Daily Prompt: Ingredients

What’s the one item in your kitchen you can’t possibly cook without? A spice, your grandma’s measuring cup, instant ramen — what’s your magic ingredient, and why?

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I wandered casually towards the kitchen. I checked over my shoulder one last time to make sure no one was watching as I ducked through the door. I knew I didn’t have a lot of time. Nancy never left the kitchen unattended for long; she was a “hands-on” cook.

The aroma that had greeted me when I entered the house was stronger here. It was fabulous, it was glorious, it was stupendous, and it was all the other “ous” adjectives used to describe things that are better than good. I smelled Hatch chilies cooking. Those of us who live and play in New Mexico usually refer to them simply as “green chilies” their place of origin is assumed to be Hatch because that is where the good ones come from.

I heard someone coming down the stairs. It sounded like Nancy. Grabbing a spoon I lifted the lid of the stock pot that was steaming on the back burner of the stove. Wow, green chili stew. I dipped the spoon in and took a taste. I was instantly transported to Nirvana.

The beauty of green chilies is that you can use them in any dish, and believe me I do. I eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I put them in my omelets, I put them on sandwiches, I eat them with roasted meats, I sauté them with other vegetables. I make green chili ice cream and I have even had green chili wine (I didn’t make that but I enjoyed it immensely).

“Hey” Nancy said when she entered the kitchen, “I didn’t hear you come in. Stay out of the stew, that’s for dinner.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Life is good.

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