Todays Weather in Your Garden - 29

Debbi I always get the "comfey food creative flow "when the weather gets this way. I'm up from a nap and making Lazagna we have toooo many tomatoes so I made "Baked sauce" its easier than standing on one foot pealing toms.
I was also thinking shortribs and potatoes soon.
There is debree here too DD is away for four days and I am sworn not to do anything but what is necessary so the twigs and two busted shrubs will have to wait.
Keep on truckin.

Jan and Debbi I will be on DG more. I do have to grocery shop and a HD trip is in order.
I am taking advantage of as many offers of help as comes my way.
Living independently for forty years means I automaticly think of ways to do things for myself, asking for help is a concious mental activity.
I was also the oldest of three kids andthey come with the extra large responsability gene.

In that case, I could use some help with weeding, Jo Anne. Standing not required.^_^

tee hee

Well, we ended up with 5 garbage cans full of yard debris, but it's all cleaned up now.
JoAnn, if I can do anything for you let me know.

JoAnn, take care of yourself, feel better soon.
Windy here, high of 84, low of 57
Yesterday was soooooo gross!!!

JoAnn- Listen to your DOC! :-) As hard as that is, it's for the best .....

and gee, don't I sound like a hypocrite??

I got out my Hugh Jass soup cauldron and stoked the pit! (hope I don't get in trouble for that one!)

One of the best things I make (if I do say so myself) is my World Famous Chicken Soup.

Grandmom would tell me that the stock with all the well-smashed bones and such has to simmer the slightest of bubblies at least overnight before the flavor starts to come out. I usually start my stock early the first morning and finish it late the second evening. The smell throughout the house reminds me of grammy's.

And, you know if you smell soup when you're walking up the drive, that you will be having some with your visit.

How about sharing that recipe?!

Or is it locked up in a vault like KFC's recipe? Kinda inexperienced here. How do you smash the bones? Now, am I setting up Victor here?

Thanks for thr help offer Deb. I will call if needed. I'm pretty well covered here. GD is home and neighbors have all offered, but you never know.
WWNY your soup recipe sound great.
We are all so earthy.
Another cold nite lows 40's
Apple harvest should really kick in.

Sorry about all the wind damage Jo Ann & Debi---we had a strong breeze only today--very fresh & smelling still like summer. Sorry to hear about the infection, JoAnn---sit & paint something! The recipes sound good---we had a veggie supper tonight (with smoked Mozarella from Wegman's). Still waiting for my peppers!

JoAnn - hope you are feeling much better soon.....bummer about the infection....take it easy and stay on top of that!

Yummmm Willy.......you're making me hungry! Smashed bones, huh? Hmmmmm, never knew about that!

Victor - Yikes......I didn't even know Celeste had a fall planting thread.......I'll check it out there!! Enjoy!

I thought today was supposed to be warm and humid. It was so breezy that I never noticed any humidity. I went into town for a chiropractor appointment and an HOUR massage, compliments of my VDS (very dear son) who gave me two massages for Christmas. I've been struggling with some lower back spasms, so just had to go........OMG, that massage was awesome! Very cool and nice now.

OHHHH DB, I am so jealous!!! I have only ever had one and it was heavenly. I have promised myself another one someday. My DIL out in OR. sent me to hers when we visited over a year ago.

Jan, being Italian, the bone-smashing part is no problem. I'm jealous too, Louise. Nothing like a good massage.

The first full body massage I had after it was done I went to get off the table and almost fell down, I was so relaxed.

Oh, Jan......if only I were wealthy! I'd have a massage every morning! LOL My chiropractor opened a beautiful spa a couple years ago in Keene, and she has wonderful, very skilled massage therapists on her staff. You can have a massage that is called a "rain massage" with warm water gently showering down on you during the massage. I've never tried that one, because I love the "hot stones" massage that melts your muscles. Ahhhhhhhhh.....

Victor - that's hysterical!

I can relate to that, Jen. You feel like a million dollars when you walk out of there!

I've had really wimpy massages too. They are useless to me. I like deep muscle massages.

I agree Victor, I've had a few massages, but only one person did it hard/deep enough for me. I don't like paying for one that's too light.

I'm the same way. Wimpy would be a waste of money. I like really deep tissue massages with the hot stones, and if the therapist is really skilled, she can make it hurt so good! I've never had a bad massage!

The massage sounds heavely. I don't have a real licensed massage therapist but DH gives a good deep muscle massage. Uses my sesame oil then makes me take a hot bath after he's done.

Yeah, DH does the best, just wish he knew more!

Sounds like he's preparing you for dinner, Celeste!

Actually Victor it's 'Neutrogena body oil' light sesame formula. I've been usuing it after baths/showers for years because im a sun/beach worshipper. lol

I suppose ....... :-) Ok ... Brace yourselves!! Hope I don't leave anything out .......

This is a VERY traditional tasting Chicken Soup Stock recipe modeled after grandmom's, of course. And, as always, the rewards makes the labor more than worth it! And GREAT for the sinuses!!!

Soup should NEVER, EVER come to a rolling boil. Very important rule I sensed, so I remembered that. The longer, slower and lower the cook, the better the soup.

Well .... My Hugh Jass soup cauldron is 24 quarts, I think, which I fill about 1/2 full or less with water and start it to just the slightest of simmering.

Add herbs and spices. I never use a recipe, or measure, just start off adding things slowly and add as my nose tells me over the next two days of simmering.

(At the very end, after I have strained the soup, I usually add a little MORE of the chopped/chunky/minced/seed form of the various spices to the actual final "strained" soup stock for looks, so hold back a little and save room for more herbs at the end.)

parsley, fresh, chopped (8? sprigs or so)
thyme seed
thyme powder
5 or 6 bay leaves broken in half maybe more
dozen or two whole peppercorns (I like mine REALLY peppery so I add a ton ground fresh from the mill)
dozen or so cloves, maybe more (I like mine kind of clovey, but not too strong)
garlic powder (small amount)
minced garlic (I use dried first and fresh at the end)
celery seed
celery powder
onion powder
minced dehydrated onion
Mediterranean oregano (small amount)
ground ginger (small amount)
dill seed (small amount) too much is definitely a no no. Do not add more at end.
Rosemary leaves (small amount)
ground ginger (small amount)
Summer Savory
Tarragon (small amount)

My secret flavor is to add a small amount of fresh garden mint. (dried would work, too) but not too much.

You will have to know your herbs to know which ones will be too strong and add only a small amount for a subtle hint of the flavor. I might add a thing or two more that does not come to mind.

I add a tiny amount of HerbOx Chicken Bouillon powder to flavor for salt. If you are salt sensitive, you can skip it altogether, and herb strongly to suit.

As the water comes to simmer for cooking the chicken, I start to add the herbs, veggie SCRAPS and spices.

You want the herbs and spices to flavor the chicken as it cooks, so add the spices and veggie scraps as the water starts to simmer, and then add the chicken when you have that tiny tiny simmer firmly established and flavored.

Add maybe 8 or 10 or 12 "Chicken Leg Quarters" (you know, the one with the leg and that other part; other cuts don't make as hearty and flavorful of soups) to cook until done, maybe 30-40 minutes? Don't over cook, unless you like it to fall apart in a stringy mess. When the meat is cooked, I remove it and let it cool to handleable. Remove the meat, cube and set aside in fridge. What ever scraps that are left over are chopped very small and added back into the stock. The skins get cut up into smaller chunks (meat grinder) and the bones I crush and open so that the marrow boils out of them. To crush the bones, I cut off the tip of the ends (about half way through that knuckle joint end part) and then use a wide chef's knife over the bone and smash it good with my fist. Split and scrape out marrow into stock. The smaller the pieces, the better the soup. Don't waste any marrow.

It all gets carefully strained in the next to last step, so don't worry about "too small."

I add all my peelings and skins (except papery onion skins) to the soup. Everything goes in as the water warms. Even the garden scraps from other meals made while making the soup.

Prep and set aside the chunky veggies.

I HALF-prep all the (5-8) carrots, (large bunch) celery, (1 or so large) onions and (8-10) potatoes. Skins, stumps, leafs, cores, anything scrap gets minced and goes back into the stock to simmer. Keep the veggies as whole as possible until the very end. The prepped veggies (except onions, which I baggie) go into the fridge in water (prevents browing, etc.) until the next evening when I finish the slicing and dicing of the veggies. They only go in briefly at the very end to cook. DO NOT DICE, SLICE OR CHOP smaller until the last step. We only need the veggie SCRAPS to start.

I usually peel a few extra carrots entirely into the stock to simmer along with a couple of extra celery stalks all crushed up and a couple of small potatoes cubed small, minced onion. These pretty much disappear, but add to the color and density of the stock.

Depending on how long you let the soup simmer, reduce the liquid to about half before adding fresh water (at least twice) .... You cannot stir soup enough, so have at it most frequently while it simmers.

Simmer for the final time until the flavor is your favorite strength. (Usually about 3/4 reduced)

That's pretty much it. To finish the process use a fine strainer (or cheese cloth) to separate the stock from the pulp. Strain with GREAT attention, we want NO BONES to get through.

This is the point at which I like to dice and slice the celery, carrots, onions and potatoes and add to the freshly strained stock to cook, just till almost done. I freeze a lot of it, so I don't quite finish cooking through the veggies, so that can happen when I re-heat it. Over cooking these causes them to disappear in the soup. I like my veggies big and crispy/chunky, except the carrots which I like sliced very thinly.

Add more of the chunky herbs and spices, as noted before, esp. fresh chopped parsley. (dehydrated works, I suppose). I like seeing them all floating in the stock. Hearty!

Add the meat we reserved earlier. I add extra meat, as usually I like meatier soups and depending on how big the legs are, etc. Frozen Chicken Tenderloins can be microwaved in some of the soup stock until cooked and then cubed and all returned to the soup for the final warm up. Delisch!

I will start my soup early the first day (say 6am Saturday) and finish it late the second day (8-9pm Sunday) leaving the soup to simmer overnight. I figure I reduce the liquid about 5 or 6 times before I say I am done.

I guess I am pretty daring to leave it go overnight, but I thought .... hey! ..... I cook it HARD (all burners AND oven) for three days straight to get ready for thanksgiving, this tiny tiny flame overnight (5-6 hours) ain't but nothing for a good stove.

Y'all will definitely want my World Famous Pancake Recipe next, I bet!

Any questions?? :-)

Thanks, Willie! I copied and pasted it. Pancakes sound good too. I'm a newbie cook.

Celeste, sounds like you might just fit in that Hugh Jass cauldron!^_^ Don't let Brian know.

wow Willie that's a lot of work... but I will try it... thanks

That's why I make a BIG batch of it at a time .... Ha! .... But, I tell you, I WILL NEVER eat chicken soup out of a can again!! You can take that to the bank!! Bleck!

For the most part it is pretty easy and quick prep. Veggies and herbs, etc.

The worst part is de-boning the chicken and smashing the bones ....

Be forewarned .... get ready, and dive in to the elbows. They can be slippery rascals, so hold on tight!

Organize the tasks in separation. Remove all the skins first, mince them small and return to stock. Then tackle the meat removal. I use a couple bowls, one for good meat the other for "other" stuff. Then stratify the bones for smashing. I do like things together so I get a flow going. First chop the ends off all the bones, then smash them to smithereens, so forth.

First time, to get it right, will take longer to prep, but after the first time, it goes quickly. Maybe 30-40 minutes chicken prep. depending on how many leg quarters you use.

Most of the time is spent stirring ..... and smelling .... and tasting .... and tasting .... and tasting .... and stirring .....

:-)

LOL... my kind of cooking... I have made homemade chicken soup also.. beats any canned stuff by a mile... anything cooked that long has to be worth it!... can't wait to try it

I hope you have help straining it. I can't imagine lifting this cauldron. I t does sound like the perfect thing on a cold, winter day. Do you have a picture of it?

Sounds more inviting on a winter day than a hot tub!

Jan that's what Randy is for

LOL

You are quite right, Jan!! It is most heavy, but I usually saucepan off a bit of it first.

Of course, you realize by now that you need TWO cauldrons to do this!

Or a bunch of dutch ovens, etc.

Or one of those old hearths you could walk in where the cauldron hung over the fire pit and simply tilt it.

One thing I am grateful for was that mom totally S*çed at cooking and dad made me learn how to do it right when I was a youngin. So, I started watching the grandmoms.

If you want to eat good food, you need to know how to make good food.

Before dad made me cook, my diet had the highest carbon content on earth :-)

Currently At 5:38AM
Partly Cloudy
58°F
RealFeel®
59°F
Winds: NNW
at 2mph
Partly Cloudy
Humidity: 76%
Dew Point: 50° F
Pressure: 30.11 in
Visibility: 10 Miles
going up to 74 today

the picture is from my back window... not the best ... I used the window sill to hold the camera steady

I had to get up last night to take some sinus meds... and didn't need to turn the lights on

Good morming everyone.
Yep we have big Moon here too.temp 52*

TEE Hee I just realized something strange with the soup recipe.
"Is the cook longer,lower and slower?"
OR the soup ,longer,lower and slower?
punctuation is so important these days.

Well yesterday was windy, windy, windy. We got the winds from Ike while the north country got the rains. Like I was telling DH, I wish we had gotten the rains instead. We had woken up to warm temps.

Today is back to nromal. Temps in the 40's. Not so windy anymore. Just now turning daylight out. It's suppose to be nice today and tomorrow. Friday we might be getting our first frost of the season. Since I'm not sure if my Mums that I got over the weekend will make it, I plan on taking them in. They are so pretty. One lavender and one yellow. Have a great day all.

Take your pick, JoAnn!! (yer quite a card!) TeeHee

Though I am 6'1 (and if ANYone says "I didn't know they could pile $¥∂† that high!!" ......)

Hope you are comfortable and healing fast, too, JoAnn.

Sunny for the next 5 days, but lows in the low 40's on Thurs.

Sunrise: 6:56

Partly cloudy, 52ºF ; High, 66ºF ; Low, 52ºF
Wind: Calm
Pressure: 30.14 in, steady
Humidity: 84%, Dew point: 47ºF
Visibility: 9.0 mi, UV-index: 0, Low

Sunset: 19:23

Measured: Sep/16/08, 06:45

Mostly cloudy right now. 56. Should be a nice day.