On the one hand, I am behind on Christmas once again, mostly because I really don’t know where to shop for things here, other than the chain stores. On the other hand, I am managing to do some things that I’ve had to skip Christmases past because of work, moving, etc. For example, I sent out Christmas cards! I made two presents! I baked cookies!

Speaking of cooking, I posted a good and easy soup recipe on batterman.org. It’s made from staples that can be kept in the pantry, and with a stick blender, really just takes a few minutes to make. It is a tomato soup, but with the spices and chickpeas, has a nice texture and slightly exotic flavor.