Snowy Day

Snow, Soup and Scraps

Did you know January is National Soup month? Well, I didn't until I read it today. I am visiting my parents in WV and today we had about 6 inches of snow. It is beautiful. You see...I love snow. I am so happy to be here during this storm.

This picture was taken through my bedroom window. I love the woods at the edge of my parents property. This is the same bedroom I grew up in from the time I was 7 until I left for college. There is something very comforting about coming home. I get to be a child again. I am blessed to have both my parents living and in good health. Thank you Lord for family.

We spent the day inside. I got to visit with a friend I hadn't seen in years. We went to high school together and she lives near my parents so she was able to come over before the weather got too bad. It was great seeing her and catching up. I am blessed with many good friends and people in my life. Thank you Lord for friends.

Since it's National Soup Month we made soup today for supper!!

 

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 can corn

1 can RoTel (tomatoes with chilies)

1 pkg Taco Seasoning Mix

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (dry)

1 quart water

Tortilla chips, grated cheese ( you favorite blend) and sour cream for toppings

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef in large pot.

2. Drain the fat from the meat and return to the pot.

3. Add the remaining ingredients...yes everything including 1 quart of water to the pot and stir together.

4. You can turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes on the stove in the soup pot and it will be ready to eat or you can put it into a crockpot on low for 2 -3 hours and it will be ready to eat when you are. Either way it is a quick and easy meal.

 

5. When serving garnish with your favorite Tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

My sweet mother had bread dough in the refrigerator and panned out cinnamon rolls this morning. I helped her bake and finish them while I was making the soup.

Nothing better than cinnamon rolls on a snow day!! Goodness gracious that's good eats!!

I spent the rest of the day piecing together a baby girl quilt. My best friend from grade school had her second grandchild in October and I am a bit behind with this one but today was a great day to design, sew and complete the top of the quilt. I like it....the colors are light pink, hot pink, turquoise, and a print with all the colors in it. Mother had made a quilt from these fabric and I used her scraps.

Think it turned out well....What do you think?

It was another great day among the hills of West Virgina, family and friends.

Happy Trials,

Mtn Mama

 

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Leaving....on a Jet Plane!! Taco Soup to warm the Soul!!

Up at the crack of dawn, 5 a.m. to be exact, and on a plane at 7:30 a.m. headed to Minneapolis with Miss Ella and Jenny to spend the week of Christmas. Jon drove in yesterday and will be waiting to pick us up at 11:00 a.m. We couldn't bring my best friend Riley with us on the plane so he is staying home guarding the house. He will be well taken care of by my many friends who will be in and out checking on things.

Miss Ella and her mommy, Jenny, at the Tulsa airport. Who looks this good at 6:00 a.m.??? I guess the secret is Starbucks!!

She IS a Starbucks "cup" lover. It's the lid she loves not the coffee!!

I had a large bag of Animal crackers in my purse for those occasions when a "snack" is needed on a long Plane trip. This brought back many sweet memories of plane trips from California to West Virginia when Jenny and Kristy were babies. It has been a LONG time since I carried "baby snacks" on the plane.

It was 16 chilly degees when we landed in Minneapolis with snow on the ground. BRRRRRR!!! I however love it!!! There is snow but patchy. Hoping for a good covering before Christmas Day!!!

Cold weather and soup just go together. We are making TACO SOUP for dinner. It is easy. If you can open cans you are well on your way to having a delicious meal.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 small onion, medium dice

1/4 cup or 1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 can of tomatoes and green chillies (RoTel)

1 large or 2 small cans pinto beans

1 large can enchilada sauce ( you choose the heat level)

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

4 cups water



Brown ground turkey in large dutch oven.

Diced medium onion into medium dice and add to turkey browning in the dutch oven. Continue to stir and "scramble" the meat and onion into small bite size pieces until the turkey is browned and the onions soft and translucent.

Add taco seasoning to the meat mixture. I buy my at Sam's in the "Large" containers so I use 1/4 cup of the seasoning mix. If you are using a packet then please use the whole amount.

Now open all the cans. Rinse and drain the beans. Beans are canned in a large amount of salt so be sure and rinse them in a colander before putting into the soup.

Dump the contents of the cans into the dutch oven with the meat mixture. Remember to drain the corn and rinse and drain the beans.

Add the four cups of water to the soup and stir well. Bring soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. You can make this soup up to this point then put in crock pot to simmer and keep warm till needed also.

Nothing tastes better on a cold day than a hot bowl of soup!!! Except maybe soup and a slice of warm, crusty bread.

This my favorite "Bucket Bread" which you can find here: http://potspansandprayers.blogspot.com/2012/04/bucket-bread-and-babies.html?m=0. Just keep the master recipe plain....no add ins and you will have a loaf exactly like this one to go with your soup. YUM!!YUM!!

Enjoy these last few precious hours before Christmas Day. Take time to thing, reflect and rejoice in all that God has done for you in the past....... year...month....day...hour...few minutes. Look at each gift with a renew spirit of thankfulness including the greatest gift of all.....The gift of Baby Jesus to save a dying world so that we might have an everlasting life with Him in Heaven!!

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama

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