A Wasted Five Days...

I'm always surprised when I get sick with a cold. Thankfully, it happens so rarely; I usually catch one upper respiratory infection every 1-3 years. But it seems that a cold lasts 5-7 days, no matter what you do, no matter what drastic measures are employed. Today is day five, and the vector of infection is finally dissipating. I can't really say that the soup, the juice, the sudaphedrine, the lemon drops, the Zicam, the steam or the six naps a day did anything to hasten the eventual end. You just have to wait it out.

So here it is, five days since I was first felled by this beast. Five days of lying on the couch, watching hurricanes and political shenanigans. I feel pretty normal, just a little stuffiness and drippiness hanging on. Today will be a light activity day, even though I'm chomping at the bit to shake out of the boredom that has suffused my existence for almost a week.

Maybe I can cut down to just two naps today.

Quick Onion Soup For Sickies

Thinly slice two medium to large onions and place them in a dry, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until onions begin to soften and turn brown, stirring and turning, for about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle onions with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and continue to stir until onions are a deep brown. Dump onions into a saucepan.

Pour 1/4 cup of red wine into skillet and scrape up all the browned bits. Dump over onions.

Add 2 or 3 cans of beef broth, chicken broth, or a combination of both to the saucepan, and heat to a simmer. Add 1 Tablespoon of brown gravy mix or au jus mix and stir until dissolved.

Dice 1 slice of swiss cheese into small bits, about 1/4" square. Dump into eating bowl. Pour or ladle hot soup over cheese.

Sip slowly, inhaling onion fumes and sighing deeply. Take a nap when finished.