The Week That Was, 2-11-19 to 2-17-19

Clockwise from upper left:  When I realized I had not provided my son with a matching cookbook to the one I prepared for our daughter when she married, I got right to work on compiling recipes.  Upper right:  This is our 3 year old grandson, with his VERY OWN box of chocolates on Valentine's Day morning.  Bliss!  Lower right:  Our weather this week:  snow, sleet, some more snow, and more sleet...  Lower left:  Our 3 year old granddaughter sent us a Valentine that she painted herself.  

Because of weather, I stayed inside all week and feel a little bit stir crazy, but when I was counting my blessings this morning I realized I have nothing to complain about.  Many of my friends and family would have loved to switch places with someone who can arrange her schedule to stay home when the weather is nasty.

I found a project to occupy my time.  I was talking with my son one day a few weeks ago and was directing him to a recipe, "I'm sure it's in that cookbook I made for you," I said.

"You didn't make a cookbook for us, Mom," he said.

Oh dear.

Sure enough, when I checked the archives I found several file folders of family recipes, compiled as I had begun work on a loose leaf binder of recipes for our son and his wife at the time of their marriage.  I'd never finished the project.  They have been married for seven years.

To quote my good friend, Grover, "I am so embarrassed."

Well, better late than never.

As I've sorted and organized recipes, I kept tagging those I wanted to make again soon. Winter days make me hungry anyway, and spending several days sorting recipes made me feel like cooking.  Here are a couple I tagged to make this coming week for just Farmer John and me, as we weather this winter weather together:

Grandma Irma’s Sausage and Rice

“Easy and Good”

Brown:

·      ½ pound sausage with

·      ½ cup chopped green pepper and

·      ½ c. onion, chopped, and

·      ½ cup celery

Add 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water, cover and cook until rice is done. 

***

Grammy’s Hot Chicken Salad

4 cups cooked, diced chicken (4 to 5 chicken breasts)

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup slivered almonds (may be toasted)

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 cup grated cheddar

2 cups finely chopped celery

 1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 teaspoon minced dried onion

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 and ½ cups crushed potato chips or corn flakes

½ teaspoon pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients except cheese and chips.  If it seems too thick add a cup of chicken broth. Place in baking dish (9x13) and add cheese, then chips, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

****

I made the following recipe for just John and me on Valentine's Day, such a splurge and so good!  I believe I got the recipe from our daughter, Melinda--it is egg and dairy free.  

Brownie Pudding Cake

1 cup flour

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup milk (can use rice or oat milk)

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 and 1/2 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir together flour and next three ingredients, along with 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl; stir in milk, oil, and vanilla.  Spread batter in a 8 inch square pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  

Combine brown sugar, cocoa, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a smaill bowl; gently pour over batter in pan smoothing with spoon.  Gently drizzle 1 and 1/2 cups boiling water over batter, being careful not to disturb layers.  

Bake at 350 about 25 minutes or perhaps longer (depending on your oven and metal versus glass pan) until cake layer forms on top and springs back when touched.  A pudding like filling forms--don't think it isn't done when the fudgy goodness spills out as you serve the warm cake.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.  

The Little Things

I must confess that although I know better, during these dark winter days I have lapsed to discontent with my lot in life. The beginning of a new year is conducive to this kind of sin; we want to do better and accomplish more this year than last. And, for those of us who are older, there is the feeling that we might not have a lot of time left in which to get a move on toward the ephemeral "How I always thought things would be."

It's human tendency to look past treasure that is right in front of us, and I'm no different.  It's an ongoing challenge not to feel panic when my house is a mess, even if there is a precious grandchild standing right in front of me.

But...when I looked back over photos from the last month I was able to let my disorganized closets and unpainted woodwork slip back into their proper places: low on the priority list.  Parenting taught me that precious childhood years don't last very long at all.  I hope I've gained wisdom as a grandparent to enjoy the precious "little things" with whom I've been so blessed in this season of my life!

Pastor Paul teaches our two youngest grandsons during children's time.