"I Don't Know Which Way to Run"

On Monday evening after a long day of work, an hour long class at the gym lifting weights, rushing to aftercare to grab the girls before they shut the doors at 6pm, a quick trip to Fred-eat-my-paycheck-Meyer to grab something (mini shells and alfredo sauce) to whip up for dinner...the girls and I arrived home at approximately 6:20 pm. I am loading the groceries out of the car up the stairs and I notice that UPS has dropped off a package the girls should not see on the porch. I drape the box with my jacket and top it with a box of clementines Mary is oblivious while I shout at Brigid to hurry in and let the dogs out because they have had the luxury of having us home the previous week and they are not used to holding it all day anymore. She obliges and I hide the contraband in the car while bringing in the next load of bags. Another disaster narrowly averted. I throw a pot of water on to boil for the pasta and try to think of what healthy meal Marty and I would eat - leftover turkey sandwiches - again? I begin to wash the jars I have, to ready them for this weeks soup. The pasta is done and the girls have dinner. Marty comes home and brings the dogs inside to dry off while I put the finishing touches on our open faced turkey sandwiches with melted cheese and left over gravy. While we are eating Mary reads us her story for the night about germs. Germs are everywhere and they make us sick the story tells us. They are in our food and on our hands and in our sneezes and coughs...she writes her review of the story which reads "My mom had an infection once." and moves onto do her math homework while I gather the dishes and load them into the dishwasher with the soup jars. The clock says it is 7:40. I begin to debone the chicken reserving the meat for soup and other uses and set up two huge cauldrons to boil water into rich chicken stock adding only a bit of fresh sage and thyme left over from the Thanksgiving Herb pack. The stock is beginning it's slow climb to a boil and Marty makes me a Margarita while I start to reign in the mess. Meanwhile in the background Mary is plunking on the keyboard and singing at the TOP of her lungs...PLUNK "Doe, a deer, a female deer, PLUNK "Ray, a drop of golden sun!", PLUNK "Me, a name I call myself", PLUNK "Fa, I don't know which way to run."...

Cascade Chicken Noodle Soup...from "Simply Classic" Seattle Jr. League Cookbook
2 TBLS Veg. Oil
1 Cup Onion, chopped
3 med cloves garlic, minced
10 cups chicken stock
1 TBLS dry thyme
1/4 tsp dry dill
1/4 tsp pepper
5 sprigs fresh parsley
2 carrots, sliced
6 oz wide egg noodles
1 lb cooked chicken cubed
2 TBLS corn starch
2 cup unflavored yogurt
1/4 cup green onion chopped for garnish

Heat oil in large heavy pot, ass onion and cook over meduim heat until onion is soft. Add garlic and cook a couple of minutes more. Stir in the chicken stock, thyme, dill, pepper,, parsley, and carrots. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove and discard parsley. Add noodles to stock. Simmer uncovered, over med. heat until noodles are soft. Add chicken and cover pot to keep soup hot. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into yogurt then combine with 1 cup of hot broth. Return the mixture to the pot and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with green onion.