Thursday, January 18, 2007



Simon, you're an ass, I DO NOT look like a monkey!
Said a disgruntled American Idol cast-off. True, the guy didn't look like a monkey so much. More like Gollum from LOTR. We thought that guy's retort was particularly hilarious. Obviously we watch AI, but only until the LA episodes start. We lose interest when the train wrecks of the early auditions end. Talented folks are not nearly as entertaining and those who can't sing. I know. I should have more originality than to watch that crap. But I don't. Let me know when there is a support group for fans of bad reality tv. I might go.
On my way home yesterday I spotted a Hancock Fabrics store I haven't been to yet and stopped in. I was lucky to have come on their dollar days, so I managed to pick up two back issues of Cutting Edge magazine and some fab xmas fabric for cheap. The mags were a dollar each and the fabric 1/2 off. Coupled with ME's Home Companion, and I have quite the inspirational day ahead of me, no?
Everyone but me is sick over here, so I may take advantage of the general mellowness and get some crafting done. There are Valentines dying to be made over here! Plus, this week has been heavy on the cooking, but not so much on the crafting. Gotta change that! My pics are bad this morning, but isn't that fabric great? I'm going to make holiday pillows for next year with it.

Speaking of cooking, I promised a soup recipe today didn't I? Well, the sausage leek soup was great and super easy to make. Of course, soup is always easy to make, but you know what I mean. I even made croutons to go with it. This is definitely not a low fat recipe. Next time I might drain off more fat and add white beans. Either way it was good.

Sausage Leek Soup with Salt and Pepper Croutons


4 links of Mild or Hot Italian sausage, sliced
1 large leek, sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
2 14 oz cans of chicken broth
4 cups hot water
salt and pepper to taste

Place soup pan over medium heat and cook sausage until browned. Remove from pan and pat off excess fat (there will be plenty unless you get lean sausage) and set aside. Cook leeks and garlic in sausage fat until tender and then add sausage back to the pan. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and cover. Let cook about 15 minutes on med-low heat. Add water and broth and bring to a boil. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on med-low another 30 minutes to an hour.

Salt and Pepper Croutons
Whole Wheat bread cut into 1 inch cubes
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Shake salt and pepper over them. Bake for 5 minutes, stir the croutons then bake for 5 more minutes.
It was super easy and really good!



It was dark out, so the lighting is bad, it looked much better in person!




8 comments:

Vallen said...

I'm going to try this out this weekend. It sound great.
I love the Christmas fabric. Is there much else like a day with new magazines and no one to bother you? I don't think so.

Roxanne said...

Sounds very yummy, I'll definitely be trying that one. I think white beans would be a great addition too. I can never get my daughter to eat beans though (she's 1 1/2) so I like to send them through the food processor. It makes a nice creamy soup (without the fat of cream) and you would never even know there were beans in it. Thanks for the recipe!

maggiegracecreates said...

Miss Claire - thanks so much for leaving a comment on my blog. I would love to have you join us for Chirstmas in progress. I shae your message on Vallens blog. My email for CIP is teresahome@juno.com

Have a wonderful day.

beki said...

Bad reality TV ROCKS!

Anonymous said...

all TV is bad, that's why we don't have to feel guilty about what bad TV we watch...all the same. None the less, great fabric. And I should start on Valentine's Day cars...its hard with my schedule, so I am going to start now! Thanks for reminding me.

faith

The Polka Dot Pixie said...

MMmmmmmmm! can't wait to try that recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!

I am a magazine addict! Lucky a local bookstore carries back issues of my favories for half price, or I'd be in big trouble :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh my.. I got some of that XMAS fabric as well. Love it. Have not decided what to do with it yet. Hope you get to do some crafting done. I am getting everything set up to do more this weekend and get my etsy shop hopefully open: )

Hope everyone starts to feel better and you do not get it!

Anonymous said...

Okay I've posted the 6 weird things about me now I need to catch up on your posts.
Carolyn