‘Soups On’ Hodgepodge

My Russian heritage borsch.

Chinese Egg Drop Soup

Mexican Chicken and Corn soup

xmas-stuff-004

French Onion Soup

Is anyone hungry?

Hello Wednesday Hodgepodge. Joyce has a new set of questions for us. Thank you, Joyce!

1. At the end of every year (or at least since the mid-1970’s) Lake Superior State University posts a list of words they think should be banished from the Queen’s English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year’s list includes-

cringe, game changer, era, dropped, IFKYK (If you know you know), 
sorry not sorry, skibidi, 100%, utilize, and period. 

Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly or even just every now and then? How many did you have to look up? Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word/phrase not on the list you’d like to add? If so do share, then tell us why. 

I’m sorry I looked it up, skibidi should be flushed down the toilet! It’s the only one I had to look up.
I have used sorry not sorry or game changer but not in an excessive way.

2. Your favorite soup? Do you make this one yourself or is it from a can? 

Sirloin Soup

Soup in general is a favorite of mine and not from a can. When we are on our way home from a shopping/doctor day in Spokane we stop at a restaurant in Deer Park that always has a soup of the day and I’ve enjoyed every one. When we are sick with a cough or sore throat we love to order Hot and Sour soup to go from a Chinese restaurant. Greg makes a famously good Tomato Rice Soup. I really can’t pick a favorite favorite. While in Scotland I added a new favorite with Cullen Skink!

3. How do you feel about winter? What’s one winter activity you look forward to? 

At my age winter activities are not high on the list. If anything it would be snowshoeing if I can get in and out of the snowshoes without getting a cramp! It is fun to walk through deeper snow!

4. The Pantone color of the year for 2025 is mocha mousse (sample pictured here). What say you? The website describes it as ‘a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nourishes us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort’. Is this a color I might find in your home or wardrobe? Is it one you might add in some big or small way in the year ahead? 

We have a variety of mocha mousse on many of our walls here at our country bungalow. As far as wardrobe goes I have a couple items that would fit in that category. No additions in this year.

In a similar, but not really vein…if I were to offer you a choice right now of either a cup mocha or a cup of mousse which would you say yes to? 

If I have to choose I’ll go with a cup of mocha but I’m a black cup of coffee kind of gal.

5. Which of the following winter related idioms can best be applied to your life in some way right now? Choose one, then tell us why you chose it.  

snowed under, on thin ice, tip of the iceberg, chill out, break the ice, snowball effect, not a snowball’s chance in hell, get cold feet, the cold shoulder 

Right now I’m hoping for a snowball effect with my goals to be more comfortable in my clothing come Spring and Summer. Between eliminating, adding movement, starting on a plan and some encouragement I hope to achieve my goal of comfort.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

My Bible reading program for 2025 will be connected to this devotional.

“In Everyday Gospel, Paul David Tripp, ….encourages you from God’s word through 365 brief readings. Exploring Genesis to Revelation in a year, these practical reflections connect the transforming power of Scripture to everything you will experience in your Christian life.”

There is a suggested daily Bible reading and then a devotional to go with what you read. Asking for grace to accomplish my goals and that these goals keep me reverent and teachable.

Here are some thoughts from John Piper on reading the Bible through in a year.

Pray for your heart to be inclined, for your blindness to be removed, for focus instead of distraction and for excitement instead of boredom. Pray for illumination…don’t get bogged down. Expect your Faith to be deepened and strengthened, hope and joy more unshakeable and expect to meet God and see the glory of Christ in God’s Word!

One more tip for your 2025 goals from our pastor, “Ask for grace to accomplish your goals.”

Mexican Corn Soup

This soup has a good blend of flavors with a nice spice level to warm you up.

Ingredients:

  • 1 –12-16 ounce package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
  • 2 – Cups chicken broth
  • 2 – Tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 1 – 4-1/2 ounce can diced green chili peppers
  • 1 – clove garlic, minced
  • 1 – Tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or l tsp. dried oregano, crushed
  • 1/4 – tsp. salt
  • 1/4 – tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 – cup milk
  • 2 – cups chopped, cooked chicken
  • 1 – cup chopped fresh tomatoes (You can substitute canned chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 – cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Mexican blend cheese
  • cilantro as garnish, optional
  • tortilla strips, optional

Method:

  1. In a blender container combine half of the corn and the chicken broth. Cover; blend until nearly smooth.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine corn puree, remaining corn, butter, chili peppers, garlic, dried oregano (if using dried instead of fresh), salt, and black pepper.
  3. Bring to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in milk, chicken, tomatoes, and fresh oregano (if using instead of dried), heat through.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Stir in cheese until melted.
  7. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and tortilla strips, if desired.
  8. If you like heat add chopped jalapeno along with the diced green chili peppers.
  9. Serves 4-6.

Tips: For the tomato portion of this recipe I used a 14-1/2 ounce can of chopped tomatoes with jalapenos that really gave the soup a nice ramp of spice.

Misty Moisty Hodgepodge

1. January 24th is National Compliment Day. Is it easy or not so easy for you to accept a compliment? Share a recent compliment you’ve given or received.

Verbal compliments are harder to accept then written ones. I complimented my husband on the fine job he did painting the ceiling of our kitchen.

This question reminds me of this nursery rhyme…

One misty moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man,
Clothed all in leather.
He began to compliment
And I began to grin.
How do you do? And how do you do?
And how do you do again?

 

2. Ten little things you are loving right now.

Right now while I’m typing this or right now as in these days I’m living in? Here are some of both…

1. Soup on a cold rainy day. 2. Listening to sermons by John MacArthur from Grace to You. 3. Being home with my feet up from a rainy shopping trip to Fred Meyer and Costco. 4. Watching videos of little Addy May. 5. Having my own personal bartender. 6. Our weekly date to La Corona for lunch on Tuesdays. 7. Planning a belated birthday dinner for our son, Josh, on Saturday. 8. Coffee every morning made by my personal bartender. 9. The bread I picked up from a Persian bakery close enough to our home. 10. Comfy lounge wear.

3. Would people describe you as a positive person? Do you see yourself that way? I read here  a list/description of eight things positive people do differently

Positive people find something to look forward to every day, they celebrate the small stuff, they’re kind, they stay busy, accept responsibility for their actions, forgive themselves, know when to move on, and resist comparisons

Yes, I think I could be described as a positive person.

Which action on the list would you say you do regularly? Which action could you add to your life to give you a more positive outlook? If you’re a positive person, what’s something you do regularly that’s not on the list?

I like to celebrate the big and the small stuff. Something that is not on the list is asking God to help me forgive others quicker. I think praying and giving thanks to God should be on the list.

4. Homemade chicken soup, beef stew, or a bowl of chili…what’s your pleasure on a cold winter’s day?

I like all three of those even on a hot summer’s day. Here’s what I made just before I sat down to type up the hodgepodge.

Mexican Chicken Corn Soup. Recipe for this soup can be found here.

5. The best part of my day is….

Makes me think of the jingle, “the best part of waking up is Folgers in my cup”.

The best part of my day is knowing I’ve accomplished something or finished everything on my list and I’ll now feel free to just relax and fritter away an hour or two.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Many random and not so random thoughts settle on this little one who is growing so fast it makes me a little sad. This latest photo shows her self feeding skills. Hopefully some of the food ended up in her mouth, too. That bib got a work out! Our dear daughter in law has made a lot of her own food for Addy and she’s careful to introduce things gradually or one at a time.

Thank you to Joyce From This Side of the Pond for coming up with the Wednesday Hodgepodge Questions and to all of you who visit and take the time to read my answers.

Mexican Corn Soup ~ Foodie Friday

I’m joining in with Designs by Gollum for her Foodie Friday. I’m resurrecting this recipe that I posted a long long time ago. It is a wonderful soup with a great spicy kick.

Mexican Corn Soup (prep: 15 min. Cooking: 10 min.)

1 – 16 oz. pkg. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 – Cup chicken broth (I used the whole can of chicken broth and just 1 cup of milk instead of two so I wouldn’t have a half a can of broth left.
2 – Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 – 4-1/2 oz. can diced green chili peppers
1 – clove garlic, minced
1 – Tblsp. snipped fresh oregano or l tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 – tsp. salt
1/4 – tsp. ground black pepper
2 – cups milk (I used one cup see chicken broth above)
1 – cup chopped, cooked chicken
1 – cup chopped tomatoes (I used a can of diced tomatoes w/jalapeno, med/hot)
1 – cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (4 oz.)
cilantro as garnish if you like it

[The soup is great with the full can of broth and tomatoes. I do not like half cans left over. ]

In a blender container combine half of the corn and the chicken broth. Cover; blend until nearly smooth.

In a large saucepan, combine corn puree, remaining corn, butter, chili peppers, garlic, dried oregano (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in milk, chicken, tomatoes, and fresh oregano (if using); heat through. remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired (this is where I substitute cilantro instead)

Enjoy

To see more Foodie Friday visit Designs by Gollum.