Friday would be the night we would do pizza if we still lived near the city. So since we can’t have it and their feeders were really low on food and full of snow, I decided to throw the birds a pizza party of their own. They seem to be enjoying it.
12 cups water
6 teaspoons beef granules
1 large onion, chopped or 3-4 bunches green onions sliced
1 can Contadina tomato puree or 6-7 Roma tomatoes, chopped
6 ribs celery, chopped
6 carrots, fresh or wilted, chopped
4 cloves garlic or 4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup*
1+ cup of whole milk
1 1/2 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken pieces**
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic or 1 teaspoon minced garlic (jar)
1 can Le Seur Peas, drained
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed potato chips (I like plain Lay’s)
*If making Tuna noodle bake, substitute cream of celery or mushroom
**If making Tuna Noodle Bake, substitute 2 small cans albacore tuna, drained
We still need to do 2nd coats and sealing on many of the cabinets, but they will all match soon. So this entire kitchen is 90% new. Counter tops to replace the plywood are next. We still also need to install the decorative ceiling, flooring and new windows, but feel so good to be at this point. The plywood floor is actually growing on me. At least we were able to bring it all to code also as long as it was all torn out, we really didn’t have any choice.
This is an email that came across my desk today and I thought the analogy was so well spelled out that I’d like to pass it on.
One day I hopped into a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!”
This is when my taxi driver taught me what I call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.” He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you.
Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so….. “Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don’t.”
Remember – Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
It has so many fun things in it. There are 2 cookbooks; Mexican Cooking Exotic and Authentic Recipes from Central America by Roger Hicks and Texas Peppers The Jalapeno Cookbook by Peggy Struble as well as the Peppermania newsletter, a sea salt and chiles grinder from La Reina as well as some Texas Red trophy chili mix. I can’t wait to sit down tonight and read through them all. Pop on over and check out her pictures at AjiQueen and Peppermania. I especially like the one this past year where she won the chili cook-off.
