Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.
At
the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring
this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they
used them.
I'm using: tiles ~ draw ~ Empire State Building ~ apron ~ tube ~ vapor
They were submitted by Tamara of Part-time Working Hockey Mom. Not only am I challenged by my assigned words today, but I feel like I should also work in here somewhere the fact that this is my 1000th blog post. Hmmm, wonder how I'm going to do that . . .
Perhaps I'll tell you that if you printed out all of my blog posts and stacked the paper in one tall pile, it would be as high as the Empire State Building. Except I've seen it (the Empire State Building, not the pile of blog posts) and, despite the amount of writing I've been doing, know it probably (OK, most definitely) wouldn't be true.
Maybe I'll come up with something if I put on my apron and head to the kitchen to make dinner. Everyone knows chicken soup vapors are magical (especially those from my mom's chicken soup), not only do I know they cure your ills and feed your soul, but they clear your mind. Magical.
Green Chili Chicken Soup with Taco Rice
And
somehow the majority of my writing ideas do seem to come to me when I'm
either up to my elbows in raw chicken, or when I'm staring at the tiles, soaking wet in the shower. Anyway, I'll fit it in somehow. Unless I already have . . .
As I sit here looking at my last two words and vowing to neither draw nor share a picture of myself in a tube top (although I'm sure I've got some somewhere), I realize that despite having used my words, I've written about, well, nothing.
So I'm going to end with something. A great big 1000th post thank you.
I want to say to all of the online and irl friends, both bloggers and those who don't blog, all who come here twice a week to try out my recipes, to be challenged, to be amused (or all of the above), I want you to know that the very first blog post, Can I Blog?, that was for me. The rest, 999 of them, were because of you. I often say that this blog has sustained me in times of frustration, anger, fear, uncertainty, and lately boredom, and that's true. I write for a lot of reasons, but the most sustaining one is because you read. So thank you. 1000 times, thank you. ❤
Have a bowl of magical soup. It's on me.
Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:
3 TBSP olive oil
1 1/4# boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBSP taco seasoning
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) medium or hot (your choice) diced green chilis, undrained
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cans cannellini beans, undrained
1 TBSP butter
1/4 cup angel hair pasta
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup jarred salsa (medium or hot, your choice)
1 1/2 cups instant white rice
Directions:
*Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and chicken. Stir, then sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Cook and stir until the chicken is completely cooked.
*Add the chicken broth, green chilis, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper and cilantro. Heat to boiling, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1/2 hour.
*While the soup is simmering, in a separate pot, heat the butter over medium heat. When it melts, break up the pasta into the pan and cook, stirring, until the pasta starts to brown. Add the water and salsa to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and remove from heat.
*Uncover the soup, add the beans and allow to simmer for 10 more minutes.
*To serve, place about 1/4 cup of the rice in each bowl, then fill the rest of the bowl with the soup.
Congratulations on 1,000 posts! Whoa, you've been busy! We met in 2013, so I have probably read a good portion of them. Maybe up to the Empire State Building's 75th floor or so?
ReplyDeleteI'm the same about being hit by inspiration while taking a shower. I guess it's because our brains don't have anything to do?
Thank you for entertaining us, cooking and baking for us, for making us laugh (and sometimes cry), and for being a fabulous blogger friend!
Right back at you, I've valued our friendship and enjoyed your writing over the years.
DeleteCongratulations! I wonder how many comments I've left over that time. I started blogging in 2013-2014. I've screwed up many of your recipes over the year...I'm so sorry lol.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I know you got some right too. Thanks for sticking with me for so long. When I started, I never thought I'd get to 100 posts, no way 1,000.
Delete1000! That. Is. Awesome! I don't know what percentage of your stories I've read. But I do know the percentage of those I've enjoyed: 100.
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations!
Thank you for being such a great friend!
DeleteCongrats on 1000!! That's so awesome. I'm so happy to be part of this group that you created. So thank you for starting to (and continuing to) blog!
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining in. You know how much I value and respect your voice.
DeleteCongratulations! I read somewhere that the vast majority of blogs are abandoned after a short time, so your milestone is extra amazing.
ReplyDeleteSince I'm more of a newish reader I keep saying I'll go back and see your back catalog. I haven't found the time yet, but I'm hopeful it will happen someday.
I'm grateful you found me, I love reading your updates, they're so interesting and entertaining.
DeleteCongrats on your blogging milestone---that's a LOT of blogs! Also, that soup looks yummy---I love anything taco.
ReplyDeleteYes, maybe not Empire State building a lot, but still way more than I ever expected.
DeleteCongratulations! 1000 Blogs, 1000 times you sat down and created poems and stories to draw us in, educate and entertain I cannot imagine you sitting long enough to create a Blog while dreaming and creating your recipes. Baking in a Tornado made me check it out, your caring heart made me stay. You brought me through some tough times through laughter and encouragement. Now for the next 1000...
ReplyDeleteThank you for such kind words. I am so grateful for you support, it's why I keep at it.
Delete1,000 posts since 2012 - congratulations! This list of words had me thinking "what could I possibly do with this list?" but, of course, you did it. And, we are still in soup season. I'm a big believer in the vapors of a good chicken soup. Alas, any recipe with any kind of pepper is off limits for me - a long, long story. Oh well. Hope you keep blogging for a long time to come. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alana, and I hope you keep posting pictures of the sky and flowers for a long time to come.
Delete1000 blogposts are a great achievement Gratz! I have not been following you for very long, but I am readig through your 1000 posts from the beginning, and like that I still have the biggest part in front of me. Thanks for writing!
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful to Diane and Mimi for having gotten to know you, Charlotte.
DeleteWhat a bloody great achievement
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a regular reader.
DeleteYou've been a blessing to me, entertaining, inspiring, provoking thought, and challenging me to write using word counts that make me be succinct, since Diane pointed me to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Diane put us in touch with each other. I love hearing all about your busy life down there in the south.
Delete1,000th blog post. My goodness. How great! Yeah writing ideas come to me at odd times too, sometimes while I'm driving.
ReplyDeleteYes, driving is another one.
Delete