And here is the recipe for the other delicious soup!

 Mama's Chicken Soup

(from Tanya Lynn)

32 oz. chicken broth

4 or 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 large onion finely chopped

Vegetables below cut into 1/4 inch pieces

     3 celery ribs 

     3 carrots diced 

     2 green peppers 

     1 red pepper 

2 large potatoes cut into quarters

1 can diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (I used dehydrated)

2 tablespoons diced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. ditalini pasta

Boil all ingredients (except pasta) in broth until tender. Simmer lightly for two hours. Cut chicken into large bite sized pieces. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes in the pot to lightly thicken the broth. Cook pasta separately and add prior to serving.

Did you love that delicious Taco Soup served at the Holiday Social? Here's the recipe!

 

Taco Soup

By Jill

 

Ingredients:

EVOO Spray

1 diced onion

1 pound ground turkey

½ tsp salt

4 Tbsp taco seasoning (I use Penzey’s)

5 cloves minced garlic (yes, lots)

1 can-15 oz of each, drained:

            Black beans

            Red beans

            Pinto beans

            Garbanzo beans

1 can- 4 oz green chiles

1 can Rotel Original

1 bag frozen corn- 12 oz or 1 can

#2 can diced tomatoes (or equivalent of home-grown tomatoes)

3 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 quart box broth-vegetable

 

Toppings:

Chopped cilantro

Plain Greek yogurt

Shredded cheese

 

Instructions:

Open all the cans and have them handy.  It goes quickly!

1-      Spray large pot generously with EVOO spray.  Heat and toss in onion.  Cook until translucent.

2-      Add turkey, salt, and garlic and cook.

3-      Add the rest of ingredients and bring to boil.

4-      Simmer 15-20 minutes

5-      Serve with toppings and tortilla chips

 

Holiday Social 2025

Mother Nature couldn't keep us from enjoying our annual Holiday Social and gift exchange on Wednesday, December 3rd at the home of Jan and Phil Smith. Thanks to Andre, the driveway was plowed, and everyone had a parking spot and safe entry into the house. He also brushed the snow off of all of the car windshields before we left. Now that's really going above and beyond! (Other BILs--take note!)

Once again, the Communications Committee hosted us to a delicious lunch. The menu included two different salads, three different soups, and a variety of cookies and candy. 

As usual, the gift exchange provided a lot of laughs. The Most Stolen Item award went to a candy cane striped live amaryllis and bag of Stam's chocolates.

(seated l.-r.) Annie Gaddy, Mary Kay Durbin, Geneva Fisher, Jill Hyde, 

Lorraine Baker, Tanya Lynn

(standing l.-r.) Kate Ward, Roberta Meyer, Linda Petroff, Annette Oakley, Carol Hagerbaumer, 

Wendy Ahrendt, Marguerite Lipton, Jan Smith, Joyce Kozeliski, Kathie Burson

(photo taken by Phil Smith)

Invitation to Annie's Tiny House Building and Decorating Party 12/14/25

 

                              

 

A Tiny House Building &

Decorating Party

 

When: Sunday,December 14, 2025

Time: 12:00-6:00 drop in

Where: Annie&Doug Gaddy’s

11197 Dobbins Run Lafayette

 

I will provide royal icing and pre-constructed graham cracker “houses”

Bring a bag of your favorite candy/cereal/nuts to share in decorating

OR

A snack of any kind to share

Please RSVP and let Annie know what

(and who) you are bringing

Annie 720 560 4965

Orderlyoutcomes@gmail.com

 

       

Food for Thought:

Red & black licorice bites, ropes & twists, candy canes – all colors, sizes

Jelly beans, small is more useful

Pretzel sticks, large and small (good for fences, log piles), and pretzel squares for windows

Candy Pebbles/rocks (great for chimneys or accent on house front or back)

Cherry Lifesavers

Hershey's chocolate bars, break them into sections for shutters, walkways, chimneys, etc.

Fruit Stripe gum - great shutters, roofs, walkways, etc. - hard to find and a favorite

Chocolate chips (use for accent anywhere)   

Round swirled red and white peppermint candies, use as accent around the house border, stack for a fence post

Ice Cream cones, cover in frosting for trees, use as turrets on the house
 Crackers, use as walkways or shutters

Round cookies, use as whimsical accent, or as wheels if you have a cart, or as a round window accent

Flat almonds or other nuts, good roof material

Shredded Wheat, Chex  cereals - good for roof material

Fruit Loops, Colored Cheerios, other imaginative cereal shapes/colors...walk down the cereal aisle at the grocery

Wafer cookies; build a porch, steps or walkway, shutters

Silver dragees (in the cake decorating aisle of your store) they are little silver balls, use for accent anywhere

Gum drops - all colors, all sizes, plus gum drop shaped trees, wreaths

M & Ms - all colors, but red and green is popular

Red Hots, Chiclets or Star Bursts, etc.

 Wafers Candies - Neccos (flat, round, old fashioned candies, wrapped in a wax paper wrapper) - very popular!

Marshmallows (for snow piles, snowmen, etc.) Marshmallow trees and snowmen - only out at Christmas (in colors) Pepperidge Farm Gingerbread men, or other small cookie shapes