Lots to Celebrate

With three February birthdays and Valentine's Day, our family had a lot to celebrate.
Sara's birthday came first and she celebrated with a trip to Mexico with three girlfriends. Megan and Sara were born in the same hospital room and have been friends since. Megan is an E.R. doctor and has lots of airline and hotel "miles," so she took Sara for her birthday. We had a chance to help out a little with "The Reeders," but Reed is at the age now where he and his Daddy are "buds," and Gary handled most of the parenting without our assistance. Sara's favorite birthday cake is Red Velvet (and it came in the form of cupcakes this year), and she loves Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Actually, it's our family's favorite jello salad, and being red, was perfect for Valentine's Day, too.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Yield: 8 to 10 servings (9" x 13" inch pan)

Ingredients
2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping, if desired.




Jon's birthday was next and he would love to have had the opportunity to make the trek to CA to be there "up close and personal" for the national off-road races he loves so much. Jon has loved "motorized vehicles" since he was old enough to talk, and has made a name for himself as one of their "golden voice" announcers. Instead of the trip, he took one day off work and watched the race from the comfort of his own home. He requested Turtle Brownies instead of birthday cake and took them to work to share with his co-workers and then, later, his family and friends.


Ky's birthday is last, and we're actually celebrating hers a little early. Instead of the usual birthday party, she opted this year to spend the day with her BFF (Best Friend Forever), shopping and having lunch at the Olive Garden, which we will do tomorrow since the public schools are closed for Presidents' Day. I think she's growing up and, in a way, it makes me sad, but I guess we can't keep them little forever.

Judging from what Ky is wearing, one might guess that she's a TWILIGHT and Edward Cullen fan. Do ya think? The sweatshirt was what she wanted for her birthday and I thought I'd have to send it back because it was so large. But, she said she loved her "Edward dress," and it's fine the way it is. Makes it easy on me.
I decided to include the photo of the raspberry lemonade, despite the fact that you really can't tell that the ice cubes are heart-shaped and pink. I had made heart-shaped ice cubes for Ky's birthday party last year, so she wasn't surprised by that, but she asked me why they were pink. I said, "Well, you tell me what tip I taught you about making ice cubes for punch." She thought a second and then said, "Oh yah, you make the ice cubes for the punch out of some of the punch so that when you add them it doesn't water down or dilute the punch." She did remember! And she is growing up.

Everyone in our family LOVES bar-b-que beef brisket, and Steve is our Master of the Big Green Egg. The brisket sandwiches were a hit with our birthday kiddos and our Valentines.



Finally, inasmuch as it's practically a universal declaration that one CANNOT celebrate Valentine's Day without chocolate, I'll share the recipe for the Chocolate Buttermilk Sheet Cake we enjoyed. DISCLAIMER: If you are "dieting" (bannish the word for this holiday!), there is not a single redemptive quality about this decadent cake (unless you believe the old addage, "calories disappear when the food is eaten with friends or family"). I've been making this cake for as long as I can remember and there are dozens and dozens of similar recipes out there, but as you can see, this particular recipe is provided by Ree Drummond (pioneerwoman.com). ENJOY!

Chocolate Sheet Cake
- makes one 18x12-inch cake -

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond.

Ingredients
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
4 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

Icing
1 3/4 sticks butter
4 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir together and set aside.

3. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Mix with a fork and set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the cocoa.

5. Whisk together to combine. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.

6. When the butter is melted, pour the boiling water in the pan. Allow to bubble for a moment, then turn off the heat.

7. Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture.

8. Stir together for a moment to cool the chocolate, then pour in the egg mixture.

9. Stir together until smooth, then pour into an ungreased jelly roll pan (or rimmed baking sheet) and bake for 20 minutes.

10. While the cake is baking make the icing. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. (I just wash out the same one I used for the cake. Makes me feel responsible and productive.)

11. Add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.

12. Add the milk and vanilla.

13. Add the powdered sugar. Stir together.

14. Dump in the chopped pecans and stir until well combined.

15. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, pour the warm icing over the top. You'll want to avoid doing much spreading, so try to distribute it as evenly as possible.


It was fun to celebrate all three of our February birthdays, and oh, how we love our kids and grandkids. But it is Valentine's Day, afterall, so I will close this blog by thanking my hubby--and best friend--for another wonderful year. I love you, Sweetheart!

A New and Healthier You . . . Well, Most of the Time

On Tuesday evening, the women's organization at my church hosted a special evening titled "A New and Healthier You." It was a freezing cold evening (snowy and blowy, with a windchill temp. of 6 degrees!) so I wondered what the turnout would be but about 30 turned out so we had a good group.

A darling young mother of five (Jamie) taught the first class on stretching and strengthening exercises and relaxation. Jamie is a great example of someone who turned her passion into her profession, second of course, to being a mother. She took a yoga class four years ago and loved it so much that she became a pro at it. She now teaches yoga, jazzercise, pilates and more, and has been able to greatly supplement their family's income by so doing.

Following Jamie's great instruction, we had healthy refreshments. Amber is our "food coordinator," and you can trust anything she touches to be both beautiful and delicious. She made the darling, smiley-faced melon with the wild "fruit kabob hairdo." I took shrimp and some veggies with a dip I concocted using low-fat cottage cheese and non-fat plain yogurt, blended smooth in my Magic Bullet, and seasoned with dry Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning. The gals seemed to like it. There were a number of other yummy offerings and I don't think anyone missed the extra calories.


The second class was taught by Gaylynn and she made me proud. I say that because a number of years ago she and her husband transferred to MO from UT. She had been pursing a B.S. degree at the University of Utah in exercise physiology. Missouri State did not offer that degree, although we offered coursework to support it. She came to me to see about an Individualized Major (a program I coordinated prior to retirement). She got her Individualized Major, then a Master's degree. She is now the Wellness Coordinator for one of the two large hospital systems here. She also teaches at MSU. She is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. She taught us how to set (and reach) realistic goals, and provided great answers to a number of questions from the audience.

It was a great evening with lots of good information.

Life is life, though, right, and sometimes ya just gotta celebrate. I mean, when your 90-year-old friend looks at the menu and asks, "What is fried ice cream?" and admits she's never tried it, and a second friend says she hasn't either, isn't it sortof in the job description of the remaining two of you (who, by the way, HAVE had it and loved it) to make sure they don't leave this life without adding that experience to their culinary repertoire??!!!! Well, yah! :)

You can see from the picture that we all partook of this not-so-healthy, but very fun dessert, at the Mexican restaurant we ate at on the way home from our trip to the St. Louis Temple today.

We had so much fun and such an uplifting day. I'll just close this entry by saying, "Oh how I love my SISTERS, both biological and "adopted."

My Take on "Afternoon Delight"

If you are someone who neither loves the smell of bread fresh from the oven, nor drools over it when it's warm, slathered with butter and maybe some homemade strawberry jam, you will not appreciate this blog. But, as for me, and my family--well, you can blame my Mother. I was raised on homemade bread.

Actually, it was Daddy who was first raised on homemade bread, and having little desire to switch the store-bought, "white fluffy stuff," he took pride in taking credit for teaching Mother to bake bread. Well, she was a star pupil! She raised our family on it. And, my sister Donna took a precious video of Mother baking her last batch just two days before she died. Mother literally rose from her sick bed, announced that she wanted to bake bread, and asked to be transported to the kitchen in her wheelchair. Ingredients were placed on the table before her and she proceeded to mix her bread and knead it in a large, stainless steel bowl on her lap. My son Jon and I were in WY at the time and were blessed to be participants in that experience. It will be forever etched in our memories.

At the end of 2009, I purchased a Nutri-Mill (grinder, for anyone who might not be familiar). I opted for an electric one. With travel and the bustle of the holidays, I had not had a chance to even open the box, and I decided it was high time I tried it out. Fortuitously, I received an email last week from a friend through whom I order the steel-cut oats we love (mixed with Canada's Red River Cereal) for breakfast. Lynn was hosting a bread-making demonstration. I decided that was just the shot in the arm I needed to get going, so off I went. I have baked bread on many occasions and for many years; I had yet to grind my own wheat. I came home armed with confidence and eager to give it a try. Alas, with a weekend full of Reed's basketball games and other kiddo-commitments, the bread-baking got put on the back burner. But, yesterday afternoon the time was right!

I unpacked my Nutri-Mill, acquainted myself with the machine, gathered my ingredients, and went to town. I don't have a Bosch (like Lynn and other members of my family use) but my professional-grade Kitchen Aid mixer has a dough hook and plenty of power to accommodate a two-loaf batch (she didn't even break a sweat so I don't think I'll burn her up any time soon).

Mid-afternoon, I took the loaves from the oven and, while the bread was still warm (of course!), I sliced three slices and headed downstairs to share the treat with my hubby (he LOVES homemade bread). He liked my version of "Afternoon delight." :)
.

I commented to him that I thought I might start saving for a Bosch, and maybe buy one by the end of the year. Not only would it allow me to make 4 loaves at a time (enough to share with the kids) but I would likely get the food processor attachment inasmuch as the food processor I'd used for years died a few months ago. Steve's comment was that if I continued to bake homemade bread, he just might need to buy me one for Christmas. Hmmmmmmmmm..... Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Often when Mother baked bread, she would save some of the dough to make hot scones when we got home from school. Hot scones with butter and honey are one of the best DESSERTS ever! We always felt well cared for and loved when Mother baked bread for us. Our grandchildren are eager participants when it comes to sampling homemade goodies, as well. And it makes me feel good when I know that bread made from wholewheat flour is so healthy for them. Ky wanted to test it out with a piece of toast with her breakfast, and happily gave her stamp of approval to use Nana's bread for her sandwich in today's lunch. (Paula has to be at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. and Jon to work a little before 7 a.m., so Jon drop Ky off each morning at 6:40. She has breakfast with Nana and Papa, gets ready, and practices her piano. We have scriptures and prayer together and one of us takes her to school. Jon pays me her lunch money--that I use for an allowance for Ky--then I make her a lunch for school which is far healthier than the school lunches they serve.)

I think the bread was an all-around hit. Mother--and Daddy, too--would be so proud.

NOTE: Due to my own experience, and because some other member of my family (or yours) might have a similar situation, I want to add a note about allergies. Although I grew on my Mother's bread (mostly white when we were younger), as an adult, I could not eat Mother's bread without getting a severe migraine within half an hour of consumption. It was so good that I was a slow learner, but after 4 tries and 4 migraines, I declared, "I may be a SLOW learner, but I'm not a NO learner," and I gave up trying it again. Thanks to my sister Lynda, who thankfully loves me enough to do some detective work and figure it all out, we learned that the difference in the bread Mother was baking (at least in recent years) and the baked goods I make without problems is the yeast. Mother used SAF and I am allergic to it, I've learned. As long as I use Fleischmann's or Red Star, I have no problems. I'm so glad Lynda figured that out. (And, I might add, she baked with yeast I could have when we were in WY together. I hope she knows how much I appreciated both that and her figuring out what the problem was.) So, if you have trouble tolerating a particular kind of bread, you might consider what it is that you could be allergic to.
Two of our eager bread samplers, of course, are Reed and Ky. The picture of rosey-cheeked Reed was taken immediately following his second basketball game on Saturday. The picture of Reed and Ky was taken after the games when we took them to
eat. It's not the best picture of Ky but I included it because it reminded me that she loved the new top I got for her on Friday so much that she "begged" to wear it on Saturday. Why not? And the black hat she's wearing is one she bought recently with a little spending money she earned for getting such a great report card. Way to go, Princess! Like I've said before, "We're not proud or anything." :)

From Daylight to Date Night, Fun, Fun, FUN!

On more than one occasion,I've been accused of being both "determined" and "resourceful." Perhaps last Friday I was both. I was, in short, a "woman on a mission" and was not to be easily deterred.

I think it was in November that I found some microfiber dish clothes which turned out to be my favorite of any I've ever tried (and let's face it; if we cook--and I do--we do LOTS of dishes). I loved them so much that I shared them with several of my favorite people, namely my sisters and a couple of friends. All of them seemed to want "More, please, and we'll pay for them."

I've tried for three months to get more but to no avail. I bought them at T J Maxx (a store that proudly advertises, "never the same shopping experience twice"). That's because they don't order their merchandise; rather, it is shipped to them from a massive "warehouse in the sky" (my words, not their's), and they never know what they will receive from one shipment to another. I think Thursday afternoon was my fifth trip across town to T J Maxx since November, for the express purpose of buying more of the dish clothes for these favorite women in my life. Alas, they still didn't have them. I decided to talk with management and determine whether I could order them or talk to someone who have enough pull to try and get some more sent to the store. They reiterated the fact that they have no control over merchandise received but asked if I would be willing to drive to Joplin (70 miles) or Branson (40 miles) if either store had them (they would call and check for me). I said I would be willing to drive to Branson (love that drive and most any excuse to go is acceptable).

Long story shorter, Branson said they had them. I said, "Please hold them! I can't come this afternoon (I had an appointment) but I'll drive down in the morning and get them." Well, Friday morning it was snowing, and rain and/or snow were forecast for most of the day. The temperatures were in the high 30s so the roads were wet but not slick. I would normally have called a girlfriend or two to go with me, but I was afraid that delaying might mean winding up in Branson facing slick roads on my return trip. I decided to head out on my own.

I did, in fact, find my coveted dish clothes (and they also had dish towels in the same microfiber; the colors were not ideal but, hey, I was thrilled with them in any color at this point). I bought so many that all the clerks were curious. I should have received a commission because I think I convinced all of them to buy some themselves!

I found a few more bargains, including a darling top for Miss Ky (that, thankfully, she also loved) for $7.50 and Gold Toe tennis socks that I'd been hunting for a while. Don't you love it when that happens?!!

Now for the fun part. The temperature stayed above freezing and the roads were fine. In fact, after a while it cleared, and I decided to visit a couple of favorite haunts when I got back to Ozark (about 10 miles south of here). It was past lunchtime and I was hungry so I decided to get a bite to eat at the Riverwalk Jazz Cafe. Some yummy Chicken Salad and a cup of Tomato Basil Soup later, I headed next door to The Persimmon Tree.

I've always counted on it for a healthy dose of eye candy, and I've yet to be let down. They had a wonderful display of old-fashioned, popout Valentine's cards. I would love to have photographed them but supposed that might not be appreciated so I restrained myself. They had a display of handcrafted albums, from Valentine greetings to Recipe albums to wonderful Journals---hmmmmmm--gave me lots of great ideas.
A couple more miles closer to home and I decided to check out a new store I'd seen advertised but had not visited (my friend "Garage Sale Susan" confirmed it was someplace I'd want to visit). Susan was right! Oh my! I was running out of time by now and it's probably a good thing because they already had wonderful prices on designer overstock items, and they were having a huge sale (50% off the discounted prices on shoes and handbags). I decided to buy myself a Valentine's present and treated myself to a new pair of red boots and a matching designer bag (only $12.50 each!!!!). Don't you love them?!!!! It's simply so much more satisfying to buy something you love when you truly get a bargain for it. The only way I'd have paid less is at a garage sale, and Susan has earned the distinction of being the garage sale pro (she finds designer clothes and accessories with the price tags still on them at garage sales for $2-$3!!).

I thoroughly enjoyed my "solitary outing" but it was time to head home because Friday night is our Date Night and we had plans for dinner and a movie. We went to Millwood (the golf and racquet club where Steve--and Gary--play golf whenever the weather permits) for dinner. Steve had recently framed a plate as a favor to Gary, and paid for by Gary and several of his friends who belong to Millwood. The plate was in honor of one of their friends who recently died. The friend had hit a "hole-in-one" just before he died, so the plate included the flag, golf ball, score card and pencil, etc. It is hanging at Millwood at the present time but will be given to the friend's son after a while.

Following dinner, we went to see AVITAR. WOW! If you've seen it, you know what I mean. If not, well, it's hard to describe. It's a far cry from the 3-D movies we saw as kids (I saw maybe one that I can remember with the little red and green thin plastic glasses). I spent the entire movie asking myself, "How in the world did they film that?" Like everything from electricity to computers--how it/they actually work, I mean), it's beyond me! A date with my hubby was the perfect ending to a very fun day.

I LOVE PEOPLE, but once and a while, it's fun to spend a little time by one's self, with lots of time to just think or sing along with the radio, or whatever. I highly recommend it.

The End of the "Birthday Season"

I come from a very large family, so when birthdays come around, birthday greetings may start coming in a day or even a few before the actual birthday, and may extend for several days beyond. Frankly, I like extending one's birthday celebration for as long as possible, and have always said, "Never mind shooting for the actual day; any time in the 'birthday season' will be great."

This year our family has had even more than the usual number of things going on it seems, so when my birthday rolled around earlier in January, there simply wasn't a time when all of us were available to celebrate. Jon and Paula and the girls came one evening, bearing roses and tulips and cards, and we had a great visit. But Gary and Sara and Reed were not available to join us then. Each weekend since, one family was available but not the other, until this Sunday. The kids announced that they would be bringing dinner and we would, finally, celebrate Mom's/Nana's birthday."

So, last evening, they came and brought a yummy spaghetti dinner AND my birthday cake. I really had to laugh, and will smile for some time in the future, every time I think about it. Sara went to the supermarket to buy a birthday cake. Reed went with her and really, REALLY wanted to pick out "Nina's" birthday cake. (Reed has always called me Nina, despite the girls calling me "Nana;" hey, that works for me!) Sara finally agreed and Reed picked out my cake.

When they arrived, Reed came through the front doors, carrying the cake himself, and beaming ear to ear. I got so tickled at the cake he chose and thought his Nina would LOVE. And, of course, I did! Don't you?
I love Monday evenings because I pick him up from school and his Papa and I get him through dinner. That gives us plenty of time to practice our skills at playing Old Maid, War, Crazy Eights, Dominoes, Chinese Checkers, Wii, and a growing repertoire of activities. He always wants to top the evening off with an ice cream cone and is much fonder of ice cream than any cake. As for me, well, more even than the Cookie Monster cake, I just love this adorable, blue-eyed boy.

Knowing that I will grow old, and likely "laughable," whilst my grandchildren are still young and mentally alert enough to cause me great embarrassment, should they choose to do so, I really should be guarded in what I say. But, throwing caution to the wind, I simply must share on my blog something that Reed said that is too cute (and innocent) to go unmentioned.

We all know how children can pick up sayings at school that aren't necessarily what we most like for them to be saying. Reed had heard the kids refer to their hind ends as their "butt." Gary and Sara had been encouraging him to use milder language such as "behind" or "buns." Reed promised to try to remember to use these preferred terms.

I think it was following an ice storm, when the kids had been sledding (although I seem to be somewhat fuzzy on that detail), but Reed came in and told his parents in all seriousness that he'd had an accident and his "breads" hurt. Of course, we simply couldn't let that go, so as the evening wore on, several mentions were made of "the Jensen men and their great 'breads'."

A yummy dinner and an evening with the family--what a perfect ending to my 2010 "Birthday Season."

One More Time . . .

Okay, okay, it's probably "enough already," but I woke up this morning thinking about Steinbeck's book OF MICE AND MEN, and got to wondering what connection it might have to the "best laid plans of mice and men" quote by Burns. I continue to be amazed by the wonderful resources the internet places at our disposal, and when I Googled it, lo and behold, this is what I found:

"Of Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression in California.
Based on Steinbeck's own experiences as a bindlestiff in the 1920s (before the arrival of the Okies he would vividly describe in The Grapes of Wrath), the title is taken from Robert Burns's poem, To a Mouse, which read: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men . . . ."

I am a real genealogy buff, so I'm a huge fan of the internet for the doors it opens to those of us searching for relatives, both living and dead. But, in addition to that, there's simply little that one cannot find there. When I was in WY in December, spending a couple of weeks with Daddy, there were at least two occasions when he asked me a question about something neither of us could remember (I can't now recall the particulars). In both instances, I said, "I'll be right back." I went to Mother's computer (although she's no longer with us, I still call it that because it was Mother who used it and not Daddy) and returned shortly with the answers we were seeking. Dad just looked at me and shook his head. "You can find ALL THAT on the computer?" I said, "Oh yes, and lots more. In fact, there's little one can't find on there."

I love many old-fashioned things and ways, but I must say I'm extremely thankful for modern technology, as well.

With that said, I'll sign off for now and head to our grandson's basketball game. Perhaps more about that later. Have a great day and stay safe and warm!

"The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men . . ."

I sat down at my computer a few moments ago to add an addendum to my "Feed My Sheep" blog, lest I leave any readership with the false impression that I did, indeed, feed the missionaries evening before last (as was my intention, no doubt!).

The thought that came to my mind as I searched for a title to this blog entry was "The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men." Rather than simply type it in as today's blog entry title, it occurred to me to Google it to learn to whom the quote should be attributed. Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was none other than the Scottish bard Robert Burns, himself! And with this quote pertaining to my failed "Burns Night Supper," I could not help but laugh. What a coincidence!

My research revealed that the quote did, indeed, come from Burns, who used to be a farmer. The poem from which the quote comes was written after Burns ploughed through a mouse's nest out in the winter fields. I guess even mice can prepare for everything but the unexpected. Source: To a Mouse, November 1785

At Book Club last evening, my friend Eden remarked that she had read my blog about feeding the missionaries and the resultant fiasco. I told her that I had typed up that blog while I was waiting for the missionaries to call and let me know they had returned so I could deliver the food to them (for the second time).

Well, it turns out that with all that was involved in the transfer, they were not able to return before 10pm, and dinner didn't work out afterall. I did not mind the inconvenience; I did worry that they went without dinner. I know we can skip a meal, and sometimes it's even good for us, but still . . . I kept thinking, "It could be my son, or yours." Afterall, my sister and her husband are serving a mission right now, and . . . My mind wandered and then I reminded myself that my sister is a great cook, and is always sharing her food with everyone within delivering distance! On the other hand, my cousin is serving a mission in Mozambique, and Jake and his companions usually rely on the members to share meals with them.

The bottom line is, I certainly don't plan to stop feeding the missionaries; further, I hope to continue to try to serve their favorites. But, I hope next time not to "plough through the mouses' nest!"

So, what does one do when one has prepared enough taco meat, fresh chopped tomatoes, avacado, etc. to feed four hungry missionaries? It sounded to me like Taco Soup. So, I used half of the taco meat for a pot of Taco Soup (I froze the other half); made some cheese Quesadillas, and we had a hearty meal on a cold winter day during which we were blanketed with beautiful, white snow! The Ozarks feel a lot more like my home state of WY tonight!