Woolgrowers Cabbage Soup - Sunday Night Football Soup on Monday Night Football Night

What a long heading!

I've been trying to make a new soup every Sunday while I watch Sunday Night Football. I live in California so Sunday Night Football SNL starts at 5:30 pm. I usually start cooking during the pre-game show. I actually made the soup I'm going to post about today on December 7th.

On December 6th, I decorated my tree and living room. This year I decided to keep it simple. Thanks to COVID-19, we are not have our usual Christmas get-together with all my siblings and their spouses and their children and grandchildren. It will be just me, my son and daughter and my mom, and that's why I kept my decor simple. I kinda love it, let me share some photos. The Nutcrackers have all been gifts from my mom and daughter and some I've found here and there throughout the years in thrift stores.

This Nativity was made by my mother in 1983. She and her sister were taking ceramics classes at the local high school. She made one for each of her four children and one for each of her sisters. All her sisters are gone now and they left their Nativity to one of their daughters and we all display them at Christmas.  

Some are hand painted in detail and some like mine were done in a pearlized paint which has tiny little crystals that reflect and refract light so the color varies depending on what color light is shining on it. I love it, it's a treasure I will cherish forever, until I give it to my daughter April.

So because I was totally exhausted on Dec 6th after decorating all day long I decided to make my soup the next day while watching Monday Night Football. Oh yeah...I'm a big fan of NFL football. The Dallas Cowboys are my team, but I just love watching anyone play. Right now as I write this I'm watching the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Buffalo Bills. I'm rooting for the Steelers since that is my sons favorite team.

Anyway...on to the soup. We have a favorite restaurant called Woolgrowers. It's a Basque restaurant and you can read my post about it HERE, it explains everything. 

Woolgrowers serves a world famous cabbage soup. When you sit down at the table, you don't even have to ask for it, they automatically bring a big bowl of this soup, a bowl of beans, a bowl of hot (temperature-wise) salsa, a basket of sliced French bread and a plate full of real butter pats...again YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ASK FOR IT!!!

Since we've been in shutdown, we have not eaten in sit-down restaurants, so I wanted to see if I could make the soup. I searched online and found a link to the recipe.

Woolgrowers Vegetable Soup

• 3 carrots
• 2 large potatoes
• 2 leeks
• 1 small cabbage
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbl Chicken Base
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 Tsp thyme
• 10 cups water
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Bring water to a boil and add chicken base, I used Better Than Bouillon Roasted chicken base). Chop all vegetables and add to water. Fry chopped onion in a little oil, drain and add to water and vegetables. Add seasonings and tomato sauce, simmer for two hours.

And you get this deliciousness. The funny thing is that I had no idea what a leek was, or what it tasted like. I didn't even know how or what parts of the leek to use. Thank goodness for YouTube. I tasted it raw and love it, bet it would be great raw in a salad!

My mom had made a fresh pot of beans earlier that day and we spooned the beans into our bowls and then the soup and some La Victoria Salsa. We had some sliced French bread and everyone agreed the whole house smelled like Woolgrowers and the soup was spot on exactly like Woolgrowers!

It was a win! I highly recommend making this soup, it will sing to your soul and make your heart happy!

Baby J Sunday - Ooh Pretty!

Saturday I decided I wanted to put up my Christmas Tree because I knew Baby J would be coming to visit me on Sunday and I couldn't wait to see the expression on her face!

I bought a new tree this year. The one I had in previous years was a small one, about 6' and it was one of those that come pre-lit and after a couple of years the lights don't work any more and you have to add your own anyway. This year I bought a beautiful one that's 7.5' tall and very full! So full in fact that normally I would put a bunch of ornaments on ornament stands around the house but with this one I used all my ornaments and have room for many more!

As you can see in the picture below our puppy Chorizo really loved it and immediately claimed the chair nearest the tree so she could gaze at it and nap. Today she was over it!

I completely forgot to grab my camera this morning when Baby J came in but she was in awe! When she first came in the house she and her daddy came in through the kitchen door and she noticed my Nativity Scene right away. She ran to it and exclaimed "Pretty!!!" I showed her Baby Jesus and she picked it up and kissed the baby. I was frantic thinking she might drop Baby Jesus but she was very gentle with him!

You can see the Nativity below. I've posted this before. My mom made this set for me back in 1983 when she was taking a ceramics class. I can't believe this Nativity is older than my son who was born in 1985!!! It's painted with a pearlized glaze which has several pastel colors in it and it picks up all the colors of whatever color lights I use. This year I used multi-colored lights but used a red garland as red is moms favorite color.

My new addition to my holiday decorations are the Snowman and Snow Woman pictured above. A gift from my mom. I just love them and so did Baby J. The one thing she did NOT LIKE and I had to remove from the room right away was my Nutcracker! I was surprised she took such an instant dislike to it.

Here's a picture of him in a window display that I haven't quite finished yet so this is all I can show you. I think he's awesome! Love his mustache but I think she disliked his teeth. He's about 36 inches tall and was a thrifting find about 5 years ago. I'm thinking of starting a collection of them and purchased a small one of these in green which I'll post about later.

The one thing she really loved was my set of Christmas Tree and Polar Bear refrigerator magnets. My mom and I were laughing so hard at her because she would take the bigger pieces and slam then onto the refrigerator but when she would put the small pieces on she was super gentle with them. She's such a unique little thing!

Her mom has taken to straightening her curls and while she looks very pretty and grown up with straight hair...I do so miss her curls! So that's it for Baby J Sunday, another fun and happy morning spent with the apple of my eye!