Starting Over

Hello Sunshine!

Hope you had a great weekend! Mine was a bit of a challenge, but it's over and now I'm starting over a new week. It's looks like it's going to rain for a couple of days, so I guess I have time to do the inside things. Yes, I'm asking myself that same question, what are they? Well let's see. There's books to be read, recipes to try, crocheting and knitting, watching movies that I've never seen, and of, course house projects. I list these things by priority and as you can see I am not very interested in house projects.

Anyway, I've decided to share my President Obama 1st 100 days with you. I like the approach with the H1N1 Virus or is it N1H1. Oh well it doesn't matter just as long as you know what I'm referring to. I agree that we shouldn't create a panic which is what we've been programed to do by the previous administration. Remember the plastic and duck tape panic? That, to me was hilarious especially when it was being seriously reported by the mass media. They were just doing what they were told and people blindly reacted to the possibility of .... I don't even remember why we were told to use the plastic and duck tape. It really must not have been important.

And then there's the struggling economy. We're still struggling and we have a long way to go, but I think he still conveys the message of hope and a positive outlook of our global future. I guess we all could be crossing our fingers, however, we need to continue to support President Obama's efforts and take action. I like that word action because it prevents us from becoming complacent and expecting miracles. The other point that I want to make about supporting our President during this struggling economy is that yes we need to ensure accountability on all levels (especially from the crooks). I threw that in, but don't you think he was thinking that
too? That's all I'm going to say about that.

There were points about the wars. I totally don't agree on more troops so I must say that I do disagree on all war points unless it involves stopping it right now. That's it about the wars.

OK... enough politics. It's time for the fun stuff. I hope you found out something new about the stuff we ingest. Today is another sharing assignment. I like to cook as well as eat good food. I've been trying some new recipes. Most of them have been pretty healthy, but sometimes I want to live a little. Help me out with some new recipes just keep in mind "no pork on my fork" and I can't eat eggs. Here's one that I would like to share with you:

Chicken & Dumplings (This is especially for my Mother-in-Law J.P) or

Vegetable & Dumplings (This is especially for my daughter A.C.W.

Don't use the chicken and for your flavor use vegetable broth.)

Ingredients

Bottle of favorite beverage

1 whole chicken

Salt & Pepper

Season All

Onion

Bag of frozen veggies (peas, carrots, stringbeans, corn or your favorite blend)

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of cream of celery soup

Flour

Shortening

Water

Salt

Lots of Heart

Lots of Love

4-6 Hungry People

How to prepare:

Open a bottle of the favorite beverage and consume.

Clean chicken. Boil in seasoning onion. When the chicken is cooked all the way (falling of the bone done) remove it from the pot keeping the stock that it was boiled in. Take chicken off the bone and put back in to stock. Make sure you dispose of the bones properly so that they don't get into the mouths of dogs. Chicken bones are not good for dogs. Bring to a boil and add cream of chicken and cream of celery soups. Bring to a simmer and add your veggies. Let simmer for however long it takes you to make up your dumplings.

Dumplings: I think this works well all the time. Make a pie crust and cut it into squares and rectangles and if you have young children helping you, cut into circles and triangles or whatever shape you want.

1 Batch of dumplings:

1 1/3 cup of sifted flour, cut in 1/2 cup of shortening (they should look like small peas), add a little salt to taste, work in 3 tablespoons of cold water and knead into a ball. Then split the ball in two and roll each one separately (unless you can figure out to roll simoultaneously ;-)). Cut into your desired shapes and add 1 at a time to boiling soup. It's important to only add a few so they don't clump together. So when you get good enough add more than 1 at a time. After all of the dumplings have been added it might be necessary to thicken the soup. Make a rue and add until you like the texture. (Rue=flour and warm water mixed)

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening, plain or butter-flavored (see Cook's Note)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt
3 tablespoons ice water

Note: The people you invite must not complain and if they do let them know all the heart and love you put into this. Enjoy!!!

Peace & Blessings,

T

Oh and... Guinness anyone?