Free Book and Minestroneyumm Soup

This just in! A copy of our story is being given away! Go here http://bit.ly/2nBaveJ ! 

Now here we go! To the other good stuff! I'm the best at scratch cooking. Not tooting my own horn, I'm just stating the facts. One day I might have to share testimonials to this fact. I have a notebook full of statements, comments and a blue ribbon from every state fair I've ever entered! 

But being a good cook means choosing your battles. I have to decide if I want to spend my time and energy on creativity or chopping things. Now. I love the feeling of chopping. It's a very satisfying stress reliever (especially with Fern around...I do so much chopping therapy) and the released scents can be just heavenly. But I will use a food processor like nobody's business if one will be a useful tool and free me up to be creative! 

That said I am not opposed to dump and go type meals. Soups are one of these. 


Today I share my minestrone style soup. Using fresh, frozen or canned ingredients you can make a restaurant quality soup. Delicious!

To cut down on sodium use home prepped dry beans, a homemade pesto and frozen or fresh veggies.

1 can of kidney beans (approx 15 ounce) (dump the juices down the sink, rinse and drain) 
1 can of white or great northern beans (approx 15 ounce) (dump the juice down the sink, rinse and drain) (use your own home canned beans 1 and 3/4 cups if you like) 
2 cans of diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano (approx 15 ounce each) (you could substitute chunky spaghetti sauce here.) (Or chopped fresh or canned tomatoes and add dried Italian spice (about a TBSP) and 2 - 3 cloves minced garlic)
Veggie broth (or chicken) (approx 4-5 cups) 
1 Cup of pesto sauce (you can use one that you've created, your favorite recipe, or store bought) 
1 Can of chopped spinach or 1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh. 
1 Can (13-16 ounce) vegetable of choice. I used asparagus for kicks. I think I will use artichoke hearts in the future or green beans.
1 Cup pasta of choice. 
A Handful of quinoa Rinse it first if it's not prewashed. The package will say so.  

Put everything but the pasta in a crock or soup pot and stir well. Simmer for 4-6 hours. Add the dry pasta an hour before serving. Stir well and continue simmering.  

I'ma Fluzy....

Ha. Ha. Ha. Get it? Flu....fluzy.

That would be an unfortunate name. Ima Fluzy.

Other unfortunate name combos I had to look up.... Ima Hogg, real person, real big deal. Came from money. Money could help take the sting from the name, but what were her parents' thinking? I found a few more. Shanda Lear from the Lear jet family. Robyn Banks. Jo King. Tee Hee. I can laugh but not for long. My mother named me Zula. Let's just say there was at least one boy who had to learn not to mess with Zula in grade school.

Oh, the reason for that little bunny trail?!?! Bobbykins is finally back to almost normal. I've been nursing him through the flu. The big one. The INFLUENZA!

I didn't stop making chicken soup until yesterday. He's back on solids and putting in his request orders. I think my chicken soup saved his life. The love I put into it was the thing the doctor ordered. I began wearing masks around him when he started looking peaked. He gets one big thing a year. This time he was not playing around. But I was ready for him.

I wiped his brow, spooned soup into his mouth and sang him sweet songs. He'd wake up screaming sometimes and I'd ease him back to sleep. Goodness. I'd forgotten how a man can be. If Fern gets sick I am instructed to enter silently, leave a tray by the bed, and return to whence I came. She says she has to tough it out. She's not real helpful the times I've been down, either, so maybe she just doesn't get sick bed protocol graces. When I received my horrible wound from that awful murderer she only took care of me for three days once I was released. She, of course, said that if I was well enough to manage the world's problems from my bed and able to wear my stiletto  slippers, do my full makeup and hair and receive guests I was probably "out of the woods."

Oh, and speaking of murderers and our unfortunate one in Paradise, one of the authors is giving away a copy of our story. If you feel under the weather it might be the best thing since chicken soup. a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Just In

Another copy of "the book" has become available to win. It's true.

All you have to do is jump stage left to a Rafflecopter giveaway and cross your little fingers. 

Note: Please think long and hard about this. Our story is one of several the author is giving away. Don't accidentally pick one of her other titles. 

Honestly, ours is the best in the bunch. Normally, she writes about innocent little women thrust into dangerous, uncomfortable places and historical times with nothing but their wits and handsome, flawed men to save them. Oh, and God, He always shows up. I'm thinking wits and God are enough but that sure would be kind of a not so historical romance. Ha. Ha. And her male characters are kind of FABIO if you know what I mean, so I'd miss the whole hub-hubba experience. 

So if you pick one of her other books, I guess I'll just have to be okay. That means you'll just have to buy our story then. 

Baby needs a new pair of shoes. 

Win a Book. Win a Book. No Really. Win a Book!

"The party's over, hmmm, hmmm, mumble, la,la, la....."

Yes. The winners of our story are Martha Peace and Lora Young. They hopefully are being notified by one of the writers. But their names are nice. Fern would love Martha Peace. She asks for peace almost every morning. Fern is very sensitive until after a good cup of coffee or tea. Very, very cranky. 

But there will be no peace until another book has been won! The party is not over after all. It has just migrated to another location! Sign up, people! It's another chance. 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Out of the Frying Pan

by Michelle Griep

Giveaway ends September 30, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway