Four Foods For Friday 109

Hm, here we are, discussing chicken soup. It seems that some folks have had colds recently, eh? Hope you’re better!

Name four of the primary ingredients that YOU use to make chicken soup.

I don’t make chicken soup all that much. I am not a soup eater (unless we are really low on food). I hear it’s really good for you– protein, helps when you’re sick, etc etc anti wrinkle cream, etc etc.. many more marvels… I just don’t like the stuff. But I have made it, and it’s *tolerable.* Barely, lol.

Four primary ingredients, huh? Ummm…

1. Chicken. (I know, DUH, lol) I don’t use breasts or special cuts for soup, though– I make it with the stock I’ve made from a carcass.
2. Onions. A must, otherwise the soup is intolerably bland.
3. Seasoning of some sort. Has to be full of pep. Right now I’m using a lot of the Salamida Pinch Seasoning, it’s very good.
4. White northern beans.

I may also add black beans (well rinsed) if I want real variety.

So, sorry! My meme this week was pretty dull and bland– a lot like my chicken soup!! Hey, Val, let’s talk Italian when you’re feeling better, eh?

Four Foods on Friday 108

Poor Val, she was sick this week… I was sick last week. I have never been so sick in my life as I have been this past year 1/2. What the heck?! At least they are minor things, like stupid colds… but they are everywhere. :-p I cannot WAIT for warmer weather, when we can shut off the furnace and see the sun again, woo! Break out the custom beach towels and sunglasses once again! It will feel so good to soak up the sun’s rays into these chilly bones.

OK, down to business!

1. Are there any drinks you feel help you get better when you’re sick?
2. Are there any foods you feel help you get better when you’re sick?
3. Starve a cold, feed a fever. Do you believe this?
4. Who cooks when you’re sick?

1. It really depends. If I have sinus problems, tea is best. For chest congestion, I like coffee. For sore throat, I like orange juice. For stomach upset, it’s either ginger ale or noghtin.
2. It depends, too. I usually don’t eat when I’m not feeling well.
3. It helps. Fevers are sometimes caused by stomach bugs, and we all know what happens when you eat and have a stomach bug…
4. Me. :-p Sometimes my girls help. But my husband doesn’t know how to cook anything except oatmeal. lol

Four Foods For Friday #107

Uh oh. Kitchen “appearance” questions. My kitchen is a DISASTER and is in desperate need of a re-do. I am praying that this year is the year.

One question again this week.

1. Name two items on your kitchen counter.
2. What’s in your sink now?
3. What’s on your stove now?
4. What’s in your oven now?

1. Just two? Ummmm… like my contemporary coffee tables that I have scattered throughout the house, my kitchen counters are a catch-all for lots of stuff. I’ll *try* to keep it down to just two things: my Hamilton-Beach coffee maker (new one, review coming soon!) and three dish drainers of clean dishes! We have no dishwasher, and with 6 people in the house, three of whom work full-time and three of whom are in school… the dishes do pile up. :S

2. Dirty dishes. Not too many, though, thank God.

3. A tea kettle and a spoon holder that says “Give us the day our daily bread.” It’s new, and I like it.

4. Burnt food at the bottom.

So, that’s my FFFF! How did yours go?

Four Foods For Friday #106

Here we are again! The question is nice and simple, too.

What are four spices you must have in the house?

Good question! I am a “plain Jane” kind of cook; I don’t use too many salts, peppers, oils, butters, etc. Even at the dinner table, I rarely butter my bread or salt my food. But there are a few favorite spices I just love. I spent a few years experimenting with various spices, such as a curry/cinnamon mix that was actually kind of good. Plus, I hear curry is incredibly good for you. Not only has it been suggested to fight cancer, it is a possible appetite suppressant and therefore one of those natural weight loss supplements. I have no idea for sure– I never lost an ounce from eating a curry dish, I think you’d have to turn orange from eating it before you saw any results, eh?

ANYWAY. Spices. Here are my absolutely necessary spices:

1. Basil. I make a lot of Italian dishes, and I over do it with basil. I just can’t help myself!
2. Salamida Hickory Spice “Pinch” seasoning. This stuff is amazing. I use it on everything- soups, chickens, rice, veggies. It’s outstanding.
3. Garlic powder. For those days when I’m too lazy to mince garlic cloves. Which seems to be a lot of the time.
4. Oregano and Paprika and Cinnamon. It’s a tie.

Four Foods For Friday #105

Ooo I love these short and sweet FFFF questions. The longer ones are not bad, not at all, but sometimes it’s nice to list things.

What are your four favorite soups?

Weeeelll… I’m not much of a soup eater. I know they make a terrific diet aid, but I never feel full after having them. So my favorite soups are probably more like stews because they are thicker and have “stuff” in them. For what it’s worth, here they are:

1. Beef vegetable soup. With tender, tiny beef chunks and lots of veggies.
2. My Black Bean & Ham soup. It’s not something I’d want every day (no soup is), but this is very tasty.
3. Special Lentil Soup. I love the Salamida Hickory Smoke seasoning. I use that stuff on everything.
4. Good ol’ canned tomato soup. I used to eat it a lot as a girl whenever I stayed home from school. I always ate them with tuna fish sandwiches. It was one of the rare times my tummy every felt happy after having soup. And it’s one of those rather rare good childhood memories.

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