The date on the placard Olive Gray is holding says May 1st so it was my birthday.
It is so strange to look at these kids and remember most of their first and last names. You see that open coat closet in the rear of the room by the door? I still remember hanging my coat there it always smelled like wet wool and fresh air. Opposite the coat closet on the inside of bookcase you see is where we stashed our lunch pails or sacks. My teachers name was Mrs. Thompson I had her for third grade also. This was a very small country elementary school, grades one through eight and scant class sizes.
I posted this photo for throwback Thursday today.
Tonight homemade chicken veggie soup happening in our kitchen. I am tempted to make biscuits to go with but you know how I love biscuits. I know I would eat more than one with dinner. I have been working so diligently to lose a few a pounds and have just now started seeing the results I would hate to sabotage myself. I will probably fix my husband some sourdough garlic toast to go with the soup and forget the biscuits.
When you are close to your ideal weight it is hard for those pounds to drop off but I am noticing the difference the past few days. I have been cutting down and being really aware of what goes into my mouth. I just want to be as healthy as I am able and to be comfortable in my clothes and OK look better in my clothes also. Most everything you read or hear states that it is better to be a little under weight than overweight it is less stress on your joints and you have more energy. But believe I do not deprive myself of something if I truly desire it. I just eat a very small portion and being a slow eater it always seems to be enough to satisfy me.
Today the sky is streaked with blue and whimsical clouds. In the parking lot at Freddie's this morning as I was stashing groceries in my SUV it was sprinkling and quite humid. It showered lightly on the drive home, just enough of course to smudge my clean car.
I want to make a nice Sunday dinner. It must be the time of year as I crave homey things cooking. Of course it is going to be ninety on Sunday,laugh and here I am thinking of a oven meal. I may put a whole chicken in the roaster we will see.
I know I am making grilled bacon burgers with pepperjack cheese for Saturday's meal. It is OREGON football night so I want to fix something easy right before the game so we can watch the kickoff with juicy burger sauce dripping through our fingers. Tonight I am making chicken soup, so I will share what I do.
Zo's Chicken soup.
Three bone in chicken thighs
Two carrots sliced
Three celery ribs sliced
1/2 onion chopped
1 clove of garlic minced( or a shallot sliced)
3 red potatoes scrubbed and diced
one cup of fresh or frozen corn(optional)
additional chicken stock if needed
a healthy squirt of ketchup
olive and butter
pepper and salt to taste
Dried basil, coriander and thyme to taste
a pinch of tarragon.(or use what you prefer)
Note.Of course you can add whatever veggies you need to use up in your vegetable bin,at the moment I have nappa cabbage so I will chop that add to the soup also.
If you are not using potatoes you can of course add noodles after the veggies are cooked or you can add brown or white long grain rice instead of potatoes or noodles. Or sometimes I just make dumplings from scratch(no Bisquick) and add when the veggies (no potatoes) are almost cooked.
Procedure.
Add about four cups or more of water to your stock pot and put in your thighs and bring to a boil with a bit of salt. Once they come to boil put the lid on and simmer until the thighs are falling apart.
Remove thighs from the stock and cool. Strain the chicken broth in the pot and reserve. Clean the pot and add a drizzle of olive oil and add a dollop of butter. Heat but do not brown the butter and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic or shallots.
Stir and cook until semi tender.
Then add the stock back into the pot add the potatoes and the spices. Add enough additional stock to cover the ingredients. Cook on low until all the vegetables are tender, add the chicken thigh meat you have pulled from the bones. Add the generous squeeze of ketchup(secret weapon) and the fresh or frozen corn kernels if using. Simmer until all is heated through.Taste and adjust seasonings if need be. That is it.
Now of course everyone has their own version of chicken soup. I really did not need to share. My friend Judy is probably laughing at me we both have been cooking for so many years we do not need recipes for soup. But just indulge me Judy I need to share something this is a cooking blog after all.(I normally just use what is in my fridge that needs to be used, but if one needed a recipe this would suffice.)
Well I really need to slide into that chair of mine now and rest this old back that lets me down most every afternoon.
See you tomorrow.
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