Recipe: Anasazi Bean Salad with Barley & Cranberries

A former co-worker/friend introduced this recipe to us in Albuquerque, NM in the early '90s. It is fantastic! It can be trick to find anasazi beans, so you can substitute another kind if you are in a pinch, but it will also change the flavor. Anasazi beans are a red bean with white swirlies in it. If you have the time, it's worth ordering them in advance, you can find them places online like here. They can be found in some specialty stores, as well as in many grocery stores in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM.

"The Anasazi were Indians who lived in the four corners area (now Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) dating back to 130 A.D. The are best identified with their substantial architectural achievements known today as "cliff dwellings". Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep, Canyon de Chelly and many other dwelling that dot the arid countryside, represent these structures. "Anasazi" is a Navajo word perhaps best translated as "the ancient ones".

Anasazi Beans® were one of the few crops cultivated by the Anasazi. They were found in the ruins by settlers to the four corners area in the early 1900's. Presently they are grown at 7,000 ft. elevation on the same land the Anasazi inhabited.

Anasazi Beans® are considered an unusually tasty baking bean, very scrumptious with ham and flavorful in Mexican dishes. This sweeter and mealier bean will allow many culinary delights! They also contain 75% less of the gas-causing carbohydrates compared to pinto beans!"

Anasazi Bean Salad with Barley & Cranberries

1 cup anasazi beans
1 1/4 cup barley
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 scallion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
3 tbsp toasted walnuts, chopped

Cook beans and barley per the package instructions (do this in advance).
Toast walnuts in frying pan on medium to low heat (brings out the flavor).
Combine all ingredients and allow to rest at room temperature for about 2 hours.
Serve at room temperature, refrigerate leftovers and serve cold.

Recipe: Corn Casserole

a favorite southwestern green-chile & corn casserole:

Corn Casserole

1/2 cup butter
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
12 oz frozen white corn, thawed
salt to taste
1/4 cup onion, chopped small
1/2 cup green chile, diced
2 tbsp hot salsa

Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Add in the cream cheese and stir until melted. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the cream cheese mixture.

Bake uncovered in a 2-quart casserole dish at 350 degrees F. for about 35 minutes.

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie (No-Bake)

another pumpkin recipe Grandma used to make for us as kids, and taught us how to make:

Pumpkin Pie (Unbaked)
by Catherine Dean, 1980

1 6-oz jello pudding and pie filling (NOT instant)
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 13-oz can evaporated milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 baked pie shell

Combine pie filling, sugar, spice, milk, egg and pumpkin in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture boils. (It will thicken after it boils.) Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Pour into pie shell and chill for at least 4 hours.

Top with whipped cream.

Recipe: Pumpkin Cookies

This is from my Grandmother, Catherine Dean, a recipe she used to make for us when we were kids:

Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup mashed pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp milk
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Combine pumpkin, sugar and oil. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add pumpkin mixture to sifted flour mixture, along with 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp milk. Mix well. Stir in 1 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 tsp vanilla. Drop by teaspoonful onto lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake in 375 degree F. oven for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe: Wacky Cake

I used to do yard work for an elderly couple back in my teenage years, Sue and Don Powers. Her birthday was on Valentine's day, and he was just 3 days older than her. I met them when they had turned 76 years old, and she was an active gardener and a member of the local flower club. He would still use the tiller and till up their garden and help her plant the vegetables, as well as a border of marigolds to keep the bunnies out. I also learned how to french braid my hair from Mrs. Power. Whenever I wanted it braided, she'd do it for me before I left for the day and she showed me how to make the braids work. It was also here that I attempted to smoke my first -- and last -- pack of cigarettes. All the kids were doing it, it was supposed to be so cool, so I bought a pack and would try to smoke whenever I was working here because it was away from the family and I could practice without people making fun of me. I think it lasted me about a month. By that time, I had decided I didn't like to smoke and threw away the last few cigarettes in the pack, that had probably gone stale anyway. I learned a lot from Mrs. Power, this little tiny woman who always had a smile and something nice to say, and she'd even fix great lunches while I was there working. I'd dig up her iris bed and hibernate some of the bulbs, then plant them back in rows as she wanted for the next season. Iris bulbs are very prolific, by the way. She had an awesome rose garden that she would mostly tend to, but I'd do the weeds and other trimming around it, and clean up the debris. And she had other flowers and projects around her property that was over an acre big (hard to guage now, almost 30 years later), but nicely landscaped. Mr. Power was usually also around, but he'd watch TV while we were going these projects, and then he'd come out and do whatever she asked him to do. She also had a mint garden, which was mostly enclosed on the back side of the house. "Mostly" because mint has a tendency to jump barriers and the roots can grow down several inches and reappear across the yard and continue the spread. I took some of her mint roots and transplanted them at Mom's house, and also at Isabella's house, where mint continues to grow at both.

Mrs. Power had this odd little recipe she'd tell me about, and then showed me to bake when I was just 16. You don't use a mixing bowl, you just mix it in the baking pan.

Wacky Cake by Sue Power, 1980

Sift together:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cocoa

Sift flour into a greased and waxed/lined cake pan. Make 3 holes in the flour.

Put the following into the three separate holes (i.e., butter in one, vanilla in another, vinegar in the last):
5 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp vinegar

Over all, pour 1 cup cold water.

Mix well, getting all the corners.

Bake directly in baking pan in 350 degree F. oven for about 40 minutes, checking with toothpick or cake tester when done.

Recipe: Carrot Cake

This is the carrot cake that goes with the cream cheese frosting, from Paula Mitchell.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots

Mix wet ingredients and blend, add in sifted dry ingredients. Add in carrots.

Bake in greased and floured/lined oblong pan (13 x 9) at 300 degrees F. for about 45 minutes or until done. Check doneness with a toothpick or cake tester.

Recipe: Baked Pineapple

From Mom, and she got from a family friend, Mary McCandless. She liked this recipe because, while it has a lot of sweet fruit in it, it was an easy and less dangerous dessert for diabetics, and tastes great if you like pineapple. Unfortunately, I became allergic to pineapple about 8 years ago. It's very sad, but here's the recipe for anyone else who enjoys pineapple desserts:

Baked Pineapple

2 large cans crushed pineapple
1 can water
4 tbsp corn starch
4 eggs

Beat the eggs, add corn starch to eggs and mix together. Add pineapple, water and juice. Pour into casserole dish.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When half baked, stir pineapple casserole and then finish baking.

Remove and sprinkle with cinnamon.

About the Recipes

Hmmmmm...not like I have a lot of "free" time right now.

But, I do have A.A.D.D. -- or at least I am easily distracted AND I need to keep interesting and creative projects close at hand so I don't go crazy. People may laugh at this, so what. I think of myself as a fairly creative and interesting person, but it comes with certain costs. One is the distraction factor. Add that to a long-term perfecting of procrastination, and this is what you get.

There I was. In December. Trying to finish unloading boxes from downstairs and get the house cleaned up for the in-laws to visit -- which we were very glad to have them coming down, btw! Something kept catching my eye, and screaming my name...my two bulging and threatening-to-burst homemade cookbooks, that is!

So, I took a break and dismantled both of them. Threw away the notebooks, no longer usable, having seen decades of use and moves, and handling. Threw away hundreds of pages, recipes we never tried, probably won't use, duplicates, junk. That reduced the paper pile to just enough pages to fit snuggly into a gallon-sized freezer bag. AND, I was able to locate the recipes for spice cake, to make Mike's birthday cake. And the rum balls recipe, and a few more.



Now, they sit in a pile on the floor, waiting patiently to be converted to digital format. In our quest to reduce paper and junk in our lives, to be less complicated and more mobile, the recipe books are going to shift format for us.


That is when I decided to also post some of my recipes online, so they are easily accessible to some others who had asked for them. Once typed in, they can be copy-n-pasted all over tarnation, so it's all good. We have no "secret family recipes", even though I'll often edit my own recipes and so what you read here may not be exactly what you get from my kitchen, but it is entirely spontaneous and unintentionally different. Plus, I type pretty fast, so in the end, I will have spent less total time looking for recipes once they are all on my computer, than I would have spent digging through pages and pages of my overstuffed notebooks or now the decadent and frilly freezer bag!

And it's all about timing. Discovered a few days ago that Grandma is on the lookout for a "couple or more" favorite recipes to be sent to her friend for a project. Turns out to be a recipe book project of family recipes, hopefully all of the ones we grew up on from Down County.

So I looked thru my fancy baggie this morning and made some wonderful discoveries. First of all, in the name of lightening the load, I found I could toss even more of these recipes--almost anything previously untried can be found online at www.recipes.com or some other similar website. There are only a handful of tried and true recipes that I go back to over and over again, so I'll keep those. Maybe a handful that I researched and fully intend to try that have graphics I like. All the rest....they will become kindling today! Woo Hoo! We come from a long line of hunters and gatherers and hoarders. Big on the hoarding! We hold onto everything, just everything. "In Case..." In fact, it probably contributed to at least 20 of the more than 100 lbs I intend to shed as we downsize everything about our lives.

Now that we have the internet, we don't "need" to hold onto these papers and drag them around from place to place. Sure, it may feel like we are just substituting one for another by making them digital, but the truth is, I can copy and store everything in my life in digital format to a small box that will fit into my hands...and I intend to! Then, we'll be more free to enjoy the physical parts that are living and have no strings to these stupid boxes we keep moving from place to place. We can print pictures as we please...or pull them up onto a screen and take a trip to memory lane anytime.

So, back to the recipes. They may, and likely will, fill up a lot of space here. Some of them may not be too healthy, so they are "sometimes foods" buy you may find one or two you want to try or pass on as a housewarming gift. Enjoy the ones you do take, feel free to pass them on to others.

Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting

From Paula Mitchell, this goes with her carrot cake recipe, which is the best one I've ever had. In case you haven't noticed, once I find the "best" of a recipe, I hold onto it and am always willing to share. To date, I've never found a carrot cake or cream cheese frosting better than hers...and that's been 28 years now!

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 16-oz pkg confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp butter

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add half the confectioners sugar and beat in. Then add most, but not all, of the milk and butter, beating in until smooth. Gradually add the remaining sugar, milk and butter until it reaches desired consistency. Always beat until smooth.

Recipe: Flaky Pastry

From Southern Farmers Cookbook, a really old cookbook Mom used to use a lot.
Before the times of pre-packaged roll-out style crusts, you were forced to make your own. So...I tried many different recipes, and found this one to be the easiest AND the flakiest! Now that the Pillsbury roll-out is available, I don't usually make pie crust from scratch. However, if you want to make one that is gluten-free or one without solid shortening, use this one, substituting the flour for gluten free, and using butter instead of solid shortening. It may brown faster, but will be good.

Flaky Pastry

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup solid shortening
4 tbsp COLD water

Measure flour and sift with salt. Add shortening (at room temperature) and blend with pastry blender or forks. Add COLD water and mix until dough is soft and pliable. Roll to 1/8 inch thick and line pie plates. Prick pastry and bake, or use in favorite pie recipes fresh.

Recipe: Favorite Apple Pie

From Southern Farmer's Cookbook, circa 1943-ish

Favorite Apple Pie

6 cups sliced tart apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp flour or tapioca
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
pastry for 9-inch pie crust

Combine dry ingredients and pour over apple slices in large bowl. Add lemon juice. Toss mixture together until slices are well coated. Turn apple mixture into pastry-lined pie pan, heaping in center. Dot with butter. If using a top crust, cut gashes for steam to escape and seal top of pastry together around edges.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes (to set crust).
Then, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake 40-50 minutes longer.

For crust: use Flaky Pastry recipe, or one of the refrigerated types that you can roll out, I think it's Pillsbury brand that works best.

Recipes updates: if you want your apples to "settle down" faster, you can pre-cook them for a few minutes with a sliced up pear. Then, add in the sugar and spices and continue as indicated above. You can almost expect this pie to drip out of the edges, good luck getting it not to, it's very rich and full, but so tasty and worth it!

Recipe: Apricot Nectar Cake

From a co-worker back in 1986, Jean Kibler. This has an odd name, but it is an excellent cake, and very, very moist!

Apricot Nectar Cake

1 package of yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup apricot nectar
1 tsp lemon extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Prepare cake mix with the ingredients above. Bake in well-greased and floured bundt pan for about 60 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN door while baking this one. When done, poke knife slots in cake and dribble topping slowly over the holes. Let cool for 1 hour, then remove from pan.

Topping:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar mixed with juice of 2 lemons

Recipe: Famous Pumpkin Pie

This is the one from Libby's Pumpkin. It is best with fresh or frozen pumpkin pulp, but also good with canned pulp. I never used the prepared "pumpkin pie" mix.

Famous Pumpkin Pie

1 deep dish pie crust
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 16-oz can solid pumpkin, or 2 cups fresh pulp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 12-oz can evaporated milk

Pre-heat oven and baking sheet to 375 degrees F. Beat together ingredients, in given order. Place pie crust on pre-heated baking sheet and pour filling into pie crust. Cover edges of pie crust with a strip of aluminum foil (to keep from browning too much). Bake in center of oven.

Bake 70 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Garnish with coconut (add on top of pie around edge and on center about 10 minutes before pie is finished baking).

Serve with freshly whipped whipping cream.

Recipe: Black Bottom Cups

These have got to be the best chocolate cupcakes of all time. Creamy cheese filling!
From family friend that I used to babysit for and help with domestic chores when I was a teenager, Paula Mitchell.

Black Bottom Cups

Mix and beat well:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Add in 1 cup chocolate chips and set aside.

Sift together:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add to sifted mixture, and beat until combined:

1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Fill small papers (miniature cupcake holders) 1/3 full with chocolate batter. Top each with a heaping tsp of cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 degree F. oven for 30-35 minutes. Yields 5 1/2 doz miniature cupcakes.

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread

From Mom:

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup prepared pumpkin pulp
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs

1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin spice
(or, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Blend first 5 ingredients until smooth. Then add in remaining ingredients.
Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees F. for about 60-65 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Recipe: Popcorn Balls (with marshmallows)

from a childhood friend, Tracy

Popcorn Balls

1/3 cup unpopped corn
3 tsp vegetable oil
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 tsp butter

Pop the corn in the vegetable oil (or use air popper and no oil).
Melt butter in large saucepan and melt marshmallows in, on low heat, stirring constantly. Once all is melted down, pour over the popcorn, stirring gently until all the popcorn is fully coated. Shape popcorn in hands, using additional butter to coat hands, being careful not to burn yourself.

Makes 8 popcorn balls.

Recipe: Impossible Coconut Pie

If you like coconut and cream pies, you will love this one!

Impossible Coconut Pie

2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 bisquick mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded coconut

Put all ingredients (except coconut) into a blender and blend on low speed for 3 minutes.
Pour into a 9-inch, greased pie pan.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the coconut on top.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Recipe: Cold Oven Pound Cake

This is an excellent pound cake!
Also from Mom!

Cold Oven Pound Cake

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp baking powder*
5 large eggs

Cream together butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine milk, vanilla and lemon extract. Add half of this mixture to the butter mixture. In another bowl, sift together flour, salt, mace and baking powder. Add one egg at a time, alternately with the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix well after each addition. Add last half of milk mixture.

Start in COLD OVEN and bake at 350 degrees F. for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Use a greased and floured bundt pan.

*For a lighter cake, add the 1/2 tsp baking powder to the last flour addition instead of sifting it in with the dry ingredients.

Recipe: Oatmeal Cookies

This is from a small recipe booklet I found when we were kids, probably from a magazine or something that found its way to our house. It was called "Create-a-Cookie" because it can be many different flavors by changing a few ingredients.

Again, this is by far the best oatmeal recipe I've come across, and has filled hundreds of bellies along the way, if not more.

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups whole oats

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add in flour, soda, salt and cinnamon by sifting in, and mix well. Stir in oats. Add in any other options you want at this point.

Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 10 minutes.
Yields about 5 dozen cookies.

Some suggested extras:
chocolate chips
raisins
coconut
different flavored chips: mint, butterscotch, vanilla, etc.
anise seeds

you can also add in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cloves, if you like those

Recipe: Six Flavor Cake

by Ann Nutting, beautiful cousin living in Berkeley

Six Flavor Cake

1 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs, beaten
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp butter extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Cream butter, then add in sugar and cream until smooth. Add in eggs.
Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.
Combine milk with flavorings.
Add half of milk mixture to butter mixture and blend well.
Add half flour mixture to this new butter mixture, and blend.
Add second half of milk, repeat.
Add last half of flour, blend well.

Bake in greased and floured bundt pan at 325 degrees F. for about 90 minutes (test). Cool for 10 minutes when done, then take out and put on was paper. Top with 6-flavor glaze, below.

Six Flavor Glaze

In a small saucepan, mix 1/2 tsp of each of the flavorings listed in recipe above with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Pour slowly over cake when done.

Recipe: Fruit Cocktail Salad

From Mom:

Fruit Cocktail Salad

1 large can fruit cocktail
1 can pineapple chunks or bits
1 jar cherries, cut in halves (24-30)
1 pkg coconut
1 pkg miniature marshmallows
1/2 pint sour cream

Drain fruit and cherries. Put fruit, coconut, marshmallows into bowl and mix in sour cream. Stir and chill.

Recipe: Cherry Breeze Pie

a sweet and creamy pie we had a lot as kids, from Mom

Cherry Breeze Pie

Crust:

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup corn flake crumbs

Melt butter over low/medium heat, then add in sugar and stir constantly until it boils. Add in corn flake crumbs and remove from heat. Blend together, then pour into pie pan and shape pie crust. Put pie crust into the refrigerator until it is setup, about 1 hour.

Pie:

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can condensed cream
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the cheese until fluffy, then add in condensed cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Let it setup for about 2 hours in refrigerator until cold. Then, spread pie filling on top of crust and serve.

Recipe: Pascua Bread (Easter Bread)

This is from our long-time family friend and just a wonderful person, Toni Selby. She used to make this bread for our family and bring it to us every Easter since we can remember. Her youngest son got her to make bread for all the neighbors and for some volunteer jobs he did. At her bread-making peak, Mrs. Selby was making 65 loaves each Easter season! I got a chance to sit with her April 21, 2011, to help her make her bread, and it was so great! She used techniques that I didn't know about (hence, the updated version below) and where the recipe usually makes 5 loaves, we ended up with 20 loaves from doing 3x the recipe! She's turning 70 this year, and told me that she's been making this recipe since she was 20! It's a family recipe that they share, and one of her older sisters had taught her to make it. I'm so happy to be part of this tradition, keeping it alive!

PASCUSA BREAD (Easter Bread)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted (reserve 1/4 cup to add to the end of kneading)
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs

1 quart whole milk, heated in microwave to lukewarm

2 pkgs dry active yeast
2 tbsp sugar

10 cups bread flour (Robin Hood or King Arthur)
1 tsp salt

Glaze: mix an undetermined amount of confectioners sugar with water and vanilla

This recipe assumes a basic knowledge of baking bread.

Add sugar to butter, and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating into mixture, and let sit for awhile.

Heat milk to lukewarm in the microwave and set aside while you prepare yeast mixture. For yeast mixture, combine and gently stir yeast with 1/4 cup of the lukewarm milk and 2 tbsp sugar. Let sit until it starts to foam up, then add in about 2 tbsp flour and let sit a few more minutes. Add to creamed mixture. Sift flour and salt into creamed mixture, alternately with lukewarm milk, and work in each time until ready to knead. (note: if milk has cooled too much, then just re-heat to lukewarm again)

Keep the dough sticky, and knead until it is pliable but still "light".

At the end, add in 1/4 cup of melted butter, should still be sticky, but easy to work with.

Raise till double, and then punch down gently in sections (not just the middle), then let rest a few minutes. Test to see if it's still rising. Do this by putting a little flour on your fingers and putting onto dough and checking a few minutes later. if still rising, then wait a little longer and test again.
Shape into loaves (great for braided rolls). Push down in middle and put on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Place a large boiled egg in center. Make small twists to go as a cross on top, and pinch to sides. Note: dough will rise while baking, so keep room between loaves. Raise loaves for about 30 minutes.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for about 25 to 30 minutes (temp variations depend on the oven, some back hotter; temp is until it is evenly browned all over)...may need to turn around in oven, or switch racks half way through.

When done baking, gently pour or spoon glaze over the top. Let cool, store in sealed container. I like to put on plates or trays, and cover with plastic wrap. Or, if giving as gifts, place on a paperplate and insert into a large freezer bag.

***This is just one suggestion about how to braid/form the loaves. The Selby tradition is to have the kids also help, and they come up with some interesting ideas and designs! You can even bake it in loaf pans if desired. Have fun!

Recipe: Rum Balls

originally from my aunt, Winnie

Rum Balls

Ingredients:

3 cups vanilla wafers, crushed = one 12 oz box
1 1/2 cups nuts, finely chopped
3 tbsp corn syrup
3/4 cup rum
confectioners sugar

Directions:

Mix together crushed wafers, nuts, corn syrup and rum. Roll into balls and coat with confectioners sugar. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks in an airtight container.

Yields: approx 5 doz rum balls
Warning: they get more "drunken" as they age

Recipe: Homemade Dog Biscuits

Found this at a craft show back in my roommate days. It's a hit with the canines, and non-toxic to humans!

Homemade Dog Biscuits

2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup non-fat dry powdered milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg

Mix ingredients with about 1/2 cup cold water. Knead for 3 minutes, until dough forms a smooth ball. Roll to 1/2" thickness and cut into bone shapes, or other desired shapes.

Bake at 350 degrees F. on lightly greased cookie sheet for 30-35 minutes.

Recipe: White House Egg Nog

When I worked for the Executive Office for OMB, we were invited to Christmas parties at the White House during the holiday season. I don't know if they still serve this recipe, but back in the early 80's, the eggnog was heavily spiked! Here is the official recipe, as we were given as employees at the time:

White House Egg Nog

1 gallon commercial eggnog
2 1/2 cups bourbon
1 2/3 cups rum
1 2/3 cups brandy
1 quart vanilla ice cream
vanilla extract and nutmeg, to taste

"You can mix the ingredients above and serve or you can mix everything together, except the ice cream, and then pour the mixture over the ice cream with vanilla and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Used by the White House staff during the entire Christmas season."

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now, I've baked a lot of cookies in my time, and tried many recipes. This one is from my childhood friend, Jill. She and her sister used to live across the street and would come over and make cookies in our very tiny kitchen. This recipe truly is the best chocolate chip recipe I've ever had or made. But, as Lavarr likes to say (if you have kids, you'd recognize this reference), "don't take my word for it!"

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 tsp HOT water
1 cup flour
12 oz chocolate chips
2 cups nuts, chopped

Cream butter and the sugars together. Add eggs, vanilla and salt and mix together. Stir in 1 1/4 cup flour. Add baking soda mixture. Fold in 1 cup flour and stir together. Add in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased, foil-lined cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Flatten balls with wet spoon back to about 1/2" thick.

Bake at 375 degrees F. in upper third of oven about 12 minutes.

Store in airtight container, makes about 4 1/2 dozen 3" cookies

Recipe: Fruit Crisp

Kids love this one....

Fruit Crisp

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

6 cups sliced pared apples
OR 5 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) peaches
2/3 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup bisquick baking mix
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup nuts, optional
1 tsp cinnnamon

Spread apples (or peaches) in an ungreased square pan, 8x8x2.

Mix remaining ingredients together until crumbly; spread over fruit.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender and hot and topping is brown.
Serve warm, also good with ice cream.

Makes 6 servings

Recipe: Crackle Crunch

This is like cracker jacks or kettle corn, but a little nicer.

Crackle Crunch

Combine in a large roasting pan:

3 quarts of unsalted, popped popcorn
1 quart of bite-sized crispy rice squares (rice chex)
1 cup pecan halves

Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 5 minutes:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt

After you remove the brown sugar mixture from the heat, quickly add in:
1/4 tsp baking soda

Pour hot sauce over corn mixture, mixing lightly until well coated. Bake in greased roasting pan at 250 degrees F. for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cool. Break apart and serve.
Yields approx. 4 quarts

Old commercial from NM last year

My celebrity husband:



My50 TV visited his school in Albuquerque, and had a lot of the staff and some students audition the prompts for the upcoming programs. They must have liked Mike's performance, because they kept him on the air for a long time. Who knows, he might still be on the air. He's still on YouTube! :)

You Tube Baby Falling Over Laughing!

This is just so funny!



found on YouTube here

Little Guy Likes to Draw

This makes me happy...he's starting to draw on his own, and no longer into the stick figures.

This is "Teddy" his little teddy bear!

Check out Sweet Maggie! 10 Puppies!!!

Here is a sneak preview! Count carefully, there really are 10!

Check her out here!

Little Maggie is a foster dog that came to temporarily live with Gramps & Doc on Friday, waited for them to come home from their attempts to see the Inauguration on Tuesday, and then started the process of giving birth to....TEN little multi-colored Inauguration puppies, born between 3 pm and midnight!

The guys thought she was done after 7, then came 8. Then came 9. Then all went to bed and apparently shortly after that along came...#10!

*7 girls and 3 boys*

Public service announcement: Do the right thing -- have your pets spayed or neutered.

Thoughts about Washington, DC, and Comment about Rev. Lowery's Inaugural Benediction

We watched and listened to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, amazed at just how many people had descended from all reaches of the globe to be part of the action. Of course, that brought back memories of the dozen years I worked in DC back in the 80's and took every mode of transporation to work: commuted 130 miles round trip each day for almost 2 years, moved closer and carpool commuted 60 miles round trip for awhile, moved closer still, took the Metro, carpooled or rode my bike, and then moved farther away and took a commuter bus. I LOVED working in DC...the culture and history there is so rich. So much to do, so much to see. Impossible to do it all in one visit. I was there over 11 years, and didn't even touch the tip.

Of course watching the crowds reminded me of several times we were amongst the crowds there: 4th of July for outside concerts on the Mall and fireworks, women's rights demonstrations, parades for various events, Cherry Blossom parade, and more! It was always exciting and good to be in the mix.

But then, it was CROWDED when extra tourists came to town. Sometimes it was a pain in the A**!! Even in the summer, when more tourists were on the metro, it was inconvenient for the rest of us "regulars". They wouldn't always know where to go or what to do, and sometimes they'd just resolve the problem by "standing there" looking stupid. Those of us regulars tried to be helpful, and it was often fun to do so. Help a stranger, get to know a little more about another part of the country, help spread some culture from the nation's capital. All in a good day. But sometimes...they just wouldn't move or get out of the way! And the rest of us would almost miss our exits on the train, because we couldn't get on or off in time, because they just STOOD THERE. And when there are crowds, like what's happening now -- but understanding that this week in DC is probably unprecedented in the volume of visitors to the capital -- the transportation options are just insane. Trains are loaded down, you may find yourself waiting for a long time to get on a train car. One time, for the 4th of July, we had gone downtown with some friends. The trains were so crowded, we were armpit to armpit holding onto the overhead bars. The guys in our group started to press their cheeks to the doors so that when we would arrive at a new station, the people there would see us arrive with the car so "packed" that the guys were pressed up against the window, literally, and they didn't dare to try to squeeze another soul on with us. If they did, then they were quite bold, and we'd squeeze back more to make more room. The truth is: not many tried to squeeze on, and we just laughed and laughed about this. We were also probably a little more than tipsy at the time, which made it even funnier.

All this to say, I cannot even imagine being part of the crowds this week! It makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it! Kudos to those who did and who survived. We hear that at least one woman was hit by a train, not so lucky for her.

I do have one comment to make about the speeches given, at least, I will confine my comments to just one:

Comment about Reverend Lowery's Inauguration Benediction

I was informed this evening that this benediction was an old one that was originally used in the 60's. I say that the Reverend should have known better than try to use it again today without making some updates to it. 2009 is nothing like 1963.

When someone is called to make public statements or addresses, it is his/her responsibility to "do the right thing". When statements are made that alienate or disrespect any group of people that are undeserving of such comments, that that is NOT doing the right thing.

My comments: The Rev. was doing a pretty good job on his benediction, which came soon after the President's swearing in. At one point, he even says: "And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance."

Sounding pretty good, huh?

THEN, he HAS to go down the "color road": "Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right."

Now, I'm not stupid! I do know that a lot about this election revolved around race, even when it should have never been an issue, not for Obama, not for anyone. It's really ignorant that our nation still feels the need to make race an issue. I look forward to the day when this isn't so. Perhaps Rev. Lowery was trying to make that point, but if you read what he says, what he is actually doing -- as are so many other leaders and preachers and movie producers -- he is making comments that are automatically divisive. By listing the "colors" as he has, with the comments he makes, he makes it sound like all the black, brown, yellow and red men are in a bad way or "less than" way, and the white man has to learn to "embrace what is right". How arrogant and insulting to EVERYONE, to EVERY RACE!!! I know plenty of people from all races that (1) do the right thing and (2) do NOT do the right thing. Color is really not the driver. People are people. Sure, where you come from may influence how you react to situations and color your reactions or acceptance, but we all need to break those nasty habits and learn to make our decisions based on what is fair and right. AND, that does not mean that ALL of any race are to be labeled, for ANY reason. By doing this, we are all equally bad and continuing the stagnation of all that is good and fair. It was unfair and irresponsible of the Reverend to include these statements in his benediction.

I know that I was born to a white family...and I am not a racist! AND, I did not do any wrong to any other race or culture, AND I DO "embrace what is right". AND I did not need a Reverend Lowery to tell me I had to do this at an Inaugural benediction, as though I didn't already know. By wording this benediction the way he did...he offered up an inflamatory and hostile suggestion...and perhaps a racist statement of his own. Why else?

Perhaps he could have spoken a more appropriate benediction to say something like:
"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when ALL men and women are equal, no matter what their gender, race, nationality or religion, that they will ALL embrace what is right. Starting now."

THAT is more appropriate.

Each of us REALLY needs to let go of the race issue at some point. Don't get me wrong, I DO appreciate how all our ancestors behaved, whether they were free or not free, poor or rich, religious or pagan. BUT...YOU AND I did not do those things. At some point, we need to work together and stop promoting racism in the passive/aggressive venues such as Reverent Lowery did earlier today. It's a shame, really. Makes my heart cry. For, WHEN will PEOPLE stop blaming ALL people of any particular race for the transgressions of those in the past? Let the past be the past, let us learn from the past. Let Us Move Forward In The Present and The Future.

Addendum:

Apparently I am not the only one who noticed these comments. See here.

Recipe: Homemade Hamburger Buns

A family favorite, originally found in some women's magazine back in the 80's, don't remember which one.


This one has fed a lot of bellies the past couple of decades. Once affectionately anticipated as "Virginia's Buns", I'm glad to have passed the torch to others so now they are "owned" by many. And now today, here it is for you, too:


Homemade Hamburger Buns

Oven: 375 Deg. F
Time: Varies, start with 15-20 min, and check

Combine:

4 cups flour, sifted (good to use bread flour)
2 pkgs yeast (NOT sifted)

Mix together, then add to flour mixture:

2 cups warm water (not too warm, not too cold--usually slightly warmer than room temp)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp salt

Add in eggs, one at a time:
3 eggs

Add in remaining flour, until good to touch:
4 cups flour (sifted)

Knead dough for several minutes.
Let rise in greased bowl, covered, for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Beat down, let rest about 15 minutes.

Separate dough into 24 rolls, and prepare each roll by pulling dough to underside a few times. This makes a smooth and elastic roll. Place on greased baking sheet.

Cover and let rise about 1/2 hour.

Bake until golden brown. Depending on humidity, and oven, usually anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. Be careful not to burn.

NOTES:

• This recipe assumes a basic knowledge of bread making and baking.
• I've never made this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work fine.
• This recipe can be mixed using a 5-qt Kitchen Aid mixer. It's close, but works.
• I also have doubled, and tripled the recipe. If you have a large enough pan, it works great.
• Another technique I used in my younger days was to make the dough before a road trip, put the pan in the back of my hatchback car for a 90-minute trip, then drive while the dough was rising. Arrived at bbq just in time to have the rest of the ladies help roll them out, bake them, and then we all had fresh rolls for the party. Mmmmm Good!
• Finally, feel free to experiment and use this recipe for other forms, such as hotdog buns, braided, cinnamon rolls, etc.

Recipe: Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes

Scrumptious Strawberry Cupcakes

Yields: 24 cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 20-25 minutes

CUPCAKES:

Cream together:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Add:
2 large eggs
16 oz vanilla lowfat yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend dry ingredients, then add in:
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Add in:
1 1/2 cup diced, fresh strawberries

Bake in preheated oven in 24 cupcake holders.

FROSTING:

Beat together:
1/2 cup butter, softened

Add in slowly:
16 oz box of powdered sugar

Add in, mixing until creamy and smooth:
4-5 fresh, mashed strawberries

Chill frosting for about 15 minutes, or until thick
Frost cupcakes with a spatula
Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator, loosely covered

These were done with pre-packaged chocolate frosting, with mashed strawberries added in, and topped with sprinkles.



Here's the icing with strawberries added in:



A chocolate frosting version of the cupcakes:

Catch the Bunny!

Christopher was outside last weekend playing with his friends, when he came running back into the house, in a hurry and frantic to get some carrots. We asked what he was doing, and he said, "I gotta get carrots to feed the bunny! We found a bunny, we're trying to catch it!"

We helped him get some tiny carrots as quickly as possible, and also gave him the camera and told him to try to take a picture of the bunny. I figured it would have run away by then, but you never know. I just love to see pictures from a little kids perspective. Here's what we got, keeping in mind, he was on a mission! Catch the bunny! Or at least, feed the bunny!


Well, they didn't get to feed him, but they had fun on the exciting neighborhood adventure. We're pretty sure the bunny was on the verge of a heart attack when trapped and pursued by little guys.

When Christopher brought back the camera, he told me they didn't get to feed the bunny, and "Well, I ate the carrots myself."

Feeding the Birdies

Sure, it's easier to just put birdseed into a bird feeder or just put out a bowl, but then Christopher wouldn't get to put his hands into the pan and feel all the seed all around his growing fingers. He's very tactile, so projects like this have extra benefits. Any tactile play is really good for him.

So we found two large pine cones and covered them with peanutbutter. Then, I gave the pine cones to him to cover in birdseed.He did a great job!

They are significantly heavier when loaded with peanut butter and seeds, surprisingly so.

He picked the branches, we hung them up, now we wait. We don't have any of the critter cams yet, or a very powerful camera, so we may not get any good pictures of the birdies, but I can tell you there are some really strikingly beautiful cardinals that love to feast around here. They were on the back deck this morning trying to grab some of the peanuts we have out for the squirrels.


UPDATE: We also put peanuts out for the squirrels, but seems the birds really dig the peanuts! Sorry, squirrels. There's a squirrel literally hanging upside down on the side of the huge oak tree (this tree is at least 4 feet in diameter, maybe more!) just lingering and he is not even trying to approach the deck. Maybe he's afraid of the birds, hmmm. Seems also the blue jays are the dominant birds. Some smaller ones came by and some cardinals, but then 4 or 5 blue jays keep swarming down and the others all went away.



We hope this humungous oak tree stays standing strong while we're living here...it truly is huge!


Now: peanuts are almost gone, that was quick! birdseed it is...

This one seems to be a woodpecker:

one of several lucky bluejays:


not sure what kind this is:

check out the robin:

Dang, it's COLD!

SATURDAY UPDATE: the thermostat set for about 68 deg for nighttime, you can see the house is significantly COLDER than that this morning!


And so how is Maya handling the extreme temperatures out here? Well, see where she keeps asking us to let her go. I think she spent almost about an hour and a half out there yesterday, in 20 or 30 min increments.

FRIDAY:

High today: 26
Low: 11

We're being wimps, but so what! It's COLD out here. Back in NM, it's in the upper 40's right now, and in 50's during the day.

Out here...its going to be down to 11 deg. F. tonight! Let's not forget the air is actually denser at sea level (vs. a mile high), so it feels that tad bit colder still!

We've had to make some adjustments in our lifestyles, our habits, and routines, and we've been taking them as they come. However, I Don't Like The Cold!!! I don't even own a heavy coat anymore, for the past 15 years. In NM, we layered our bodies with clothing, because inevitably it would warm up later in the day and then you'd be too hot. Now I'm going to have to either go buy or make a coat. Been wanting an excuse to make a beautiful coat, anyway. Maybe now's a good time.

And while we're on the subject of cold, this dang house is too cold downstairs, too hot upstairs. This morning it was 64 deg. downstairs, when the temp is set for about 68. Upstairs was 77 deg. We have insulated curtains on almost every window, except the dining room and the kitchen. I think we've isolated the problem to be the whole kitchen. Originally, we thought it was just the kitchen "bay" window (it's a smaller version), but the cold is coming from foot level and all around the sink. I think Dean is right, the pipes and entrance spots must be open and not insulated, as well as behind the stove. It feels cold there also. I don't even know how to go about fixing this problem, but will be learning soon. Once that is done, then hopefully the disparity between the upstairs and downstairs will be lessened. Can't really turn down the heat any more for the downstairs, or the little piggys will be too cold. You'd think that they would cuddle up to each other more to say warm, but nope. The boy, Lucky, takes the soft comfy bed and leaves the girl, Lisa, to sit in a corner or behind "his" bed. Silly Boy!

In addition to insulating the sink and stove areas, I've even toyed with the idea of making custom drapes to hang from the ceiling down to the floor right at the point where the fridge and the cabinets stop and the open space in the kitchen hall starts. This would keep any other cold in, and could also double to keep the heat in there in the summer. They could pull to the side and be tied back when not in use. Hmmm, maybe, just maybe. I even took out the last of our insulated window fabric to see if there was enough to make insulated curtains without having to buy more material. Just need to measure now. All I gotta say is, this is crazy!

And also say that the insulated curtains are "da bomb" and that's no exaggeration. Our gas bills went down substantially the last 2 years in NM when we had these curtains hanging at all our windows and sliding glass doors. They are pricy, but worth the investment. Look up Warm Window Insulated Shades, or see the link referenced in the previous paragraph.

Okay, 'nuff bitchin' about the coldness. The dang cold weather. And the snow that might happen on Mon or Tues, which would be nice for a short visit, but nicer if the cold were to just go away.

People here lied...they said, "oh, it doesn't get too cold here, not really". I don't know what planet of "here" they were talking about! Dang cold.

Recipe: Banana Nut Bread

Another home staple from my Mom for all of us kids:

Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas*
1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat well.
Stir in mashed bananas and mix well.
Stir in nuts, if you want them.
Sift dry ingredients together and then stir in.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 deg. F.
approx. 40 minutes

Yield: 1 loaf

*Note about bananas: the Best bananas are those that were frozen whole, defrosted, and then mashed. Freeze any bananas that have ripened past their preferred taste and consistency stage. Just put the whole banana in the freezer. Each thawed banana is equivalent to almost 1/2 cup mashed bananas. Thus, for a recipe like here, use 3 average-sized bananas, depending on how small or large they were prior to freezing.

The original recipe called for solid shortening, which I will personally never use again in my baking or cooking. I've been using butter instead for years, and it's great! I also sometimes add in some nutmeg or cinnamon, and perhaps some flavoring like vanilla.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Spice Cake

This is a favorite recipe from my mother:

Spice Cake

Sift and combine together:

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
3/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
3/4 tsp cloves, ground

Add to flour mixture:

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix together separately,
then add to flour/milk mixture:

3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar

Bake in 350 Deg. F. oven
Use floured and lined pan(s)
For oblong pan, bake ~ 35 or 40 minutes
Cupcakes, check at 22-25 minutes

Recipe: Frog's Eye Salad

I am re-vamping my recipe book. It "was" a 3-ring notebook, falling apart at the binding, bulging from too many papers and recipes, crying to be pruned and more effectively used.

SO....I will begin to scan and/or otherwise transform them to my digital world. The goal is to be totally digitized for all paperwork and photos in the next two years. The process began so long ago, it's so time-intensive, but it CAN be done, and all in due time.

For the first: Frog's Eye Salad

I came across this recipe quite by accident years ago, and made it for an office party--it was a hit! The "frog's eye" comes from the cute little pasta balls, acini pepe style. I love trying different pasta recipes, and this one looked interesting. Over time, I can no longer eat anything with pineapples or pineapple juice, so I have to modify this recipe for myself. It's almost like an ambrosia salad, but not layered in a bowl. Enjoy!

FROG'S EYE SALAD

1 1/3 C (8 oz) Ronzoni Acini Pepe-uncooked
2 cans (11 oz ea) mandarin orange segments-undrained
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks-in juice-undrained (Reserve 1/4 C)
1 3/4 C milk
3 1/2 C (8 oz) frozen non-dairy whipped topping-defrosted (reserve 1 1/2 C topping)
1/4 C sugar
1 (3 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding & pie filling
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple-divided
3 C miniature marshmallows
1/2 C flaked coconut
1/2 C maraschino cherries-cut in fourths-use to garnish top of salad (I usually add a lot more cherries into the actual salad. they give it color and are a favorite for many)

Cook pasta according to pkg directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. Drain juice from pineapple chunks, reserving 1/4 cup juice.

In large bowl, add reserved juice, milk, sugar & pudding mix; beat with whisk or electric mixer until well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add pasta to pudding mixture; stir gently. Let stand 10 minutes.

Add crushed pineapple & chunks, oranges, 2 C whipped topping, marshmallows & coconut; mix gently & thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate until cold. Top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with cherries.

Makes 12 servings
(About 1 cup each)

Ennio Marchetto -- will bring a smile to your face!

A friend sent me a YouTube link for a glimpse of this entertainer. I'd never heard of him before, but you just GOTTA go check him out! He is a comedian from Venice, born in 1960, and he does lip synching performances using costumes of paper and/or cardboard, and has about 350 characters in his repetoire now. You can find more info here, or check out his filmography, but see the YouTube video also! I can't decide which song and costume I liked the best...Mona Lisa is fantastic, but then I really like Nancy Sinatra and "These Boots..." Too many to choose from! :)

Animal Communicator

Recently a dear friend told me and others about an animal communicator she has worked with in the past. This woman, Cindy Carmen, put a reading on ebay as an auction, so I bid on it and won.

It was a very interesting and amazing reading, we did it over the phone last Sunday. She asked me to email her a picture of the pet I wanted to discuss with her, her name, and whether she was living or deceased. I chose Maya, our female akita. Many of the things she offered about Maya were right on target and some of the information she shared will come in handy very soon.

Part of her reading shifted from Maya to Maya's environment, and to me, which was okay with me for that session.

The part I wanted to share with all of you today are some clearing and protection exercises she gave to me, some ways to add to the protection of the energy we give out to others, and how others affect our energy and emotions back. I am very empathic, and very sensitive (I used to think this was a problem), which I've known for years, and that just means that I can really feel other people's emotions, to the point that I sometimes cannot control them, particularly when they are sad or crying emotions. She gave me these exercises below, and recommends doing at least one of them both in the mornings and in the evenings before bed. It's along the same lines as meditation, yet another form of meditation and calming the body and mind from the craziness of life.

I realize that some of you may not believe in these things, and that's okay. I do, and I want to share it here for those who also want to try any of them. Maybe only one may appeal to you, maybe none, maybe all. You never know...

* For protection and clearing of etherical cords, call upon St. Michael to use his sword to cut those cords that have been attached throughout the day.

* Imagine yourself showering with a golden or white light of God's love whenever you feel the need to cleanse. You may also do this while showering during the day.

* Place (imagine) a golden, white, or blue bubble around yourself for protection. You may also imagine yourself using a box with mirrors on the outside so that negativity reflects back to the sender and it isn't absorbed by you.

* You can also place a guard of a flower or object that has meaning to you in front of your aura field. This is a type of sentry. The flower can be as huge as you want, but should allow you to see. You can project this from the heart center.

* Say the clearing mantra: "I love you, I am sorry, please forgive me, and thank-you." over and over again to the Divine. This can be said silently. Do this whenever you are dealing with or thinking about someone who is difficult, going thru changes, angry with you, etc.

* Use the Buddhist mantra: "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" for empowerment. This is pronounced, "Nam-me-o-ho-ren-gay-key-o" repeat as necessary daily out loud.

If you try any of these, I'm open to if you ever want to share your experiences, and vice versa.

Yet more steps to peaceful and fulfilled living!

If you want more information about Cindy Carmen, you can find her here!

The Truth About What Is

The truth is many things. To me, it's quite simple. Life is what it is. Any fluff added to hide or manipulate things is just not necessary, and gets in the way of the simplicity of truth. On the other hand, any beauty added for sheer pleasure, well that I like. For, why would something "have" to be ugly or plain?

And so it is another year, and for me, a year dedicated to only truthful relationships. Those that don't fit for me will have to figure it out. Maybe that means that a former relationship will find a way back in, but it will only be on new terms, healthy terms.

Goodbye to all the enabling and dysfunction that somehow tried to define who I was in younger versions of myself. My hope is that it will somehow become a little contagious...imagine a family reunion where everyone was there because they wanted to be, and they didn't have any hard feelings or saved up drama for anyone else! HA! It could happen!

Yet ANOTHER advantage of being in the fo-fo club! Yay to the forties!
I just wish I had my body of 18. Which reminds me, I never did get an answer from Oprah.com on how she magically cured herself of thyroid disease, a disease that is incurable. From the looks of it on her website, she really stirred the pot with that (obviously false or misleading) announcement.

So here's to the year 2009, a dedication to healthy and happy and honest relationships!

Visit to the Pediatrician

The secret to getting a pediatrician in an office where you want, when you are new to town, is to sign up with the general/family practice office first. Do the first appointment, then when you call to reschedule, you ask to be seen in pediatrics.

Of course, we didn't have this problem prior to coming to this new town. In Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, children get to see pediatricians immediately. They are fit into the schedule when there is an urgent visit, or they are scheduled when it's not urgent.

But here...not so easy! Last fall, I had to call almost a dozen doctor's offices, all of them part of a larger network, before I could find an office that would fit our son in. Jeez! The doctor he saw was "okay", meaning she wasn't outright stupid, her studies of the American culture here must not be complete for her mannerisms were not necessarily matched up with family medicine or pediatrics. For example, when I told her that Chris had had a low-grade fever, she said, "how do you know". "Well, I checked him." "What was the temperature?" "I don't know, it was a low-grade temperature." "Then, how do you know it was a fever, how did you check?" "I did the 'kiss test'." You know, where you kiss the forehead with your lips, as the lips are so sensitive, they can tell you immediately if your child has a fever! Well, her response was, "What is a kiss test? So, you didn't use a thermometer?!", at which time she raised her eyebrows and bugged her eyes out and continued with her abrasive mannerisms. Hmmmm....not such a good match with mom's like me! But, then again, she was not a pediatrician, she was a general practice doctor, apparently lacking in the area of being sensitive to children and their mannerisms and needs, or in what parents need when taking care of their children. Putting a parent on the hot seat for no good reason is a very confrontational move on her part, whether she intended on this outcome or not. It did not help that I had to repeat myself for everything I tried to explain to her, and not once, but at least two more times for Everything!

So, yesterday, here we go again! Seriously dreading a re-encounter with this woman, I took a chance and called the pediatrics department to see if they could schedule our son in, and transfer his files from family practice to pediatrics. Bingo! And we were scheduled for a few hours later!

Move ahead to the 12:50 PM appt.

Symptoms: experiencing residuals of a cold, with raspy and heavy coughing in the mornings, but now coupled with repeat occurances of hives each day this week. Unknown source for the hives, but causing a discomfort for the little guy, and making him scratch all over. Have checked home environment for any changes that may have triggered this outbreak, made a few changes, but alas, still have hives. Next step: check with allergist to see what we need to avoid with him. No sense in making him suffer through adolescence and into adult life with something we could address now.

At 5 and a half, he's over 4' tall now, and 57 lbs, and lean as can be (at least he didn't inherit our "fatness"! ha ha!)! We suspect he will make it to 6' tall before long!

First thing he asked the nurse: "Do I need to get a shot today?"
We hadn't planned on any shots, so we both told him, probably not.

They made him get down to his underclothes and put on a paper gown. His first paper gown! He tried it out...didn't like it and took it off after a short time. Then the resident doctor came in and checked him out. At one point, she used the term "butt", which is a trigger word for Chris. Given his repetitive nature, he can say almost anything he wants, but he's not allowed to keep repeating things over and over. "Butt" was one of his words he liked repeating, so now we encourage him to use other words, and for this one, it's "bottom". Well, he also likes to play with words, so he picks up new ones all the time. When this doctor told him something about sitting on his butt, he replied back immediately with, "Awwwww! You Said Butt! A Better word to use would be 'gluteus maximus'!" Wish I had a picture of her expression, because even I didn't expect him to say that, I was prepared for "bottom" and am used to his set of rules he carries with him everywhere. She told him that he must be a smart fellow to use words like that, and he said, "Well, my Papa is smart, he told me." She laughed, and I could tell that, even besides his curly hair that everyone loves so much, she took a genuine liking to him. He also knows that the bottom has three parts, gluteus minimus and gluteus medium, because he plays with Mike and he like to sing the song on the kids' channel, "Everybody has a Butt!" but he changes the words out. At this point, I was almost expecting him to come out with my all-time favorite word: onomatopoeia (a word that imitates the sound(s) it is describing, such as "buzz" or "bang"). We did purposely teach him this one, and I was happy when he learned to say it on his own after awhile, and even happier that he knows what it means. Next: how to spell it! O-no-MA-to-POE-I-A, break it up and it's easier that way!

Later, when the primary doctor came in with the resident, they were asking questions of this new patient of theirs, and the words "excema" and "asthma" came up. Excema being dry skin, asthma being what we all know. Dry skin causing itching, so recommended initial treatment is more lotion on a daily basis, too young to diagnose as asthma. Little ears were all over this! "Excema! Asthma! They sound the same! Are they the same?" "Why? What is excema and asthma?" So the doctor did a quick explanation and showed him pictures.

Then, next the question, "Am I going to get a shot?" At this point, we had discussed the flu shot for him, which he hadn't gotten yet this season. So, we said, just a little one, you won't hardly feel it. Wrong answer! Then came the LOUD crying. Inconsolable! When the nurse came in, we quickly realized she and I couldn't do it alone. In comes another nurse. Still no good. First nurse takes Chris in her lap, wraps her legs around his legs, holds his arms in a lock hold while I help hold his hands and arm. Then goes the shot, which was over quickly, but not before the curdling screams in all of our ears, at close range! One thing for sure: his lungs are healthy!

I tell him when it's over, that we can go get a reward for his bravery, and does he want an ice cream. Of course! But he asks me if it's an award, because you get tropies when you win things. I tell him yes, an award for you being so strong. "But, I cried and screamed because it hurt." So, I told him it was a Major Award! I know, we watched too many re-runs of A Christmas Story this year, but it slipped out. He enjoyed his ice cream, I enjoyed the little joke, and we went back home after dropping of his Rx.

Later, when Mike returned home, first thing he told him was about getting his shot, crying and screaming about it, getting "an award!" for being so brave. Then, he told him, "Well, we talked about excema and asthma at the doctor's office today." Now, that was about 6 hours earlier when we left the office, and we didn't discuss it again after that. Just goes to show, the little guys have Great memories and pickup the darndest things!

Which makes me all the more determined to be extra patient at other times when I think something should be easy for him to grasp and he just can't or won't focus. We can see that he gets it, especially when he is interested or wants something.

One of the secret keys to raising a kid is to find interesting ways to help them learn the important stuff. Some of the techniques we learned as children come back in full force when we are in these situations, but I have found that they are not always the most effective. Sometimes, quite the opposite, and thus forcing me out of my own rules and expectations box, to try other things.

And so, today was a good day, got some answers, hope for future answers, and some unexpected entertainment mixed in. Oh, and a flu shot that was overdue. Best of all, we got moved to a pediatrician, even if it was a round-about way of doing it. (As I shake my head...)