(Kiki's Corner by Kiki Angelos - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

In the beginning of this week, we experienced one of the worst snowstorms and I’m sure for many it was the first time to see so much snow.

Some called it snow catastrophe and I tell you why when you see 100 cars and trucks that lose control on the highway due to the snow and black ice, some lost their lives (That is very devastating) and also lost beautiful cars. Since the bad weather started hitting our country over 40 states experienced freezing temperatures, heavy snow that no one had time to clean and on top of that freezing rain and it made it impossible to clean. The best was to stay inside, thank goodness schools closed for the whole week. I can understand the reason but some of us don’t realize when we live in the city it’s hard for the school buses to travel on the country roads to pick up children, and at times kids have to wait in those cold temperatures for the buses to arrive and makes it very hard and very dangerous.

I personally enjoyed staying inside to cook and clean. I love snow, but when it snows at night and melts the next day. LOL. I hope it was just a rumor that we may have another snowstorm coming … enough is enough.

Snow is beautiful, but it hurts businesses. Kids really need to be in school to learn and it’s hard for the parents to find babysitters to take care of their kids when they have to go to work. I’m afraid to say, but those mountains of snow will be here for another week. It’s sad they were interviewing a couple on TV that had to spend 17 hours in their car because there were so many accidents in front of them and they couldn’t go anywhere.

Let’s face it, we are so lucky that we live in a small town. This is the first time I have seen Times Square and Manhattan with so much snow, how about all the flight cancellations and people with families stuck at the airports because all the hotels were booked and so they had no place to go. Honestly, winter is not the time to travel in my opinion. Thank goodness we lucked out with our flights and our cruise in the beginning of January. I have to say it was a concern. Over the years we flew to Europe for 30 years and at times twice a year. I could write a book about traveling, and I wish I could write all that in the newspaper, because some were funny stories , some frustrating.

I love to fly, so I only remember the good ones, and we met the nicest people from all over the world, and up to this day I’m staying in touch with them. I will never forget that we were in Jerusalem one year and we met people from Charleston, W.Va., and still stay in touch with them. Another time we met a Greek couple from Australia. I think I wrote the story before in my column and her name is Kiki, and our mothers in Greece were from the same town. We stay in touch and communicate once or twice a week. Another time we were getting ready to board a cruise to go to the Caribbean and I heard my name somebody was calling Kiki and I told my husband there’s no way no one will know me here. I turn around and it was a lady I had met at one of the Greek islands years ago. Small world and many many more stories like that.

Please stay safe and warm.

Till next week.

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Wild Rice Chicken Soup

1 cup uncooked wild rice

7 cups chicken broth divided

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushroom

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon spoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cups half-and-half cream

In a large saucepan, bring rice and 3 cups of broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes or until rice is tender. In a Dutch oven, saute mushrooms, onion, and celery in butter until tender, stir in the flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually add the remaining broth, bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir the chicken, cream and cooked rice, heat through (do not boil).

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Lemony Mushroom Orzo Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound sliced fresh button mushrooms

1 pound sliced fresh baby portobello mushrooms

1 celery rib, sliced

2 cartons (32 oz. each) chicken broth

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta

2 eggs

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Minced fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and celery, Cook and stir 6-7 minutes or until tender. Add broth and bouillon, bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, return to a boil. Cook, uncovered 7 to 9 minutes or until orzo is al dente, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat let stand 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon juice and pepper. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the hot broth. Return all to pan, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until the broth is likely thickened, stirring occasionally (do not allow to boil). Top servings with parsley.

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Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) reduced sodium condensed tomato soup undiluted

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups 2% milk

2 cups half-and-half cream

1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Additional shredded Parmesan cheese optional

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile in a Dutch oven combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes, and seasonings. Heat through, stirring frequently. Drain tortellini and carefully add to soup. Stir in cheese. Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if desired.