A Snow Day

 

 

 

School was cancelled one day just before Christmas.  The boys ran out of ways to occupy themselves so I stepped in to help.  I had been stashing cans, cartons and boxes for a while for just such an occasion and it was time to pull them out.  I threw them out of the cupboard right to the middle of the floor which they got a kick out of.   "What is mom DOING?!"  After adding some essential supplies like masking tape, packing tape, scissors, wrapping paper and markers their imaginations took off.

Bud's imagination exercises took place on the computer.  He loves Spore, which allows him to create creatures, planets, universes, communities and the like.  We have to be careful, though.  He can get lost in Spore land for hours!

Games and movie days are other favorite ways for us to spend snow days.  What are some of yours?

French Press Fridays

**Excuse the spasmodic behavior of my blog.  The look keeps changing as I'm trying to figure out how to work the "controls"....still.  Thank you.**

We made Peppermint Dust a couple of weeks ago.  It's easy, really, and quite fun to have on hand this time of year.  Throw a bunch of candy canes in your food processor, or blender, cover your ears, and set that baby on "pulverize".  Voila!  Peppermint dust!  Transfer it to a fun little jar and keep on hand to add to ice cream, hot cocoa or anything else that needs a little holiday cheer.  It's also good in, yep, you guessed it....COFFEE!

 

 

 

 

So I'm dinking around on Pinterest early this morning and I come across a recipe for homemade Vick's-type shower disks.  Sounded interesting so I followed the link to the original website.  I'm intrigued by the blog I find as the blogger writes about many things I'm interested in...food, gardening, healthy eating and frugal living. 

In one post I read, her choice of words was colorful, not off-color, but colorful. And, I admit, it made me giggle because I had been in the situation she described and I related to it very well.  A reader replied that she would try the shared recipe but the vulgar language turned her off.  Fair enough.  We all know that a blog belongs to the blogger.  Ideas, thoughts, feelings are shared in whatever way the blogger desires.  "Reader Beware", right?  And, taking that a little further, bloggers need to be ready to receive comments that they may not want. 

That being said, here's what disappointed me.  The blogger's reply to the polite, albeit critical comment, included another colorful word.  Um, why?!  I think the reason is apparent; the blogger does not care what the reader thinks about the language used.  But what was the point of using another offensive word in the reply?  I just don't understand.  I find myself feeling sorry for the blogger.  And very saddened by the disrespect among adults.

And More Soup!

A simple vegan soup.  A favorite of Hub's and mine.



Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin (or more to taste)
sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

Drain and rinse the beans.  In a food processor, combine the beans, broth, salsa and cumin until smooth.  (Or you can do this with an immersion blender right in your pot)  Transfer to a pot and heat through.  Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top.

I have experimented with blending about 3/4 of the beans and leaving the rest whole.  This gives you a slightly chunkier soup.  We like it this way.

(from allrecipes.com)

More Soup

OK, I have to admit I was very skeptical when I tried this one.  As I was making this soup, it just was not turning out the way I had expected.  I was leery even reading the ingredients.  And I tried it anyway.

WOW! 

Am I glad I did!  It was very good.  I really should have known it would be because I got the recipe from one of my favorite foodies, Sweet Pea.  I don't think I've used one of her recipes that I haven't liked.  After thinking it over, I was hesitant about this soup because what I pictured in my head was a chicken enchilada soup whereas this is a chicken tortilla soup.  There's a difference! ..duh..  Anyhoo, onward!!


Tortilla Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (10.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup whole corn kernels
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
tortilla chips
shredded cheese

Heat oil in stock pot.  Saute onion and garlic; cook til tender, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, tomatoes and broth.  Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in corn, chiles, beans, cilantro and chicken. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips and cheese.  Sliced avocado, green onions and a lime wedge were also suggested as toppers.  Wouldn't that be delicious?!  I had none.  Boo.

(adapted from sweetpeaskitchen.com)

Stone Soup

Do you remember the story?  I remember reading it in first or second grade.  I loved it simply because it was a story and had a well-written plot.  Yes, even in second grade I recognized a good plot.  But I questioned the simple-mindedness of the villagers.  I mean, how obtuse could a person be?!  I had it figured out with the addition of the first vegetable.  Still, a fun story and probably a delicious soup.  So!  In honor of the cooler weather we are supposed to be having...AND in memory of Stone Soup and my first literary critique...I'm sharing some favorite soup recipes for the next several days.


Sausage Soup - simple name, but so delicious and full of health and goodness

1 pound Italian sausage
2 onions, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, chopped/diced/whatever, undrained
6 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups chopped cabbage
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups bow tie pasta

In your soup pot, cook the sausage until no pink remains.  Add onions and carrots.  Cook til tender, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, broth, cabbage, basil and garlic salt.  Bring to a boil, stir in pasta, cover and simmer about 10 minutes.  Serve in big soup bowls.  Yum!

A few personal notes:  I use Sweet Italian Sausage from Trader Joe's.  This sausage is so good and flavorful, and has no nitrates.  I use purple cabbage because I like the color and the boys eat it because it's purple.  I worried it would get soggy, but it doesn't cook long enough for that to happen. It's soft, but still has a crunch.  You can substitute any small pasta for the bow tie, of course.

Enjoy!