The Homemaker Files

January 16, 2016

January 11, 2016

I make chicken soup a lot. As a matter of fact, it is probably my most used recipe (other than pasta with a jar of Ragu, ahem). But every once in awhile, I change it up and make this recipe. And every time I make it, I wonder why I don't make it more often! Everyone liked it, woot!

This comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Remedies For The "I Don't Cook" Syndrome by Janet Peterson. The only change I made was cutting back on the pepper and garlic powder. The amounts I list here are the amounts that I used.

Hearty Cream of Chicken Soup

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used thighs because that is what I had on hand)

3 celery stalks, chopped

4 carrots, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp marjoram

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of chicken)

2 C cooked noodles (I used a whole 12 oz. package)

Place chicken, celery, carrots, onion, herbs, and seasonings in a large soup pot.

Cover with about 2 quarts water, bring to a boil, then cook over medium-low heat until chicken is tender (1-2 hours). My chicken was frozen so it cooked for 2 hours. I cooked the chicken alone for the first hour, then added the other ingredients so the vegetables wouldn't be too mushy.

Remove chicken and dice, then add back to the pot.

Stir in cream soup, stir until smooth.

Add cooked noodles.

It says it serves 10-12, but it fed the five of us with no leftovers, so I would cut that number in half.

Happy Homemaker Monday January 11 2016

Good morning and happy Monday! I actually like Mondays, believe it or not. I guess I like fresh starts. We have a whole week ahead of us, full of possibilities. And Sandra has put up her Happy Homemaker Monday post, so I think I will start right here!

The weather

is a little cold, but considering it is January, it could be worse. Right now it is 28 degrees and has actually dropped since early this morning. I think today's high is 35. We haven't had any snow yet, but the next two weekends are supposed to be a wintry mix, as they like to call it, of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Nothing to accumulate but a good reason to stay home with a fire in the fireplace!

Right now I am

laughing at what I wrote above, that I will be starting my day with this post. I have been up for 4 1/2 hours already. I have already taught a scripture study class at my church which is 12.5 miles from my house and brought my son to school. I am watching my other high schooler, who is getting ready to leave the house (he has first period study hall and since he is a senior, he can skip it and go in late). He is such a good kid; I am very blessed.

Thinking

about New Year resolutions and getting healthier. My sister has gone eleven days without sugar. I think I need to join her. Will let you know if I succeed.

On my reading pile

The Old Testament. We are studying Joshua and getting into Judges this week.

On my tv

Downton Abbey started and we missed the first episode! Hopefully we can get it on Roku still. My son has been watching The Office, so I get sucked into that sometimes.

On the menu

Yesterday we had pot roast, (oh, so good!) cooked in the slow cooker so it was easy. Tonight is creamy chicken soup with rolls, we have a graduation dinner Tuesday (for a class my foster son had to take), and the rest of the week will be grilled cheese sandwiches and soup and tacos. I only have up until Thursday planned so far, but I really want to try Sandra's Portuguese Chicken and Rice that she has planned this week. It sounds delicious! My monthly menu (however incomplete) can be found here.

On my to-do list

Today: clean the upstairs bathrooms, update my bookkeeping, and clean my washing machine.

Tuesday: vacuum main floor, clean litter box, wash towels.

Wednesday: pack up stuff to go in attic, continue organizing basement, wash colors

Thursday: dust, wash whites, menu plan

Friday: grocery shop

Looking around the house

I get frustrated. Our toaster oven went, so the old one is sitting on the kitchen island and the box for the new one is sitting on the floor. There are various things sitting around that need to be put away. The rest of the main floor is in good shape, but the kitchen needs attention. My bedroom and the basement are disasters because we have been in the process of purging and rearranging our storage and I STILL have stuff of my daughters that needs to be packed up and put in the attic.

From the camera

I finally made Hoppin John and there is nothing more beautiful in the food world than chopped peppers and onions there is ham in there too).

Devotional
Joshua 24:15 "...choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Have a great week!

December 29, 2015

Monthly Menu December 2015

01 Tue Missionary dinner: tacos, corn, salad

02 Wed Youth Group: chicken and rice soup, rolls

03 Thu red beans and rice, green beans

04 Fri

05 Sat

06 Sun

21 Mon leftover chili

22 Tue birthday party at my sister's house (make macaroni salad)

23 Wed cream of chicken soup, biscuits

24 Thu Christmas Eve at my sister's house (make broccoli casserole, cookies)

25 Fri Christmas Day: rib roast with York shire pudding, mashed potatoes, green beans

26 Sat leftovers

27 Sun pasta

28 Mon take out Chinese food

29 Tue leftover pork from freezer, gravy, rice, kale

30 Wed creamy chicken soup

31 Thu New Year's Eve ham, sweet potatoes, green beans

December 22, 2015

Macaroni Salad

At Christmas?!!! The crazy part of this is, Christmas Eve day is going to be MUGGY with a high of 65-70! Where do we live?! The reality is that my sister is having us over to celebrate her daughter in-law's and granddaughter's birthdays, determined that their birthdays will not be neglected just because of where they fall on the calendar. So, she has asked me to make macaroni salad. My mother in-law makes a delicious macaroni salad, and she taught me how to make it, and I have made it many, many times. However, it is a recipe that is a little of this, more of this, a lot of this, and taste it until it tastes right to you. So, for me at least, it was hit or miss, so I went searching on the internet for a recipe close to my MIL's. This is it, with a couple of tweaks:

Hellman's Macaroni Salad (this is doubled):

1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked until al dente, rinsed in cold water, and drained

lots of carrots (maybe 6), chopped fine* (use your electric chopper and make it easy on yourself)
lots of celery (maybe 6 stalks), chopped fine*
a small onion (optional), chopped fine*
or whatever veggies you want

2 C mayo
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
2 T dijon mustard
1 1/2 t salt
2 t sugar
ground pepper to taste

mix dressing ingredients, allow to blend

mix pasta and veggies, add dressing to desired consistency (you can really halve the dressing, especially if you are using it right away)

*by chopping the veggies fine, kids cannot avoid them when eating the salad, although mine do their best

December 21, 2015

Happy Homemaker Monday December 21 2015

Wow, Christmas is upon us already! We complain (in my house, anyway) about Christmas starting too early and not giving Thanksgiving its proper due, but before you know it, Christmas is less than a week away and I always feel a little panicky that I have run out of time. But then I remind myself that whatever we have and whatever I have to offer is enough, and I let it go. And here we are! I wish you all a very peaceful, joyful Christmas.

The weather outside is

cold but getting warmer. Right now it is 37 degrees and overcast, which I don't mind because then I put on the tree lights and they look beautiful. We are supposed to have rain all this week but I am not complaining because I am not ready for snow yet.

On the breakfast plate

was granola bars with peanut butter. I was going to blend yogurt with frozen berries and add some granola but I was too cold. Maybe for lunch...

As I look outside my window

I see that we are, as usual, behind in our chores. The chairs to the patio set are still on the deck, and there have been two scrub brushes sitting on the patio table for weeks now. My husband is in the process of expanding our shed (instead of getting rid of stuff, he keeps expanding it, I tease him that it will someday be bigger than our house) so he hasn't had time to take care of those things. Meanwhile, I was going to clean out our flower beds and haven't done any of that, so I cannot complain.

Right now I am

sitting at my kitchen table, which is where I always am when at the computer. I'm thinking how I really tried to start the season (which begins the night of Thanksgiving for our family) by reflecting on our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. But then the gift buying, wrapping, and BAKING take over and I lose it. I haven't read my scriptures for days, until today! So that's a start, I have already read some today.

As I look around the house

I see my clean crock pot still sitting on my counter along with all of my baking paraphernalia, I am done making cookies for my husband to bring to work (36 dozen) and for our church Christmas party. Now I just have baking for my family, which won't be too much. Then my kitchen needs a thorough cleaning before tax season starts as it is covered in flour!

On today's to-do list

towel washing, counter cleaning, gift wrapping, cookie baking, and planning a game day for our seminary class on Wednesday. Dinner is going to be leftover chili, so that's easy.

Happening this week

Tonight is a night at home, thank goodness.

Tuesday - swim meet, birthday party for my nephew's wife and daughter (they are visiting from out of state)

Wednesday - preparing for Christmas

Thursday - Christmas eve at my sister's house

Friday - Christmas day at our house (plans are still up in the air) and Skyping with my missionary daughter!

Saturday - hopefully some house cleaning! game playing, relaxing with the family

Sunday - church, family time

Currently reading

Starting A Christmas Carol this week

On the tv

Christmas movies! We have only watched two so far: Scrooge and The Homecoming.