See What Happens When 18-24 Inches of Snow is Predicted?

I haven't had to get up at 5:30 to get to school by 7:00 for two years or more importantly check the local stations for school closings due to snow, but this morning I was awake by 4:00 after waking every two hours to see if it was snowing.  Imagine -- still excited about snow after all these years.

My daughter went to Trader Joe's last night with a short list of things and was met by absolute bedlam and mostly empty shelves.  So since I was already awake, I decided to wait until the sun came up and try to get at the grocery store what she couldn't purchase last night.  With snow predicted to start sometime in the afternoon, and schools all opening on time (with announced early closings), I thought I just might be able to breeze in and out.  Armed with a short list, I headed to the store at 7:30 but met an almost full parking lot.

Although not really chaotic (yet), the store was busy; the lines at checkout, long.  I was able to get almost everything on my list with the exception of milk, Eggbeaters, and Greek yogurt (is this bizarre or what?).  I would have settled on regular, plain yogurt, but there wasn't a drop to be had. Also, I noticed there was no beef, nary a chicken wing, not a potato chip or a tortilla chip in the store, no white bread, and almost no frozen chopped spinach.  People had also pretty much decimated fresh vegetables.  What this says about America's eating habits, I'm not sure, but evidently hordes are having Super Bowl parties with interesting menus. The wings, beef, and chips I understand -- but plain yogurt and frozen spinach???

At 10:00 as I sat down to a breakfast of leftover Italian wedding soup (don't scoff until you've tried it), the snow predicted to start this afternoon, began to lightly fall.  My husband had already filled the bird feeder (we're down to one -- the squirrels ate our 'squirrel proof' feeder) and the suet cages, and brought in enough wood to keep us toasty for the next few days. And now, at 11:34 a.m., I feel a nap coming on...

Soup's On!!

It's cold, raw, and raining. Perfect weather for a fire and a cup of soup and slice of homemade bread. This soup is one I made for my kids every Halloween before they went out to trick or treat. It's a tasty, healthy, comforting soup. Many know this as Italian Wedding Soup. To me it will always be Mom Mom soup as my maternal grandmother made it for us frequently.

Mom Mom Soup

1       lb ground round or mixture of beef, veal, and pork
2       beaten eggs
¼      c Parmesan cheese
¼      c Italian breadcrumbs
1        tbs dried basil
1        tsp salt

Mix ingredients together. Roll into very small meatballs (smaller than 1”). Place on baking sheet or microwave safe plate. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 or microwave for about 4 minutes on paper towels.  Set aside.

3-4     quarts chicken stock
4-5     carrots, peeled and sliced into 1” slices
3        stalks of celery, chopped
1        10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach or escarole
1        onion,  chopped

Boil one half package of acini di pepe - a pastine-like, small pasta. Drain and set aside.

In a large stock pot sauté onion until transparent. Add chicken stock, carrots, celery, and spinach or escarole. Cook for 20 minutes. Add meatballs. Simmer for an hour. Add acini di pepe. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese.