Munchy Monday #43: Clear green veggie soup

This is a very delicious starter for any meal. I haven't indicated any quantities so that you can adapt it to your own needs, whether you are four to eat, or fourteen.

You will need:

Clear chicken stock, ideally, with the grease removed
Frozen green beans, cut into small pieces once slightly thawed
Fresh leek, finely sliced
Pieces of frozen broccoli, cut small
Potato, cut into small cubes
Rice or very fine noodles, a handful for every 3 or 4 people
Salt to taste

Method:

Bring stock to boil in a pan, add all other ingredients and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes.

An article especially written for today's mother

Are you a mother? Are you enjoying motherhood? Maybe you are feeling inadequate, useless, that it's all too much and that you you can't take any more?

Whatever your circumstances are, please take a few moments to read this very encouraging article, written by a homeschooling mother of fifteen, who just so happens to be a very dear bloggy friend of mine from the States.

http://largefamilymothering.com/2014/09/22/five-things-that-steal-motherly-joy-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Dad's Dictionary...

 JOLLOP

I remember my father using this word to refer to anything from a new batch of Mum's homemade jam to the grease he used to lubricate his lathe!

Let's take a look...

The meaning of the word, according to The Collins English Dictionary, is "unguent" or "cream".

Some dictionaries say the word jollop was used to refer either to a liquid medication or a strong liquor (often one and the same!)

Others indicate that it's real roots are Mexican and that the word is derived from the Spanish JALAPA. Jalapa was a city in Mexico (now Xalapa-Enrìquez). It was here that a notorious laxative was created.

Another source writes that the word originates from the word 'julep', of Persian origin and arrived to our shores via French and Latin. The word 'julep' means 'rose water'.

The word JOLLOP first appeared in England in 1675.

"Pass me some o' that there JOLLOP, will 'e?" Sigh... Some fun memories!

A word FOR Wednesdays

It has called upon my attention lately, how many blogs from around the globe leave Wednesday without any words.

I have decided to make amends by posting, precisely on Wednesdays, a "weird, uncommon and not so used or heard of" word and its meaning, etymology, etc,.

Many of these words will be ones which my father used to use in his normal, daily speech. To some, my father might have seemed a man of few words, but I can tell you the ones he did use I don't think I have ever heard them used by anyone else. I am still so very curious as to where he might have originally picked them all up.

Tomorrow, I will post about one of his most used words. Stay tuned.

I'll leave you with a famous quote about words from the late Margaret Thatcher:

“Watch your thoughts for they become words.
Watch your words for they become actions.
Watch your actions for they become habits.
Watch your habits for they become your character.
And watch your character for it becomes your destiny.
What we think, we become.
My father always said that... and I think I am fine.”

A very useful link

Yesterday I was looking for vocab. to include in my English lessons, and I stumbled across this web. Maybe some of you have visited here before but it helped me out so I thought I would share with you all.

The part I looked at was all about grammar. You know, adverbs, prepositions, etc., but there are other interesting pages, too. Take a look when you have a mo.

Munchy Monday #42: Choc chip cookies

This is a recipe which was passed on to me by my half Canadian niece. It has been tried and tested many, many times and is very quick and simple to mix up. Done in a jiffy, you might say.

You will need:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup soft brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (I use margarine)
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, beaten
Few drops vanilla essence
1 tblsp creamy peanut butter
Chocolate chips

Method:
Mix all ingredients together to form a stiff dough. Make ping-pong ball sized balls and flatten them down on a greased oven tray. Bake in a medium oven (175º C) for 10 - 12 minutes. If you like them slightly crispier, leave them a couple minutes more. Leave for 2 minutes on the baking tray then remove to a clean tea towel or cooling rack.

Romans 12:12