In His Grip

Free, Really it is Free!

Last night I had a meeting at my favorite spot, Panera.  Now, you need to know I was not at "my" Panera.  I was meeting some friends at another Panera where they do not know me.  I ordered a bowl of soup and went to pay and could not find my debit card.  I had that little panic moment when you go to look for you bank card and it is not where you put it.  My mind started racing as to where it possibly could be and when I last used it.  Oh, yes, I gave it to the girls on Sunday to go out to lunch with their cousins after church.  Snap!  Did one of my girls have my card in their purse and now they are back at school?  As all of this is going through my mind, the man in line behind me said to the cashier that he could get one of the manger cards and take care of this.  I asked if I could write a check, because if you know me at all, you know I never, I mean never, have cash.  Panera does not accept checks.  The man behind me was a Panera employee and walked the cashier through what I thought was accepting a check.  But as he went around to help the young man at the register, he said, "Okay, it is taken care of."  So I handed the man my check and he said again, "It is taken care of."   I did not understand and I said, "You mean my soup is free!"  He said, "Yes."  I thanked him and told him that I frequent Panera on a regular basis, at least once a week, and that this is not even "my" Panera.  He told that he was happy to help me out and that the next time I am going to "my" Panera to think of him at "his" Panera.  You just gotta love Panera!

Oodles of Noodles Soup

Last night I tried this new recipe I found in Taste of Home.  Just the fun name made me want to try it.  It was very easy and great taste for the effort.  Now that we are empty nester's, I have to fight the urge to eat out every night because why go to so much trouble for only the two of us?  But then I remember one of my 2008 Goals to actually make and eat dinner 6 nights a week, and I do not want to be a total failure.

• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 5 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 packages (3 ounces each) chicken ramen noodles

In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray (I added butter to this), saute the chicken, carrots, onion, celery and garlic until chicken is no longer pink. Add water, pepper and contents of seasoning packets from the noodles. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Break noodles into pieces and add to soup; cover and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Yield: 6 servings.

Give this recipe a try on this nice crisp Fall day.