Multi Meat Vegetable Soup

I'm hooked on something! I like to try new recipes out. They aren't really recipes but more along the lines of concoctions that I dream up. Usually, I'll find something that I like and make it so many times I'll get sick of it before to long. This hasn't happened so far, so, I thought I'd share the ingredients with you. For lack of a better title, Multi Meat Vegetable Soup was the best that I could come up with. However, I am open to suggestions if you have a better name. The first ingredient is a leftover meat of some kind. I have used turkey, chicken, pork, and beef so far. Just whatever you have left from a whole chicken, pork loin or even pot roast. I like to buy one of those rotisserie chickens from Krogritz and then use the remains for the soup, but you can use whatever you like. Leftover meat goes in a 5 quart stock pot and then add the following items: 28oz can of tomato sauce 15oz can of green peas, drained 15oz can of diced potatoes, drained 15oz can of corn, drained 15oz can of wax beans, drained 15oz can of beef broth or bouillon 15oz can of chicken broth or bouillon 15oz can of pinto or mixed beans half stick of butter or margarine To get the second meat I have used canned beef, chicken, or pork. Let it simmer for awhile and it tastes pretty good. The seasonings are what gives the soup a particular flavor. The taste will vary each time depending on what you have in the refrigerator and spice cabinet. My main seasonings used are: meat tenderizer garlic salt Molly McButter Mrs. Dash pepper worcestershire sauce hot sauce I give about 5 shakes of each container. The other seasonings can be steak sauce, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, even mustard. From the spice cabinet you can grab thyme, basil, oregano, whatever you like and suitable to your tastes. Sometimes, I add everything into the pot just to see how it turns out. It's up to you! Give all the ingredients a stir and let simmer for about 30 minutes. The mix of vegetables gives the soup a nice texture...no slimy stuff. You'll notice no cabbage, onions, celery or carrots and there's a reason for that: I don't like them! I serve the soup topped with Parmesan cheese, extra pepper, and garlic breadcrumbs, tortilla strips, or wontons! Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

Seens At The Funeral Home

My neighbor died the other day. I can't really say anything about her because I didn't know her. We were neighbors for fifteen years (she was the wife of the banker that lived on the other side of me)and I had never been in their house. Sometimes, we would exchange waves if we saw each other out back or I might glimpse her at the mailbox as I drove past. I know she fed the stray cats that seemed to multiply like crazy every few months. I saw her husband more often. He had a real nice riding lawn mower (Cub Cadet) and I couldn't help but watch him as he mowed. I have a thing about riding lawn mowers. He's come over to the house once or twice to offer assistance when I was trying to get out of the driveway after an ice storm. He thought I was nuts trying to drive 30 miles to work on a sheet of ice. But, you know the old post office motto: Neither through sleet, snow or blah, blah, blah shall deter us from our duty and I always arrived in one piece. When I heard the news of her passing several thoughts passed through my mind. First, I was sorry for the family, and second, I was glad it wasn't someone in my family. Then I wondered if I should go to visitation, send flowers, or take over food. I'm not sure if I would even be recognized in dress clothes or not...not that it mattered. After sleeping on it I decided I would go to the visitation. It seemed like the neighborly thing to do. When I pulled up to the facility for visitation I noticed my neighbor's name on the marquee. You see, when you utilize this particular funeral home they put your name up in lights outside on a large sign. I used to think this was strange but I've driven passed several times and wondered who they had and all I had to do was look at the sign. I was a little apprehensive as I walked up the steps. What do I say? What if I say the wrong thing? What if everyone wonders who I am? What if everyone knows who I am and wonders why I came? Why didn't I just send some flowers? Maybe I shouldn't have worn pants? Does my hair look okay? Will I know anyone? I hope I don't know anybody. I'll just sign the book and leave. I walked into Chapel D and immediately saw my neighbor. He was wearing a dark suit and was seated on a stool beside his wife's coffin. He looked beaten and haggard, had dark circles under his eyes and glanced at me with a look of surprise. I was behind a lady who obviously was a family friend. I listened as they traded small talk about how long it had been since they had seen one another. How what a nice lady she was. How she loved crossword puzzles and loved to bake. He had tried to get her to go places at times but she always seemed content at home. She had a relatively new car and had only put 2500 miles on it in the last 3 years. She went to the Piggly Wiggly every Sunday after church and bought the week's groceries. As the lady drifted away it was my turn to offer my condolences. He thanked me several times for coming and I commented on who was now going to feed the cats. He gave a small chuckle and said he didn't know but he had fed them this morning. My neighbor said his wife loved feeding those cats even though they were strays. It gave her great joy. I had learned more about that nice lady in the last five minutes than I had known for the previous 15 years. Don't worry about your strays friend, I'll make sure they get fed. After all, it's the neighborly thing to do...

Holiday....Celebrate

I'm taking the weekend off for Labor Day. I'll be back next week! Be safe! MA Fat Woman

Having Some Work Done

The blog and I are getting Botox and having some other work done. We'll be back soon with a new and improved look! BTW, I'm now on Twitter! So, click that link near the upper right hand corner and sign on up to be a follower. I'm sure I'll be addicted to it soon. Got Kindle? You can now subscribe to Reflections on a Middle Aged Fat Woman. Not sure what Kindle is? It's a thin wireless reading device that works through Amazon that allows you to purchase books, blogs and other content that download onto your device. It's pretty cool. So, click on the link in the upper right hand corner and subscribe today! MA Fat Woman

I Gotta Get Me One Of Those

Legs feeling tired? Do you like to feel that you're riding something all day? Sometimes, you just need that extra boost to get you up that last flight of stairs. This is the latest technological gadget to come from the Japanese. It's called an assisted walking device. Maybe, it's something that we couch potato Americans can use to help us get a little more exercise. I can see it now: "Whatcha' ridin' there MA Fat Woman?" I'm asked as I take my laps around the local walking track. "You know there's no motorized vehicles allowed on here, right?" I think I'll stick to the couch.

Senior Day At The Cinema

Mom called the other day and asked if I wanted to go see the new movie about Julia Child titled Julie and Julia. I agreed to go since I didn't have anything better to do. We decided to go to the afternoon matinee and went to Applebees for lunch. It was really a hard decision about lunch because we usually like to go to Red Lobster when we're in the neighboring town. Anyhow, lunch was mostly uneventful. We got the Horatio Cane of waitresses. She tried having a conversation with us and wouldn't even look our way. She kept looking out the window and down at the floor. If you're not sure about what I'm referring to check out CSI Miami and watch Horatio. He's always looking down and has his head tilted funny. Weird! We purchased our tickets, bitched about the price of the popcorn and walked inside the movie theater. I thought it was strange when the lady selling the tickets said that we had got the last two tickets and the movie was now sold out. It was a Wednesday afternoon, school had already started back and I didn't think that this movie was supposed to be a blockbuster or anything. I soon got my answer when we arrived in Theater 2; the place was packed. It was filled with row upon row of old people, namely senior citizens. I was the youngest person in there by about 30 years. Even Mom, who ain't a spring chicken any longer looked at me strangely. What the heck's going on she seemed to be thinking. Did they get Senior price? Did they get a group discount? How can I get in this group? I knew that these thoughts were probably running through Mom's head. We found two seats up in the very last row and after tripping over 2 walking canes, a walker on wheels and a prosthetic leg we settled into our seats. The movie started and we were about 30 minutes into it when the tape broke. Mom elbowed me and decided that she wanted popcorn after all and now would be a good time to get it. I agreed and had started down the steps when I heard someone ask me if I was going to the concession stand. I stopped and looked towards the voice and was startled to see the smallest little old lady imaginable. I said I was and she asked if I would get her something too. Her legs don't move so good especially when she's been sitting awhile. I nodded in agreement, collected her money and started back down the steps. Another voice chimed in. And then another. Finally, once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I just asked the entire audience who wanted popcorn. Almost every hand in the theater wobbled upright. I looked a little scared I think because the lady on the bottom row said, "Come on honey, I'll help you." It seems in the rush to get the Soothing Waters Assisted Living Home residents inside the theater before the movie started someone had neglected to ask the Seniors if they wanted any refreshments. And that's how for the next 30 minutes, myself and my helper, Genevieve, made about 25 trips to the concession stand. The manager of the theater noticed what we were doing and didn't restart the movie until we had finished. Everyone had popcorn and everyone had a drink! Well, almost. When I walked backed up the stairs totally exhausted to reclaim my seat Mom gave me a quizzical look. "Where's my popcorn?" she asked.

Back In Black

Yes, I'm back in black! Thanks, everyone for offering opinions on the new colors. I tried to embrace the change...didn't work. I'm going to go back to what I said originally about the basic black look. It's perfect...and it works for me. It may not win the prettiest, cutest, or snazziest looking blog contest. And that's just fine! Because really, the old saying in this case rings true: You can't judge a book by its cover. So, enjoy the "new" old look and let's quit wasting time on all this tomfoolery and get back to reflectin'. MA Fat Woman