Well, since it’s really feeling like winter here today, and since hrh/supervixen got me thinking about soup with the cookware glamour shot and chicken chili recipe on her blog, I’m making this for dinner later:
4 cups diced cauliflower, including tender core
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped canned or fresh tomatoes, or tomato juice
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 c flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Combine vegetables, water, salt, and parsley in soup pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is tender (about 15-20 minutes).
Work flour into butter to form smooth mass; drop by bits into simmering soup and stir until slightly thickened.
Gradually stir in milk. Add sry mustard and soy cause; heat through. Add cheese in stages, stirring to melt.
So, what are you doing to keep warm and stay entertained this weekend? Right now, I’m thinking it’s a toss-up between a trip to the batting cages or movie watching on the couch…so much excitement!
So, is everybody ready for the end of the work week?
what work week?
Hi Boo. I was wondering that myself. 😉
No homework assignments to check on till Sunday night. Nobody needs matching socks until Monday morning so let’s party!
Woo-hoo! Break out the martini glasses…
We have make-up homework, a book to read, some writing to do, a warehouse furniture sale to check out tomorrow AM, maybe some yoga, shopping for new kicks for CBtY and whatever else might come up. I think tonight is feeling like cable tv movie night though.
until Sunday evening. It’s beer 30 cuz have a bit of house painting left this weekend and then we are done. Whew! Thank God, everything is kind of in a state of disaster with the painting going on. Sunday though, episode 2 of the new Rome….some tinis….oh my god I can’t wait ;)!
That chowder sound really good, although I’m not sure about the sry mustard and soy cause. 🙂
Lets see, with a toss-up between batting cages and on the couch, you know what my choice would be.
Have you still got snow hanging around?
A very tiny bit. The temps are only supposed to get to about 20 this weekend. So much for global warming.
We’re staying in the 40-50 range during the day and low to mid 30’s at night. I’ve actually got the bedroom window open now just to air things out.
Have you heard anything on how Cabin Boy is doing?
Just balmy breezes and palm trees down your way, isn’t it?
I won’t hear anything about CBtE until Wednesday, when parents are allowed to call in for a progress report on how things are going. They told me that no news is good news, so I’m trying to content myself with that. 🙂
Plus, CBtY has decided to take up some of CBtE’s slack while he’s gone by not wanting to get up in the morning, get dressed, or go to school, so that’s keeping me busy instead. No rest for the wicked, I guess.
Did I see that the new grand-niece is coming to visit you and FMom?
Now palm trees here, just pine trees with a lot of falling pine cones and pine straw. Once I ever go back out to the yard to clean up, we have some pretty big oak trees too and there are leaves everywhere. Still one or two leaves left on the trees and I refuse to clean up until they are all down.
I know you can’t wait until Wednesday and I don’t care what they say, I’d rather have some news. Good of course. 🙂
The grand-niece is still in the hospital. They had to do some surgery after she was born, but the doctors say she is doing fine. We’re just waiting for her to get better and home.
for pine needles. When we first moved here all these people told me to mulch with pine straw, what the heck is pine straw?
Hi Tracy.
I’ve noticed it called both, but now that I think of it, it was probably up North that I heard pine needles. Regardless we’ve got plenty. 🙂
Little sprites in the hospital and little sprites having surgery are hard on old nerves and I think it has aged mine just a tad.
Thanks Tracy.
Since FMom hasn’t felt good lately we haven’t even been able to see her yet. She up at B’ham. My sister (her Grandmother) has been doing a five hour turn around everyday after work to go up to the hospital and be with her and her parents. She’s doing fine, but it will take a little time.
for our sprite’s feet. We’ve been to all kinds of children’s hospitals now and we liked/impressed with B’ham and the services and specialists that they have on hand.
B’ham has a good medical system there with UAB and all. When I had my bypass surgery, it was done over in Meridian, MS. Everything went fine, but I’ve told my family if something ever comes up again, I want to go to B’ham.
Got to get myself moving shortly — should drag spouse to the Y but not sure I have the energy today. Not ill, just a bit “blah”.
I’ll make up my mind about DC by Tuesday. Checked Priceline and they have some decent packages too; better choice of hotels but some of the flights suck (who wants to change planes in freakin’ Pittsburgh?). Weather hasn’t been too bad, I’ve noticed, so I could just hit REI and pick up a long-sleeved thermal shirt to wear under my BooTrib shirt for the march. Dang, it’s tempting…
Weekend plans — CLEANING!!! Really want to get some crap out of this place — send spouse off to Goodwill with the usable stuff and to recycling with the non-usable.
Breakfast time…
Hi Cali! Cleaning…yeah, we probably need to do some of that too. 🙂
I hope you do come to DC- it’d be great to meet you in person.
Hi Cali.
Cleaning seems to be all I’ve done lately. I hope you enjoy yours more than I did mine.
I’m trying out this weekend; it’s from the Prevention Magazine Slow Cooker Meals special edition:
Chicken and Mushroom Stew
1 can (10.75oz) 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, plus 1/2 soup can water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 2-inch chunks
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup baby carrots
2 ribs celery, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Combine soup and water in slow cooker. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; place in slow cooker. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery and garlic powder; stir gently to mix. Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours. Makes 4 servings.
Mouth is watering just thinking about it…
Sounds like it would taste good. I think I could even make that. Might give it a shot this weekend. Thanks Cali.
Sounds good but hold the celery please.
The engaged hooligan couple just phoned to say they’ve both been hired by Subway. I’m not eating at Subway here anymore, who knows what’s going to fall into the sauce with all that lovin stuff going on on the job! GROSS
LOL you’d better be careful.
At least they’re employed, and won’t starve. 🙂
This recipe is our attempt to reproduce the fish chowder at the No Name Restaurant on the Fish Pier in Boston. We think it’s pretty good.
2 c. chicken broth
1 carrot, grated
2 celery stalks
1 onion
1 lb. fish or two or more kinds of
firm white fish (scallops are good too)
six slices, bacon
2-3 potatoes, unpeeled
pepper, marjoram, basil
roux
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c milk
Saute bacon. Remove. Drain some fat off. Saute onions and celery. Add chicken stock, carrots, potatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Lower to simmer. Cover, cook till potatoes are tender. After 10 minutes or so, start roux. Let thicken. Add to soup. Add fish. Cook 5-6 minutes more (2-3 minutes for scallops). Add bacon bits.
That sounds yummy too.
What I really need is a good saag paneer recipe.
I have never heard of it so I had to look it up. Sound like it would be good.
Andi’s fish chowder sounds good too.
(and always wondered why sometimes it’s palek panner) I’ve searched for recipes on the web — there are bunches of them but I doubt my ability to make it as good as my favorite indian restaurant (and besides, there won’t be any naan).
I love naan … 🙂
Evening everyone.
Evening Olivia. How’s your day gone?
Glad to have the w/e here … rels are definitely showing up tomorrow at noon (just talked to them). And now it’s hockey night in ottawa … have a good night FM, hope things go well w/ your visitors this w/e!
Have fun at the game.
Yeah, if the naan at an Indian restaurant isn’t very good, I don’t back.
Have a good night … off to a hockey game. 🙂
My understanding is that palek paneer is a particular kind of saag paneer — saag just has to do with leafy green stuff and curry-like spices, and may or may not have the paneer.
But I dunno.
Here’s what wikipedia has to say on it, which seem to sort of jibe with what I thought.
I keep meaning to make some paneer just ’cause it doesn’t seem difficult, but I haven’t tried it yet.
The Trader Joe’s version of frozen naan actually isn’t too bad, in a pinch, though of course it’s nowhere near the same as the great stuff we can get at the local indian restaurant.
it’s taken over my whole day!
Well, I guess I also managed to go through my clothing and get rid of some crap I never wear to donate somewhere, and some other crap that’s just too ragged to be anything but rags at this point. Now my entire wardrobe is on the bed, because as soon as help arrives I have to swap some dressers so that the gigantic one my girlfriend just inherited will actually have space.
Hi Spit.
It seems laundry has been something for both of us today. I’ve done I don’t know how many loads today.
It never ends. I think it’s even more of an eternal problem than pushing rocks up hills in either the afterlife or the current one.
I think I’m on load 8. And there’s more.
Part of the problem is that the laundry room became a receptacle for random crap we didn’t know what to do with that fit in the “tool” category, the “pet supply” category, the “camping” category, and even the “what the hell is this?” category. It finally reached a tipping point at which we could no longer both do laundry and get to the dog food. So I had to spend all day yesterday reorganizing the damned thing, just to be able to get to the growing laundry pile today.
I expect the cleanliness to last until the next load of our roommate’s laundry, at which time dryer lint will begin to form a pile on top of the &%^@$! dryer again. But that’s okay, we love her just the same.
Our laundry room is a little like that, but luckily we have a large storage space off of the carport. Now in there is a nightmare, and I’ve been promising to clean it up for the last 2 years. Maybe one day. 🙂
I make a pretty good broccoli cheddar soup. I start out with Campbell’s Cream of Cheddar (or whatever it’s called) but by the time I’m done you wouldn’t recognize it for all the other stuff that goes into it.
I’m also partial to potato-leek-onion soup, with both regular onions and green onions. Mmmmm, good.
Broccoli cheddar soup is one of the biggest seller at the local diner during the winter here. Some good stuff.
It’s the kind of soup that sticks to your ribs and keeps you warm. That’s the kind you want when the weather gets cold.
They fix broccoli soup at work sometimes. I’ve been known to enhance it by adding onions or cheese, or broccoli florets from the baked potato bar. Been three years so far and no one’s said I can’t.
If it’s there for the taking, why not. I love the food bars where you can pick up anything you want.
I had an unfortunate soup experience last night. I made myself 4 large Italian sausages and followed it up with some lobster bisque. Way too much food for a twerp like me and I had to ditch half the bisque. Tragic, really.
Oh the pain, the pain. 🙂
I’m glad somebody understands.
That is why they make refrigerators. LOL You reheat the next day.
That takes effort and planning. Not my strong suits.
Welcome brother. A natural born slacker I see. 🙂
4.Whatever You Need -Tina Turner
5.It’s Like That -Mariah Carey
It was a very short work week as far as my real job but I have been busy as always. I have lots more work planned for this weekend as usual. LOL
Of course you do. You wouldn’t be Refinish if not. 🙂
ROTFLMAO!!!! I guess I really could quit announcing that part right. It does seem to get redundant. I just want to make sure I keep everyone in the loop. LOL How are you, Fmom and the animals doing?
Didn’t mean to make it sound like that Refinish, and I like you keeping us in the loop. 🙂
FMom has had kind of a bad day, I’ve been cleaing and cooking all day waiting for the next wave of rels coming in, and all the animals are fine.
I didn’t take it in a bad way FamilyMan. I waa mainly laughing at myself.
Please give FMom a hug from me and I am sending warm thoughts her way. I am glad George and Cat are doing good.
I glad you didn’t. I’ll give FMom a hug for ya.
Trust me. If something bothers me, I will be the first to let you know. LOL You should know by now that I am not shy.
Yep that’s one thing I should know by now. 🙂
ROTFLMAO!!! I am sure some wish I would keep my opinions to myself sometimes.
So this is where you guys hang out on Friday afternoon. Just another green newbie snooping around trying to figure it out… Gotta figure out this photo hosting thing. Can I host with my own server? I mean the one I use for my blog?
Howdy onealbear. Once you get into the hosting stuff I get totally lost. LOL
Hi onealbear.
Don’t know about the own server thing, but I think you can. That’s for more technical minds than mine.
So what do you guys use? Photobucket or something like that?
I use photobucket. It is free and easy. LOL
I’m trying to hold off on turning the heat on. We have a good fireplace with a blower, and then with my John Edwards hoodie I think I can make it awhile longer before submitting to turning the heat on.
So I have to ask do you like the hoodie?
John Edwards 08
Sort of handed you a special order list and I got everything I asked for ;).
I am glad you like it. I aims to please especially my liberal buddies in the pond.
We’ve had the heat on for awhile. We’ve got two fireplaces, but for some reason they really affect FMom’s asthma. So we haven’t used them in a couple of years.
You could always covert them to gas longs and they might not bother here. The wood smoke will affect asthma really badly.
We’ve talked about that. More than likely we’ll be switching over in the next year or so.
it isn’t drawing as well I have noticed that my lungs don’t care for it much either. My asthma is doing a heck of a lot better since my sinus surgery. That’s another thing I have noticed about Alabama, want to find a really really good ENT specializing in allergies just come to Alabama.
I guess I’m really lucky because I’ve never had allergies, and if you’re going to have them, then this is the place.
helping ward off some allergy problems I’m very glad that we brought the kids to live here. This is like allergy armpit here I’m told and for those who suffer we really suffer. Those of you who don’t though, you guys must be immune to just about everything. The kids and spouse don’t suffer much. Sometimes some itchy eyes, I’m the only one in the house who battles it.
My youngest brother has allergies pretty bad, but the rest of the siblings don’t. I don’t know if there’s any truth to exposure in childhood, because a lot of people around here have allergies.
I use Photobucket too. It’s pretty easy and free.
Maybe somebody can give me a crash course. I’m a fast leaner. I promise! Lots of pictures to share– my Brazilian island, caipirinhas, good cooking and most of all, my critters.
First go to Photobucket and join up. Then once you have joined up and put some pictures there we can let you know what you need to do.
check the diary links here, from fOtofair2006…everything you ever wanted to know should be in there.
Looking forward to seeing your work.
John McCain: The truth.
Dada is our info person!!!! LOL
OK! I am all signed up– easy-peasy. I’ll figure it out over the weekend. One question– does photobucket or the site resize the image for you or is that something you do in photoshop or whatever? What is the best size for the site. All of your pictures seem to be so clear and snappy. Sorry for the endless questions but I am a wee bit technically challenged with this stuff. Does that make me stupid? I hope not.
No such thing as a stupid question here. I was full of questions when I first joined.
Photo bucket won’t resize the pictures for posting here, but you can either resize them in photoshop or when adding them here in the html you’ll add width=400. Don’t go over 400 because it will be to big for the comments section.
As I said I’m not good at explaining these things, but plenty others are.
The pictures I’ve added from Photobucket don’t resize. I’ve always had to add the “width=” code to the html for posting pictures. Maybe I’ve missed something. 🙂
but sometimes on my computer it doesn’t show up resized even though it really is. I don’t understand why.
Hokey Dokey
I have some pics uploaded. How does this html thingamajig work?
Go to the part under the picture that says html. Copy that code. Darken it in and hit Control C. Come back to comment and add that code. Control V. You’ll have to erase some of the code for it to take.
< img src=”http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/Family101Man/Clouds3.jpg“ >
Erase everything until you’re left with something looking like this. Close in the brackets and you’re set. Be sure to hit preview before you post to make sure the picture isn’t to big. If it is then add <img width=400. There’s a space after 400. Play around with it and keep previewing before you post.
has a vote/poll asking if there were more women in Congress would there be less war. 110 Kossacks so far voted Definitely Not. It’s only a bitty 4%. I myself think that it is Spanky and the Heman woman haters club infiltrating Orange ;).
and minorities in Congress there would be much less war. We’ve gotten the shaft so often and so much by these bastards that if we haven’t Uzi’d them all down yet we must firmly believe that bullets are not solutions!
See ya’ll later. The newest round of rels have shown up.
Have a good night in the pond.
It’s time to reload the fireplace so blogging off too.
Here’s something yummy for your soup:
Still warm!!
onealbear
Looks like you`ve got it already. Good one
onealbear, the thumbnails allow people to see a larger version.
Thanks so much– got your email and will have the thumbnail doomajiggy figured out soon. I love you shots.
Great.