Faye is special to me not only because she writes to me on a regular basis, but primarily because of her kindness to me when I was a child and lived in the country across the road from her.  She was the fun adult in our family and enjoyed loading up her car with her nieces, nephew and little cousins to go have fun somewhere – the local lake, drive in movie, etc.  She never had children of her own, but believe me, because of her loving investment in time with us as children – and now as adults - we all feel like we are “hers.” One thing that makes my heart smile is when she reminds me how she feels in her letters.  I am thought about. I am prayed for. I am loved. Thank you, Cousin Faye.

CROCK POT ROAST BEEF

2 – 4 pound boneless chuck roast

1 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 can of cream of mushroom soup (do not add water!)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and sear the roast on both sides.  Remove roast and place in a crock pot.

Sprinkle Worcestershire sauce and dry onion soup mix on top of the roast and pour on the soup.  Use a spatula to spread the soup around over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

To use the gravy from the roast, when the roast is done, remove it from the crock pot, place it on a serving platter.  Pour the gravy into a degreasing cup OR pour into a bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes so that the fat will congeal at the top. If using the freezer method of de-greasing the gravy, place the roast back into the crock pot on low and cover with lid to keep it warm.  After 30 minutes, remove the gravy from the freezer, remove the layer of fat at the top, place the gravy in the microwave for 2 – 3 minutes to warm.  Remove roast from crock pot and serve with gravy.

If you have and use a de-greasing cup, you can serve the roast immediately.

Alternative cooking method:  Place roast in an oven proof Dutch oven after searing, add other ingredients per the above directions and bake in a 250° oven for 6 – 8 hours or until the roast is fork tender.  Follow the same directions on how to use the gravy, but replace the roast in the Dutch oven while waiting for the fat from the gravy to congeal.

Alternative serving method: When the roast is done – it should be VERY tender – remove it from the pot and cut off any excess fat. Using 3 forks, shred the roast and place portions on buns to make sandwiches.  Add a little gravy to keep things moist and yummy!

So it is with our current day.  Most of us, to some degree, get caught up in the cult of celebrity. We’re fascinated with fame and both consciously and subconsciously we want to be like, walk like, dress like….them.  And, we don’t even know who “them” really are.  Until, that is, their lives crash and burn and we, the adoring masses, wonder just how it can be that someone so talented, so blessed has as many problems and issues – if not more – than the rest of us. It is only then – unless they take to YouTube to broadcast their issues to the entire universe – that we learn of the sordid details of their lives. And, the wise among us realize the celebrity we admired – perhaps even idolized – had very weak feet of clay.

Which brings me to the topic that makes my hair explode.  Our priorities and subjects of adulation are misplaced. Celebrities entertain, enthrall and fascinate. Period. Big deal. When it all boils down, what do any or most of them REALLY do for humanity? Yes, many create artistically and bring beauty to an often dreary world. Some are altruistic and use their celebrity to draw attention to worthy causes. And that is a good thing. BUT, in comparison, soldiers and first responders protect and defend our enjoyment of those entertainments AND PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE for YOU to do so. They are the real heroes and should be the icons we revere, celebrate, have 7 days of media headline news coverage and fly our flags at half-mast for.

So if we were to have our priorities in proper order, soldiers and 1^st responders would be the icons we would revere, celebrate, have 7 days of media headline coverage and fly our flags at half mast for. Not for an entertainer who – very sadly – left this world prematurely. I feel for her family – truly – as I would for anyone who suffers a first degree loss.  For the rest of us, we really need to put it into perspective and honor those whose lives – and sacrifices – really and significantly impact us.  If you live in the U.S.A., it is because of those sacrifices that you are free – not because of an entertainer.  Please ponder this truth.

I’ve been on 3 different television shows and participated in a chili cook-off and pie contest over the past week. And, within this same week, this very happily married woman has been asked: “Are you single?”, “Since you’re married, do you have a daughter who is single?” AND ….drum roll…. “Will you marry me?” Why? Because of my cooking. Seriously.

Whenever I share my personal stories of bringing grown men to the brink of tears and receiving multiple marriage proposals because of my cooking to some women, I invariably receive that judgmental up and down once over that most women – especially the really beautiful and/or “hot” ones – reflexively tend to give other women when they can’t quite comprehend what-in-the-world does THIS female specimen have to offer a man that I don’t? I love it when they do that and it doesn’t bother me one bit.  Why, might you ask? Well, it’s because I know a worst-kept-secret that they choose to ignore – and this is sad – because they mistakenly believe that they’ll ALWAYS be as beautiful and hot-looking as they were at 25 or 30. Or, worse, they’ll try so hard to maintain their beauty/hotness that they eventually morph into a petrified remain of their former self. And, they mistakenly think that all they need is to look beautiful and hot to attract and keep a man.  BUT, what they don’t want to admit – or, again, choose to ignore – is the fact that when it comes to beauty and hotness, Mother Nature and time always win. Always. So, if they are banking strictly on their looks, I hope that they have lucked out and found a really great guy who looks beyond the physical beauty. It happens.  But not often…..

So it has been that I have received several of those once-overs from disbelieving women.  I wasn’t boasting  – besides, if it’s true, you aren’t bragging – and I didn’t just offer up my week’s experiences, these women asked about the various television shows I’d been on and truly wanted to know the details.  So I shared the details and my amusement at the long-held truth that the way to a man’s heart – ANY man’s – was, indeed through his stomach.  They didn’t want to hear that.

Now, those above questions that were posed to me weren’t done so because the men were being polite, flirting, trying to flatter me or borrow money. They all approached me – I didn’t approach them. In one instance, there was a circle of about 6 men who gathered around me and urged me to continue broadcasting the message to women about what really makes them happy and what THEY are looking for. I promised them that I would.

The  above questions came from 3 different men at different times and were elicited because I had simply made something to eat that all 3 of those younger-men-I-could-have-given-birth-to REALLY liked. This has happened to me numerous times as I seemingly have a repertoire of man-pleasing recipes. In fact, most – if not all – of the recipes that I post on this blog site (see “Foodie Fridays”) are ones that have at various times elicited sighs, moans and looks of love from men-folk of ALL ages.

So, take note.  There really isn’t anything special about me to garner such a reaction from men – although my handsome half might argue with me about that. He thinks that I am special. For me, his is the only opinion that matters. Ever. And, if you too want a man who thinks you are special enough to make a life with – then after you attract him with your beauty, accomplishments, etc., feed him. It really is that simple. Make it something that HE wants. He’ll feel loved and cared for and you won’t have to say a word.  Good food speaks for itself.

Cherry Almond Coconut Macaroons
Makes 2 dozen

1             14 ounce bag of sweetened flaked coconut

½          cup sugar

¼          cup all-purpose flour

¼          tsp. salt

4           egg whites

¼          tsp. almond extract

½          cup finely chopped maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 325°.

Line a baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper (not wax paper).

In a food processor pulse the coconut a few seconds so that the coconut shreds are chopped into smaller pieces.  Do not over process.

In a large bowl, combine processed coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined.

Add egg whites and almond extract and beat until well blended.  Stir in cherries.

Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.

Remove from oven and let cool on pans for 2 minutes.

Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Store in an airtight containers.

So what do you do?  How do you pull out of the disappointed feelings – the envy at other’s bouquets, cards, candy….or expensive jewelry? Particularly the expensive jewelry?  You know what I’m talking about. The ring. The rock. That one piece of jewelry that most women in a serious relationship are hoping for if they don’t already have it – an engagement ring.

Well, first of all, after you’ve allowed yourself to have a good therapeutic, pain-purging cry  – and face it, whether we like it or not, Valentine’s Day dredges up all sorts of emotions and expectations – wash your face and ponder exactly why you are disappointed. Is your serious relationship a long-term one and your fella just won’t move to that final commitment even though you’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting?  Have you ever really asked yourself why? Does he even want to commit….to you or to anyone?

I had someone call me recently to discuss their relationship and its perceived deficiencies. After listening, my simple response was this: Actions speak much louder than words. If the one you love and want to make a life with isn’t acting like that is the same thing they have in mind and moving towards/talking about that same end, then you need to re-think the relationship.  People will often stay in a relationship until they find someone else, or because it is convenient or comfortable.  They might have no intention of making that final commitment because the other person (you) – in reality – isn’t “the one.” That doesn’t mean that your love-interest is a bad person.  But, it might just mean that the relationship is bad…..for you.

Now, this is a hard reality to accept – especially when you are in love with a person who isn’t responding to you the way that you need them to respond. But the best thing you can do for yourself, is to come to terms with and accept the reality, cut bait, give yourself time to recover from the heartbreak and then go fish in another pond.

Trust me when I tell you that somewhere – out there – there IS someone meant just for you. And, one day – when you do find that special someone who is as nuts about you as you are about them – just about every day will be Valentine’s Day.  You see, the right relationship “feels” that way for both parties.

Which brings me to something funny that happened to me recently that reminded me of shopping for Valentine’s Day.  I went grocery shopping on Super Bowl Sunday during the very beginning of the game.  I know, I know – almost blasphemous to do so to some. However, I figured it would be a great time as most everyone else would be at a watch party of some kind. And, I was correct.

So I happily navigated my grocery cart down unobstructed aisles and merrily shopped for the things on my lengthy list, having no problem finding all the needed items.  I was preparing for a cooking segment the next day on a local TV morning show and one of the items on my list was a bag of round tortilla chips.

Turning the corner of the chip aisle, I noticed a woman standing in front of the section I was headed for taking a picture with her phone.  I was puzzled until I reached her and noticed that the entire section was almost completely empty of tortilla chips.  Zero, zip, nada save for – and I counted them – 2 crushed bags of regular chips and 1 lone bag of the round variety which became mine. So glad she didn’t want them – she was there first – which would have thrown my timing off (I would have had to go to another store) which meant that I would miss the Superbowl halftime show.

Fotunately for me, she was there to simply document the sight of the empty shelves and we shared a good laugh.  The men must have been the ones shopping as the chips are all gone – yet there seemed to be plenty of anything else in the store – she said.  I agreed and said that all a man needs for a party is beer, chips and a can of bean dip.  I didn’t actually check the beer or bean dip supply, but I suspect that both were in low supply or non-existant as well.

So why does that experience remind me of Valentine’s Day?  Well, because I remember an episode of “Married With Children” where Al Bundy was battling another man for the last remaining mangled Valentine’s Day card, damaged heart shaped box of chocolates and wilted rose at a store.  You had to have seen it to understand how hilarious the episode was and how it captured the fear that strikes the heart of a man who realizes that Valentine’s Day has snuck up on him…..and he has nothing.  Zero, zip, nada.

So, you fellas out there, here’s a heads up that tomorrow is THE day. Get thee to a store and buy something that will appropriately relay your feelings AND that fits within your budget. She may say it doesn’t matter all that much, that Valentine’s Day should be everyday, blah, blah, blah.  And she’s right – every day SHOULD be Valentine’s Day.  But, YOU better not forget because she sure hasn’t and won’t. Trust me.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen

Preheat oven 375°

Ingredients:

            3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

            1 tsp. baking soda

            ¾ tsp salt

            1 1/3 cups butter, softened

            1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

            1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

            2 eggs

            4 tsp. Mexican vanilla extract, if available – if not, use pure vanilla extract

            1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

            1 cup milk chocolate chips

            ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans pieces (optional)

Mix Together: 

Flour, baking soda & salt in a medium bowl – set aside.  Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light & fluffy.  Add eggs & vanilla & mix well.  Gradually beat in the flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.  Stir in chocolate chips & optional nuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets or cookie pans.

Bake on preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute before removing cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

I’ve heard several women say that Valentine’s Day should only concern the men – that it is THE day in which they are supposed to express their appreciation, admiration and undying love for the woman in their life. I, personally, have a different and broader view of Valentine’s Day.

First of all, I think that folks shouldn’t wait for any particular day to celebrate love.  Each day that we are given should be dedicated to being a more loving person. If everyone had this as their daily goal can you imagine how transformed our world would be?

Second, folks who aren’t in a romantic relationship often find it very hard to have the day come and go with nary a Valentine remembrance. So, start within your own family – make sure the elder members have been remembered.  Then think of your circle of friends.  Whose Valentine’s Day might be brightened by being remembered. In other words, use Valentine’s Day to shower the people you love with love on the day the whole world celebrates love.

Finally, if you want to really show your special Valentine how much you care, prepare or provide his/her favorite meal instead of going out. Now I like a nice restaurant as much as anyone, but as a friend pointed out, Valentine’s Day is probably the worst night to go out to eat.  Restaurants are crowded and there are usually only over-priced, prix fixe menus – either of which can dampen a romantic mood.  If you need some ideas for a Valentine’s Day menu, check out my Feb. 3^rd “Foodie Fridays” post.  Just make sure to make – or bring home – your Valentine their favorites and, trust me, your Valentine’s Day celebration will be a hit.

It’s a fairly simple menu and not everything on it is “from scratch.” But, trust me, it’s always been a hit.  So here it is. And, if you are trying to catch or even just please a man, good luck.  Just make sure that the man you serve this to is one who is worth catching – or pleasing!

Warm and Creamy Bacon Dip

(recipe below)

Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin Fillets

(recipe below)

Mashed Boursin Potatoes

(recipe below)

Green Beans

(use a 12 ounce steamer bag from the frozen food aisle and when cooked add 1 TBSP. of butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste)

Parker House Style Rolls

(I use Sister Schubert’s brand which is found in the frozen bread section)

Chocolate Sheet Cake and/or Pineapple Cake (a.k.a. “Man Cake”)

(recipes below)

WARM & CREAMY BACON DIP

(for 2 – makes 1 ½ cups)

1 8 ounce container of sour cream

½ of a 3 ounce package/jars of real bacon bits

1 cup shredded/grated sharp cheddar cheese

½ of an 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese

½ cup finely chopped green onion

Pre-heat oven to 400°.

In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients.  Place in a 1 quart baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place in oven and heat 20 – 25 minutes or until hot. Stir and serve with crackers and/or chips.

To make 3 cups of the dip:

16 ounces of sour cream

1 3 ounce package/jar of real bacon bits

2 cups of shredded/grated sharp cheddar cheese

8 ounces of softened cream cheese

1 cup finely chopped green onions

Pre-heat oven to 400°.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Place in a 2 quart baking dish and cover with aluminum foil OR place in a hollowed out round sourdough loaf and wrap in aluminum foil. Place in oven and heat for 25 – 30 minutes.  Stir and serve with crackers and/or chips.

BACON WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN FILLETS 

2 4 – 6  ounce bacon wrapped beef tenderloin fillets

1 – 2 TBSP. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1 TBSP. butter

Combine salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small cup or bowl. Rub or brush both sides of the fillets with the olive oil and season each side with the salt mixture. Place fillets on a plate and allow meat to rest 30 minutes before cooking.

In a medium sized skillet, melt butter over medium high heat.  Cook fillets in skillet for 3 – 5 minutes each side or until desired degree of doneness is reached.  If using bacon wrapped fillets, you may have to brown the bacon on the side by holding the fillets with tongs and rotate the fillet to cook the bacon.

Serve fillets by themselves or with Bernaise sauce (I use Knorr’s Bernaise Sauce mix)

MASHED BOURSIN POTATOES

(serves 2)

1 pound of red potatoes washed and cut into chunks – you’ll need about 3 cups of potato chunks (whether you leave the skins on or not is a personal decision.  I leave the skins on)

2 TBSP. butter

1/3 cup canned evaporated milk heated in microwave for 30 seconds

½ cup Boursin garlic and herb flavored cheese

½ tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Place potatoes in saucepan with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Add ½ tsp. salt to the water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot stirring over low heat for 1 minute (this evaporates excess moisture so that the potatoes can better absorb the rest of the ingredients).

Using a potato masher, mash potatoes until half of the potato chunks are smooth.  Add butter, milk and Boursin cheese and mash until the desired consistency.

Stir in salt and pepper. (Taste test at this point to see if you need to add more salt and/or pepper – but add sparingly as you don’t want to over salt and it might be better to let each person add their own salt to taste).

TEXAS CHOCOLATE CAKE 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp salt

2 sticks of butter (1 cup)

1/3 cup cocoa

1 cup water

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp. Mexican vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray 2 cake pans with non-stick baking spray (has both flour and oil).

With a whisk in a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Mix well and set aside.

In a medium sized saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and water.  Bring mixture to a boil and pour over flour mixture and mix well with the whisk. Combine buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and whisk into cake batter. Mix well and then divide batter between the 2 prepared cake pans.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Take cakes out of the oven, leave cakes in their pans, make the frosting and pour warm frosting over warm cake. Cool completely in pans several hours before cutting and serving and/or covering with plastic wrap for storage.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING 

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

¼ cup cocoa

6 TBSP. milk

4 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp. Mexican vanilla

After you take the cakes out of the oven, immediately begin to make the frosting. Measure the powdered sugar into a large bowl. In a small saucepan, whisk the butter, cocoa and milk together over high heat. Bring to a boil and once it does, take it off of the heat and pour over the sugar in the bowl.  Whisk together well and then pour half of the frosting over each warm cake. Spread the frosting over the entire cake(s) and allow to cool completely before serving or storing.

SPECIAL NOTE:  If you’d rather make this recipe into one large sheet cake, then pre-heat the oven to 400° and use a 10” X 15” jelly-roll pan that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Follow the directions for the cake as written and pour all of the batter into the 10 X 15 pan.  Bake the cake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean. Take cake out of the oven, prepare the frosting as written and pour the entire amount over the warm cake.  Cool in pan completely before cutting/serving and/or covering with plastic wrap for storage.

PINEAPPLE CAKE

a.k.a “Man Cake” 

1 ½ cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp. soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar – divided use

1 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple in its own juices

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Spray an oblong cake pan (13” X 9” X 2”) with non-stick baking spray that has both oil and flour. Or, you can divide the cake batter between 2 square cake pans.

Sift together 1st 4 ingredients. Add ½ cup of the brown sugar and whisk together until well mixed. Stir in pineapple and eggs. Pour into prepared pan.

Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave the oven on but remove the cake from the oven and immediately begin making the icing.

ICING 

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

¾ stick (6 TBSP.) butter

¾ cup sugar

1 5 ounce can of evaporated milk

Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in 350° oven for 8 minutes. While pecans are toasting, combine in a small saucepan the butter, sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

When toasted, remove pecans from oven and sprinkle over warm cake.  Then pour boiled icing over the pecans and cake. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

“The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ‘Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?’

I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning.  I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.  I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.  I was drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if it uttered a profanity.  I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad’s fields.  I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood. And, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say or think.  They are stronger than cocaine, crack or heroin.  And, if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.  God bless the parents who drugged us.”

Her handwritten comment to this article said, “This is how my generation was raised.” Is it any wonder that her generation has been dubbed by historians as the “Greatest Generation?” In my own lifetime, my encounters with the majority of folks from her generation have, indeed, lived up to that title.  My question for today’s parents is this: Are you raising your child(ren)  to have the same drug problem?