Good Things......

I have a great love for Tractor Supply. It is quite possibly the coolest place on Earth. Where else can you buy paint, dog food, organic magazines, clothes, boots, and live rabbits!! Oh, and fuel tanks, too! What an amazing place!! Anyways...I have discovered a magazine called Mary Janes Farm and it's an organic lifestyle magazine. I love it! Actually...my husband discovered it and bought it for me...and I thank him! You can check it out at www.maryjanesfarm.org. It has a lot of great tips for organic and gluten free living as well as recipes, outdoor living and small farm ideas. I still plan on having goats on my property and this is the last year I'm going to plant my veggies in containers. I'm going all out next spring and planting a huge garden. Gary wants one also; so that will make things easier!!

I'm counting down the days until cooler weather (who isn't) and in the meantime, I'm dreaming of soups and stews! That's really what gets me through the summer - thinking about cool weather and comfort food :) The older I get, the more I want to nest. This heat sucks!!! I've got a few soup recipes to share today.

I'm curious about something on the CASI BOD meeting Agenda. There are two items in there that address the upcoming GP Meeting. One is titled "GP Meeting Report" and the other one is noted as "GP Meeting Guidance". I really don't want to go Saturday because I'd like to work on my trailers. But that second item has my radar up and circulating. I could go off here, and maybe I will...well before I have all of the facts. But seriously. It's almost July and the Board is now using the term "guidance" to address the GP Meeting? And seriously...why wouldn't some guidance be in order - two years ago when the Board so wisely approved the bid by an individual (no names...still passive aggressive today)to host the GP Meeting? I mean, are you serious? The Board is allowing someone whose reputation among some cooks is questionable at best. I'm not saying that is MY opinion, nor am I making any type of judgement or accusation - I'm just going by what I hear from people. I also know that there are a lot of cooks who hold this individual in the highest esteem...so there you go - you can't believe everything you hear and you have to form your own opinions. Still, I don't know if I agree with the BOD allowing an individual to host the GP Meeting. I know, there are other members of area Pods helping out, but I still think that this should something that a Pod does as a whole. What's next...Kelly and Gary Brignon hosting an Open?? I'm kidding...in a very smart ass sort of way...

Speaking of Gary and Kelly Brignon....Lord Brignon handed over a sponsor check to CASI last weekend. I kept my mouth shut and will continue to do so until an opportunity arises for me to rub my husband's nose in it. Look, that's how I roll. Don't hate the player, hate the game...hahahahaha!!!

On another note regarding the Brignons...we are approaching our 8th year of marriage. I know that's not a long time to be married compared to a lot of marriages, but it's nothing to turn your nose up at, either. Marriage is hard. Loving someone is easy. Liking them, that's another story. You have to be committed to your marriage....good, bad, thick, thin, rich, poor, tired, cranky, all of it. People are batshit crazy if they think that they're going to get along every minute of every day that they are married. And you are certifiable if you think you are never going to fight or disagree. So what if you disagree. You'll get over it. Who wants to be a Stepford Spouse. Lord knows I don't want to be one. I don't do "obey" very well :0)

Sooo..when the weather gets cooler and you're looking for a good soup recipe, try this:

Creamy Chicken Soup

1 large sweet onion, chopped (Vidalia or 1015)
1 stick of butter plus 2 tablespoons (I know, I know...but this makes a lot of soup)
12 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp salt (plus more to taste if needed)
1 tsp Telicherry pepper (plus more to taste if needed)
1/2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups milk
6-8 cups of chicken (you can cook it yourself, or buy a rotisserie chicken...I've done it both ways with equally great results. Just don't get a funky flavored rotisserie chicken - Lemon Rosemary works well in this recipe!)

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the onions until just tender. Add the flour; cook it in to get the raw flour taste out and make a paste. Add the broth a cup at a time and cook until thick. At that time, add the milk and cream and continue cooking it until the mixture has thickened up. Add the salt, pepper and chicken and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve hot and garnish each bowl with some of the chopped parsley.

Until it gets cooler and we have a need for comfort food, try this recipe for Gazpacho! If you've never tried Gazpacho, it's a cold soup and it is absolutely perfect for dinner after you've dealt with the heat all day.

Cadillac Cowgirl Gazpacho

4 cups V-8 (you can always use the spicy variety for a little kick)
1/2 cup cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup red or sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped (red, yellow, orange, green...your preference)
1/4 cup of celery, chopped
1/4 cup diced pimiento
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Telicherry pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; puree to your preference. (I like mine to be the consistency of a not too chunky, but not too runny salsa. Yeah...that description was REAL helpful!!) Cover and chill for at least four hours and stir it prior to serving. Enjoy!

Have a great day everyone...let the countdown to Friday begin!!

Kelly