Sometimes
when I'm cold I amuse myself by imagining what one of those
electric company heat loss analysis would look like of our
cement block house with its gaps above and below the doors
and "skylights" open to the elements in the kitchen and bath.
But usually to warm myself, I cook. Hot tea, soup, scones,
cookies…I've found they all warm you up.
The other day
I was making cookies with the girls in my evening bible
study when one of the girls asked about a 5 in. snowflake
cookie cutter, "So is this a star?"
I tried to explain that it was a snowflake, but I didn't know
the word, so I called it a "corn flake of snow." That didn't
help so I tried calling it a piece, a leaf, or a sheet of
snow. Blank
stares. So I asked them what they call the
individual pieces of snow. They conferred together and came
up with the word, but still looked confused.
Finally one of them said, "But this is so big. We think of
snowflakes as being very small and you can't really tell what
their
shape is." All of a sudden it hit me that they thought that
this 5 inch form is what snowflakes really look like in the
US. I explained that in the US we make fanciful representations
of snowflakes for decoration. We all had a good laugh.
Since we've lived
in Toluca we've really gotten into soups. Before I moved here
I'd never made soup that didn't come from a can. But now they
are one of my specialties, especially the quick, easy kind.
So I thought I'd share one of our favorites to help warm you
up this February.
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"WARM
YOU UP FROM THE INSIDE OUT"
POTATO SOUP
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INGREDIENTS:
3
C. Chicken broth
1 lb. Potato, finely diced
13 oz. Evaporated Skim Milk
2 T. Cornstarch
1 t. hot pepper sauce
1 ˝ t. Basil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Put broth, potatoes,
and optional ingredient in large pot. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat, and simmer until the potatoes are soft.
With a utensil, mash about half of the potato chunks.
Thoroughly mix together cold evaporated milk and cornstarch
till there are no lumps. Then gradually whisk the mixture
into the soup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer
for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add three dashes
of hot sauce, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
* * * *
*
For really
decadent soup:
Optional
ingredients:
Cook 5 slices of bacon, set aside.
Cook 1 small diced yellow onion in the drippings until
transparent. Continue with basic recipe.
Just before serving mix in crumbled bacon and ˝ C. grated
cheddar cheese.
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Feb.
11-14, we will be helping Steve Young (left)
of Reach
Out Ministries with a youth leader training conference
in the city of Pachuca, Mexico. We appreciate your prayers
that the right people will come and that we will really be
able to meet their needs and encourage them.
We really appreciate
your prayers and interest. Thanks!
annette
& tim gulick
