The Merry bells are
ringing, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you!
PEARL HARBOR 1941
December 7, 1941 - A date which will live in infamy as
stated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt
and a day that many of us remember. The attack resulted in the United States
becoming militarily
involved in World War II.
I was in the 6th grade at that time. I remember reading articles in the
local paper and hearing about
the battles on the radio and that our country will have to "tighten our belts"
and give up some of
our luxuries. I guess that meant we had to give up our radio. No,
that really meant no fancy shoes,
silk stockings or woolen items and no new pots or pans or cars.
We were given ration books that allowed us to buy certain amounts of butter,
meats, shoes, and
other items. Gasoline was also rationed but my father worked at an oil refinery
so his allotment was
a little larger so he could drive back and forth to the refinery as oil was
needed by the military.
Canned goods were scarce as all metals were used for the "war effort" but that
was no problem as
we normally preserved a lot of vegetables from our garden. We traded fresh
garden vegetables for
fresh milk from local farmer friends and we already wore hand-me down clothes so
that was no
problem. Butter was scarce and a new product was sold as "artificial butter".
It was a white
substance and had a packet of yellow substance that was mixed together to look
like butter. It had
no real taste so we did not buy it often. (I guess this was the beginning
of margarine).
It has been 67 years since this incident and most of us have forgiving hearts.
Veterans
Day
November 11, 2008
The above was taken from
the official website.
In 1995 Bert and I attended a funeral, at Arlington National Cemetery. A friend of ours and his
comrades died during the Viet Nam war. Their remains had
been found 27 years
later
and were
interred in this one coffin.
The ceremony
was
very impressive
with the coffin being placed on the caisson, which is pulled
by 6 horses. The honor guard, the folding
of the
American Flag, taps playing in the far distance,
the 21 gun salute, the fly over of the jets and the presentation of the folded
flags to family members
is a
ceremony I will never forget.
.
I guess it's time for
Mama Pat to start stirring up her Witch's Brew. What should I conjure up this
year?
Spicy hot Bat Wings? Raven Parmesan? Owl and Snake Eye pizza? HHHMMMM Nothing
seems to stir
up my appetite." Bubble and brew what shall I do?" Where oh where is
my Batty Crooked Cook
Book?
Ok, let's try this:
Spicy Hot Bat Wings
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger root
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 -2 pounds bat wings (chicken)
*If you want it hot add several dashes of
Szechuan Spicy Stir-Fry Sauce to taste.
DIRECTIONS
In a 9x13 inch casserole, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, ginger, and
garlic powder. Mix until brown sugar
completely dissolves into the mixture. Place the chicken wings in the dish and
turn them over until they are all
well coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Turn the
chicken again, after 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake chicken, covered, for 45 minutes. Turn the chicken wings, and spoon sauce
from the bottom of the pan
over the tops of the wings. Cook an additional 50 minutes, uncovered.
Owl and Snake eyes pizza
1 Pizza Crust
1 Cup Innards (salsa)
2 Cups shredded cheese
2 Owl breasts (chicken), cooked and cubed
1/2 Cup chopped Snake eyes (olives)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover crust with innards (salsa). Evenly spread Owl
(chicken) over salsa.
Top with cheese. Place in PRE-HEATED oven directly on rack. Bake for 10-14 min.
or until cheese is
slightly brown.
It's October again and many cities have already
started and are finished with the celebration of
Ocktoberfest as it really starts in September and carries on into October.
Depending on where
you are it starts around September 19 and carries on to October 4th or later. I
get the idea this
happens in Munich and Bavaria on these dates. A lot of people, here in the
states, just celebrate
it the first 2 weeks of October. I don't celebrate Octoberfest but I really like
to eat sauerkraut,
kielbasa, potatoes, pumpernickel bread and drink a little beer in October.
Cincinnati goes all out to celebrate OKTOBERFEST (Zinzinnati USA) . This is the
nation's, most
authentic Oktoberfest that showcases the rich German heritage of Southwestern
Ohio as well as
tasty samples of German-style music, food and beer.
This is a list of the food that was provided by vendors and volunteers at this
last Octoberfest:
* 87,542 metts
*
* 80,500 bratwurst
* 56,250 sausages
* 24,640 potato pancakes
* 20,000 cream puffs
* 16,002 strudel
* 6,000 jumbo pickles
* 3,600 lbs. sauerkraut
* 1,875 lbs. German
potato salad
* 702 lbs. Limburger
cheese
* 700 pigtails
* 400 pickled pigs feet
* Pastry wrapped sausages similar to pigs in blankets
What can I say - it must have been a great feast!
My birthday is in September and my sign is Virgo so out of curiosity I went
to Google and typed in
"virgo birthday". I already had an idea as to what Virgo
meant for me (I really don't believe this
stuff) but it was interesting to read what my horoscope was supposed to be and I
was surprised
as this was different from previous readings. So what is true?
THE VIRGIN
August 23 to September 23
Virgo is the only zodiacal sign represented by a female!!!
Creative and delicately lovely ( In my dreams!!)
1. Virgo is the sign of work and service. (I am lazy)
2. Virgos are always trying to find problems to solve. ( I don't think so!)
3. Most Virgos are neat freaks, constantly cleaning (Ha ha come and look at my
spare bedrooms)
oh my don't!
4. Virgos can be analytical, sensitive, unsocial or shy (HUH?)
5. Virgos can make great money if they use their talents ( I'm great at washing
dishes-so where's
the money?)
TRADITIONAL TRAITS
Modest and shy (who me?)
Meticulous and reliable (well, yeah)
Practical and diligent (UUMM?)
Intelligent and analytical (I'd Like to think so!)
ON THE DARK SIDE
Fussy and a worrier ( A little bit)
Overcritical and harsh (Ask Lester and Diane)
Perfectionist and conservative ( Of course)
LIKES
Health Foods (UUUGGGHHH)
Lists (Yeah, but can't find them when needed)
Hygiene (Wash hands, sometimes)
Order (Hate it when I rearrange things then can't find them)
DISLIKES
Sloppy workers (Never put things back where they belong. Does not include Di or
Les as they know
where I put things)
Hazards to health. (I hate spraying for poison ivy or other weeds, not to
mention bugs )
It was fun finding all the info above and I could go on for a long time
discussing this zodiac. I did
it just for fun. If you read any thing regarding your zodiac sign you will find
something that is
familiar with your way of thinking or belief.
FAMOUS VIRGOS (Besides Me)
August 23, 1899 My Father - Herbert L. Blackaby
25, 1918 Conductor -
Leonard Bernstein
25, 1930 Actor -
Sean Connery
25, 1933 TV
Personality - Regis Philbin
27, 1908 President
- Lyndon Johnson
27, 1910
Humanitarian - Mother Teresa
Sept. 01, ME
Gloria Estafan
Lily Tomlin
There are too many actors, writers, humanitarians, politicians and plain
ordinary people to
mention here that are Virgos and all of us have varied personalities that could
be tied into other
so-called zodiac personalities. We are individual in our own way and ain't it
grand!!!
September 11, 2001, a time in our lives never to be forgotten. Last year I found
this website and
I found it so interesting that I thought I would pass it on to you again.
www.tributeto9-11-01.com
Labor Day is celebrated on the
first Monday in September and is a tribute to the achievements of
American workers.
There is a question as to who proposed this observance, Peter J. Mcguire or
Matthew Macguire.
This argument has been ongoing for over 100 years.
Many states observed this holiday and eventually Congress made Labor Day a legal
holiday.
(Info from Dept. of Labor)
People think of Labor Day as the end of summer and celebrate with picnics and
cookouts. If you
are grilling out this holiday try this potato salad recipe that Randy sent me,
from Taste of Home ,
that would be very good to serve.
GRANDMA'S POTATO SALAD
8 medium red potatoes, cubed
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a
boil; cook until
tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool. Place in a bowl; add eggs. Combine
the remaining
ingredients; pour over potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate
for 6 hours or
overnight.
Yield: 8 servings
NUTRITION INFO:
Per Serving:
Calories: 454 kcal
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Fat: 39 g
Protein: 8 g
Sugars: 7 g
David sent this and I thought he had some interesting
ideas:
Here are a few tricks of grilling that I’ve learned over the years:
Cooking on the grill is my favorite past time and over the years I’ve come up
with and or learned
some tricks of grilling. For a long time I used a regular charcoal smoker grill
for all my grilling.
I am old school, but in the past years time became of essence and I went and
bought a gas grill. I
like and still do love charcoal grilling. I charcoal grill when I take my family
out RV camping. I still
have the old smoker grill. Owning a gas grill was a whole new ball game. I was
burning just about
every piece of meat or fish that I put on the gas grill. I was ready to toss it
in the trash until one
day I discovered a way to cook chicken on the grill. I was cooking chicken one
Saturday evening
when I had a visitor. So I left one side of the grill on high, I turned the
other side off and moved all
the chicken to the off side while I went to greet my visitor. We got to talking
and I had forgotten
about the chicken on the grill. When I returned to the gas grill the chicken was
cooked to
perfection. I lathered on the BBQ sauce gave it a little bit of fire for a
little burnt flavor. We sat
down to eat and it was the best chicken I’d ever grilled. I also found that
after grilling your pork
and chicken to paint the BBQ on after the meat has cooked because I found that
sugar burns easily
which is in the BBQ so I always add the BBQ till the last minute and let it sit
on the grill 1 min or 2
before serving……So now when I grill the chicken I sear it over the fire a little
then move them
over to one side the grill and
let the other side cook on high and add the BBQ
last just before
serving.
Another trick I learned is to pre-marinate or brine chicken or your meat in a
salty solution. I
learned that steak houses pre-marinate the meat in brine before cooking. It will
help to keep your
meat moist. Just soak in salted water for 1-2 hours. I also read in recipe to
squeeze in some lemon
or sweet iced tea or bourbon. I’ve yet to brine my meat. And anyway when you’re
buying meat
like I do, I still search out the cheaper best grill cuts of meat if I can find
one that I think is a good
cut of meat. The fat on the meat is “good”. I don’t mean a whole lot of fat but
just enough
amount of fat will do. The fat will give the meat more flavor, the fat will drip
out and you can cut
out the fat after the meat has cooked so you don’t have to worry about calories.
Though unlike
the chicken I grill all my meat over the fire. First I sear the meat on the hot
grill to brown it on
both sides and then I grill to my preference, usually I grill my meat rare to
med rare.
I’ve grilled hamburgers for many years while raising and feeding 7 kids. I
always grilled hamburgers
and corn nearly every Saturday through the summer. There are 2 things I learned
when grilling
hamburgers. I flip my hamburgers only once. I let it grill on one side good and
brown for a few
minutes then I roll it over to the other side and finish grilling. When I test
for doneness, I use this
method. If it feels like the palm of your hand in the middle then it is well
done. If it feels like the
palm of your hand next to your thumb then it is rare. I use this method with
steak meats the same
way.
For brats and ribs I boil them in water or beer before grilling and BBQing.
Sometimes I mix BBQ in
the water for the ribs. Now just boil just long enough so you can finish cooking
on the grill,
especially the ribs so the meat don't fall off the bone….
I've not mastered grilling fish on the grill but I've had success with Salmon on
a few occasions.
I grill a lot of corn also on the grill. Some times I let the corn unshucked
soak in water for 30 min
to an hour while prepping the meat for the grill. Sometimes I would butter the
corn in the husk
and put on the grill with the meat and let it cook while turning them over for
10 to 15 min…The
Indiana sweet corn are the best and only the best. I buy lots of corn because we
can never have
enough in my family….
Well I hope you enjoy the tricks I’ve learned
from grilling. I hope you all have a happy 4th of July
celebration and since it falls on a Friday I will certainly enjoy a nice long 3
day weekend….Sure
wish I could be with you all in NC.
Randy sent this:
This is not on the grill but sounds good.
BAKED TACO SALAD
Serves 10
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas, torn or cut into small pieces
1 cup sour cream
1 (19 ounce) can Progresso(R) Vegetable Classics hearty tomato soup
1 (15.25 ounce) can Green Giant(R) whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can Progresso(R) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (4.5 ounce) can Old El Paso(R) chopped green chiles
1 (1.25 ounce) package Old El Paso(R) taco seasoning mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
16 cups shredded romaine lettuce
3 cups chopped tomatoes
4 medium green onions, chopped
Mango-peach salsa (optional)
Cooking directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with
cooking spray.
In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion and
garlic; cook about 8
minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove
skillet from heat.
2. Stir in tortillas, sour cream, soup, corn, beans, green chiles, taco
seasoning mix, salt, cumin
and pepper. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and olives.
3. Cover tightly with foil; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or
until cheese is
melted and mixture is bubbly.
4. In 6-quart bowl, mix lettuce, tomatoes and green onions. Divide lettuce
mixture evenly among
individual plates. Top each with baked taco mixture and mango-peach salsa.
Nutrition Info Per Serving:
Calories: 555 kcal
Carbohydrates: 58 g
Dietary Fiber: 8 g
Fat: 24 g
Protein: 29 g
Sugars: 7 g
Recipe Provided By: Pillsbury Bake-Off
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
"Hallowed be the day, forever
bright its memory in the heart of the Nation.
Sing to it, poets;
shout to it, freemen;
celebrate it with bonfires, parades, and triumphant assemblies"
(Daily Alta, California, 4
July 1855)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Independence Day celebrates the
signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776.
America is celebrating its 232nd birthday this year.
We celebrate with parades, marching bands, and displaying our
country's flag with honor and respect. It is a time for picnics, bbqs, and
firecrackers.
Randy sent me a recipe that would be a change from hamburgers and hot dogs.
BARBECUE PULLED CHICKEN
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) can reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
Nutrition Info Per Serving:
Calories: 211 kcal
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Fat: 6 g
Protein: 28 g
Sugars: 5 g
Cooking Directions
Stir tomato sauce, chilies, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste,
Worcestershire sauce,
mustard, ground chipotle and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add
chicken, onion
and garlic; stir to combine.
Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5
hours.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the
chicken to the sauce,
stir well and serve on buns.
Recipe Provided By:
EatingWell.com
Father's Day is, of course, a day
set aside to Honor Dad and show him your love and appreciation.
The day is observed as a time for a family reunion, as children who are far away
from families,
take
time out to celebrate the day with their father. Indulging daddy with breakfast
in bed and
gifts of
flowers, chocolates and neckties is the traditional way of celebrating Father's
Day.
I'm not always just perfect,
Even though I try.
Sometimes when I'm not so great,
You give a little sigh!
On days like that I wish
I could give you cause to smile
And have you put your feet up,
To rest a little while.
So the next time you're tired,
And it's because of me,
Please sit down and relax awhile
And have a cup of tea!
Lots of Love, the kids
FATHER
& SON
One evening when he was a little boy,
Lester, his daddy and I were sitting around the table eating
ice cream. Lester said, "Daddy, you're the boss, aren't you?" Daddy was very
pleased and with a
smile, said yes. And then Lester asked "That's because Mommy put you in charge,
right?"
Lester entered a contest for kids with the theme: "The nicest thing My Father
Ever Did For Me."
His answer: "He married my mother."
A quote from Lester:
When I was a little boy I thought my father was so old that when he was in
school, history was
called current events.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
MEMORIAL DAY 2008
Rest Haven
Cemetery in Edinburgh, Indiana
is the final resting place of many war veterans
In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be held on the last
Monday in May. It
was previously known as Decoration Day.
Memorial Day will be celebrated on May 26 this year. I have in the past related
the stories of how
my family celebrated this day. To me it is still a very important day to honor
our military men
and women who have given their lives in service to our country. I think,
it is due to the fact
that Bert, my husband, spent so many years in the military and I also
had a sister who joined
the WAVES. I personally know that several young men in
my far off family spent time in the
military. I have pictures and names but do not
remember being in contact with them.
Many people have forgotten why we celebrate this day and no longer honor the
tradition of
placing flags on the graves of the fallen. Sometime during this important day we
should stop
for a
few minutes to give
thanks for these courageous young men and women.
How do you remember celebrating Mother's Day? I remember, as a
young girl, making some small trinket while in grade
school such as decorating a May calendar with colored flowers, or making a small
basket from paper and filling it with
flowers found growing on the roadside. Money was scarce so there was no present
purchased at a store although my
dad saved up enough to buy Mother a small box of candy which she shared with us.
We gathered at my grandparents house for the afternoon with aunts, uncles and
cousins and after supper my
grandfather, known as Pop, would bring out his violin, my dad would have his
guitar and my mother would have
her mandolin or banjo and the music would begin. My grandmother, known as
Mom, had no musical talent but she
could clap her hands and stomp her feet in time with the music. As a matter of
fact this is how we celebrate many holidays!
Mother's Day Trivia:
Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia who started Mother's Day celebrations also filed a
lawsuit in an effort to stop the
over- commercialization of Mother's Day. She lost her fight. Anna had hoped for
a day of reflection and quiet prayer
by families, thanking God for all that mothers had done.
Julia Ward Howe staged an unusual protest for peace in Boston, by celebrating a
special day for mothers. She wanted
to call attention to the need for peace by pointing out mothers who were left
alone in the world without their sons and
husbands after the bloody Franco-Prussian War.
Japan's Imperial family trace their ancestry to Omikami Amaterasu, the Mother of
the World.
Ancient Egyptians believed that 'Bast' was the mother of all cats on Earth, and
that cats were sacred animals.
In the Bible, Eve is credited with being the 'Mother of All the
Living.
In the vast majority of the world's languages, the word for "mother" begins with
the letter M.
Believe It or Not Records :
Youngest Mother:
The youngest mother whose history is authenticated is Lina Medina, who delivered
a 6½-pound boy by cesarean section
in Lima, Peru in 1939, at an age of 5 years and 7 months. The child was raised
as her brother and only discovered that
Lina was his mother when he was 10.
Oldest Mother:
On April 9, 2003, Satyabhama Mahapatra, a 65-year-old retired schoolteacher in
India, became the world's oldest
mother when she gave birth to a baby boy. Satyabhama and her husband had been
married 50 years, but this is their
first child. The baby was conceived through artificial insemination using eggs
from the woman's 26-year-old niece,
Veenarani Mahapatra, and the sperm of Veenarani's husband.
Most Surviving Children:
Bobbie McCaughey is the mother who holds the record for the most surviving
children from a single birth. She gave
birth to the first set of surviving septuplets - four boys and three girls -on
November 19, 1997, at the University
Hospital, Iowa, US. Conceived by in vitro fertilization, the babies were
delivered after 31 weeks by cesarean in the
space of 16 minutes. The babies are named Kenneth, Nathaniel, Brandon, Joel,
Kelsey, Natalie and Alexis.
Shortest Interval Between Two Children:
Jayne Bleackley is the mother who holds the record for the shortest interval
between two children born in separate
confinements. She gave birth to Joseph Robert on September 3, 1999, and Annie
Jessica Joyce on March 30, 2000.
The babies were born 208 days apart.
Longest Interval Between Two Children:
Elizabeth Ann Buttle is the mother who holds the record for the longest interval
between the birth of two children.
She gave birth to Belinda on May 19,1956 and Joseph on November 20, 1997. The
babies were born 41 years 185
days apart. The mother was 60 years old when her son Joseph was born.
Highest Recorded Number of Children:
The highest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to
the first wife of Feodor Vassilyev
(1707-1782) of Shuya, Russia. Between 1725 and 1765, in a total of 27
confinements, she gave birth to 16 pairs of
twins, seven sets of triplets, and four sets of quadruplets. 67 of them survived
infancy.
Highest Number of Children in Modern Times:
The modern world record for giving birth is held by Leontina Albina from San
Antonio, Chile. Leontina claims to be
the mother of 64 children, of which only 55 of them are documented. She is
listed in the 1999 Guinness World Records
but dropped from later editions.
From the Animal Kingdom:
A female oyster over her lifetime may produce over 100 million young.
A mother giraffe often gives birth while standing, so the new born's first
experience outside the womb is a 1.8-meter
(6-foot) drop.
Just like people, mother chimpanzees often develop lifelong relationships with
their offspring.
Kittens are born both blind and deaf, but the vibration of their mother's
purring is a physical signal that the kittens
can feel - it acts like a homing device, signaling them to nurse.
This info from
www.mothersdaycelebration.com
April
Fools Day has come and gone and I know I'm late but I have just discovered the
origin of this day.
April 1st was once New Year's Day in France. If it wasn't for Pope Gregory, back
in 1582, who devised the
Gregorian calendar to replace the Julian calendar, we would be celebrating New
Years Day on April 1st.
instead of January 1st. Since cell phones, e-mails, and telephones were not
available then, it took a while
for everyone in France to get the big news. Many people were too stubborn to
accept the new calendar and
continued to celebrate New Years Day on April 1st earning the name of April
Fools. They were often ridiculed
and practical jokes were played on them and the tradition was born. Prank
playing still continues on the first
day of April.
Easter is a holiday that is celebrated
anytime between late March and late April. It is a difference in time that has
been used by different churches using different calendar calculations depending
on the full moon. It has been suggested
that observance of this celebration have a permanent date. (I totally agree).
This argument has been going on for
centuries.
My family usually celebrated quietly with small baskets for the kids that
contained colored eggs, candy and
a special treat. Dinner was usually ham, covered with brown sugar,
pineapple juice, pineapple slices and a
little orange juice so it wouldn't be too sweet. Side dishes were potato
or macaroni salad, baked beans, pickled
beets, maybe green beans and corn on the cob. Dessert was whatever I decided to
make. hhhmmmmmm sounds
like what I had at my grandmother’s when I was a kid!! Nobody complained!
I hope you all
celebrate with your old traditions and have a great day.
ST. Patrick's Day
2008
In Irish lore, St Patrick was held as a slave for about 6 years,
then went to another country
to take up religious training and was a Christian Missionary to Ireland.
TRIVIA:
In Ireland, the plant most often referred to as the shamrock is the white
clover.
According to legend, St. Patrick believed the three small leaflets of the
shamrock
represented the Holy Trinity.
Rainbow in the morning, travelers take
warning: rainbow at night, traveler's delight.
Leprechaun: An Irish superstition: a small sprite sometimes inhabiting wine
cellars, farmhouses, and
possesses a
priceless treasure of gold.
Fairies sometimes reward people for doing them a favor. Grateful fairies may
leave money for people who
have treated them well.
The Claddagh Ring
represents romance and the promise of love forever. This symbol goes back
to the Druids. Two
hands supporting a heart and upon it a crown. When on the right hand
with the heart facing out means the heart is
free. When the heart is inward it indicates the heart is no longer
available and if on the left hand it traditionally means
that love has been plighted.
The true history of
this ring remains elusive. If you go to
www.galway1.ie/faq/ringsaga.htm
you will find more info
on this special ring. (I am part Irish and Bert, my husband, gave me this
ring)
May the Irish hill caress you
May her lakes and rivers bless you
May the luck of the Irish unfold you
May the blessing of Saint Patrick
Behold you
Presidents' day is a federal holiday and is celebrated the 3rd Monday in
February. This year
it falls on the 18th. The main purpose of this holiday was
to recognize George Washington
and Abraham Lincoln but evolved into honoring all
presidents. There is a long story as to
how this day originated. The following
site involves a lot of reading but is interesting:
www.snopes.com/holidays/presidents/presidents.asp
Valentine's Day is a day
that is somewhat shrouded in mystery that includes traces of both Christian and
Roman
traditions. One story is that Emperor Claudius decided that single men made
better soldiers so he outlawed marriage
for potential soldiers. St. Valentine defied the decree and continued to perform
marriages for young lovers in secret.
One legend states that Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting
himself. It is believed that while in prison
he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and wrote her a letter which he
signed "From your Valentine," an expression
that is still in use today.
valentine's Day Trivia:
The oldest known valentine in existence today was written by Charles, Duke of
Orleans, to his wife in 1415 while
imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Cupid, often associated with Valentine's day, was the son of Venus, the Roman
goddess of love.
The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards were created in the 1840's
by Esther Howland and were known as
"scrap" because they were made of real lace, ribbons and colorful
pictures.
In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.
Victorians believed that if a lady put a silver coin under her pillow on
Valentine's eve, she would receive a proposal by
the end of the year.
Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.
Worldwide, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day each year.
The oldest surviving love poem till date is written in a clay tablet from the
times of the Sumerians, inventors of writing,
around 3500 B.C.
I am not a sports fan and really have no interest in Super Bowl Sunday
but I thought
a recipe or two would help you enjoy the game.
Black
bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried cilantro (parsley)
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
Directions
In a small bowl, mix together vinaigrette, seasoned pepper,
cilantro, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Set dressing aside.
In a large bowl, stir together beans, corn, onion, green onions,
and red bell pepper. Toss with dressing. Cover, and
refrigerate overnight. Toss again before serving.
(From allrecipes)
******************************************
Randy sent the following 2
recipes from cookingvillage
TEX-MEX BURGERS
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground chuck
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 small onion, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
4 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
2 English muffins
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chunky salsa
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 to 10 minutes
Serves 4
Directions
1. Crumble the ground beef into a bowl. Add the jalapeno, onion,
salt and pepper. Mix gently without overworking,
2. Heat the oil in
a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add burgers; cook, turning once, 6 to 10
minutes, or until
desired doneness. (You can also broil or grill
the burgers.) Just before the last minute of cooking, top the burgers
with the cheese.
3. Split and toast the English muffins. Top each half with a
burger, avocado and salsa. Serve with chips and cherry
tomatoes, if desired.
Village Tip
Don't work the ground beef too much when mixing in the
jalapeno and onion or the meat will become tough when
cooked. Mix only enough to distribute the ingredients evenly.
******************************************
Parmesan Potato Sticks
Ingredients
4 medium russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Sour cream and chive dip (see Tip, below)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 20-30 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly grease two 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll
pans. Cut potatoes into sticks, about 3x1/4x1/4
inches.
2. Place potato sticks in a medium bowl. Add oil, salt and
pepper; toss to coat. Combine Parmesan and bread crumbs
in a small bowl; mix well. Add Parmesan
mixture to potatoes; toss to coat well. Arrange potato sticks in a single
layer in prepared pans.
3. Bake potato sticks, turning once, until they are lightly golden
and tender when pierced with a fork, 20-30 minutes.
Cool slightly in pans. Serve warm with sour
cream and chive dip.*
Village Tips
Potatoes can be peeled and sliced ahead of time; just
place them in a bowl of cold, salted water to prevent browning.
Pat them dry before using.
*To make sour cream and chive dip, combine 1 cup sour cream (reduced-fat is
fine), 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 to 4
tablespoons fresh snipped chives and a pinch of salt.
******************************************
OH ME------OH MY I am a great Grandma again! This is #
8!
Welcome! Dale's new baby girl!
born Jan 13
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH, CHRISTMAS TREE
{My apologies to the author}
OH, Christmas tree,
OH, Christmas tree,
How fresh and green thy branches.
OH, Christmas tree,
OH, Christmas tree,
With you I took my chances.
When I got you I was glad,
But now you've made me very sad
OH, Christmas tree,
OH, Christmas tree,
How brown and dry thy
branches.
2008
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To look for previous recipes posted in 2007, click here.
To look for previous recipes posted in 2006,
click here.
To look for previous recipes posted in 2005,
click here.
To look for previous recipes posted in 2004, click here.