“Let us welcome February and take every chance to show love to all we meet.”
Well folks can you believe we are in the midst of winter already and now gearing up for, according to some, the most romantic month of the year?
Let’s share a loving recipe:
Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Taco Soup recipe by All Recipes
Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
2 tsp salt, divided
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 tbls oil
1 tbls taco seasoning
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 (8ounce) pkg Neufchatel cheese, softened
Directions:
Spray a slow cooker with the cooking spray. Add onions, bell pepper and 1 tsp salt. Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, condensed soup and chilies.
Combine oil, taco seasoning, 1tsp salt, cumin, and black pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.
Cook on low until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 2 to 3 hours. Remove from slow cooker and shred.
Add Neufchatel cheese to the slow cooker and stir until melted. Return chicken to the slow cooker and cook until warmed through, 20-30 minutes more.
Top with fried tortilla strips if desired. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Have a Taco Tuesday night with someone you love this February. Serve up this delicious hot and creamy soup in your favorite bowls. (Red if you have them.)
Our craft:
5-Minute DIY Sweater Vase project:
You will need a random set of vases, either some you already have or some that you either thrift or pick up at Dollar Tree. They don’t need to match. Choose a cream colored sweater or any favorite color sweater you have thrifted or no longer wear. Place your vase next to the arm of the sweater to measure. Add 6 inches in case the sweater stretches. Cut the sweater arm off from the rest of the sweater. Pull the sweater arm onto your vase. Straighten the seam in the back and then just cut to fit, leaving a small hem at the bottom. Then just tuck the hem under the bottom. You could also add a little fabric glue to hold it in place. Fill the vase with artificial branches. Place your vases at different heights for a beautiful arrangement: You could always add pomp oms to the front or ribbon and buttons. Use your imagination and any items you have on hand. Add a string of fairy lights around the branches for a little Valentine’s Glow.
Dollar Tree has a large assortment of any of the above items you may need to complete this craft. Hope you give it a try. They truly do add a touch of style to any room.
Let’s talk about books:
I checked out the book The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana Chambers. This book explores the early life of Julia McWilliams. She goes to Washington after college graduation where she accepts the position of file clerk for the one and only General “Wild Bill” Donovan. He’s a tough task master but soon Julia becomes his right-hand gal. She gets the office in tip top shape and becomes his most trusted employee. This is during World War II and Julia discovers some of the work she is being given are secret trades with Asia. She is so inquisitive, and she finds out a clerk position in Asia is about to come open, so she does everything to convince Wild Bill she’s the girl for the job. Reluctantly he decides to let her go, knowing how much he depends on her. She’s fascinated with her new post and the new company she’s assigned to. She starts her mission and during this dreadful time of war Julia also discovers her love for food. It seems in India the streets are full of aromas and vendors she just can’t resist. She meets and instantly takes a dislike to an engineer named Paul Child. They are oil and water; he works tirelessly drawing plans for the military while she tries to set up her secret trade mission under the ruse of file clerk. It’s quite fascinating how these two eventually end up together to form a love that lasted their lifetime. This book takes you not only on a journey through historical fiction but on a journey to see how this war made one of our most beloved chefs into the icon we know today.
Coincidentally, I had just watched the video Julie and Julia. I bought it at a sale while helping out at our Sophia Library Branch. I had forgotten how much I adored and was fascinated by this movie. Julie who works at a 911 call center following the attacks on New York City finds her purpose and voice through a cooking blog where she decides to cook through Julia Child’s Mastering the art of French Cooking. She gives herself one year to complete the task. The movie goes in and out of the lives of Julie and Julia. I’m a fan so to find the book and read it just furthered my newly acquired obsession with Julia and Paul Child. It was meant to be. Just like Julia and Paul Child. Has there been a greater love?
Ever read the children’s book Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame? I thought why not and I’m glad I did. This little classic follows the story of Mole, Rat and Badger as they try to help their friend Mr. Toad after he becomes obsessed with motorcars. This is where he gets into trouble and needs his three friends. Read and follow their adventures. The characters almost become human like as you read, they seem to take on our personalities. They wear clothes and look like little men. It’s a delightful book.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. (An Oprah Book Club 2024 Pick) Oh my people, did this book move me! It’s a very small book which I read during my lunch break one afternoon. It’s so tender and raw. I cried while reading and do still when I think about it. It’s set in Catholic Ireland. It’s 1985 in a small Irish town. Bill Furlong is a coal merchant who delivers coal to local merchants and town folk in his beloved Lorrie. He lives with his wife and 5 daughters. While during a delivery to a local convent Bill makes a startling discovery. It forces him to question and challenge not only his faith but his conscience. I will not give any more away, but please read this little gem.
Foster by Claire Keegan. Well get ready for another tear jerker. Once again this author takes us to rural Ireland. The year is 1981. A small girl is sent to live with her distant relatives, the Kinsellas. The child’s mother is about to give birth once again so she is sent to spend the summer there on the farm. She is thrown into a whole new environment, one that is filled with warmth and affection. She has never experienced either of these in her small lifetime and doesn’t quite know how to react or how to accept. She has her own warm room, new clothes, hot meals and kind words always being spoken. She forms a bond with these folks and to her surprise the summer flies by. But she receives word her mother had the baby, and she must go home. Oh, the heartache this little girl and the Kinsellas experience will tear your heart out. I just almost couldn’t stand it. If you want a very emotionally stirring novel, please choose this one. Sometimes we think we know about foster care, but this little book will open your eyes.
So, staying in Ireland I decided to start reading the series An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor. If you watch PBS or the BBC channel you will like this one. It would remind you of All things Great and Small. So, the story is about a new young doctor named Barry Laverty, who becomes the assistant to a rural eccentric general practitioner named Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly in a small Northern Ireland village called Ballybucklebo. He is shown around town in Dr. Fingal’s very old and trusty motorcar. He narrowly escapes the advances of Dr. Fingal’s large black Labrador named Arthur Guinness. He then must navigate the moods of Lady McBeth, Dr. Fingal’s all white cat. Ms. Kincaid or Kinky they call her is the receptionist, cook, and housekeeper all in one. Dr. Fingal doesn’t pull any punches and he practices in ways Dr. Laverty never experienced in University. He learns sometimes patients just need someone to listen or tell them it’s going to be alright. Although he witnesses things not being done by what he considers by the book or medical standards, he comes to learn a lot about life, love and medicine. Things he definitely hadn’t learned from books. I’m just now into this series but so far I am really loving it. I’ll keep you posted but hope you will also give them a read.
Okay, so I watched the movie Wicked. Did I know the whole thing was a musical? No, I didn’t. I must say if you are expecting the Wizard of Oz, don’t. It’s quite fascinating though. It starts at the end which may confuse you for a bit. Then it goes into Galinda the good witch and Elphaba, who grows up to be the wicked witch of the west. They both go to the land of Oz for school. There the unlikely pair are put together as roommates. Galinda, all decked out in pink and as many frills as you can imagine. Let’s just say Miss Popularity. Everyone wants to be her friend, or more likely be her. Then there’s Elphaba, who was born with green skin and dresses in black. How will this pair navigate Oz and the social injustices they see being played out there? Is it possible they just might have more in common than they thought? Watch and see how they become best friends! I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this movie.
Dates to Remember: February 14 Valentine’s Day
February 17 Presidents' Day
Please check out our website at www.rcplwv.org or phone us at 304-255-0511 for any and all upcoming events taking place this month.
“If I can make one person laugh long enough to forget their problems then my day was not wasted.” - Disney Stitch
Wishing you love,
The Bookmobile Lady
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