Week 9 Saturday (3/8/14)

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location:  Italian Meatball Soup

         Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From my Frontier

                           Pages 79 - 81      Copyright:  2012  Harper Collins

I figured out that there are 187 calories per serving, if 12 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

         I am shocked that I am really becoming a soup lover. After a childhood of chicken noodle and tomato soup from a can, these soups are amazing. In those days, cans are what most people used for soup. Today, my Mom is an amazing cook and she creates many different fabulous soups. Who knew Ree was going to lead me down this road?

         This soup is so good. I have thoroughly disliked cabbage almost to the point of hating it. I was on far too many cabbage diets in my lifetime to give cabbage a second thought. However, once again a change is opinion has occurred.  I think the cabbage really makes this soup. The meatballs are so great, as are all of the spices and veggies, but the cabbage made it wonderbar!  Make it, and you won’t be disappointed.

Today’s critics: 

         Brandy:  It was ok, just ok. Didn't think it had much flavor....maybe in my head I was expecting a more beefier flavor, and this was just lacking something...

Random Reflections

         A couple of weeks ago I was in Somonauk visiting my Godmother, Aunt Ada. On my way to her home, I passed this beautiful church. The sign said St. John’s Catholic Church. It was located at the corner of Depot and LaSalle Street in Somonauk. It is a beautiful church but I was surprised to find out that it was a Catholic Church.  This church was so new and modern looking. Most of the Catholic Churches that I have been to or seen are more traditional. I really enjoyed finding this pretty church way out southwest.

Helpful Home Hints

         I love to be as efficient as possible when I clean my classroom as well as my home.  When I taught at Munhall Elementary, I worked with a teacher named Lisa Whelan.  I learned a lot about how to be efficient when organizing my work environment.

         Prior to working with Lisa, when I cleaned or straightened my classroom, I would go to put something away and then find something in that part of the room to do. I now call that task hopping. 

         Lisa taught me to put that one item away and return to the place of origin and continue working myself around the room until I had completed the circle and everything was accomplished. The job of teaching is never done.  There are always more things to do or create so I am very grateful to Lisa Whelan for helping me be efficient, organized and timely in straightening my classroom.