Hello everyone! We couldn’t ask for better weather if we had ordered it. Halloween was a huge success. I had so many trick-or-treaters at one point that Dylan Thomas had to direct traffic. They loved the games I had set up. Every year I make a pot of chili, that a show dog couldn’t jump over, and have all the family over. We have chili dogs and Frito pie. I also made brownies, Mississippi mud brownies, kisses cookies, and coconut pie. Margaret Mergan brought Rice Krispie treats. We all had lots of laughs and a good time. I love when the family is all together and we missed those that could not attend.
If I repeat my stories, it’s because I’m 59 and I’m not sure what I have told and what I have not. Jacob, my son from 14 hours of labor, is not here to tell me when I repeat myself. He won’t just let me slide, he has to correct me and let me know when I have already told a story.
Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love gummy worms and bears. They are one of my favorite candies. I was eating some of the worms at work one day and I got one lodged in my throat. I was choking and could not breathe. Debra Overton, who worked with me at the time, started asking if I was ok. I could not speak, I just shook my head no. Without hesitation, she runs to me and does the Heimlich maneuver. Out came that gummy worm, right at the drive-thru window. No customers were there at the time. Debra Overton is my lifesaver woman, that’s one of the reasons I want her to get a good seat at my funeral.
When I got home, I was telling Chuck about it, and he said “good thing you were at work because I wouldn’t have done the Heimlich on you. Let me tell ya when it was supper time he would have wished he had. Just a FYI, a good funeral this day and time is around $12,000. That being said, I’m sure that my son Jacob, 14 hours of labor, will have me cremated even though I have money for my funeral. He will have me cremated to save money and he will be on a flight to Florida to Universal Studios so fast your head will spin. I will be sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust while he’s out living it up.
This week’s recipe is something good for this time of year. I love different soups. It’s lasagna soup. My friend, Curtis Feimster says it’s delicious.
LASAGNA SOUP
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (I buy it in a jar already minced)
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
32 ounces of chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounces) cans petite diced tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups broken lasagna noodles (if you can find the little miniature ones you can use those). If you use the broken noodles, use about six.
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (I buy this already shredded)
In a large pot, brown the ground beef with onion and bell pepper. Add garlic during the last couple of minutes so it doesn’t burn. Drain the excess grease from the meat mixture. Stir in the thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, brown sugar, chicken broth, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and gently simmer for about 20 minutes. Then add the broken lasagna noodles and stir. Simmer until the noodles are tender. Stir occasionally. Stire in the parmesan cheese. When you put it in your bowl, top with the mozzarella cheese. Enjoy this with some good garlic bread.
