like any other day, i ran around the house cleaning up and tidying. de-cluttering the crap that seems magnetic around here. honestly, it is never ending. finally, a serviceman stopped by to fix our broken down washer that i forgot was broken because, well...i guess because it is a phenomenal excuse to NOT do the laundry so i must have blocked out the broken down washer. so i answered the door and i had forgotten that i looked like death on a saltine cracker...an old cracker, maybe old cracker crumbs. i don't know, but it was bad.
anyway, i let the guy in as he received a phone call, so here we were in my living room, and i'm trying not to look at him but i can't help it because, well he was a stranger in my living room. i saw him look around the house and in my insecure, crappy-looking frame of mind, i assumed he was looking around thinking things to himself like, "wow, she looks like crap, her house is a mess, and her kid is running around in his underwear and wearing batman cape."
so, i sound myself having an internal argument with the guy..."dude, you don't me. i work hard. i was up late last night working hard. and i forgot you were coming, so that's why i look like a troll and hey, i'm a good mom. okay, i don't suck as bad as i look like i may!"
ha.
well, he fixed the washer the guest bathroom and bid me a farewell.
so, then i decided to make one of my mom's special soup recipes. it's called crazy soup and given the day so far...i think i decided to make the perfect soup for the day!
my grandma used to make a similar soup, but my mom made a few tweaks and she calls it her favorite soup.
my mom is a wonderful cook. she makes what all moms make...the most comfortable and loving food. i remember how well my mom could keep a house, make dinner every night of the week, and still have time to raise six kids. two sets of twins and two singles.
the house was clean, her carpet was stain free, and the kids didn't sass back. damn, she was better than i thought.
my mom is the master soup maker. she should own her own soup stand and ladle bowls of goodness to anyone and everyone. i think the world would be a better place if she did.
my mom makes a pot a soup a week for my dad. my dad in turn raves about it to anyone that will listen because deep down he believes she made it just for him. he has a proud way of speaking about my mom. like she's still his young bride and he hit the jackpot that she said yes.
so here is her crazy soup recipe. i think she calls it crazy because you can throw just about anything in that pot and it will taste amazing. (or she has a crazy daughter...not sure)
mom's crazy soup
i pound hot or mild italian sausage (can do half chorizo)
one large onion, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped,
7 large carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 boxes low-sodium chicken broth
7 stems of kale or swiss chard, cut stems off, and chop up.
2-3 cans of your favorite beans (i used cannellini and great northern)
2 potatoes, peeled
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes
oregano
bay leaf
1 cup ditalini pasta, cooked
optional: asiago cheese rind
in a saute pan saute celery and carrots in olive oil for about 5 minutes, add the onion and garlic and saute a few
more minutes. in a soup pot (i used my la creuset), add your sausage and a tablespoon of olive oil and cook until done. pour the veggies mixture in the pot, add the broth, the seasonings, the kale, and the potatoes. cook for an hour and a half. take pots out and mash with the back of fork and add back to soup. you can do the same with a half cup of beans. this thicken the soup. at the very end, add a rind of asiago cheese or grated cheese.
make a cup of pasta and throw some in with each bowl. this way you can freeze the leftovers and not worry about mushy pasta.
enjoy it like your grandma made because it's that good!
i think your kids will like it too...
beckham:
mmmm, mama. i like this soup. did you buy this?
mama: {laughing at the nerve of my little guy} no, honey. i didn't buy the soup. i bought the ingredients and made the soup myself...today...in front of you!
beckham: mmm. i really like this. you bought this from the store.
scout's honor. that kid cracks me up!
then, we took two perfectly orange orbs and plopped them on the front lawn
broke out the sharpies and designed our little jacks.
peyton wanted heart eyes and a heart nose. easy.
it was another one of those moments where i felt grateful for the small, simple, and normal graces of our life. as we sat on the grass, sawing out eyes and a smooth mouth...i was once again amazed that i was the mother helping my own children carve their pumpkins and i wasn't the child needing help from my parents. sometimes being the adult seems so surreal. is that weird?
i was just happy to see my kids so happy. ewwing and grossing out over the slimy and seedy insides of the familiar smell of our pumpkins. when i didn't think it could get any more fun...it started thundering.
"mama, is their a raindrop on my nose?"
"no, honey. i don't see one but it could be there!"
she ran in the house to look in the mirror.
we finally carved the pumpkins, the kids plopped their battery operated lights in them and set out to roast the seeds!
you can do all sorts of fun herbs to roast pumpkin seeds...cayenne pepper, soy sauce, rosemary...i just went traditional
tablespoon olive oil and one tablespoon of butter, melted. poured it on top of the seeds, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and baked it on a baking sheet at 300 degrees.
so good!
and i had received two messages on what i pack my kids for lunch. since, i am not very consistent in the lunch department, i didn't feel i should really share. well, i received another request today, so i decided to post a pic of what i packed my daughter for lunch for tomorrow.
i know how it feels to be completely uninspired when it comes to packing a school lunch every day. i think it's because we want our kids lunch to show them that we really care and love them. it's pressure. if peyton is having a rough day at school or even if she's not, i want her to be able to open her lunch box and remember that her mama loves her.
so tomorrow's lunch will be:
three slices of salami (my kids adore salami but don't often get it so this will be a treat for her)
a couple slices of sharp cheddar cheese and triscuits.
half a honey crisp apple
and sliced carrots with fresh dill dip (dip is in the center of the container)
other ideas that work for my kiddies:
~pepperoni and ritz crackers
~ few slices of boar's head black forest ham with pita chips and boursin cheese
i always include fruit and a water! we are cutting back on the juice!
***
pumpkin seeds, happy pumpkins, and soup simmering on the stove...lovely day.
happy fall celebrations and safe trick-or-treating! i hope your nights are filled with life's little pleasures and big pot of crazy!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
