Family - God's Greatest Creation 10/25/12

Family has always taken a great priority with me. Even when I was very young, nothing was greater than when my cousins whom I did not see but a few times each year, came to visit my grandparents and often came to our house.  Since my parents came from families of 6 and seven siblings there was always a multitude whenever we had a family gathering.  That also provided me with numerous aunts and uncles, each very special their own personalities and their association with me personally and my family. These aunts and uncles were always the focus of attention and special to us at all family gatherings.  Now guess who is the old generation!  My how time changes things. Then when my own family turned out to be the magic number of nine, family necessarily became very important.

This is all leading up to a great day a week ago Saturday when my father’s family had their annual family reunion  at my nephew’s home. Steve and Barb graciously agreed to entertain us at their home when providing insurance each year for the use of the Miller Park facilities became a problem.  A fantastic day with hay rides, bonfire, trips to the Jennings addition of the Farnham cemetery where 6 generations are buried, yard games, rides in a delicate conditioned covered wagon were all on the planned agenda.  Not to mention a fantastic meal with lots of good Jennings cooking. We forgot to consult the weather man when we moved it ahead two weeks to guarantee a nicer day.  But it takes more than a few showers and wind to spoil a day of enjoying family for the ones who came from Lafayette, Indianapolis, Elkhart, Warsaw and a lot of us from more local destinations.  Oh yes, I need to mention a guest from Africa!  Elsie, the exchange student who is making her home with my daughter and son-in-law gets the prize for coming the greatest distance!  Let’s not mention who was the oldest!!  I won’t offer a prize for guessing that in two guesses!  Thanks again to Steve and Barb for their hospitality, extra work and expense of being our hosts. We agreed to come back next year hoping for nicer weather.

I hope you are proud of me because I still know where my book and recipes are that I promised to use this week.  I was going to say I am proud of myself, but my mother’s voice rang loud and clear in my hearing aid improved ears that “Pride goeth before a fall” and “Self praise stinks!” So maybe we should just say I still have it nearby.

I have never mastered beef roasts but this sounds simple enough I am going to try it. So you will be on your own. I may have to call you for advice! The only problem is that is serves eight, so I would be eating it for a week. Since it calls for two roasts it would be easy to diminish it for your needs.
             
COFFEE-FLAVORED BEEF ROAST
6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges
6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 beef sirloin roasts, 2 to 3 pounds each
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 cups fresh mushrooms, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups brewed coffee
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons corn starch
¼ cup cold water
Place potatoes and carrots in a 6 quart slow cooker.  Sprinkle beef with half of the salt and pepper. In a large skillet brown beef in oil on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. In the same skillet, sauté onion in the drippings. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the coffee, chili powder and remaining salt and pepper. Pour over the meat. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low heat or until meat is tender. Remove meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Skim fat from cooking juices, and transfer to a small pan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the hot water. Cook until thickened. Serve with the meat and vegetables. I think these rolls would complement the roast.

             
PARMESAN KNOTS
1 tube (12 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
¼ cup canola oil
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Cut each biscuit into thirds, Roll each piece a 3 inch rope. Tie into a knot, tucking the ends under. Place 2 inches apart on a  greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Combine the cheese, garlic powder, oregano and parsley. Add the warm knots and gently toss to coat.

There is also an interesting peach pie recipe that I will save for another day. Peach pie is one of my favorites and this one is different than any I have ever tried.

Good friends and good food! 10/18/12

Like I said a week or so ago, October is a great month in which to be born.  A long time friend celebrated  her 80th birthday Sunday. Her husband is a distant relative through my maternal grandmother. But I was invited to her surprise party because of my friendship with her. There were two bonuses of the day.  Ann, thanks to your family for including me. First of all, another friend had decided that she was going to pick me up for anything that we were both attending, even though it was a total distance of at least ten miles mile out of her way. She had set a limit of my 85th birthday to begin her act of caring for the elderly.  To her chagrin she discovered I was already 87!   For a number of years my youngest sister and I had gone to her house and then let her drive us to distant meetings. So I really need to get  her on my list of special friends, especially considering the price of gasoline, and then she had to bring me back to Edgerton! Thanks so much Ruth. You were already considered a special friend, but I am really fortunate now.

The second bonus was that I saw so many people that I had not seen for years, including several of my farmer friends from my years of working at the elevator. As we were going through the magnificent line of food, the honored guest’s daughter-in-law was refilling a container of meat balls. She looked perplexed as she scrutinized the contents of both containers.  They looked so different that she questioned combining them, even though they were from the same recipe. I noticed her indecision and said just put them together and stir them good and no one will notice.  I agreed to take the blame if she got in trouble.  Later the wife of one of my farmer friends told me how good the meat balls were and that they told her it was my recipe!!  I was going to ask for the recipe since it was different than my favorite one but very good. I decided that I probably should just leave good enough alone!

That should bring us around to food very easily. I am trying to part with a lot of my treasures. I was looking through a collection of magazines (I put several out in the recyclables last week) and decided why I had kept this one.. There were some amazing suggestions, easily prepared even though the magazine was over three years old.  There was a suggestion for making hamburgers so they do not round up in the center by pressing your thumb in the center to make a well. As they cook they will fill out.  Handle the meat as little as possible. Also, do not  (as I have seen lots of cooks do) press down on the burger with a spatula as they cook. This  forces out the juices that keeps the meat moist, tender and flavorful.

Decisions, decisions, should I give you an entrée  or my special yen for desserts? Want to bet five on which I will do?  I have a weakness for cookies and try to get them out of the house as soon as I have them baked because either the devil or that nosy little old lady that I notice is still hanging around entices me to eat them, against my doctor’s orders. Let’s start with one that says it is kids’ favorite but did not say what age the kids have to be. I bet you all will qualify.
            
KIDS’ FAVORITE COOKIES
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup  white sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups quick cooking oats
1 cup flaked coconut
5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz.)
Cream butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and egg. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Beat in oats and coconut. Mix well. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookies sheet, flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Break each candy bar into 12 pieces, press a piece into each warm cookie. Cool on wire racks.
           
CHERRY and ALMOND KRISPIE SQUARES
1 package (10 oz.) large marshmallows
5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
3 cups salted roasted almonds, divided
1 ½ cups dried cherries, divided
Combine in a heavy pan, marshmallows and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in extract and cereal, 1 cup of cherries and 1 cup almonds. Press  into a 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and cherries. Gently press into cereal mixture. Cool and cut into squares.

I will save my magazine for another week and give you some good ideas for a main meal. I am writing it in ink right here. Hope I can find my magazine next week!

Miracle Triplets - Three Times the Magic! 10/11/12

Last week I was asleep at the switch when I dated my original copy for the paper.  I didn’t realize until a few days later that I had dated it a week later than it should have been.  This is the week I should have mentioned the interesting date that goes in chronological order, 10, 11, 12, therefore reminding me of my brothers’ birthday.  If it did not make sense to you, the buck stops here and I take full responsibility.

Both this week’s date and the rainy, chilly, damp day reminds me too much of the long winter days ahead, with possible snow to shovel. So I will doubly enjoy the nice fall days that do come our way and try not to think of the winter months. My favorite time of the year is springtime when the earth suddenly springs to life with green appearing everywhere and signals the end of snow hindering my travel plans.

The past week brought magic moments to my life with the birthday party of my year old great granddaughter who was unfazed by all of the attention, but it was a great day for us to enjoy many people that we do not see often. Wish you could remember all of the “lady bug”  festivities, Everleigh.

Climaxing the week was the visit from Kentucky of my sister’s great grandkids- nine month old triplets, Emmy, Gus, and Tommy Mathews. They were in our town from Friday evening until Sunday morning getting acquainted with their extended family with an open house at my sister’s for anyone who wanted to meet them. Seeing some of the demands of three at such a tender age, made us partially realize the challenge presented to the parents who have the 24 hour a day responsibility for the lives of such a precious blessing. I mentioned to the parents an article that I read when I was in charge of my large family that the first requirement to successfully managing a large number of kids (which could also be applied to three at one time) is the fact that you really want to do it.  Their parents seemed calm, cool  and collected and very much in charge of the situation. (With much assistance and encouragement from Grandpa Doug and Grandma Sandy!)

My thoughts this week went in the area of sugarless items, probably of my guilt pains of too many cookies with a sugar test coming up in about three weeks.  I am not certain if that is enough time to bring my three months average down or not, but I will give it a good try. For any of you with a similar problem I am including a recipe for sugarless brownies that came from my Dad’s sister who included it in her church recipe book that she gave to us on our 25th wedding anniversary.  That makes it a bit old but should be quite tasty. I also have a simple but good recipe for a quick lunch when ideas and time are scarce for a meal for your family.
           
BROWNIES FOR DIABETICS
½ cup butter
Sweetener equivalent to 1 ¼ cup sugar
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
Cream butter and sweetener, add melted chocolate. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and nuts. Spread in a greased baking pan (8 x 8). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
           
CHEESY POTATO SOUP
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
4 chicken bouillon cubes
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Cook potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, bouillon cubes in water until tender. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir until smooth stirring constantly. Add milk heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Drain vegetables, add sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.  Mix and heat thoroughly. DO NOT BOIL. Serve with crackers, shredded cheese and paprika. To prevent cheese from sticking to a shredder, spray the shredder with cooking spray before beginning.

Memories that we might have roses in December 10/3/11

Isn’t today an interesting date? More than just interesting in numerical succession, it brings back memories of a favorite person in my life. October 11 was the birthday of my older brother whom God wanted in His garden of fantastic people. Rest in peace, Kenny, or “Deke” as he was affectionately known to his siblings. October is a great month to be born. The 1st is my first born son’s birthday, October 4th brought my first grandchild. October 8th was my husband’s birthday just 16 days before mine which made him think he was boss!!  This week marks the birthdays of 2 great granddaughters, and the birth date  of my paternal grandmother. The nineteenth was the birth date of my maternal grandfather. Bringing up the end of the month is a granddaughter’s birthday who just became a new mother herself. Too numerous to mention are the October birthdays of cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews. When I was a teenager our minister’s birthday was the same as mine. I still have a birthday card in which he wrote “A great day when great people celebrate their birthdays.” That was in the 1940’s and I still have the card among my treasures!

On the sad side of life was the recent damaging of the Spencerville Covered Bridge when a truck driver drove a semi through it even though it was posted as a 3 ton weight and a height limit. Damage has been estimated from between $100,000 and $300,000! Besides the monetary damage is the historical value since it was built in 1873. It had a special significance to me because my husband had expressed his desire to have a covered bridge picture. Since he did not drink nor smoke, I agreed to let him have this special wish.  He came home from work one night and said he was going to get his bridge picture. A co-worker, Jill Ordway, was going to paint it for him.  He went to Spencerville and took a photo of it and gave it to Jill. He gave me frequent developments as time passed with the fact that it was going to be bigger than he thought, then that it was going to cost more than he thought.  I asked him if it would be enough for a Christmas present which he readily agreed.  He got the picture 2 feet by 3 feet without the frame, just a week or two before Christmas. A friend made a frame for it from barn siding. On Christmas Day I realized his thinking, not mine, was that it was to be a present for both of us!  He died on the thirteenth of January and enjoyed it only a few weeks. It has graced my living room wall for thirty years, and is one of my most prized possessions next to our family photo that was taken less than a year before his death.

Since the photo that he took had no leaves on the trees, she wanted one to paint from.  He called our youngest son and told him to go down to the bridge and where to stand and take a photo of the trees with their fall colors. She drew small squares on the photo and painted from that picture. From this history, when I am gone, that son becomes the owner of the picture. To diminish thoughts of favoritism, a friend took a picture of the picture and made a nice sized framed picture for each of my kids for a Christmas present a few years ago.

I experienced a few magic hours this evening when I received a telephone call from a son wanting to know if I were going to be home for supper.  He and his wife were coming to Parkview Nursing home to see his mother-in-law and they wanted to bring her to my home for a meal. They were bringing the essentials for a salad.  I quickly thawed some meatballs I had in the freezer especially for such an occasion. Also,  some apple sauce that I made from apples given to me from a kind gentleman who was generous in bringing me apples from his farm. I think I neglected to mention him when I was acknowledging  my wonderful and kind friends in the past.  It was a special visit with me realizing the fantasy that I have been listening for—noises from the kitchen insuring that someone was doing my dishes! I will give you the idea of their salad which would have been a meal in itself without my meatballs and apple sauce.
                                  
SANDERS SALAD
Torn salad greens to fill a nice sized plate
Garnish with :
     Shredded cheese
     Diced apples
     Diced strawberries
     Fresh blueberries
     Thinly sliced deli turkey (can use chicken or ham)
     Raisins
     Chopped hard boiled eggs
Top with salad dressing of your choice.  I chose Russian and Ranch, complimented with a slice of baked Texas Toast!  Like I said, we really did not need meat balls, apple sauce, nor the raisin oatmeal cookies.
                      
SOUTH WESTERN BEEF COMBO
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups frozen potatoes, O’Brien, thawed
2 cups salsa
Brown beef and onion in large skillet. Pour off any drippings. Stir in potatoes and cook over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salsa and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer.

Let's Just Eat! 9/27/12

 Pistachio Pineapple Whip

As I look at my last week’s appointment book, it is quite empty of activities. I went to the same garage sale twice. Bought a few things both times, but especially  enjoyed the social visiting and the friendliness of the family performing the difficult task of disposing of the many treasures of their parents’ lives. A very special event was a small impromptu family birthday celebration of my sister-in-law’s birthday on Saturday evening, at the local restaurant .  It was a busy day for most of her nieces and nephews but those of us who celebrated with her had a very enjoyable time. She is trying hard to catch me in age, but I do keep staying ahead of her. My son-in-law drafted the assistance of an acquaintance who happened to be dining at the restaurant  to help us in singing “Happy Birthday”. We were not blessed with musical talents and our singing leaves much to be desired. She helped keep the rescue team from coming to our aid!  Best wishes to you, Mary, and may we have another party next year!!

I keep  churning my mind for an interesting topic, but I keep returning to my disturbing thoughts about the present presidential campaign. Never before in my 65 years of voting, ( I do not think I ever missed an election, served on an election board for years, ran for township trustee, or rather was nominated without my consent, fortunately I gave my opponent an astonishing race but was not elected),  have I ever seen such a negative approach.  If you say something bad about me, I will say something worse about you does not persuade me to vote for anyone.  If you cannot sell me your sweeper with its positive qualities about your product instead of criticizing my worn out broom, you will not make a sale.  There are things that I do not like about both candidates.  In the past I have voted for both parties in the presidential election and locally I pay no attention to the party of the candidate, but rather on what I personally know to be true about their personality and character.  Sometimes I let my idea of their intelligence persuade me, but we can learn from our kids.  One daughter told me once, in a kind way, “Mom, you cannot judge people by their intelligence. They only have what God gave them to work with!” At this time I was not voting for a president, I was giving advice on a choice of friends.

There are only a few weeks left for me to ponder where I should mark my “X”. I will make what I think is a sound decision only to have the media tear apart the statements made by the candidate. In a fact finding report after the conventions, it stated false statements made by each candidate! Since not voting is not an option, may some positive, not prejudicial, statements be forthcoming.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

As I am searching for food, I thought I needed some dessert to settle my political nerves, but I found only a controversial recipe.  You may criticize it, because I am not certain that I will try it. Let’s just say I am prejudiced with my own present recipe for pie crust! Might I mention one fault about this new one?  It makes too much if it is one I do not like!  Might I suggest cutting it in half.  This might not be intelligent on my part, because I have never heard of this approach even though this cook book is over 25 years old. I must have lived a sheltered life.
                              
SOUR CREAM PIE CRUST
4 cups all purpose flour
1 ½  teaspoons salt
2 cups vegetable shortening
1 cup dairy sour cream
Cut mixture of flour and salt into the shortening until mixture resembles small peas. Stir in sour cream. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. (It can be stored in the refrigerator up to ten days.) This dough browns more quickly than the usual pie dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. I usually do not bake crust at that high temperature. That is the suggested one and since I do not bake it, use your own judgment. This makes 3 double crusted pies.

Next there is a very simple, quickly made dessert. Why wouldn’t anyone want to try it? Bet it would be good with other choices of pudding mix if you do not like the suggested flavor.
                       
PISTACHIO PINEAPPLE WHIP
1 carton (16 oz.) whipped topping, thawed
½ cup miniature marshmallows
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 small box instant pistachio pudding mix
½ cup chopped nuts
Turn whipped topping into a large serving bowl. Fold in marshmallows, undrained pineapple, dry pudding mix and nuts. Refrigerate. Good as salad or dessert.

To impress your family put it in dessert dishes and top with a dab of whipped topping and a candied cherry.