Chronicle of Furbabies, Part III

Part 3!

Before I started this blog, I had the "Chroincle of Furbabies" in my other google-based blog.  I've since moved them to this one!  It's been six months since I've done one, and many cats have come and go during that time!  I can't journal about all of them, but I've certainly got quite a few to catch up on.  Some may be from quite a few months back, so I may not have quite as many details left in my brain.

At any rate, here we go....



Anika - such a pretty little girl, always so calm and quiet.  She was as little and dainty as she was white, as super sweet.

Anika

Arnold - I wish I had a better photo!  It cracked me up that his little face looked like a cartoon character, shaped so comically with his puffy chipmunk cheeks!  He drove Anita crazy with his crazy crate antics, deliberately making a mess and tossing his dry food everywhere.

His most memorable stunt, though, was the morning that we walked in to find his cage door sitting ajar.  We panicked, unable to find him, cursing whoever had left it open.  Someone found him safe and sound that night, and put him up.  The next day, while we were working, Arnold was minding his own business in his cage one minute.  The next minute, I turn around, and he's on the floor, wandering around!!!!  He had very quickly discovered how to open the door of his particular type of cage!  Meaning, no one had left it open; he had opened it himself all along!

Everything was fine after we moved him to a cage with a different type of latch (except for his food flinging fits).  Other than his magic tricks, Arnold was a big, sweet fellow who loved to talk to you!

Arnold

Beaumont - I'm going to need a whole separate post for Beau.  No, seriously.  I've got at least 10 pictures and a whole lot of love for this guy.

(It's ready!  Click here!)

Belle - quiet, timid, and shy.  A pretty girl who never really came out of her shell during her time with me at the shelter.

Belle

Bodie & Bongo - I don't tend to add too many kittens into my "chronicles."  Most of the time, we get them by the litter, and I never learn their names.  They are the first to get fostered and the first to get adopted.  They're the cutest, but the messiest, and the most rambunctious.  Occassionally, though, I'll find a few that strike a chord with me.  These two little grey boys were playful, but not mean with each other, and still sweeties when you handled them.  Plus, they were that gorgeous solid grey that I am so drawn to for some reason.  Loved these little guys.

Bodie & Bongo

Bodie & Bongo

Cicely - this girl was a mystery to me.  We had her at the shelter for a bit, then she went up to Petsmart to stay (this is a good thing - you get adopted from Petsmart).  They sent her back after a few weeks because she got a bit sick (it's policy).  We took her back in, her crud cleared up, and from there on out she was in a crabby mood 24/7!  She was never the sweetest cat, but she turned a corner after returning from Petsmart.

Cicely startled easily and hated other cats, hissing at them if they were too close.  I could pet her if she could see it coming, but I'm not sure that other shelter workers were able to.  She would sporadically hide and ambush your leg if the mood struck her.  She wasn't scary or mean, just a bit quirky.  Just a few weeks ago they homed her with a farmer as a barn cat.

Cicely

Dawn - Dawn was kind of a plain cat, with no extraordinary markings or features.  We had her twice at the shelter, as she was adopted and returned for a reason unbeknownst to me.  She got quite chubby between stays at the shelter.  Despite being plain and chubby, I loved Dawn.  She was super mellow, with a kind face and a sweet disposition.  

Dawn

Dee - calico and petite, Dee absolutely loved people.  She loved attention and loved to be pet.  By the same extreme, Dee hated other cats.  She would hiss and swipe - we had to drape a blanket on the side of her crate so that she wouldn't even see another cat.  I guess you could say she was a cat with passion.

Dee

Dooley - he was a tuxedo cat and suitably a perfect gentleman.  Sweet and affectionate, Dooley was nice and gentle, but so timid.  He was such a cutie, but shied away from other kitties and any commotion.  An all around good boy, though.

Dooley's sweet face

Dooley's shy side

Jake & Elwood - named after the Blues Brothers, these two brothers were little spitfires!  Two handfuls of adorable, and a little tumbleweed of fur when they wrestled in their crate.  Super full of life and endlessly entertaining.

Jake & Elwood

Jango - this large orange tabby stole my heart.  He couldn't wait to get out and wander around, but I had to help him down first - all 15+ pounds of him.  He was a big sweetheart with a healthy appetite and the skinniest tail you've ever seen.

Jango

Jango

Jango

Kindle - I could have taken this beauty home.  Petite and long-haired, she had spunk and affection to spare!  Besides being gorgeous and loving attention, I have a fond memory of a uniquely gross experience with Kindle.  I was cleaning her crate (with her in it), and she found that to be a fine opportunity to rub on my face with her face.  Sweet, right?  Usually.  When she nuzzled my cheek, right next to the corner of my mouth, she did what cats do, and drew a line from her nose to her cheek.  Impressively, she managed to get her saliva into the corner of my lips.  I tried to brush it off, but some inevitably went in my mouth rather than away from it.  Yup, I ate kitty spit.

Regardless of our gross encounter, I absolutely adored this precious girl.  Just look at that face!!

Kindle

Leah - another sweet girl.  She was part of a pair, but I play favorites. She wasn't at the shelter for long, and it was over 8 months ago, so unfortunately I can't remember much.  Reinforces my reason for keeping up with these.  I know that I loved her, though.

Leah

Lincoln - we first had this tomcat in spring or early summer, and he was the type that was frisky and unpredictable (yes, it's definitely a type).  He was quirky, a little bit of a spaz, and would randomly become overstimulated and decide he'd had enough of you messing around with his space.  That's not to say he was mean.  He just seemed amped up and quirky.  He eventually went to Petsmart and got adopted, leaving me kind of relieved.

But if that were the story, he wouldn't end up in the chronicle.  Lincoln showed up again around August.  A couple had adopted both him and Sailor, and returned Lincoln claiming allergies were to blame (yet they kept Sailor....).  I felt bad for the guy, but was hesitant to encounter his spazzy antics again.  To my surprise, Lincoln was like a completely different cat.  He was sad, at first, to be back at the shelter, but SUPER affectionate!  He was calm and friendly!  I was shocked.

His spirits lifted as he got over his flaky adopters, and we became buds.  My favorite thing about him is that he would come out and never wander far.  As I would clean his crate, he would hang out right next to me and just chill.  He loved affection, now, and would get so into head rubs that he would collapse into a big white heap on the floor as he leaned into the petting.  His second shelter stay was much shorter; he was adopted on 8-26-15.  I'll miss my little butterfly.

Lincoln

Lincoln, with his second adopters, who are doing a terrible job of holding him.....

Professor - sometimes the name just fits.  Serious, confident and handsome, Professor wasn't at the shelter for very long, but he was pretty charismatic.  He was just a good, sweet cat.  He was adopted 4-15-15.

Professor

Professor and his new family

 Rachel - this pretty calico/tortie girl with the half-and-half face was kept around for a while at the shelter due to speculation on whether she was pregnant.  As it turned out, Rachel was just kind of small, yet beach-ball shaped.  But she never whined, even when I called her affectionate names like Chubster.  She was incredibly well-behaved and laid-back, especially for a female cat.  Her interesting markings definitely made her unique.

Rachel

Rachel with her new mama

Sailor - I know I mentioned him when I wrote about Lincoln, so here he is!  Lincoln's first shelter stint was a bit longer than Sailor's short time in the shelter.  I don't have a picture to do him justice, but Sailor was little for a tomcat, with a tail that was as big around as his torso!  He was as friendly as he was cute, and, fortunately, got to stay with his "allergic" adopters.

Sailor, being distracted

Sailor being manhandled by fans (these aren't his adopters, just some visitors on adoption day)

Blog-keeping

Doing some light housekeeping today, blog style.

1. Made myself some pretty new header graphics!  Oooooh, ahhhh!
2. Completely revamped my three public blogs!  Virtual face lifts all around!
3. Made the sidebars mostly pretty uniform.  The links may be called different things, but they all go to the same place.
4. Moving the posts out of Psychlone Bean that don't belong there, and rehoming them in Geeky Gringa.  My beloved "Chronicle of Furbabies" series will live here now!

My third blog is a baby blog.  No, I don't got no babies, but I am trying to make one!  Thing is, I'm not ready to go legit public with it yet.  It's all purty and ready to go, and I've been posting in it, but she won't be fit for public consumption for quite some time.  STAY TUNED!  :-)

Travel Journal: DESTINATIONS

My overarching theme for this blog is supposed to include subjects that I'm "geeky" for.  A seemingly endless category, there are many things that I geek over, from a good soup recipe to the sexy Ian Somerhalder.

But one of my long-standing passions is travel.

Before memories could even take hold in my little baby brain, my parents were taking me too different Floridian beaches, the country-western tourism of Branson, Missouri, and flying me on a plane all by myself to see my grandparents in Indiana.  For some of my trips, I had the good sense to write journals or memoirs of some sorts.  For others, all I have are leftover memories stuck in my brain and some pictures.

I want to shelf some of my better chronicled adventures here.  Before I do so... a walk down "Memory Lane," wanderlust style!

U.S. Travel Destinations:

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

• Wyoming - In 2011, my husband and I drove out to Grand Teton National Park around my birthday.  We camped in the park, explored the beautiful mountains, lakes, streams, and hiked to an amazing waterfall.  We drove out to Yellowstone and saw all of those gorgeous sights, as well.  It was seriously gorgeous and the weather was equally excellent (especially for August).

• Key West - When our cruise ship only gave us several hours here during our honeymoon, it was a teaser.  We managed to find a killer bloody mary, some high-grade steampunk gear, and a shop that instantly became one of my favorites, but that was about it.  I came back to Key West with my mother and a family friend a year and a half later.  It's fun, but small.  The beaches aren't so great.  Apparently it has become much more touristy over the decades.

• Vegas - I've visited Last Vegas twice: once as a teenager, and again for my 21st birthday.  My advice?  Wait until you're 21, and take lots of money.  Otherwise, it's no fun.  Honestly, the best part (in my opinion) is the shows.  Blue Man, Cirque, we even went to a free taping of Last Comic Standing.

• Hoover Dam - That first trip to Vegas, we also drove down to Hoover Dam.  We stood at the side of a road and looked down the huge dam wall... it was terrifying.  The story is depressing.  I was not thrilled.

• Colorado - I've stopped over in Denver several times, I've been to Estes Park as part of a youth group excursion, and when I was 16 I went on a road trip through Colorado to visit Alamosa State.  I've always loved the mountains - they're so much more beautiful than any beach or cityscape.  Denver didn't really do much for me, but Boulder, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, and the places that offer the better scenery are gorgeous.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, as seen from our cruise ship

• Alaskan cruise - So awesome.  This is one of my favorites.  In July of 2007, we departed from Vancouver and cruised up the western coast of Canada, docking at different ports all along the little tail of Alaska that trickles down the south of the state.  We saw icebergs and forests and mountains and moose - it was gorgeous, all of it.  At the end of the cruise, we went inland to Anchorage and Juneau, rode a train with an opaque roof, and I went white water rafting for the first time in Denali! 

• Florida - I've been all over this state.  I think my mother fell in love with Florida at some point during my childhood.  Beaches and condos litter my memories.  Clearwater, Destin, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers... they're all kind of muddled together in my mind, but I know I've been to all of them and more.  I've visited Jacksonville and St Augustine several times, visiting my aunt and cousins.  Then my parents honed in on Marco Island and Naples quite a few years back, eventually moving there, so I've come to know that area quite well.  

• Orlando - There is a reason that this is separate from Florida.  Orlando isn't like the rest of Florida.  In fact, it might as well just secede and be a weird little district, like D.C.  I went to Disney for the first time when I was really little, maybe 5 or 6, and then again when I was 11 or so.  There are pictures, and I remember loving it.  More recently, though, we took a family trip to Universal and Epcot.  Universal was pretty boss - like a pumped up Six Flags.  Epcot was like a cruel joke from the 1970's.

NOLA, Bourbon St

• Philly - I'm normally not big on urban scenes, and stray from metropolitan activities.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, however, has to be one of my favorite U.S. cities.  We drove to Philly in May of 2013 primarily to go to the comic con (which was satisfyingly awesome).  Turns out, we also loved the city!  Reading Market, the National Museum of American History and the Museum of Art were my favorites.  The food was pretty great, too.

• D.C. - What a let down.  We drove on to D.C. after Philly.  I don't even have any pictures from it.  We saw the White House from really far away.  Woo.

• New Orleans - my brother-in-law and his wife live in Nola, so I've been here a couple of times.  Love love LOVE the food, hate the weather.  DuMonde's is more hype than thrill, but there's lots to see and do - we didn't even hit Bourbon St the first time I went!

International Travel Destinations:

• The Bahamas - 2012 - For our honeymoon, we decided to save some cash and take a Bahamian cruise.  My experience is a bit jaded, as we were robbed of one of the islands on our itinerary due to the waters being "too choppy" to charter in.  Nassau was just depressing.  My recollection of Key West is above in the U.S. section. If there was another stop, I don't remember it.  All I can say is I don't recommend Nassau. 

  

  An amazing garden in Shanghai

• Eastern China - 2012 - WOW!  Amazing.  Seriously.  We used a tour company and saw so much!  Terra cotta warriors, the Great Wall, pandas, acrobats, gardens like you wouldn't believe, rickshaw rides... It was incredible.  Luckily, I do have journals for this one.  ;-)

• Costa Rica - 2008, 2009 - My first trip to CR was through a study abroad program with my university.  IT was a "why not" kind of thing that would look good on a resume.  I spent a month and a half in San Jose living with a host family, attending class at Universidad Veritas, and going on orchestrated excursions on the weekends.  My second trip, I had dreams of being a carefree vagabond and exploring the wonders of the beautiful country with my bestie.  She "got sick" halfway through our trip, so we changed our flights and came home early (many years and many happenings later, we are not "besties" anymore).

• Cancun, Mexico - 199? , 199? - When I was about 5 years old, and again when I was about 10, I went on big family trips with my parents and family friends to Cancun.  We stayed in resorts, did a lot of shopping, and hit the beaches/pools.  That's about it.

Aerial of London that I took from the Eye

• London, England - 2014 - This was a mother/daughter trip.  We rode the London Eye, rode around on the "hop-on/hop-off" double-decker red buses to sight-see, window shopped at Herrod's, hit the museums, ate fish & chips, etc. I even turned myself into a spectacular human battering ram (with my mother holding onto my jacket) at Buckingham Palace to get us right up next to the gate.  If my mama wants to see the changing of the guard, then, gosh darnit, she's gonna see it!  It was fun, and my first UK experience, but not altogether my speed.

• Ireland - 2015 - Dublin wasn't my proverbial cup of tea.  Very urban.  The attractions aren't clustered nicely, either, so without a cab or a rental car, it's not a very tourist friendly layout.  Food was good.  Weather was nice.  But...  And then we took a day trip to Northern Ireland.  Gorgeous!  Every moment was worthy of a picture.  Rolling hills, pastureland, coastline, grazing sheep, Giant's Causeway (! ), and castles galore... Now that's what I'm talking about!

• Edinburgh, Scotland - 2015 - Loved it.  This place is hilly like you've never experienced, and your thighs will buuuuurn.... but the food, the shops, the architecture, Edinburgh castle, the churches, cathedrals, museums, cemeteries... I loved every moment of it.



A picture my husband took of Edinburgh from the top of the Scot Monument



**All pictures taken by me or my husband.  If you want to steal random landscapes and pretties, that's what Google is for.**

Travel Journal: DESTINATIONS

My overarching theme for this blog is supposed to include subjects that I'm "geeky" for.  A seemingly endless category, there are many things that I geek over, from a good soup recipe to the sexy Ian Somerhalder.

But one of my long-standing passions is travel.

Before memories could even take hold in my little baby brain, my parents were taking me too different Floridian beaches, the country-western tourism of Branson, Missouri, and flying me on a plane all by myself to see my grandparents in Indiana.  For some of my trips, I had the good sense to write journals or memoirs of some sorts.  For others, all I have are leftover memories stuck in my brain and some pictures.

I want to shelf some of my better chronicled adventures here.  Before I do so... a walk down "Memory Lane," wanderlust style!

U.S. Travel Destinations:

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

• Wyoming - In 2011, my husband and I drove out to Grand Teton National Park around my birthday.  We camped in the park, explored the beautiful mountains, lakes, streams, and hiked to an amazing waterfall.  We drove out to Yellowstone and saw all of those gorgeous sights, as well.  It was seriously gorgeous and the weather was equally excellent (especially for August).

• Key West - When our cruise ship only gave us several hours here during our honeymoon, it was a teaser.  We managed to find a killer bloody mary, some high-grade steampunk gear, and a shop that instantly became one of my favorites, but that was about it.  I came back to Key West with my mother and a family friend a year and a half later.  It's fun, but small.  The beaches aren't so great.  Apparently it has become much more touristy over the decades.

• Vegas - I've visited Last Vegas twice: once as a teenager, and again for my 21st birthday.  My advice?  Wait until you're 21, and take lots of money.  Otherwise, it's no fun.  Honestly, the best part (in my opinion) is the shows.  Blue Man, Cirque, we even went to a free taping of Last Comic Standing.

• Hoover Dam - That first trip to Vegas, we also drove down to Hoover Dam.  We stood at the side of a road and looked down the huge dam wall... it was terrifying.  The story is depressing.  I was not thrilled.

• Colorado - I've stopped over in Denver several times, I've been to Estes Park as part of a youth group excursion, and when I was 16 I went on a road trip through Colorado to visit Alamosa State.  I've always loved the mountains - they're so much more beautiful than any beach or cityscape.  Denver didn't really do much for me, but Boulder, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, and the places that offer the better scenery are gorgeous.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, as seen from our cruise ship

• Alaskan cruise - So awesome.  This is one of my favorites.  In July of 2007, we departed from Vancouver and cruised up the western coast of Canada, docking at different ports all along the little tail of Alaska that trickles down the south of the state.  We saw icebergs and forests and mountains and moose - it was gorgeous, all of it.  At the end of the cruise, we went inland to Anchorage and Juneau, rode a train with an opaque roof, and I went white water rafting for the first time in Denali! 

• Florida - I've been all over this state.  I think my mother fell in love with Florida at some point during my childhood.  Beaches and condos litter my memories.  Clearwater, Destin, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers... they're all kind of muddled together in my mind, but I know I've been to all of them and more.  I've visited Jacksonville and St Augustine several times, visiting my aunt and cousins.  Then my parents honed in on Marco Island and Naples quite a few years back, eventually moving there, so I've come to know that area quite well.  

• Orlando - There is a reason that this is separate from Florida.  Orlando isn't like the rest of Florida.  In fact, it might as well just secede and be a weird little district, like D.C.  I went to Disney for the first time when I was really little, maybe 5 or 6, and then again when I was 11 or so.  There are pictures, and I remember loving it.  More recently, though, we took a family trip to Universal and Epcot.  Universal was pretty boss - like a pumped up Six Flags.  Epcot was like a cruel joke from the 1970's.

NOLA, Bourbon St

• Philly - I'm normally not big on urban scenes, and stray from metropolitan activities.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, however, has to be one of my favorite U.S. cities.  We drove to Philly in May of 2013 primarily to go to the comic con (which was satisfyingly awesome).  Turns out, we also loved the city!  Reading Market, the National Museum of American History and the Museum of Art were my favorites.  The food was pretty great, too.

• D.C. - What a let down.  We drove on to D.C. after Philly.  I don't even have any pictures from it.  We saw the White House from really far away.  Woo.

• New Orleans - my brother-in-law and his wife live in Nola, so I've been here a couple of times.  Love love LOVE the food, hate the weather.  DuMonde's is more hype than thrill, but there's lots to see and do - we didn't even hit Bourbon St the first time I went!

International Travel Destinations:

• The Bahamas - 2012 - For our honeymoon, we decided to save some cash and take a Bahamian cruise.  My experience is a bit jaded, as we were robbed of one of the islands on our itinerary due to the waters being "too choppy" to charter in.  Nassau was just depressing.  My recollection of Key West is above in the U.S. section. If there was another stop, I don't remember it.  All I can say is I don't recommend Nassau. 

  

  An amazing garden in Shanghai

• Eastern China - 2012 - WOW!  Amazing.  Seriously.  We used a tour company and saw so much!  Terra cotta warriors, the Great Wall, pandas, acrobats, gardens like you wouldn't believe, rickshaw rides... It was incredible.  Luckily, I do have journals for this one.  ;-)

• Costa Rica - 2008, 2009 - My first trip to CR was through a study abroad program with my university.  IT was a "why not" kind of thing that would look good on a resume.  I spent a month and a half in San Jose living with a host family, attending class at Universidad Veritas, and going on orchestrated excursions on the weekends.  My second trip, I had dreams of being a carefree vagabond and exploring the wonders of the beautiful country with my bestie.  She "got sick" halfway through our trip, so we changed our flights and came home early (many years and many happenings later, we are not "besties" anymore).

• Cancun, Mexico - 199? , 199? - When I was about 5 years old, and again when I was about 10, I went on big family trips with my parents and family friends to Cancun.  We stayed in resorts, did a lot of shopping, and hit the beaches/pools.  That's about it.

Aerial of London that I took from the Eye

• London, England - 2014 - This was a mother/daughter trip.  We rode the London Eye, rode around on the "hop-on/hop-off" double-decker red buses to sight-see, window shopped at Herrod's, hit the museums, ate fish & chips, etc. I even turned myself into a spectacular human battering ram (with my mother holding onto my jacket) at Buckingham Palace to get us right up next to the gate.  If my mama wants to see the changing of the guard, then, gosh darnit, she's gonna see it!  It was fun, and my first UK experience, but not altogether my speed.

• Ireland - 2015 - Dublin wasn't my proverbial cup of tea.  Very urban.  The attractions aren't clustered nicely, either, so without a cab or a rental car, it's not a very tourist friendly layout.  Food was good.  Weather was nice.  But...  And then we took a day trip to Northern Ireland.  Gorgeous!  Every moment was worthy of a picture.  Rolling hills, pastureland, coastline, grazing sheep, Giant's Causeway (! ), and castles galore... Now that's what I'm talking about!

• Edinburgh, Scotland - 2015 - Loved it.  This place is hilly like you've never experienced, and your thighs will buuuuurn.... but the food, the shops, the architecture, Edinburgh castle, the churches, cathedrals, museums, cemeteries... I loved every moment of it.



A picture my husband took of Edinburgh from the top of the Scot Monument



**All pictures taken by me or my husband.  If you want to steal random landscapes and pretties, that's what Google is for.**

Travel Journal: DESTINATIONS

My overarching theme for this blog is supposed to include subjects that I'm "geeky" for.  A seemingly endless category, there are many things that I geek over, from a good soup recipe to the sexy Ian Somerhalder.

But one of my long-standing passions is travel.

Before memories could even take hold in my little baby brain, my parents were taking me too different Floridian beaches, the country-western tourism of Branson, Missouri, and flying me on a plane all by myself to see my grandparents in Indiana.  For some of my trips, I had the good sense to write journals or memoirs of some sorts.  For others, all I have are leftover memories stuck in my brain and some pictures.

I want to shelf some of my better chronicled adventures here.  Before I do so... a walk down "Memory Lane," wanderlust style!

U.S. Travel Destinations:

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

• Wyoming - In 2011, my husband and I drove out to Grand Teton National Park around my birthday.  We camped in the park, explored the beautiful mountains, lakes, streams, and hiked to an amazing waterfall.  We drove out to Yellowstone and saw all of those gorgeous sights, as well.  It was seriously gorgeous and the weather was equally excellent (especially for August).

• Key West - When our cruise ship only gave us several hours here during our honeymoon, it was a teaser.  We managed to find a killer bloody mary, some high-grade steampunk gear, and a shop that instantly became one of my favorites, but that was about it.  I came back to Key West with my mother and a family friend a year and a half later.  It's fun, but small.  The beaches aren't so great.  Apparently it has become much more touristy over the decades.

• Vegas - I've visited Last Vegas twice: once as a teenager, and again for my 21st birthday.  My advice?  Wait until you're 21, and take lots of money.  Otherwise, it's no fun.  Honestly, the best part (in my opinion) is the shows.  Blue Man, Cirque, we even went to a free taping of Last Comic Standing.

• Hoover Dam - That first trip to Vegas, we also drove down to Hoover Dam.  We stood at the side of a road and looked down the huge dam wall... it was terrifying.  The story is depressing.  I was not thrilled.

• Colorado - I've stopped over in Denver several times, I've been to Estes Park as part of a youth group excursion, and when I was 16 I went on a road trip through Colorado to visit Alamosa State.  I've always loved the mountains - they're so much more beautiful than any beach or cityscape.  Denver didn't really do much for me, but Boulder, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, and the places that offer the better scenery are gorgeous.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, as seen from our cruise ship

• Alaskan cruise - So awesome.  This is one of my favorites.  In July of 2007, we departed from Vancouver and cruised up the western coast of Canada, docking at different ports all along the little tail of Alaska that trickles down the south of the state.  We saw icebergs and forests and mountains and moose - it was gorgeous, all of it.  At the end of the cruise, we went inland to Anchorage and Juneau, rode a train with an opaque roof, and I went white water rafting for the first time in Denali! 

• Florida - I've been all over this state.  I think my mother fell in love with Florida at some point during my childhood.  Beaches and condos litter my memories.  Clearwater, Destin, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers... they're all kind of muddled together in my mind, but I know I've been to all of them and more.  I've visited Jacksonville and St Augustine several times, visiting my aunt and cousins.  Then my parents honed in on Marco Island and Naples quite a few years back, eventually moving there, so I've come to know that area quite well.  

• Orlando - There is a reason that this is separate from Florida.  Orlando isn't like the rest of Florida.  In fact, it might as well just secede and be a weird little district, like D.C.  I went to Disney for the first time when I was really little, maybe 5 or 6, and then again when I was 11 or so.  There are pictures, and I remember loving it.  More recently, though, we took a family trip to Universal and Epcot.  Universal was pretty boss - like a pumped up Six Flags.  Epcot was like a cruel joke from the 1970's.

NOLA, Bourbon St

• Philly - I'm normally not big on urban scenes, and stray from metropolitan activities.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, however, has to be one of my favorite U.S. cities.  We drove to Philly in May of 2013 primarily to go to the comic con (which was satisfyingly awesome).  Turns out, we also loved the city!  Reading Market, the National Museum of American History and the Museum of Art were my favorites.  The food was pretty great, too.

• D.C. - What a let down.  We drove on to D.C. after Philly.  I don't even have any pictures from it.  We saw the White House from really far away.  Woo.

• New Orleans - my brother-in-law and his wife live in Nola, so I've been here a couple of times.  Love love LOVE the food, hate the weather.  DuMonde's is more hype than thrill, but there's lots to see and do - we didn't even hit Bourbon St the first time I went!

International Travel Destinations:

• The Bahamas - 2012 - For our honeymoon, we decided to save some cash and take a Bahamian cruise.  My experience is a bit jaded, as we were robbed of one of the islands on our itinerary due to the waters being "too choppy" to charter in.  Nassau was just depressing.  My recollection of Key West is above in the U.S. section. If there was another stop, I don't remember it.  All I can say is I don't recommend Nassau. 

  

  An amazing garden in Shanghai

• Eastern China - 2012 - WOW!  Amazing.  Seriously.  We used a tour company and saw so much!  Terra cotta warriors, the Great Wall, pandas, acrobats, gardens like you wouldn't believe, rickshaw rides... It was incredible.  Luckily, I do have journals for this one.  ;-)

• Costa Rica - 2008, 2009 - My first trip to CR was through a study abroad program with my university.  IT was a "why not" kind of thing that would look good on a resume.  I spent a month and a half in San Jose living with a host family, attending class at Universidad Veritas, and going on orchestrated excursions on the weekends.  My second trip, I had dreams of being a carefree vagabond and exploring the wonders of the beautiful country with my bestie.  She "got sick" halfway through our trip, so we changed our flights and came home early (many years and many happenings later, we are not "besties" anymore).

• Cancun, Mexico - 199? , 199? - When I was about 5 years old, and again when I was about 10, I went on big family trips with my parents and family friends to Cancun.  We stayed in resorts, did a lot of shopping, and hit the beaches/pools.  That's about it.

Aerial of London that I took from the Eye

• London, England - 2014 - This was a mother/daughter trip.  We rode the London Eye, rode around on the "hop-on/hop-off" double-decker red buses to sight-see, window shopped at Herrod's, hit the museums, ate fish & chips, etc. I even turned myself into a spectacular human battering ram (with my mother holding onto my jacket) at Buckingham Palace to get us right up next to the gate.  If my mama wants to see the changing of the guard, then, gosh darnit, she's gonna see it!  It was fun, and my first UK experience, but not altogether my speed.

• Ireland - 2015 - Dublin wasn't my proverbial cup of tea.  Very urban.  The attractions aren't clustered nicely, either, so without a cab or a rental car, it's not a very tourist friendly layout.  Food was good.  Weather was nice.  But...  And then we took a day trip to Northern Ireland.  Gorgeous!  Every moment was worthy of a picture.  Rolling hills, pastureland, coastline, grazing sheep, Giant's Causeway (! ), and castles galore... Now that's what I'm talking about!

• Edinburgh, Scotland - 2015 - Loved it.  This place is hilly like you've never experienced, and your thighs will buuuuurn.... but the food, the shops, the architecture, Edinburgh castle, the churches, cathedrals, museums, cemeteries... I loved every moment of it.



A picture my husband took of Edinburgh from the top of the Scot Monument



**All pictures taken by me or my husband.  If you want to steal random landscapes and pretties, that's what Google is for.**

Travel Journal: DESTINATIONS

My overarching theme for this blog is supposed to include subjects that I'm "geeky" for.  A seemingly endless category, there are many things that I geek over, from a good soup recipe to the sexy Ian Somerhalder.

But one of my long-standing passions is travel.

Before memories could even take hold in my little baby brain, my parents were taking me too different Floridian beaches, the country-western tourism of Branson, Missouri, and flying me on a plane all by myself to see my grandparents in Indiana.  For some of my trips, I had the good sense to write journals or memoirs of some sorts.  For others, all I have are leftover memories stuck in my brain and some pictures.

I want to shelf some of my better chronicled adventures here.  Before I do so... a walk down "Memory Lane," wanderlust style!

U.S. Travel Destinations:

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

• Wyoming - In 2011, my husband and I drove out to Grand Teton National Park around my birthday.  We camped in the park, explored the beautiful mountains, lakes, streams, and hiked to an amazing waterfall.  We drove out to Yellowstone and saw all of those gorgeous sights, as well.  It was seriously gorgeous and the weather was equally excellent (especially for August).

• Key West - When our cruise ship only gave us several hours here during our honeymoon, it was a teaser.  We managed to find a killer bloody mary, some high-grade steampunk gear, and a shop that instantly became one of my favorites, but that was about it.  I came back to Key West with my mother and a family friend a year and a half later.  It's fun, but small.  The beaches aren't so great.  Apparently it has become much more touristy over the decades.

• Vegas - I've visited Last Vegas twice: once as a teenager, and again for my 21st birthday.  My advice?  Wait until you're 21, and take lots of money.  Otherwise, it's no fun.  Honestly, the best part (in my opinion) is the shows.  Blue Man, Cirque, we even went to a free taping of Last Comic Standing.

• Hoover Dam - That first trip to Vegas, we also drove down to Hoover Dam.  We stood at the side of a road and looked down the huge dam wall... it was terrifying.  The story is depressing.  I was not thrilled.

• Colorado - I've stopped over in Denver several times, I've been to Estes Park as part of a youth group excursion, and when I was 16 I went on a road trip through Colorado to visit Alamosa State.  I've always loved the mountains - they're so much more beautiful than any beach or cityscape.  Denver didn't really do much for me, but Boulder, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, and the places that offer the better scenery are gorgeous.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska, as seen from our cruise ship

• Alaskan cruise - So awesome.  This is one of my favorites.  In July of 2007, we departed from Vancouver and cruised up the western coast of Canada, docking at different ports all along the little tail of Alaska that trickles down the south of the state.  We saw icebergs and forests and mountains and moose - it was gorgeous, all of it.  At the end of the cruise, we went inland to Anchorage and Juneau, rode a train with an opaque roof, and I went white water rafting for the first time in Denali! 

• Florida - I've been all over this state.  I think my mother fell in love with Florida at some point during my childhood.  Beaches and condos litter my memories.  Clearwater, Destin, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers... they're all kind of muddled together in my mind, but I know I've been to all of them and more.  I've visited Jacksonville and St Augustine several times, visiting my aunt and cousins.  Then my parents honed in on Marco Island and Naples quite a few years back, eventually moving there, so I've come to know that area quite well.  

• Orlando - There is a reason that this is separate from Florida.  Orlando isn't like the rest of Florida.  In fact, it might as well just secede and be a weird little district, like D.C.  I went to Disney for the first time when I was really little, maybe 5 or 6, and then again when I was 11 or so.  There are pictures, and I remember loving it.  More recently, though, we took a family trip to Universal and Epcot.  Universal was pretty boss - like a pumped up Six Flags.  Epcot was like a cruel joke from the 1970's.

NOLA, Bourbon St

• Philly - I'm normally not big on urban scenes, and stray from metropolitan activities.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, however, has to be one of my favorite U.S. cities.  We drove to Philly in May of 2013 primarily to go to the comic con (which was satisfyingly awesome).  Turns out, we also loved the city!  Reading Market, the National Museum of American History and the Museum of Art were my favorites.  The food was pretty great, too.

• D.C. - What a let down.  We drove on to D.C. after Philly.  I don't even have any pictures from it.  We saw the White House from really far away.  Woo.

• New Orleans - my brother-in-law and his wife live in Nola, so I've been here a couple of times.  Love love LOVE the food, hate the weather.  DuMonde's is more hype than thrill, but there's lots to see and do - we didn't even hit Bourbon St the first time I went!

International Travel Destinations:

• The Bahamas - 2012 - For our honeymoon, we decided to save some cash and take a Bahamian cruise.  My experience is a bit jaded, as we were robbed of one of the islands on our itinerary due to the waters being "too choppy" to charter in.  Nassau was just depressing.  My recollection of Key West is above in the U.S. section. If there was another stop, I don't remember it.  All I can say is I don't recommend Nassau. 

  

  An amazing garden in Shanghai

• Eastern China - 2012 - WOW!  Amazing.  Seriously.  We used a tour company and saw so much!  Terra cotta warriors, the Great Wall, pandas, acrobats, gardens like you wouldn't believe, rickshaw rides... It was incredible.  Luckily, I do have journals for this one.  ;-)

• Costa Rica - 2008, 2009 - My first trip to CR was through a study abroad program with my university.  IT was a "why not" kind of thing that would look good on a resume.  I spent a month and a half in San Jose living with a host family, attending class at Universidad Veritas, and going on orchestrated excursions on the weekends.  My second trip, I had dreams of being a carefree vagabond and exploring the wonders of the beautiful country with my bestie.  She "got sick" halfway through our trip, so we changed our flights and came home early (many years and many happenings later, we are not "besties" anymore).

• Cancun, Mexico - 199? , 199? - When I was about 5 years old, and again when I was about 10, I went on big family trips with my parents and family friends to Cancun.  We stayed in resorts, did a lot of shopping, and hit the beaches/pools.  That's about it.

Aerial of London that I took from the Eye

• London, England - 2014 - This was a mother/daughter trip.  We rode the London Eye, rode around on the "hop-on/hop-off" double-decker red buses to sight-see, window shopped at Herrod's, hit the museums, ate fish & chips, etc. I even turned myself into a spectacular human battering ram (with my mother holding onto my jacket) at Buckingham Palace to get us right up next to the gate.  If my mama wants to see the changing of the guard, then, gosh darnit, she's gonna see it!  It was fun, and my first UK experience, but not altogether my speed.

• Ireland - 2015 - Dublin wasn't my proverbial cup of tea.  Very urban.  The attractions aren't clustered nicely, either, so without a cab or a rental car, it's not a very tourist friendly layout.  Food was good.  Weather was nice.  But...  And then we took a day trip to Northern Ireland.  Gorgeous!  Every moment was worthy of a picture.  Rolling hills, pastureland, coastline, grazing sheep, Giant's Causeway (! ), and castles galore... Now that's what I'm talking about!

• Edinburgh, Scotland - 2015 - Loved it.  This place is hilly like you've never experienced, and your thighs will buuuuurn.... but the food, the shops, the architecture, Edinburgh castle, the churches, cathedrals, museums, cemeteries... I loved every moment of it.



A picture my husband took of Edinburgh from the top of the Scot Monument



**All pictures taken by me or my husband.  If you want to steal random landscapes and pretties, that's what Google is for.**

Soup's Up!

A couple posts ago, I let out my inner listography geek and posted a random "favorite foods" list.  What that list didn't tell you, is that I'm crazy about soups.  I was first told that I was crazy for being a soup fiend in the middle of summer when I was a preteen.  I couldn't understand why you wouldn't want soup just because it was a certain month or temperature outside.  I'm totally geeky for soup.

I've always dabbled in the kitchen, but last year, I really got into cooking.  I finally found more time to do so, and started exploring recipes.  I've gotten better with both my techniques and my presentation.  I went back and found about a dozen different soups that I've tried out.  Now, I get most of my recipes from the internet - Pinterest and recipe websites.  Only one of my recipes comes from the old fashioned tradition of getting it from family/friends.

So I've recounted the recipes with my amateur picture, the website picture and link (where applicable), and a little blurb.

(In no specific order....)
#1 - Beef Stew!
Sounds simple enough, when your husband asks you to make one out of the blue.
But good lord, I think this one has the most ingredients of them all.

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Yes.

My photo

Website photo

 I think the photos are pretty comparable.  The thing about AllRecipes.com is that the display photo isn't always the best representation.  On this recipe, the display photo is of a dish made by someone who read the recipe, not the author.  The picture I've posted is the one from the author.  Because I'm legit like that.

Anywho, this one was a success.  I always read the comments on a recipe (when they exist), and it was especially beneficial in this case.  Here was my experience:

• Very lengthy ingredient list!  Usually this is due to herbs and spices listed individually, so it's not actually that many ingredients, but not for this one.  This actually has that many ingredients.
• I forgot to add the tomatoes, which is likely why my picture is slightly less red-toned than the author's, but it ultimately didn't make much of a difference.  So... meh.
• The cornstarch is meant to thicken the concoction and make the broth less watery.  For this huge amount, it doesn't really do much. BUT....
• The comments led me to add gravy (yes, gravy!) to the broth.  Not the healthiest addition, but it did the trick for thickening the soup AND it made it that much more amazing.  For the gravy recipe, just pick up a box of Lipton's Mushroom/Onion mix, and follow the gravy recipe directions on the back of the box.
• Type of potato is not specified, but my husband (the one who requested the soup in the first place) hates russets.  I used Yukon gold potatoes.  Type of onion also isn't specified, so I used yellow onions.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#2 - Lasagna Soup
Found this one on Pinterest, and we gave it a shot for one of our dinners.  Not much of a back story here.

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Probably not.

My photo

Website photo

I was very displeased with my picture of this soup, though it was fairly popular on Facebook.  The inside of my bowls are dark red, not giving much contrast to the soup base.  The noodles we found didn't have the little ridges on the side, either.  Hubby said they didn't have to have ridges to be lasagna noodles.... but ugh.... they're just not as pretty!  Also, the website's is prettier all sprinkled with parsley - something I never do, as it is aesthetically pleasingly but otherwise superfluous.

• Easy enough recipe.  My Facebook commenters were taken aback a bit by the concept, but I think lasagna works better as a soup.  It tasted nearly the same and it's always falls apart on a plate.
• My favorite part was the ricotta mixture that you see dolloped on top.  Delish!!!  The rest of it was just ok, but then again, I'm not a huge fan of dishes that are centered around a tomato sauce or marinara.
• Breaking lasagna noodles is easier than it sounds.  Lasagna shards were flying everywhere, and it is impossible to make them uniform or pretty.  I did my best.

Link to the recipe? Click here.

#3 - Chicken Pot Pie Soup
One of the first recipes I tried when beginning my cooking endeavors!

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

Attempt #1 w/ mushrooms & Attempt #2 w/o mushrooms

Website photo

The first time I made this soup, I followed the recipe, and it was a bit of a noob soup.  The second time I made it, I added extra herbs/spices, omitted the mushrooms (hates them!), and had a better handle on technique.

• The name is a misnomer.  "Chicken pot pie" suggests the existence of dumplings or biscuits or some starchy goodness.  Alas, this is a "skinny" recipe.  It tastes delicious as is, so I recommend leaving the starches at home.  But if you feel cheated, add some cheesy garlic biscuits on the side for the complete picture.
• My noob self didn't know what the hell a slurry was, much less how to do it.  If that sounds like you, google that shit, go slow, and have patience.  It's not a very thick soup anyway, but it pays off to slurry correctly, young Padawan
• It doesn't tell you how to cook the chicken, it just says "cooked chicken."  Noob me bought the only pre-cooked chicken she could find and thew it on in.  It worked fine!
• It also doesn't specify potato type.  For white cream based soups, I love a good Yukon gold potato.  That's my recommendation.
• Once I got my slurry down, omitted the mushrooms, and added in some garlic - BAM!  This became a favorite of mine.  Definitely a keeper - I've got this one in my handy-dandy recipe box.

Link to the recipe? Click here.

#4 - Spicy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Super easy, super popular.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

My photo

Website photo

Soups do NOT get any easier to make than this.  It is by no means gourmet, but it is low-cal, quick, and delicious.  I don't even like typical broccoli-cheddar soup, but this was slammin.'  The website is a little wonky, so if you check it out, it is the first recipe on the page.  There are others listed below it that look similar, so it can get a little confusing.

• There are only four ingredients, which is nice (and cheap).  However, the details aren't specified as everything about the menu is very sparse, so......
• I have made this a couple of times and have found that it makes a BIG difference which kind of RoTel you use: mild or original.  If you don't do very well with spicy foods, go for the mild.  If you want it to pack a punch, though, go for original!  I prefer the punch, as I didn't think it was as good when I accidentally made it with mild RoTel.
• Also, with the frozen broccoli, I recommend getting the bag that is specifically "florets only."  I don't like getting a mouthful of broccoli stalk.
• Other than that, I didn't find it necessary to add any ingredients or deviate from the recipe.  It was damn good.  I served with a garlic bread twist as the starch helps cut the spiciness and keep it from building between bites.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#5 - Potato Soup
This is the special one!  From yours truly! No links here!
I got this recipe from my mom, but my earliest memory of this soup is from my godmom's house.  I remember sitting at the bar in her kitchen eating multiple helpings of her potato soup and covering it in pepper.  So where it originated is hidden in familial legend.  We may never know....

Or I could just ask her.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? Yes.  And I have!

My interpretation, garnished with bacon pieces

Original recipe, modified to be "loaded," served
with broccoli salad

I've seen a lot of potato soup recipes on the web, and I may still try them, but this is one of my all-time favorites.  It's not a chowder, so it has a bit of a thinner base than most people are used to in a potato soup.  The original card that I got from my mom uses 2 bags of chopped hash browns.  You find these in the frozen section of the grocery store, and they are the little cubed hash browns by Ore Ida and the like.  My first time recreating the dish, I decided to try real potatoes, using a 5 lb bag of small gold potatoes.  I also added garlic and thyme (my family isn't big on spices outside of salt and pepper, those being the only two in this recipe).

• 5 lb peeled, cubed gold potatoes - made for a very sweet soup.  Delicious, but had to up the pepper and add less thyme.
• 2 bags chopped hash browns - much easier, hell of a lot quicker, but I felt like there was a filmy grease to the soup that I didn't get with the real potatoes.  My husband said that he didn't notice it, but it left a feeling in my mouth that I didn't like.  They aren't as sweet as gold potatoes, so not as much pepper is needed and you can add more thyme.
• Other ingredients: 3c water, 12oz chicken broth, 1 chopped yellow onion, 2c milk, 2 cans cream of chicken, garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper.  Directions: Bring broth to boil in large stew pot.  Add potatoes/hash browns & simmer for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.  Season to taste.
• Top with any combination of shredded cheddar, bacon pieces, chives/green onion, or even a dollop of sour cream.  8-10 servings (I haven't counted, this is an approximation; this recipe makes a metric butt-ton of soup).

#6 - Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Creamy indeed!  But just calling it "tomato" doesn't do this baby justice!

• Success?  Yes.
• Would I make again?  Oh yes.

My photo

Web photo

Don't be put off by my unflattering photo.  Trying to squeeze a pleasing presentation out of reddish soup in a reddish bowl is basically impossible.  I photo edited to get the best quality - it wasn't actually as pink as it looks.  What I'm trying to tell you is, this soup was phenomenal.

• The best part of this soup is the broth base.  You end up throwing tortellini in because you generally like a substance to chew when eating soup.  I'm waiting for an idea to strike me about what I could substitute for the tortellini.
• Learn from my mistake: do not use cheap Italian Seasoning.  Use a more expensive variety that you know and trust, make your own, or find a way to soften what you have.  The hard springs of herbs stuck to my tongue really irked me.
• Use sun-dried tomatoes rather than sun-dried tomato paste.  It gives it texture and is less weird.
• I didn't find the "top with parmesan cheese" step to be completely necessary, so try it or don't - it's up to you.

Link to the recipe?  Click here.

#7 - Corn & Ham Chowder
I'm going to be honest with ya.... I don't have a super strong memory of this one.  I did make it, though.  It was just quite a while ago.  So we'll skim through this one quickly.....

• Success? I think so.
• Would I make again? Probably, if only to remember what it was like.....

My photo

Web photo

Well the web photo is prettier because they need to slop a hell of a lot more broth on that poor chowder.  Also, mine looks different because I made it differently.  Heh.

• This is a low calorie recipe, therefore not as thick and creamy.  You can go to measures to thicken the soup, but the recipe renders a thinner broth.
• When I made this, I used cubed ham instead of bacon, canned corn instead of cob, and I may have used carrots instead of red peppers (I don't remember, though).  This obviously changes the flavor quite a bit, but it's quicker (not having to cook the bacon or take the corn off the cob) and tailored to my tastes (I hate red pepper).
• The recipe itself is slightly confusing because the title claims "bacon," but the ingredient list reads "Canadian-style bacon."  Canadian bacon, where I'm from, means ham.  So.... I don't know.  Do what you want.

Link to this recipe?  Click here.

#8 - Zuppa Toscana
Ode to Olive Garden: Zuppa Toscana!  When I go to the OG, I get the Zuppa, only the Zuppa, and lots of it.  I was psyched to try my hand at it!

• Success? Yes!
• Would I make again? Oh yeah!

My photo

OG photo

Obviously I still needed work on my presentation at this point, as this photo is of my Zuppa Toscana just finished in the crock pot.  Also, the recipe website did not have a photo (it was one of those recipe compilation deals), so I pulled one from Olive Garden.  It looks like I may have gotten a little kale-happy.... otherwise, pretty similar.  Nice.

• To make sure you get the right flavor, adhere religiously to the "Italian" part of the Italian sausage.  Any old sausage won't do.  Also, very important: pepper the hell out of it!  As soon as you start cooking, toss in a bunch of black pepper!  Don't be shy!
• This recipe calls for russet potatoes.  By this point you should have figured out that I don't believe in russet potatoes when there are perfectly good gold potatoes at my disposal.  Preferably Yukon gold, but any gold will do, in the equal amount.
• It also calls for bacon bits.  I've had this soup more times than I can count and I don't recall any kind of bacony taste... so I took the liberty of not adding bacon bits to mine.  If you feel that it is necessary, though, don't use those awful dehydrated monstrosities.  Use the Hormel brand bacon pieces that come in a plastic jar or the Oscar Mayer bacon pieces that come in the little pouch - they actually resemble real bacon.
• It asks for "1 bunch of kale," but you won't use it all.  It also says "coarsely chopped," but I tore mine into the pieces that I wanted much like I do with heads of romaine.  It's the last step and you really only need to cook until the kale is soft and wilted after that.
• Only top with the Parmesan that the recipe calls for if that is the way you usually order it.  Again, I never get parm on mine at the restaurant, so I skipped this step.

Link to this recipe? Click here.  (it's about 2/3 of the way down on the page)



#9 - French Onion Soup
My husband loves French onion soup.  He's not as big on soup as I am (I don't know that anyone is), but this is one of his favorites.  I certainly don't mind a good bowl of it, either.  This was one of those instance where I learned a lesson of what NOT to do.

• Success? Not really.
• Would I make again? Perhaps, but maybe with a different recipe...?

My photo

Web photo

I don't know if I can fairly assess this recipe.  There's a reason my photo looks nothing like the pretty website photo.  I'm sure that if I had painstakingly followed the recipe, to the letter, it would have turned out nicely.  The biggest mishap was this: do not use bread bowls with this recipe.  My husband really likes French onion soup, but he also really likes his soup in bread bowls.  Well apparently Panera has something on me, because the bread bowl soaked up ALL of the broth, leaving us with a bread bowl of cooked onions and cheese.

• I typically read an entire recipe before attempting to buy the ingredients and execute it.  I don't know what I was thinking.  The last step is to use the broiler: place soup in oven safe bowl, coat with Gruyere, and broil.  I have no idea which of my bowls are oven safe, much less how to use my broiler.
• This is a crock pot recipe, but it is by no means one of the ones where you can turn it on and walk away.  It is a high maintenance crock pot recipe.
• We had a particularly difficult time finding the last two listed ingredients.  I was previously unaware that Gruyere was so elusive.  I also recommend making your own "cubed crusty bread" by drying out and cutting the bread of your choice, as we didn't find anything fitting this description in the supermarket and ended up with too-dry bread pieces.

So, eh.  Probably not this recipe's fault.  More of an unfortunate series of mishaps between my supermarket and my inability.

Link to this recipe? Click here.


#10 - Creamy Chicken Taco Soup
In an effort to compromise my tastes (soup!) with my husband's taste (anything Mexican), I tried this recipe.  I thought it was... Ok.  However, both my husband and my mother absolutely LOVED it.  I don't know.  So here goes.

• Success? Yes.
• Would I make again? For my family, yes, but not for just me.

Web photo

So, even though I've made this a couple of times, I never actually took a picture of mine.  That's a little frustrating.  Mine looks fairly similar to the photo, but when you mix the cheese and sour cream into your bowl, the color changes a bit.

• Recipe calls for "1 can tomatoes with green chiles."  In other words, RoTel.  And RoTel is tricky, so let me help.  If you want mildly spicy: get mild RoTel, and drain the can before adding.  If you want super duper scorch-your-tongue spicy: get hot Rotel, and don't drain the can before adding.  I do the "mildly spicy" version, because I like spicy foods but also like to be able to feel my tongue.
• Recipe instructs you to cube the chicken after it is all slimy with soup and has been cooking for hours.  Good luck.  I shred mine using two forks.  It's easier, and everyone seems to enjoy it.
• There are recommended additional toppings, but we've never used them.  It doesn't really need any.  I let my hungry diners throw on their own Mexican cheese (everyone likes a different amount) and their own dollop of cold sour cream.

Link to this recipe? Click here.

#11 - Corn & Crab Bisque

I love combining two of my favorite fares - seafood & soup!  I'll take a seafood bisque any day, regardless of what type of shellfish is within.  This was my first attempt at any kind of bisque.  Keep in mind that I don't live on any type of coast, either....

• Success?  Yes
• Would I make again?  Yes

Web photo

Why oh why did I not take a picture of this one??  Ugh.  Apparently I dropped the ball at some point on the photos.  Anyway, this one turned out pretty well, despite having to take a few detours.  The ingredient list led me to believe it would have a little bit of a kick to it, but it ended up kind of sweet.  Easy fix, really.  I'm not one for sweet foods that aren't desserts, so I just added more salt and more cayenne to my bowls.  I definitely want to try making this again with fresh crab legs... even though that would mean a $20+ soup....

• Not a crock pot recipe, involves making a slurry as well as a puree, and despite the look of the recipe, it has quite a few steps.  It's not necessarily difficult, just requires knowing your order of operations.
• When I made this, I could not find "fresh lump crab meat."  My options were lump crab meat in a container at 16 oz for $25, crab legs at $15+ per lb, or canned crab meat for about $4 a can.  Upon discussing my options with my mother, she assured me that the canned stuff wasn't disgusting, saying that she uses it all the time in different salads.  Rife with skepticism, I bought a couple cans.  The meat inside is more "shredded" than "lump," but it tasted just fine!!!  Not my first pick, but not at all bad for the money!
• Other substitutions: I used 1/2 an onion rather than 3/4 cup, and canned corn rather than cut corn off of the cob.  These two are ones I do regularly.

Link to this recipe? Click here.

#12 - Cabbage Soup

I tacked this one on here because I just made it this past week.  It's well known as being a "diet soup" or a "quick weight loss" recipe.  Yeah, maybe.  It's healthy and vegetarian.  But it can also be tasty and filling... if you do it right!

My photo

See the picture taking difference?  I didn't try too hard on this one, admittedly, but I use filters and frames now!  Hah.

Okay, if you google cabbage soup recipes you will find hundreds of different diet-fueled websites pushing their version of the dish.  The last time I made this had to be 6 years ago, and I used one such recipe from god knows where.  6 years later, I pull out that index card and wrinkle my nose.  Time to get creative!  So I took out superfluous celery and threw in some better veg and spice...  Using the old recipe as a base, I've got a new and improved recipe card with my very own original recipe on it:

Lindsey's Healthy Vegetable Cabbage Soup

• 46 oz V8
  
• 1 can beef broth
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 1 envelope Lipton's Beefy Onion mix
• 1 medium head of cabbage, broken down and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 large carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
• black pepper, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• hot sauce, to taste
• 1 can RoTel (your choice of mild or original)
• 1 can peas
• 1 can corn
• 1 can green beans

1. Add everything but the last three ingredients to crock pot.  Cook on low for 6 hours or until cabbage and carrots are both tender.  (Periodically taste broth to check flavor, adding spices to your preference, water if too salty, etc.)
2. Add last thrree ingredients, and cook on low for an additional hour.  Serve & enjoy!

For the heartier eaters in your family (like my husband), you can serve with meatloaf.  I like a lot of cayenne in mine - I think the spiciness makes it better.  Make yours however you like, omitting whatever you don't like!  Add in your favorite veggies, keeping in mind what will take time to soften (like fresh carrots, radishes, potatoes) and what just needs warmed up (most canned veggies, tomatoes, kale).  Super easy and super versatile.


**The lucky # 13 could be my chili recipe.  It's the best chili I've ever tasted.  But I can't share it.  Not with you, not with anyone.  It's my dad's recipe, passed down to his only daughter.  Secret family recipe.  And boy, are you missing out on some amazing chili.....

You can find most of these links, as well as more recipes and projects that I've tried out, on my Pinterest board "Gillynze Says..." at https://www.pinterest.com/mclane87/gillynze-says/