Sassy! The pic below says it all. The gleam in one eye. The wink in the other. You can almost feel Jodie’s contagious joy! Jodie and I met a couple of years ago at a conference. (I used to think those conferences were so darn expensive…until I met priceless people like Jodie.)
Now and then we get to chat on the phone but most of our conversations are online. I hope someday you’ll get to hear her (her southern accent is pure candy)!
In the meantime, you and I will be blessed with her monthly contribution to DoAhead Dining. Her recipe today is perfect for those cold winter nights but before we turn it over to Jodie I’ll save you from having to “meet” her on the contributors page. Peruse the bio below and prepare to be blessed. Friends meet my friend——–Jodie Barrett!
Jodie is a wife, mother of two teens, speaker, teacher and blogger! Her passion is teaching women the Word of God in order to motivate, encourage and strengthen their faith walk. She looks for joy in everyday things like laundry, waiting in line and cooking. She consider each an opportunity to share God’s love with others!
Often you can find Jodie with her ministry partner Donna, teaching a Faithfully Fit exercise class, leading a Faithfully Following bible study or steering a conference. To read more visit Jodie at www.faithfully-following.com.
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Oh goodness! Oh my! Let’s kick up our feet and rest a little. The rush of the Holiday season is over! Hopefully we can all breathe and sit back and get ready for quiet, cold January nights.
Where I’m from its comfort food season! Temperatures start to drop and we put on large pots of soup and make hot batches of cornbread to share!
We look out the window and wish for a snow day and even before a flake falls we rush to the store to stock up on goodies. Fear of running out of milk and bread makes my whole town dash to the store and wipe the shelves clean of every loaf and carton. Truthfully, I’d rather be a happy girl with a well-stocked pantry and freezer so I can make do and forgo the crowd and insanity of everyone standing in line with carts overflowing! How ‘bout you?
All one really needs is a hot pot of bubbling soup, a couch, a blanket and a great view of the window to watch the snow fall. (Maybe a good book too!) And we can have that with a little DoAhead shopping. Come on! If the sun is shining let’s get moving and be prepared.
Join me in stocking up for the perfect snow day!
Here’s your DoAhead shopping list:
1 whole small chicken (4-5lbs)
1 16 oz package frozen baby lima beans (butter beans if you’re from the south!)
1 16 oz package frozen corn
1 5lb bag of russet potatoes
1 16oz Can diced tomatoes
1 16 oz Can pureed tomatoes
1 16oz can/box or chicken stock
1 large yellow onion
Saltine crackers (a must for soup dunking)
Hot cider packets, Hot chocolate packets (not for your soup but to warm you up while you wait)
Popcorn, marshmallows (because cold days call for popcorn and cocoa with marshmallows)
Most of your soup ingredients are safe to wait in the freezer until you need them and your potatoes and onions will last a good long time if you keep them in a cool, dark area. You can even get those onions ready ahead of time by sauteing them in a little olive oil until tender and then storing them in the freezer. Of course those canned tomatoes will sit cozy in the pantry!
If you want to be a true DoAhead woman cook your chicken by covering it in water bringing to a boil and turning down heat to poach the chicken for 20-25 mins. Cool and then remove all the cooked chicken from the bone and shred/chop into bite sized pieces and freeze for when the snow starts to fall! (if boiling a chicken scares you substitute a rotisserie chicken that you have removed from the bones and chopped and saved in the freezer)
Once the snow comes, or even before, when the air smells just right and the clouds are hanging low and you just feel it in your bones…break out the soup pot and get ready! You have everything you need to feed the troops and avoid the grocery store lines. Really, who is eating bread and milk pudding these days?
Grandma’s Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Chop one onion and sauté over medium-high in the bottom of your soup pot in 2 Tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
When onions are soft and translucent pour in broth and both cans of tomatoes; season with salt and pepper and bring back up to a boil; when boiling add in butter beans, corn and chicken. Turn heat down to a simmer; simmer until butter beans are soft about 45 mins-1 hour.
While you wait peel and dice 5-6 potatoes and place in bowl and cover with water to add in after the butter beans are tender; add potatoes without the water and cook for another 20-25 mins until potatoes are tender.
This is a sharing pot of soup! So be a true DoAhead and have containers on hand to store and share with friends! It also freezes well so on the next cold night you can just pull it out and warm it up! That has me singing…
Happy days are here again!
Your DoAhead Friend Jodie,
Oh so good to be here Cindy! And guess what!? We are forecasted for snow in T-minus 4 days!!! EEEEEK!!!! I’m head to get me a chicken! I think everything is already waiting at the house for me in true DoAhead style!
Now to get the blanket and book ready! Oh yeah, bring it on…momma needs a snow day 🙂
Snow Days…goooood days (especially when slurping from a mug of hot soup!)
Mmmmm. There is nothing like a hot bowl of homemade soup. Healing to the body and soul. I love Jodie’s voice…I tried to read her words with a sassy southern drawl. 😉
Y’all tickle me! I never notice my accent until I play myself back on a video clip. 🙂 It’s southern!
I love soup with my sweet friend Jodie. She forgot to include what a great hostess she is too. She also warms the heart of her friends but her hospitality. It wouldn’t matter of she was serving PB&J, she would make it taste and look fabulous. <3 her and this soup 🙂
You have great soup too Lena! Reminds me that I need that recipe! And we are seriously having PB&J next time we are together…I’ve been dreaming of ideas.
Jodie is the best cook! Bought my chicken so I can make some of Grandma’s soup! Love cold weather, a nice bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich! No one makes family and friends feel more welcome than Jodie!
Yeah! I have my chicken too! Colder weather is coming and I am ready!
Thanks Debbie! You are precious! And grilled cheese is at the top of my list for pairing with grandma’s soup. My granny would want extra cheese and so would I! 🙂
I have awesome memories of snow days with the kids at my sister’s house. Soup and hot chocolate always warmed us up after playing in the snow. These are memories I will treasure forever. Love you Sis 🙂
I agree! Those are the BEST memories! For my sis and I it was fort building in the snow. So fun!
Love you too sis! Remember the snow-woman with the sea shell bathing suit! Granny had to be smiling about that one! I’m ready to host another snow day!
I have awesome memories of snow days with the kids at my sister’s house. Soup and hot chocolate always warmed us up after playing in the snow. These are memories I will treasure forever. Love you sis!