If you read my column on a weekly basis, then you know my love of animals. My pets are my family and I love them unconditionally.
This week we lost our cat, Jezebel. We have had her for 3 years, after Steve rescued her from an abandoned church on his daily trip to the farm. For weeks, he kept food and water in his truck to take care of her every day.
One day he noticed that she was starting to venture out and cross the road. He brought her home and she has stayed with us and always seemed awfully grateful to me to be here.
Our other two cats were not too crazy about her at first, but eventually grew to tolerate her. Often she would jump out from behind a piece of furniture and attack them. There would be a little hissing, but nothing too rough. When I was at home, she followed me around like a dog. Wherever I was – she was there as well. Whenever we arrived home, she was at the door to greet us.
As sad as I was, my deepest loss was the fact that my granddaughter, Leila Rose, absolutely adored her. The first thing she did was to look for her when she got to my house. We nicknamed her “Baby” soon after we got her and that is what she came to be called. Leila stays with me during the summer months when school is out. She and Baby would play all day -everything from playing Barbie to watching television together.
If you aren’t a pet lover, then you don’t know the loss you feel after yours is gone. We have never actually gone out to find a cat for a pet. They always seem to find us. I always tell Steve – “No More Pets!” It is too hard when they die and you have become so attached to them. I am not fooling myself, however, I’m sure she wasn’t the last.
Thank you to my vet, Dr. Blane Cooper, for not only taking care of my Baby, but also for his kindness toward us as we suffered the loss of our beloved pet.
I hope you will give today’s recipes a try. Thanks for reading.
CHICKEN WINGS
2 dozen chicken wings
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup salad oil
1 Tbsp. ginger
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
½ cup pineapple juice
Combine all ingredients. Place in a glass baking dish to cover and marinate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
EASY CHICKEN
and RICE SOUP
10 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine broth, onions, celery, carrots, parsley, pepper, and thyme and bay leaf in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes; remove bay leaf. Stir in rice and lemon juice just before serving.
LAYERED SPINACH PASTA SALAD
1 ( 9 oz.) pkg. refrigerated uncooked cheese tortellini
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
6 cups torn spinach leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup green onions, sliced
1 (8 oz.) bottle prepared Ranch dressing (Or you can make your own)
8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. In a large glass bowl or 1 9 x 13 inch baking dish, layer cabbage, spinach, tortellini, tomatoes and green onions. Pour dressing evenly over the top and sprinkle with bacon. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
