Comfort Cooking

Saturday dawned cold and drizzly . . . wet and overcast . . . bleak and chilly.

I've heard of comfort foods and comfort eating, but on Saturday all I wanted was comfort cooking---cooking that made me think of prairie settlers and roaring fires in walk-in fireplaces and cast iron pots hanging from pothooks, simmering all day long.

Not that there is a ghost of a chance that any prairie settler would have prepared this stew that originally graced the pages of Gourmet magazine, but it sure does appeal to my romantic sensibilities.

It was a grand day for puttering in the kitchen.

For chopping up celery and onions and garlic and carrots.

For searing the meat in olive oil and adding the flavors of bay leaves, thyme, red wine, and balsamic vinegar.

For adding in tiny round, white boiling potatoes to poach in the delicious broth until their tender skins split.

It was a day for cleaning out the refrigerator and feeling happy that for one day, at least, all the dairy products sat lined up on their own shelf, and all the produce was right where it should be, in the clean, center drawer free from mold and blight and goo, and the butter was stacked neatly in its own shelf in the door.

It was a day for getting all the dishes washed and listening to Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries on my ipod and being geeky enough to take notes to help me keep track of the suspects.

And it was a day to sniff and sniff the gently bubbling stew that is really a deep rich beef soup and to stir and stir and taste and sigh deeply.

And to be glad I wasn't outside where it was bone-chilling and drippy and raw, but to be,instead, inside, where the warmth was embracing and where I could enjoy the comfort of cooking.


Comforting Beef Stew (adapted from epicurious.com)

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into small chunks
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, quartered
2 celery ribs, quartered
1 onion, quartered
1/2 head of garlic, halved crosswise
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
1 1/2 cups reduced  sodium beef broth (gasp . . . I used chicken because I forgot to buy the beef!!)
1 1/2 cups water
1 pound small white boiling potatoes
3/4 pound carrots

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.  (I actually cooked mine on a burner, and it also worked fine!)

Pat beef dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat oil in pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat, without crowding, iabout 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Reduce heat to medium, then add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 12 minutes.

Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook paste, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir into vegetables.

Add vinegar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Stir in wine, bay leaves, and thyme and boil until wine is reduced by about two thirds, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add broth to pot along with water, beef, and any juices from platter and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in oven until meat is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Set a large colander in a large bowl. Pour stew into colander. Return pieces of meat to pot, then discard remaining solids. Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes.

While beef braises, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges (oops, I left mine whole!!). Slice carrots diagonally (1-inch).

Add potatoes and carrots to stew (make sure they are submerged) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 40 minutes.

A Perfect Night for a Fire Pit

On Friday, Youngest Son surveyed weather, date, and occupants of the house and pronounced it a perfect night.

A perfect night for making a fire in the fire pit.

Weather - clear and cold.  Mom can, therefore not make the excuse "too wet" or "too hot."

Date - no school in the morning.  Mom can, therefore, not say, "No fire pit on a school night."

Occupants - no older siblings home.  Therefore, no all-knowing brothers to be telling Youngest Son how to build a fire, tend a fire, or put out a fire.  No smugly confident older siblings to criticize the accidental burning of marshmallows, sparks on the deck caused by over-zealous stoking, or an entire 2-weeks worth of newspapers crumpled and added to the blaze.

No, altogether a perfect night for a fire in the fire pit.

The building and tending of a fire is a wonderful, earthy experience.  Bringing out all the primal feelings of joy in the ability to put together gathered wood (okay it came pre-wrapped from the local market), set it to burning (yes, we were helped out by the Diamond Match Company),

nurse it through its fitful starts and stops and then through much blowing and poking and arranging and sighing suddenly come up with a magical source of warmth to all around its circle . . . holding forth against the 33 degree air at our backs.

Of course there were marshmallows and gooey fingers, faces that got too hot and backs that got too cold, smoky hair and eyes that got red and teary.

And when the discomfort of the gooeyness, heat, and stinging eyes overcame the delight of the stoking, roasting and warming hands, we all headed inside and sipped home made hot cocoa and agreed with Youngest Son.

It really was a perfect night for making a fire in the fire pit.

Home Made Cocoa

Pour the following ingredients into a blender. 

4 cups of whole milk (sorry, but if you want the full, decadent flavor, you've gotta use whole!)

1/2 cup of sugar

3 teaspoons of vanilla

5 tablespoons of cocoa (I used Hershey's)

Blend away on highest speed. The frothiness this creates makes the beverage even more delectable!

Pour into a pan, heat to desired heat, serve to adoring children and/or adults . . . or yourself!

Sugar Cookies . . . Finally

I love butter.  I love sugar.  I love flour.  I love vanilla.

Mix it all together, and the next logical deduction equals = I love sugar cookies!!

Simple to mix up, fulfilling to roll out, fun to cut, easy to bake, creative to decorate.  And that's before you even get to the eating!!  Sweet, tender, soft, chewy, and (with sprinkles or colored sugar) a little crunchy.  A world of delightful texture and taste.  Uncomplicated, unassuming, comforting.  Sugar cookies.

When this household suddenly went gluten-free, years ago, I thought sugar cookies were now extinct under this roof.

Trial runs with rice flours, and mixes incorporating bean flours of different types left us with unappetizing, thick, grainy, or heavy cookies.  You can only hide so much under a substantial layer of powdered sugar icing and sprinkles.  The experimental cookies usually sat neglected on the counter until they were so hard that I was doing us all a service by dumping them.  And yet again dumping the hope of a gluten-free sugar cookie that could be enjoyed.

 Enter the dear Silvana and her marvelous gluten-free flour mix that can be made right in your own kitchen (here).  Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.  It is more time-consuming to combine these flours; it is more costly to purchase these flours than the 5-pound bag of Gold Medal sitting on the market shelf.  However, this mix is gluten-free, and in cookie baking, the flour is a highly billed player!!  No compromises with the flour.

And so, this year we ended up with a chewy and delicious sugar cookie for the first time in years.  And if I ended up making 6 batches of these delights, I can hardly be blamed.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. cream or milk
1 1/4 cups Silvana's gluten-free flour mix (recipe here) - I leave the salt out of the flour mix!!
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Cream the butter.  Gradually add the sugar, beating until light.  Add the egg, vanilla, cream/milk and beat thoroughly.

Mix the flour mix, salt and baking powder together.  Add to the first mixture and blend well.  Add more flour mixture if the dough is too soft.  Sprinkle flour mix on the rolling surface, roll cookies to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut out shapes and back for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. milk
2 tsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla 
food coloring

Stir powdered sugar and milk until smooth.  Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy. If the frosting is too thick, add more corn syrup.  Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.

The Soup of My Dreams - Creamy Turkey Wild Rice

I've been searching for this soup recipe.

I didn't know it, but when I tasted it, I knew then that it was a soup recipe for which I have been longing.

I've tried others that were almost right . . . close to perfect . . . on the brink of delightful.  But this one is, for me, the end of the journey.  The journey to the perfect Turkey Wild Rice Soup.

Savory and fragrant, with the mellowness of wine, a rich touch of bacon, and the nutty chewiness of wild rice.  

Thanksgiving was great.  And using my turkey leftovers to make this soup was the perfect way to end a sweet holiday.

I first read about my dream soup here.  Which then directed me here for the recipe.

Here, then, is the recipe, with a few of my changes noted:

Creamy Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

5 tablespoons butter (1 tablespoon for sauteing, 4 tablespoons for cream sauce)

1/3 cup diced celery (1/4" dice)

1/2 cup diced carrots (1/4" dice)

1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

4 cups chicken broth (1 32-ounce carton)

1 cup water

3/4 cup wild rice

2 cups diced cooked turkey (about 1 pound) - my family said it needed more turkey

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning - none on my spice shelf---I skipped it

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

2 tablespoons white wine (optional) - put in extra here.  yummmmmm!

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled - used turkey bacon . . . made me feel better about the half and half

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Make the soup: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onions, sauteing until softened - about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, water, wild rice, and turkey. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make the cream sauce: Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix the flour and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl and then add to the butter; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the half-and-half and cook until slightly thickened - about 1 minute. Stir the sauce into the soup. Stir in the white wine, bacon, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Asparagus and Grandma

This summer the store coolers have been full of delicious asparagus, often on sale.  Asparagus is yummy tucked into an omelet with a few slices of garden tomatoes on the side, but usually I just like to lightly sautee' it.

Because that's how Grandma used to cook it.

I'd be visiting and it would be getting on toward dinner time.  And her eyes would pop open wide, as if she'd just thought of the most magical idea.  And she'd sayd, "Let's get some asparagus fresh out of the garden and have it for dinner!!" 

Grandma was like that.  Life was an adventure.  Even asparagus.

I don't remember asparagus landing very often on the dinner table growing up . . . if ever.  But it was always right at home on Grandma's table.

Out she'd be, digging around in Grandpa's garden, fiercely avoiding any stalk looking a little woody and bringing in a nice handful of the youngest, most tender asparagus.  For me.  Company.

Butter melting, the delicate stalks gently pushed around in the stainless steel Revere Ware pan until they were just crisp-tender and then slid onto melamine plates.  I liked the white ones with the bands of green and turquoise around the outside.

There was probably a little dish of applesauce and a ground beef patty to go along with it, but the asparagus was the star.  And we'd savor it and ooh and aah over that summer flavor.

And that's what I think of when I see a bunch of tightly banded asparagus on sale in the grocery store.

A summer dinner with Grandma.

Learning Flexibility

There's something to be said about large families and flexibility.  I'm going to believe that learning flexibility in a large family is a good thing so I don't completely go over the edge in guilt over my failure to keep my good intentions.

Case in point was the Valentine's Day baking with Youngest Daughter.  Here is the timeline:

February 13th - I promise to make Valentine's sugar cookies with Youngest Daughter.  We make the dough, chill the dough, and then she trots off to bed with the promise of baking them tomorrow.

February 14th - After dinner, cookies are cut and baked.  While cookies are baking, I run to the upstairs to handle a crisis, missing the beeping of the timer.  Cookies are remembered about the time they are the color of weathered wood.  Youngest Daughter trots off to bed with the promise of trying again tomorrow.

February 15th - Youngest Daughter once again anticipates the baking of the Valentine's cookies.  The calendar now says we are one day past Valentine's day.  After dinner, Older Brother #1 remembers he needs Mom to take him to the store for an item that must be purchased before the next morning's class.  Youngest Daughter trudges off to bed with the promise of trying again tomorrow.

February 16th - Cookie baking is once again anticipated after dinner, at which time Older Brother #2 has an algebraic meltdown, swears he cannot remember one thing for the test tomorrow, and requires mom's attention for 2 hours of angst-filled studying.  Youngest Daughter rolls her eyes as she is promised that we will try again tomorrow.

February 17th - The dough is finally made for the second time and chilling in anticipation of baking.  After dinner, Mom must leave for football registration.  Youngest Daughter begins to make plans for the baking of cookies in the year 2013.

February 18th - The happy day of baking finally arrives.  The calendar now says that we are 4 days past Valentine's Day.  Youngest Daughter does not care.  The day involves a friend, gooey pink frosting, 12 different types of sprinkles and pale, creamy cookies glittered, goo-ed, and glopped within an inch of their lives.  Youngest Daughter slips off to bed knowing that some things in life are, indeed, worth waiting for.

Either that, or she is planning her first appointment with her therapist.

Shallow

I really, really like to eat healthfully . . . few prepared foods, no additives, etc.

But once in a while a recipe comes along and you make it and your kids taste it and think you are the very-best-cook-in-the-world.

And then you make the cookies for a bake sale and every kid in the class thinks you're the very-best-cook-in-the-world.

And then you get requested to make them every time there's any kind of sale.

And it kind of goes to your head and your concern for the health and wholesomeness in the foods you make is totally swallowed up in the thrill of "making something that everyone loves"!

Yes, I am that shallow.

Yes, these are those cookies!


Double Chocolate Chip Cookies


1 Box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 Stick Butter
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips


Combine cake mix, eggs, butter (softened), and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add chocolate chips.  Bake for 11 minutes at 350.  Pull out of oven when puffed but not looking completely done.  Let sit for 5 minutes to cool and set.  Do not overbake or they will be crunchy.

I Hate Meatloaf . . . And Other Lies I Used to Believe

Yesterday when posting about my youthful ideals of what a sister, a large family, and a dog were supposed to look like, I got to thinking about other lies I've believed.  Lies that have thrown me completely for a loop in the past month.

Lies like:

A child will never knowingly cause more work for its mother by not cleaning up the empty chip bags, slowly warming gallon of milk, sticky peanut butter knife, dripped juice, spilled cereal, and discarded granola bar wrappers in the kitchen.

or

A bathroom used by 3 teen-aged boys should only need to be cleaned once a week.

A bathroom used by 3 teen-aged boys should only need to be cleaned three times a week.

A bathroom used by 3 teen-aged boys should only need to be cleaned once a day.

or

The level of excitement generated by a new knitting project will extend to the time of completion of said object.

or, to bring me to the subject of this post,

I hate meatloaf.

Yes, that last "I hate," as I have recently discovered, is a lie.

Because I just hadn't tasted this meatloaf.

This meatloaf is moist and juicy and light and bursting with flavor.  It is airy, not compact; soft, not dry and hard.  My children actually love it, and one requested to have it for leftovers the next night.

By the way, shouldn't "meatloaf" have another name?  Isn't there something just slightly off-putting about the idea of meat and a loaf.  Like those two concepts shouldn't come together in one name.

I googled "another name for meatloaf."  The two sites that came up were "No Results Found" and an attempt to get me to read the lyrics of "Is Nothing Sacred."  Wrong meatloaf.

So, I guess we're stuck.  Meatloaf it is.  But don't let the disappointment of all those past meatloafs keep you from trying this one.

It is Meat Succulence . . . to be sure.

Italian Turkey Meat Loaf Succulence (I double this for a family of 7)
1 large egg
Half a 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley (Whoever has this on hand?  I left it out.  Never missed it.)
1/2 cup oats
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 package Italian turkey sausages - removed from casings, about 4 sausages (You can get these just in the poultry section of the grocery store.)
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/3 cup spaghetti sauce


Preheat oven to 375.  


In a large bowl, beat the egg and stir in tomatoes, onion, parsley, oats, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Then mix in by hand the Italian turkey sausage and ground turkey just until blended.  Form into a large meat loaf (meat succulence) on a baking sheet (like a jelly roll pan), patting to remove any air spaces.  Bake for one hour.  Top with spaghetti sauce and continue baking 15 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Muscadine Grape Jam

Along with the rivers of hot tea I am consuming this winter to stave off internal chill, I am enjoying jars of autumn goodness that bring to mind the smells and coziness of fall.

That goodness is . . . Muscadine Grape Jam.

Please note hot tea and toast, looking lonely.

Enter Muscadine Grape Jam to bring the rustic sweetness of the vineyard right to my chilly winter table.

I have a friend who grows organic muscadines right on her property.

The grapes are harvested by these two little scamps of hers and delivered in bulging 2-pound bags, which I attempt to save for jam-making.

I regret to say that one day I lost all control and ate a full 1 1/2 pounds of muscadines straight out of the bag.    I learned quickly that the human digestive system was not created for such.

My digestive system has no problem at all, however, with multiple cups of hot tea and a slice of ancient grain bread spread thickly with Muscadine Grape Jam.

Or maybe two.

Hands in the Kitchen

There is something very good about these pictures . . . very good indeed.

Male hands working in the kitchen.  Mmmm-mmmm.  I do love to see that.  Or I guess I should say male hands that know what to do in the kitchen!!  There are several pairs of male hands around this house that don't need to be in the kitchen!!  They do many other things and do them well, but they don't need to be in the kitchen.

Okay . . . where was I?

Oh, yes, very good pictures, indeed.

Middle Son had a project:  Research the origins of a recipe from a Spanish country, make that recipe, and present in class.

He picked salsa, and not just any salsa but Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Style Salsa.  We're kind of picky about our salsa around here.  Most especially, we're not all about a lot of chunks.  And in Pioneer Woman's Restaurant Style Salsa, the blender takes care of all those disturbing chunks and makes it smooth as can be.  And we are very happy.

These male hands chopped onion, pressed garlic, and sliced jalapenos.  I sat and watched and felt joyful.

And then, when the salsa was made, I tasted and re-tasted and sneaked more when Middle Son wasn't looking.

Because it was really, really, really good!!  Yummmmmmmmmmm!

Quick Turkey Enchiladas

There are 3 reasons I love this meal:

#1 - They're quick - meaning I can decide to make them an hour before dinner time and still have them on the table at the prescribed moment, meaning I can feel like something really did go right with my day.

#2 - They're turkey - meaning I don't feel heavy and gorged when I finish eating them, meaning they're light but totally delicious!!

#3 - They're enchiladas - meaning it's Mexican food, meaning it's flavorful and slightly spicy, meaning my family loves it.  My family really could eat Mexican food meal after meal after meal after meal after meal ......

This recipe is adapted from an American Test Kitchen recipe.

Quick Turkey enchiladas are especially comforting on a grey . . . drippy . . . overcast . . . drizzly day.  Like today.

Give me something warm and scrumptious!

Quick Turkey Enchiladas (serves 4 . . . I double it for the 7 of us)


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground turkey
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 1/2 cans red enchilada sauce (you will need 2 10-ounce cans of enchilada sauce)
1/4 cup drained sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped (I left these out . . . too spicy for little mouths . . . husband very disappointed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
10 6-inch corn tortillas


Heat oven to 400.  Grease 13x9 baking dish.  Heat oil in large skilled over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Stir in 2 cups of cheese, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, jalapenos, and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.


Stack tortillas on plate, wrap with plastic and microwave until pliable, about 1 minute.  Top each tortilla with 1/4 cup turkey mixture and roll tightly.  Please seam-side down in prepared baking dish and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Top with additional 1 cup enchilada sauce and remaining cheese; cover with foil.  Bake 10 minuntes, remove foil, and continue baking until cheese is completely melted, about 5 minutes longer.  Serve, passing remaining heated enchilada sauce at table.

Bread Slabs - Gluten-Free

Sometimes, in the course of a meal, along comes a recipe that saves the day.

Such was the case on Sunday, Easter.

And the recipe was the chewy and savory Basil/Rosemary Bread Slabs from my wonderful, favorite, cookbook, Cooking for Isaiah.

The star of the show was to be the delicious and elegant Chicken Broccoli Rolls in Wine Sauce.  Yes, "was to be."

As it turns out, the 2nd page of the 3-page recipe was completely gone . . . missing . . . mislaid . . .disappeared.  And so I had to draw on my memory of a dish I hadn't made in 10 years.

As is so often the case, recipes trump memory. 

I distinctly heard someone on the other side of the table comment that the dish tasted rather like creamed tuna on toast.  ::sigh::  And Oldest Son responded, quietly, that maybe Easter dinner wasn't the perfect time to bring out old, unfamiliar recipes.

It is at times like this that I am really, really, really glad that I have a family-pleasing recipe like "Bread Slabs" to save the day.  And they're gluten-free to boot! 

Gotta love these little darlings!

Sun-Dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken

Who needs another recipe of "something-to-do-with boneless-skinless-chicken-breasts"?  Definitely me!!

So, when this fascinating offering came across my path, I snatched it up.

The chicken in itself is nothing special . . . lightly floured, salted, pan seared . . . yawn.

It's what the mixture of the sun-dried tomatoes, the artichokes, the wine and the lemon juice do that make magic.  And it's quick and easy too.

Who could resist?

Sun-Dried Tomato Arthichoke Chicken

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (I was doing well to find the dried on the spice shelf)
1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup white wine
Juice of 1 lemon (1 tablespoon)
1-14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts (drained)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks.  Preheat large saute' pan on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.  Place flour and chicken in zip top bag, seal bag and shake to coat.  Place oil in pan,then add chicken.  Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. 


Stir in wine.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Cook 2-3 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced.


Sprinkle lemon juice over chicken.  Stir in remaining ingredients (except thyme and cheese) and cover.  Cook 2-3 minutes.  Remove pan from heat, stir in thyme, sprinkle with cheese.  Yummmmmmmmmm!




I would like to add that should certain members of your family find the taste of wine, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes not to their liking, the whole dish can also be thickly covered with barbeque sauce on their plate and still found quite enjoyable.  ::sigh::

Free!

We're "free" at our house . . . gluten-free that is, to adjust to the digestive systems of 3 family members whose bodies can't remember where they put all the enzymes they need when it comes time to digest the wheat.  And so we accommodate those quirky digestive systems.  And for a while that meant no cookies, no cupcakes, no bread, no pizza until we could find some substitutes.

And for Youngest Daughter, that would have meant no Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting for her birthday . . . except for the fact that this delightful book was given to me!

Silvana has her own special flour blend, which had me purchasing, for the first time, rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour, and xanthum gum.  She's got a great blend going here, and it works!

Young hands sifted the flours, stirred in the puree, piped the strawberry buttercream frosting and topped the creamy mountain with a specially-picked-out fruit snack.  The Olders Kids said there was too much frosting.  Are you kidding me?  Too much creamy, butter-based, powdered sugar-fluffed, fresh strawberry-infused frosting?  No way.  These were great.  Flour was not missed.  We're happy to be free.