Potato Leek Stew

I went to the farmer's market today, a.k.a the Greenmarket, and it cheered me up after a long wait at the doctor's office had made me grumpy. I love the Greenmarket, especially in the fall, and I bought lots of yummy things (though I restrained myself from certain items when I noticed the Union Square Greenmarket, where I was today, seems pricier compared to the one at Grand Army Plaza -- I wonder if that's quantifably true or if it's my imagination).

In any case, I came home and made two batches of potato leek stew. The first one I ruined because I chopped the potatoes too chunky and had to add too much chicken stock and cook it for too long, and it got all mushy and starchy. The second one turned out fine, and I'm feeling slightly more prepared to cook dinner for fifteen, which I am attempting to do tomorrow. I tried to throw together a batch of rice while I did the stew, and it came out too sticky.

I'm not good at making rice. I always burn the bottom of the pot, and then I have to add more water, then it gets all heavy instead of fluffy -- if anyone out there has tips for how to not burn the bottom of your pot, please do tell me. I sort of salvaged it by adding chopped toasted pecans, which kind of distract from the mushiness. The true test will come tomorrow night when I see how much of it people actually eat. I'll make another batch tomorrow, which hopefully will turn out better. I might try to make more stew, too, since I now have half of what I thought I'd have.

The stuffing turned out great though, which is good news for the chickens. They're all trussed up and ready to go.

As for the pies, well, I won't have time to make them myself. That's another reason I love the Greenmarket.