For those stuck in the East Coast Blizzard of 2009, a little blizzard story from our family lexicon.
In 1978, southern Indiana was struck with a blizzard folks around here still recall. My inlaws owned a restaurant in a tiny town and lived in an apartment behind it. They didn't plan on serving dinner during the storm since area roads were all closed. However, they awoke each morning, put on a pot of coffee, unlocked the doors, and welcomed neighbors stopping for their morning mail at the next-door post office. Folks came by on foot or on snowmobiles and stopped to thaw out and visit awhile. The storm raged for a couple of days and the cleanup spanned a couple more days. On the fourth day, a man drove up in his snowmobile and came inside. "Mick, have you got anything cooked I could take home to my grandkids? They are so hungry they're gonna start eating the wallpaper paste off the walls!" My late father-in-law (God rest his soul) thought a minute and asked my mother-in-law if she could fry hamburgers for the man. She took a dozen burger patties out of the freezer, found a frozen package of buns and fixed the sandwiches.
I've heard this story many times over the twenty-two years I've been part of the family. A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law entered a nursing home. The second day she was there, a physical therapist stopped by to discuss her therapy plan. He introduced himself and said, "you don't know me, but I remember you. I am one of the kids who ate those hamburgers you sent home with my grandpa during the blizzard of 1978."
My mother-in-law tears up each time she recounts the story.
We never know the little kindnesses we do that others will remember.
Enjoy the blizzard of 2009. I, for one, am so glad my New York son arrived home yesterday, before the storm hit.
Blessings,
Sandy
Saturday, December 19, 2009
St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
My brother Gary brought home this recipe over 30 years ago. I remember making it a couple of times, deciding it was wayyy too rich and filing the recipe away in my recipe box.
Lately, I've seen at least three references to Gooey Butter Cake in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Apparently, the culinary confection is a St. Louis creation and favorite. Who knew?
I need to buy a package of cream cheese to make this cake today. It is very easy, and did I say veryyyy rich?
Gooey Butter Cake
A. 1 package yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
B. 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 pound powdered sugar (3 1/2 cups)
Mix A ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Pat into 9x13 cake pan. Mix B ingredients together in mixer until fluffy. Spread on top of A mixture in cake pan.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (top should be brown around the edges. The center will be gooey but should be fairly set). Cool in pan for an hour. Slice into squares (small servings are best for this verrrry rich cake) and serve. Enjoy. Schedule your cardiac bypass.
Blessings!
Sandy
Lately, I've seen at least three references to Gooey Butter Cake in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Apparently, the culinary confection is a St. Louis creation and favorite. Who knew?
I need to buy a package of cream cheese to make this cake today. It is very easy, and did I say veryyyy rich?
Gooey Butter Cake
A. 1 package yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
B. 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 pound powdered sugar (3 1/2 cups)
Mix A ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Pat into 9x13 cake pan. Mix B ingredients together in mixer until fluffy. Spread on top of A mixture in cake pan.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (top should be brown around the edges. The center will be gooey but should be fairly set). Cool in pan for an hour. Slice into squares (small servings are best for this verrrry rich cake) and serve. Enjoy. Schedule your cardiac bypass.
Blessings!
Sandy
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Most wonderful time of the year
This Advent season has been wonderful. I am calm, peaceful, not stressed or worried about "getting it all done." I'm almost finished with my first semester of education courses (two more semesters of class, then student teaching to go!). I've made a trip to St. Louis to help my parents with some medical visits. My mother-in-law is now in a nursing home and I hope to visit her today. I substituted four days last week and thoroughly enjoyed it.
My college kids are coming home Friday! In his homily Sunday, our priest talked about his excitement last week over the arrival of his sister from Africa. He called it "an advent" and compared it to our excitement over the coming of Jesus at Christmas, in our hearts, and His anticipated Second Coming. My excitement for the kids' arrival is my own second Advent this season and keeps me focused and at peace.
There's so much in the world today to cause anxiety. The phrase at every mass, "protect us from every anxiety", echoes in my head all week. The words of Christmas carols and scripture readings about peace on earth bring great comfort.
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government
shall be upon His shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
Christmas Blessings,
Sandy
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
WKRP Turkeys
What I should be doing: finishing my last college Computer Science assignment, laundry, walking the dog, visiting my mother-in-law in the nursing home.
What I am doing instead: thinking about our trip to NYC and remembering this funny Youtube video. I loved WKRP in Cincinnati. Did you? Why do I never see it in re-runs?
Speaking of 1970s sitcoms, I helped my team clinch a Trivial Pursuit game while in New York by correctly knowing the answer to the following question:
"How do you say goodbye in Orkan?"
Do you know?
It was so funny because Luke read the question and was so sure we would not know the answer. He and his friend Nick, two very smart college students who whipped us in the early part of the game, were also trying to make it to the middle to win the game.
Back to computer science, laundry, and all the rest of daily reality.
Blessings,
Sandy
What I am doing instead: thinking about our trip to NYC and remembering this funny Youtube video. I loved WKRP in Cincinnati. Did you? Why do I never see it in re-runs?
Speaking of 1970s sitcoms, I helped my team clinch a Trivial Pursuit game while in New York by correctly knowing the answer to the following question:
"How do you say goodbye in Orkan?"
Do you know?
It was so funny because Luke read the question and was so sure we would not know the answer. He and his friend Nick, two very smart college students who whipped us in the early part of the game, were also trying to make it to the middle to win the game.
Back to computer science, laundry, and all the rest of daily reality.
Blessings,
Sandy
Thanksgiving in New York Part II, The Macy's Parade
All my life, I've watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on television while dinner is being prepared. For the past ten or fifteen years, I've dreamed of one day cooking Thanksgiving dinner in New York while the parade passes by outside my window. This year, the parade route shifted from Broadway to 6th Avenue, where Luke's apartment is located. He invited us to spend Thanksgiving with him in New York and we deliberated for about ten seconds before saying "YES!!!"
Thanksgiving morning, I woke up at 6:30 to bake the pies and get the chickens ready to roast. (The small apartment oven required a bit more juggling than my oven at home does.) Luke's apartment is on the 21st floor and on the back side of the building so we made plans to watch the parade from a friend's 18th floor, 6th Avenue-facing balcony. Luke began gently urging us to get down to said friend's apartment about 8:00 a.m. but we didn't make it until almost 9:00. By that time, said apartment was jammed and the balcony was holding twice the suggested five people.
We watched about three floats and balloons go by and remembered Luke has friends on the 8th floor with a balcony on the 37th Street side. We decided to see what the view was from that apartment.
Ah, much better! There were only five or six of us on this balcony. Terry didn't make it to the 8th floor because someone at the 18th floor apartment allowed the door to slam on his arm, jostling his coffee and spilling it on his t-shirt. He went back to Luke's apartment to change his shirt and recover from the crowd.
The crowd on 37th Street, as seen from the 8th floor balcony. We were very happy to have paid Luke's rent, if only for the viewing of this parade!
We watched for about thirty minutes and then it was time to run back up to the 21st floor and put the chickens in the oven.
Luke's bedroom window has a view of Herald Square, where the parade turned a corner to proceed to the ending point in front of Macy's. (Most of the performances shown on television are done at the viewing platform at the end of the parade.) While I tended to dinner, Luke and Cassie sat on a roommate's bed and watched the parade. Suddenly, I heard an excited cry, "Mom! It's Snoopy!" I ran to the window in time to see the back of the Snoopy balloon float by.
I also had time to snap this cheesy picture.
We decided to brave the crowds on the sidewalk in front of the building to catch the end of the parade, including Santa's float. We had been warned the sidewalk would be impossibly crowded but were pleased to find it wasn't too bad at all. We found a spot where we could see quite well and watched for about ten minutes until we heard the crowd up 6th Avenue begin to chant, "Santa! Santa!"
These were Santa's advance-team elves.
Santa worked the crowd and everyone cheered. It was wonderful!
By the way, I forgot to mention an important thing. It was 50 degrees at parade time. We were comfortable in light sweaters! The skies were overcast but there was no rain. It couldn't have been better parade weather on Thanksgiving Day!
I am blessed.
Sandy
Thanksgiving morning, I woke up at 6:30 to bake the pies and get the chickens ready to roast. (The small apartment oven required a bit more juggling than my oven at home does.) Luke's apartment is on the 21st floor and on the back side of the building so we made plans to watch the parade from a friend's 18th floor, 6th Avenue-facing balcony. Luke began gently urging us to get down to said friend's apartment about 8:00 a.m. but we didn't make it until almost 9:00. By that time, said apartment was jammed and the balcony was holding twice the suggested five people.
We watched about three floats and balloons go by and remembered Luke has friends on the 8th floor with a balcony on the 37th Street side. We decided to see what the view was from that apartment.
Ah, much better! There were only five or six of us on this balcony. Terry didn't make it to the 8th floor because someone at the 18th floor apartment allowed the door to slam on his arm, jostling his coffee and spilling it on his t-shirt. He went back to Luke's apartment to change his shirt and recover from the crowd.
The crowd on 37th Street, as seen from the 8th floor balcony. We were very happy to have paid Luke's rent, if only for the viewing of this parade!
We watched for about thirty minutes and then it was time to run back up to the 21st floor and put the chickens in the oven.
Luke's bedroom window has a view of Herald Square, where the parade turned a corner to proceed to the ending point in front of Macy's. (Most of the performances shown on television are done at the viewing platform at the end of the parade.) While I tended to dinner, Luke and Cassie sat on a roommate's bed and watched the parade. Suddenly, I heard an excited cry, "Mom! It's Snoopy!" I ran to the window in time to see the back of the Snoopy balloon float by.
I also had time to snap this cheesy picture.
We decided to brave the crowds on the sidewalk in front of the building to catch the end of the parade, including Santa's float. We had been warned the sidewalk would be impossibly crowded but were pleased to find it wasn't too bad at all. We found a spot where we could see quite well and watched for about ten minutes until we heard the crowd up 6th Avenue begin to chant, "Santa! Santa!"
These were Santa's advance-team elves.
Santa worked the crowd and everyone cheered. It was wonderful!
By the way, I forgot to mention an important thing. It was 50 degrees at parade time. We were comfortable in light sweaters! The skies were overcast but there was no rain. It couldn't have been better parade weather on Thanksgiving Day!
I am blessed.
Sandy
Thanksgiving in New York Part I, Food
What a week! Driving time: 36 hours. Stuck in traffic time: 4 hours. Time in NYC: 92 hours. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
New idea for cooking show on the Food Network. A food competition in which the cooks prepare a holiday feast with the following items: food which can be ordered from Angel Food Ministries, food which can be ordered from Fresh Direct (a New York grocery delivery service), three items which must be purchased on the evening before the holiday from a neighborhood deli or drugstore. Food must be prepared in a small apartment kitchen like this one:
Cooking utensils limited to cook's choice of three items brought from home plus improvisation with any of the items found in small apartment kitchen such as: large stockpot may be used as mixing bowl, drinking glass may be used as a rolling pin, etc.
During the cooking of the holiday meal, the cook must leave the apartment kitchen and ride up and down elevators to other floors to watch a parade, street festival, or other attraction.
My menu for the competition:
Roast chicken
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Stuffing
Seven-layer salad
Green bean casserole
Sweet potato casserole
Noodles
Rolls and butter
Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie(made from scratch when refrigerated piecrust proved to be unavailable through any of the allowable purchasing methods)
What do you think?
Blessings,
Sandy
New idea for cooking show on the Food Network. A food competition in which the cooks prepare a holiday feast with the following items: food which can be ordered from Angel Food Ministries, food which can be ordered from Fresh Direct (a New York grocery delivery service), three items which must be purchased on the evening before the holiday from a neighborhood deli or drugstore. Food must be prepared in a small apartment kitchen like this one:
Cooking utensils limited to cook's choice of three items brought from home plus improvisation with any of the items found in small apartment kitchen such as: large stockpot may be used as mixing bowl, drinking glass may be used as a rolling pin, etc.
During the cooking of the holiday meal, the cook must leave the apartment kitchen and ride up and down elevators to other floors to watch a parade, street festival, or other attraction.
My menu for the competition:
Roast chicken
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Stuffing
Seven-layer salad
Green bean casserole
Sweet potato casserole
Noodles
Rolls and butter
Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie(made from scratch when refrigerated piecrust proved to be unavailable through any of the allowable purchasing methods)
What do you think?
Blessings,
Sandy
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