An ode to jalapenos

This recipe finally scared away my cold. My best friend told me on the phone that I sounded like there were monsters battling a losing battle in my throat. I've since stopped discriminating Kleenex from toilet paper, napkins, paper hand towels, and anything paper that's nearby when I feel a sneeze coming. And then--and then I made this chili.

I'm by no means an avid or exciting cook. I love the Farmer's Market and try to cook as healthy as I can within my means. I like cooking the most when it's a quiet evening and nobody's really around, and I'm hungry but not starving, and I've got all the ingredients and all the time in the world. Tuesday was one of those nights. So I picked up some eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and, yes, jalapenos, and got to work.

The result was pretty much the tastiest soup I've made yet. But the best part of it was after I'd eaten two full bowls and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I couldn't figure out why my nose suddenly felt so fresh and clean, and then when I looked in the mirror it was so obvious: my nasal passages were lit up, fiery red beneath my skin, and I could feel jalapeno coursing up my throat and down my nose.



Amazing. Now if there was just a magic recipe for cabin fever...