Sunday, November 4, 2012

Zuppa Toscana, my version of the Olive Garden soup

I recently got a book, Fifty Shades of Kale for my kindle. After reading about the health benefits of kale, I was interested in incorporating it into our diets. I was discussing this with the aide of one of the clients I drive, and she told me about a lovely sausage, potato, and kale soup at The Olive Garden. I soon had an opportunity to eat there, and ordered the Zuppa Toscana. It was as good as she'd described and more. Alexis had also mentioned that it would be easy to make at home. I couldn't wait to try. Here's the version I made today:

Katha Toscana Soup- I don't measure anything, I just approximate what I think would be good.

1 Tbl olive oil
1 small package of sausage. I used a quarter of a pack of  Premio Hot Italian Sausage from Costco.
1/2 Tbl or so of Red Pepper Flake (I just shook it out until it covered the sausages lightly)
2-3 slices of chopped bacon (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 quart of chicken stock
1 quart of water
6 large Idaho potatoes
1 cup milk/cream
6-8 cups kale, roughly chopped

Brown the sausage in the olive oil (with bacon, if using)
Add onion and red pepper flake
When browned, remove sausage (and bacon) to plate to cool
When onions are nicely caramelized, add garlic, cook about 4-5 minutes
Cut sausage/bacon into bite sized chunks and return to pot
Add chicken stock and water, along with potatoes
Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender
Reduce heat and add kale and milk/cream
Serve when kale is heated through
Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Kale should be fine by the time you can grab a ladle, bowl and spoon.

I used all 1% milk. It was good, but I think adding a little heavy cream or half and half would be even better. I'll try that next time. I will also be trying with regular sausage as opposed to hot. Hmm, I wonder how well quinoa would go with this... So many possibilities!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

As the 'High Holy' day is upon us...let us take some time to reflect:

My brother sent me this email a few years ago, and it still makes me laugh.

Being Irish means...

* you will never play professional basketball

* you swear very well

* at least one of your cousins holds political office

* you think you sing very well

* you have no idea how to make a long story short

* there isn't a huge difference between losing your temper and killing someone

* much of your food was boiled

* you spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling

* you're strangely poetic after a few beers

* you're poetic a lot

* you will be punched for no good reason...a lot

* some punches directed at you are legacies from past generations

* your sister will punch you because your brother punched her

* many of your sisters are Catherine, Elizabeth or Mary...and one is Mary Catherine Elizabeth

* someone in your family is incredibly cheap

* it is more than likely you

* you don't know the words but that doesn't stop you from singing

* you can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start
talking

* 'Irish Stew' is the euphemism for 'boiled leftovers from the fridge'

* you're not nearly as funny as you think you are, but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency

* there wasn't a huge difference between your last wake and your last kegger party

* you are, or know someone, named 'Murph'

* if you don't know Murph, then you know 'Mac'

* if you don't know Murph or Mac, then you know 'Sully'

* you'll probably also know Sully McMurphy

* you are genetically incapable of keeping a secret

* your parents were on a first name basis with everyone at the local emergency room

and last but not least... Being Irish means...

* your attention span is so short that---oh, forget it.


Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day!!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Yoinked from our dear Dory :) Oops! I forgot to publish this one, I had it saved as a draft. *LOL*



Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy (not forward) this entire note and paste into a new note that you can share. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I like gift bags, with pretty tissue paper peeking out of the top.


2. Real tree or Artificial?
I've had both, and sometimes no tree. This will be a no-tree year. What goes up, must come down. Ugh!

3. When do you put up the tree?
IF we have one, as close as possible to Christmas.
 
4. When do you take the tree down?
As soon as the 12 days are over.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Love it!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
For Christmas? Baby Secret.

7. Hardest person to buy for? 
Can't think of anyone.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
The kids.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, I have several.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
What are Christmas cards? (I stink at mailing)
 

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
First of all, I'm with Dory, it's the thought that counts, but if you're meaning which was probably not the best choice to make me happy, I won't say.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
I love so many!
A Christmas Carol in any version (well, pretty much any version)
It's a Wonderful Life (Merry Christmas, George!)
Elf (Smiling's my favorite)
A Christmas Story (Frah- geee- lay)
While You Were Sleeping- I cry every time I see it. (I like Mass better in Latin. It's nicer when you don't know what they're saying.)
The Bells of St Mary's (You've obviously never been up to your neck in nuns.)
I could go on and on, so I'll just stop here :)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
It's been a while since we had money for that.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I don't think so.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Is drinking eggnog eating?

16. Lights on the tree? 
Sure, why not?

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Lots.. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" springs to mind.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
By travel, do you mean a trip across the country, or across town?

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer (another cute movie, but I digress) Vixen, Comet Cupid, Donder, Blitzen. Throw in Rudolf, if you're singing.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
I've had both, not at the same time. ;-)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Back when we had presents, morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
The same songs over and over again on the radio.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Red and gold.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Same as Thanksgiving, really.

25. What do you want to do for Christmas this year?
Have dinner with my family and watch Christmas movies, listen to Christmas music, watch my grandniece play with her toys.

26. Who is most likely to respond?
No one I can think of. Multiply's a bit lonely lately.

Senior Year

 
Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!
IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR DID YOU...

1. Did you date someone from your school?
No, I dated a guy from Newfield, Paul Bonanni. I really liked him, but was not ready for a serious relationship. I was always very young for my age, I think. I'm still friends with his family today. We went out off and on during most of that year.

2. Did you marry someone from your high school?
No. My first husband went to Miller Place, my sweet hubby I have now went to Patchogue-Medford.

3. Did you car pool to school?
No, I took the bus or walked, when I showed up at all. One of my friends in Chorus said to me once, "Oh my gosh! You're here three days in a row?!"

4. What kind of car did you have?
In senior year, I called it Mom's car.

5. What kind of car do you have now?
I drive a Dodge Grand Caravan Sport.

6. Its Saturday night...where are you now?
This past Saturday night, I was floating around Second Life, looking for those POE Globes for the Peace On Earth Globe Hunt, and trying to up my acreage in the game I play there, Tiny Empires.


7. It is Saturday night...where were you then?
I don't know. Was there Theatre Arts on Saturday nights?! Back then, it was all about Theatre Arts and St. Margaret's. We had done West Side Story at school, and Godspell at St. Margaret's. Ginny and I also did a skit in the Senior Variety Show, which was called "Baby Snooks and Daddy".


8. What kind of job did you have in high school?
Suffolk Life, as all Mahoney kids did. Our mom was a manager, we had to!

9. What kind of job do you do now?
I work at an ambulette company. (An ambulette is a basically a medical taxi, for those from other places, where they're called something else.)

10. Were you a party animal?
I was a theatre and singing animal.

11. Were you considered a flirt?
I might have been. ;-)

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
We called it chorus.

13. Were you a nerd?
Is that really for me to say? I think so, in a good way.

14. Did you get suspended or expelled?
Funny you should ask that. I did get suspended once, and I just recently found one of the girls I got drunk with in school. *ROTFL* She brought a bottle of Seagrams 7 in , and we drank it (yes, the WHOLE bottle- one those quart bottles, not a little 750) in the girls room. There was one other girl, I can't remember her name, hmmm, I think it was Carolyn. That's right, kids, I am not a role model. At least, back then I wasn't.

15. Can you sing the fight song?
Um, the school sang? I can sing the school song, and still do, fairly often.
*clears throat*
Often in these hallowed halls,
Echoes of old Cougar calls,
Beckon you and me to remember.

High school games,
New friends and fun,
Life had only just begun
Then the day for us to be leaving.

Though mem'ries may in time grow dim,
Random thoughts become our hymn
To Blue and White Centereach High.

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)?
Mr. Imperiale, of course! Y'mean there were other classes?

17. Where did you sit during lunch?
With Lori Wenig, and a bunch of other people. I remember Micheal Giordano and I reading Romeo and Juliet together and laughing our heads off at "I bite my thumb at you", so I guess he was there sometimes. *shrugs* No other names spring to mind.

18. What was your school's full name?
Centereach High School

19. When did you graduate?
Good question. In the summer.

20. What was your school mascot?
Cougar

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Yeah, right.

22. Did you have fun at Prom?
Yes and no. I went with Paul from question 1. I asked him as a friend, but he acted a bit like he wanted to get back together and he seemed serious, and I ran scared! *sighs* I've regretted that so many times, but I suppose it all turned out for the best. He's happy, I'm happy. I just felt like I'd let him down.

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with?
I'm friends with his family on Facebook. He does not have one, but if he did, I would totally be friends with him.

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion?
I just missed one :(

25. Do you still talk to people from school?
Absolutely! I'm lifelong friends with some, and there are others I have just reconnected with on Facebook.

26. School Colors? Blue and White

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Good-bye, Liam

I just read that the last Clancy Brother, Liam Clancy, has died. I was raised on the music of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and I still love them today.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Kathology (A survey out of Shellye's boredom, and my response to it.)

***********FOODOLOGY*************** 


What is your salad dressing of choice? 
Hidden Valley Low Fat Ranch

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? 
Good Steer

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? I already eat a certain
 food every day, and not get sick of it. I call it breakfast cereal. :P

What are your pizza toppings of choice? 
I have not had pizza in over a year, but we used to order it with sausage, peppers, and onions, or the house special at John's, which is Shrimp Marinara.

what do you like to put on your toast? 
Either very lightly buttered, or like Shellye, with Raspberry or Blackberry jam with seeds.


***********TECHNOLOGY*************** 


How many televisions are in your house? 
Three. We only watch one. The kids each have one in their rooms that are hooked up to video games.

What color is your cellphone? 
Navy.

Do you have an iPod? 
No.

What kind of computer do you have? 
Gateway.


***************BIOLOGY****************** 


Are you right-handed or left-handed? 
A little of each. Some might call it ambidexterous, but I am left handed for some things, but right handed for others. I think of myself as a lefty.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? 
Yeah! Five children!!! 

What is the last heavy item you lifted? 
I just went shopping at Costco. 'Nuff said.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious? 
Unless you mean when I've had small people removed from my body, (twice) no, and I'd like to keep it that way.


************BULLOLOGY************** 


If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Why?

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? 
If I ever get around to gathering up papers and going to motor vehicle, I would change my last name to match my husbands. Hey, we've only been married seven and half years. Besides, Katha sounds better with my maiden name.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? 
How big a bottle of hot sauce?


**************FAVORITOLOGY**************** 


Season? 
Fall.

Holiday? Thanksgiving, because I get to see my brother and his family.

Day of the week? 
No favorite.

Month? 
Any month NOT in summer.


***********CURRENTOLOGY***************** 


Mood? 
Happy, I'm on the phone with my Gin-Gin.

What are you listening to?
Gin-Gin, talking to me on her drive home, she's asking what I'm filling out. 

Current worry? 
Leaving Shellye's answer: I can worry or I can pray, I can't do both. 




***************RANDOMOLOGY***************** 


First place you went this morning? 
The kitchen to get some brekky. 
{{*nudges Carrie* Like that? Got it from you. ;-) }}

Last place you went last night? 
To sleep.

What's the last movie you saw?
The Game Plan. We put it on for Rich, who swore he had never seen it.. but, he's had a hit on the head.


***************OTHER-OLOGY***************** 


How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 
None, thank you.

Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
Is it a run-in if you call them to report an accident? I did that a week or two ago.

Last person you talked to? 
Talkin' to Ginny right now. :)

Last person you hugged? 
Probably Rich. He's coming home tonight! **big smiles**

Do you always answer your phone? 
I can't answer at work.

It's four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? 
Carrie, Sarah.

If you could change your eye color what would it be? 
I'll keep the blue, thanks.

Do you own a digital camera? 
Yes.

Have you ever had a pet fish?
I had goldfish when I was a kid.

Favorite Christmas song(s)? 
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, O Holy Night, Bethlehem Morning, lots more..

What's on your wish list for your birthday? 
To have a celebration.

Can you do push ups? 
Yes. Not the girly kind either. :P

Can you do a split?
*Laughs hysterically, then composes self* No, never have been able to.

Does the future make you more nervous or excited? 
Excited.

Do you have any saved texts? 
Yes, quite a few.

Have you ever been in a car accident? 
Yes.

Do you have an accent? 
Doesn't everyone?

What is the last movie to make you cry? 
Most movies make me cry.

Plans tonight? 
I went to bed early last night, got eleven hours of sleep, and it was not enough. My plans tonight are to get as much sleep as I can to catch up.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? 
No, rock bottom is pretty bad. There's always someone worse off than you.

Name 3 things you bought today? 
Gallon of gas number one, gallon of gas number two, and the gallons that came after. *smirk* 

Have you ever been given roses? 
Yes, my husband has gotten them for me very many times. 
(My first husband never gave them to me, until his friend, Danny Janosik MADE him get them for me for some occasion. It was an anniversary, I think.)

Met someone who changed your life? 
Yes, my husband is one of them.

How will you bring in the New Year? 
At home, or at my mom's.

What song represents you? 
This is Another Day, by Andrae Crouch

Name two people who might complete this? 
I have no idea.

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? 
For what?

Have you ever dated someone longer than a year? 
Yes, I even married him.

Do you have any tattoos/piercings? 
My ears are pierced.

Does anyone love you? 
Yes, of course.

Would you be a pirate? 
No. I only play Pirate Clan on Facebook. Real Pirates are not nice.

What songs do you sing in the shower? 
Have not sung in the shower for ages.

Ever had someone sing to you? 
Yes. Many times.

When did you last cry? 
This morning, on the way to work. I miss my husband.

Do you like to cuddle? 
Yes, I do.

Have you held hands with anyone today? 
No, hubby has been away for days.

Who was the last person you took a picture of? 
I took a picture of Lisa and myself when we went to go look at her old house, which was up for sale. It's her profile picture.

Are most of the friends in your life new or old? 
As with Shellye, a mixture of both, but most are old friends.

Do you like orange juice with the pulp? 
Yes. (I didn't like the way it sounded with "pulpy" either, Shellye. That's why I changed it. Shhh, don't tell the Quizmaster!)

Sunday, November 29, 2009

My cousin, Fred sent me this joke :)

Rating:
Category:Other
Thanksgiving Divorce

A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says,"I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough".

"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams. "Well, we can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this,"

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife with a smile. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving, and they're paying their own way."