Your greatness is not what you have, it's what you give.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

An angel visits and a gift for you!

Last Tuesday Joyce's granddaughter joined the Chicks for a short visit. Judy brought along a good book for Ellie to read while we knitted.


Ellie found the best chair in the house for storytime.

Grandma Joyce brought along lots of finished scarves for donation.
And Grandma wasn't the only one who got to model some of the fashions.
Joyce's cozy cowl with a fashionable button was a crowd favorite.

Judy finished a cute hat and mitten set to send along with Joyce's scarves.




We had fun watching Ellie entertain herself while we knitted.

Ellie you are welcome to visit anytime!

This winter I've been on a roll with making homemade soups for those cold snowy nights. One of my favorites this season has been a variation on a Portuguese Kale soup. So I'm offering my version of the recipe if you'd like to try it. Even my DH who hates kale loved this soup.

canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large head of kale, washed thoroughly and chopped to bite size

4 to 6 sweet Italian sausage links

1 cup brown rice

2 quarts chicken broth

Marjoram or Oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and brown the sausage on all sides. Set aside sausage and pour off fat from pot. If needed, add a little more oil and saute over medium heat the onions, celery, and carrots until translucent. Be sure to scrape all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute, making sure not to let the garlic get brown and bitter. Meanwhile, cut the sausages into 1/2 inch slices and add back to pot with the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, rice salt, pepper, and marjoram and stir together. Bring to boil and add the kale. Let it cook down and stir occasionally, letting soup cook about an hour or until the rice is cooked. This amount will serve 6 to 8 people. I serve my family and leave the rest for lunches during the week or freeze the leftovers for another night.

Make sure you have a crusty loaf of warm Ciabatta bread to serve on the side and enjoy!

1 comment:

AlisonH said...

What a cutiepie stealing the show!