It Plugs In!
I posted a video on YouTube that is titled “5 Things a Man Should NEVER Give a Woman.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg9zOemSMEQ&list=UUKN0j1q9teIYf_L5ygfT9uQ&index=2&feature=plcp
On that list is “anything that plugs in” – unless said man is given specific permission to buy an item that plugs in. And, to further clarify how to do this without getting it thrown at you, you menfolk out there, make SURE that your woman has said specifically that she wants the plug-in item for her birthday, Christmas, anniversary, etc. Trust me on this one guys (and I really mean male-type “guys”). If you buy her something that plugs in and she hasn’t specifically designated which occasion she’d like to receive it – well, don’t blame me if you don’t receive the warm response you thought you’d get. Remember I like you – really – and I want you to have a good, strong, loving relationship with your lady – so just do as I suggest and your life will be a whole lot easier.
Which brings me to the whole point of this particular post: my handsome half gifted me with a vacuum cleaner – and I’m THRILLED! And, it’s not just any vacuum cleaner – it’s an Oreck! I have wanted one for awhile and kept dropping obvious hints – like showing him pictures, pointing one out if we saw one while we were shopping together, having “I want an Oreck vacuum cleaner” tatooed in a place only he could see ( just kidding on that last one -but I was close!).
So, I now have the vacuum cleaner of my dreams, given to me by the man of my dreams. What more could a woman ask for?
Carrie’s Strawberry Salad
Since April is strawberry month – at least in the area of the country where I am from and where I currently live – I’ll be posting my favorite strawberry recipes. I was born in Hammond, Louisiana – declared “The Strawberry Capital of the World” after the Civil War (other towns and areas now lay claim to this title – but Hammond natives know better!). Now that I live in Texas, I enjoy my strawberries from Poteet, Texas which holds an annual strawberry festival in April. Besides strawberries, Poteet gave us George Strait. Thank you for that, Poteet – much obliged!
Speaking of singers, my friend Carrie has one of the most pleasant and soothing singing voices I’ve ever heard. Sort of like George, except she’s a girl. (I guess you can tell that I’m a George Strait fan?) And, besides being talented and quite intelligent – she can also cook! The fact that she has a lovely face that looks AT LEAST 10 years younger makes being around her all the more enjoyable.
I’ve enjoyed her cooking on several occasions and the first time, she served this salad. It’s very simple, loaded with things that are good for you and is quite yummy. My I-don’t-like -eating-salad handsome half even liked it. I hope you do too!
Carrie’s Strawberry Salad
1 bag of Spring Mix or Baby Greens salad blend
Fresh Strawberries – sliced
Glazed Walnuts – chopped
A sharp pungent cheese – like feta, gorgonzola, bleu (crumbles) or extra sharp cheddar (grated)
A fruit (berry) and vinaigrette dressing (I use Brianna’s Homestyle Blush Wine Vinaigrette Dressing)
Depending on how many you are making the salad for, assemble portions on a salad plate for each person.
Sprinkle the sliced strawberries (1 large or 2 small per portion or more, according to taste), cheese and walnuts. Amounts per salad vary according to preference.
Shake the dressing well and spoon 1 – 2 TBSPS. over the salad – according to taste.
Still a Little Boy
It’s April and for the last two weeks, it has also been spring officially. It seems that all of humanity takes a deep breath and drinks in the new, fresh smells of grass and flowers, observing how things come to life after a long period of dormancy. I know I did early yesterday evening and the “drink” was glorious.
O.k. – enough with poetic musings. What I want to write about – actually share with you this month – are some thoughts on the situations and events I’ve observed and participated in and how they relate to relationship.
Last week I attended the funeral of a 93 year old man who’d had a “good run.” He’d served his country in World War II, married, raised a family, built a career, contributed time and talent to his church and community – you know all of those “boring, mundane things” that make a life a good one and well lived. He’d had his share of heart breaks and challenges and certainly wasn’t perfect but, like most of his generation (the greatest), he’d get back up, dust himself off, start all over again and work/try harder. A testament to what folks thought about him – and his family – was the fact that well over 100 (perhaps close to 200?) people attended his funeral, many from out of town. This is an amazing fact given that most of his friends had already predeceased him and that the funeral was during the week.
One of his sons – a man in his 60s – gave one of the eulogies. He shared some stories about his father and family and choked up a few times. The eulogy wasn’t sloppily sentimental but was, rather, more of a love letter from a son to a father. I whispered to my husband, “you’re listening to a little boy who has just lost his daddy.” And, we were.
At the reception after the service, after most guests had left, my husband and I were still lingering and visiting when I glanced over and saw a table where all four of the deceased’s children had finally gotten a moment to sit down and were sitting together, by themselves. In that instance, for one brief moment, I saw them as their parents must have always seen them in their mind’s eye – as the little girls and boys they had birthed, nursed, disciplined, argued with, forgave…and loved.
You see, folks, no matter the circumstances, it doesn’t matter how old you are or your parents are when you lose them, I truly believe that at the very depths of our psyche the child in all of us is the one who mourns that loss the most. I shared this with the 60-something year old son who gave his father’s eulogy as I was offering my condolences and he looked me right in the eye and said, “yes, you are right – you get it,” and gave me a warm, lingering hug of appreciation.
Tuna Salad
Tuna salad? Kind of boring, isn’t it? Well, not in my house! In fact tuna salad is one of my family’s favorite things to eat. And, this recipe is actually one that is an adaptation of my Uncle Gary’s. I’ve added a few more pinches of this and that.
A really good home-made tuna salad can be tricky and elusive if you don’t use the right kind of tuna. When my uncle shared with me the necessity of using ONLY solid white Albacore tuna, it changed my world. He was right – as usual! Using any other kind, no matter how long and well you drain it, still results in a mushy mess in my book.
Also, you’ll notice that the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs aren’t used, so, yes, you read correctly. The yolks just contribute to a mushy consistency and really don’t add anything except added fat.
This recipe is pretty tasty and is even better the next day after the flavors have been given the chance to mix and mingle for awhile. Hope you enjoy this particular recipe as much as we all do!
Tuna Salad
2 7 ounce cans of drained solid white Albacore tuna (don’t use any other kind – it just won’t taste as good)
1 celery stalk, finely diced/chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, remove and discard yolks and dice the egg whites
½ medium sized red onion, finely diced/chopped
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Dash of hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
¼ cup of mayonnaise – I like Duke’s, but Hellman’s will do
In a medium to large sized mixing bowl, mix together well with a fork the celery, egg whites,
onion, salt, pepper, hot sauce and mayonnaise. Add the drained tuna and break up the chunks of
tuna with a fork as you mix it well with the other ingredients. If it seems too dry, gradually add
more mayonnaise until it is of the desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Courtship and Commitment
Some days, I just hate to hear the pop culture news as it seems that so many famous folk just can’t keep their commitments to each other for an extended period of time. Keeping a commitment amongst us mere mortals is hard but, fortunately, it has been reported that the divorce rate is on the decline and that is a very good thing.
Sadly, our culture and society is heavily influenced by popular cultural icons with dysfunctional lives. We “see” famous people getting away with living a life free from anything permanent and “see” them being rewarded with fame and fortune and we want to be like them. But do we? Really?
Let’s assume that you are looking for someone with whom you can spend your life – someone whom you trust is capable of making the same commitment to you as you desire to make to them. How can you be sure that you each understand the importance of commitment in a long-term relationship in the same way? Well, that is where what I discussed last week comes into play – communication
It is critical and necessary to learn about each other’s character (yes, it does matter), values, beliefs, etc. in order to determine whether or not you are both on the same page. Some people see commitment as transitory – they can only commit to anything for as long as it (whatever “it” is) “feels” good or is “right” for them. For others, commitment means something much more permanent – a solemn oath, vow, etc. Commitment to these folks is about honor and duty. It isn’t viewed as something impermanent. The only way to discover how another person views commitment is by observing and listening. Do their actions match their words? Are those actions and words in alignment with your own?
Regardless of what celebrities are doing or how they live and conduct their lives, for most of us, there is a hard-wired desire for the security and stability that comes with the permanence of a mutual commitment between two people. Commitment is important in a relationship because it is actually the “glue” that bonds two people together more than sex ever will. It’s the knowledge that the other person is there – for you – and you for them, no matter what life throws your way or what challenges arise. And, when all is said and done, commitment is the fruit of a successful courtship – one born of a healthy connection and nourished by great communication.
Yellow Cake From Scratch: The “Holy Grail” of Cake Recipes
For as long as I can recall, I have been on a seemingly futile search for a from-scratch yellow cake recipe that would taste good, be moist and have a similar texture as a boxed cake mix.
The primary reason for my search is that I don’t particularly care for boxed cake mixes. You have to admit that they just don’t taste as good as from-scratch cakes – too many additives and chemicals, I think.
During my search, I’ve made I don’t know how many different recipes, read every article about how to bake the perfect cake, etc. I even have a copy of “The Cake Bible.” Nothing – and I mean nothing – that I read or tried ever produced the cake I was looking for.
Then, I happened to be looking through a church cookbook from my grandmother’s – Medora III – church located in rural Mississippi. The ladies who submitted recipes for this cookbook were all country cooks – most of them using recipes that had been passed down from their mothers and grandmothers.
One of the recipes I found was called “Never Fail Cake.” Intrigued, I decided to try it, not really expecting it to be what I was searching for. Well….Eureka!! This is it. It is moist, buttery and has a sturdy enough texture to handle any kind of frosting or icing. It is the ONLY yellow cake recipe I’ve found that comes close to the benefits of a boxed cake mix – moistness and texture. It’s also easy to put together which is an added bonus. So, here it is – I hope you are as excited about it as I was!
The “Holy Grail” : Yellow Cake From Scratch
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
3 eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. butter flavor extract
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour with baking spray two round 9” cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar with an electric mixer and beat for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and soda.
To the cup of buttermilk, add the extracts. Add the flour mixture to the shortening and sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk/extract mixture, beating for 1 minute with each addition.
Evenly divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 23 minutes (don’t over bake) or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from pans and cooling completely on wire racks.
Courtship and Communication
Last week, I wrote about the importance of making the right connection with your romantic interest. For that connection to have a future, it must be more than just a physical attraction – you must like each other. And, as friends do, so must a romantic couple which is to communicate – find out about each other, share, etc. If this friendly communication is lacking, eventual relationship problems are almost guaranteed.
If either party is dissatisfied in a relationship, it is usually because there has been a break-down in communication. And, this break-down can happen early on – not just with long-term couples. I’ve observed that when communication break-down does happen early in a relationship, it should serve as a warning sign that perhaps no matter how strong the physical attraction may be, you may not be right for each other. So, you need to be honest and ask yourself some questions.
Does the conversation with your beloved flow easily (it should)? Do you feel “heard?” Do you like listening to them? Do the details of their life hold your interest and vice versa? Do you feel safe with discussing any and all topics with each other (again, you should)? Do you sit down and just talk and visit – which involves each of you giving the other your undivided attention with no distractions and really listening. Or, does your relationship revolve almost completely on its physical aspects –the racing hormones and sexual attraction – and you (or they) aren’t really interested in the daily challenges, what they did at work, etc.?
During the courtship phase of a relationship, it is critical to ask these questions along with some difficult ones. Some of the difficult questions that need to be addressed and discussed might involve whether or not to have children, religion, family issues, money management, career goals, etc. Not doing so can be disastrous later – especially if the relationship culminates in a marriage and the two people involved realize one day that they are really not well suited partners for each other.
If you find yourself dating someone with whom you do, indeed, communicate well, then to continue enjoying a good relationship you both must work at maintaining that communication. But, doing so isn’t and shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, I am a true believer that good relationships are easy – not challenging. The “maintenance” should not be a burden. It should, instead, just flow and be something you each enjoy.
Boston Cream Pie
Tomorrow – March 17th – is a milestone birthday for my handsome half. His two favorite desserts are Boston Cream Pie and Cherry pie or cobbler. I’ll be making both to serve at his birthday party so he’ll be able to enjoy both.
Here’s the Boston Cream Pie recipe – which really isn’t a pie at all but is actually a cream filled yellow cake with a chocolate glaze. No matter what it is called, this recipe is particularly yummy. I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband does!
Boston Cream Pie
Cake:
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
3 eggs
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. butter flavor extract
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour with baking spray two round 9” cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar with an electric mixer and beat for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and soda.
To the cup of buttermilk, add the extracts. Add the flour mixture to the shortening and sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk/extract mixture, beating for 1 minute with each addition.
Evenly divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 23 minutes (don’t over bake) or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing from pans and cooling completely on wire racks.
When cake is cooled, place one layer on a serving/cake plate and spread all of the cream filling on top. Place the second layer on top of the layer with the cream filling. Frost the top of this layer with chocolate glaze.
Cream Filling:
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
3 TBSPS. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cups evaporated milk
1 beaten egg
1 TBSP. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a medium sized saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour and salt. Gradually add milk and mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
Ladle some of the hot milk mixture into the beaten egg and then add this to the milk mixture in the pan. Cook and stir continuously until the mixture begins to boil. Stir in butter and vanilla extract. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and allow to cool for 30 minutes before spreading evenly on top of first cake layer.
Chocolate Glaze:
1 1 ounce square of unsweetened chocolate
2 TBSPS. butter
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla until crumbly. Blend in 3 tablespoons of boiling water and stir well. Then continue adding water – a teaspoon at a time – until the glaze is of pouring consistency. Immediately spread glaze evenly over the top of the cream filled cake layers, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides of the cake.
Courtship and Connection
To make a deep and lasting connection with someone you’re attracted to begins with chemistry. Scientists have actually studied just how and why people are attracted to some and not to others. I believe that without chemistry a courtship will be a relationship to nowhere. Besides physical attraction/chemistry, there must be more that you find attractive in each other. And, the best way to gauge whether or not there is chemistry between you and another is whether you like each other. What? Like? Yes, like. It’s a very simple truth that the best romances begin with what your mother probably told you…..friendship.
Courtship – from the very beginning – involves learning all you can about each other. If, indeed, the goal of courtship is finding someone you want to live your life with then it is imperative that you do learn as much as possible about each other….as soon as possible. No subject should be “off limits” – particularly the “unpleasant” ones like money, politics and religion. Ouch! Real romance killers, I know. And, yes, I know that “opposites attract” and can often broker a peace on serious issues if they are deeply in love. However, study after study has proven that the happiest and longest lasting relationships are those where the partners are more alike than not – particularly on important key issues.
Besides discussing the “unpleasant” issues, it’s also very important to connect on a deep, emotional level as doing so is the cornerstone of a good relationship. How do you do this? Well, much like – if not exactly like – you do when you are making a new friendship: share your thoughts, feelings, fears, goals, aspirations, etc. If either of you can’t do this – or are afraid that doing so will endanger the relationship – then connecting at the deeper level necessary for a good, healthy relationship just won’t happen which means that you are probably pursuing the wrong relationship. Why? Because you aren’t really connecting.
Courtship, then, should give each person the opportunity to discern whether or not the connection with the other person is one that will stand the test of time. Will that person you are attracted to have your back and stand with you through everything? Can you can count on them to support you through thick and thin, richer and poorer………….. “till death do you part?”
Low and Slow Meatballs and Spaghetti
Recently. I made this dish for a family or 5 that my handsome half and I had invited over for dinner. The date we’d chosen to have them over was filled with some other activities, so I put this on in the morning and an hour before they were to arrive, I finished pulling dinner together. Easiest thing ever. And, everyone seemed to really enjoy the meal. My handsome half – who usually doesn’t like leftovers – specifically asked for leftovers the next night!
If you do have leftovers, the meatballs and sauce freezes well. And, actually so will the spaghetti.
Low and Slow Meatballs and Spaghetti
Serve 8
1 pound of ground beef
1 pound of ground pork or ground sausage
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 TBSP. dried or fresh parsley
2 TBSPS. dried Fine Herbes
2 tsps. jarred minced garlic or 2fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 TBSP. olive oil
1 28 ounce can (or 2 14 ounce cans) of DRAINED fire roasted tomatoes
1 28 ounce can (or 2 14 ounce cans) of tomato puree
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. crushed or ground red pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 pound spaghetti
In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, pork, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, eggs, garlic cloves and olive oil. Form into 2 dozen balls.
In a slow cooker, combine tomatoes, puree, basil, red pepper, salt and sugar. Add meatballs, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
After cooking meatballs and sauce for 6 hours, remove meatballs from sauce and set aside. Remove sauce from crock pot and place in a medium sized bowl. Place bowl in the freezer for 30 – 45 minutes to allow any fat to congeal. Remove sauce from freezer and then skim the fat from the sauce and discard. OR, drop several ice cubes into the sauce after you remove the meatballs. The fat should cling to the ice cubes making it easier and faster to skim the fat and cubes off with a ladle and discard. Put sauce and meatballs back into the crock pot on “low” for 1 hour (if you have cooled the sauce in the freezer to remove the fat) until heated through. OR, if you have used the ice cube method to skim off the extra fat, put the crock pot on “warm” until ready to serve.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. When done, drain and place desired amount of spaghetti on a plate(s) and top with sauce, meatballs and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Medora Online 