French Onion Soup "recipe"

It really is more like a french onion soup "technique" than anything.

Here's what you'll need:
Onions (if possible different varieties)
vegetable oil
butter
salt
pepper
broth (chicken, beef or veggie or combo)
garlic
marjoram

Heat oil in a stock pot over medium hugh heat. Cut onions into halves and then cut halves into thin strips. Put the onions in the oil with 1 TB (more or less) of butter. Salt and pepper generously and cook over medium heat stirring often until onions begin to brown. After 25 minutes or so (you may need to reduce heat) onions should be taking on a lovely brown color and be mostly softened and lovely smelling. Add 1 tsp or so of marjoram, stir. Add some chopped fine garlic and cook for maybe 3-5 minutes longer. Then simply deglaze the pan with some broth, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get up any browned bits. Then add more broth to make soup. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve by ladling into oven proof bowl, topping with hearty bread and cheese and broiling until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Okay amounts, right? How much broth? How many onions? I'd say six medium onions to a quart container of broth should do it. The onions get pretty small after cooking so add broth till you achieve your preferred onion to broth ratio! I usually use whatever homemade broths I have on hand be they chicken beef or vegetable, and if I don;t have enough of one I will add some of the other. The flavors meld in a nice way during the simmering phase.

My get up and go just got up and went

Motivation. This is what I lack. I think I am going to be glad when my oldest returns to regular school this fall. Homeschooling was fun and educational for both of us and I am glad we did it, but the structure of the school year helps me focus and that in turn gives me better motivation.

Also, she will be glad to have Mommy be Mommy and Teacher be teacher. I think having me be both ended up stressing her out.

Things I have to do this week:

*Clean dining room
*Sweep and Mop floors
*Issue invitations for Sunday night dinner
*Plan and prep Sunday night (Back to school) dinner

WISH ME LUCK!!!

Stress cleaning

My great grandmother died this summer... just two weeks ago actually. There was a flurry of panicked trips back and forth from my home 5 hours away from her home. I managed to get there in time and say good-bye. Today, I got some bad news about a friend, it was sudden, completely unexpected. He leaves behind 2 daughters and a loving wife. They live several states away, so I am not headed there yet, but I probably will be soon. Today I am going to get in the kitchen and clean the hell out of it. It needs to be done yes, but I need to be doing something and there is nothing I can do for my friend right now. So I am going to clean and I am going to pray.

So if you want to walk this through with me, here is the game plan.

• Load and unload dishwasher until all dishes are done.

• Put away everything on the countertops,.

• Wipe down countertops with borax and water.

• Sweep floor.

• Mop floor.

• Put down area rugs.

• Sort through all of the papers/odds and ends on the fridge. Toss expired coupons and the like.

• Wipe down all appliances.

• Wipe exterior of cabinet doors.

• Put away food.

• Clean out refrigerator.