I was hoping the end of the holidays would find me back on schedule and they have . . . somewhat! Families often take on lives of their own but need Mom to be there to be a part of whatever is going on. Since yesterday, my two older college children suddenly required help with various aspects of their advancing education. My older son announced that his Master's Thesis is now in the hands of his professor so that means, if all goes well, he will have his degree this year. However, as he continues to apply for a college for his Phd, he needs transcripts which we are busy trying to obtain for him.
Meanwhile, my daughter tried to do something as simple as enroll in a class at the community college and they have it in their heads that she is an out of state student so we spent the day providing information to the contrary.
By the afternoon, I had a couple of hours to work on some sewing for my second daughter who asked me to make four tote bags for her roommates. I completed them in time to fix dinner.
My younger son? He kindly kept to his room, worked on his computer, read books, and washed the dinner dishes for me!
My evening is my own until it is time to go to bed and then I had better fold the laundry so I can actually get into said bed. I'm off to warm up my crochet hook with some work on my granny afghan.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
French Onion Soup
One of my favorite cold-weather soups is French Onion Soup. In spite of being known as an elegant soup, it is really very easy to make . . . with a bit of patience and a couple of good loaves of bread. Some people like it very basic with only salt and pepper to taste. I always experiment with each batch and like the addition of herbs and spices. I'm also generous with the cheese I broil onto the bread so my family has some exercise in coping with the stretchy cheese in the soup!
French Onion Soup
Ingredients . . .
½ cup butter
5-6 large brown onions, finely sliced
1 cup dry white wine
10 cups beef broth
½ cup dry sherry
Melt the butter in a heavy cooking pot until bubbling. Add the onions and stir to coat. Turn the heat down low and slowly cook the onions until they are golden brown and tender. This is not a hurried preparation. The longer and slower you go with this, the more flavor you get from the onion. Most of the liquid should be reduced. This can take from 30 to 45 minutes. Add the wine, broth, and sherry and simmer another 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors. Salt and pepper to taste. I’ve also been known to add a bit of dried dill, Basil, Rosemary for a change of pace.
Finishing touches - Slice a narrow baguette loaf into three-inch slices or cut into serving pieces a good, solid loaf of sturdy bread. Lightly butter one side of the bread and sprinkle with either Swiss, Gruyere, or Parmesan cheese. You can go with one or a combination depending on what you like or have on hand. Broil the bread slices until the cheese melts and bubbles. Pour onion soup into serving bowls and top with a piece of the cheese bread, and serve. You have extra slices of plain bread on the table to finish sopping up the broth!
French Onion Soup
Ingredients . . .
½ cup butter
5-6 large brown onions, finely sliced
1 cup dry white wine
10 cups beef broth
½ cup dry sherry
Melt the butter in a heavy cooking pot until bubbling. Add the onions and stir to coat. Turn the heat down low and slowly cook the onions until they are golden brown and tender. This is not a hurried preparation. The longer and slower you go with this, the more flavor you get from the onion. Most of the liquid should be reduced. This can take from 30 to 45 minutes. Add the wine, broth, and sherry and simmer another 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors. Salt and pepper to taste. I’ve also been known to add a bit of dried dill, Basil, Rosemary for a change of pace.
Finishing touches - Slice a narrow baguette loaf into three-inch slices or cut into serving pieces a good, solid loaf of sturdy bread. Lightly butter one side of the bread and sprinkle with either Swiss, Gruyere, or Parmesan cheese. You can go with one or a combination depending on what you like or have on hand. Broil the bread slices until the cheese melts and bubbles. Pour onion soup into serving bowls and top with a piece of the cheese bread, and serve. You have extra slices of plain bread on the table to finish sopping up the broth!
Stretching the Budget . . .
I was happy to discover a sale on ground beef during my weekly shopping trip. We haven't been buying it much as the stores have taken to including ground meat for any or all of three to four countries. I have a preference in knowing more precisely where my beef originates. Anyway, there was ground Angus beef on sale and it was a US product so I got a couple packages. We had my children's favorite onion/bacon/Feta cheese meatloaf for dinner. In other to stretch it a bit more, I included some ground pork as it adds taste and moisture to the final result.
This is where I like meatloaf the best . . . I sliced up the leftovers, dipped each slice in seasoned flour, and browned the slices on each side and served it with rice and gravy a couple of days later. Two meals from one meat purchase.
It gets better! I had a few slices of the meatloaf leftover from the second meal as well as half a cup of gravy. I broke up the meatloaf and added it along with two cans of chicken broth, the leftover gravy, and mixed vegetables to the pot. I also had three small potatoes, half a package of pasta, and barley in the cupboard. They were introduced to the simmering soup. After some seasonings to taste, salt, and pepper, I had a hearty meal to serve once the potatoes and barley were tender.
The very, best best part? Since the soup was low in fat, I got to indulge in a few Christmas cookies and a cup of hot tea for dessert!
This is where I like meatloaf the best . . . I sliced up the leftovers, dipped each slice in seasoned flour, and browned the slices on each side and served it with rice and gravy a couple of days later. Two meals from one meat purchase.
It gets better! I had a few slices of the meatloaf leftover from the second meal as well as half a cup of gravy. I broke up the meatloaf and added it along with two cans of chicken broth, the leftover gravy, and mixed vegetables to the pot. I also had three small potatoes, half a package of pasta, and barley in the cupboard. They were introduced to the simmering soup. After some seasonings to taste, salt, and pepper, I had a hearty meal to serve once the potatoes and barley were tender.
The very, best best part? Since the soup was low in fat, I got to indulge in a few Christmas cookies and a cup of hot tea for dessert!
Time to Lighten the Mood . . .
"Society, my dear, is like salt water, good to swim in but hard to
swallow."
-- Arthur Stringer
-- Arthur Stringer
"A newspaper consists of just the same number of words, whether
there be any news in it or not."
-- Henry Fielding
-- Henry Fielding
"I want to find a voracious, small-minded predator and name it
after the IRS."
-- Robert Bakker
-- Robert Bakker
"The shortest distance between two points is under construction."
-- Noelie Altito
-- Noelie Altito
Something Not Right with That . . .
My pastor mentioned to us after Mass yesterday that it hit the news before Christmas that many Protestant churches would not be having any kind of Christmas service on Christmas Day because, as one person put it, it should be spent with one's family and going to church would take away from that. I was floored. How could honoring the birth of Jesus and His Blessed Family take away from our own family? What is an hour out of our Christmas Day in comparison to the graces of showing children what comes first in our lives?
Ever since my children were babies, they came to church with us on Christmas. When they got older, it didn't matter what time they got up, there were no gifts until after church. They learned that they were a small part of the glory of the day and each small part has a definite place in God's plan so it is proper to be in our place, in God's house first thing on Christmas morning.
I can't help but think there would be something missing from Christmas Day if there was no visit to the church with the glory of shared Christmas hymns and grateful thanksgiving that we are together to share another holiday. The moment someone feels that taking time for shared worship is taking away from the family, you feel a bit more of the spiritual world crumbling in our souls. Aren't we supposed to love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourself? Seems that joining in prayer on a regular basis, especially, on feast days such as Christmas, embodies this perfectly.
I think my pastor couldn't quite believe the news as he said he drove around our town and, sure enough, many of the churches had banners out saying "No Service on Christmas Day".
Ever since my children were babies, they came to church with us on Christmas. When they got older, it didn't matter what time they got up, there were no gifts until after church. They learned that they were a small part of the glory of the day and each small part has a definite place in God's plan so it is proper to be in our place, in God's house first thing on Christmas morning.
I can't help but think there would be something missing from Christmas Day if there was no visit to the church with the glory of shared Christmas hymns and grateful thanksgiving that we are together to share another holiday. The moment someone feels that taking time for shared worship is taking away from the family, you feel a bit more of the spiritual world crumbling in our souls. Aren't we supposed to love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourself? Seems that joining in prayer on a regular basis, especially, on feast days such as Christmas, embodies this perfectly.
I think my pastor couldn't quite believe the news as he said he drove around our town and, sure enough, many of the churches had banners out saying "No Service on Christmas Day".
An Observation . . .
I have a favorite shampoo that I use every day. I'm blessed that the local warehouse store sells it in large bottles at a price I can afford. It is too expensive for my budget when purchased in the 'normal' sized bottles at the usual stores.
Anyway, this shampoo and conditioner works well with my hair, doesn't build up, or dry it out. The more I use it, the better behaved is my hair. It is actually good for my hair and I use it just for that fact. Every few months, however, I will glance over at the other varieties of shampoos being tried by my family and will fall to the temptation of using one of them instead of the tried and true variety which I know for a fact is preferable for my needs . . . and I regret it.
As I was thinking about this, when I was shampooing my hair this morning, it reminded me of how we all know exactly what is good for us and what works to meet our needs. Yet, how many times have we veered from our straight and narrow to try something new even though we know ahead of time that it probably won't be good for us?
It was kind of a New Year's reminder to me that staying the course is always the straightest path and even when something out of sinc seems to be fun, interesting, different . . . will it promote and strenghthen our goals?
Anyway, this shampoo and conditioner works well with my hair, doesn't build up, or dry it out. The more I use it, the better behaved is my hair. It is actually good for my hair and I use it just for that fact. Every few months, however, I will glance over at the other varieties of shampoos being tried by my family and will fall to the temptation of using one of them instead of the tried and true variety which I know for a fact is preferable for my needs . . . and I regret it.
As I was thinking about this, when I was shampooing my hair this morning, it reminded me of how we all know exactly what is good for us and what works to meet our needs. Yet, how many times have we veered from our straight and narrow to try something new even though we know ahead of time that it probably won't be good for us?
It was kind of a New Year's reminder to me that staying the course is always the straightest path and even when something out of sinc seems to be fun, interesting, different . . . will it promote and strenghthen our goals?
Words of Wisdom from the best Book there is . . .
“Who then shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? or distress? or famine?
or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? As it is written: For
thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter. But in all these things we overcome, because of Him that hath loved
us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:35-39
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