A Lemon Kind of Kindness

 “The Best Daughter” recently sent me a recipe to try, and it sounded too delicious not to try it, so I was all in to make it. A one pot Turmeric and Ginger Chicken Veggie Soup for a cold winter January day. I had most of the ingredients on hand, and since I am considered the “queen of wing” on many things, I thought swapping out ingredients that I didn’t have for something else I did have would work just fine. How hard could that be? And would it really change it all that much, I pondered? When I thought again, yes, it probably would, especially not having the turmeric (the #1 ingredient and lead in the recipe heading), I had to figure out something…and quick.

However, when I realized that I didn’t have a lick of turmeric, parsley or kale (recipe called for all three) I thought I may be in a bit of a bind. I had already started the dutch oven with all the basic veggies—onion, garlic, celery and carrots and they were all simmering nicely together and filling the kitchen with a sweet aroma. The next part called for the spices I did not have, except I did have ginger, but it seemed that I couldn’t go on without the other two spices.

In that moment of reckoning, I called two neighbors for said spices and neither had them. When I hung up the phone with the last neighbor, my son started walking down the hallway towards the kitchen. I offhandedly mentioned my dilemma, and he actually said he’d be happy to go to the store to pick up the missing ingredients. I was floored (I told him I’d go but I still had some slicing and dicing to do). Within minutes he grabbed his car keys and off he went for said spices. I was thrilled on the offer which allowed me to finished up all the cutting (chicken and zucchini). When I looked at the recipe again (back side of my 3x5 index card) I realized that I needed a lemon to add at the end of the simmering. Ouch!

Back to the drawing board on missing ingredients, but a quick call to my son met with nada: he didn’t answer his cell phone. I figured he must be driving back. In a flash, I then sent a quick text just in case. I never heard back from him until he arrived back home.

He walked through the door with big grin all the ingredients I asked for, and the last minute addition of a lemon. He said he didn’t notice the call come in, and had started the engine of his car when he realized I sent a text. He then said he stopped the car, got out and went back in the grocery store to purchase not one, but two lemons to make sure my recipe worked out! Kindness in it’s best form! I love that kid!

P.S.
I finished cooking up the soup and it was delicious - with enough leftover for tomorrow at least!

BSoleille!

Terri