Saturday ~ Soup and Sorrow

First, 

I must tell you about the Chicken Noodle Soup that I made

after an early lunch....

I had such fun making it, going between recipes, adding things as I 

went and remembering sustaining soups I had in the past.... 

A Delicious Chicken Noodle Soup

4 tlbs butter melted, with one large onion put in 

melted butter, on lowest setting, covered for 8 minutes until

onion as translucent. I also had 2 cloves minced garlic and approx

1 tbs minced raw ginger (peeled as was the garlic).

Then I melted 4 cups chicken stock (that had additional garlic, onion and ginger)

into this mixture.

I added chicken meat later, once the chicken stock was all melted in 

(literally melted as it was frozen).

I sliced about 5 smallish carrots into round pieces and cooked them in 

my fry pan with 1tsp butter for 3 minutes.

I had 1/8th cup flour with less than 1/3 cup stock, strained,

and added to 1tbs or more melted butter. 

This made a thick yellow paste.

I put this in the soup, before the carrots actually.

Then the carrots if I remember right!

I microwaved about 1 cup or more milk for 1 minute 30 seconds in my

microwavable creamer and then added about 1/3 cup (a big spoonful)

sour cream to the milk and whisked it together with a spoon.  

When well mixed, I added to the soup!

I added more chicken meat and it all came to a boil, which I then simmered.

Meanwhile, I broke big thick noodles into about 1.5 inches or more 

and when the soup was at a boil, added the noodles too!

(these were from Trader Joe's).

Then this boiled for about 10 more minutes.

It was a lovely soup, buttery (1 whole stick was put in by the end!), a hint

of sour from the sour cream; we salted and peppered to taste 

in our individual bowls.

I was quite proud of this soup and got the recipe from 3 places +

my imagination: 

 I combined a 1945 recipe from Fannie Farmer called "Duchess Soup" 

the Veloute stock base from Julia Child's the way to cook book & her tips on creme fraiche

and the new basics cookbook which has the thick noodles and gave me a sense 

of when to add and how long to cook.... plus

and my own additions (ginger! garlic!)

+ memory of a sustaining Chicken Soup

 that we had at a Friendly's (thick noodles, milk in broth)

 just past the Canadian boarder Stateside!

***

I was rather proud that my Husband quickly ate

2 or 3 bowls of it!

We made it to our far-away church

and learned that our elderly Warden,

who had a stroke and later pneumonia,

is declining.

We hope to visit him but will see

what is possible tomorrow.

I laminated some icons for his room if we 

do go, as a gift.

I cried on and off tonight after hearing this news,

this gentleman reminds me so much of 

my +grandfather who also

teased me a lot and suffered.

***

Often one hears of sorrow after

having a golden day the day before,

as was our Friday.

***

Well, one thing at a time.

We hope for God's mercy in all things

and for all of us.