Teas and T's: Week 118, 3-25-2018

Thoughts and Quotes: The hurrier I go, the behinder I get. Lewis Carroll

The quote is from Alice in Wonderland; I presume from The White Rabbit. I know just how he feels. I seem to stumble into roadblocks wherever I turn. Another remote has stopped working properly, so an hour call to AT & T to get a new one. Everything I want for my yard is out of stock or when I do buy something, they ring it up wrong and I have to go stand in line at customer service for thirty minutes for my refund. I did get my taxes in the mail, but my yard is a disaster, I haven't planted even one seed, my house is a mess, I need to take my car in for servicing, I need a manicure and a pedicure, I'm in the process of changing banks, my roof still hasn't been fixed, and I still don't have my laptop back to fix my email addresses. All these things nag, nag, nag, at me. So I'm pushing the reset button here and now, and you're my witnesses. Next week is going to be super productive and everything will fall into line.

I don't have much to report this week. I'm actually working on the Tablescapes book. I haven't started the input yet, but hope to this week.

Tasting: This week's soup is Vegetable Chowder.

VEGETABLE CHOWDER

4 cups of broccoli, florets only, chopped

2 cups diced potatoes

1 cup thinly sliced baby carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups water

4 cups milk, divided

2 tsps (or 2 cubes) chicken bouillon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup flour

1 cup frozen corn

2 cups Velveeta process cheese cubes

2 Tbs butter

Put the water and all vegetables but corn in a large pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add 3 cups of the milk, chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.

Mix the flour with the remaining cup of milk and add to the soup, along with the corn.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook and stir constantly until thickened, about two minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in cheese cubes and butter until melted.

This week's salad is Tossed Salad with Tomato Soup Dressing

TOMATO SOUP SALAD DRESSING

1 10-3/4 oz can tomato soup

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups salad oil

Put all in blender and mix at low speed. Refrigerate. Serve on tossed green salads.

Makes 4 cups.

OAT BRAN MUFFINS

2-1/4 cups oat bran hot cereal (or 2-1/4 cups raw oat bran)

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup raisins

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup honey or molasses

2 Tbs vegetable oil

Heat oven to 425°F.

Grease bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Combine dry ingredients.

Add milk, eggs, honey or molasses, and oil. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake 15-17 minutes for cereal muffins; 12-14 minutes for raw oat bran muffins.

Note: Raw oat bran produces a muffin which is great for hiking or biking as it is very sturdy and also very filling. Pairs perfectly with a box of juice, as it is a little on the dry, chewy side.

This week's tissue box card:

Thrifting: My local little thrift store is right down the street from the hardware store where I buy yard supplies, so I dropped in to get some 3-ring binders. Baby was snoozing away. She walked into the store one day, looked around, and decided to stay.