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Archive for the ‘Musings’ Category

Friends are Good

Posted in Family, Musings, tagged , on January 24, 2011| 1 Comment »

This weekend my BFF (whom I’m no longer supposed to call BFF) also known as Miz Sunshine, came over for a play date.

We baked pies – a lot of them – from scratch. I think our husbands were quite pleased with the fruit of our labors.

We made quiche.

We ate chocolate mousse.

We laughed – a lot.

In general, we had a grand time. We always do. She speaks to my heart, makes me smile and likes me even though she knows the real me. If  that isn’t a friend, I don’t know what is!

She also came bearing a gift. A very wonderful, special, make-my-eyes-leak kind of gift.

It was a book entitled “Friends Are Good.” She wouldn’t let me read it while she was there, because we would have used an entire box of tissue and cried ourselves silly.

So I waited until she left to read it. And, oh, it was sweet.

The book is filled with friendship quotes. That in itself is enough to give me a bushel-load of warm fuzzies. But she wrote the most wonderful little notes throughout the book which made it something I will cherish forever and always.

If you follow me on facebook, you’ll get the opportunity to read some of the quotes this week as I’ll be posting one every day!

I can’t tell you how very blessed I am to have Miz Sunshine, my BFF, in my life!

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Kitchen Know-How, Betty Style

Posted in Entertaining Ideas, Musings, tagged , , on January 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Since I am missing the first four pages of my Grandma’s 1961 Betty Crocker Cookbook and shall never know:

1). The reasons why those four pages are missing

2). What they contained

This is the first page I see when I open the cookbook. A fun page with some tips for Kitchen Know-How.  It covers much more than kitchen know how. Like tips on how to be a well-rounded (NOTE: not Rounder) person. Maybe the thing that I love most about this page is that the advice shared then is still pretty useful today. Maybe things haven’t changed all that much since 1961.

So here is what it says:

“Plan Ahead

Write menus for a week’s meals at a time. Shop for staples once a week, fresh fruits and vegetables twice weekly.

When cooking, assemble all ingredients and utensils before beginning to prepare the dish.

If you have a freezer, make several cakes, pies, cookies, main dishes or sandwiches at a time and freeze some for future use.

Combine Jobs

Bake cake or cookies while washing dishes or cooking dinner. Pare vegetables while meat is browning.

Plan leftovers. Cook some foods to be served more than once such as beef roast; use again for beef sandwiches, beef hash or beef pie.

Plan and organize daily work while working with hands (peeling potatoes, sweeping floor, etc.).

Refresh your spirits

Every morning before breakfast, comb hair, apply makeup and a dash of cologne. Does wonders for your morale and your family’s, too!

Think pleasant thoughts while working and a chore will become a “labor of love.”

Have a hobby. Garden, paint pictures, look through magazines for home planning ideas, read a good book or attend club meetings. Be interested – and you’ll always be interesting.

If you have a spare moment, sit down, close your eyes and just relax.

Organize Work

Have a weekly plan for schedule such tasks as washing, ironing, baking, shopping, cleaning the refrigerator or washing floors. One task done each day provides a sense of accomplishment and keeps work from piling up.

Alternate sitting-down tasks and standing-up tasks. Don’t be on your feet too long.

Let the family help you. Very young children can set the table; older ones help cook and wash the dishes. Include them in party plans.

Be Comfortable

Wear comfortable shoes and easy-fitting clothing while working.

Stand erect. Good posture prevents fatigue.

Have sink, work table, counter tops at height that is comfortable to eliminate strain. If dishpan is too low, set it on a box.

Use a dust mop and long-handled dust pan. Use self-wringing mop to prevent stooping.”

I know if I would follow all this grand advice, I’d have a better posture, a happier outlook, a more organized kitchen, and be more prepared at meal-time. Goodness only knows what it would do to make Captain Cavedweller’s world a better place.

I think maybe I’ll start with “Refresh Your Spirits” and go from there.

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna

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Betty Crocker circa 1961

Posted in Family, Musings, Recipes, tagged , , on January 17, 2011| 1 Comment »

The other day I was browsing through my collection of cookbooks and the one that caught my eye was a cookbook I inherited from my Grandma.

My dad’s mother loved people, loved to entertain and I don’t remember ever leaving her house without a big warm hug. She was a great example of what hospitality is all about!

So, for the first time since the cookbook came into my possession many years ago, I sat down and went through it page by page. Not only did I enjoy the cookbook itself, I also found some buried treasures: a recipe for gingerbread Grandma had clipped in the mid 1960s, a grocery list that included pineapple and vanilla pudding (I wonder what she was planning to make) and a few random recipe cards. I loved seeing her handwriting again.

If I’ve done my homework correctly, the cookbook is the third edition Betty Crocker printed back in 1961.  The reason I don’t know that off the bat, is because the first four pages of the cookbook are missing. If anyone has a copy  – I’d love to know what I’m missing out on in those first four pages!

So, since the cookbook is 50 years old and I’m filled with a whole bunch of nostalgic mushiness, I’ve decided to blog about this cookbook all week. Don’t miss out on Friday when I share a cookie recipe that will throw you for a loop!

Happy Entertaining!

The Nostalgic Freak

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Reaching 100,000

Posted in Hubby, Musings, Travels, tagged , on January 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »


Hubby, my very own Captain Cavedweller, had the day off today and instead of sleeping away half the day as he has been known to do on rare occasion, he was up early and rarin’ to go. Where I don’t know, but rarin’ I tell you.

So with nothing better to do than twiddle his thumbs, he went out to start my car for me, shovel the sidewalk and scrape the windshield. When he came back in, he reminded me to keep an eye on the odometer as I drove into work because my car, my wonderful little car that has traveled to hither and yon and back again, was just about to hit 100,000 miles.

Huh? How could that be?

Who’s been taking my car for long joy rides and not telling me? Where did all those miles come from?

It is possible a lot of them came from running around the countryside the last four years doing home parties. The car and I have been to parties covering a four-state region.  We’ve driven through rain, snow, sleet, hail and even thunderstorms that caused me to toss Goldfish crackers all over the inside. I’ve run through potholes made by T-Rex’s (long story for another day), had the back window blown out on the freeway by what should have been labeled a fallen meteor and slid unscathed through icy intersections (no, it wasn’t this morning, although with the state of the roads it could have been a possibility).

So I spent my white-knuckled drive slipping and sliding into work, glancing repeatedly to watch the car go from 99,990 plus miles to hit the big 100,000.

Although there wasn’t any fanfare or confetti as the 99,999 rolled into 100,000,  it is an occasion I will remember. My sweet little car and I have been a lot of places. I’m hoping we have many more miles of adventures to travel together.

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