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kerry’s chicken gnocchi soup
So delish. I am in love with this soup. My friend, Kerry, made it for us a few days ago and I swear, I could eat it every day. I can’t wait till I can be up and working in my own kitchen so I can make it myself.
I wrote to Kerry while I was eating my first bowl to ask her for the recipe and here are her directions so you can make it for you and yours. Enjoy!
I used this recipe but changed a few things. I sautéed the carrots with the other vegtables, and I think I put more of all the vegetables than what the recipe calls for, but I didn’t measure. I added more chicken, because 1 cup seemed like a very small amount. I used cream instead of half and half. Anywho, it is pretty easy to make. I am glad you enjoyed it. By the way, I have only been able to find gnocchi in the Smiths pasta section. I buy the cheaper brand. Recipes to make your own gnocchi can be found on the internet, but I think they are a lot of work.
Love,
Kerry
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 quart half and half
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 cup onion, finely diced
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 14 ounce cans of chicken broth if you enjoy thick soup, use one can
- 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
- 1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
- 1 package gnocchi, cooked (you can find these in gourmet/pasta section of the grocery store – you may want to cut the gnocchi in half if it is large, or purchase the mini size if available)
- 1 cup of fresh spinach coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the flour and make a roux. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux, add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning; simmer until soup is heated through. Before serving season to taste by adding additional salt.
my sad, neglected blog
Dear Readers,
I have not forgotten you. Trust me on this. I simply cannot sit down at my computer, so I have to type on an eensy-weensy screen and I can’t upload any pictures, so it is a titch difficult to eek out a meaningful blog post…but I have not forgotten you!
I have some great posts in the works on our Learning Closet rearrangements, some of our favorite music for little ones, Keziah’s new adventure with piano lessons, lessons learned while I am living in bed, and how much we are loving Xtra Math. We will just have to see how long it takes me to finger peck them out on my little screen.
The big news for today is…
DRUMROLL ::::::::::
DRUMROLL ::::::::::
Sadie had her puppies today! The children are in love with the little fur balls and by their reports shouted out as they run up and down the stairs, all seems to be well in the basement. They tell me she gave birth under Keziah’s bed, which is a perfect hidden-away-from-rambunctious-children-spot for her newest arrivals.
p.s. Remember to check out Jessica’s big 30% off sale all Usborne Books over at Balancing Everything.
joy in my garden
This morning I lay in bed listening to the sounds of my home with a heart full of a fierce love for these souls I call mine.
I listened to them pray, giggle, discuss, and help each other. I listened to them connect with one another. I listened to their comfortableness in our home.
And I fell in love with them all over again.
Annesley talked non-stop to her papa for two hours. She told him all about monsters, dreams, memories, and how much she loves him.
“Papa, do you remember when you asked where your phone was and I found it? THAT was funny!”
“Papa, do you know why I love you? Because you have a mustache (he doesn’t and never has), and you give me piggy-back rides, foot-rides, and shoulder-rides to bed, and you play games with me and Fisher.”
“Papa, I was hunting in the woods and there were some monsters and I WAS SO SCARED and I had a sword and I cut the monsters’ heads off and I WAS SO SCARED and then there were some ladybugs and I caught them and brought them home for Fisher’s bug jar because he is my brother and Papa, why do you love me?”
These precious souls are mine to tend: to help them pull out weeds, to blossom, to spread deep roots in the soil of truth and love, to feed them the nutrients of physical and emotional health, to shine light on them and show them where to look for growth. My sacred stewardship is to love them, teach them, show them, and guide them as they grow. Sometimes, we have days (and weeks and years!) where our garden seems kind of homely, but then we have moments where I know my little plants are growing in just the way God wants them to and my heart wells up inside of me with a joy that is indescribable.
Today I will remember the joy and glory in my children and their goodness.
enough already
So.done.with.this.day.
The whining.
The fighting.
The mean words.
The frustration in my heart when I think of being in bed for who knows how many more weeks.
The garbage in my yard.
The bossiness of my children.
The eye-rolling.
Bedtime cannot come soon enough.
sacred sabbaths: gary ceran’s heart
Today I stayed home from church again. I listened to several religious podcasts, read my scriptures, and slept.
I want to share one of the things I listened to with you. It touched me heart deeply and led me to ponder my own faith in God’s plan for my life.
This is the story of Gary Ceran, one of our favorite Hale Centre Theatre actors, and how he lost his wife and two children on Christmas Eve in 2006 while keeping his faith in a loving Heavenly Father intact. I loved hearing his story and feeling his peace.
toppling the queen
Love these wise words. Read and ponder.
update on the ol’ pelvis
Well.
Hmmmm.
What can I say to give you an update on how I am doing?
The Good:
- The number of meals, cards, treats, messages, hugs, rides, smiles, and cleanings has been soul-filling, body-sustaining, and hope-building. This world is chock-full of good people who help and serve and love and sacrifice to bring joy to those around them. I am amazed at what my family and friends have done to help me.
- Last week Jen taught my iFamily classes, drove me to gym and along with her daughter, helped teach four classes.
- Amy brought dinner (enchiladas – yummmmm!), cleaned my kitchen & bathroom, loved on me, checked on me, laid on my bed with me, massaged my sore back, and drove Blythe to her activities.
- Jessica brought two meals, cleaned the same messy kitchen, stayed up late talking to me, took my children to iFamily, and has orchestrated all sorts of secret Take-Care-Of-Tracy plans behind my back.
- Tasha has given everyone lots of rides, brought in dinner, and let my little ones come and play when they were so done having a stay-in-bed mom.
- Cami has given Blythe rides, checked in on me, and helped me look at the situation with new eyes.
- Rachael and Ryan brought me yummy peanut butter-chocolate bars…so good! I think I ate at least ten!
- Anna made s’more bars that saved my children from feeling completely uncared for (how they can feel that way is a mystery to me since we are WAY cared for!).
- Stephanie brought over lots of leftovers from a funeral in our ward.
- Debbie gave me a foot zone that released a lot of pain.
- Heather made a wonderful batch of beef stew that we devoured last night.
- Jackie brought over something delicious last night and we are saving it for tonight. I heard lemon bars were involved…I love lemon bars!
- Kat has been Jessica’s partner in crime in creating a plan to help me stay in bed. She actually snuck into my house and stole my address book from my computer so she could enlist all my friends in her plan. I still don’t know what all their secrets are and I am so grateful they love me enough to take care of me in spite of my refusals.
- Mikelle, my sister, came for several days and whipped my house into shape. She did a gazillion loads of laundry (I was about a month behind when all of this started!), cooked delicious food, cleaned the whole house, put my children to work, cut everyone’s hair, and took amazing care of me. She also drove Fisher and Anne’s to Utah to meet up with my mom.
- And my mother? My amazing mother? There are no words. She drove to Utah to pick up the two little ones, drove them to Salt Lake, took them to their dentist appointments, drove them to Wyoming, took them to the movie, took them swimming, took them on the school bus, fed, entertained, taught, and loved on them for the past three days, drove them back to Salt Lake today for more dental work, drove to Logan to sleep, and will bring them home tomorrow when she comes to love on all the rest of us. Seriously. No words. She is an amazing grandma and mother. She did all of that so that Richard would not have to take a day off work or miss our caucus…meanwhile she took days off work and drove hundreds of miles. The children absolutely love their grandma and have been having a grand adventure. They call me every few hours and tell me how many belly-dumpers, flatbeds, dump trucks, airplanes, or yellow cars they have seen. She has them counting up a storm and learning all about the world around them. I have long believed the reason school was so easy for me was because my mom had a way of making the world seem magical and she taught me all about everything in the course of living. I see her do it now with my children and wish I had her gift to make learning seem effortless.
The Bad:
- Being in bed is getting really, really old.
- Being in bed without being able to be intimate with my husband is getting REALLY, REALLY old.
- Crutches are painful.
- Using the bathroom is hurting more each day (Is this normal? Should my bone hurt to toot or pee or poop?)
- My back aches from laying on my belly so much.
- Heartburn from eating in a horizontal position is wearing on me.
- Swallowing pills has never been my strong point. After two weeks of downing LOTS of them, I can barely get them in me without throwing up.
- Being a homeschool mama in bed is challenging and my children are ready for me to be out of bed.
- Richard isn’t getting home till about 8:30. It is just too late. I miss him. Greatly.
The Ugly:
- My bed is covered in books, papers, herbal concoctions, and dishes. Living in a bed isn’t an orderly endeavor.
- I have a whole pile of books to read and can’t get my brain to focus on the big ideas I am studying. Not only is this frustrating as I should at least be using this time to accomplish something, it is also disturbing to me that my brain is not capable of digesting these ideas when I am in pain. This is new and I don’t like it one little bit.
This post has taken me over one hour to type on my little screen, but I was a good girl and didn’t try to get down to my computer. Aren’t you proud of me?
brilliant synopsis
I can’t type much since I can’t get down to my computer, but I read this today and hope clear down to my little toes that you will read it.
I Voted For Mitt In 2008 And Ron Paul In 2012.
Ron Paul Speech
I love Ron Paul and his commitment to liberty, constitutional principles, forms of government that grow prosperity, and speaking truth. Last night he spoke in our area to a crowd of 1600 people and his entire speech is available here.
I was a good girl and stayed home, but Richard, Blythe, and Keziah attended. Our dear friend, Bob, introduced Ron, and many of our other friends have worked tirelessly to make this event a reality. I was so, so sad to miss it, but decided that the way I can make a difference is tonight when our caucus is held. I will be there (on crutches) casting my vote for freedom.
thankful thursdays 3/1
I am spending my days in bed trying to prevent bed sores and boredom from taking over my life. The children come in and do math and handwriting and history and reading with me. We are listening to lots of audio books (Rikki Tikki Tavi and Little Men today) while we snuggle under my blankets.
Hunkering down.
Meanwhile we are being flooded with kindnesses and I am once again filled to the brim with gratitude for my blessings.
- I am thankful for all the kind words and notes sent my way. Thank you for thinking of me and my cracked lil’ bone.
- I am thankful for the Roasted Red Pepper & Quinoa soup, Artisan bread, and Homemade Mac & Cheese that Jessica brought over.
- Amy brought over delicious enchiladas last night – I ate three plates full!
- These two special friends also came and deep-cleaned my kitchen last night. It is sparkling! We laughed all night long as they scrubbed the grease, dirt, and crumbs away. I thought it was fairly clean, but they still spent three hours to get it spotless.
- My neighbor, Anna, brought over some s’more treats that were quickly devoured by the children. Sometimes a treat for the kids is the most important thing that can be done to help a house with an out-of-action mama to run smoothly.
- My friend, Jennifer, taught my classes at iFamily yesterday and Jessica took my children there so I was able to stay in bed all day and give my pelvis a lot of rest.
- Blythe and Keziah have been working hard running the house and have done it mostly with a smile.
- I am so grateful for my big bathtub. Soaking in it is the only thing that takes the pain away. I wish I could live in there!
I'm Tracy, a mama with big dreams, crazy ideas, loads of laughter, an insatiable desire to learn, and enormous piles of laundry.
