Monday, September 19, 2005
Recently I talked with a cousin and we were trying to
come up with a time to get together to share some family information. There are only 6 of us who are
descendants of our grandparents and it struck me that we should see if all of
us could spend an afternoon together.
I emailed my cousin to see what she thought of the idea. She thought it would be great. Then she said she had been bothered by
asthma and could not tolerate pets or smoke. That left my home out, but I immediately thought of my
brother. He and his wife have a
large home with no pets or smokers.
I contacted them and they readily agreed. So now we had a place, when would it be?. I looked at a calendar and emailed both
my cousin and brother to see what dates would work for them. My cousin contacted her 2 siblings and
came up with a date that also worked for my brother. I contacted our only out of state cousin and told him of our
idea and invited him to join us.
My cousin contacted her siblings.
We met on the appointed date and enjoyed ourselves from afternoon into
the night. We had a reunion and no one had to die! Is that how it happens in your family –get together only at
stressful times of illness or death?
In my mind reunions were multi-generational gatherings
that had a way of blurring from one relative to another without actually
visiting with everyone. If you are
contemplating a reunion, why not start small and see how it goes. We now plan to have our children at the
next gathering at another cousins in the country. We can take it slow, and grow in size, yet be manageable. I
look forward to hearing your ideas and sharing them.
Take care,
Happy Holidays!
I love gingerbread houses, but how about making
decorative votive holders?
I tried these for the first time this year and I really
like them.
Recipe for Gingerbread
1-cup butter, softened
1-cup sugar
1/4-cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-cup molasses
5 cups all purpose flour
1/4-teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2-teaspoon allspice
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Royal Icing
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric
mixer until fluffy. Stir together
water and baking soda until dissolved; stir in molasses.
Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with
molasses mixture; beginning and ending with flour mixture. Shape mixture into a ball' cover in
plastic warp and chill 1 hour.
Roll to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured
surface. I made three different
sized votive covers. You can use a
cardboard or poster board template or measure directly on the gingerbread. Cut 4 of whatever size you desire. I made a 9x5, 6x3-1/2, and 3x3-1/2
cover. After you cut your
gingerbread, move to parchment or silpat covered cookie sheet. Make cut outs in the gingerbread
leaving at least 1/2 border around edges.
I used cookie cutters in candy cane, Christmas tree, and star
shapes. Fill cutout areas with
crushed hard candies. I used Butter
Rum Life Savers, peppermints, and suckers left over from Halloween. Bake at 350 degree preheated oven for
10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Glue together long edges of large rectangles with a hot
glue gun. Repeat with remaining
rectangles. If you prefer, you can attach with straight pins.
Royal Icing
1 (16-oz) package powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 to 8 tablespoons warm water
Beat sugar, powder and 6 tablespoons water at low speed
of an electric mixer until blended.
Beat at high speed 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. If needed, add remaining water, 1/4
teaspoon until desired consistency.
Spoon icing into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip,
pipe onto edges of votive. Let
stand 8 hours. Place cover over
votives. I placed on a candle
platform for safety sake; you can also line the inside with aluminum foil.
This is easier than it sounds and is a nice addition to
your holiday décor. I have mine on
a bar separating my kitchen and dining room.
Have fun!
Sunday,
November 30, 2003
I was at my local grocery store last week. I was amazed to see the great stockpile of green onions, the bin was overflowing and piled to the limit. It looked like no one had bought a single bunch in days. Of course, everyone had read or heard about the hepatitis outbreak in Pa. at a ChiChi's restaurant that was tracked to green onions. I live a long way from Pa. and yet it seems everyone knows about the green onions. Why? It could directly affect the shoppers’ lives and the lives of their families. Why then do the majority of the public in recent polls not be able to name even one of the Democratic Presidential candidates? Know nothing about the recent Medicare bill? Don't know that while Bush went to Africa and pledged millions for Aids did not have a way to fund it? Why? I believe the vast majority has a great disconnect between themselves and politics - they do not see how it affects them. Of course what the politicians do definitely affects the lives of everyone - the laws they pass or not pass; the tax rate that is in place; the cost of medications; you name it! People have to educate themselves as to what is happening and hold all politicians accountable. You have a 100% chance of being affected by what politicians do and only a miniscule chance of being affected by green onions! Be informed - treat it like your life depends upon it because it does!
Friday,
November 7, 2003
Thanksgiving is almost upon us. Time to plan our menus and make our grocery list. Do you have a favorite food that you have wonderful visions of - when you think holiday get together that dish comes immediately to mind? Perhaps it was a pecan pie that your favorite aunt made, but alas your aunt is no longer here, how did she make it? Perhaps the answer is on the back of a Karo syrup jar. Cooks have been using that recipe for years - it's a classic. Many of our favorite foods can be found on labels such as the my husband's favorite fudge recipe can be found on the label of Kraft's Marshmallow Cream, Fantasy Fudge. Nestle's Chocolate Chips has the perfect and first, chocolate chip cookies recipe. A friend of mine made wonderful Oatmeal cookies. I asked for the recipes. She told me she bet I already had it - it was on the top of Quaker Oats box!
The recipes on box, labels, etc. are tested many times in order to be foolproof because the manufacturers want you to have a good experience with their products. So. Go ahead, dig through your cookbooks and magazines, but also take a look in your pantry or the grocery isles, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving feast.
Tuesday,
October 7, 2003
Hello,
What a beautiful time of year! The leaves are beginning to change
color and fall in my yard and neighborhood. The weather has cooled off so being in the out of doors is
more comfortable. I have begun
working in my flowerbeds - preparing for winter. The mums are blooming and here where I live, pansies thrive
all winter long so I am preparing areas to plant them.
It won't be long and Halloween
will be here. It is on a Friday
this year. What a great time to
have a party for your children.
You know they will be safe at home and yet having a great time. It could even be a sleep over. I'm sure they would enjoy decorating
with you -let you imagination run wild.
Depending on the ages of the children, there could be a pumpkin carving
or for younger children, face "drawing" with markers or paints,
contest. You could watch age
appropriate "scary" movies, bake and decorate cookies, etc.
THE main thing is having fun with
your children - as hard as it may be to believe now, the time passes quickly
and before you know it they have left home!
Happy fall -
Peace and Love,
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Last
week we celebrated our daughters' birthday - twins. One wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The other does not like icing and leans
toward Zucchini Bread, Strawberry Nut Bread and Banana Nut Bread so I made a
Banana Nut Cake in a 10-inch tube pan.
It turned out great. I
think this would be good for almost everyone and is delicious all day -
breakfast to midnight snack.
BANANA NUT CAKE
1/2
cup butter, unsalted
2
cups sugar
2
eggs
2
cups bananas, mashed (about 4)
3
cups flour
1/2
teaspoon salt
1-1/2
teaspoons soda
1/2
cup buttermilk
1/2
cup chopped nuts
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Grease and
flour 10-inch tube pan or spray with baker's spray.
Cream
butter and sugar. Add eggs and
beat until smooth. Add bananas. Combine flour and salt. Dissolve soda in buttermilk. Add dry mixture to creamed mixture alternately with
buttermilk. Pour into pan. Bake for about one hour.
This
is a moist cake, which tastes better everyday.
I
used a cake stencil with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" and powdered sugar to make
it a little more decorative.
Peace
and Love to ALL,
_______________________________________________________________
Sunday, July 6, 2003
Reading is one of my
favorite activities. It is
something I can do no matter what the weather, no matter what the time of the
day and night, and it is something I can do alone or in the presence of
others. I can do it while waiting
for an appointment, on a plane, by the pool, or in bed, the list is almost
endless. My favorites are
biographies, followed by mysteries, cookbooks, histories, and political
tombs. At present I am reading
Hillary Rodham Clinton's Living History.
On my shelf to be read next are Queen Noor's Leap of Faith and Caroline
Kennedy's A Patriot's Handbook. Hillary has an easy style and although most of
the material is familiar, I am finding it very interesting. I also recently
bought a used copy of Hercule Poirot's Casebook by Agatha Christie. These are short stories, many of which
have been made into the TV show that has been on PBS, BBC and A&E.
I like to buy my own
books because I can make notes in the margin and have the books for reference
for years. I still prowl my local
library. They are limited on the
books available, but I did recently check out Dutch, the biography of Ronald
Reagan. I remember hearing
criticism about the style in which the book was written when it came out a few
years ago. I must admit I did find
it disconcerting to have the author in the story, but the picture of the man,
Reagan, was clear. I don't know that I would recommend it, but I did find it
interesting.
Enjoy the summer and take
time to read. Your life will be
richer for it.
Peace and joy,
_______________________________________________________________
Monday, June 2, 2003
June is the month for
weddings and for many, the start of family reunion "season." Memorial Day Weekend we attended one of
my husband's family reunions that has been an annual event since 1935. It started as a birthday celebration
because there were so many birthdays in that month that they all his father's
family gathered for an overnight campout and fish fry. It has now evolved into a weekend
barbeque. Those that want, join in
Saturday evening to help with the barbeque and visit while others join them by
noon on Sunday. I didn't fully
appreciate this event until recently.
Perhaps it is getting older and having a sense of roots or perhaps it is
knowing we are all here for only a short time and I need to celebrate all of
life's joys. Whatever the reason,
I enjoy it. It is an opportunity to find out what has been going on with everyone. They are scattered far and wide, many
from out of state and some from out of country. They have adventures to share, births, triumphs and
tragedies to share. It is a
bonding experience unlike no other.
I did say
"one of my husband's family reunions" and I meant just that. We have another coming up this
Saturday, this time his Mother's side of the family. We will gather for a potluck lunch at the old schoolhouse
from which my Mother-in-law graduated over sixty years ago. It is in the country, no longer used as
a school, but used as a community facility. It has one large room, which I believe was once three
classrooms; also a kitchen and restrooms.
It certainly gives one a sense of the past. This reunion has not been going on nearly as long as the
"May Dinner" which it has become known, but it gives every indication
of continuing many years.
My side
of the family has only one reunion, my maternal grandmother's side of the family.
It is in October and is in a church near where my mother grew up. I hope to
start one for my father's side of the family soon. I have begun to lay the groundwork on it. I have contacted a
core group of cousins and presented them with the idea. Now I am gathering e-mail and snail
mail addresses along with phone numbers.
All my father's brothers and sisters are deceased so it is my brother,
sister, and I along with the cousin's generation that will be the
"elders". Many of them I
have found are working on family histories so this will be a great
resource. Just in contacting the
people I have on this project I have found out some very interesting family
history and lore. I will keep you
posted on my progress.
I
hope if you have reunions in your family that you will attend. If you don't have any, maybe you will
consider starting one. I have
found it all a great adventure.
Until later . . .
Peace and love,
____________________________________________________________________
Friday, May 09, 2003
With so much stress in
the world, it is more important than ever to "stop and smell the
coffee" or in my case, stop and listen to the words and thus enter the
world of my grandchildren. Last
Saturday I was blessed to spend the day with my 8-year-old grandson. He leads a very active life filled with
school (an A student), cub scouts, sports (this year he has played football and
basketball and is now playing baseball), competitive Yu-Gi-Oh (he won a
tournament last week), birthday parties, camping, video games, cartoons, and
movies. Anyway I'm sure you get
the picture, he's one busy boy. We
started off at 9:00 a.m. with a pine car derby sponsored by the boy scouts. His
grandmothers and his grandfather as well as his parents were there to support
him. I am glad his parents are
very involved and supportive of all his activates. The three of them work well as a team, and when needed, as a
support group. I was glad to see that he in turn was supportive of the other
contestants and showed good sportsmanship. In other words, he was the epitome of a cub scout. He showed it was not if you win or
lose, but how you play the game.
He repeated this attitude later in the day when we attended his Little
League ballgame. He looks like a
ball player, and he is a gifted player, but again his sportsmanship showed
through and he did not take the game as the end all and be all. Many adults could learn a thing or two
from him. (His team won the ball game and he came in 2nd in his
section of the derby.)
Tuesday morning I picked
up my twenty-month-old granddaughter so we could play with her Tuesday, she
could sleep over, and return her home Wednesday afternoon. Of course, she is a joy. She talks all the time, smiles with her
whole being, and laughs with a rumble all the way from her tummy. She has started her terrible twos. I started saying, "How old are
you, are you two?" Now
when she does something she knows is not appropriate she says, "I'm
two!" On Wednesday morning we asked what she would like for breakfast;
without missing a beat she said, "Eggs washed in agua (water)." This was her way of saying boiled
eggs. (I know this is also a
description of poached eggs, but I know she has never had them prepared in that
way). Anyway, I think her description is wonderful! I will always think of
boiled eggs as washed in agua. We
took her to visit her great-grandmothers and she spread joy to them. We went to the store to pick up a few
items. She deliberately chose
people who were not smiling and she would say, "Hello," if they did
not respond, she would say "HELLO" this most definitely got their
attention and always brought a smile.
She spread joy to many lives over those two days, especially to my
husband and me.
If you have children,
nieces, nephews, or grandchildren, take the time to just "be" with
them - life will not look the same.
Love and peace,
________________________________________
March 31,2003
Aah
Spring - at last! I think we all
need the lift to our spirits that spring provides. The renewal of life, the punch of color of flowers, the many
shades of greens of the grass, and the warmth of the sun, all add up to a most
needed feeling of well being. As
you can see, my fall bulb planting has provided us with an awesome 
burst of color - yellow daffodils, purple iris, red
poppies, and lavender pincushions along with multi colored pansies. Soon we
will have our daisies, sunflowers, zinnias, etc. as well as our vegetables, oh
for the taste of a just picked tomato!
Wildflowers are in bloom here - time to get in the car and go for an
awe-inspiring drive in the country, preferably through the week. On weekends
the roadways are bumper to bumper with people trying to "get away from it
all." It's also a good time to fill your camera with film or to try out
your digital camera for some wonderful pictures that will capture this all too
fleeting moment.
I wish for you and your family peace
and happiness. I know this is
difficult for many to obtain at this time in the world's history - for those
who have loved ones in harms way, I send special thoughts and hope for a bright
future.
Peace and Love,
____________________________
February 25, 2003
Creativity
It seems to me everyone
has a deep yearning to create. In
these times of uncertainty I think it is being felt even more deeply and more
urgently. Answer the call. It is amazing how much more at calm and
more at peace you will feel.
What? You're not
creative? I beg to differ. There are all kinds of creativity. I like to sketch, paint, cook, write;
others prefer to write and/or play music.
How about planting a garden, sewing a dress, knitting booties, telling
stories, building a birdhouse, or setting a nice table? One of the greatest forms of creativity
is playing with your children or grandchildren - get lost in their wonderful
free forming world, see life through their bright eyes. Whatever you choose, do
it, do it now. I know you will
feel better for it and the world will be a more beautiful place. I wish you calm, peace and joy.
Sunday, January 19, 2003
Are you ready for the
super bowl? Are you having friends
over for the big game? We will be watching as a family, but
that is no reason not to pull out all the stops and have our own
celebration. For the easiest party
of course you can call out for pizza or have a deli-tray made up at your local
deli or sandwich shop. How about
cooking up a pot of chili!
Chili
2 pounds ground chili meat
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 can stewed or Mexican
tomatoes (14 oz size)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can pinto beans or chili
with meats (optional)
Condiments -
shredded cheese, chopped avocado, green onions, sour cream, crackers, cornbread
Cook meat and onions in
large pot until meat is browned and onions are becoming tender. Add spices; stir well. Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boil; lower temperature and
simmer covered for about 1 hour.
You need to stir about every 10 to 15 minutes and you may need to add
water to get desired consistency.
Serve with condiments.
Makes about 6 servings.
Of course during the
game you will want snacks. One
that we like and would go well with the chili is a 7-layer dip.
SEVEN LAYER DIP
1 large can refried beans
8-oz. Package grated
Cheddar Cheese
1 8-oz container sour cream
2 large avocados, peeled
and chopped
1 bunch green onions,
peeled and chopped
1 small can sliced ripe
olives, drained
1 tomato, chopped
On a large platter or
plate, spread beans, and then layer each ingredient on top making a larger and
larger rim - in other words the ingredients take up smaller and smaller spaces
with the tomato taking up only the center. Serve with chips.
Something sweet - how
about chocolate chip cookies? How
about Punch Bowl Cake?
PUNCH BOWL CAKE
1 pound cake, I use Sarah
Lee found in the freezer section of the store, torn into chunks
1 can strawberry pie
filling
1 large box vanilla
pudding - make according to package directions
1 medium carton Cool Whip
or whip up a carton of whipped cream
In punch bowl or large
bowl, place layers of each ingredient, ending with the cream. Chill until serving time. May be made a day ahead. Cake can be
served with strawberries on the top or on the side.
HAVE A GREAT SUPER BOWL
SUNDAY AND MAY YOUR TEAM WIN!
_________________________________________________
Happy 2003!
I wish for you and yours a joyful, peaceful and prosperous New Year.
I did a lot of Holiday baking this year, especially cookies. It seems
this
year I used candy in my cookie recipes more than ever before. Below is a
recipe that is unusual, but easy and delicious - I hope you try it and enjoy
it.
MALTED MILK COOKIES
1-cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1-teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 3/4 cups all purpose-flour
1/2 cup instant malted milk powder
Malted milk balls, coarsely chopped to make 1 cup full
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter or margarine with an electric mixer on
medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar
and
baking soda. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs, vanilla and melted
chocolate until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with
mixer.
Stir in remaining wooden spoon. Stir in chopped malted milk balls.
Drop
dough from a rounded teaspoon 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie
sheet.
Bake 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute
and
then transfer to wire racks to let cool. Makes 40 cookies.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
Happy
holidays! I've come across this great recipe that is great this time
of year or for that matter, anytime of year. It is called a biscuit, but
could also be cut out in scone shape and served as such. I hope you try
this and enjoy it as much as we have.
CRANBERRY-ORANGE BISCUITS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely snipped
1 (8-oz) carton vanilla yogurt
In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking
powder, orange
peel, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender (or forks) cut in
shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries; toss
until mixed. Make a well in center of mixture. Add yogurt all at
once to
the flour mixture. Stir with fork only until just moistened.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Quickly
knead dough by gently
folding and pressing dough 10 to 12 times. Roll out or pat dough dough to
1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with cutter that has been dipped in flour -
dip between each cut. Place biscuits one-inch apart on ungreased baking
sheet.
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or
until golden brown.
Makes 10 biscuits.
______________________________________________________________
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
Did you get a chance to plant a vegetable garden? I was lucky enough to
do
it this spring. It was a lot of backbreaking work even though I have a
very
small garden. I tilled it all with my shovel and because it hasn't been
planted in years, there were lots of weeds and grasses to be removed. I
should laugh when I say removed, because believe me, there were lots there
even when I declared the job complete. We had a very dry spring so that
meant lots of watering - then we had over 15 inches of rain in about a
week's time. I have found too much water is just as bad as too little
water. We have dried out and it is back to watering everyday. I
lost my
squash plants and the tomatoes that were on the vines during the monsoon,
cracked and were of poor quality. Now they are making again and are
beautiful and tasty. We also have green beans and the okra is being to
making Would I do it over again? Even though it was more work than
I
dreamed and with all the watering we have had to do we have not saved any
money, the fact that the vegetables had no pesticides or insecticides on
them and to us tasted better than from the super market, the answer is a
resounding YES! In fact I'm planning a fall garden. I have already
planted
my eggplant and plan to also plant yellow squash and spinach. It has
certainly been a learning experience and a joy!
____________________________________________
April 28, 2002
Last week I had a great time visiting a
strawberry farm. It was during the
week, by plan so hopefully there would be fewer "pickers." I
was surprised
to see the fields full, several pre-school classes were there and the kids
were having a wonderful time. I had a lot of fun watching them and their
enthusiasm. It really was fun to choose what berries I wanted - before
long
my basket was full. I shared part with my Mother and brought the rest
home.
I made jam and had enough left over for a pie. We really liked it and I hope
you will try it.
STRAWBERRY PIE
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tbs. cornstarch
1 small box strawberry gelatin
3 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1 baked pie shell
Mix 1/2 cup water with the cornstarch. Mix remaining water with the sugar
in a medium saucepan and heat just below boiling. Add the cornstarch
mixture - continue cooking and stirring until it thickens. Take off the
burner. Stir in gelatin. Cool. Clean and slice
strawberries. Place in
baked pie shell. Pour the cooled strawberry mixture over the
strawberries.
Chill. May be served with or without whipped cream.
___________________________________________________________
February 26, 2002
I
don't know about the weather where you live, but where I live it has been warm
- spring like - today is a very differennt matter - very cold - the coldest
weather we've had all winter. What I like to do in this weather is curl
up with a good book. I go in cycles. I may read 3 or 4 biographies,
then on to self-help, etc. I am currently in my mystery book phase.
I am not a fan of modern day mystery, a little too realistic for my taste, but
the great ones written in the 20's to the 50's - where the victims are people
that no one likes, usually set in England. My favorite authors are
Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christi, Ngaio Marsh, etc. The advent of amazon.com,
borders.com and barnesandnoble.com among others has been a true blessing to
me. I can order a book (usually books) in the dead of night and get them
delivered to me in two days. Of course in a perfect world it would be
immediate, but for now this is as good as it gets. I like to browse
through bookstores, but in my lifestyle, this is not always an easy
pleasure. I hope you have the time to indulge in this pleasure.
I'll do this and wait for the weather to warm again and get back to my garden.
Happy
reading!
__________________________________________________________
Thursday, February 7, 2002
The
calendar tells me we are in the dead of winter, but I have spring fever! I
spend hours thumbing through nursery (as in plants) catalogues dreaming of blossoms
and blooms yet to be. Here where I live it is time to plant onion sets
and get the rose bushes in the ground. I have done this and I am already seeing
new growth on the rose bushes. This gardening "thing" is new to
me. Martha Stewart said tonight on Larry King that gardening interest has
increased since 9/11. Maybe it is part that with me, I believe it is in
part having time to do it. I have made getting the garden area cleaned
and the new flowerbeds turned a priority. My husband in years past was the
gardener; he was very good at it, but now he has back problems and cannot do
the physical labor. So far I am holding up and loving it! Now is the time
to plan out your vegetable and/or flower gardens even if you are not able to
get out and work the earth. I won't be able to plant most of what I plan until
April, but I can start some plants by seed in my home. This is really exciting!
Lots of good information is available on the web. I have found www.burpee.com; www.yuccado.com, and www.directgardening.com very
interesting.
Happy
gardening!
__________________________________________________________________
January 1, 2002
Happy
2002! I feel optimistic about this new beginning. I admit New Year's Eve
is not my favorite holiday, a deep sense of melancholy overtakes me, but with
the strike of the New Year, I feel reborn, ready for a new beginning. Do you
make resolutions? I do not. I do however think in general terms of things I
want to a happen such as prosperity, good health, happiness.
Today
was a very special New Year's Day for me. We rarely have snow here, but the
forecast was for snow. It finally arrived this afternoon about 4:30. Not
much sticking to the pavements or driveways, but did stick to honeysuckle,
barbeque pit, car, and it has kept snowing Shortly after dark, a neighbor shot
off some spectacular fireworks in the falling snow; it was wonderful. I
thought as I marveled, this may never happen to me again in my life. Magic. May
2002 be a wonderful magical year for us all.
_______________________________________________________
December
11, 2001
The holiday season is here. How are you? I
suggested getting all shopping done by Thanksgiving - I missed that deadline,
but I did finish by December 1st. I tried to wrap as I "collected"
the gifts so it wasn't so overwhelming a task. I am now doing my planning for
holiday baking. I've gotten a pretty good idea as to what I want to do. We are
scattering our celebrations over several weeks - it is really difficult to get
immediate and extended family together at one time. I hope you are able to
share the holidays with all your loved ones. For this weekends gathering I am
making a cookie tray and while I am at it, I am baking extra cookies to give in
gift boxes to several family members. The following is one of the cookies I
plan to bake.
PEANUT BUTTER SECRETS
1cup butter flavored shortening
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1-teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-teaspoon baking soda
1/2-teaspoon salt
40 to 45 chocolate covered miniature peanut butter
cups, unwrapped
GLAZE:
1-teaspoon butter flavored shortening
1-cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheet(s)
with parchment paper or liner.
Combine shortening, both sugars and peanut butter in
a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg and
vanilla.
Combine flour, soda and salt in a small
bowl. Add to creamed mixture until just blended.
Form round teaspoonfuls of dough around each
peanut butter cup. Enclose entirely. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are just
browned. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
For GLAZE combine all ingredients in microwave
safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power. Stir after first minute and continue
heating repeating until melted. Dip cooled cookie tops in glaze.
Happy Holidays!
_______________________________________________________________
Tuesday,
November 20, 2001
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I just returned
from the market - what a mad house - tomorrow should be even worse. I plan to
bake the cornbread needed for my stuffing tonight and bake my pies tomorrow. I
have an easy pie crust recipe mixed in the food processor that I want to share
with you.
Cream Cheese Pie Crust
8 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks and frozen
for 30 minutes
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
One 3-ounce package cream cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Place all the dry ingredients in a plastic bag,
seal, and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Place the flour in food processor with the metal
blade process a few seconds to combine.
Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 chunks. Add to
flour mixture - process for about 20 seconds - should look like corn meal. Add
the butter and pulse process until mixture is pea size. Add water and vinegar
process about 20 seconds. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold
together. Place mixture in plastic bag
Knead the mixture while holding each end of the
bag with your hands. Knead until the mixture holds together.
Wrap in plastic wrap; flatten into a disc.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
This will make enough pastry for a 9-inch lattice
pie, 9-inch deep dish, 10-inch pie shell or 12- inch tart.
Relax and enjoy. Have a wonderful and safe
holiday!
_______________________________________________
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
The following is making the e-mail rounds. It is certainly food for thought.
THE TRUTH IN JUST 13 WORDS........
Inside every older person is a
younger person - wondering what the
Hell happened.
Quotations from women about women . . . . . . .
The hardest years in life are
Those between ten and seventy.
-Helen Hayes (at 73)
I refuse to think of
them as chin
hairs. I think of them
as stray
eyebrows.
-Janette Barber-
Whoever thought up the
word "Mammogram"?
Every time I hear it, I
think I'm supposed
to put my breast in an
envelope and send
it to someone.
-Jan King-
A few weeks after my
surgery, I went
out to play catch with
my golden
retriever. When I bent
over to pick
up the ball, my
prosthesis fell out.
The dog snatched it, and
I found
myself chasing him down
the road
yelling "Hey, come
back here with my
breast!"
-Linda Ellerbee-
Things are going to get
a lot worse
before they get worse.
-Lily Tomlin-
**********************************************
A male gynecologist is like an auto
mechanic who never owned a car.
-Carrie Snow-
**********************************************
Laugh and the world laughs with you.
Cry and you cry with your girlfriends.
-Laurie Kuslansky-
My second favorite household chore is
ironing. My first being hitting my head
on the top bunk bed until I faint.
-Erma Bombeck-
Old age ain't no place for sissies.
-Bette Davis-
A man's got to do what a man's got to do.
A woman must do what he can't.
-Rhonda Hansome
The phrase "working mother" is
redundant.
-Jane Sellman-
Every time I close the door on reality
it comes in through the windows.
-Jennifer Unlimited-
Whatever women must do they must do
twice as well as men to be thought half
as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.
-Charlotte Whitton-
Thirty-five is when you finally get
your head together and your body starts
falling apart.
-Caryn Leschen-
I try to take one day at a time,
but sometimes several days attack me
at once.
-Jennifer Unlimited-
If you can't be a good example, then
you'll just have to be a horrible
warning.
-Catherine Aird-
When I was young, I was put in a
school for retarded kids for two years
before they realized I actually had a
hearing loss. And they called ME slow!
-Kathy Buckley-
I'm not offended by all the dumb
blonde jokes, because I know I'm not
dumb . and I'm also not blonde.
-Dolly Parton-
You see a lot of smart guys with dumb
women, but you hardly ever see a smart
woman with a dumb guy.
Erica Jong-
If high heels were so wonderful, men
would still be wearing them.
-Sue Grafton-
I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears
makes one you can ride on.
-Roseanne Barr-
I think---therefore I'm single.
-Lizz Winstead-
When women are depressed they
either eat or go shopping. Men invade
another country.
-Elayne Boosler-
Behind every successful man is a
surprised woman.
-Maryon Pearson
In politics, if you want anything
said, ask a man--if you want anything
done, ask a woman.
-Margaret Thatcher-
I have yet to hear a man ask for
advice on how to combine marriage and a
career.
-Gloria
Steinem-
I never married, because there was no
need. I have three pets at home which
answer the same purpose as a husband.
I have a dog that growls every
morning, a parrot that swears all afternoon,
and a cat that comes home late every night.
-Marie Corelli-
If men can run the world, why can't
they stop wearing neckties?
How intelligent is it to start the day
by tying a noose around your neck?
-Linda Ellerbee-
___________________________________________
November
2, 2001
I hope you and yours had a safe and happy Halloween.
I promised in my last entry that I would explain my lengthy absence. Two
years ago this February on a Friday night, I received a call that a person very
dear to me had been taken to the hospital. I knew he had become ill at
work on Wednesday and was told by the company nurse that he had an ear
infection and should see his doctor. He did so the following day.
He was diagnosed with an ear infection and put on antibiotics and pain
medication. Friday morning he did not go into work, but instead worked
from home. Several people called him that day, he told them he had a
headache and was going to rest. He had a history of migraines so no one
was unduly concerned. By that evening when his wife returned home,
ironically from a funeral, she found him incoherent. She called the
doctor. He did not seem
concerned; said it was probably a reaction to the pain medication. This
did not satisfy her so she called 911. On her way to the hospital she
called me. We were at the hospital in an hour. A receptionist told
us, that we were not allowed back to the patient area because they were trying
to rule out meningitis. I had an aunt die from this disease so I knew it
could be serious, but I felt with modern medicine he would be okay. About
an hour later it was determined that he did indeed have meningitis, the
bacterial form. He was in a coma, had a seizure, and never regained
consciousness. A
brain scan was done, no activity found. He was declared dead early
Saturday afternoon, but for all intents and purposes he died a little after
midnight. How could this be! He as a bright, loving, witty, man with so
much love! He became ill Wednesday and was dead by Saturday.
The loss still overwhelms me. The man was my beloved son-in-law. He
was only 30 years of age. My daughter was amazing. She gave all of
us strength when at a time we should have been helping her cope. More about her
and her journey at a later date, she is amazing!
I urge you to check out The Meningitis Foundation of America, INC. at www.meningitis.org. The swift death that
inhalation anthrax has caused has brought all this back to the forefront of my
mind. My heart goes out to the families of those who were taken so
swiftly and dramatically. The next month my 89-year-old aunt came to live with
us. I knew she had some memory problems and had become frail, but I had
no idea she had Alzheimer's. I have since learned that people can mask
over this problem by
having set answers, which she did use quiet effectively. I quickly found
she was far worse than I knew, but we persevered. My husband was
wonderful. I know this was hard on him, but he shared in the many duties
that caring for someone in her condition entailed, many unpleasant. We made it
through spring, summer and fall. By the New Year she was bed fast and we
lost her one-month shy of her 90th birthday. Alzheimer's is more widely
known illness than meningitis and there is help in almost every are of the
country. In my own small county there is a support group for Alzheimer's
care givers, many sites on the web, and many books. One that helped me
was THE 36 HOUR DAY BY NANCY L. MACE AND PETER RABINS. This book was given to
me by my sister-in-law( a hospice nurse). I found my aunt wasn't alone
with her symptoms and I wasn't alone in my feelings and emotions. It's taken me
time to get back to an even keel. I've gone for walks, swim almost everyday,
gotten involved with groups in my community, gone on trips, listened to music,
watched comfort movies, and yes, cried. Today I feel strong again.
If you would like to talk about anything in this or any other entry I've
written, please feel free to contact me at judymhy@tstar.net.
__________________________________________________________
October 28, 2001
It’s been quite a while since I have written. I apologize to anyone who
has gone to this site and found the last entry to be many months previous. I am
back and revitalized - here I am - in Judy’s World! I shall share with you the
events that kept me away, but now I want to look forward.
We have more stress than usual going into this most busy of all seasons. Some
ways we can prevent this from getting out of control is to plan now. You may
say, “Judy, it’s not even Halloween.” Yes, and before you know it
Thanksgiving will be here and everything will be hurling out of control. Here
are some steps to take now.
1.
Budget. Decide
how much you can afford and don’t go over your comfort level. There are
plenty of things you can give that cost nothing monetarily. One is your
time. You can give time “Gift Certificates” such as “Good For One Night’s
Babysitting” - the perfect gift for anyone with young children. Be
creative! ·
2.
If you are going to purchase or make gifts - have a plan – decide what to give
to each person on your list. This will save time and frustration. ·
3.
Malls and discount stores are open 10 to 9, but you can shop 24 hours a day by
mail, Internet, or by phone. We all get lots of catalogues everyday in
the mail - this is a great way to help with step 2 or best yet, to make the
purchase when it is convenient for you.4. Get your shopping done by
Thanksgiving. This may sound impossible but believe me it’s not.
Best of all, you can enjoy all the social events from Thanksgiving to Christmas
without the nagging and worries of shopping in crowded stores or if you shopped
as suggested in step 3, worry if the gifts arrive in time. You can relax
- well as much as anyone can during thiss season. I love to cook and with
the shopping behind me, I can indulge in this passion with gusto!
Please
let me hear from you.
I
would love to have any suggestions you have on coping, stress, cooking, and
family - LIFE.
judymhy@tstar.net
__________________________________________________
November 17, 1999
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? This year
we are not having dinner at home, but traveling out of town to celebrate with
family and friends in the country. We are not having the traditionally baked
turkey, but Cajun fried - it is said this is a very moist and delicious way to
prepare the bird. In the past we have smoked turkeys in our smoker and some
people enjoy barbecuing their turkey. Whatever way is chosen, the main thing is
to enjoy yourself. If you are the one hosting, it is imperative you plan ahead.
This takes out much of the stress. If you are have little time to cook, why not
ask you guests to bring a dish. If this is not a viable alternative, there are
many items available in your grocery store already prepared for you from smoked
turkeys, to dressing, to rolls, to dessert. Another suggestion is to decide
where everyone will sit, how you are going to serve - family style or buffet -
what serving dishes you are going to use for each dish. I keep a running list
of everything and then check it off as accomplished. There are so many distractions
that with the aid of my list I can keep organized.
A friend gave me the following recipe. I
think it would be great for Thanksgiving.
Autumn Upside Down Cake
Topping:
2 tbs. butter, unsalted
3 tart apples (such as Granny Smith) peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cups pecans, chopped
Batter:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening, softened
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 teaspoons chopped mint
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 9 X 2 inch round cake pan.
Topping:
Melt butter in a skillet. Add apples, lemon juice and brown sugar. Cook over
high heat, stirring three minutes. Stir in blueberries and pecans. Cook an
additional minutes. Spoon cake into pan, making sure berries and nuts are well
distributed.
Batter:
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk in cornmeal, sugar and salt.
Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until well blended. Whisk together milk
and egg. Add to flour mixture. Add zest and mint - whisk until just combined,
do not over mix. Drop batter by spoonfuls of top of fruit. Bake on middle rack
until golden and firm to touch, about 20 minutes.
Let cake stand in pan 3 minutes. Run knife around edge. Invert onto plate.
Replace any fruit or nuts that may stick to the bottom of pan. Cake may be
served warm or room temperature. If desired, serve with whipped cream or cream
fraiche.
This cake will take about an hour from start to finish. Serves 6 to 8.
I hope you have a safe and happy holiday. Peace!
__________________________________________________
November 1, 1999
I have been to the airport four times in
the past week and I haven't left the ground! One person off to Ohio, another to
Hawaii., and then returns home. Several friends on are journeys of their own
without me as their shuttle service. One has gone down the Amazon, Machu Piccu
and Bolivia while another has chosen Italy as her destination. I am happy for
everyone, but I can't help but feel a little envious. I love the anticipation
of a trip almost as much as the trip itself - pouring over brochures, books,
magazines.
My next big adventure will be to England.
I am a true Anglophile! I have spent countless hours dreaming of trekking across
the whole of England- the majesty and beauty that to my mind is England. I
subscribe to several publications aimed solely at people like me - The Realm
and In Britain are two such publications. Another great source is The Travel
Channel. It goes without saying that the internet is a terrific place for
travel to any part of the world, no matter how remote. I have subscribed to a
service called Faretracker - they send me info on specific destinations at the
best rates offered during specific time periods.
So while we get ready to enter the busy
holiday season it is nice to know we can get away from it all, even if only for
a few moments. Now is a good time to plan your next vacation and dream!
__________________________________________________
Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Do you ever watch This Old House or any of the how-to
shows on Home and Garden Television and see a project and say to
yourself,"I can do that"? I love those shows and they always look so
easy. We had a water leak behind the tile in the bathtub in our main bathroom.
We tried several stop gap solutions over the years, but it finally got to the
point where we had to something drastic, remove all the old tile, replace the
sheet rock which had been damaged, and then cover the sheet rock with either
tile or a tub surround. I love tile, in fact, I'm a tile fanatic, but since we
had so much trouble with our old tile I opted for the tub surround. Of course
it would be easy, I saw a man on t v do it a couple of weeks ago in 15 min., no
problem.
With the course of action decided
upon, I traveled to my neighborhood home center and purchased a tub surround.
My husbands only request was that it have shelves so I could store all my
essential bottles of shampoo, conditioners, shower gels, soaps, pedicure get,
etc. so that he could stop stumbling over them sitting on the tub rim. Our new
tub surround has four shelves, perfect! My plan was to do the project in
stages. Day 1 - The old tile would be removed. Day 2 - Replace the sheet rock
and install the tub surround. At some later date I would paint, maybe do a
mural or the very least add some stencils of seashells, but not now. I
presented this plan to my husband. He is a wonderful, intelligent man who knows
a lot about carpentry and even quite a bit about plumbing, but as he says, I
HATE PLUMBING! ! ! To my great relief he volunteered to help.
__________________________________________________
Friday, October 22 - I spent
the entire day removing old tile, carefully, piece by piece, careful not to rip
any more of the sheet rock and break any of the tiles (if possible). I have
plans for those tiles - I don't know exactly what, but some wonderful project.
I was also careful to clean as much as possible as I went. When my husband
returned home he said "You know how I would do that, I would do this"
and he proceeds to use the claw end of the hammer and rip entire sections of
the tile and sheet rock from the wall - all done in seconds flat. The time I
could have saved!
__________________________________________________
Saturday, October 23 - We removed the old sheet rock, measured the
walls carefully so we would know how much sheet rock to buy, then we were off
the home improvement center. We got all the needed supplies, shower and water
fixtures, and paint. We had just the right amount of sheet rock and my
husband's measurements were perfect. The walls were looking better! His idea
was to paint the entire bathroom before we installed the tub surround. His
logic was sound, but a lot of work. I cleared out all the towels, decorative do
dads and began painting, ending about 10:00 p.m. Day 2 was finally over.
__________________________________________________
Sunday, October 24 - Plumbing - yuck. The water supply to the entire
house was turned off and the exasperating task of the plumbing began. I tried
to stay out of the way. It was a tussle, but he got it installed without any
leaks! Finally, oh finally, we got to install the tub surround. That project
itself took only a couple of hours - just like that said on T V. Just remember
if you take on such a project, there's lots of prep work!
We are both pleased with our
bathtub. It is a great feeling of accomplishment and it was really fun to work
on the project together. I had envisioned a solitary task, but doing it
together was a blessing. If you plan to do such a project and don't have an
in-house advisor and/or helper, there are places on the web where you can get
help. www.lowes.com
and www.homedepot.com
are a couple of the places. There are many publications, videos, and of course,
employees of home improvement centers who can help. Go for it - you'll be glad
you did. More later… I think I'll take a shower.
__________________________________________________
Thursday, October 21, 1999
It's warmed up a little today, but still
a good time to bake.
I love Zucchini Nut Bread as does my entire family - a real treat.
ZUCCHINI NUT BREAD
Makes 2 loaves.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3 eggs 1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. Baking soda
2 1/4 cups sugar 3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. Vanilla 2 cups peeled and finely
chopped zucchini
1/4 tsp. Baking powder 1 cup chopped nuts
such as pecans
3 cups flour
Mix all ingredients until blended and
pour into two prepared loaf pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour.
This is great as a snack, in the mornings
with coffee, anytime! It is moist and freezes well.
This is a real comfort food. Enjoy!
©1996 -2001 by Judy Hyman
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
