Cherry Winks!

I've been listening to Christmas music and I love it!  I guess for me,  music is one of the best parts about the Christmas season.  Most years I find a new song or a new album and just immerse myself in it.  But this year the old carols are really taking me down memory lane.  Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, Silent Night and so many others.  Saturday night while we were singing at the Santa Lucia Festival at NPU I was flooded with memories of Christmases long past.  In my mind I was a little girl sitting in the backseat of the family car with your Aunt Shirley.  We were bundled up on a cold winters night riding home to the farm with our Mom and Dad in the front seat.  Shirley and I were singing Christmas carol after carol.  We were belting them out and our parents were joining in.  Unlike the Griswold family in "Christmas Vacation", we were all having fun!  Although the ride was long and the car was cold for most of the way home, our hearts were warm as we sang the words to those old familiar songs.

Christmas carol memories come easily from my childhood.  The Baptist church we attended in Adrian holds special memories of Sunday School Christmas programs.  Each child spent weeks memorizing a "piece"  for the program, then suffered through what seemed like a entire day long rehearsal with each class taking turns "onstage" practicing their parts, until finally the pastor and teachers declared it perfect!  On the night of the program we all came traveling through the snow, to the warm church, dressed in our best Christmas finery, and performed our pieces around a very clean manger and filled the night with beautiful carols and felt the love of Christmas on the faces of each parent sitting shoulder to shoulder in the little church.  At the close of the service, when we had greeted all our friends and said thank you to all the folks who commented  on our wonderful performance, we bundled into our coats and hats and headed to the door.  There the deacons wished us all a "Merry Christmas"  and then they gave each child a shiny red apple and a brown paper bag filled with candy!  We hurried to the car, I held my candy bag tightly, not wanting to loose a piece of it in the snow.  The candy was the old fashioned kind you hardly see anymore, colorful hard candy ribbons, cinnamon balls, peanut shapes filled with peanut butter, anise, fruit filled (yucky), candy canes and more!  I felt so rich!

On Christmas Eve, after days of preparation,wrapping, baking, cooking and cleaning, we little girls waited eagerly for family to arrive to celebrate.  Andy Williams would be playing on the stereo, the table set with Mom's best dishes, the tree twinkling and surrounded by presents.  Shirley and I, having gotten in the way, and making Mom crazy with our favorite question, "When can we open presents?", loved to sit upside down on the sofa and look at the tree!  If you have never done this you really should give it a try.  Dim the lights, plug in the Christmas tree and hang your head down off the sofa, feet up in the air, be sure to squint a bit for the best effect.  The tree looks especially beautiful when viewed this way by little children who are so excited for Christmas! Amazing!

I came across a cookie recipe online that my Mom used to bake at Christmas time.  Turns out it was one of the first Pillsbury Bake Off winners and had been printed on the Corn Flakes box too.  I don't remember Mom adding the nuts and dates, but I know I liked these cookies and I enjoyed making them with Mom.  Hope you'll like them too!

CHERRY WINKS

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
• 10 maraschino cherries, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Cream the shortening with the sugar. Blend in the eggs, milk and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chopped pecans, chopped dates and 1/3 cup maraschino cherries.
4. Shape teaspoonful sized chunks of dough into balls. Roll each ball in the crushed corn flakes. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets and top each cookie with 1/4 maraschino cherry.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in airtight containers.  Best while enjoying some Andy Williams or your favorite Christmas carols!

*Disclaimer:  I did not have time to try this recipe until the day after I posted it.  It is definitely not the taste I remember, so I think my Mom had a secret recipe!  Perhaps Aunt Shirley might have the original somewhere.  But, oddly enough, the cookies tasted better 1 day old than they did fresh from the oven.  I'm sure I have never disliked freshly baked cookies before.  Hmmmmmm. 

Hanukkah O Hanukkah! - Mandel Bread

 Yesterday was the first day of Hanukkah.  This Jewish holiday begins on a different day each year because it follows the Jewish calendar.  I have never figured out the system, but thinking about Hanukkah has brought up some memories!

You both learned pretty much everything you know about Judaism in school or from your friends.  Then you came home and taught me.  First grade seemed to be when Northbrook kids really became aware that other kids had different religions and holidays.  Little Emily came home from 1st grade  and informed us that some of her classmates were "Christmas" and some were "Hanukkah", referring of course to the holiday their family celebrated.  Soon we learned that some families celebrated both holidays!  Why?  What is the difference between a  Christmas tree and a Hanukkah bush?  Why do we Christians only get to open presents on Christmas when our Jewish friends get presents for 8 nights?  Dad and I found it very educational to answer your questions, lucky for us they didn't start too difficult.

When Ty was is first grade he was good friends with a boy named Adrian.  Ty came  home after playing at Adrian's  house feeling confused.  "They have a menorah and a Christmas tree!  Are they Jewish or Christian?"  It really bothered you.  You wanted answers.  Our ideas about the parents having different religious beliefs and choosing to celebrate both holidays were just not good enough.  There must be a better answer!  So December came and went with Tyler still wondering.  Then Tyler came home one day so excited, the mystery had been solved!  The children had been learning about their heritage in school and Tyler had discovered "Adrian isn't Jewish or Christian!  He's Italian!"

In keeping with the theme of Hanukkah here is a favorite holiday recipe from one of my Jewish friends from Greenbriar.   In Italy it would be called biscotti, a good Swede would call it skorpa, skorpor or almond toast.  But at this time of year in Sunset Foods it is called mandel or mondel bread.  Happy Hanukkah!  And Happy Birthday Kelly!

Felicia's Mandel Bread

1 tsp salt

1/2 lb butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp lemon extract

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

1 bag of chocolate chips

1 pkg chopped nuts, (almonds, walnuts or pecans)

1 box raisins, craisins, etc, optional

ground cinnamon

sugar and cinnamon on top

First, cream the sugar and butter.  Then add the eggs one at a time but keep beating.  After the eggs are put in add the almond and lemon extract.  Put some ground cinnamon in the batter, there is no measurement.  Then measure and sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the mixture.  Mix well.  If you want to make 2 different flavors, divide dough in half now, then add chocolate chips, nuts and raisins as desired.  Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.  Put flour on your hands and roll the dough into long loaves, place on cookie sheets and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.  Slice the loaf into thin slices and lay flat on cookie sheet, return to oven for 15-20 minutes, until lightly toasted.

This season when you see a menorah in a store window or find yourself singing the "Dreidel" song, take a moment to remember all our Jewish friends who have enriched our lives.  And of course Jesus, the little Jewish baby in the manger who grew up to be the Savior of the world, and our reason to celebrate!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Tonight I was looking into a mixing bowl of cookie dough and found myself thinking of you!  Seeing the rich colors of the spices against the molasses dough made me remember mixing this favorite cookie with you. Baking was a favorite afternoon pastime of ours when you were small children.  You both loved to help in the kitchen, measuring, stirring, tasting and I enjoyed spending time with you creating yummy treats. Sometimes, especially in winter, we baked 3 or 4 days a week.  You would take turns measuring and dumping ingredients into the bowl.  Cracking eggs was always interesting!  Cookies were a favorite to bake because it also gave you a chance to play with the dough.  Sometimes we just made our own fresh play-dough so we could enjoy playing with warm soft dough!

Baking gave us a fun activity to share together.  But since we didn't need to eat all of our creations ourselves, we had to find people to share those tasty treats with.  Often this meant Dad would have baked goods to take to work and share with his co-workers.  Here is a picture of us together at Bethany Covenant Home where Dad worked.  Crazy, big glasses, huh?  We moved to Northbrook shortly after this picture was taken.

I found today's recipe  in a magazine when we lived at 4201 Beard Avenue North.  It looked like it might be perfect for our baking days and give us a nice change from chocolate chip and sugar cookies.  The spicy cookie has become a family favorite that we still enjoy year round.  Get ready to mix up a batch, they are a perfect treat to have around for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

3/4 butter, margarine or shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt (opt)

2 1/4 cups flour

 2 Tbsp. sugar

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beat until fluffy.  Add egg and molasses, beat well.

Mix in the spices and soda.  Add the flour to mixture and mix well. 

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (1 heaping Tbsp each). Roll the balls in the 2 Tbsp sugar.  

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed, may be slightly cracked.  Do not over bake.  Let cool 2 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.

The Best Turkey Ever!

Last Friday I received 3 emails and 1 phone message telling me it was TIME TO TALK TURKEY!  Yep, it is almost Thanksgiving and our good friend J.T. is starting to drool as he thinks about last year's turkey.  It was easily the best turkey I have ever had.  And the gravy should be a food group all by itself.   Now, I am looking forward to sitting down to dinner again. Thanks J.T. for for finding this great recipe and talking me into making it!

I have to admit I had my doubts when J.T. told me we had to let the turkey sit in brine, in a trash bag, in a cooler for 24 hours. But, I was really worried when he said we would cook it on a grill!  I really only grill burgers and brats, maybe potatoes, so this was going to be a really BIG stretch for me. Luckily, he brought over his really cool grill for me to use. 

 There was quite a lot of pressure for me to be cooking a turkey on the grill, for the first time, on Thanksgiving.  But in the end it turned out fabulous! 

 Now we are ready to try it again.  So get your taste buds ready, Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away!

Apple-Brined Turkey with Big Time Gravy 

from Weber’s Charcoal GrillingTM by Jamie Purviance 

Prep Time: 30 minutes Grilling Time: 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours Marinating Time: 18 to 24 hours
Brine
2 quarts apple juice 1 cup kosher salt 2 tablespoons dried rosemary 2 tablespoons dried thyme 1 tablespoon dried sage 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 turkey, 10 to 12 pounds, fresh or defrosted 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped 2 large carrots, roughly chopped 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 4 small chunks apple wood or 4 small handfuls apple wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Gravy
Reserved pan liquid plus enough chicken stock to make 4 cups of liquid 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves Kosher salt Ground black pepper

1. In a large pot combine the brine ingredients. Stir vigorously until the salt is dissolved.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and reserve in the refrigerator for the gravy. Cut off and reserve the wing tips for the gravy, too. If your turkey has a trussing clamp, leave it in place. Do not truss the turkey. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water.
3. Partially fill a cooler with ice. Open a large, sturdy plastic bag in the cooler. Place the turkey, breast side down, in the bag. Carefully pour the brine over the turkey and then add 3 quarts of cold water. The turkey should be almost completely submerged. If some the back is exposed above the brine, that’s okay. Press the air out of the bag, seal the bag tightly, close the lid of the cooler, and set aside for 18 to 24 hours.
4. Fill a chimney starter to the rim with charcoal and burn the coals until they are lightly covered with ash. Spread the coals in a half circle or crescent-shaped fire on one side of the charcoal grate. Carefully place a large, disposable drip pan in the center of the charcoal grate and fill it about halfway with warm water. This will help to maintain the temperature of the fire. Put the cooking grate in place, close the lid, and let the coals burn down to low heat (250° to 350°F). Keep all the vents open.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag and rinse it, inside and out, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Lightly coat the turkey with some of the melted butter. Season with the pepper.
6. Place one foil pan inside the other and pour the chicken stock into the top pan. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the reserved turkey neck, giblets, and wing tips. Place the turkey, breast side down, in the foil pan.
7. Place the pan in the center of the cooking grate. Position the pan so the turkey legs face the charcoal. Drain, and then add 2 wood chunks or 2 handfuls of chips to the charcoal. Cook the turkey over indirect low heat, with the lid closed, for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour, to maintain the heat, add 10 to 12 unlit charcoal briquettes to the lit charcoal, using long-handled tongs to tuck the unlit charcoal between the lit charcoal. Drain and add the remaining 2 wood chunks or 2 handfuls of chips to the charcoal. Carefully turn the turkey over in the pan so the breast faces up. Continue to cook the turkey over indirect low heat, with the lid closed, for a second hour.
9. At the end of the second hour, baste the turkey all over with the remaining butter. If any parts are getting too dark, wrap them tightly with aluminum foil. Once again, add 10 to 12 unlit charcoal briquettes to the lit charcoal to maintain the heat. Continue to cook the turkey over indirect low heat. The total cooking time will be 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 170°F in the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone).
10. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving (the internal temperature will rise 5° to 10°F during this time). Save the pan juices and vegetables to make the gravy.
11. Strain the pan liquid through a sieve into a large fat separator and discard all the solids. Add enough chicken stock to equal 4 cups of liquid. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and flour. As the butter melts, stir with a wooden spoon and cook until the mixture turns the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 4 cups of the reserved pan liquid (but not the fat) plus the wine. Bring the gravy to a boil, whisking frequently to dissolve the lumps. Lower the heat and simmer the gravy for a few minutes or until it reaches the consistency you like. If the gravy gets too thick, add more chicken stock a little at a time and simmer until it reaches the right thickness. Turn off the heat. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Carve the turkey. Serve warm with the gravy.
Serves: 10 to 12

 

Shopping List
APPLE-BRINED AND BARBECUED TURKEY 

WITH BIG TIME GRAVY
1 large yellow onion
2 large carrots
2 celery stalks
1/2 ounce fresh Italian parsley
1 turkey, 10 to 12 lb, fresh or defrosted, preferably free range
1 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 quarts apple juice
48 ounces (6 to 8 cups) reduced-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup all -purpose    flour
4 small handfuls apple wood chips
1/3 cup dry white wine
cooler

large, sturdy plastic bag
large, disposable foil pans or roasting pan
instant read thermometer

Corn Pudding!

 

Today we celebrate the birthday of our good friend J.T. Madison.  J.T. is like the older brother you never had, and we are glad he showed up! He arrived while you were in high school and charmed us with his Italian dog, his Volvo and his music skills.  He took you on retreats at Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point, organized sick bands for VBS, lead the troops to Chic and taught you a few things about life and God along the way.  He lulled us into a stupor with his coffee making talent.  Then, he became a Dad and bewitched us with his darling daughter.  As a result we are hopelessly under the Madison Family spell!  Now, it is his birthday and probably the best gift I can give J.T. is my recipe for corn pudding.  I know he will love it, and take care of it, and raise Lily to be a corn pudding fan! Happy Birthday J.T.!  Eat it in good health!

Corn Pudding

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

2 pkgs, Jiffy cornbread mix

4 eggs, beaten

1 stick butter, softened

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

16 oz. carton sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a large casserole dish.  In a large bowl add the cornbread mix to the corn, mix until moistened.  Add the eggs, butter, sour cream, sugar, salt and pepper.  Pour into the casserole dish.  Bake for 1 hour.  

This is a perfect side dish for grilled turkey!

Time and temperature can be adjusted to share the oven with other foods if needed. 

Baked Apple Doughnuts

 It is another beautiful autumn day!  The perfect day for baking something with apples!  When you were in high school at GBN I found a recipe that was perfect for a Saturday mornings like today.  You might have had a friend or two sleep over, and you almost certainly slept late.  That gave me time to bake a yummy breakfast treat.  I've been told that Grandma Warnygora made wonderful doughnuts from scratch.  Unfortunately, that is not one of my skills.  But these muffins have the wonderful flavor of apple doughnuts without all the fat from being cooked in oil.  Ty and Luke especially loved them, so if Luke was hanging out, these were a guaranteed hit! Have fun making and eating these "doughnuts"!

Baked Apple Doughnuts

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup shortening (I use butter)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups finely chopped, unpeeled apples

1/2 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Grease 24 muffin cups well; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined, scraping sides of bowl often.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition, just until combined.  Fold in apples.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until dark golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Doughnuts will dip in the middle.  Cool in muffin pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Loosen edges of the doughnuts with a thin spatula.  

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.  Carefully remove doughnuts from muffin cups; doughnuts will be tender.  While still warm, roll doughnuts in the sugar mixture.  Serve warm.  Makes 24 doughnuts. 

Macaroni and cheese

 Our family went to Wauconda Farms on a beautiful fall day.  You both had fun climbing on this huge pile of pumpkins.  This year we have been enjoying a beautiful fall as well.  But today it is a cool and rainy fall day in Chicagoland.  I've just gotten home from a nice walk with Kim.  We walked to Starbucks, which is a very pleasant routine we got into over the summer.   Since I don't have to be to work until 11:00 we are able to start walking at 7:00, enjoy a nice long chat over coffee, walk home and still have time to do a few things at home before work.  This has become our guilty pleasure 3 days a week, if we are lucky!

Today we had walked about halfway to the Bucks when we noticed the sky seemed kinda dark.  And then we heard thunder.  We walked faster.  Luckily, we were seated at our cozy table with our steaming cups in our hands when the rain came pouring down!  By the time we finished our chat and our lovely beverages, the rain was letting up, although the sky was still dark.  We walked home at a brisk pace with thunder reminding us to hurry along.

Now, I'm snuggled under a blanket watching CNN as the Chilean miners are being rescued.  It's amazing to watch and I'm wishing I could stay right here all day.  Wow!  They have been trapped since before Ty's birthday!  I can't imagine being trapped underground for 69 or 70 days, with my claustrophobia I would have driven everyone crazy.  It is wonderful to see the men reunited with their families.  Even though I don't know any of these people, I find my eyes filling with tears each time another miner climbs out of the rescue capsule.  (Okay, I'm sure it is no surprise to either of you that your mother is crying about drama on TV!)

All this to say that this is the kind of day that makes me think of "comfort food".  That phrase means different things to different people.  For me it makes me think of foods I grew up with, like mashed potatoes or meatloaf.  Or maybe pizza, my all time favorite food.  But today my taste buds are wishing for macaroni and cheese.  And not the stuff from the blue box!  I'm talking about homemade.  A few years ago I found a good recipe that is easy to make and has the cheesy goodness you expect from a classic mac-n-cheese!

Macaroni and Cheese with Buttery Crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk*

1 pound cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 pound Colby cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard*

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

1 pound macaroni

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a shallow 2 quart baking dish.  Begin cooking macaroni in a large pot, according to package directions.  Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan.  Add the flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Add the milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Add half of the cheddar and Colby cheeses and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted.  Stir in the  mustard, nutmeg and cayenne; season with the salt and pepper.  

Drain the cooked macaroni and return to the pot.  Add the cheese sauce and the remaining cheese and stir until combined.  Spread the macaroni in the prepared baking dish.

In a small glass bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave.  Add the bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper and stir until evenly moistened.  Sprinkle the buttered crumbs over the macaroni and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top.  Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

*I use skim milk.

*I use 1/2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.

This is a great dish to bring to a potluck and the leftovers are great!  I wonder what the rescued miners will be choosing for their first hot meal?  I'm praying that they are enjoying good food, family and peace in their hearts tonight.

First Day of Fall!- My Favorite Apple Crisp

It's the first day of fall!  I have mixed feelings about fall.  I enjoy the beauty of autumn, but it is such a short season and seems to be just an opening act before freezing cold winter.   I'm not a fan of winter,  which will be here all too soon. On the bright side; at least the skunks will hibernate in winter! So, I will enjoy the high 80 degree temps today and try not to waste to much time worrying about winter's chill. We have some great fall memories, here is a photo of the two of you enjoying Ty's first fall!

A partial list of some of the things I like about fall:

* colorful trees (so beautiful)

* crunchy leaves (like music for walking)

* pumpkins (ready to be carved or baked up)

* apple picking (and eating, yummy)

* hayrides (a farm/childhood memory)

* squirrels hiding nuts (wonder how they find them again?)

* a big orange harvest moon (looks so amazing, thanks God!)

* apple cider (tangy)

* Halloween (little kids dressed in costumes & all that candy)

* corduroy (love the feel, so bumpy)

* chai tea (a cozy drink on a cool day)

* acorns falling from trees (don't let them hit you on the head)

* bonfires with s'mores (warm + toasty = sticky goodness)

* honking geese flying south (glad to see them go!)

* apple crisp (an autumn favorite!)

My Favorite Apple Crisp

I believe an apple crisp is a little better with several types of apples, don't be afraid to mix it up.  If you have 2 or 3 varieties of baking apples to mix together you will create a delicious crisp.  Only one type on hand?  No problem!  Granny Smith and McIntosh are both great for baking!

3 (or 4) large apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup white sugar

cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8" or 9" baking dish and fill with sliced apples, you can add more if your dish has room.  Sprinkle with white sugar and cinnamon.  

In a mixing bowl, cut butter into the flour, mix in the oatmeal and brown sugar.  Crumble this mixture over the apples and bake for 45 minutes.  

This recipe doubles easily. 

Sometimes I make extra topping because it is so yummy.  

I enjoy eating this apple crisp warm, Ty seems to like it cold, and Dad and Em just like it!

Wacky Cake

My friend Kim, who is always full of good ideas, told me about something she is doing with her mother-in-law.  Kim came across a booklet with  a "life inventory", which is a list of questions often used by hospice workers to help people look back on their life.  Kim is using it as a way to get to know her mother in law better.  They live far apart so Kim sends one question in an email and Alan's mom thinks about it and sends back her response.

I thought this would be a great way to learn more about my own father and your Grandmother, Fern.  So I am emailing them questions and they are emailing back their answers.  I am printing out the emails and keeping them in a binder, as a record of our "conversations".  We are only on the 2nd question, it's going to be a slow process, but very interesting for me!

The first question I asked them was "What is your earliest memory as a young child?"  I used my own answer to that question in my post about Grandma Renshaw.  I thought from time to time I might use the questions in my blog to tell you more about me.  The second question asks to "describe your family, brothers, sisters, etc."  This could take a long time to answer!  However, I thought it might be fun to give you a quick look back at my sibs as I recall them from our childhood.

Our family had 4 children; Charles Lee, Janice Elaine, Shirley Marie & me, Lori Beth.  I have always thought of our family as 2 separate families because Chuck and Janice are separated from Shirley and me by six years.

Chuck is 10 years older than me.  The only boy in a house with 3 sisters and one bathroom!  I remember the stories he told me, designed to keep me from using the bathroom too long:
*the strange mark in the bottom of our bathtub was left by Grandpa  Renshaw's foot after he stayed in the tub too long and his foot started to attach to the tub!
*the water from the bathroom taps is "witches water", don't drink it, it will make you sick!
*if you sit on the toilet too long the devil will reach up and pull you in!
It's amazing I ever went into the bathroom!
We lived in a big old farmhouse, Shirley and I would get sent to bed first at night since we were the youngest.  I would lie in bed and listen to the sounds of the house, the TV downstairs, quiet voices talking, the occasional creak of an old house. Chuck would come up the stairs to use the bathroom snapping his fingers and clapping his hands in a rhythmic way, or taking the stairs 2 at time, then going back down the steps in 1 big jump.  Sometimes we would hear a creaking noise and lie in bed terrified, was it just the house or was Chuck sneaking up to scare us?  Suddenly in our doorway was what looked like a huge gorilla! It was Chuck with the back of his shirt pulled up over his head, arms swinging, knuckles dragging, jumping about, making ape noises.  Shirley and I would scream in fright and pull the covers up over our heads!!!
Chuck graduated from high school when I was 8 years old, in 1968.

Janice is 8 years older than me.  She was the "perfect" older sister.  Perfect hair, great clothes, pretty nails.  She had a watch, a manicure set, read teenage magazines, etc, etc, etc.  She had a shower cap, set her hair on big plastic rollers and used a hairdryer with a hose, so grown up!  She had her own perfect room and we weren't allowed in very often. She had a boyfriend.  She got good grades, had the coolest notebooks and really neat-o handwriting. She did things we were to young to do.  I wanted to be grown up like her!

But...... could she crack a whip! Shirley and I hated it when Mom put Janice in charge of cleaning up after meals.  She watched to make sure every dish was clean and dry, or back in the sink it would go until we "little girls" got it right.  Shirley and I would try to get out of helping when Janice was in charge by going to the bathroom.  Whoever got there first, stayed until the dishes were done, which left the other one to deal with Janice on their own!
Janice graduated from high school when I was 10 years old, in 1970.
Janice and Chuck both got married in the summer of 1972 when I was 12.

Shirley is 2 years older than me.  Since we lived on a farm with no other kids nearby, Shirley and I were everyday playmates and best friends. We did most everything together.  We helped Mom together in the house. No electric washer for us, Mom had a ringer washing machine! Plus, Mom grew her own vegetables and canned everything, including chickens! At least we didn't have to churn our own butter! We helped Dad with the chores, gathering eggs, feeding the cattle, and slopping the hogs. We worked pretty hard for little girls!
But we had plenty of time to play and very active imaginations. In the summer we played house in the grove of trees around our farm.  In the fall we raked leaves into elaborate floor plans on the lawn and continued playing house.  In the winter we played outside in the snow till our fingers and toes were numb!  When the weather was bad we spent hours cutting out paper dolls from the enormous Sears catalog.  I'm so glad I had a big sister who loved to play!
Shirley graduated from high school when I was 16 years old, in 1976.
Mom died later that same year.
I graduated from high school in 1978.  Dad and I got married in 1982.
Shirley got married in February of 1988, when Emily was 1 year old.

Wacky Cake

This is a simple cake that Mom often asked us to make. Even little girls couldn't mess it up! 

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoon cocoa

2 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoon vinegar

3/4 cup oil

2 cups water

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift dry ingredients into a greased 9X13 cake pan.  Make 3 depressions.  In one put the vanilla, another the vinegar and in the last one the oil.  Pour water over all.  Mix well with a fork.  Bake for 30 minutes.

We interrupt this blog for the Twins baseball season!

As you know the Minnesota Twins are enjoying a great season!  Your father is enjoying it too!  Since he has access to games on MLB.com, he is online most evenings cheering for the home team.  Which means, now that school is back in session, I have limited time to work on my blog.  I will try to sneak a few posts in during the season but until the end of the World Series my time will be limited!  Meanwhile, grab a hotdog, tune in to the game and "cheer for the Minnesota Twins today!" Go Twins!!!

The Birthday Girls of August- Tater Tot Hotdish and Nacho Dip

This past week, on August 19th, was the birth day of two of our favorite ladies, Grandma Warnygora and Auntie Lou.  I was off on a toot with my sisters so I apologize for not getting this post up sooner.  But rest assured I was thinking about both of them on that special day!  They have touched our lives in many ways.  Even though Grandma is no longer with us, I know that they both have a hold on our hearts!  This mother and daughter duo have taught us so much by example about kindness, generosity and love.  I, for one, am so grateful God brought them into our lives!

Since this post honors 2 great girls, I'll be giving you 2 great recipes!  It's a two-fer!!!  The first recipe is from Grandma.  She never wrote it down for me, so I'll be telling you as she told it to me.  This is one of Emily's all time favorite recipes.  You guessed it:

Tater Tot Hotdish!

1 1/2 - 2 lbs of ground beef, browned and drained

2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 1 can cream of chik and 1 can cream of celery soup)

1 can milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 bag frozen peas

1 bag frozen tater tots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a large casserole dish and set aside.  Combine the soups, milk and salt and pepper with the ground beef in frying pan, add more milk if mixture seems too thick.  Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly over bottom of pan.  Top with a layer of frozen peas. (Now this is controversial at our house:  Neil & Em like the peas, Ty and I do not!  So I only put peas on one side on the dish.  At this point, Ty and I like to add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.  Emily is not a fan! So again, I just put the cheese on one side.)  Next dump the entire bag of tots over the meat and peas, piling evenly. (Grandma placed them all in nice even rows, traditional Minnesota style!)  I like to sprinkle a bit salt over the tots.  Then it's ready for the oven, so bake it for 1 hour or until the juices are bubbling up and the taters are nicely browned.

*I looked up this recipe online.  Oh My Goodness!  There are soooo many variations and most of them are just plain wrong!  Stick with Grandma's recipe and you will be happy every time!

And now for part two, the recipe from Auntie Lou!  This recipe became a favorite of ours the first time we tried it.  Not only that, but all our friends love it too!  I'm reminded of Lauren Christiansen eating it until she was "dip sick".  And it's jumped family lines, I hear the Stude boys have even adapted it to their own tastes!  Grab a bag of chips and get ready to enjoy!

Largent Nacho Dip

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 can nacho cheese soup

1 can chili with no beans

In a microwavable bowl, stir the cream cheese until smooth.  Blend in the cheese soup, followed by the chili.  Cover and microwave until heated, stirring often.  Serve immediately with chips or fresh veggies.  Pour in another container to serve if desired.

* Nacho cheese soup has gotten hard to find.  I substitute regular cheese soup.  Sometimes I add a bit of taco seasoning or salsa to give it a bit more zip!

Enjoy these recipes and think of Grandma & Auntie Lou every time you serve them, with love!

Happy Birthday Ty! Our little boy is 21!

Yesterday we celebrated your 21st birthday Tyler!  I enjoyed being with you for the day.  But I have really enjoyed being with you for your life!  You have had a good one!

Of course, you've heard the stories.  You were born at North Memorial Hospital on 8-9-89 (cool birth date!).  Emily had gone to the Albinson's in the wee hours of the morning and Dad and I spent the day awaiting your arrival.   You were born at 3:33pm and I guess you could say you took my breath away (they had to put me on oxygen shortly before you were born =).  We named you Tyler Eugene, for your Grandpa Warnygora.  Emily fed you your first bottle and you gave her a brand new baby doll.  You were friends right from the start! 

As a tiny baby you displayed some characteristics that have followed you throughout your life.  You were good natured, such a happy baby!  You were patient, willing to wait while we got your bottle prepared.  You were relaxed, not a fussy baby, you didn't demand unneeded attention.  You were flexible, always willing to go along with whatever our family was doing.  Those traits have grown with you and we love the man you have become!

I have been trying to soak in every moment with you this summer, realizing that it may be the last time you live at home.  We don't know what the future holds for you, but God does!  For 21 years we have been praying for His guidance for you.  We are looking forward to seeing what God has planned for you.  Enjoy your senior year at North Park, listen to God, drink in all the opportunities that come your way, make the most of this year with God!  

For this birthday you asked for rhubarb meringue dessert instead of birthday cake.  Rhubarb seems to be a new discovery for you this year.  I have enjoyed it's tart goodness since I was a little girl growing up on the farm.  Grandma mentioned in her birthday letter to you that you were just one month old when they had the auction at the farm.  Since you have no memories of Grandpa's farm, maybe that's why it took you so long to discover rhubarb!

Rhubarb Meringue Dessert

Crust

1 cup cold butter

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a mixer, combine the  flour, sugar and cut in the butter until crumbly.  Press into a greased 9X13 baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes, then cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

Filling

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

6 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup whipping cream

5 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

Separate the 6 egg yolks from the whites, refrigerate the whites until to make the meringue.  In a bowl combine the sugar, flour and salt.  Stir in the egg yolks and cream.  Add the rhubarb.  Pour over the crust and return it to the 350 oven to bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until set.

Meringue

6 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.  Beat in vanilla.  Spread over hot filling.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Happy Birthday Ty! We love you!

 

JENNIFER IS ENGAGED!!!- Jan's Banana Bread

What???   Jennifer is engaged!!!!

I can tell by the looks on your faces that Jennifer has done it again!  This girl is full of surprises and has kept us delighted for years!  Next summer she will be a married woman!  She is the first of your close childhood friends to get married and I feel a little like George Banks who looks across the table and sees a little girl instead of the beautiful young lady she has grown up to be.

 So, I thought this would be the perfect time to take a look back at our friend Jennifer Dwight.  I've had a tough time choosing which photos to use, there are so many good ones. Have fun enjoying Jen!

 Jennifer was one of the first friends the two of you made when we moved to Northbrook.  She came to Tyler's 3rd birthday party a few weeks after we arrived.  Then Jen and Emily started kindergarten together that fall and became part of  "one big family" at Westscott.  Together you two girls took on the world; school, play dates, softball, church, sleepovers, birthday parties, camp, band, Maple Jr high, choir, Springfield, cheer leading, confirmation, Washington DC,  Glenbrook North High School and CHIC.  You name it- you did it together.

    As a family we enjoyed spending time with Jennifer.  She would come over to play and keep us all entertained.  We will always remember the night she brought a whoopee cushion and kept us laughing for hours!  We all enjoyed our 2 mission trips to Ecuador.  Is that when Jen began saying "Hola Ty-Ty"? Some fun Ecuador memories with Jen include; watching "The Flintstones" in Spanish,  playing word games with Pastor Craig in the back of the bus, potty stops in sketchy places, Jen eating "snot fruit", sifting dirt, the local church kids serenading us, picking rocks in the river, leading VBS, riding in the crazy little cart to cross the river and begging for Pizza Hut.

 Spending time with Jennifer was always a trip.  The three of you got along so well, the girls always included Ty so it was like you had two sisters.  At one point Jen and Em began calling Tyler Cheats Quimby.  For a while this drove Ty crazy but somehow it just became funny.  Another name from Jen is Ishbu, an imaginary personality she made up on a Jr high mission trip to Minneapolis.  She had everyone in the van laughing all the way home!

 Jennifer has a great sense of humor and she she loves to dress up.  She showed up at a Halloween party dressed as Elmo, even her face was red!  But her favorite go-to costume is an old lady,  wearing one of her grandma's dresses, with powdered hair and large fake boobs,  she works her way through the room making everyone smile.  This past Halloween you two girls dressed as a Jr. high couple, she showed up as the boy, her boxers hanging out, with a note for you, "Emily, would you be my girlfriend?"

We look forward to lots more fun with our friend Jennifer.  She is going to keep life interesting for Bob. I'm sure she will take her sense of humor with her, hopefully she will take her mom's recipe for banana bread.  It's easy to make and always brings a smile.  Just like Jen!

Jan's Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons soda

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup milk

4 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together and, alternating with the milk, add to sugar/oil mixture.  Mix well.  Add mashed bananas.  Bake in greased, floured loaf pans for 45 to 60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

* This makes a lot of batter.  Makes good muffins if too much for your pans.  

* You can add 1 cup mini chocolate chips for yummy chocolate banana bread.

Update!

Hi!  I hope you are enjoying my blog as much as I am enjoying writing it.  I recently learned that some of you are only reading the emails which means you are missing the best part!  At the bottom of each email is the underlined phrase "Hey Mom, could you make.....?  Just click on it and it will take you to my blog.  Hope this increases your enjoyment!

Also, some of you have told me you have been unable to comment.  Blogger/ Blogspot has recently updated their settings, Ty and I made some changes and he was able to leave my 1st comment!  So please leave a comment, I'd love it!  Thanks so much for reading my stuff!  Love you =)

Happy Birthday Carri! - Pasta Salad

Today is Carri's Madison's birthday!  Get ready to celebrate!  Happy Birthday Carri!  This is a day we do not want to over look!

We have known the Madison's for 8 years.  Carri and JT moved to Glenview while JT was with the Navy and soon they began attending Northbrook Covenant.  We are soooooo glad they did, because it gave our family a chance to get to know them!  Soon, Carri and JT began working with the youth group at church.  They quickly became a reliable, steady presence in the lives of kids.  They touched lives by just showing up!  They began showing up at everything, choir concerts, baseball games, band concerts, Soundstage, civil war re-enactments, band concerts, they were every where that was important to you kids! As a parent it was great to watch the impact the two of them were making. 

Carri fell into the role of "older sister" or very young aunt to most of the kids at church.  She did this well and because of her easy going personality you all listened when she gave her opinion.  You all enjoyed her love when each year she and JT called the night before school started to wish you a good 1st day of school.  You will never forget to "make good choices",  Carri's  reminder as kids headed out for the night.  Carri encourages everyone of you to give it your best when she says"Love God, Love Others, Shoot for C's".  David is grateful to be known as "her son".  And where would Ty be today if Carri hadn't kept after you to "quit smoking"! 

So today, I salute Carri Ann Madison.  Lover of Jesus, wife of JT,  mother of Lily, caretaker of CJ, fellow Starbucks addict, encourager, shopping partner,  baker of brownies, compassionate soul, guilty partner in enjoying "the Bachelor / Bachelorette", knitter, beautiful vocalist, dog-sitter, deaconess, musician,  co-devotee of "DWTS"& "The Hills", fashionista, consumer of MnM's and DEAR FRIEND!

In honor of Carri's special day I requested the recipe for her pasta salad.  Happy Birthday Carri!

Carri's Pasta Salad

1 pkg tri color rotini, cooked

1 brick colby jack cheese, cut into small chunks

1 cucumber, large dice

cherry tomatoes

pepperoni (optional)

1 bottle Wishbone Italian dressing 

Mix pasta, cheese, veggies and meat.  Pour on enough dressing to moisten.  Toss salad. Chill (Carri says it is better cold =).  Add more dressing before serving if it seems dry.  You can add other veggies if desired.  Yummy!

Grandma Renshaw's Coconut Cream Pie

This week I baked a recipe from my Grandma, Margaret Ackerman Renshaw. Since you never got to meet her I thought I'd tell you a little about her and Grandpa, Alfred Renshaw.  Margaret was pretty cool so I'll have to save some of her story for other posts.

My grandparents weren't able to have children.  Some relatives were visiting and told them a sad story.  Another couple, also related, had a newborn baby girl.  But the new mother had died the day after the baby was born, leaving the father with a small boy and a tiny baby.  He felt he couldn't take care of both children and was looking for a good home for the baby.  Alfred and Margaret decided to adopt the baby and so my Mom,  Elizabeth Ann Schrader became a Renshaw and moved to Rushmore Minnesota.  And that is were my story takes place.

We all lived on a farm.  Grandma & Grandpa lived on the farm with us. Actually, I guess it started out as their farm, Grandpa & Dad began farming together after Mom & Dad got married.  There were 2 houses on our farm, we lived in one and they lived in the other.  When I was born our family was living in the "little house" which was a newer, smaller house that sat close to the road.  I guess this house was built for my parents to live in when they moved to the farm.  The "big house" was the original farm house and Grandma & Grandpa lived there.  I guess my Mom grew up in that house but I never heard any talk about that.

One of my earliest memories was the day our family moved into the big house and G & G moved into the little house.  Our family had gotten too big to fit comfortably in our cozy home so we just swapped houses!  All I really remember about that day was carrying my little rocking chair to the big house.  I don't remember living in the little house but I have pictures to prove I did.  Here I am celebrating my 3rd birthday in the little house!

 So, Grandma & Grandpa were our closest neighbors, we saw them everyday.  Grandpa came to our house twice daily for coffee break, in the middle of the morning and mid afternoon, on the farm this was called "lunch".   Here is the breakdown of meals on the farm: breakfast, lunch, dinner, lunch, supper, followed by a large dessert before bed.  We ate a lot!

Most days I saw Grandma because I was sent to her house for some reason.  Shirley and I were Mom and Grandma's  errand runners.  If Mom needed to give something to or borrow something from Grandma, we would go running across the yard to deliver or pickup whatever was needed. I loved to see Grandma so I didn't mind being sent, except at night when I was always worried a wolf might get me, although I have never seen a wolf on the farm.  Crazy kid!  Grandma had some toys at her house that we could play with if we needed to hang out for a while.  There were blocks, and a toy car that was kept under her china hutch.  If Grandpa was around we would play with the car.  Grandpa was getting old and slowing down, so he would sit in his comfy chair across the room.  We would roll the car to him and he would stop it with his foot, then lean down and push it back.  

Grandma always seemed to be baking.  I guess a lot of the treats she baked came to our house because the two of them could not possibly have eaten all of that food!  She made great cookies, angel food cakes and especially pies!  Her pie crusts were amazing, practically a food group by themselves!  Of course, her secret to tender, flaky crusts was lard.  You don't hear about lard much these days, not so good for your arteries!  But if you need to make a really fabulous pie crust from scratch, lard is the way to go.  She always made some extra crust or perhaps she just rolled it so thin that she had some leftover.  The leftover crust would be laid out on a cookie sheet, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, baked and served up warm to the errand runners.  Lucky us!

Grandma's pies came in lots of flavors but the ones I remember the most were lemon meringue, coconut cream and apple .  All delicious!  I don't think I have ever had apple pie as good as Grandma's apple pie. I'm not sure what else she did to make it so special but it was truly amazing!  She also worked wonders with meringue and custards, so smooth and creamy. Perfection!

I got to thinking about her pies this week and realized Aunt Shirley had given me Grandma's coconut cream recipe.  Alas, no recipe for the crust!  But the creamy coconut custard went together easily and a store bought crust did its best to fill in for the memorable pastry, topped off with a beautiful meringue.  The guys and I have been gobbling it up, sorry it won't last until Emily gets here!  But here is Grandma's recipe so you can make it yourself, enjoy!!! 

 Grandma Renshaw's Coconut Cream Pie

Custard

1 3/4 cups milk

1/4 cup white corn syrup

4 T cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs yolks

 1 tsp vanilla

1 cup coconut 

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

  Add coconut and vanilla.  Let cool  while you prepare meringue.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Pour custard into pie shell and then spread meringue over warm filling.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool and then refrigerate.  

*This pie tastes better the second day.

*The custard was very sweet,  next time I might experiment with slightly less sugar.

Enjoy this pie with a cup of coffee at lunch or anytime of day!