Today Was a Good Day

Today was a good day…no wait today was a GREAT DAY! I knew today I was going to get up and get myself back in line. Today I did exactly that.

This morning as I was getting the kids ready for school I asked what they wanted me to make for dinner. I ask this question every single morning. Sometimes I get a response and sometimes I don’t. Today, all 3 boys asked me to make what I made for dinner last night. What? Really?

Last night I was craving comfort food. The day before I had made a pot roast and I was really wanting to turn that pot roast into Beef Stroganoff. Like usual I was missing a key ingredient…I did not have any cream of mushroom soup. I decided that was not going to stop. Nope, I had mushrooms and I knew I could make something along the lines of cream of mushroom soup. So that is exactly what I did.

I had to disguise the mushroom because if my kids knew they were actually just eating mushrooms, meat and noodles they would have a nervous breakdown. “Mushrooms are HORRIBLE!” is what Benjamin always tells me. So, I was completely shocked how well they liked my dinner last night.

This dish is just so versatile that I had to write it down and share. I will probably never buy canned cream of mushroom soup again.

1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 pounds of chopped portobello mushrooms
Handful of green (spinach and kale)
2tbs butter
2tbs flour
1/4 cup
1/4 cup white wine (you can totally use a cooking wine from any grocery store or any of your favorite box wine…you can drink some too)
4 cups of Beef Stock (you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock if you prefer)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Here are several variations of how you can eat it after you completed the soup.

Bowtie noodles
Rice
Add ground beef
Add pot roast
Croutons
French fried onions

Method:

Chop onions, garlic, mushrooms and greens and place them in a large pot with the butter and the olive oil and cook until tender. Add the flour and stir and you have a gummy mixture. Then add your beef stock and wine and let simmer for about 10 mins.

Now you can decided how smooth or chunky you would like your soup to be. My kids can’t know that there are mushrooms, greens or onions in it so I pour the mixture into my VitaMix blender and blend until velvety soft. You can certainly use an immersion blender if you want to. Once you have the desired consistency pour the soup back into the pot and add your sour cream, salt and pepper.

I served mine tonight two ways. Robbie actually asked for just the plain soup AND a bowl with some noodles. The other kids asked for it with noodles. There are so many way to eat this soup so be creative!

This morning after we had a decision on dinner I dropped the kids off at school and headed to the gym. Yes! I made it! I knew Judah probably would not last long in child care because it has been over a month since we have been so its like starting all over again.

That being said I hopped on a machine and got my cardio started. I got in an 18 min and 26 sec workout. I was happy with that. We made it and that is all that I needed. It will only get better from here.

When I returned from the gym I had pleasant surprise. Karis’ fall senior pictures had been completed. This just made my day. As I scrolled through the pictures I realized I had the biggest smile and tears rolling down my face.

My daughter is beautiful. She has turned into the most beautiful person and I am just proud to be her Mom. She is smart, talented, beautiful and her future is just so bright.

How did she grow up so fast and why does she have to go away to college so soon? 5 years was not enough. I am ready to let her go. I am not ready for my house to be all boys. I love my girls. I need them.

I know, I know I need to put my big girl panties on and deal with…I am doing that. But every now and then I just need to take a minute and let two emotions overcome me at the same time.

SO, Mommy’s, hug those babies and make try your best to make time stand still. They grow up so fast and there is just never enough time. Let sneeze on you, throw up in your hair (gross I know…but it happens), wipe boogers on you, and craw in your lap just to snuggle. They will be going to college before you know it.