WWWWhore

Confession:

I am a YouTube whore.

#sorrynotsorry

#introverthacks

#welcometomyhumor

I discovered the worldwideweb of videos a few years ago. There’s everything from teaching to venting, inspiring to educating. I just so dig it.

Yesterday, I created my first ever “Southern-style Chicken ‘n Dumplings.” And it turned out so good! (Recipe below.)

We’re in what many are dubbing The Aquarian Age, which includes technological advances galore. While I prefer to find myself knee-deep in the mud of my garden or lost in the woods or listening to the waves crash the shore, my smartphone is darn convenient. The amount of shere information at the end of my fingers… well, it’s mind-boggling. 

And I am a whore for information.

Libraries? Yes, please.

Documentaries? Sign me up.

History channel? I’m already making the popcorn so press play.

Husband and I struggled when the phones became a big thing, all the rage and “every one of my friends has one, Mom and Dad, and why can’t I and I need one and pleasepleasepleasepleasepleeeeeeeease let me have a phone!” Gah, we so wanted to protect each of our Five from the bigness of the WWW. 

Whoever said little kids, little problems; bigger kids, bigger problems… musta had kids ‘cause that pretty much nails it.

Anyhoo, we survived that season and they each have phones now and I’m thrilled because I can reach out via text almost every day and say “hi and I miss you and when can I make you dinner, please come visit, and did I mention yet I miss you so much.” 

Because I am a whore for gathering with my family. And feeding them. And hugging and playing cards and laughing. Incredibly thankful for technology I am! I may not understand it all and sometimes it comes all up in my face and I feel overwhelmed… but it’s also been useful for many things. 

Like making something new and different for dinner. Like Chicken ‘n Dumplings, Southern-style, if you please.

1. Chop up three carrots and three stalks of celery and one onion.
2. In a stockpot, toss in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, heat and throw in step one. Heat through for a few minutes.
3. Add garlic. I like it so I’m heavy-handed at about two tablespoons. Up to you. Heat through, about 2 minutes or so.
4. Toss 3 room temp chicken breasts and 6 cups of chicken broth. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Make dumplings while this cooks. (Twenty minutes)
5. Dumplings: mix 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt; add ⅓ cup shortening. Blend altogether til texture is like sand. Add 1 cup buttermilk (or just plain milk which is what I did and it turned out tasty)
6. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick and take butterknife and make strips of any size. I made small squares. 
7. Back to the pot: remove chicken, shred it and replace into pot. Add 2 cups milk and “cornstarch slurry” (mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch into ¼ cup water) – this thickens the soup broth a bit
8. Once the pot is boiling again, reduce heat to simmer and add all of your dumplings. These will take about 20 minutes to cook properly.
9. Grab a spoon, baby, ‘cause dinner’s served.

Enjoy. 

I could end with saying something more about whores… but I figure you already guessed I was planning on doing that. So I won’t. 😉

Writing Every Day Down,

In gratitude and wonder.

YOUR JOURNAL PROMPT:

This being here now thing is rocking my world! From the details of a mound of three-day-old snow (which FurButt insists sniffing every morning) to the vastness of allowing myself to get lost in the grape vineyard out back, I am experiencing the littlest things with the biggest wonder. I’m having the time of my life and am excited to share it with you.

• What do YOU think of technology? Pros/Cons
• If you dig into YouTube, do you have a favorite channel?
• Did you angst about anything specific when raising your children?
• What is your favorite meal of the day? — Husband’s is definitely dinner; I am a lunch whore…. 😉