Bookends

What lies between can often

 be quite revealing.

Click on photo for closer look.

Unordered diversity.

I am thankful to have bookends.

Not So Skinny Dips

At the risk of sounding boring, I am willingly admitting to not having plans for New Year's Eve. I prefer to spend the evening at home. If I can work in a game or two of Scrabble during the evening, consider me contented.

If I were entertaining, there are a couple tasty dishes that would certainly be on the menu. I would like to share them with you. I guarantee (kinda, sorta) that they'll be a hit at your party. There's guacamole dip and then there's SUPER BOWL OF GUACAMOLE. I've found none better. The following recipe for shrimp dip became a favorite many years ago when it was served at a party my husband's parents attended. It is especially good on Breton sesame crackers.

When I revisited this post I realized that my graphic
was a lobster rather than a shrimp. Hummmm.. or is
it? Where are the claws? What is this thing!?!

Shrimp Dip

1 can tomato soup
2 envelopes KNOX gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1-1/2 cups Miracle Whip
2 packages cream cheese
   (1 large and 1 small)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small onion, finely diced
3/4 cup green pepper, finely
    diced
1-3/4 cups celery, finely diced
2 small cans shrimp, diced

Warm tomato soup. Mix gelatin and water together and add to soup. Add remaining ingredients to soup mixture. Mix well with electric mixer. Refrigerate overnight.

And for New Year's Day. . . have you ever considered a pot of bean soup with cornbread? Neither had I until we received a gift that included a packet of beans and a recipe for French Market Soup. Delicious! I think you'll agree.

French Market Soup

2 cups dried beans (The pre-packaged kind

with several different varieties in it.)

2 quarts water

1 large ham hock

1-16 ounce can whole tomatoes,
undrained and coarsely chopped

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 chili pepper, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Wash beans and place in a 4 quart pan. Cover with water 2 inches above beans. Let soak for 8 hours. Drain beans and return to pan. Add 2 quarts water and ham hock.  Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove ham hock and let cool slightly. Remove meat from hock, chop and add to soup. Mix in salt and pepper.
Yield: 3 quarts

Note: To speed soaking time, bring 2 quarts of water to boil. Add the beans and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain and proceed as directed.

Lights Fantastical

This view of the Madison skyline can be seen from Olin Park, where the Holiday Fantasy in Lights is an annual event. My husband and I drove 6 year old granddaughter Samantha through the display last night. When we declined the offer of candy canes at the end of the ride, she said, "But I wanted one!" The reason for the lack of consideration: We were told earlier in the day that she was a candy cane "muncher" who eradicates them in mere seconds. Her mom said watching her eat them made her own teeth hurt.

Photo from Holiday Fantasy in Lights Facebook page.

One of the displays at the 2011 Holiday Fantasy of Lights. The snowman appears to be in motion as he breaths in deeply and exhales snow.

hoLiDaY GReeTinGs

Best wishes to all. . .

Life's Little Sparks

Samantha loves dogs and cats. She is shown here with her dog, Buddy.

Joy and laughter. They make the days worthwhile. If I can experience either on a regular basis, I feel incredibly blessed.

The little things in life are usually the spark. This photo of granddaughter Samantha with Buddy the dog is one such example. A source of joy for certain. If a title were needed for this photo, I would call it Exposed—for obvious reasons.

Life has taught me that there is less emotional suffering if one can manage to laugh at oneself.

This lesson was quite meaningful yesterday afternoon when I discovered that I inadvertently used the men's bathroom at a department store in the mall. I realized it once I emerged from the bathroom stall. One quick glance told me that I was no longer alone. My exit was swift and done with great precision.

Why the strange behavior? Chalk it up to shopper fatigue. I'm grateful to be spending the next few days at home where I can enjoy the simpler side of Christmas.

Amazing Grace

Before the day is in full swing, I'd like to take a few moments to share a link, Dogs Saying Grace, which was sent to me earlier in the week. I am amazed that dogs have this degree of discipline. I have similar sentiments when it comes to their owners. They did train them after all.

I love what our pets teach us about ourselves.

Happy Holidays!

Atop Grandma's Refrigerator

 The pecan topped cookies shown here was a favorite of my husband's grandmother. She often served them when my family and I went to visit her; as well as her famous chocolate cake with homemade fudge frosting. We always knew there was a treat in store whenever we saw Grandma's rectangular cake pan setting on top of the refrigerator.

This oatmeal cookie recipe is a family favorite because it is not as sweet as other homemade cookies. It is easy and makes a small batch.

Self-Frosting

Oatmeal Cookies

1-1/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soft shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups quick oatmeal

4 plain Hershey bars

Pecan halves

Sift flour, soda, and salt into bowl. Add shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth (approximately 2 minutes). Blend in oatmeal. (Dough will be stiff.)

Shape dough into small balls and place two inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten each with the bottom of a glass covered with wax paper. (Grandma preferred to spoon the dough onto the cookie sheet and leave them au naturale. I use the heel of my hand to flatten them slightly.) Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

After removing the cookies from the oven, immediately place a small square of Hershey's chocolate on each. Then remove cookies from baking sheet and press a half of a pecan into the melted chocolate.
Makes 3-1/2 dozen.

My Homemade Caramels were a hit. If you make these delectable dandies, I'd like to offer you the following tips:
• When choosing a pan, allow space for boiling. (I used a 3 quart pan and I had some concern that it was going to boil over.)
• Prepare yourself for a lot of stirring because it takes a while to get the mix up the 240 degree temperature. (It's worth the time though.)
• Purchase precut wrappers if possible. I cut individual 4" X 4" parchment wrappers using a paper trimmer. You will need a lot of them.

I used a knife similar to this with an 8" long
blade to cut the caramels into squares. 

• When it comes to cutting the caramels into pieces, I found that a large chef's knife was the best way to get a precise cut. I scored or imprinted the location of my cut and then kind of rocked the knife forward and back from the tip to the handle placing light pressure on the middle of the knife blade with my hand. (The sharp side was obviously down—no blood drawn that day.) I cut one row at a time, wrapping them as I went.

Sweet Treats

Chocolate chips, pecans, brown sugar, and butter—lots of butter! The cookies I baked today were loaded with these and other forbidden ingredients. I also made Homemade Caramels (see photo below) for the first time. Sinfully delicious!

The hours spent in the kitchen today stressed my need to limit time there. :-)

A few of the ingredients and my little helper. The under cabinet light in this work area
recently quit working and Frosty added a little extra brightness—all 7 watts of him.

"What Is Love?"

Jessie, the clothing designer of the family, was six years old in this photo. I love the
bedraggled appearance of the snowman, especially his mouth made of yarn.

I've been looking for a reason to use one of my favorite photos (shown above). And, just like magic, one showed up in my mailbox this morning.

This "forwarded" email arrived without specific information about where it originated. Under normal circumstances I would not reproduce an article without knowing where it came from or who produced it but I'm making an exception with this one. (I did some minor editing and I eliminated the final paragraph which asked that you forward the email to others.) 

What Love means to a 4-8 year old.

Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. 

Touching words from the mouth of babes. 

A group of professionals posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds:

"What does love mean?"

The answers they got were broader and deeper

than anyone could have imagined.

See what you think.

When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.

Rebecca- age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.

Billy - age 4

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.

Karl - age 5

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.

Chrissy - age 6

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.

Terri - age 4

Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.

Danny - age 7

Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.

Emily - age 8

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.

Bobby - age 7 

If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.

Nikka - age 6 

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.

Noelle - age 7

Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.

Tommy - age 6

During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.

Cindy - age 8

My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.

Clare - age 6

Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.

Elaine-age 5

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.

Chris - age 7

Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.

Mary Ann - age 4

I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.

Lauren - age 4

When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you. 

Karen - age 7

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.

Mark - age 6

You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.

Jessica - age 8

And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard , climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

A Christmas Carol & The Spirit of a Famished Child

The Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison.

 A wonderful actor by the name of James Ridge played Ebenezer Scrooge in a Children's Theater of Madison (CTW) production of A Christmas Carol at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison last night. Both the play and Mr. Ridge were fantastic. It's an inspirational way to spend the holiday season. 

I attended the performance with my granddaughters, Elyse and Samantha, daughter, Stephanie, son-in-law, Eric, and his mother, Marie.

An amazing thing happened during the performance. Samantha experienced a growth spurt during the play. At least that's one explanation for her excessive hunger. (I believe the knowledge that her Mom had candy in her purse may also have been a contributing factor.)  A refrain heard throughout a large part of the presentation was: "I'm hungry."

But, in Samantha's defense, she is only six and the play is for children eight and older. A few pieces of candy, and one of my healthy snack bars, helped; as well as the arrival of the third ghost, The Spirit of Things to Come. The scary apparition held both girl's attention as they clung to their parents. (I swallowed hard a couple times myself.) Scary fellow—that ghost.

It has been some time since I've seen the play. Now that I have, I feel inspired to see the Nutcracker ballet later this month. The effort and expense would be worthwhile for the opportunity to experience The Overture Center during the holiday season once again.

Up On The Rooftop

"He had a broad face and a round little belly, that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly."

My dad looked the part when he donned his santa suit and posed in front of our tree on the Christmas Eve of 1956.

I don't recall this particular moment in time but I do remember Mom telling my siblings and I that Santa was coming and that if we were quiet we would be able to hear him on the rooftop. Sure enough, we heard thumping noises overhead. Whether the noises emanated from the roof or attic, I'm not sure, but who cares when you're five. Some years later, we discovered Dad's santa suit stashed in the upper cabinet in the bathroom.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Bags of nuts, candied cherries, chocolate chips and numerous other ingredients have yet to make it out of the grocery bags they were brought home in. I never quite have the space to store all of the extra ingredients needed for Christmas cookie baking, which is next weeks project. Yes, I will be baking up a storm as Mom used to say. Then the task at hand will be to rid the house of every last bit of the holiday goodies as quickly as possible. You will most likely understand my motivation.

This year I will be making Homemade Caramels. A recipe I found at a website called Modern Stead . Take a look and you'll understand why I've added them to my list of treats to make. And while I'm at it I'd also like to direct you to the recipe that I will be making for dinner on Sunday, Lemon and Basil Roasted Chicken. It looks fantastic. A side dish that I've made several times is (S)mashed Potatoes, also found at the Modern Stead website. It's a tasty alternative to traditional baked or mashed potatoes.

Last but not least, I'd like to share one of my best cookie recipes. It is The Cookie of All Cookies. They may look typical but based on the response of those who have tried them, they are not your standard chocolate chip cookie. But you be the judge. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

P.S. A few additional revisions have been made to my Magic In The Silence poem. Peek away. . .

Puppy Power

Okay, sometimes I cheat. This photo is not my own. These two adorable little pups are on the cover of the latest LLBean catalog. Although seeing them in print isn't quite the same as having one curled up in your lap, their open-mouthed smiles have definitely started the day off right. Oh my gosh! Love 'em.

Cool Weather Comfort

Twenty degree weather has prompted me to make heartier meals. This recipe fills the bill. It's hearty, delicious, and extremely simple to make. Add a salad and cornbread and you've got a great meal. It's even better the next day. 

Calico Bean Casserole

1 pound ground beef

2-4 slices bacon (optional)

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 cup catsup

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

2 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 can kidney beans

1 can butter beans

1 can pork and beans

Brown ground beef, bacon, and onion. Drain and mix in catsup, salt, mustard, vinegar, and brown sugar. Stir in kidney beans, butter beans, and pork and beans. (I used standard size cans of each.) Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Note: I included the bacon and probably will next time I make this. It adds a wonderful smokey flavor to the dish. This is obviously not for calorie counters like myself but I believe tasting is allowed.  

The Most Magnificent Sounds

There's Magic In

The Silence

Perched on the floor next to me 
are three bright-eyed little girls.
Their chins rest upon their hands, 
their elbows upon their knees.


Their day was filled with laughter, 
good friends, and gifts galore.
"Now," I say,"turn down the lights.”
“It's time to take it slower." 


As the sun sets in the west 
and the snow begins to swirl, 
it seems the Christmas lights 
shine even brighter than before.


There is a sense of peace 
in the freshly fallen snow but
as I peer out the window I hear, 
"I thought there would be more."


"Please be quiet and listen 
to the stillness all around.
There's magic in the silence. . .
speak less and it will be found."


As I threw open the window I said, 
"Come closer. . . grab a blanket or two."
Then we huddled on the floor as the
snowflakes came tumbling through.


"Did you see that shooting star
in the distant northern sky and
hear the swooshing sound it made
as it quickly passed on by?"


"And do you hear the crunching
as a grey fox makes its way
along the path by the pines
near that place you like to play?"

 "I believe I hear a heartbeat.
Do you think that could be so?
It reminds me of the love I feel. . .
is that an icicle on your nose!?!"


“You may not hear each snowflake
as it tumbles to the ground,
but if you are quiet, you will hear
the most magnificent sounds.”


“Learn to listen patiently 
and you will come to see
that the world is full of wonder
—and the best of it is free.”         

Right Brainer

What would you say if I told you that I cyber shop to preserve my Christmas spirit?

Have you noticed that things are a little crazy out there in Shoppersville? Especially right now. For this peace loving country dweller, traditional shopping can be a bit overwhelming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it—sometimes—but I require a bit more breathing space than most. Nothin' wrong with that I'd say.

Here are a few items that caught my eye while I shopped the internet on my laptop this morning. Although their practicality is under question, I genuinely love all of them. Practicality is overrated anyway.

Aren't these luscious? Whether I would actually light them. . . not so sure. 

Available at Anthropologie.

Again, I'm not sold on their practicality but I like them despite the fact.
Available at Anthropologie.

These buri ornaments can be purchased through Barnes and Noble's website. They are made by Kurt S. Adler, who runs a family-owned business. I purchased the the animal ornaments last year and found them to be so adorable that I ordered the birds this season. I saw similar versions at Pottery Barn last year. 

Hidey Ho Ho Ho

FYI: I'm puttin' on my Santa hat today. . .

I'm stuffing my coat pockets and purse with goodies—nuts, candy, an apple and orange, and assorted small gifts—and then driving to my mother's house with my husband. (She lives over an hour away.) And, in the sneakiest, most conniving manner I can conjure up, I plan to empty the contents into the decorative Christmas stocking that Mom has hanging on the wall.

I wonder how many casual unobtrusive passes along that wall—on the way to the bathroom perhaps—will I need to make to complete the job.

My heart will likely be beating a mile a minute and my breathing will become shallow as I go about my Secret Santa duties. The goal, after all, is that I not be discovered. It's worked in the past. It has taken her days to notice the expanded girth of the stocking. We'll see if it works today.

P.S. I hope that she has her stocking in place, and that her intuition is suppressed by the cool rainy weather we're having today. Wish me luck.

Gluttie Juttie

Other than an occasional mention of gluten, I have not written a lot about the eating plan (I prefer that term over diet.) that I started earlier this year. Recently anyway. I lost over thirty pounds by eating mediterranean-style: whole grains; healthy fats; lean protein; lots of fruit and vegetables, etc.

A simple approach to losing weight was an absolute necessity for me since time in the kitchen isn't necessarily my ideal of fun (I lived that life when raising a family.) Things got a little complicated with the diet when I discovered I was gluten-sensitive—especially since whole wheat was a a staple on the plan. But I found plenty of substitutes that allowed me to continue eating healthy—even healthier.

One of my favorite GF meals is Walnut Apple Waffle, which is simply: two whole-grain waffles (Van's gluten-free); a chopped medium apple; two tablespoons walnuts; one teaspoon agave nectar. Easy and quick!

Since I use gluten-free waffles, I eat one and a half rather than two waffles (GF frozen waffles have more calories.) to keep the total calories for the meal to around four 400. Each of the four meals I have throughout the day have around the same number of calories. One of the best deterrence to overeating is not allowing yourself to get too hungry. I'm very conscious of this fact. And when I do eat, I try to make wise food choices and consider the total number of calories.

So far, so good. Now to lose the other twenty five pounds.

Fruitier, Chewier, Nuttier

Is it normal to be this excited about winning something? In this case, a box of KIND bars.

I was one of five winners chosen earlier this week when KIND asked people to write a short poem about kindness and then post it on KIND's Facebook page. Apparently I'm not the only one who is inspired by the thought of winning something—anything! because there were quite a few entries.

Before you go thinking I'm another Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, I should share my little poem about kindness with you:

                                                     Maybe if we took more time

                                                     to give to others—to just be kind,

                                                     this world would be a better place;

                                                     a fruitier, chewier, nuttier, healthier 

                                                     —but funnier, KINDer space.

A final thought: If you haven't tried these bars, I recommend you do. They are a real treat. Earlier this year I discovered that I could no longer eat foods that contained gluten. KIND bars made the transition to GF foods much easier. The company culture is also quite inspirational.