3 little Miracles

3 little Miracles

Sunday, December 27, 2009

SoupBowl and family Christmas

I wish I could say I had TONS of pictures to share from our family Christmas like a good blogger should . . . . . . but I don't because like my mother did when we were growing up, I spent most of my day in the kitchen instead of socializing.  Terrible I know!  My mother spending her day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up was always our biggest complaint, we always wanted her to stop and come sit down and rest and chat . . . . . . .  now as an adult and mother myself I find I am doing the same thing.  Mainly because we live with my parents and we have kind of taken over the hosting duties at big family events, but today I even kicked my husband out of the kitchen for him to go play because he spent ALL DAY Thanksgiving Day in the kitchen.

What was the rest of the family doing while I cooked and cleaned my kitchen?  The girls were making jeweled snowflakes (I wish I had done that), the men were playing Corn Hole (fun game terrible name), Jon was napping, Davey was playing with his train upstairs at Mom's, and Mom and Dad ran out to Walmart for Splenda to test their new GPS.

So what was I doing while everyone else played?  I made my famous Chicken Salad (share in another post), White Bean Chicken Chili for my entry in the SoupBowl (recipe below), and another batch of Holiday Bark for the family to munch on.  AND of course cleaning my kitchen, Ha!  I hate a messy kitchen, I must clean it before I start cooking, I clean while I cook, and I clean it again after I am done cooking.  Can you say OCD?

The families first annual SoupBowl was held upstairs in my mother's kitchen were most of the traffic is during large family gatherings. 
 
Entries in SoupBowl:
Honey Cabbage Soup - made by my niece Brooke
Traditional Chili - made by my brother and SIL Kelly
White Bean Chicken Chili - Me
Bison Stew - my brother Ted
15 Bean Soup - made by my SIL Paula
Squash Medley - made by my Sister and BIL Calvin
Mulligan Stew - made by Mom
Unofficial entry - Mom's Broccoli and Ham Soup
 
The concept behind SoupBowl was very fun but the reality of follow through fell flat, Ha!  The idea was that each couple OR adult niece would make a soup, and each entry would be tasted and judged for which one was best.  Unfortunately, not everyone tasted each soup (Me for one) and not all soups were ready for tasting at the same time.  PLUS, each soup had such a different concept and flavor, so you may really love all of them for different reasons and your reasons would be totally valid.  If the SoupBowl had been designed that we each had to make a similar soup, then it would have totally worked.

Top contenders on a casual pole were Bison Stew, White Bean Chicken Chili, and my mother's Mulligan Stew which is like a taste of HOME when you take a bite.

White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe (Paula Deen)
Y'all know it's good if it's Paula Deen
Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans
5 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green chiles (fresh or canned) (I did not put these in)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 to 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

Direction:
  • Rinse beans well, cover with cool water, and soak for 2 hours. Drain.
  • Place beans in large pot with chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • In a saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and chiles and sautĂ© for 5 minutes.
  • Add chile mixture to pot with beans. Add chicken, cumin, oregano, pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes, and cilantro.
  • Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
  • Serve with cornbread, if desired. 
After the SoupBowl we sat around chatting and laughing at the dinner table, this is always my favorite part of our family gatherings.  Then afterward we moved to the living room for the kids to open their Christmas presents from the Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles.


My nieces and nephew:  Cassandra, Brooke, Hilary, Calli, and Caleb
(age range from 16 to 25)

David and I ended the day by watching My Sister's Keeper after we tucked the boys into bed.  Good movie, disappointed that they took the safe way out and didn't end it the way the book is written, that would have SHOCKED the viewers out of their seats.


Overall a very good day!

1 comment:

  1. loved this post...and reading the same book

    I have so missed reading blogs during tree season...now have a few down days to catch up. Stop by and see me...actually have a little give away that I will get Parker to draw for tomorrow night...
    http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete