It seems that it still does know how to snow, but apparently mother nature is going to do away with it in short order. Thanks to some neighbors for plowing out my driveway and doing some sidewalk shoveling. Each warm day means one less that it can be snowy with a blustery wind blowing it about.
I was very off schedule in not congratulating the new High School Royalty. I am out of the inner circle and do not know a good share of the participants. Attending the girl’s basketball games has helped me in being acquainted with more students as I go to support a great granddaughter on the Reserve team. But best wishes do go to Queen Jessie Nihart and King Nathan Stark, both of whom I do know. I remember years and years ago when my daughters were participants and what a great experience it was. Back then there were 12 or 13 nominees. One daughter remarked to me, “Oh, Mom, if I could just be one of the 13!” She was and imagine her amazement when they called her name as the year’s queen! Mom and Dad were pretty proud, too.
Would you call the men in the white coats to come after me if I told you I have over 200 cookbooks? I have decided to move a great percentage of them out of my household. As I was going through one box of them, I noticed one I had bought for a dollar at a garage sale. It is a l961 Farm Journal cookbook featuring make ahead, no-watch and jiffy shortcut recipes. I decided to glance at it before I put it in the TO GO pile. I was surprised to find several recipes dated that I had used in 2001! One in particular fascinated me. Since I had all of the ingredients on hand, the next thing I knew I was preparing it for my lunch. I will give you the word for word recipe and then tell you how I did it.
POTATO-STUFFED FRANKS
12 frankfurters (better known as hot dogs at my house)
Chopped onion, optional
3 cups seasoned mashed potatoes, as you would do them for a regular meal
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Paprika
Here is where I let my own ingenuity take over. I cooked four Russet potatoes, mashed them, seasoned with whole milk, butter and whipped generously. I happened to have a package of BAR S all beef hot dogs opened. Since I was doing this for just me, I split three hotdogs and placed them cut side down in a round casserole dish. If you like onions, sprinkle dried or finely chopped ones on top of the meat. Then with a large serving spoon, make generous fluffy rounds of potatoes. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and paprika. I did not have any paprika so I omitted it. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sauerkraut.
Two ladies said they would put the sauerkraut on top of the hotdogs!
Experiment at your own risk. I was very pleasantly surprised how well I liked the casserole and warmed the leftovers for supper the same day!
While I am using my own method of preparing recipes, I will tell you how I make rice pudding that was a favorite of ours as kids which my mother made in an iron skillet on the kitchen wood range. I have modified it as she did not pass on a recipe. It happens to be a favorite of one of my older sons. Since he had a birthday recently, we won’t say how big the number was, and I knew he was stopping by on Sunday, I made some for him. I was thinking as I did it and wrote down what I put in it.
DEPRESSION DAYS RICE PUDDING
2 cups water
2/3 cup white rice
2 cups milk
2/3 cup white sugar or Splenda
2 heaping tablespoons corn starch
3 eggs
Vanilla and touch of nutmeg
Salt to taste
In a heavy sauce pan, heat water to boiling, add rice and salt. Turn down heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Combine sugar, corn starch. Wet with a little milk or water.
Add eggs and blend well. Add milk to rice and heat until near boiling, add sugar, egg and cornstarch mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and nutmeg. Serve warm or cold. I am going to put my Farm Journal cookbook on the SAVE pile. Hope you saved the recipe for peanut butter bars which I gave your very recently. At last week’s basketball game a friend told me that she had baked them and how good they were. On the way out after the game an “older gentleman” (I can say that because he is several year younger than I am!) told me how good that recipe was. I told him that I had not baked them. He remarked, ”Well you should”!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
1/19/12
I hate to spoil any notion that you may have about me improving on the amount of dumb things that I do just because I have not mentioned any lately. I did an original one just a few weeks ago. I operate on a scripted schedule on Saturday mornings to get to my weekly hair appointment at 8:00 A.M. I like that time because it doesn’t very often interfere with any social or just fun things that I might want to do. I arrived just in time.
I usually take off my glasses and place them on the counter, but since my beautician was waiting on me I just sat in the chair with them still on my face. She patiently removed them and placed them on the counter where I ordinarily put them. She washed and set my hair, putting my glasses back on me as I usually read the paper while I am under the dryer. After reading the morning paper, I came back to be combed and as she removed the curlers, I held my glasses in my right hand by the bows and was casually rubbing them back and forth across my black slacks. I suddenly realized that something was amiss and quickly announced that I was missing the right lens! Since I had already been there a good 45 minutes, she was certain that I had lost it in the shop and carefully swept the floor since a clear lens on a figured floor would be difficult to notice. I drove home as I had apparently done when I came with only one lens, especially since my driver’s license states that I must drive with my glasses.
Would you believe that I had not slept well that night and brought in the morning paper early and was reading it in bed. My scrunched schedule did not allow time for me to make my bed, so I stealthily tiptoed into the bedroom and there in my bed, lying amidst the morning paper was my lens from my glasses. The last time I got new glasses, I saved my old ones because I could still read quite well with them but the frames were weak. So I located them, fortunately, and went to my eye doctor the next week. As the technician was replacing the lens and adjusting them, I told her what had happened. I made her day as she remarked laughingly, “Boy, that is the first time I have heard that story!” At least I was original if not too bright, and gave her a chuckle for the day.
I have been as lazy as a hoot owl the past few weeks. I still have some pain from my case of shingles for which I blame my worthlessness, so I have no desire to cook anything complicated and do not care much if I eat it after I do cook. So today the recipes that caught my attention are very simple. The first one is similar to pizza, so should be a hit with all of your kids besides being easy to make.
EASY PIZZA CASSEROLE
8 ounces cooked noodles
1 pound browned hamburger
1 cup dried onion (use fresh finely diced ones if you prefer)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Pizza Sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
Cook noodles, drain and brown hamburger. Mix
together all ingredients and put into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50
to 60 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
This next recipe will make a nice lazy Saturday morning breakfast when there is not so much activity getting maybe both parents to work and kids to the baby sitters. It could also create some magic moments, such as we remember fondly when the kids were at home. My husband worked the second shift for 16 years, which made him gone when they came home from school and they got on the school bus before he was up. So Saturday mornings were special and he cooked breakfast, mostly consisting of either scrambled eggs, toast and hot chocolate or pancakes. Sometimes circumstances make it necessary to create your own special memories. We also made special time for each other as I was usually up when he came home from work.
SUMMER SAUSAGE “N” EGG WEDGES
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 ½ cup diced summer sausage
1 cup cottage cheese with chives
Combine eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and
garlic powder. Stir in shredded cheese, summer
sausage and cottage cheese. Pour into greased
9” pie plate. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes at
375 degrees. To serve cut into 6 wedges and sprinkle
with additional shredded cheese.
“Remember that every minute that you stay angry, you lose 60 minutes of happiness.”
I usually take off my glasses and place them on the counter, but since my beautician was waiting on me I just sat in the chair with them still on my face. She patiently removed them and placed them on the counter where I ordinarily put them. She washed and set my hair, putting my glasses back on me as I usually read the paper while I am under the dryer. After reading the morning paper, I came back to be combed and as she removed the curlers, I held my glasses in my right hand by the bows and was casually rubbing them back and forth across my black slacks. I suddenly realized that something was amiss and quickly announced that I was missing the right lens! Since I had already been there a good 45 minutes, she was certain that I had lost it in the shop and carefully swept the floor since a clear lens on a figured floor would be difficult to notice. I drove home as I had apparently done when I came with only one lens, especially since my driver’s license states that I must drive with my glasses.
Would you believe that I had not slept well that night and brought in the morning paper early and was reading it in bed. My scrunched schedule did not allow time for me to make my bed, so I stealthily tiptoed into the bedroom and there in my bed, lying amidst the morning paper was my lens from my glasses. The last time I got new glasses, I saved my old ones because I could still read quite well with them but the frames were weak. So I located them, fortunately, and went to my eye doctor the next week. As the technician was replacing the lens and adjusting them, I told her what had happened. I made her day as she remarked laughingly, “Boy, that is the first time I have heard that story!” At least I was original if not too bright, and gave her a chuckle for the day.
I have been as lazy as a hoot owl the past few weeks. I still have some pain from my case of shingles for which I blame my worthlessness, so I have no desire to cook anything complicated and do not care much if I eat it after I do cook. So today the recipes that caught my attention are very simple. The first one is similar to pizza, so should be a hit with all of your kids besides being easy to make.
EASY PIZZA CASSEROLE
8 ounces cooked noodles
1 pound browned hamburger
1 cup dried onion (use fresh finely diced ones if you prefer)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Pizza Sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded cheese of your choice
Cook noodles, drain and brown hamburger. Mix
together all ingredients and put into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50
to 60 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
This next recipe will make a nice lazy Saturday morning breakfast when there is not so much activity getting maybe both parents to work and kids to the baby sitters. It could also create some magic moments, such as we remember fondly when the kids were at home. My husband worked the second shift for 16 years, which made him gone when they came home from school and they got on the school bus before he was up. So Saturday mornings were special and he cooked breakfast, mostly consisting of either scrambled eggs, toast and hot chocolate or pancakes. Sometimes circumstances make it necessary to create your own special memories. We also made special time for each other as I was usually up when he came home from work.
SUMMER SAUSAGE “N” EGG WEDGES
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 ½ cup diced summer sausage
1 cup cottage cheese with chives
Combine eggs, milk, flour, baking powder and
garlic powder. Stir in shredded cheese, summer
sausage and cottage cheese. Pour into greased
9” pie plate. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes at
375 degrees. To serve cut into 6 wedges and sprinkle
with additional shredded cheese.
“Remember that every minute that you stay angry, you lose 60 minutes of happiness.”
1/12/12
As I typed in the date of this week’s column, my thoughts went in a completely different direction than what I had planned to contribute. We will see where it leads me. Today ( Sunday)is the birthday of my little brother who died at the age of 31, leaving a pregnant wife and two small children aged 4 and 2. This week is the 30th anniversary of the death of my husband at the age of 57. Now that I have 4 kids older than he was at the time of his death , I realize more how young he really was than I did at that time when we were reaching for 60! At that time I didn’t think I could manage even one year without him, but God does provide strength to endure what comes our way. You have to make the best life you can for yourself and your family with what you have left, doing it one day at a time. Sometimes it has to be hour by hour. I have found strength in a couple of things that were said to me. “Time does not make you forget, but it does make remembering easier.” A friend said to me at Johnny’s death. “A life is not judged my it’s length, but by its quality!” I also take refuge in the words of a hymn from my childhood-“Some Day I’ll Understand.”
My original thoughts were on the light side of life. I am having trouble making the change to that level, so let’s just go to food, which we have to have even when we don’t feel like preparing any or much less eating it.
I found some old, old recipes from my aunt’s church cookbook. They were all back when we didn’t have crock pots and prepared mixes. The directions are a bit sparse, but back then everyone knew just what to do. Peanut butter is a favorite item of mine. Way back in the 1940’s when we were dating, I worked and lived in Ft. Wayne, coming home each weekend on the Greyhound bus, Things were sparse at my home, with no electricity so no refrigerator. Also, my Mother had died about five years before. I wanted something to eat and all I could find was soda crackers and peanut butter. Johnny turned up his nose, but at my insistence he tried it and decided it had some merit. I still like it, and besides if you are watching your sugar, I read where a bit of peanut butter before a meal will prevent a sugar spike. Any way this is leading to promoting my recipe for peanut butter bars.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS
½ cup shortening
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon each of soda, salt, and vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 package chocolate bits.
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
Cream shortening, sugars. Blend in egg, peanut
butter, soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in flour and oatmeal.
Spread in greased baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in
a 350 degree oven. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate
chips and let stand five minutes. Combine powdered sugar,
peanut butter and evaporated milk. Spread chocolate evenly
and drizzle with peanut butter mixture.
Some time ago a reader called me for a recipe that called for chopped dates since she had some left from a Christmas recipe. In case you have the same dilemma, here is one that should fill that need besides being very tasty.
DATE PUDDING
Bring to a boil and let cool:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water
Mix and place in an 8” square baking dish:
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup milk
Pour cooled syrup over batter and bake20 to 25
minutes in a 350 degree oven. When cool top with
whipped cream.
Thought for today: He who receives a good deed should never forget it. He who does a good deed should never remember it!
My original thoughts were on the light side of life. I am having trouble making the change to that level, so let’s just go to food, which we have to have even when we don’t feel like preparing any or much less eating it.
I found some old, old recipes from my aunt’s church cookbook. They were all back when we didn’t have crock pots and prepared mixes. The directions are a bit sparse, but back then everyone knew just what to do. Peanut butter is a favorite item of mine. Way back in the 1940’s when we were dating, I worked and lived in Ft. Wayne, coming home each weekend on the Greyhound bus, Things were sparse at my home, with no electricity so no refrigerator. Also, my Mother had died about five years before. I wanted something to eat and all I could find was soda crackers and peanut butter. Johnny turned up his nose, but at my insistence he tried it and decided it had some merit. I still like it, and besides if you are watching your sugar, I read where a bit of peanut butter before a meal will prevent a sugar spike. Any way this is leading to promoting my recipe for peanut butter bars.
PEANUT BUTTER BARS
½ cup shortening
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon each of soda, salt, and vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 package chocolate bits.
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
Cream shortening, sugars. Blend in egg, peanut
butter, soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in flour and oatmeal.
Spread in greased baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in
a 350 degree oven. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate
chips and let stand five minutes. Combine powdered sugar,
peanut butter and evaporated milk. Spread chocolate evenly
and drizzle with peanut butter mixture.
Some time ago a reader called me for a recipe that called for chopped dates since she had some left from a Christmas recipe. In case you have the same dilemma, here is one that should fill that need besides being very tasty.
DATE PUDDING
Bring to a boil and let cool:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water
Mix and place in an 8” square baking dish:
¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup milk
Pour cooled syrup over batter and bake20 to 25
minutes in a 350 degree oven. When cool top with
whipped cream.
Thought for today: He who receives a good deed should never forget it. He who does a good deed should never remember it!
1/5/12
The holidays are fading into the past, but may the peace, joy and great memories stay with each of you well into the future. May the dawning of the new year bring only good things to you and may all of your prayers come to a positive fulfillment. The success of these wishes may depend on each of us and our Inner thoughts, desires and actions. These we can control, so let’s each do our very best to make our corner of 2012 very special.
It is always a sad time for me when it is time to put away the Christmas decorations. Maybe that is why it takes me so long to get it done. I have one nativity set that is on display all of the time. I justify it by the fact that it is a central part of my faith and therefore it doesn’t need to be put in a box and forgotten until next December.
Today has been a very, very dull day, but sometimes, especially after the busy Christmas season, we need a day of quiet solitude. I did prepare a little lunch for me and made my bed but have done no dishes or any other resemblance to work.
This past week brought two very special experiences to me. Two grandsons who live in Texas made a post Christmas visit to Ohio. I saw one at our day after Christmas breakfast at my nephew’s home since my sister is no longer physically able to host it. One lives with his family near Houston and they stopped in my home for a nice visit. They have two daughters, one whom I had never seen. I think I enjoyed the experience more than she did. She is six months old and came to me very willingly, but after looking at me for a few seconds started to cry and wanted her parents. It was a real treat to enjoy their company. The oldest one is very well adjusted and has a very advanced vocabulary for a two year old. They come back to Ohio only once a year so I will have to hold the memory close for a long time.
On Saturday, I went to visit my sister at the nursing home in Butler, only to find that she was out for the day to celebrate New Years’ eve with her family. So I had a very pleasant visit with my aunt who is also a resident there. I stopped in to visit a new friend, who turned 100 years old last November. She is such a delight to visit, always upbeat and pleasant. She is just the type of person I want to be when I get OLD! Before Christmas I took her several Christmas cookies. She made me promise to come back, bring some more and eat them with her! One day she said to me, “Oh, you are so pretty”! This was music to my ears but then I realized she doesn’t hear nor SEE well. When I mentioned this fact to her she insisted that she could see that well! Memories like these create many Magic Moments in my life.
After all of the fancy food we have been having, I decided to go to a 30 year old cook book, which is a favorite of mine and find some simple, but tasty ideas for a change. This is different than any I have made.
CARROT APPLE SALAD
4 medium apples, cored and diced
2 large carrots, shredded
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
8 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ginger(I would probably omit this)
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Combine apples, carrots and walnuts. Blend sour cream, lemon juice, powdered sugar, salt and
ginger. Pour over apple mixture. Toss lightly to mix.
Let stand about 15 minutes to season. Place lettuce
In a shallow bowl, spoon apple mixture over top and
toss lightly to mix.
For any of you who do not like the mess of making pie crust, you may like this version of a peanut butter pie. I will probably make my own graham cracker crust and put it in the bottom of a 8 inch square dish. You could double it for a larger container and cut it in squares, topping it with whipped topping, chocolate shavings and nuts.
EASY PEANUT BUTTER PIE
1 package, (3 oz.) cream cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
1 carton, (8 oz.) whipped topping
¼ cup peanut butter
1 (10 inch) graham cracker crust
Mix well cheese, sugar, whipped topping and
peanut butter. Spoon over crust. Top with chocolate
shavings, nuts and, whipped topping. Chill several hours.
Again, may 2012 bring only good things to you and your household,.
It is always a sad time for me when it is time to put away the Christmas decorations. Maybe that is why it takes me so long to get it done. I have one nativity set that is on display all of the time. I justify it by the fact that it is a central part of my faith and therefore it doesn’t need to be put in a box and forgotten until next December.
Today has been a very, very dull day, but sometimes, especially after the busy Christmas season, we need a day of quiet solitude. I did prepare a little lunch for me and made my bed but have done no dishes or any other resemblance to work.
This past week brought two very special experiences to me. Two grandsons who live in Texas made a post Christmas visit to Ohio. I saw one at our day after Christmas breakfast at my nephew’s home since my sister is no longer physically able to host it. One lives with his family near Houston and they stopped in my home for a nice visit. They have two daughters, one whom I had never seen. I think I enjoyed the experience more than she did. She is six months old and came to me very willingly, but after looking at me for a few seconds started to cry and wanted her parents. It was a real treat to enjoy their company. The oldest one is very well adjusted and has a very advanced vocabulary for a two year old. They come back to Ohio only once a year so I will have to hold the memory close for a long time.
On Saturday, I went to visit my sister at the nursing home in Butler, only to find that she was out for the day to celebrate New Years’ eve with her family. So I had a very pleasant visit with my aunt who is also a resident there. I stopped in to visit a new friend, who turned 100 years old last November. She is such a delight to visit, always upbeat and pleasant. She is just the type of person I want to be when I get OLD! Before Christmas I took her several Christmas cookies. She made me promise to come back, bring some more and eat them with her! One day she said to me, “Oh, you are so pretty”! This was music to my ears but then I realized she doesn’t hear nor SEE well. When I mentioned this fact to her she insisted that she could see that well! Memories like these create many Magic Moments in my life.
After all of the fancy food we have been having, I decided to go to a 30 year old cook book, which is a favorite of mine and find some simple, but tasty ideas for a change. This is different than any I have made.
CARROT APPLE SALAD
4 medium apples, cored and diced
2 large carrots, shredded
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
8 ounces sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ginger(I would probably omit this)
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Combine apples, carrots and walnuts. Blend sour cream, lemon juice, powdered sugar, salt and
ginger. Pour over apple mixture. Toss lightly to mix.
Let stand about 15 minutes to season. Place lettuce
In a shallow bowl, spoon apple mixture over top and
toss lightly to mix.
For any of you who do not like the mess of making pie crust, you may like this version of a peanut butter pie. I will probably make my own graham cracker crust and put it in the bottom of a 8 inch square dish. You could double it for a larger container and cut it in squares, topping it with whipped topping, chocolate shavings and nuts.
EASY PEANUT BUTTER PIE
1 package, (3 oz.) cream cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
1 carton, (8 oz.) whipped topping
¼ cup peanut butter
1 (10 inch) graham cracker crust
Mix well cheese, sugar, whipped topping and
peanut butter. Spoon over crust. Top with chocolate
shavings, nuts and, whipped topping. Chill several hours.
Again, may 2012 bring only good things to you and your household,.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
12/27/11
It doesn’t seem possible, but this is the last time I can use the date of 2011, but we still have a few days to create a bit of magic in our lives and the lives of those dearest to us. There were several of those moments in my Christmas celebration. There is something very special about our family Christmas gathering when the greatest percentage of all of us manages to make it here. Thanks to the generosity of a daughter and son-in-law who open their hearts and home to all of us, we can celebrate our Christmas brunch in a home atmosphere in spite of the fact that there are over 80 of us!
Two occasions were very special to me that directly involve Magic Moments and created special moments in my life. I received a Christmas greeting from a daughter of a lifelong friend who comes back to Edgerton apparently only once a year. She and her husband have a friend who saves the EARTH for them all year. She expressed the pleasure she experienced in reading my thoughts, ramblings and recipes. Thanks so much, Ketra. The other was one of very few phone calls in my lifetime from a cousin, whom I seldom see, expressing the pleasure they receive when this comes into their home.
Also, the first visit home for my youngest grandson who has joined the military created a very specialness to the already great aurora of the Christmas season. From some special childhood visits to my home when we baked cut out sugar cookies, he has mastered the recipe and made a double recipe of them on Christmas Day! We had a small gathering at his parent’s home, and at least in my mind, and no one is going to change it, he gave me the first one, still hot from the oven. This is an example of how magic moments can be created for us and those we love from very ordinary circumstances. Our love and prayers go with you, Evan, as you fulfill your longtime plans of being in the military service.
We still have some celebrating to do since two grandsons from Texas are making a post Christmas visit this week, including a few months old great granddaughter whom I have never seen! Also my extended family will be enjoying a visit from a niece from California and a nephew from North Carolina will be visiting their mother and siblings. Isn’t it special that we can derive so much joy in the ordinary things of life?
After the holiday festivities, the special menus and annual treats we save for this time of the year, it will be hard to impress you with any suggestions of food. So let’s try some very simple but tasty concoctions that I found in a very old book that I found on the bottom shelf of my computer stand. I was impressed with their ease of preparation and can help use up that left over Christmas ham and baked potatoes.
SKILLET BREAKFAST
2 large potatoes, baked and cubed
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder and seasoning salt
8 eggs, lightly beaten
½ pound cubed, fully cooked ham
¼ cup water
¼ cup salsa
Salt and pepper taste
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Saute potatoes, green pepper and onion in oil. Sprinkle
with onion powder, garlic powder and seasoning salt.
Combine the eggs, ham, water, salsa, salt and pepper. Add
to potato mixture. Cook until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese.
Cook until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.
HAM GRIDDLE CAKES
I cup all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
1 cup finely chopped or ground fully cooked ham
Your favorite syrup
Combine flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl,
beat eggs and milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until
moistened. Fold in ham. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto
lightly greased griddle. Turn when pancakes begin to
brown on the edges. Cook until second side is golden
brown. Serve with butter and syrup.
May the blessings of this holy season stay with each of you through the coming year.
Two occasions were very special to me that directly involve Magic Moments and created special moments in my life. I received a Christmas greeting from a daughter of a lifelong friend who comes back to Edgerton apparently only once a year. She and her husband have a friend who saves the EARTH for them all year. She expressed the pleasure she experienced in reading my thoughts, ramblings and recipes. Thanks so much, Ketra. The other was one of very few phone calls in my lifetime from a cousin, whom I seldom see, expressing the pleasure they receive when this comes into their home.
Also, the first visit home for my youngest grandson who has joined the military created a very specialness to the already great aurora of the Christmas season. From some special childhood visits to my home when we baked cut out sugar cookies, he has mastered the recipe and made a double recipe of them on Christmas Day! We had a small gathering at his parent’s home, and at least in my mind, and no one is going to change it, he gave me the first one, still hot from the oven. This is an example of how magic moments can be created for us and those we love from very ordinary circumstances. Our love and prayers go with you, Evan, as you fulfill your longtime plans of being in the military service.
We still have some celebrating to do since two grandsons from Texas are making a post Christmas visit this week, including a few months old great granddaughter whom I have never seen! Also my extended family will be enjoying a visit from a niece from California and a nephew from North Carolina will be visiting their mother and siblings. Isn’t it special that we can derive so much joy in the ordinary things of life?
After the holiday festivities, the special menus and annual treats we save for this time of the year, it will be hard to impress you with any suggestions of food. So let’s try some very simple but tasty concoctions that I found in a very old book that I found on the bottom shelf of my computer stand. I was impressed with their ease of preparation and can help use up that left over Christmas ham and baked potatoes.
SKILLET BREAKFAST
2 large potatoes, baked and cubed
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder and seasoning salt
8 eggs, lightly beaten
½ pound cubed, fully cooked ham
¼ cup water
¼ cup salsa
Salt and pepper taste
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Saute potatoes, green pepper and onion in oil. Sprinkle
with onion powder, garlic powder and seasoning salt.
Combine the eggs, ham, water, salsa, salt and pepper. Add
to potato mixture. Cook until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese.
Cook until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.
HAM GRIDDLE CAKES
I cup all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
1 cup finely chopped or ground fully cooked ham
Your favorite syrup
Combine flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl,
beat eggs and milk. Stir into dry ingredients just until
moistened. Fold in ham. Pour batter by ¼ cupfuls onto
lightly greased griddle. Turn when pancakes begin to
brown on the edges. Cook until second side is golden
brown. Serve with butter and syrup.
May the blessings of this holy season stay with each of you through the coming year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)