Living Room Furniture & Portuguese Soup

I am spoiled well beyond rotten. I would be ashamed of it except it has been going on for so long that I've become, well, used to it. Not that I take it for granted; in fact material things have never meant a whole lot to me, but, nevertheless, I am spoiled.

Today's event is not the exception to anything, it is the rule.

"Hey, let's go to the furniture store." John said to me out of the blue.

I had my shoes on and my purse slung over my shoulder before he finished his sentence.

Once at the store, he stood back and let me loose.

"It's Christmas, Beej. Go choose what you want."

I have simple tastes. Don't give me ornate, I prefer simple. I'll choose Danish over Baroque, anytime. So I laid my eyes on a Seafoam colored living room set., with chocolate piping. I looked up at John, and pointed at it.

"I just want the love seat and the chair." I told the sales lady.

"No no, Beej. Get yourself the entire set." John said. "Order her the entire thing." he instructed the clerk.




We head home and take long, lovely naps. I awaken well after John, who is downstairs in the family room, watching tv.

"Mornin'" he says. (It's 6pm.)

My plan was to make him a nice dinner but my sleep had cut into the prep time so I skedaddled into the kitchen.

John lived in Brazil for quite a long period of time and came away from there with a strong love for Portuguese food. His favorite is called Feijoada, which is a dish with beans, kale, a variety of meats and sliced oranges:



But time is unforgiving so I settle for a mock Portuguese soup that is incredibly easy and one that we both love:


PORTUGUESE SOUP


1 whole smoked sausage link, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 large box or can chicken broth
1-2 cups water
1 large package raw coleslaw greens
2 cups instant potatoes
ground pepper and salt (to taste)

melt butter in the bottom of a large pot. add sausage pieces and brown well. Add broth and water. Heat. Add coleslaw greens. Stir until well mixed. Add instant potatoes. Stir. Reduce heat and simmer until slaw cabbage softens and instant potatoes thicken broth. (the longer it simmers, the better it is.)
Enjoy.