find delight in something old or new today... it could even be the weather, A