Let's Hear It for the Boys!

It used to be that every time we got into the car, my kids would demand the TV on.  But here recently, thankfully, they've been demanding to listen to the radio instead.  And in our household, there's only one radio station, of course!  Merle 96.7

So the other day, we're driving down the road, and "God Made Girls" comes on.  And one of my five year olds, James David, who sings along to just about every song--even if he doesn't know it--is singing along, and so am I.  Not a thought or care in the world.

Until 20 minutes after we got home.

I'm in the kitchen getting dinner ready, and James David asks, "Mom, why did God only make girls?"

This innocent, sincere, troubling question just about broke my heart.

Don't get me wrong here--I'm all about some girl power.  I've had my share of men belittling me because I'm a woman in both my personal and professional lives.  So my heart cheers when songs like "God Made Girls" and "Girl in a Country Song" come out. 

But I'm raising three little boys.  And it got me thinking:  what about the "Boy in a Country Song"? The beer/whiskey drinking, woman chasing, masculine bravado that dominates our culture in nearly every genre?  What about him?

Blake Shelton's "Boys 'Round Here"

Society is so concerned about the depiction and treatment of women that we forget about our boys--yet they're facing just as much of a cultural dilemma.  And ignoring this reality only exacerbates the poor treatment of both genders.

We complain about the insensitive man, but we scold the young boy who cries.  We demonize the aggressive male, yet chide the boy who "hits like a girl."  What do we expect?!?

I can feel my husband glaring at me right now, so let me clarify:  I'm not saying we should raise/treat our boys to act like girls.  Boys are boys, and they are indeed different from girls.

But what I am saying is we should embrace and foster the sensitive, nurturing nature that most certainly IS inherent in boys.

As a female, wife, and mother, I can testify that my husband is never sexier than when he cares for his kids--when he comforts them, plays with them, feeds them, bathes them, teaches them, and snuggles them.  It is the sensitive, nurturing qualities about my husband that I find most attractive, not how much he can drink, how big his muscles are, how tough he is, or how big his truck is.

God made boys, too.  And they're beautiful, caring, and strong.

Our boys need to know that.

It's 5:00 Somewhere--Bottoms Up!

A couple of years ago, every time my cell phone would ring at 5:00 pm, my now 8 year old would predict, "It's Sally!"  Sally* (name changed to protect the innocent) was my girlfriend without children, and 95% of the time, he was right.

You see, when you have children, 5 pm loses its allure; 5 pm becomes a time of chaos, of screaming, hungry, grouchy children and frantic mothers searching for something easy yet healthy to cook.  5:00 pm is probably the worst time of day (besides bedtime...oh, and bath time).

And now that my children are older, dinner time still isn't any easier.  Only one out of the three is an adventuresome eater and will eat vegetables, including broccoli and edamame.  So catering to my picky crowd of eaters makes 5 pm even more of a headache.

But I've recently discovered the magic of soup. And it's magical for several reasons:

• it's easy to make;
• it makes alot, so there's leftovers for several nights or to freeze;
• inexplicably, my kids will eat things in soup that they will not eat out of soup.

I can beg, bribe, threaten my children all night long to eat peas, corn, black beans, etc, and they will NOT touch it.  Put it in a broth, and they're gobbling it up.  Maybe it's the easy fun of the spoon, or maybe it's the ability to turn it up and slurp from the bowl.  But whatever it is, it works.  And maybe it will work for you.

Here are a few of my favorites, some time-honored family recipes, others more recently added to my repertoire. 

Mom's Homemade Vegetable Soup

1 pound lean beef stew, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 package frozen corn
1 package frozen peas
1 package frozen okra
1 large can tomato sauce
1 large can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
2 large potatoes, diced (optional)
egg noodles (optional)

* I usually omit the potatoes and/or the noodles, just because of the additional carbs, and it's super tasty without them.

1. Boil stew meat in a large pot with enough water to cover the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Once meat is cooked, add all other ingredients (except noodles) and additional salt and pepper, and add water to cover.
3. Boil for 30 minutes.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.
5. If adding noodles, you'll do that at the very end.  Put them in the soup uncooked, and bring the soup back to a boil to cook the noodles.  You may have to add more water since the noodles will absorb some of the liquid.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Italian Turkey, Bean, & Spinach Soup

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 pound extra lean ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 TSP black pepper
1 TSP dried oregano
1/2 TSP dried basil
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 - 15.8 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz baby spinach
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Brown the turkey with the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and pepper until the turkey is cooked through and the onions are translucent.
2. Add the oregano, basil, tomatoes (with liquid), and beans.  Stir to combine.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add spinach, and cover for about 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.  Stir to combine.
4. Add broth, stir, and increase heat to  medium.  Continue to cook until heated through--about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese, and serve!

Tortilla Soup

1 - 32 oz box chicken stock (or make your own with chicken bouillon

1 - 15 oz can refried beans
1 - 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 small can diced green chiles
8 oz bag of frozen corn
1-2 cups cooked brown rice (or quinoa)
1/2-1 cup salsa
2 TBSP taco seasoning

Mix all ingredients together and let simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes. 
Serve alone or with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, or whatever toppings you like!
And if you have any leftover chicken, you can throw that in for some extra protein.


Hot and Sour Soup

4 cups chicken broth
3 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
1/2 TSP sriracha sauce
 1/4 TSP ground white pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup canned bamboo shoots
3 oz tofu, cut into 1/4 inch diced
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 green onions, diced
1/2 TSP toasted sesame oil (or olive oil works fine too)

1. Bring chicken broth to boil over medium heat.  Add soy sauce, mushrooms, and sriracha sauce.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add white pepper, white vinegar, bamboo shoots, and tofu, and simmer for 5 minutes
3. In a small cup, add 2 TBSP cold tap water to 2 TBSP cornstarch.  Stir until mixture is smooth; then pour into soup mixture and stir until cornstarch completely mixed into the soup.
4. Simmer 5 minutes, or until soup thickens.
5. Beat one egg in a cup, and then pour it slowly into the soup mixture while stirring constantly.
6. Wait 1 minute, then add green onions and sesame oil to the mixture.
7. Stir well for one minute.
8. Remove from heat and serve!

Give soup a chance to turn your 5:00 into "Bottoms Up!"