Cold: February Word Counters

Counting my words again. 

Today my fellow Word Counters and I are sharing our monthly group post. The bloggers who are joining me this time all picked a number between 12 and 74 and sent it to me. I gave the numbers out as assignments to other bloggers who are then challenged to write something (or a few somethings, as the case may be) using that exact number of words. Today we all share what we came up with.

I got the number 14. It was submitted by Dawn of Spatulas on Parade.

As I've been doing in these Word Counters posts, I've chosen a theme and am using my word count multiple times in keeping with the theme. This month I've chosen the theme Cold. I bet you can figure out why.

~ You feel the need to say a prayer EVERY time you start the car.

~ Don't be gloveless, the steering wheel will claim the skin right off your fingers.

~ Whipping winds take your breath away, require zipping my coat up over your mouth.

~ You lose feeling in your feet, inside your boots, just walking to the mailbox.

~ Your groceries begin freezing in your trunk on the ride home from the store.

Crockpot Pepperoni Pizza Soup

~ You walk to your neighbor's house and end up with icicles on your eyelashes.

~ Stick your nose out of the covers, if it turns red, stay in bed.

~ How many pairs of socks can you wear at once? Asking for . . . me.

~ Damn whoever thought up daylight savings, the early dark plummeting temps in the afternoon.

~ But . . . a hot drink (with a shot) is medicinal on freezing days. Cheers.

Here are links to the other Word Counters posts:
Spatulas on Parade 
Messymimi’s Meanderings 
On the Border 

Crockpot Pepperoni Pizza Soup

                                               ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth 
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
3/4 cup pepperoni slices
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 small red onion, sliced then cut in quarters
1/2 green pepper, sliced then cut in quarters
1 clove minced garlic
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

OPT: naan or small premade pizza crusts
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
OR: Italian seasoned croutons

shredded mozarella cheese for serving

Directions:
*Place the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, sugar, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and pepperoni in a slow cooker and turn to high.
*In a saute pan, heat the 2 TBSP olive oil over medium heat until hot. Stir in the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion is just soft. Add to the slow cooker.
*Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce to low and cook for 3 hours. Add the mushrooms, ricotta and parmesan and cook another hour.
OPT: just before the soup is done cooking, brush the remaining 1 TBSP olive oil onto the naan, then sprinkle with garlic powder and parsley flakes. Toast until the bread is hot, crisp and browned. Cut into about 1 inch slices.
*To serve, top each bowl of soup with the shredded mozarella cheese, then serve with the toasted bread or top with the Italian seasoned croutons.