Soup's On! (Again)

In the winter I love soup for lunch and dinner. And amazingly, my boys have decided they like my soup this year. And my hubby loves it, too. It is so nice to find a dinner that everyone appreciates, and they tell me!

When I make soup, it never tastes the same twice because I always play around with the quantity of the ingredients. I like the freedom to throw in more or less of whatever I have on hand.

So here is an approximation of what I do to make Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 lb chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 onion, chopped
Splash of olive oil
5 thick carrots, chopped (or 10 skinny ones)
3 celery stalks, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry egg noodles

Saute onion in olive oil until browned. Add carrots, celery, chicken broth, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add chicken and dry noodles. Boil 14 minutes or until noodles are cooked.

It makes enough for my family of 5 to have dinner, and I get at least 2 lunches out of it.

So, go ahead and play with the ingredients and make as much or as little as you like! Enjoy!

Robyn Carr's Virgin River Series

You must read this series of books if you like strong women, stronger men and a small community that pulls together to help those that need it most.

Robyn Carr has an incredible ability to create characters with depth and warmth and humor. I lose myself in her books every time.

Here is the current list of books in print in the series. And she has plans to add more!!!
March 2010 - Moonlight Road
February 2010 - Angel's Peak
January 2010 - Forbidden Falls
Book 8 - "Under the Christmas Tree" (novella)
Book 7 - Paradise Valley
Book 6 - Temptation Ridge
Book 5 - Second Chance Pass
Book 4 - A Virgin River Christmas
Book 3 - Whispering Rock
Book 2 - Shelter Mountain
Book 1 - Virgin River

Winter NaNo Challenge Update

I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. Yes, I can!

This Winter NaNo Challenge has been a great way to keep me writing regularly. There have been a few days that I added 0 words to my total, but I knew I could make them up the next day or the next. It's kept me writing and moving forward in my story when I probably would have let it slide for a week or more without adding anything.

What I've learned about my writing through this challenge is amazing. I write much better detail and characterization and really take my time in each scene by writing without an outline. I'm not rushing to get from point A to point B to point C, because I have no idea where those points are! I don't know what my characters will do next, so I am taking my time with exploring what they are doing right now.