Did everyone survive Christmas? We did. Christmas Eve felt pretty sad, honestly, but we did live through it. Part of what made me sad was the loss of our traditions. We did have a couple of different people invite us to their Christmas parties, and a local theater was playing It's A Wonderful Life. We had sort of decided to go to the movie instead of a party. However, when my son got off work he was sick and just wanted to go home. Sooo, no new traditions started on Christmas Eve. Instead it was home to rest. Christmas day was nice, though. He was still feeling poorly but we had a good time just being together. We enjoyed talking with family through text and Skype as well. It was nice and relaxing.
It does seem like my son's cold is going around. Several people I know are sniffling and/or coughing and just generally feeling horrible. Which means it is that time again. Yep. Flu season. In light of the creeping crud that seems to be...well....creeping...in, I think it is time to share my favorite cold remedy. As usual, I really really don't use a real recipe. Just add what you like. And I measure nothing. I'm sorry. But you get the general idea.
I usually start with a whole chicken. Or if I've recently made chicken broth or roast chicken, I'll use the carcass and broth I saved. You can use chicken breasts in a pinch, but to truly be immunity boosting you want the whole thing. You are also going to want to find celery with as many leaves as possible. It is simply distressing that store-bought celery has most of the leaves cut off. This is where the nutrients are! If you are lucky enough to have a farmer's market nearby that may accidentally have fresh celery, go for that! If not, be sure you open up the celery and get the leaves out of the middle of the bunch. (Just a tip: apparently you can freeze celery leaves. I haven't tried it yet, but the lady at my favorite farmer's market was telling me she does it all summer long so she'll have them for winter soups.) You will also notice I didn't say how many garlic cloves to use. I have no idea. I use several. Garlic is a natural antibiotic, so more is better! You'll want to mince or press these.
1 whole chicken
1 onion
fresh carrots, chopped
fresh celery, chopped.
garlic cloves
Spices to taste (sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, etc)
chicken broth or chicken bullion
egg noodles
Boil chicken in chicken broth or water with chicken bullion. Simmer until meat is falling off the bone, the longer the better. I like to let it simmer for 1-2 hours if I can. You want all the good stuff to leach out of those bones into your broth. Scoop out the chicken and bones. It should just fall all apart. Set the chicken aside to cool. Now add your vegetables and spices. Personally, I hate cooked onions. It is a texture issue with me. I want all the nutrients out of it, without having to actually eat it. So I simply drop a whole onion in there to boil. As my vegetables are cooking, I start deboning the chicken and putting meat back into the boiling stockpot. I don't often use all the meat so I will bag up the rest to use in a different meal later. Once your veggies are done, add a bag of egg noodles and cook until they are soft. Once the noodles are done, I scoop out the onion and press it against the side of the stockpot to squeeze out all the liquid I can. And then, yes, I throw it away. Don't judge.
This is our go-to soup when we have illness in the house. I made it ahead of time when I had my surgery a few years ago, as well. Studies came out a few years ago showing that old-fashioned made-from-scratch homemade chicken soup like Grandma used to make really does help fight cold and flu. Even if it didn't, it certainly is one of my favorite comfort foods. Enjoy!
Monday, December 29, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Single For The Holidays
As mentioned before, my parents moved away late last December. Making this the first holiday season without them. And as you know, I recently got a divorce. Making this my first holiday as a single mom. As a single adult, actually, as I was 18 when I got married. I do have local sisters, but we've decided to celebrate on the Saturday following each holiday rather than on the day itself. Which means this is the weirdest holiday season I've ever had. I feel all out of sorts and kind of...wandering. Lost.
Thanksgiving has always meant a huge gathering of family and friends. I would get up in the middle of the night and put a turkey in the oven. I'd cook my traditional scalloped corn. And whatever else I'd been asked to bring. We'd drive to my parents' house, where they had invited 40+ people. We always had at least 2 turkeys and a ham. Along with every side dish you could ever imagine. A bread cornucopia filled with veggies. Paper covering the "kids table" so they could draw and color on the table while waiting for dinner to begin. Pecan pies, cherry pies, pumpkin pies, apple pies, pumpkin roll.....so much food. And so many people. So much love and fun.
This year...crickets. My local sisters had plans of their own, as we were meeting on Saturday. I didn't want to make a huge feast for just me and my 2 sons. And...who wants to sit home alone all day on Thanksgiving?? I was feeling at bit down and lonely, not going to lie. However, I have amazing friends. One of which was in a similar lost sort of situation. My boys and I were invited to spend Thanksgiving over there. Meanwhile, my friend was invited to someone else's house. Who then extended the invitation to me and my sons. So we wound up spending Thanksgiving with a friend...and a house full of strangers. And you know what? It was fabulous. I had a good time meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone.
But you know what else? After I got home, I still got sad. I have been doing so so well. I'm keeping my eyes on Christ, to the best of my ability. I've been rejoicing in the little things. I've been feeling so free and so alive and so blessed. But there I was....sad. After an amazing welcoming day. Weird. Then I realized...of COURSE I'm sad! This is a big year. There are HUGE changes this year. And it's ok to be sad a little bit.
And now here we are in the middle of December. And I'm feeling sad again. Lost. Everything is just....weird. I haven't even baked cookies and candies. What is THAT about?? And instead of spending Christmas Eve at my parents' annual Christmas Eve party (see above...it was very similar to the Thanksgiving party. Just add a few Christmas carols and Christmas portraits of each family taken in front of a beautiful Christmas tree...) I will be spending my Christmas Eve...........at home. Alone with my 2 sons I guess. And Christmas Day? More of the same. At some point they will need to see their dad, though we still don't have that scheduled worked out yet.
And to be honest, I miss having a partner. I miss having someone to go on romantic Christmas dates with. I miss having someone to giggle and plan secret gifts with. I miss having someone to pore over the Christmas budget and list with me. My favorite Christmas movie is being re-released to the big screen for the 60th anniversary. Playing this Sunday and Monday only. My greatest desire in the world is to put on my vintage dress with the poofy petticoat and dress to the nines. To have someone take me to a nice dinner, hold my hand, and open my door. To have him help me walk across the icy parking lot the theater. To put his arm around me in the movie. To laugh when I quote the whole movie word for word. And to pretend not to notice when I cry when they surprise the General, like I do every single Christmas of my life. Actually, the odds are good that I will be crying the entire time, seeing the movie on the big screen like it was meant to be seen.
Of course, I have amazing friends and family and my sister surprised me with tickets to the movie Monday night. She and I will wear our fancy dresses and go together. Not the same, but I'm still looking forward to it. And I have been invited to two Christmas parties, one this weekend and one next. Not to mention Christmas with my sisters on Dec 27. So it isn't like I'm alone the entire season.
But I'm not going to lie. I am not really looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They are going to difficult. And awkward. And lonely. Especially if my sons are with their dad. But I know that my Christ is there holding me. And He loves me. And He will never leave me, nor forsake me. And I know that I am loved by friends and family. And I know that God has a plan for me. And I am resting in that knowledge and in His amazing unending love. And I am content.
Thanksgiving has always meant a huge gathering of family and friends. I would get up in the middle of the night and put a turkey in the oven. I'd cook my traditional scalloped corn. And whatever else I'd been asked to bring. We'd drive to my parents' house, where they had invited 40+ people. We always had at least 2 turkeys and a ham. Along with every side dish you could ever imagine. A bread cornucopia filled with veggies. Paper covering the "kids table" so they could draw and color on the table while waiting for dinner to begin. Pecan pies, cherry pies, pumpkin pies, apple pies, pumpkin roll.....so much food. And so many people. So much love and fun.
This year...crickets. My local sisters had plans of their own, as we were meeting on Saturday. I didn't want to make a huge feast for just me and my 2 sons. And...who wants to sit home alone all day on Thanksgiving?? I was feeling at bit down and lonely, not going to lie. However, I have amazing friends. One of which was in a similar lost sort of situation. My boys and I were invited to spend Thanksgiving over there. Meanwhile, my friend was invited to someone else's house. Who then extended the invitation to me and my sons. So we wound up spending Thanksgiving with a friend...and a house full of strangers. And you know what? It was fabulous. I had a good time meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone.
But you know what else? After I got home, I still got sad. I have been doing so so well. I'm keeping my eyes on Christ, to the best of my ability. I've been rejoicing in the little things. I've been feeling so free and so alive and so blessed. But there I was....sad. After an amazing welcoming day. Weird. Then I realized...of COURSE I'm sad! This is a big year. There are HUGE changes this year. And it's ok to be sad a little bit.
And now here we are in the middle of December. And I'm feeling sad again. Lost. Everything is just....weird. I haven't even baked cookies and candies. What is THAT about?? And instead of spending Christmas Eve at my parents' annual Christmas Eve party (see above...it was very similar to the Thanksgiving party. Just add a few Christmas carols and Christmas portraits of each family taken in front of a beautiful Christmas tree...) I will be spending my Christmas Eve...........at home. Alone with my 2 sons I guess. And Christmas Day? More of the same. At some point they will need to see their dad, though we still don't have that scheduled worked out yet.
And to be honest, I miss having a partner. I miss having someone to go on romantic Christmas dates with. I miss having someone to giggle and plan secret gifts with. I miss having someone to pore over the Christmas budget and list with me. My favorite Christmas movie is being re-released to the big screen for the 60th anniversary. Playing this Sunday and Monday only. My greatest desire in the world is to put on my vintage dress with the poofy petticoat and dress to the nines. To have someone take me to a nice dinner, hold my hand, and open my door. To have him help me walk across the icy parking lot the theater. To put his arm around me in the movie. To laugh when I quote the whole movie word for word. And to pretend not to notice when I cry when they surprise the General, like I do every single Christmas of my life. Actually, the odds are good that I will be crying the entire time, seeing the movie on the big screen like it was meant to be seen.
Of course, I have amazing friends and family and my sister surprised me with tickets to the movie Monday night. She and I will wear our fancy dresses and go together. Not the same, but I'm still looking forward to it. And I have been invited to two Christmas parties, one this weekend and one next. Not to mention Christmas with my sisters on Dec 27. So it isn't like I'm alone the entire season.
But I'm not going to lie. I am not really looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They are going to difficult. And awkward. And lonely. Especially if my sons are with their dad. But I know that my Christ is there holding me. And He loves me. And He will never leave me, nor forsake me. And I know that I am loved by friends and family. And I know that God has a plan for me. And I am resting in that knowledge and in His amazing unending love. And I am content.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)