Souptacular Crockpotalooza

BooMama has challenged us to share our favorite soups/crockpot recipes, especially with the cooler weather settling in. I love to make homemade soups and stews, so I will be adding on to this and "bumping it up" when I do. I think this is one of my family's top favorites:


COMFORTING CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
From Quick Cooking, Issue 1/99

2 qts. water
8 chicken bouillion cubes (I prefer to use Tones paste for less sodium)
6 1/2 c. uncooked wide egg noodles
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 c. cooked chicken, cubed
8 oz. sour cream (I used Fat Free)
minced parsley

In large saucepan, bring water and bouillion to a boil.

Add noodles; cook, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Do not drain.

Add soup and chicken; heat through.

Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 10-12 servings




WEDDING SOUP - a/k/a Holiday Soup

chicken & chicken broth
1 med. onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
2 celery, diced
3 medium potatoes, diced
miniature meatballs
spinach, chopped
chicken bouillion
pastina
basil
parsley

Cook small amount of chicken in broth. Remove chicken & bone from broth. Set shreds and pcs. of chicken aside for later.

Add to broth onions, carrots, celery, potatoes that are all cut near same size so their cooking time is basically the same. When tender, remove from broth and mash with a fork. Really smash them good! Then add back to broth, along with any juice that came out with the mashing.

Add chicken pieces from the bone to the broth.

Make little TINY meatballs using your favorite mixture. My MIL came over from Italy and gave me her recipe so that is what I use. Let me know if you want that one.

Add cooked meatballs, chopped spinach and bouillion, basil and parsley, s&p to taste.

When ready to serve, cook egg pastina separately, drain and add to soup. Do not cook pastina in the soup broth!

This soup does not have large chunks in it. Everything is slivers and pieces, the meatballs are tiny little things the size of my pinky fingernail- between 1/4"-1/2".

When served into bowls, shake a little parmesan over top. Mmmmmmmm!

Fit Friday

Those of us doing Hot for the Holidays are using Fit Friday as a time to be open and honest about how we are doing keeping to our goals.

I have been keeping to all of the goals this week EXCEPT the carbs. That's my hardest thing. I have an awful sweet tooth. If I'm kept busy, or my husband is around, I do better. But as soon as I'm lonely and bored I will succumb.

Halfway into this week I was very discouraged with the carb weakness, so I started doing something new. Each time I start thinking about something I shouldn't eat, I immediately start praying. It doesn't even need to be praying about that issue, it could be praying for my husband learning his new job, or for Stellan, Tricia, and the many friends and family with needs. It seems to be helping. I'm getting a better prayer life and will perhaps get more fit in the process!

I can report a 2 lb. weight loss today! Still can't get into my jeans, but maybe this coming week, eh?

Wordless Wednesday

Pray for MckMama and Stellan!

Tomorrow is a big day for MckMama and her family. Stellan's birthday! Please pray for Stellan and MckMama as he's scheduled to be delivered tomorrow at 9:30AM CST.

Not Me! Monday

Just in case you are checking up on me, I should tell you that I would NEVER cheat on the new HFTH diet. When I have all of these desserts in the house for my family and guests, I wouldn't think of eating those desserts along with everyone else and totally ignoring Goal #2. Not me - you must be thinking of someone else.

I did not laugh at my husband's misfortune of having to ride a bus for 8+ hours today- laugh until I had an asthma attack. How cruel would that be of me?

I did not forget about the Chocolate Chess Pie in the oven and burn the crust, then serve it to my visiting aunt and uncle.

I did not leave for a hair cut appointment, get down the road and realize I still had my slippers on.

I did not forget several times this past week, whether I had taken my medicines or not.

And, for Pete's sake, I would absolutely, not EVER, turn around and cross the room only to forget what I was about to do. Like a zillion times this past week. Don't even think I would do that. I'm not that old and forgetful! Not me!

To read more Not me! Monday confessions, go to MckMama's!

And the Gold Medal goes to

Yesterday was my son's first Karate Tournament. I wish I could have captured a close-up of the look on his face when they awarded him first place in his Kata division. Of course, there were only two of them in his division (long story!), but it was terribly exciting for him. The boy behind him was the first Autistic to ever participate in the Nationals and receive a medal. He was featured on CNN a few years ago and has been in the newspaper and on many news channels. Since he has been competing for years, it meant all the more to my son to win.

Way to go, R! I admire you so much for all of the practice you have put in and the guts it took to get out there and perform your Kata!

Here he is wearing his medal in the evening, being very goofy at my parents.

And right now? He is bored. There is a very large swarm of hornets outside my house (there are about 30 of them outside the window to this room, flying into the glass and sounding like sleet hitting the window) and he is out there trying to fight them and kill them. He does this all of the time. Doesn't learn from being stung! Crazy kid!

Going Fit - Hot for the Holidays

Well, Jackie hasn't taken my challenge to post a picture, but I'm going ahead and doing this Hot for the Holidays.I'm not posting a picture of myself right now because I actually don't have time (I'm expecting company quite soon).

My goals:

1. To use either my treadmill or Total Gym

Saying that, I know there will be days where I will have migraines or have too much pain or shortness of breath to do EVERY day, but that is my goal.

2. To cut back extremely on "whites" - bad carbs

3. Drink a lot more water. Having CF, I'm supposed to drink a lot anyhow and I've been slacking on that.

4. No eating after 8PM.

5. Lose 8 lbs. by Christmas. I actually need to lose about 40 lbs., but I don't want to bite off too difficult a challenge and then feel defeated and discouraged.

On another note...

My husband found a new job! He starts orientation on Monday and is very nervous about starting somewhere new, but I guess that's normal. We'll have to pay two months of Cobra insurance and then hopefully we'll have decent health insurance, which we haven't had in awhile.

Thank you for all of the prayers that were said on our behalf. We greatly appreciate it. If you continue to pray for him this coming week I know he would appreciate that, too!