grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Chicken Fagioli Soup

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Chicken Fagioli Soup

Chicken Fagioli Soup hits the spot on a chilly, drizzly fall day. And yesterday, that was our weather here in Northwest Arkansas. It was perfect for writing and reading, but a girl’s gotta eat, too. So I whipped up a batch of fagioli soup using ingredients on hand.

I think this would be amazing made with leftover grilled-on-the-Green-Egg Italian sausage, but it was mighty good (and a bit lighter) made with spinach and feta chicken sausage. I used Applegate Organic brand.

(By the way, fagioli means pasta and beans.)Continue Reading

Sunday Letter: 11.04.18

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Sunday letter

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Greetings from Overland Park, Kansas, a place I’ve not visited in twenty years, not since I had a different life. On Thursday, my friend Gail and I drove up for the Johnson County Writers Conference, a two-day event held at the Johnson County Public Library. If gold stars were handed out for writer conferences, I’d give this one five shiny ones. I leave inspired, encouraged, filled with so many ideas to implement, websites to visit, and word loops to study that I can barely concentrate on penning this Sunday Letter…

The thing about roads trips and writer conferences— the best ones shove me out of my routine and fling open my mind.

I didn’t realize how much creative shoving and flinging I needed.

But first…
Continue Reading

I got a rock + other Great Pumpkin thoughts…

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I got a rock! and other Great Pumpkin thoughts.

This year for the first time in I don’t know how long—maybe since forever—I missed watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. When it aired (weekend before last), I had driven Momma to her college reunion and stayed overnight in Russellville. While Charlie Brown got a rock in his trick or treat bag, I was treated to dinner with Momma and her college friends. As you might imagine, finally meeting the ladies I’ve been hearing about for years and listening to their stories firsthand brought its own sort of entertainment.

Why does everything good happen at the same time?Continue Reading

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

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