Prior to the arrival of Winter Storm Fern, I came up with the semblance of a meal plan and trekked to the grocery store for supplies along with everyone else in Polk County. I went on Facebook and asked what everyone was planning on cooking and even shared a few possibilities of my own for our household. I was thrilled to receive numerous responses and am sharing them with you today.
Mike planned on making chicken and dumplings and cornbread and Fulton was making Frito pie. Those both sounded warm, comforting and delicious. Patty said she made shrimp etouffee that they ate for several days and that she was also going to make potato soup with chicken. Nancy made chili.
Mary Jo said she knew she was going to make “some kind of soup,” but hadn’t quite decided yet. She said she was dreading the impending bad weather, that it was pouring down rain where she lived, with a forecast of five degrees the following morning and a high of 23.
Soups and chili were both very popular selections, rightfully so.
Kristen made homemade chicken soup one day and beef vegetable soup another. Cousin Marcy made chili, creamy tortellini and sausage soup, broccoli and cheese soup and vegetable beef. Mary made beef and veggie soup, chicken tortellini soup and a big pot of gumbo. Jan made Texas country bean soup, commenting that it was “warming and very hearty.”
Linda made pinto beans with garlic sausage diced in it and Jasmine rice. She said it made enough to feed Cox’s Army, so if I wanted some to let her know. (Had she offered to deliver it, I would have taken her up on it.)
My friend Judy claimed she was “cheating,” as she was eating HEB soup. She said it was good but that she didn’t cook it, and asked if warming it counted. I told her, “Absolutely.”
Another friend also enjoyed some of HEB’s fare. Sherry said she had a premade HEB chicken alfredo. She added that if she were to lose power, she had Marketside sandwiches and plenty of Blue Bell ice cream. I wasn’t sure what Marketside sandwiches were so I Googled it. Turns out they are a line of ready-to-eat deli sandwiches, subs and wraps sold exclusively at Walmart, offering convenient, grab-and-go lunch options and include popular varieties like ham and swiss subs, chicken wraps and pinwheels, typically featuring pre-packaged cold ingredients.
Sister-in-law Cathy made chicken noodle soup, lentil veggie soup and campfire stew. She also put a roast and veggies in her Crock pot. She said she was also thinking about goulash, cornbread and maybe some banana nut bread to go with the hot tea she was enjoying.
Bea made a pork roast with onions and carrots and potatoes and gravy. Judy made tamales, enchiladas, pintos and chile relleno casserole. Donna made potato soup with carrots, sausage and bacon and had BLTs with soup and chips for a subsequent meal.
College buddy Terri made a shepherd’s pie and posted a picture of it on Facebook. It looked so delicious and I knew that she wouldn’t mind if I snagged the pic to share with you here today.
Karla made a pot of chili. Though she’d planned on making some Asian pork chops she’d seen earlier in the week on the Today Show, the spice she needed was delayed for a week. Instead, she opted to make chicken wings with a side of something called buttered corn rice. She’d found the recipe on Pinterest and shared the link with me. Checking it out, the dish is described as “sweet corn meets buttery rice and a kiss of garlic for a warm, cozy combo that’s ready in minutes. Perfect with anything - or all on its own!” It sounded delicious. I’ll definitely file it away to try in the future. I’m including the recipe here today if you, too, are interested.
As I finished compiling these terrific suggestions, there was something that was bugging me. Though I’ve heard references to Cox’s Army my entire life, I realized that I didn’t know to whom or what it referred. Hubby will probably shake his head as he reads this. Being a history instructor, I would imagine he’s probably more than familiar with this reference. Anyway, for those of you, like me, who may not know, another Google search revealed the following:
“Cox’s Army” is the common variation of “enough food to feed Coxey’s Army,” a 19th-century American idiom meaning a vast excess of food, originating from the 1894 march of unemployed workers led by Jacob Coxey. As the ragtag group traveled to Washington D.C., they required massive community support, leading to the phrase’s association with large, often excessive, quantities of food.
You really do learn something new every day.
By Holly Lofthouse
In a large 12-inch skillet, add the oil and melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion; sauté for about 30 seconds.
Add the rice to the skillet and fry until golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in the corn and mix to combine. Raise the heat to medium. Carefully pour in the boiling water and the chicken bouillon. Stir again.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet with a lid. Allow rice to cook covered for 15 minutes.
Once time is up, turn the heat off. Keep the lid on for another 5 minutes. (This step is important!) Remove the lid after 5 minutes and fluff rice with a fork. Serve warm and enjoy.
