A Soup

Last Thursday Annie and I wanted to celebrate Katie's birthday, Annie's youngest sister. I thought I should make a homemake soup since it was cold and rain day. Annie and I searched for perfect recipe to try. We wanted to try new recipes and taste new. It was fun to try! We found one soup called "The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup" by Paula Deen. You know her? She was on Food network show. She usually make foods that looks so good because it has lot of fatty in it. Hahaha. I tried some of her recipes and it ended up so GOODY!

I thought--should we try the soup? Why not! Annie cannot able to help me prepare the soup or make a cake because she has to work on that day. Yup, I do not have class to teach, or take a class or practicum on that day. I just finished the hours for practicum. Nice for me. :D

I collected the ingredients what I need for the soup. I realized I had to make a stock! I never made my own stock. I know I have watched mom made a stock but never watch very careful how she made it. Oh gosh, I do NOT like the touch of a raw whole chicken! I went to the store and look at them--blankly. Of course, I love chicken but touch it.. Nope.

I got everything ready to make the stock. I made the cake and it was done. Okay, let's make the stock and see how pro I was. I read the recipe a several times to make sure I was doing the right thing. I put things in the big pot. The last thing was to put the chicken. EW! When I think about it, EW! Anyway, I realized I had to cut it up to put in the big pot. Me cut up?! NO! I had NO IDEA how to cut it up. (Funny, mom asked me that I had done with turkey from last year Thanksgiving. Actually, it was Annie. Not me. That explains...)

I started panic because I did not know what to do with it but I got an idea and looked up on YouTube how to cut the chicken. I got some idea how to cut the chicken. GOSH! Let me tell you---SERIOUSLY?! I have to cut the drums and legs but crack the bones?! I tried the first drum and heard the crack of bone! AAAAAAHHHHH!! Definitely awful sounds of crack bone! I wanted to close my eyes but afraid will cut myself with sharp knife! (Thanks, mom! You gave me excellent knives!!) Anyway, it made me shatter and drop all of pieces of chicken in the big pot. EW!

I got excited because I made the stock! It was boiling. Okay, I have to leave it boiling for about 30-40 minutes. After 40 minutes, I had to take all spices and chicken out of the stock. It looked so goody and fatty--of course. It smells so good. I had to wait until Annie and Katie come here before I completed the soup. I looked at the recipe again to make sure everything I have were on the table. I saw specific part on the recipe and it said I should have three quarts of the stock. That moment I got confused. I tried to remember did I put three quarts of water? It said I need to put three and half water in the big pot and should have three quarts stock after boiling. Uh ummm, was that a mistake? I guess so because I only put three and half cups of water instead three quarts! I had to measure the stock and realized I only had one quart of stock. Oh boy!

I started stress myself over that thing. I was thinking...do I have to do all over again? What am I supposed to do with one quart? Can I add two quarts of water? Will it make a big difference? It's driving me nuts! I emailed Annie for HELP! She didn't know what to do with it. No help, thanks Annie. I ended up added two quarts of water and pour it in stock to make it three quarts. I hoped it will not make any big difference.

Finally the girls arrived and I put all stuff in the big pot with the stock in it. The soup looked very interesting. We were exciting and nervous to taste the soup. I also bought french bread to go with it. Excellent choice because it tasted so great with the soup. After prayer, I tried it with french bread and it tasted good. So I grabbed the spoon and suck the soup in my mouth. My eyes raised and wondered..do I like the taste of the soup? That taste wasn't what I excepted it would be. The taste surprised me. I couldn't make up my decision if I like it or not. AND today I still can't make up my mind about this soup.

At least I tried my best! At least I tried something new. At least I got some experiences to make a homemake stock. At least I'm still alive after cutting up the chicken. At least it was fun time with Katie and Annie. :D