Macaroni and Menudo #2

In a true blending of cultures I created a new recipe. It's menudo, but without the large corn that I can't remember the name of, and with rice pasta and guess what? Zucchini. (I apologize for misspelling zucchini constantly.)

After the chicken soup I was starving, and menudo has some magic quality. I see why it's been a staple in Mexico for a very long time. It's filling in a deep, comforting way. I can't get enough of it, and yet, it seems to fill the void when I'm starving. It must have protein and calcium because during this phase I began to sleep a little better and some desperate inner place began to calm down.

It's just like chicken soup only you have to cut it up in edible pieces and then, later, you don't have to take it off the bone.

1. I used half a block of menudo. It comes in blocks. It's the lining of a cow's stomach. And that's true not just some odd saying in my head. But don't hold it against the menudo. It is truly a lovely food, nourishing and satisfying. If it comes in a block, it's generally clean and good quality. If you buy it in leaves, wash it real well. Cut it up, no easy task as it's slippery and rubbery and doesn't cut easily. Persevere. Pieces approximately one inch by one inch is the goal.

2. An onion, cut into chunks. 1 by 2 inches is fine

3. Lots and lots of garlic. I used 10 cloves, skinned

4. More squash, in my house, the other half of the chicken soup zucchini, cut into 1 by 2 chunks. In your house, more of any kind of squash, green, yellow, long or round. Wash well. Cut up.

5. Boil it for longer than chicken soup, 2 to 3 hours, add Tinkyada little rice dreams. They hold up to the boiling and have a nice shape.



When the noodles are soft serve portion number one. When it's in the bowl, I squeeze a whole lime and add salt. I don't believe this is a low cal meal, but I let myself eat what I wanted because I was going to eat something. I was just hungry all the time for a few days. It goes with the territory. It's phase two. So I figure this does little harm and does seem to help.

You don't have to make mac and menudo to get through phase 2. Though when Torin lived here for a year, recovering from the ravages of gluten, he loved it and ate it like it was going out of style. Any good quality vegetable and protein soup will do, and lots of it. Make another chicken soup. Just have lots of something on hand. It provides liquid, protein, and general nutrition.

I know that a recipe for a food you think to yourself you wouldn't eat on a bet may not be very useful. Still, it's what's happening here, so it's what I know. Phase three manana.