Making Magical Memories 1/8/15

Great Grandma Max and Everleigh

As the Christmas season draws to a close, may the spirit of Christmas remain in your hearts forever. Hopefully your Christmas was as special as you had hoped. Also, hope you missed us last week as all factions of THE EARTH were on a planned vacation.

As usual, my Christmas was very special, filled with many magic moments!  I received more gifts than I deserved, but do not tell anyone and maybe it will happen again next year! I really do not know which special moment I want to pass on to you today. I have changed my mind several times, but that privilege is now past. Let’s start with the usual gathering of all of my family for their annual gathering at Mike an Becky’s. This year there was a smaller crowd, due to conflicts with schedules, illness and distance. But it was still a very special day for those of us who were there. (Seventy some. I didn’t count, but that is a figure I heard mentioned.) The day after Christmas my nephew and his wife picked up the tradition of a family breakfast started by my sister and her husband.  Since my sister’s failing health she could do it no longer so Mark and Cindy graciously decided to do it at their home which was once my family’s home for 20 years. That makes it more special as it seems like going home to us. Thanks again, Mark and Cindy.

That same day another very special magic experience came to fruition.  Many months ago I asked one of my grandsons if there were anything of mine that he would like to have. His answer was that he was not a keeper of “things” but he liked to create memories. When he was in the fourth grade at school they had a lesson baking bread with the recipe simplified for a child to do it.  He had asked me to bake bread with him. I said “Oh, Dana, let’s wait until I retire.”  So, on the Friday night that I retired I got a call from him asking me if we were going to bake bread on Saturday! Nothing was any further from my plans, but I decided that a child’s wishes were more important. So the next day we made a fabulous loaf of whole wheat bread, but more important we created long lasting memories. That was 24 years ago.  His wishes were that I would let him bring his daughter, who is three, to my home and bake bread with her!  We have been too long in making it happen but it came to fruition the day after Christmas.  If possible it was more magic filled than the first experience. Perhaps because of my age and the interest of perpetuating the experience to another generation. Thanks, Dana and Everleigh for making it such a great day. Maybe we should think more about making memories than buying presents.

Saturday created a dilemma in my day. I was searching in my pantry cupboard for an idea for lunch. I came across an envelope of gravy mix which was a mite past the expiration date.  I quickly prepared it only to wonder what I was going to serve it on.  My mind turned to biscuits, but I had failed to replenish my supply of biscuit mix. I did not want to peel potatoes. If I were going to throw it away, I should have done it before I added the milk and cooked it! So I turned to my favorite cook book and looked for a biscuit recipe from scratch. I found one that is different than most I have seen so the next thing I knew I was mixing the ingredients. I was favorably impressed with the outcome enough to make up for the bother of rolling and cutting, then washing the extra equipment. Hope you are tempted to try it.  It beats prepared mixes! After a meal of two biscuits smothered in gravy, I had a warm biscuit with butter, crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jam for dessert! (the jam was sugar free!)

       

CLOUD BISCUITS

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup milk

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Combine beaten egg and milk. Add to flour mixture. Stir with meat fork until dough follows fork around the bowl. Place on floured surface and roll or pat to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut with a biscuit cutter.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake  12 to 14 minutes at 400 degrees.  Makes 9 biscuits.

The next recipe caught my eye because it has no sugar substitute. I did not make it but it has possibilities, even for those of you who are not watching your sugar.

          

DIABETIC BANANA BARS

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mashed bananas

1 egg

¼ cup peanut butter

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup diced dates or dried apricots

1 cup raisins

Mix flour, soda and baking powder. Mix together bananas, egg, peanut butter, milk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Add dates and raisins. Put in a 9 x 12 inch baking pan, bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until desired doneness.

Remember next year to substitute some memories for some presents!