Save a Ham Bone, Feed a Cowboy Soup Recipe leaves no doubt that it delivers a hearty bowl that will satisfy your hunger. I love cooking soups from items on hand. It is a great way to feed your creativity, use leftovers, maximize time for your passions. Serving soup in the evening is an easy meal to reheat after a long day at work or play.

Spring and Summer call out for easy meals to serve late afternoon after work.  Meals that will allow you to put in 9 holes at the golf range or paddle board in the lake or bay while watching for the sun to set gently down. If your busy you should  want to squeeze every ounce out of those daylight saving hours that magically appear. Use it or lose it.

How to use your leftover Ham Bone and Ham scraps

To save time and money is important to everyone. Save a Ham Bone, Feed a Cowboy Soup Recipe makes great use of the left over ham bone. Remember, waste not want not.  Check out this category for other ways to re-purpose leftovers.

Always, make the ham stock and use right away or freeze for later use. Depending on how busy my schedule is will typically determine when I use. Using the freezer gives you options for how and when to process. Save any extra stock to use for other recipes.

Remember, a stock rendered from a ham bone and scraps could be used in variety of recipes for soups or cooking any variety of beans. Homemade stocks breathe soul into your cooking in a way that store-bought stocks do not. Of course it is more steps and time but it makes your food have more hidden layers of flavor. Ham and potato flavors marry together well in any dish.

Of course, adding two types of potatoes white and sweet give a creamy base for the soup. Homemade stock and  dried porcini mushrooms elevate this soup to another level.  Porcini mushrooms offer health benefits that are worth looking into further. Grill Man loved the flavors in this simple soup. I think it is worthy of your next dinner party. Please let me know what you think.

Finally, shout out to Alexa for Ronnie Wood and Bo Diddley, I’m A Man recorded Live At The Ritz  New York City in 1988. This recording will get your cowboy boots moving in one direction or another.

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As a mother it is good to be prepared because you never really know what’s next. From birth on Mom’s job is to make it all better and hold your hand when a hug won’t do the trick. Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Play a game. Share a bowl of Cauliflower Comfort Soup- Heals What Ails Ya’ and learn to listen more.

Listening before rushing to judgment or giving advice is something that I am working on. Moms must learn versatility and adapt quickly otherwise you’re in for a long slow haul. Coupled with if you have more than one, the little buggers will take you down if you’re not paying attention. Pay attention!

Did you hear me? Where are you?

Remember your babes are little but they learn quickly. Oddly, at times I thought I was talking to myself and clearly parenting will head you in this direction. Thankfully, I have it on good authority that talking to yourself is ok. The problem begins when the voices start talking back to you. Wee angels will do that soon enough.

When your little ones don’t run at the first mention of their angelic name, you may wonder if they have a hearing issue. Why else would you need to call their name that many times? It’s not just me, right?

Then one day from out of nowhere your offspring will admonish you with your own advice.  What? You were listening? Surprisingly this is not one of my favorite things. Yet clearly your child will love it.

Vaguely I remember pulling this one on my Mom. Sorry Mom! Truly it’s the voodoo your parents warn you about. “One day your going to have a child just like you.” I think my Dad said this, a-lot.

Serve Cauliflower Comfort Soup- Heals What Ails Ya’

Being a parent is certainly one of the hardest jobs ever and very rewarding too. Children will teach you many life lessons. Occasionally they will point out lessons as if your blind. Learning from each other is a gift that keeps giving. My heart is filled with love. Some days call for Cauliflower Comfort Soup- Heals What Ails Ya’!

Shout out to Alexa for  Teach Your Children by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released in 1970 on Dejavu. Sadly, Alexa does not have Chris Stills yet. Or Alexa is having difficulty with my southern as she is prone to do.   Chris Stills is an amazing talent. Love his cd Calling The Underground released in 2015. Looking forward to  his new release Don’t Be Afraid.

Happy Cooking Y’all!  Check out the soup category to see my other soups. Here is one that you may have missed Weary Souls Chicken Soup Recipe .

Disclaimer: This soup like most soups will offer comfort on a cold rainy or particularly trying day. The comfort it offers heals the spirit.

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Believe me when I say that I tried many times before  I called for backup and ordered a pizza. Creole Red Beans and Rice, Beef Stew with lots of vegetables, Persimmon Walnut Sticky Bread, Salmon Quiche, Pumpkin Bread and then some. Nothing brought a smile to his face.

Somewhere around week two, I started getting a complex . Grill Man requested Popeye’s red beans and rice. By this point  I really just wanted him to eat. Happy to buy the desired Popeye’s. His taste buds turned his nose up to this as well. Ha, I have to say I was relieved.

Use Turkey Carcass to support Waste Not Want Not

Despite the challenge, I kept cooking for my patient. Using turkey carcass creating white turkey chili was an answer to a prayer.  Finally, I managed to break thru the huge barrier  of the flipping flu wall and found something he would enjoy eating.

Chicken or turkey soup is good for what ails you or your patient. Although it’s not a miracle pill it will help your patient feel better. There is nothing better than a hot bowl of homemade soup on a cold wintry day. White Turkey Chili could also be made from a  rotisserie chicken. Follow the same method but swap chicken for turkey.

Using turkey carcass creating White Turkey Chili is part  of my Waste Not Want Not category. Using a turkey carcass offers great economy and a base for a healthy soup.  Homemade stocks are delicious, offer so much more flavor and health than store-bought stocks.  Yes they are more work but so worth the extra dose of love, flavor and benefits.

Shout out to Alexa for Harry Connick Jr, Recipe for Love. Great song Harry!

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Ideally, timing for 20 house guests would ordinarily be spread out over a long time. The timing of life and other events created changes in plans which drove the dates. Having said that, Grill-Man and I had a lovely time hosting all of our friends and family. Celebratory from beginning to end and loved it all.

Week 1 We are all here. Really, all of us!

My first week consisted of  parents, siblings, spouses and children. This was the first time that all of us were together for over a decade. Wow! Home and hearth filled from top to bottom, every bed had a head or two. It was lovely to have everyone together to meet Super-baby. My siblings and I agree that Super-baby will have anyone wrapped around his little fingers.

In addition to admiring Super-baby, the Arts & Crafts Fair was in full force and made a great diversion for an afternoon.  Where else may you shop for art, exercise and pursue a street of food truck items all in one place? I believe that the man cave had more than one  battle of pool. Sharing meals, wine and cocktails over family stories and billiard games was a hit with our group.

Week 2 Started taking vitamins daily due to weary soul

This theme wove throughout the fabric of my second week of guests. Cousins and Uncle hailed  from three parts of Louisiana.  My Uncle and Grill-Man managed a game of golf, of course. We shopped while the boys chased the little white ball around. I am sure that we had more fun!

Later the men-folk hung out in the man cave, played albums, battled with billiards and solved the problems of the world. Well, maybe just their world’s. Occasionally, we would see them when it was time to refill their water bottles or needed a snack.  OK, it wasn’t water. My brother was able to join us for lunch and card games. In addition to games, we played music and tried to see who best “who could stump Alexa”.  Quality time with my brother and Louisiana crew,sadly short but sweet visit.

Week 3 It’s time for Weary Souls Chicken Soup

Our third week consisted of friends from Houston. UK and Little Italy’s son married a Southern Mobile-Belle. Their visit breezed in before and after the wedding. It was high-time’s for all filled with Bridal Luncheons, Wedding, Reception and After Wedding Party at the Battle House Penthouse. It was a grand event filled with love and cocktails. Including their visit after the wedding-ness was complete, it was a relaxed visit catching up with our close friends.

In addition, we also hosted another couple  from Houston, Ringer and Shore-Girl. We have grown fond of these two while visiting UK and Little Italy. Ringer and Shore-Girl only stayed overnight but we  managed to pack it all in. We shared a lovely meal complete with wine on the porch near the fire pit. Aaaahhhhhhh!

Ringer and Grill Man managed an early morning game of golf on Saturday before the wedding. After coffee and breakfast on the porch, I introduced Shore-Girl to shopping in our lovely city by the bay. Somehow after shopping, we managed to crunch in a visit with my favorite artist, Weezie Bancroft Brabner in her studio. A visit with Weezie in her studio is always entertaining. Book an appointment, you won’t regret it.

After lunch with the boys and our celebratory cocktail, we were in need of a nap before the wedding. No rest for the weary. Bath, cocktails and heels were the order of things. My Babe managed to join us for the wedding. She slid in just in time to attend all the festivities and share in the wedding of her childhood friend.

We all arrived in style for the joining of two families on a perfectly beautiful day. From coffee on the porch, to wedding, to reception, to dancing and celebrating with friends until the wee hours. Jammed packed with everything that we love.

On Sunday, Grill-Man hid away quietly, secretly napping. My girl and I laid around on our favorite couch and watched movies. At some point, she convinced me that a trip to Mr Gene’s Beans for ice cream was on our list. Really, it wasn’t on my list. My list consisted of me laying quietly on the couch. I was perfectly happy there.

Ironically, as I stood in line with my young adult child I smiled that we were here again as we had been many times before when she was little. We ordered ice cream and walked to the benches on the Bluff overlooking Mobile Bay and sat for a spell. On the way back from the bluff we reflected on the weekend and our highlights. We  squeezed in a stop and shop at our favorite book store, Page and Palette. It was a good day.

Grill-Man, Babe and I were weary but we would not have missed anything for the world. In addition, it had been a very busy three weeks but in the best way. My girl managed to visit twice from New Orleans during this time and share in the festivities along with us. I was a happy girl. I just needed Weary Souls Chicken Soup.

In summary, I was happy until I realized I had to return to work. The real world started again on Monday filled with work,  laundry and everything else that I had allowed to pile up. A hot bowl of chicken soup was what sounded good to me.

Y’all come back, now!

Alexa, Shout out to J Geils Band for Come Back.

Sadly Jay Geils died this week, he was a favorite of mine and will be missed by many.

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Waste Not Want Not Series:
potatoes, corn, carrots, garlic and  mushrooms

“Waste not want not” is a hats off tribute to my Irish Grandmother Theda Faye who was the Queen of Thrifty. In our childhood home, my Dad was not a fan of eating leftovers which certainly went against the grain of Theda’s Faye’s entire philosophy.

I recall hearing my Mother state that my Dad “refused to eat leftovers”. This would always horrify my Grandmother and would elicit comments  about how she would handle my Dad. Granny had her work cut out for her.

I am pretty sure that my Mom never took Granny’s suggestions.  Granny was a strong woman and not shy about sharing her opinion. Although, I am speculating entirely based on the premise that my parents are still married after all of these years.

As an adult, I realized that “leftovers” were only food ingredients that required repackaging in the kitchen and presented in a different recipe. This is easy to do whether you use the ingredients the next day or throw in a storage bag, and freeze for later. Always label your freezer ingredients for easy identification and date. I have learned this the hard way playing the freezer game of “what is that?”

The crawfish and shrimp boil over the weekend yielded an excess of shrimp, corn, potatoes, carrots, garlic and mushrooms. I peeled the leftover shrimp and threw in my freezer. This would be used later for Shrimp Dip. This shrimp recipe is my favorite childhood food memory and is hauntingly delicious. Warning: It is addictive.

The remaining ingredients from the shrimp boil would make a great addition to my shrimp chowder. I also wanted a one pot dish for dinner so that I could move to the “couch for a spell”. One pot was all the energy that I could muster. The fun-filled weekend had “worn me out”. Using the leftovers was great and a soup was what I needed, then my couch.

Of course, the recipe made from fresh ingredients in lieu of shrimp boil leftovers will be great too. If using fresh vegetables, add the  seafood stock to separate pot and boil until tender. Then prepare white roux and combine ingredients. Adjust the seasonings, since the boil process adds seasoning to vegetables.

Shout Out to Alexa for U2 for a bit of Bono.

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Fall events are happening everywhere. Many events are taking advantage of the nice weather outdoors. For an indoor outing, Fairhope has the Film Festival. It is about to start ramping up. Fairhope Film Festival starts November 10 and ends November 13.

From a huge collection of movies that include comedy, documentary, narrative, drama, thriller and  more will be at your disposal. Tossed in you will also find Panel Discussions and a cocktail event or two. Panel discussions have been my favorite every year. I love learning about behind the scenes of writing, creating, filming, shopping locations etc.

Support the arts. Check it out at www.fairhopefilmfestival.org. Great local event that is family friendly for teenagers and adults.  Check subject matter before making a movie choice decision and taking your child. Buying a ticket is a great way to support arts and Fairhope Community.

During Fall when the weather is turning cooler, soup is the answer. A quick review of the items on hand, called for a Corn and Crawfish Chowder.  Soup that you will want to cook again.

Shout out to Alexa for Ray LaMontagne. I love his music and great to cook with. And in a libation and voila, I’m smiling.

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