"Hope Soup"

It's starting to get a little hot around here to be making soup, but I'd like to share a concept with you. I cannot stress the importance of a well-stocked pantry. Mine is almost always filled with chicken/beef stock, canned or dry beans of many varieties, canned tomatoes, canned corn, spices, pasta, etc. All of the ingredients just mentioned are a great base for a soup, don't you think?! For a while now, when we are having the kind of week that requires a lot of meal creativity (Well, maybe I should just say "when you have a week with next to no money to spend..."), I'll throw together what my husband and I affectionately call "Hope Soup." Here is my recipe for "Hope Soup" :

Throw whatever you find in your pantry/fridge/freezer in a pot/crockpot and HOPE it turns out!

It's actually a lot of fun to do! We had "Hope Soup" last night for dinner and it turned out great. Here's what I had in the house already:

A large ham bone with a little meat on it (I froze it after our Easter dinner)
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of great northern beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
frozen petite peas
bouillon cubes
garlic
onion
salt & pepper
hot sauce

Here's what I had to buy:

1 small head of cabbage
a little extra ham to dice up

How cool is that?! So I took my frozen ham bone and boiled it in some water in my soup pot to make a flavorful stock. I removed the ham bone, added onion, garlic, bouillon, and s&p and brought it to a boil so the onions could get tender. Then I added the beans, tomatoes, corn, and ham chunks. Just 5 minutes before serving, I added the peas and cabbage because I like the texture better when those things are not over-cooked. We added hot sauce to our bowls at the table.

"Hope Soup" is a great, budget friendly dinner. And it will feed an army! I hope you guys will try to be creative with what you have in you cupboards and refrigerators: again, this soup is a concept. Do not take my idea above too seriously. You only have a pound of ground meat? Great! Brown it up and use beef stock for the soup base. You grow zucchini? Use it! You have celery and carrots? Throw that in! No diced tomatoes, but you have salsa? "Fiesta Hope Soup!" YEEEHAW!!! Add some ground cumin to that to bump up the Mexican flavors.

"Hope" you guys try this!

Missing home... wherever that is!

I recently returned to Ohio (where I grew up). My husband's aunt made it possible for my son and I to fly there. And I'm so grateful she did that for us. It seemed fairly urgent to go visit my dad. My dad has been very sick recently, and I knew we had to be realistic: This may or may not be the last time we get to see him; but I'd sure hate to miss the opportunity to see him once more. So that was the reason for our visit.

But while we were there, I was struck with plenty of emotion. It had been 5 years since I had been back to the place I grew up. That's a long time considering I still have a lot of family there. It was incredibly surreal to be back in northern Ohio. I couldn't get over how strange it was to drive on the same roads I learned to drive on back when I was 15 years old. As I drove down Mentor Avenue, I couldn't help shedding a tear or two knowing that some of my best memories were made driving down it. My brother actually taught me to drive comfortably. It's confession time! My older brother had his drivers' license and I only had my temporary. We'd say we were going to run an errand. My brother would get in to drive and I'd sit on the passengers' side. When we got far enough away from home, we'd switch. He never made me tense, he never criticized my left turns, and he never told me where to go. (Why did your parents always tell you which way to turn on your way to school even though you'd been going there for years?) Late at night, my brother and I would go driving. We wouldn't go anywhere specific. We'd just turn up the music, roll down the windows, and drive down Mentor Avenue. I miss those days.

When I lived in Ohio, I was not old enough to do my own grocery shopping. But when I was back this last time, I graced a few grocery stores. I was blown away by the quality of produce, artisan breads, and meat. I almost fell over when I saw a package of meatloaf mix. I miss meatloaf mix! Why don't we have meatloaf mix in Texas? My fellow Texans, meatloaf mix is an equal amount of ground beef, pork, and veal in the same package! Now, I grew up in a Korean/Italian family. And every good Italian knows that good meatballs are made with beef, pork, and veal. It drives me crazy when I want to make meatballs and I can't find good-looking ground veal. So I buy a package of ground beef and a package of ground pork. It's not the same. I also saw Amish raised chicken. THAT my friends, is a thing of beauty: to see a package of chicken breast that are not of freakish size (Everything's bigger in Texas, right?), have no skin or fat on them, and are very reasonably priced even when they are not on sale. I found myself quite sad as I continued to walk through the meat cases: beautiful hot Italian sausage spirals were calling my name. It's been years since I've seen a spiral of sausage! And northern Ohio is filled with specialty butcher shops. I don't even know where the closest butcher shop is in Houston! I know I sound ridiculous. But what can I say? High quality meats, breads, and produce make me happy! Oh my goodness...The produce: I saw an assortment of produce that just is not available at our grocery stores in Texas. And the breads were equally impressive.

Northern Ohio is such a different culture than I'm living in now. I miss hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants and pizzerias. My fellow Texans, did you know that in other parts of the country there are tiny little places where families create the most amazing Italian food you could ever dream to consume? I have yet to see a hole-in-the wall Italian restaurant that sells incredible food since I've lived in Houston. Most little places around here sell Mexican food: hardly the quality I grew up with. When you want comfort food, do you want a big bowl of pasta or a tamale?! If you ever ask me that question, I will ALWAYS tell you to bring on the pasta... and don't you dare over cook it! I got to visit my favorite little Italian place while I was back home. I went with my old friends Dave and Chelsea. We ate at Zappitelli's. Zappitelli's is where my brother got his first job. They serve some of the best Italian food I've ever had. And everyone in the area knows it. It's a tiny place, but they are always packed for dinner. It was surreal to be back there experiencing the place I ate at almost every week when I was growing up.

I also got to visit the place where I got my fist real job: "Yours Truly." "Yours Truly" is a family-owned restaurant that serves breakfast, salads, burgers, sandwiches, hand-dipped milkshakes, hand squeezed limeades, etc. That was the most amazing place to work. I'd probably still be a waitress there today if I still lived there. The quality of food was great, so was the service (of course!), and so were the people who owned and operated it. When I went back this time, I just wanted to jump behind the counter and start making milkshakes and limeades. It was at "Yours Truly" that I realized I had a gift for creating good food. On multiple occasions, I walked into my manager's office with an idea for a new sandwich or dessert and found it on the menu a few weeks later. I had regular customers who would come to eat late on Friday nights so I could serve them. I always closed the restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights so I could clean the place like I wanted it to be cleaned, serve my favorite people, and, of course, make extra money. I miss "Yours Truly."

Everything looks and feels different Ohio; especially in the Spring. There are so many trees, daffodils, and beautiful old homes. As I drove down my grandmother's street, I couldn't help but smile at the many daffodils around the front of all the houses and the tin awnings over every window. Every street name rung a bell. Every yard was trimmed and pretty. I even laughed when I saw the silly old lady's house: she still had her fake flowers planted in the dirt. She always has colorful, pretty flowers "growing." No watering, no trimming, just perfect neon flowers all year 'round! The memories flooded my mind continuously while I was in Ohio.

I've always said that I don't enjoy Texas. And I still don't. It's too hot, too humid, and too crowded. But I never expected the reaction I had when I got back to Texas. I was relieved. I was happy. I was excited to be back to the life I've created since I got married. All I wanted to do was be with my husband. I wanted to see my church friends. I wanted to come back to my pitiful little apartment. I've grown up a ton since I left Ohio 5 years ago. I'm a mother now, a wife, and an aspiring chef. I have no idea what state to call "home." Is "home" where I grew up? Is "home" where I live? Is it both? I'm learning that longing for where I used to live isn't healthy. Yes, I miss the weather. Yes, I miss the old grocery stores and the Italian food. Yes, I miss my family and old friends. But that stage in my life is over. God has placed me in Texas, and that's where I'm learning to be content. Texas is where I've learned the most about myself and about my marriage. It's where I've learned (and am still learning) to be the mother I am. Texas is home to the church I've always dreamed of being a part of.

Being in Ohio was an emotional experience for me. I experienced some good emotions, but also some bad. But the best emotion was when I got off the airplane and saw my precious husband waiting for me and our son. The best emotions flooded me when I got the hug I had been longing for the entire time I was in Ohio. The best feeling was laying in bed with my husband my first night home. Maybe home really is where your heart is.

Banana Pudding Cookies

I've had a cookie idea brewing for a few years now. And I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to work out my idea. It only took me about 15 minutes to figure out exactly what needed to happen. And it worked out the first time I tried. The joy and frustration was comical to say the least. It took me 3 or 4 years to "create" a cookie that was destined to be successful. Lesson learned: The next time I get a good idea about a new recipe, act on it.

This "Banana Pudding Cookie" recipe was inspired by a faint memory of a cookie I had only one time when I was a little girl: maybe 5th grade. I didn't really know much about cooking back then, so I didn't really think about what I was eating or what was in them... But I have ever since. I don't remember who made the cookie, where I had it, or if it's just a figment of my imagination all together. It's real now, though! Don't let the name fool you. It's nothing like the banana pudding we've all inevitably had at some point in our lives (You know, the mushy mess of banana slices, fake banana flavored pudding and vanilla wafers?). You will not be knocked over the head with the flavor of banana, it is not like banana nut bread, and it contains a package of vanilla pudding mix which gives it a really pleasant creaminess. They're moist and chewy... come on, who doesn't love that in a cookie?! I love them, so does my husband, and my 4 year old probably loves them more than both of us combined! I hope you'll try them and let me know how you like them!

Banana Pudding Cookies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ripe banana (smashed well)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.8 oz)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup oatmeal (quick-cooking)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until very smooth. Add smashed banana goo and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal. Stir until combined. Add to wet mixture. Stir until well incorporated. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes. Drop onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10-14 minutes until golden.

*Refrigerating the dough helps the dough keep its shape a little better while baking. You may omit the refrigeration part, your cookies will just be a little flatter.

**Baking time will obviously vary depending on how big you make your cookies. I tend to make big cookies, so mine take longer!

When to skimp and when to splurge

I'll admit it... I used to be a "brand snob." Yep... a "brand snob." I'm ashamed of that time in my life. For those of you who don't know what a brand snob is, I'm not surprised. I kind of made that up! I believe a brand snob is someone who will only buy brand name grocery, toiletry, and household-ish products because he/she is getting a higher quality product.

In the past few years, I have learned to really value our precious dollars. I have become a "compulsive saver." And I'm proud to admit that! Did you know that the "store brand" or other generic labels are very often your favorite brand with a different label? I mean it! They want their products sold, so stores and packaging companies bid for their products so they can put a different label on it. It's crazy. I don't really get it. But you know what I understand? I'M SAVING $

I've done quite a bit of experimenting in the grocery store. I had bought name brand products for years. Now I try to save by buying a lot of things in generic or store brands. Now, don't get me wrong; there is a time to save and there is a time where quality is majorly compromised when you buy generic. I'll tell you about some things I just will not by name brand anymore! I'll call it my "skimp list."

Skimp List

- Beans: beans are beans are beans as far as I'm concerned. If you are using canned beans, just compare ingredients and 9 times out of 10, there will be no difference in the generic brand. Dry beans are an even better deal! 2/3 cup of dry beans is about equal to a can of beans.

- Foil: OK, I was majorly skeptical on this one. Foil is crazy expensive and we constantly throw it away. So I decided to try generic foil. Not bad! If you don't really know what to expect, try the generic heavy duty foil. It's thick and durable.

- Canned Veggies: I'm not really into canned vegetables. I usually buy them frozen. But I very often used canned tomatoes. On average, I can save more than 20 cents on one can. No brainer!

- Bleach: Come one! What on earth seems logical about spending a few dollars more on Clorox when you can get the generic? Doesn't all bleach kill germs and ruin your favorite garments?!

Vinegar: Again, why do we insist on spending more than we should on vinegar?

Condiments

Oatmeal: My only disclaimer is that I have yet to see a box of generic instant oatmeal packets that claim to be "lower sugar." But I but generic plain oatmeal.

Butter: (in stick form)

Baking Essentials: I do PLENTY of baking, and I can tell you that generic flour and sugar are THE SAME!!!

Frozen Veggies: Something to think about: Vegetables are frozen at their peak freshness. You have no idea how long that bunch of broccoli has been sitting in that store... and it took a few days to get shipped to the store, right? So when you can (especially when you make soups), buy frozen. It's cheaper and probably fresher!



Here are things I've tried to skimp on and came out on the other side disappointed:

Splurge List

- Toilet Paper: Please Please Please don't skimp on toilet paper. You're dealing with a very sensitive area, folks!

- Tissues: I blow my nose a lot. My allergies are terrible. And I'll tell you this: NOTHING compares to "Puffs with lotion."

- Bread: I often find that the cheaper the bread, the more preservatives it contains. But a high quality bread.

- Yogurt: This is debatable (mainly between me and my husband). I get a little creeped out buying generic milk products. But that may just be my OCD talking.

- Laundry Essentials: I just experimented with buying a store brand laundry detergent. In fact, I'm on the last leg of the container. I'll admit that our clothes are clean. But I miss the smell of my old detergent. The smell of the store brand detergent is wonderful out of the container. But it doesn't last AT ALL for me. So when I finish this bottle, I'll gladly pay a little extra for "Gain."

- Paper towels: Who doesn't know that "Bounty" makes the world's best paper towels?

- Cereal: Again, this is debatable. Some generic cereals are comparable; some are not. I tried buying generic "Apple Cinnamon Cheerios" and my son took one bite and stopped eating. But generic crispy rice cereal makes great Rice Crispy Treats!

- Meat: NEVER NEVER NEVER skimp on good quality meat. That's just scary. If your ground beef is in a tube (like breakfast sausage is packaged), you can't see the meat. What is logical or safe about that? You could be purchasing a tube of dog poo for all you know!


I can't stand watching people waste money on name brands. I'm not at all saying that I don't buy name brand products. I've clearly shown you what I will and will not buy. But I just want you to think and compare ingredients and nutrition facts before you buy. You could save 30% or more on your next grocery bill! Now that's smart!

The Joy of Chocolate Milk

Every few months or so, I get pure joy from a motherly epiphany. Here's what happened today:

Everyday, my 3 year old son (Zachary) may choose to have a cup of chocolate milk or juice. That's it. One cup of something other than water per day. It's our rule, sorry if you don't like it! Anyway, today at lunch, as Zachary spit and sputtered at me about his day's happenings (he had peanut butter and jelly - thus the spitting and sputtering), I asked if he'd like something to drink:

"Zachary, Mommy can't understand what you're saying with all that peanut butter in your mouth. Do you need a drink?"

His response: "No, Mom. Chwokit milk."

I smiled knowing that "drink" to him means "water" and "chocolate milk" means "chwokit milk."

I went and poured him a cup of milk and got out the syrup to mix him his favorite beverage. As I'm mid-pour, Zachary yells, "WATCH, MOM!!!" Again, I smile knowing he loves to watch my husband or I mix up the chocolate milk. I grab a spoon and make my way back to the table where he is still struggling to swallow his beloved sandwich. I pour in the chocolate syrup, insert the spoon, and Zachary says anxiously: "Milk.... (and as the milk changes from white to brown)... CHWOKIT MILK!!!" All the while, his precious face is lit up like a Christmas tree. I lick the spoon (which is a monumental faux pas). Zachary has a minor fit and I must dip the spoon back into the newly created chocolate milk and let him re-lick the spoon.

My point? What a precious little moment in my day. In an exchange that lasted maybe a minute and a half, my son showed joy and wonder as to how his mommy could create "chwokit milk" from plain old milk. To Zachary, Mommy possesses a kind of magic. And I'm left with an overwhelming sense of knowing it will not always be like this. One day, Zachary will be able to make his own chocolate milk. He will possess the "magic." One day, he'll know that Mommy and Daddy cannot fix everything he needs us to fix when he cries "Six it Daddy!" (Yes, he says "six" instead of "fix.") One day, my precious Zachary will not be in awe of the mystical powers of "Santa"... he will have his own children and will himself become "Santa." One day, Zachary will realize that Mommy's kiss on a boo-boo doesn't really have healing powers; only an immeasurable amount of love.

My hope, my prayer is that one day, when Zachary is grown, married, and has our beautiful grandchildren, he will smile as he makes them "chwokit milk." Knowing that once upon a time, Mommy and Daddy made him the same magic beverage... And loved doing it for him.

And so, the rest of my day will be filled with smiling about the joy of chocolate milk.

Unusually "Chili" in Texas

Today is a cold day: freezing temperatures, snow in some areas, sleet in others... I believe that is a bad thing to most Texans. After all, February is almost over. But to me, I'm reminded of home (Ohio). Strange as it may seem, I live for cold days. Cold days remind me of my childhood home. I remember staying inside by our amazing fireplace; snuggled up in my favorite squishy chair by the window watching it snow. And what snowy day is complete without something warm to fill your belly?! There is no snow in sight for me today in Texas. But I am inspired to give you a recipe for chili. This is by no means my "Famous White Chicken Chili." (I'll write about my White Chicken Chili another time) But I actually like this other chili better!

Let me tell you about it: This recipe has evolved over a few years for me. And I believe it's absolutely perfect. My recipe came from an old family recipe for "Slumgullian Chili." There is quite a bit of debate about what Slumgullian is or where it came from. But my understanding is that it's English in origin and is defined as "a thin stew of meat and vegetables." Now, you must understand who I am. I am a cook who can't for the life of her follow a recipe the way it is written (unless, of course, it's for baking. That's completely different!). If I am given a recipe, chances are, I'll change it up quite a bit. So after more than 10 years of eating my step-mother's Slumgullian Chili, here is MY recipe: I call it "Momma's Mud."

Momma's Mud Chili

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
2 TBSP tomato paste*
2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) tomato soup
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15.5 oz) kidney beans (drained) Why aren't all cans the same size?!?!
1/2 c. beef stock (more if you like thinner chili)**
2 TBSP white vinegar
3-4 TBSP chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 medium zucchini (sliced into quarter circles)
prepared elbow macaroni noodles

*I HIGHLY recommend tomato paste in a tube. You'll find it in the pasta/tomato aisle. Just pop it back in the fridge when you're done using it! It's like toothpaste!
**You may also use water, but beef stock provides a much deeper flavor.

Brown the meat in a large heavy pot (I use enameled cast iron). Drain the juices and continue to brown the meat until it is caramelized. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. When the onions are just tender, add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add rest of ingredients EXCEPT zucchini. Simmer until thick (about an hour) adding more beef stock of you want to thin it out a bit. The last 20 minutes of cooking, add zucchini and cook until desired tenderness. Serve chili over cooked macaroni noodles and whatever fixin's you like (cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc.).

Chili variation:
add 1-2 tsp. chipotle chili powder for a spicy, smokey kick!

Hope you enjoy my family's favorite red chili! And let me know how it turns out!

A Lesson in the Grocery Store

It seems like a simple enough task to run to Wal-Mart the day before the Super Bowl, right? Right! We only needed a few things: milk, sugar, eggs, etc. So my husband and I pack Zachary into the car and head off. The walk through the store is remarkably easy. And we manage to avoid the chip, soda, and beer aisles altogether... a feat in itself! Remember, the Big Game is tomorrow! Anyway, as we are waiting in line to check out, a mother, grandmother, and 2 young children pull up behind us. The little boy was maybe 2 years old and he was a hysterical mess. I just smiled knowing what it is like to have a loud, crying child in the store. I always sympathize with the parent. That's embarrassing! The other child, a baby, was snug in her car seat in the cart not making a peep. Grandma was unloading the cart and yelling at little Justin (I learned his name quickly due to all the yelling). And Mom was on her cell phone, yelling at Justin, swearing about the message she had just received: using words I'd never use... let alone in public or to my child! My heart began to break for Justin. Here he was crying (I'm sure because he wanted something he couldn't have), Grandma was yelling at him; so was Mommy. But no one was really paying attention to him. My sweet little boy, Zachary, is such a tender-hearted child. He was obviously concerned for his "friend." Zachary couldn't look away... but kept his ears covered. I hope some of the expletives were muted! And all he could say was, "Oh no, Momma! Crying! So loud!" Ben and I asked him to stop pointing because it's not nice. And that Justin was going to be OK: He was just sad. What a chaotic checkout we had!

As we were walking out to the car, I held Zachary's hand. He skipped happily as I told him I was proud of him for being a good boy in the store. I also held my sweet husband's hand and told him I felt terrible for that little boy. To me, it was no wonder he was acting the way he was. I'd cry too if my guardians swore at me, yelled at me, and pushed me around in front of complete strangers. And all the while, no one made eye contact with Justin. It may be a bit of a snap judgment, but I figured his home life wasn't much different. I just wanted to scoop him up and take him home with us for a few hours.

I do not tell you this story because Justin was being so naughty that I couldn't help but write about it. I also do not tell you this story because I think my son was a perfect angel compared to Justin. Believe me, we've had our share of horrible trips to the store. Though, I'll admit, I was just a little proud of myself. I have never embarrassed my son like that. If we ever have a public problem, I scoop him up in my arms, hold him tightly, look him directly in the eyes, and speak only to him. I tell him that I need him to behave. That his behavior is completely unacceptable and rude, and that if he will not stop, he will be punished as soon as we get home.

Mommies, our children are gifts. Yes, these gifts make us crazy sometimes. Yes, they can drive us up a wall in a matter of seconds. But they are precious...nothing short of a miracle. It is our God-given responsibility to love and nurture them. Part of that nurturing includes punishment, yes, but never demeaning them. My heart is broken for Justin today. My prayer for you is that you are teaching people lessons when you take your children to the grocery store, to the bank, or to school. Everyone is watching. So is your screaming child. Teach them how to react in stressful situations. Teach them how to love the children they may have one day. Teach them self control. One day, these people who once saw you in the store with your hysterical child may remember you. They may not know your name, but they will know your heart. And now you know mine.