No, you’re right. You didn’t miss it. There was no Friday Night Links this week. It would have been a good one, too. What happened was, I got hit by a Mack truck.

Okay, seriously… I was flattened by the flu. It only felt like being hit by a Mack truck, and was about that sudden too. After I played cards with friends Tuesday night, I settled in for a long night of television as usual. I had felt fine all day and all evening. Around 3 am, a landslide of chills, aches and exhaustion tumbled down on me, and I took myself to bed. I don’t even remember most of Wednesday, which makes sense since I was mostly in a semi-conscious state at best for about 48 hours. Thursday wasn’t much better, except I managed to get some good medication on board… and then the fever broke Friday afternoon. But by then I was in no shape for anything more than light television for a couple more days. Apparently the bug going around our little corner of the world settles in for eight days. I broke through it in five. Go me.

But good things come to those who wait… Friday Night Links will just be longer (and therefore better, right?) this week.

In the meantime, while coming out of my flu-induced-fever, I conceived of this lovely chowder:

Mama Mia Perfectly Potato, Corn and Spinach Chowder

1 -2 tbsp Mama Mia (TM) Marinara Sauce Mix (MMMSM)
1 pkg Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
1 – 16 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
2 – 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
2 – 15.25 oz cans corn
water

Drain the liquid from the corn and diced tomatoes into a large measuring cup. Add water to bring to 5 cups. Whisk contents of soup packet into liquid. Set aside.

Saute the spinach, corn and tomatoes in the bottom of a large soup pot until spinach is just thawed. (Don’t worry about adding something to saute them in; they will naturally saute into the melted ice from the spinach.)

Add the MMMSM (to your taste, I find a little goes a long way in the sizzle department) and the soup to the pot with the vegetables.

Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until soup is slightly thickened and heated through, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with shredded cheddar or parmesan, and enjoy!

If being sick makes me this creative, I should suffer it more often… NOT!

:>