Vote Early, Vote Often

This has been a hectic work/life couple weeks, and I've been a bad blogger. While I really want to focus on food and families with this blog and leave the politics to my husband's blog, which pretty much speaks for both of us, I can't urge you strongly enough to get to the polls tomorrow. Mid-term elections are typically poorly attended and barely acknowledged, but this year the election is so important regardless of what side of the political fence you would prefer to pay your taxes on.

If you like where things are and you want them to continue, it's important for you to get out; your party is struggling right now. If you're unhappy with where things are and who currently controls the House and Senate, your vote can actually change things. Again, this blog is about food, but food is politics -- it's the basis of how we survive, and legislation affects things like what chemicals it can contain, how much of it we send to starving countries, and whether U.S. children in poorer families get school-funded nutritious hot meals before going to class. Food and politics are interwoven in the most basic way.

I'm expecting Phil and I will be huddled around the TV tomorrow night, watching the results come in. It's truly anyone's guess what's going to happen tomorrow; I was a bit cocky two years ago based on exit polls that said my candidate was going to win, and, well, he didn't. I'm taking nothing for granted Tuesday night.

Which means we're going to need some good, comforting, fall food to get us through the evening. I'm planning on Rachael Ray's Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup and some good bread. Possibly our last bottle of Cloud Nine Pinot Noir (a splurge for us at $18, but an amazing wine bargain).

I drank the Rachael Ray Kool-Aid five years ago while on maternity leave after I saw her make a chicken/tomato/cremini mushroom dish that was fabulous. Since then, as she's pumped out a book a week , become a bit of a parody of her bubbly self, and started featuring dishes like "Tailgate Nachos" topped with packaged cheese and cut-up hot dogs, I've been less enamored. Three different people have told me this recipe's great, though, so we're risking it. Don't let us down, Rachael; it's going to be a nail-biter of a night:

Rachael Ray's Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock (I'll probably use chicken stock)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream*
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
Fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the oil, and when it gets hot, add the onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans, and pumpkin. Stir to combine ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne, and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.

* After knitting weekends, weekends in NY discovering new cocktails, this past weekend in Chicago to see King Tut (post to come), and Halloween, I'm feeling pretty bloated and Orson Welles-in-the-70s-like. I understand you can substitute fat-free evaporated milk for heavy cream, which much to Phil's chagrin, I'm going to do. Keep your fingers crossed it will still be as comforting.


Now get to those polls!