Everyone needs someone who loves them best

I truly believe that every child needs to have someone who loves them best, or at least makes them feel as if they do. Obviously, this is not their parent. Maybe an extended family member or close family friend.

My grandfather was this person in my life. For a variety of reasons my need may have been greater than most, and his love for me was akin to a beacon in the darkness. I can't overstate the effect that this had on my life. I doubt that even he knew how great my need was, nor the effect that his loving actions had on my life.

My fondness for and love of my grandfather never wavered. I was blessed (and I do not use that term lightly) to enjoy that special relationship until long into my adulthood. Although his last few years were difficult, I consider it such an honor to have shared so many years with him.

I have a picture of my grandfather on my desk. I look at him every day, and those loving feelings are still there. The love he felt for me, and I for him, did not die with him. It lives on.

Because of this experience with my grandfather, it was interesting to watch my childrens early years unfold. I recognized special relationships between each of them and a significant person in their lives. Why or how these special connections are made is something of a mystery. Perhaps it is chemistry. Perhaps a loving Heavenly Father provides these special someones to meet a particular need.

Recipes of the week

We tried a few new recipes this week.

Blender wheat pancakes turned out very well. Perfect for "eat what you store and store what you eat". The guys really liked them.

It was hot this week, so we were looking for cool dishes. Chicken apple crunch salad was good, but not spectacular. The guys must have liked it though, because it was gone in no time. I would definitely make it again. I would add nuts next time. Orzo and spinach salad was very good. I would make this again, as well. I also made zucchini refrigerator pickles, but combined a bunch of recipes and, as usual, I could not reproduce them if I tried.

Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes
From: Wheat Foods Council

1-1/2 cup wheat kernels
2 cups milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
¼ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ Tablespoon baking soda

Combine wheat and milk in blender. Blend on high for 2 – 3 minutes. Add eggs, oil, salt and sugar. Blend well. Pour batter into a bowl, STIR in baking powder and baking soda.

Pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle and cook until bubbles appear on top. Flip (only once) and cook until lightly browned.

NOTE: This is the way I received the recipe at a wheat cooking class. No salt was listed. I added a few shakes of salt from the salt shaker. Unsure what the measurement should be.


Orzo and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cranberry Vinaigrette

From CLBB adapted the recipe from What Can I Bring Cookbook by Anne Byrn

8 oz. orzo pasta
salt to taste -- I used sea salt
6 oz. Baby spinach
5 oz. or so feta cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup or so craisins
1 cup chopped sugared pecans or toasted pecans

Vinaigrette:
½ to 1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 Tablespoons or so fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Boil orzo and salt for about 7-8 minutes, until just done. Drain in a fine sieve and shake off excess water. Set aside to cool. (While the orzo is cooling I put it in a flat container and pour a little of the vinaigrette on it to keep it from sticking.)

Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, and craisins in large bowl. Set aside.

For vinaigrette, mix lemon zest and lemon juice and gradually whisk in olive oil, a little at a time, until it thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix cooled orzo with spinach mixture. Pour vinaigrette over everything and mix. Cover and chill a few hours or up to overnight.

Just before serving add pecans and stir. Taste to see if it needs more lemon juice, salt, or anything else.

Sugared Pecans
Pour about 5 to 6 Tablespoons of sugar in the bottom of a skillet. Turn stove to low or medium/low. Scatter about a cup of pecan halves over the sugar. Stir occasionally as the sugar melts. Be careful not to burn them! Remove them from the skillet to cool once they are coated with sugar and toasted.

LION HOUSE ROLLS

These may be the best rolls ever. Certainly the best I've ever made. I used just over 5 cups of flour, dough was slightly sticky but cleaned sides of bowl. Also brushed tops with melted butter.

Lion House Rolls

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
5-6 cups flour

Melted butter for brushing

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (no need to do this if using instant yeast – just add the yeast and water together with the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth, supple and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.

Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way (see photos below). Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 10 to 12 small rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up like a snail and place on a silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet with the roll resting on it’s open edge. Repeat with the second portion of dough.

Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely browned.

Life Lesson That Stuck

Once upon a time, I was at K-mart with three small children in tow, ages 5 and under. I was spending more time instrucing the children on how to behave in the store than I was actually shopping, and was becoming frazzled.

A woman I had known from church since I was a teenager happened to be at the store and saw my plight. I had always known her to be kind, cheerful and caring, and never critical, which may have colored the experience. Her own children were older than mine and in a much different stage of life, but she had obviously been there with the preschooler and toddler stage. She came up to me and remarked that although it seemed like this stage would last forever, it would really be over in a moment, and I would miss having small children. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming witness that she was right, that this was but a small moment in time, and that I would miss having those small children to tangle with.

I took a "mind picture" on that day, at that moment, and it has stayed with me over the years.

I am so glad that she took the chance and shared with me that day.

Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness Class

Floyd Michael and I attended an earthquake and emergency preparedness class this weekend at Honeyville Grain in Rancho Cucamonga. It was taught by Linda from Just In Case Emergency Essentials. The class was really fantastic. I learned so much. Floyd Michael knew a lot of the information ahead of time, but much of it was new to me. Linda was an excellent instructor. Floyd Michael and I will definitely be attending more of her classes in the future. We had already decided to get CERT training, and this only reaffirmed that this is something we really want to do.

Historically, I have tended to bury my head in the sand, thinking I could never do enough and that preparedness seemed totally overwhelming.

After the tsunami in Japan, Destiny and I had some conversations about...what if it was our family. What if we didn't know where our family members were, whether they had survived, how to find them? Once we put J's name into the equation, the situation was magnified and brought home forcefully.

Maybe what we can do will never be enough. Certainly there are cases where that is true. But what if our preparations could have saved our family members, neighbors or community and we had failed to prepare?

Luckily, Floyd Michael and I are totally on the same page with this. As with everything, we each have our own areas of particular interest and knowledge, and we tend to complement one another. We have enjoyed learning and preparing over the past several months. This class was just the right class at the right time for us. Very good stuff.

Taters!

This morning Floyd Michael brought me a bowl of small potatoes from the garden. We didn't actively plant potatoes. They seem to grow from compost material. Apparently we also have a compost tomato plant too.

We are really having so much fun with the garden. Floyd refers to the garden as his "crops", and communes with them both morning and evening.

Jason has his own strawberry plants, which he waters and checks for progress each time he visits.

The garden fits in really well with our preparedness and provident living goals.

We are especially looking forward to a ton of zuccini this year, since someone (me) meant to grab one more plant at Lowe's but instead grabbed a multi-pack of four (to add to our existing zuccini stash. Daniel should be thrilled, as he can't get enough zuccini. Hopefully we won't turn into those people who foist huge zuccini off on all of the neighbors!

Review: Honeyville Farms Scone Mix

Another weekend purchase. Just for fun.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy these were to put together. Dissolve yeast in water, add to mix. Let the Kitchen Aid knead it for awhile. Roll out. Rest for 20 minutes. Fry (yes, fry).

One-half of the dough had raisins mixed in (for Floyd Michael). The other half had chocolate chips mixed in (for Jason).

When Jason realized they weren't chocolate chip pancakes (I'm pretty sure he thinks my role in life is to keep him stocked in chocolate chip pancakes), he announced the didn't like scones. No suprise there! When I let him sprinkle a little sugar on top of the warm scones, he decided they might be worth trying. He loved them (chocolate, sugar, fried, um, why not?). He decided next time he spends the night he wants chocolate chip scones AND chocolate chip pancakes. We told him we'd have to rotate, and he seemed okay with that.

They were great. And I was impressed at how fast I was able to have a hot breakfast treat on the table. Definitely something I will want to have while my in-laws are visiting later this summer.

I believe they can be baked, too, and will definitely try that next time.

Review: Ova Easy Egg Crystals

One of these days I'll remember to get pictures, but wanted to write the review before I forgot.

We made a trip to Honeyville Grain in Rancho Cucamonga this past weekend, and bought a few new items for our storage.

Some storge staples scare me more than others. Eggs are pretty high on the list. This was my first foray into the dried/powdered/dehydrated egg category.

Figuring there was no time like the present, I made them this morning. Everyone ate them, from our grandson who was spending the night, to everyone else in the family. No one knew. Even I, who obviously "knew" found them perfectly acceptable. And easy. Add water, wait a few minutes and cook. Smelled like eggs. Looked like eggs. Tasted like eggs. I definitely see more of these in our future. I highly recommend them.

Dawna's Favorite Fudge Brownies

I have tried so many brownie recipes over the years, and could never find one that was really "it" for us. I've finally found it. This is the brownie recipe to end the search.

Dawna’s Favorite Fudge Brownies

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½-teaspoon expresso powder
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips
walnuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x13 pan.

Melt butter. Add sugar and stir together. Return to heat just until hot (110 to 120F) but not bubbling. **note** heating a second time dissolves more sugar, which gives a shiny top crust like “box” brownies.

Beat the eggs, then beat in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, expresso and vanilla. It takes awhile to incorporate.

Add the hot sugar/butter mixture to the egg mixture, and stir until smooth. Gently fold in the flour and fold in chocolate chips. Add walnuts if using. Don’t overmix when adding flour.

Pour into pan. Give Floyd Michael the bowl and spoon to lick. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool on a rack. Cut. Hide some from the kids so Floyd Michael can have some.

I work a lot

Need I say more? I really do work a lot. It seems I've spent most of my life saying "I can't do that, I have to work". "Hold on one minute, I'm working". "I need to work more". "I need to work less". There are some things I enjoy about working. There are others I definitely do not enjoy. I just wish work-life balance was easier to attain.

My Girl

Today is Destiny's birthday. Happy birthday to my girl!

Parents tend to have a list of things they want for their children to do, or to be. Mostly, I want my children to be happy. I want them to be thinking, thoughtful people. I want them to know success in the world, rather than struggle. I want them to find work that means something to them more than simply a paycheck. I want them to have solid, meaningful, fulfilling relationships. I want them to have health. I want them to do good in the world. I want them to give, rather than simply take.

I admire Destiny. I appreciate the hard work and long hours she is putting in at this stage in her life. She is loyal and hard working and responsible and reliable. She is out there working for the future that she wants. We have wonderful conversations that show me only glimpses of the girl that was, but even more the woman she has become. She is an amazing granddaughter, and I so admire and appreciate the relationship she has carved out with her grandparents. She is an absolutely amazing Aunt, and Jason adores her.

I couldn't have asked for a better daughter. I can't wait to see the great things that are yet to come for my girl.

Time for an update

This is the last family photograph we had taken. Wasn't Jason a cute baby? Jason will be five in a few weeks. Yes, five years old. And Jason at five is so adorable there aren't words to describe it. Only a new picture will do. Clearly, it is time for an update! Now if I could only find a day that everyone is available...

Indian Pow-Wow Fry Bread

Many, many years ago the kids and I attended the Indian Pow Wow in Tehachapi with my friend Bonnie and her children. We had a wonderful time, and Bonnie left determined to recreate the fry bread we had there. This recipe is the result of her experimentation. Bonnie and I later made fry bread for Tiana and Daniel's class at school (I'm thinking maybe second grade...but am not sure). I can still remember lugging the electric skillets and all of the ingredients into the school. Another crazy adventure that I would never have thought to attempt on my own, but with Bonnie anything was possible.

I no longer have a breadmaker, but know the recipe can easily be adapted. I will have to add those directions when I do.

INDIAN FRY BREAD

3 CUPS FLOUR
1 TBSP BAKING POWDER
½ TEASPOON SALT
¼ CUP MILK
1 CUP WARM WATER

Put flour, baking powder, salt and milk in breadmaker on dough setting. As it begins to mix continuously, add water, ¼ cup at a time. After dough is mixed, take out (it does not need to be kneaded a seocnd time).

Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Pull off egg-sized balls. Flatten on floured board (and between hands), then let rest.

Flatten again and let rest.

Should be 1/4 inch thick.

Fry on both sides. Will puff slightly.

Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar or with taco fixings (like at Indian Pow-Wow in Tehachapi).

Destiny's Snickerdoodles

Destiny has made these at Christmas time for years. They are her Grandma Syd's favorites, so she always makes sure her Grandma gets some.


Snickerdoodles

1-1/2 cups sugar
½ cup margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream sugar, margarine, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy.

In separate bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.

Shape dough into balls.

Mix together the 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.

Roll balls into cinnamon-sugar.

Place apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until set. Remove immediately from cookie sheets.

Shirley's no-bake cookies

Floyd Michael loves these cookies. Any time he comes in the door and sees them cooling on the counter, he has to have one immediately!

Shirley Bays’ No-Bake Cookies

Combine the following ingredients in a saucepan:

1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup cocoa
½ cup milk

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.

Add:
½ cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring back to a boil, then add:

Approximately 3 cups oatmeal (enough to get desired consistency).

STIR until oats are well coated. Drop by (serving size) spoonfuls onto sprayed aluminum foil; let cool.

Pea Salad

This is a great cold salad. Very forgiving. Have used Splenda in place of sugar in the dressing. I like to add some vinegar, as well. Shredded cheese works just as well as cubed.

Pea Salad


Frozen peas, partially thawed under running water
2 cups sweet pickles, diced (have used relish, but bigger chunks are better)
1 cup diced red bell peppers
2 cups diced celery
1 dozen hard boiled eggs, diced
1/2 finely diced onions
1 cup cubed American or cheddar cheese

Dressing
4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. chopped sweet pickle chips
1 tablespoon diced red bell pepper

In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. In a separate bowl mix dressing ingredients. Add to salad mixture and gently toss.

Cornbread Salad

Corn Bread Layered Salad

Adapted from Taste of Home

Leftover cornbread
Green onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Crumble corn bread into a 2-qt. glass serving bowl. Layer with onions, green pepper, corn and beans.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sour cream. Spread over the vegetables. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. Refrigerate until serving.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Sour Cream Topping

Adapted from CLBB

Crust Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon if desired

Topping Ingredients:
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon, or to taste
• 16 pecan halves for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

Wrap aluminum foil over bottom and up the outside of springform pan. Butter inside of pan.

Combine the cracker crumbs, pecans, and the sugars. Stir in the butter. Press into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Chill the crust for 1 hour.

While the crust is chilling, make the filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, egg, spices, salt, and the brown sugar.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the granulated sugar, beat in the cream, cornstarch, vanilla, bourbon, and the pumpkin mixture. Beat until smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust. Bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.

While cheesecake is cooling on rack, make the topping:

Whisk the sour cream, sugar, and the bourbon liqueur.

Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake the cheesecake for 5 minutes more.

Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a rack and then refrigerate covered, overnight.

Remove the side of the pan and garnish the top of the cheesecake with the pecans.

Cornbread AKA Best Cornbread In The World

Best Cornbread in the World

Adapted from CLBB

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 tsp. soda
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, melted
1 8-oz. can cream-style corn (I usually throw in the whole regular size can)
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Combine dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, melted butter, corn, and eggs; mix well. Batter will be lumpy.

Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 min.

Cool slightly before cutting.

Ancho Pork & Hominy Stew

Ancho Pork and Hominy Stew

Adapted from CLBB, original source unknown

Ingredients
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can hominy, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture aside. Add pork to remaining spice mixture in bowl, tossing well to coat.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove pork from pan; set aside.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Return pork to pan. Add reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes; bring to a boil.

Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

Farmers Casserole

Farmer's Casserole

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

INGREDIENTS FOR 6 SERVINGS (can double for 13x9 pan)

3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (have used thawed, mushed tater tots in a pinch – I think we liked better that way)
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers or shredded cheddar cheese
(3 ounces)
1 cup diced fully cooked ham or Canadian bacon
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 beaten eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
Grease a 2 quart square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham/bacon and green onion.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper and salt. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture.

Pour into dish. (The dish may be covered and refrigerated at this point for several hours or overnight.) Bake, uncovered, in a 350� oven for 40 to 45 minutes (or 55 to 60 minutes if made ahead and chilled) or till center appears set.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I doubled the recipe, baked in 9x13. Used tater tots (partially thawed in microwave) because that was what I had. Added some garlic powder to the eggs. Used bulk pork sausage for the meat. This was really, really good.

Daniel's Granola

Crunchy Granola

Adapted from Kathleen Daelemans, CLBB


2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups rolled oats
2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, or slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Place in microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add vanilla extract and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.

Add dried fruit, if desired.

When granola has cooled completely, store in an airtight container.


Variations:
1. Use 3 teasp vanilla and 1 teasp orange extract, with dried cranberries.
2. Add cinnamon, apple pie or pumpkin pie spice.
3. Do not STIR to enhance clumpiness.
4. Some people add honey, or egg white to enhance clumpiness.

Our Favorite Chocolate Cake

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake AKA Black Magic Cake

Butter, for greasing the pans

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease two 8" round pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. (Have made in 9”, and only greased and floured).

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Amazing Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake

Thanksgiving Muffins

Floyd Michael loves these, and they don’t even contain chocolate!

Thanksgiving Muffins

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup pumpkin purée
2 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cinnamon chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon coarse white sparkling sugar -- for topping; optional or Swedish pearl sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease 12 wells of a standard muffin pan.

In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, molasses, salt, spices, milk, and cinnamon chips.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Stir in the dried cranberries. Add all at once to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.

Cover the bowl, and let the batter rest for 30 minutes. REALLY. LET IT REST. It makes a difference.

Deposit the batter by the generous 1/4-cupful (a slightly heaped muffin scoop works well here) into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about 1/2 teaspoon coarse sparkling sugar or Swedish pearl sugar, if desired (I have used regular granular sugar which works just fine).

Bake for 20 to 21 minutes.

Remove the muffins from the oven, and tilt them in their individual wells to cool (this prevents their bottoms from steaming and becoming tough).

Americana Pot Roast

This roast is fantastic. It has the best aroma while baking. It is my new go-to recipe for roast.

Americana Pot Roast

Adapted from Cooking Light, JANUARY 1999

1 (4-pound) boned rump roast
6 cups sliced onion
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry red wine or 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (14 1/4-ounce) can low-salt beef broth
6 small red potatoes (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about 1 pound)

Preheat oven to 300.

Place a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add roast, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; reduce heat to medium. Add onion; saute 10 minutes. Add paprika, basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add water, wine, and broth; bring to a boil. Peel a 1/2-inch strip around each potato. Stir in salt, pepper, carrots, and potatoes. Return roast to pan. Cover and bake at 300 for 2 hours. Turn roast; cover and bake an additional hour or until tender. Serve with vegetables and broth.

Yankee Oatmeal-Molasses Bread

Yankee Oatmeal-Molasses Bread

Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 1994

For bread:
1/2 cup packed old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup boiling water

1 cup warm water
1 envelope dry yeast
6 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

For glaze:
1 tablespoon melted butter mixed with 1 teaspoon light unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon old-fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan; set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup oats with 3/4 cup boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes.

In the meantime, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Add molasses, 2 tablespoons butter and salt to the oat mixture in bowl. Mix in dissolved yeast. Add enough flour, 1 cup at a time, to form medium-soft dough, mixing at medium speed until well blended, about 3 minutes. Turn out dough onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if dough is too sticky, about 5 minutes.

Form dough into ball. Butter a large bowl; add dough, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then with a towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Knead for 3 minutes. Form into loaf and transfer to prepared pan. Cover with plastic, then towel; let rise in warm draft-free area until dough has risen about 1/2 inch above rim of pan, about 45 minutes.

Bake bread 10 minutes; then reduce temperature to 350°F. Bake 25 minutes longer. Brush top of bread with glaze; sprinkle 1 tablespoon oats over. Bake until bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 10 minutes longer.

Transfer to rack; cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out bread onto rack; cool completely.

Oreo Cheesecake Balls

This recipe is so simple it is embarrassing, but they are very, very good. You would never know how simple they are from the taste.

Oreo Cheesecake Balls

My notes: I use 1.5 pkg cream cheese to 1 pkg cookies. Have used different cookies. Destiny loves peanut butter (Nutter Butters).

Oreo Cheesecake Balls (aka easy truffles)

1 pkg. Oreo cookies
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted (or use candy melts)

Crush cookies in food processor (cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Place cookie crumbs in bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture balls about 1-inch in diameter. Refrigerate balls briefly.

Dip balls in melted chocolate and place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with candy sprinkles before the chocolate sets, then refrigerate. Can also drizzle with complementary color/flavor of chocolate after first layer has set.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

I first made these cookies with my sister-in-law Pam when Destiny and Tana were babies. We have made them every Christmas since, and for many other holidays. I tend to do the slice and bake version, but Destiny likes to do cut outs.

Workman Sugar Cookies

2 cups butter flavor Crisco
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream Crisco and sugar in large bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture. Cover and chill at least two hours.

Can roll dough into logs on/with wax paper/saran wrap before refrigerating. Slice to bake. Makes large, round, uniform cookies.

Otherwise, roll chilled dough on floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters.

Sprinkle with colored sugar before baking, or frost and decorate after baking.

Bake on ungresead baking sheets.

Bake for 6-7 minutes for cut out cookies (slightly longer for slice and bakes). Cool on baking sheet for one minute, then remove to cooling racks.

Where are the recipes?

One of the reasons I wanted to blog was to have a place for recipes. My mother-in-law has asked for my recipes, and I want my children to have access to them, so it seemed the perfect solution. So where are they? The first problem I ran into was my lack of picture taking equipment, and my amazing issues with getting said photographs, once taken, onto the computer and actually onto the blog. I see some education in my future!

Other issues keeping me from trying and posting new recipes are time, money and the weather. Trying to work diligently when I should be working means no more cooking marathons while I sorta-kinda work. The budget means less splurging on special ingredients. The weird weather (is it hot or cold today?) is impacting any sort of advance planning.

Over the past few years, I've enjoyed cooking while I work (work for awhile, do some prep, work for awhile, do some more, work for awhile, cook some more). While the breaks are nice, and the food is great, I really need to focus more on working right now, so a change is definitely called for.

Not even thinking about dinner until Floyd Michael walks in the door at 4:30 is just not working for us. It takes up too much of our evening, when the garden and the gym and family time vie for our attention.

Enter, or re-enter the system I used years ago when I had small children at home and worked part time either outside or from inside the home - the weekend mini-marathon. Shopping, planning, prepping and cooking as much as possible on the weekend saves time during the week. It also tends to keep costs down as the ingredients that lend themselves to advance cooking and prep tend to be lower on the price scale. It is definitely cheaper (and healthier) than a last minute pizza run because it is late, everyone is hungry and I am still working.

All dinners around here need to feed five adults, plus enough for Floyd Michael's lunch at work the following day. More leftovers for lunch for everyone else is a bonus. Dinner also needs to be available in shifts, as work schedules vary. Obviously, then, dinners need to reheat well. Every family has their own agenda items to work around, and those are ours at the moment.

This weekend we did our shopping at Sam's Club. The major purchases were beef brisket and country pork ribs. Okay, definitely not the least expensive choices, but we have chicken, ground beef and beef roasts in the freezer and needed something different.

The brisket was cooked in the crock pot with a sweet and sour tomato sauce. It made enough for dinner one night, and leftovers are in the freezer for another. I'd share the recipe, but I was working from several variations and basically winged it (another reason for so few recipes to pass along - I'd actually have to follow one).

The pork ribs were also given the crock pot treatment yesterday. This time with BBQ friendly seasonings for a few hours, then drained, and BBQ sauce added. Those were dinner last night with a garden salad and potato salad (potato salad got made during breaks during work). A portion of the pork ribs (pre-cooking) was cubed and frozen for a pork and hominy stew at a later date.

I also baked a chocolate cake, and made peanut butter brownies from my "favorites" folder. It is a good thing I decided to make the recipes from my favorites folder before I posted them to the blog. These recipes have both been in the folder for many years. Upon re-trying, I realized they really weren't all that good. They weren't awful, but I've made better over the years. I can see that my favorites folder will be getting revised as I go along.

Floyd Michael must have something sweet in the evening. If it isn't home baked, he will eat Hostess Cupcakes. Seriously. Every-single-night, so I like to provide a home baked alternative. Thus, the baking while the weather permits.

Chocolate

When I was a child, I was sure I was adopted because my family was crazy about chocolate, and I didn't much care for it. Destiny is like me, she can take it or leave it. Floyd Michael loves chocolate. The other day when he tried to give me the last brownie and I reminded him I don't really care about them, that he should have it, he shook his head sadly and made some comment about not understanding me at all. He also said it was "unnatural" not to like chocolate. A lot of times, I will tell him that something is just "too chocolatey" for me, to which he always replies that there is no such thing as too much chocolate. Once I asked Floyd Michael if which type of chocolate he preferred, light or dark, and he answered that he liked "cake chocolate". One time when Jason came over he ran into the kitchen all excited when he saw the cake saver on the table. When the lid was lifted to reveal a lemon cake, his face fell and he walked away grumbling about it not being chocolate. He definitely takes after his Grandpa in that! I don't hate chocolate. I just don't love it the way most people do. I think it speaks to my love of my family to note that I bake chocolate about 10:1 versus anything else. Plus, it keeps me from eating too much of what I bake.

Simple Things

My children often tell me that I am easily amused. This is true. It is almost embarrassing how much joy I find in simple things that might otherwise go unnoticed.

• I love my husband. Really. Truly. With an amazing gratitude and astonishment at my good fortune at having a mate who is perfect *for me*. Every single day, I am thankful for him. Perhaps having known unhappy relationships makes it easier for me to appreciate the good.


• I love my children. Every day. All five of them. I don't segregate into birth children, step children, godchildren, etc. I simply have five children. How did it change from mine and yours to ours? I could say it was a conscious choice, but it is easy to say that but feeling it is another story. So how did that happen? I know it wasn't through any work on my part, and I doubt it was on theirs. I consider it an amazing blessing. I am astounded by the grace with which this blessing transpired, and am humbled by the ease with which the change took place in my heart. The credit is not mine.


• Do I really need to say that I love Jason? Grandparenting is one of the only things in life that not only lives up to but far surpasses the cliches surrounding it. This little boy brings amazing joy to our entire family. In fact, we all attribute the ease with which we have bonded to Jason. Our love for him has melded our family in ways that may never have happened without his influence. One of my favorite things to do is simply listen to him talk. He is a great talker. Snuggling up and reading stories is pretty darn good too. So is baking together. And walking the dog together. The times that only grandma will do are pretty darn sweet, too. He is our bargain entertainment on the weekend. For the price of chicken nuggets, we can be entertained for a day. Given a choice between spending a Saturday with him, or doing pretty much anything else, he wins by a landslide! We are so easy to please around here.


• I love our garden. Gardening is a new preoccupation, and I can't believe I waited all my life to enjoy it. I blame/thank Shirley for my love of gardening. Really. Tomato sandwiches at her house with fresh tomatoes spoiled me for any purchased from the store. And the gardening bug grew from there.


• Another new-ish fun thing yard sale-ing with Floyd Michael. We usually take Emma too. And Jason, if he is around. Who knew it could be fun looking at other people's "junk". But we love spending time together, and enjoy looking at the houses and yards while we are out and about. And the stuff we get for cheap is a pretty nice bonus.


• Flowers. I love flowers. Planting them. Looking at what the neighbors have planted.


• I love organizing stuff. Yep, it is true. Now if only it would stay that way! I love music. Really loud music sometimes. Music that Floyd Michael calls "cats howling" is my favorite to listen to when I am cleaning. Spiritual music is incredibly grounding. Floyd Michael has expanded my musical horizons. I've learned to enjoy bluegrass because he likes it. I love jazz. The feelings it evokes are amazing. Music and emotion have a connection that is hard to explain, but so wonderful.


• I love being with friends. They make me laugh. They make me think. They encourage me to grow, to be better, to do better, not because they nag, but just because they are such wonderful people. I have been fortunate to stay friends with people I've known since even before my oldest was born. We have changed a lot over the years, but at our core, we remain really compatible. I love the longevity of those friendships. There is so much more, but basically


• I really love that I am so easily amused. I love the simple things. Things that don't cost money. Things that most people have, but I don't think everyone appreciates. I am so grateful for the ability to not take the simple things for granted.

Gardening

One of the great joys of grandparenting is sharing the things we love with J. He went to two garden centers and helped pick out plants and seeds, and came away with a bright shiny new red shovel that is just his size. Every time grandpa was ready to plant, he would call J over to dig a hole. What fun!

Organization Desperation

I love to organize. I love it when a new solution is found to an existing problem. Last week, Floyd Michael hung a three storage pockets on the wall next to my desk. Now, instead of pinning full sized papers to the cork board and removing them multiple times per day, they are in sheet protectors, in storgage pockets. Now I can actually see what is on my cork board, and can easily grab these sheets while I am working and put them back quickly. I had taken to leaving them on my desk or the bench next to my desk to save pinning and unpinning multiple times (sounds silly, but when I am working, it is a time issue). My desk is so much neater now, work flows smoother. I love it when a problem is solved. The next storage issue on my mind is dumbells. Hand held weights. A couple of sets, different shapes. They are on the shelves between my scrapbooking supplies right now. They ruin the aesthetic of the shelves (which are gorgeous, if I do say so myself). And not convenient. Not quite sure what to do with them, but I'm thinking about it. I want them visible, so I will remember to use them. Easily accessible. Not on my desktop though. Those weird items that sort of defy categorization, that aren't similar in shape/size, but that I want to keep just drive me crazy.

STRESS

Taking care of business for my boss this week while he is on vacation. What an eye opener. Although not dissimilar to things I've done in the past, it has been quite a few years. Obviously, it will become easier as I become more familar with the multiple systems he has going on, and knowing this helps. I love doing something new, and enjoy learning new things. I'd just like the opportunity to do them one at a time, or at least something less than multiples of 10! I will have a new appreciation for my "regular" workdays once he returns.

Compassion

I have been thinking about compassion lately. What does it mean to be compassionate? For whom do we have compassion? Is it easier to have compassion in some circumstances than others? I am certain that we can train ourselves to act more compassionately. But can we train ourselves to think and feel and believe with more compassion? My general rule is to "act as if" whatever I want to accomplish or be or feel, and eventually it becomes real. So my guess is that yes, we can train ourselves to become more compassionate.

While I was thinking about compassion, a huge tsunami ravaged parts of Japan. While watching the news footage, it was difficult to truly comprehend that this was not special effects for a movie, but that a real tragedy of this magnitude had happened. A thought about my own husband, children and our beloved grandson quickly brought the feelings of compassion from a remote acknowlegement to a much deeper level of compassion. While I cannot imagine the absolute horror of survival there in the aftermath, I can certainly imagine and have empathy for the loss of families, the fear of not knowing how or where your loved ones are, and the loss of everything you have known.

Soon thereafter, my father learned that his last surviving brother had been diagnosed with cancer. My father quickly made arrangements to fly across the country to "say goodbye" to his brother. How does one get on a plane knowing it is likely the last time one will see a loved one? What must it be like to lose the last remaining person from your original family (parents, siblings)? I feel so sad for my uncle, his daughter, and also for my father. So much loss and grief, and yet also compassion and caring and loving efforts made to reach out to one another.

Last week, Floyd Michael's brother in law, suddenly became ill and was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. He is in intensive care. He had his second surgery today. One day life was as normal, and then it wasn't. We are here, and they are there. How is it that your heart can yearn to be with loved ones who are undergoing such a trial, yet you cannot go. His wife keeps the extended family updated regularly. Shirley calls us regularly with updates. They have compassion on us, even in their time of such trial. How grateful we are for that. We truly think about them nearly constantly throughout the day. Is compassion feeling bad that others are suffering? Is it wishing you could do ANYTHING at all to help? Is it wishing you could take some of the pain on yourself if only you could spare them that?

Compassion and helping hands go so well together. Taking in dinner, watching small children, cleaning a house, doing laundry, sitting with family members so they are not alone. The small acts we sometimes think aren't enough, or don't really mean much, are an outward manifestation of our compassion. And they do help. It is hard to sit with your compassion when you can't physically reach out to those who are hurting.

One of my life lessons about compassion came long ago, after Devin was born prematurely and had so many health crises. Many, many people showed great compassion for our family during that time. They didn't just bring meals, they shared stories. They provided rides, and provided encouragement. They did not only take care of children, they loved them during a scary time.

The first big lesson I learned was to get over the notion that someone else will do it, or that they would do it better, or they would know what to say. Just DO IT. Trust that your good intentions will suffice when words are hard to come by. Believe that the person will hear what is in your heart, no matter that you can't find the just-right words for the moment.

The second was that if you have something nice to say to someone, say it. Not just to other people, but to them. They don't magically know how well you like them, or what a wonderful mother you think they are, etc. Don't waste a kind thought by not sharing it. That sounds so trite, but I really do believe it.

The third, and perhaps most powerful lesson I learned was that it is easy to be compassionate in the heat of the moment. But to sustain that compassion over time, when the crisis lasts longer than a few weeks, or even a few months, takes a kind of love and caring that is desperately needed when a trial is ongoing or when trials multiply. Even a phone call, months down the road, can go a long way toward helping someone know you are thinking of them, that you know they are still struggling, and that they are not forgotten.

I read an article recently on compassion. It asked if we showed compassion toward our children. It was an interesting article, and an interesting point. I am still pondering that one.

Learning something new

I have been considering blogging for some time. Why would I want to blog? What would the purpose be? What would my blog be about?

I decided I wanted to blog as a creative outlet. I thought I might enjoy it. And I knew it would be a learning experience.

I will strive to be as mindful of the privacy and feelings of my family members and friends as possible. They can always tell me if they have issues with anything I have written.

I would like my blog to be a place to store family history, family stories and hopefully family trees.

I will write about where I am at in family life right now. Second marriage and second chances. Parenting adult children. Grandparenting. Extended family.

Friendships, old and new, what they mean to me, how I am learnng to be a better friend.

Cooking, gardening, creativity, learning, changing, growing. Expanding my horizons.

Making a difference somehow.

As always, gratitude. It really sums up feelings about my life.