THE DELIVERY PERSON ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

 From Linda Lee Greene, Author & Artist

 

Mothers and daughters across much of the world forge an unbreakable bond by way of shared shopping excursions. My adult daughter Elizabeth, who is a natural-born marathon shopper, to this day has not quite forgiven me for not being one of those mothers: shopping is, and always has been, a bloody nightmare for me. Most often, shopping stiffens my back and legs to beams of concrete and melts my brain to mush. A positive outcome of the pandemic for me is the release of any further need to schlep around in brick and mortar shops. I sure do hope that after the pandemic, the fabulous delivery services continue.

            Nothing is perfect, though, as we all know. Sometimes items show up in our deliveries as substitutes that don’t quite meet our expectations. And if it is a food item, there is no returning it. Recently, I received Italian Chicken Sausages in place of authentic Italian Pork Sausages. I’ve tasted those supposedly heart-healthier products made with chicken instead of beef or pork, such as chicken hot dogs, etc. They just don’t make the grade for my taste buds.

These home deliveries are like life in that we just never know what will be dropped off at our doorstep. But as in life, we have to try our best to make good soup out of what is given to us. Below is a recipe I concocted in which that ersatz Italian Sausage is the main ingredient. To my delight, it was quite delicious.  

 

ITALIAN VEGETABLE SOUP FOR THE HEART AND SOUL

 

1 package of 5 (12 oz) organic, mild, sweet, Italian Chicken Sausages cut into bite-size circles

16 oz frozen vegetable medley (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower), and/or additional vegetables as desired

1 – 14½ oz can diced tomatoes and the can’s liquid

24 oz organic, low-salt vegetable broth

1 small diced fresh or frozen diced onion

1 package onion soup and dip mix

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder or 1 minced garlic floret

Adobo spice to taste

Sea salt and ground mélange pepper to taste

 

Place all ingredients in Crock Pot on high until vegetables and meat are tender. Halfway through, adjust spices according to taste.

 

Delicious with crackers or chunky bread (opt for Keto-friendly crackers and bread to stay true to a low-carb/gluten-free regimen). This soup gets tastier on day two and three, and is food-friendly for low-carb diets.

 

Multi-award-winning author, Linda Lee Greene’s CRADLE OF THE SERPENT, is a finalist in the cross-genre category of the 2018 American Fiction Awards. One reviewer states: “Congratulation, Linda. You are an artist. It did not take me long to realize that I was reading a book from a gifted writer. Wow! Your sentences - they rise, they fall, they meander, they circle, they confuse, tease and then end just as they should. There are so many unique and wonderful descriptions in your story.”

 

Link to purchase CRADLE OF THE SERPENT: goo.gl/i3UkAV 

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