Yes, we had a “Wok Out” this weekend.  The 18-year old, barely been used, wedding gifted Wok went up in smoke Saturday afternoon.  If I was a superstitious woman, I’d be worried about my marriage, but thankfully, my husband continues to remind me that we are not cheap, Chinese-made appliances.

So, what was a girl to do?  I turned to my womanly instinct that told me I was really hungry for lentil and sausage-based soup.  I’d make Italian Wedding Soup as symbol of my enduring marriage.  So, Italian Wedding Soup it was. . .recipe is below.

The other thing I did this weekend was marvel at how many great cooking and wellness blogs there are out there on the Internet.  Keep in mind, that most are not both.  But, that is OK.  I don’t always like to mix the two.  Tonight, I wanted to start sharing some of these blogs with you—and invite you to begin to share your favorite cooking and blog sites with the ever-increasing number of OShouldKnow readers.

Anyway, here is a couple to get you started:

Albertsonswellbeing.com

This is a great wellness blog populated by the supermarket retailer, Albertsons. This blog features a number of talented and diverse writers—everything from a dietitian to an adventurous single guy looking for excitement in the world of food and health.  You can subscribe to daily updates that make you feel healthier by just reading them.  And, there are good recipes to boot—a rare combo blog with a fun roster of “real-people” voices.

Orangette.blogspot.com

This, in my opinion, is the ultimate food lovers’ blog. The seductive powers of food writing are not to be underestimated.  The author, Molly Wizenberg, even used her food journey to find her a husband.   How can you top that?  Food and love.  My two favorite combinations in life.  Or, are they one and the same?  Hmmm.

Steph’s Italian Wedding Soup (adapted from three different recipes I found online):

* 1 lb pound bulk Italian sausage
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 large carrot, chopped
* 1 32-ounce carton of organic chicken broth
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 cup water
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed

Directions;
In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil. Add lentils. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 60-70 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings

PS – I’m going to go the second-hand store the coming weekend and see if I can’t snag myself a “new” Wok.  So, stay tuned. . .