Zuppa!

 

 

Hi, my name is Stacey and I’m an Olive Garden, Zuppa soup addict.

 

Yeah, I love the stuff.  So much so that I found a recipe and tweaked it for the crockpot ‘cause that’s how I roll.  I made it today and it was DELICIOUS!  Four bowls later and I had to share the goodness.

 

1 lb Italian sausage

1 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers (I used a leftover packet from Dominoes)

1 large onion, diced small

4 T bacon (I used pre-cooked real bacon bits)

2 T minced garlic

10 cps (5 cans) chicken broth

1 pint heavy cream

1 lb Russett potatoes washed with skins on, thinly sliced

1/4 bunch of kale diced

 

1)  Bake the sausage until cooked, drain grease and put in the fridge.

2) Sautee onions, garlic and crushed red peppers until onions are clear then chuck in the crockpot.

3) Pour in 10 cups chicken broth, toss in bacon bits & sliced potatoes.

4) Cook on low until potatoes are soft.  (about two hours give or take)

5) Add heavy cream, diced kale and sausage.  Stir. Heat through.

6) Serve will class, devour with wild abandon. 

 

 

The fam ate it all in one day, it’s that good.  Try it!

Wild Kingdom

 

Feeling a little frisky this Valentines Day, Spike and Lucky shared the love.

It was like watching an episode of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom and I just happened to have my camera ready to document the affection.

 

Like any respectable, gentleman-like duel, the two warriors bow before the carnage begins. 

I couldn’t help but laugh watching them play – yes, they are playing. 

Lucky dog does this spinning-flipping thing around Spike to taunt him. 

Spike is like a lion on the African plains taking down a weeks worth of dinner at a time. 

Check out the claws on the hinny, or Spikes teeth sinking in. 

Lucky gets is jabs in too, what goes around comes around and in the end all is well.

 

 

*Click on photo to see full-size.

 

     

Today…

 

Seems I’ve been MIA from blogging, though the time I’ve spent on Blogger has made my head spin like Linda Blair’s character Regan in The Exorcist.  January was jumping – dumping –  at least it seemed like it.  So, here’s a month in a nutshell.

 

• cleaned out the Farmers rooms
• cleaned out the game closet
• cleaned out the pantry
• cleaned out the cupboard, drawers and every other kitchen nook and cranny
• cleaned out the laundry room
• cleaned out the master room  (finally got rid of three boxes that sat on the floor, unpacked for the last *cough* four years!)
• cleaned out the master bath and nearly lost my life.  (Not really, though the fumes –good and bad – were enough to do me in.)
• made six, packed bus loads to various charities
• lived without a functioning dishwasher and yet remain married
• made homemade white chicken chili – soaked beans and all
• field trip with Devin to NNU for a science fair (way cool)
• field trip with D.J. to NNU to see the Boise Philharmonic perform (way cool too)
• had a baby session to shoot, edit and deliver
• met with the couple that I’ve been hired to shoot their wedding
• lost a lousy 8 lbs.
• finished the 2009 fed taxes
• asked to be a LIFE mentor
• organizing the next ward activity (Circus themed)
• went to an Enrichment that I didn’t have anything to do with
• PTA stuff
• played with Lucky (yes, we’re taking good care of him!)
• tossed my cookies and then some (in no way do I want to go “bulimic”)
• sick Farmers too  (Miss Is is home today)
• Miss Is was awarded a Positive People award for being an excellent student
• fed the missionaries
• went to a wedding reception
• lunch date with hubs at Olive Garden where I pigged out on Zuppa and salad
• custom designed my “stuff”
• caught up on LOST  (missed all of last season and I’m still just as confuzeded)
• got a new ‘do and colors too
• felt guilty for the past 30+ days for posting jack-diddly-do-daugh, noth’n.

Hmm, that sums it up.  Hopefully February will be much better.  I can’t tell you how relieved I feel about unloading all the extra stuff; the house feels cleaner even though there are still dirty socks and Lego's everywhere.  Getting close to “launching” officially.  Today I’ve been fighting with the devil of a registrar and blogger; they don’t like each other very much and the tech guys helping out must have a voodoo doll just for me, I’m sure.  Bridals are coming up – excited about that and praying that this yucky weather will improve, that the grass with magically go green or it dumps a fresh blanket of snow.   Making custom V-day cards for the Farmers.  I made Devin’s last night in about 30mins, including an on-location shoot!   I really like how they turned out!  With any luck I won’t catch whatever Miss Is has brought home and will be able to keep on keep’n on.   And just like Em, I feel like every post needs a picture… granted, mine couldn’t be as cool as hers even if I had walked on the moon. 

 

Me and my new ‘do.

 

The Farmers watched Willy Wonka the other day (in my wee-little mind there is only one Wonka, Mr. Gene Wilder) while I was cleaning out the kitchen and I got to sneak a peek between cupboards.  This picture is inspired by the lovely blueberry tint Miss Violet Beauregarde takes on because of her impatience.  We have a lot in common, Miss B and I.  “…a mop of curly brown hair” and “talks very fast.”  I’m not sure about being a 10’ tall, 2000 lb blueberry, but some days it feels like it.  Farmers… Ooompa Loompas?  Maybe not.