small things...

Back to good eats

Okay, let’s get back to happier things, shall we?

I’m currently sorting through a bunch of recipes I’ve torn out of magazines I thought I might one day try.  That day is today…or the next several weeks.  I don’t want to hang on to these recipes if they aren’t any good, right? 

So here is the first: Chicken and Egg soup with Pastina

You start by sautéing one small onion (with salt and pepper)

 

After about 5 minutes you add 1 whole rotisserie chicken, 1/2 cup of Pastina (or another small pasta)  2 cups chick stock and 4 cups water.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes

Remove the chicken and let it cool and take the soup off the heat. While the chicken is cooling whisk together 2 whole eggs with 2 egg yolks and the juice of 1 lemon until frothy.  Slowly add 1 ladled cup of broth into your egg mixture, whisking all the while.  Add it back to your broth and slowly stir while on low heat until creamy.

Once the chicken is cooled, shred the meat off the bone and add back to the soup with 2 cups of spinach. 

Serve with a small bit of feta cheese and hunk of yummy bread.

The recipe came from the August/September 2009 Food Network Magazine.

The pics came from my kitchen.

YUM.

7 years ago

Seven year ago today my friend Chad died.  I’ve been sitting here thinking about that time and remembering those days before he died.  He was in Little Rock with his amazing wife, kids, family, friends.  I was getting updates via phone while I went through the motions of my first days temping at a law firm downtown. 

I can’t remember the call I received to tell me he had died.

I can’t remember making any of the plans to fly down for his funeral.

But I remember the funeral and his wake the night before.  I remember all of his friends and how packed the church was that morning for his service.  I remember how strong I thought his wife was.  How strong and how young. I remember beginning to cry in the parking lot after the service was over and not stopping, for what still seems like forever. 

I can’t find my favorite picture of him and I when we were young and beautiful.

But I remember him.

Today I remember him clearly.

2 years from now

Several times this week I’ve had clients (i work as a counselor with college students) doubting themselves or their dreams because of how long it will take to accomplish said dreams.  They are fearful that they will be too old once their dream is achieved…that the 2 years it might take to complete this goal is too long.

The words I’ve spoke to each one of them have been these: God-willing, you will be 2 years older either way.  What do you want your life to look like 2 years from now?

My clients always bring with them the lessons I need to learn most.

The Universe is a tricky coyote in this way.

So I’m asking myself the same question. What do I want my life to look like 2 years from now?

And I’m asking you…what do you want YOUR life to look like 2 years from now?

All you have to do is do it

There isn’t much that turns me into a weeping mess as much as stories of people changing their lives using little more then the power of their own human spirit and the force of their bodies.

Meet Ben:

Yes! Michigan

Up in Sawyer this weekend with my sister and nephew. I told my friend Vance this weekend that I was in “the hamptons” of the midwest.  I think that was a lie, but it is a lovely series of sleepy resort towns on the beach and in the woods.  It’s something alright, even it if isn’t the hamptons.

Some of what we did and saw:

At my favorite meat shop in Three Oaks

My sister and Emmett

The road through the woods to the beach

The waves were large…there was a rip tide!

So we found other activities to occupy our time…

Lordy, lordy can this kid dance

Peace out.

Michigan interlude

I took off for Michigan and here I sit.  The air is suddenly cooler – somehow Fall appeared overnight.  Sweatshirts make a welcome return.  There is a giant rip tide (can rip tides be giant?) and we can’t go in the water.  But it is warm and inviting and hard to resist.

I forgot my camera cord so I can’t upload the photos yet.  But I will as soon as I get back.  We are having fun.

 

Here is somebody else’s photo

(source)

Now you tell me Lake Michigan doesn’t look like the ocean.

I’ll be back on Monday with the rest of the pics.

Happy Labor Day!