Avgolemono

We live within walking distance of a fabulous Greek cafe. And our neighbors just opened up a Greek restaurant a few miles away. I *puffy heart* Greek food so you will find no complaints from me about either of those facts.

I have had such a craving for the chicken-lemon-orzo soup (or avgolemono) but didn't want to go to one of those restaurants for the second third fourth time in under two weeks. I thought I probably had the ingredients to make the soup at home but figured it would probably be too difficult or time-consuming or I'd end up with inedible glop.

I've never been so pleased to be absolutely wrong. This soup is easy, quick, and delicious. My only complaint is that it doesn't make a lot, so take that into account if you plan on serving it to a large group. You don't want a fight to break out over who gets a bowl of this!

Avgolemono Soup
slightly adapted from Epicurious.com

1 32 oz. carton chicken broth
1/4 c. orzo
3 eggs
4 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast
Salt and pepper to taste--I didn't measure but would guess I used 1/2 t. salt and 1 t. pepper. I like pepper a lot!
Greek seasoning (optional)--I have some from Penzey's so I threw a bit in.

Bring the broth to a boil. Add the orzo and cook to al dente.
While the orzo is cooking, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together until smooth.
When orzo is al dente, lower heat to simmer. Add a cup of hot broth to egg mixture and stir until incorporated. Then add all of egg/broth mixture into pan with broth/orzo. Add chicken and seasonings. Simmer until thick and creamy.

If you are me, it makes two servings--lunch and dinner. :)

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 1

In my life this week:
This week has passed by in a blur. Lots of hockey--N playing and the guys going to the Lightning playoff games. Plenty of cooking--five loaves of bread (two regular, three mini), chipotle chicken tacos, avgolemono soup, homemade yogurt, and poached chicken to freeze for later.

In our homeschool this week:
Among other things, these were three areas of emphasis for us this week:
Multiplication--We worked on review of concepts. Next week we will move on to drill work.
Home economics--We are working on keeping the house tidy throughout the week. My oldest two did a great job working together.
Free reading for the biggers, phonics for the little guy.

My favorite thing this week:
My little guy lost his first tooth. He is so excited! He loves anything that makes him feel like a big boy. Another tooth is loose, so he's been trying hard to get it to come out as well.

What's working/not working for us:
Supplementing our regular curriculum with units from other programs has been a huge success. We're currently doing this with handwriting and math. It has helped create some excitement during a part of the year when the 'blahs' can set in. It has also worked to hone in on areas in which my kiddos need more reinforcement. This is one of the things about homeschooling I love: being able to see the needs of my children and make changes to meet them right away.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have:
Will the school year ever end? Ha! We are year-round schoolers, so that's a trick question!

Sometimes I question our choice of calendar, but for the most part it works for us. Lucky for me there's a little rest ahead, as we will be taking a break this month to travel to my little sister's graduation.

menu plan-week of 01/10

Okay, I failed miserably at sticking to last week's menu. Several of our plans changed at the last minute, plus one son got sick, the other had a birthday, and Ted had to work a couple night shifts (on those nights I usually don't make anything too involved). Oh well, if at first you don't succeed... So I've planned this week to be very similar to last week, just a few tweaks in content and order:

Monday:

B-Cereal, fruit

L-Turkey & cheese sandwiches, chips/salsa, carrots

D-Soup, crackers, pineapple

Tuesday:

B-Ricemeal, bananas

L-Broccoli & cheddar nuggets, salad, oranges

D-Taco soup, tortillas

Wednesday:

B-Waffles, grapes

L-Grilled chicken salad

D-Chicken stir-fry w/broccoli & carrots, brown rice

Thursday:

B-Bacon, eggs, bagels

L-Pasta, peas

D-Chicken enchiladas, rice, beans, pineapple

Friday:

B-Banana muffins, apples, cheese

L-PBJ, Carrots, Smores brownies

D-Pizza (homemade?)

Saturday:

B-Cereal, fruit, hardboiled eggs

L-Homemade lunchables

D-Turkey burgers, vegetarian beans, Alexia onion rings

menu plan-week of 01/03

This is the first time I've blogged our menu plan. Confession time: I actually haven't done much any menu planning since we moved at the end of October. Yikes! My theme for 2011 is action, so we will see at the end of the week how well I execute this plan!

Monday:
B-Banana muffins, apples, cheese
L-PBJ, carrots
D-Chicken enchiladas, rice, beans, pineapple

Tuesday:
B-Ricemeal, bananas
L-Homemade lunchables, oranges
D-Chicken stirfry, brown rice

Wednesday:
B-Waffles, grapes
L-Bagel bites, salad
D-Chicken noodle soup

Thursday:
B-Bacon, eggs, bagels
L-Pasta, peas
D-Tacos, refried beans, corn

Friday:
B-Cereal, fruit, hardboiled eggs
L-Grilled chicken salad
D-Pizza (homemade?)

Saturday:
B-Oatmeal, apples
L-Sandwiches
D-Turkey burgers, vegetarian beans

Sunday: ???

Not exciting, but on Monday we are back to school, I'm starting the Bible in 90 Days, and Ted will be starting his P90X exercise and nutrition (part of which is eating 5 times a day=me making extra meals), so keeping it simple seems like the way to go.

out & in

out with the old...
2010 was a year of

• transitions--We purchased and moved into what we hope will be our 'forever' house. This was our 10th or 11th move in less than 10 years of marriage (I lost count 3 or 4 moves ago--ha!).
• travel--We took the kiddos on their first big trip, California. Ted and I went to Paris for a few days, our first European trip together and hopefully not the last! :)
• challenges--I read through the Bible in 90 days with Mom's Toolbox; Ted worked through the hardcore Insanity exercise program. We installed flooring, painted, and made our house company-ready in less than a month after moving.
• hospitality--We hosted friends at Thanksgiving, friends and family on Christmas Eve, and Chinese guests who were attending an area conference. We've also had neighbor kids in and out of our house throughout the year, which can be crazy at times but is a dream come true for me.
• epic motivational fail--We were so busy with looking for a house, buying a house, and fixing up a house that I was overwhelmed and let myself slack off on too many important areas. Menu planning, exercising, school routines, and many more got passed over way too often.

in with the new...

Looking for 2011 to be a year of

• travel--Well, okay, not so new. Ted works in the travel industry, so I guess the wanderlust is in his blood. He and I are taking a short cruise in February (our first--I'm wary, but he has wanted to take one for a long time); I'd like to do more mini-trips, i.e. go on daytrips around the state, visit local museums and sites. We might go someplace special for our 10th anniversary...we'll have to see what Ted the Travelmaster has up his sleeve. :)
• dedication--We are starting several new programs that require perseverance. I'm doing the Bible in 90 Days again, this time as a reader and mentor. Ted is going through P90X. Together we are going to take the next foster parent classes offered at our church. We plan on joining the YMCA, so we will need to dedicate time to exercise there. I also have several tasks as a home manager, mom, and teacher that I need to be diligent in completing daily, no matter what.
• action--I've decided this is my word for 2011. I love to research and plan but often fizzle out when it comes to application. I don't want to be all talk but no walk. Like in Isaiah 6 when the Lord says "Whom shall I send?", I don't want to think about it, consider my options, weight it out. Instead, I strive toward being like Isaiah who immediately calls out "Here am I. Send me!" I want to be spring into action, not just stand on the sidelines waiting for others who are more capable to fill the needs. I want to act, not based on my own skills (which in most categories are sorely lacking), but instead based on a reliance on God for the strength and know-how needed.

I fully realize these are pretty vague--the traditional pie-in-the-sky type of resolution that doesn't make it past January 12th. I hope to expand on each of these goals with specifics in the future. For now, they work for me as a placeholder and reminder of the direction in which I believe God is leading me this year.

sushi: for the love of love

I hate most fish and seafood. Long John Silver's is one of my only exceptions, but I think the malt vinegar is its saving grace for me.

My friend loves sushi. Yes, food made with all manner of fish and seafood and fish eggs and seaweed. *harf*

I hate fish and seafood, but I love my friend so some other friends and I took her out to her favorite sushi spot for dinner last night. I thought I would be brave and essentially go against the good instincts God gave me--I actually volunteered to eat sushi. As my meal. My entire meal.

I wish I could say it was a brilliant success, that I loved it and where had sushi been all my life. It was not like that, not a bit. Normally I eat with gusto, but I had to concentrate on the basic operations. Chew. Chew more. Don't breathe. Swallow. Repeat. Repeat?

I survived, yes I did. I will probably never eat sushi again. But it made for a wonderful, definitely unforgettable experience. I love that my friend got to enjoy some of her favorite food with her crazy girlfriends. I love that we moved to Perkins for dessert, where we laughed til we cried over the weirdest inside jokes, including what we would name our imaginary private homeschool academy (don't ask!). I love that we decided that trying new things is well worth the risk. I love love, way more than I hate seafood for sure.

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.~1 John 3:18

A couple of us have never had Brazilian food, so that's our next adventure. I can handle that. But I might bring along some malt vinegar, just in case.

we interrupt this bubble bath...

Okay, I'm supposed to be taking a nice, relaxing bubble bath right about now. I sure could use it after the craziness around here lately. We just moved, which is a complete blessing, but it has worn me out--physically, mentally, and at times spiritually. So, my plan is  to continue working on our house slowly but surely and maybe even one day have a few minutes to beautify this blog. Most importantly, though, I'll be seeking peace and joy from the Lord during the days leading up to the celebration of His birth.