Garden Veggies

Garden Veggies
Made into tile for my stove backsplash

Portland Rose Garden

Portland Rose Garden
Mike and my 2 youngest sons Ian and Leif

Grandson Michael's Birthday 2014 throwing water balloons

Grandson Michael's Birthday 2014 throwing water balloons
With son Beau, Grandson Luke and his mom Jennifer

Maren

Maren
I cut this out of a wedding line. I must take more pictures of her.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

CRANBERRY CRUNCH CAKE WITH WARM ORANGE SAUCE


This was my favorite new recipe this Christmas season.  My sister-in-law, Alicia Chilcote,  made the cake for my birthday in November.  I liked her version but thought it needed a little orange zing in the cake and the sauce.  I also have an Orange Crunch Cake I like and decided to put the crunch topping on this.  I cut half the fat from the original sauce and the cake only has 3 T. of oil, which I questioned but it works.  The fresh cranberries add all the needed moisture.  This is a very nice holiday or winter dish.


THE CRUNCH TOPPING  -  Crush 3 whole graham crackers (1/2 C)  and mix with 1/4 C brown sugar, 1/4 C of  fine chopped nuts (optional) and 1/4 C melted butter  -  Press into the bottom of a well greased bundt pan and up the sides a little.  

CRANBERRY CAKE 
2 Cups flour    
1 Cup sugar  
1 egg beaten
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp salt
3 T Oil
3 cups fresh Cranberries (sort out the squishy ones)
The juice of 1 large orange and milk to make 2/3 cup
1 T. finely grated orange peel

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add orange juice mixture, egg and oil.  Mix well (will be a stiff batter, add 1 T of milk if it seems too dry)  add cranberries and peel.  Pour over the crunch mixture carefully.  Bake @ 350 for about 35-40 min.   This can be made in a 9x13 pan also.  I have had a little problem getting the middle top cooked in the bundt. pan.   Serve with warm sauce.

SAUCE
Melt 1/4 C butter in a sauce pan add 2 T flour and stir for one minute on medium heat.  Add  1 C. sugar 3/4 C. fresh orange juice and 1 T. orange peel and 1/2 C whipping cream.  Bring to a boil.  Serve warm over the cake. Lovely, lovely!


Tuesday, December 28, 2010

LOST IN BUDAPEST

 I loved Budapest, even though my first day didn't turn out so well (as you will read in the story that follows)   I read "The Bridge to Andau" by James Mitchner (about the 1956 revolution against the Russians) before coming on this vacation and the story captivated me so that I couldn't wait to see the city. I wasn't disappointed.   I liked it better than Vienna.  The Danube separates the cities of Buda and Pest and something about a river running through a city is always charming.  That is what I loved about Paris also.   I have a Picasa Web Album with some select pictures of Budapest if you are interested.  

This story is a bit embarrassing on my part but oh well, here it is. 

This was the restaurant that we checked out as we moved down the street.  I waited across the corner from here.

An event from my 5 weeks in Europe on Sept 23, 2010

I yelled on the streets of Budapest, loud enough for everyone on the street that day to hear me, all the while Mike was sushing me.  “Everyone can hear you, he said.  “I don’t care if they can hear me,” I screamed.  I wanted sympathy, not censure.  I wanted understanding, not blame.  I still think I was right but not to yell, necessarily.

I didn’t plan to get mad.  I had been in control up until the moment Mike finally found me, at least I thought I was.  I couldn’t imagine how we had come to this.  Isn’t the first rule of being lost to stay put and the second rule to go back to the last place you were together?  These two ideas nailed me to a Budapest street corner and I couldn’t move in fear of making it all worse.

We arrived in Budapest after 3 days in Vienna, taking the train for 2 ½ hours through the fields of corn and red roofed hamlets.  It was a miserable ride for me.  Four German speaking adults, facing each other, sat across the aisle from us, chatting so loudly that I began to be irritated.  I was tired and wanted to sleep but the seats were not comfortable.  I tried to read but the ongoing guttural German distracted me.  We hadn’t eaten since breakfast and it was 2:30 when we arrived and 4:30 before we were settled in our charming flat.  We needed to exchange euros into Hungarian money and the place to do it was temporarily closed.

It was 5:30 before we headed down the street to find a restaurant.  My stomach was hurting and I was set up for a good low blood sugar tantrum.  We spent several minutes on a corner checking out a restaurant menu.  Cheryl went across the street to take pictures of a church she said was bathed in the afternoon sun.  When she returned she said, “You should take pictures of that church, it is very lovely.”  So I crossed the street and moved down a bit out of sight to snap my photos.  When I returned they were all gone.  I better stay put, was all I could think. I had drummed into my children often the rules of being lost (but obviously not to my husband).  There was a street that angled off on the left besides the 4 corner streets and we had wondered about restaurants there...what if they took this street?  So, I parked myself by a piece of granite on our corner.  I thought it would be good because they could see me from the cross street also.   That turned out to be a mistake.

After 30 minutes I started to panic a little.  I knew I could find my way back to our flat but it was too early for that.  I just couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t come back.  50 minutes later a scruffy looking man came and stood next to the marble block I was leaning on and started to smoke.  I moved away and leaned against the side of a building close to the corner.   Within the hour I saw Mike far down the street moving toward me.  His face was like a thundercloud.  He hadn’t eaten either.   Two low blood sugar eruptions were inevitable.  He started to blame me for not coming on down the street.  He said there was a plaza in front of the church and they had been waiting there, thinking that surely I would know that was where they were.  I argued the point.  How would I know there was a plaza there?  How would I even know which street they took?  The more critical he became of my decision to stay put the angrier I became.  “ Why wouldn’t you come back to the place you saw me last?”  I screamed.  “I couldn’t move.  I was paralyzed with not knowing what to do, surely you can understand that.”  But he argued with me, saying he looked up the street and didn’t see me.  My decision to stand by the marble block was clearly not the best idea as it put me out of the direct line of view.

I wanted Mike to come running up the street when he saw me, take me in his arms and press my head to his chest.  I would cry and he would say, “I am so glad we found you.  I was so worried.” ...what a fantasy that was.

We regrouped and found a lovely little restaurant with a patio.  We had a nice meal, but I didn’t enjoy it in the spirit I wanted to.  There was tension between Mike and me.  He told me later that he was more embarrassed for me on that day than he has ever been.  That was hard to hear but I can say that I was more disappointed in his reaction to my difficulty than I have ever been. (After 40 years of marriage I doubt that is true of either of us.)   His criticism crushed me.  The hour alone on that corner was filled with a lot of fear and stress.  Then the argument on top of it all left me physically and emotionally drained.

So, why did I write this? (One reason is I needed to vent after the incident that night with my trip journal)  I think there are lessons for both of us and one of them is that when the situation is understood there is no reason to blame the other.  Another lesson is abiding by the rules of being lost in the future.   The lost shouldn’t move and those looking for the lost should go back to the last place they were together.  Also, don’t scream in the street just because someone doesn’t agree with your decisions.  And lastly, carry some food with you.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

THIN MINTS



I have posted this previously but without process pictures.  These Thin Mints can me made with  chocolate flavored drops, which I use, because I have a source of good fresh ones at Kitchen Kneads in Ogden.  I made them once with chocolate drops from Hobby Lobby and they were not as good.  Michael's crafts sells them also but I have yet to try those.   I am sure they can be made with real, good, bulk chocolate but everyone seems to be happy with these as I have always made them so I continue as such.   You need almost 2 lbs. of chocolate drops and 1 lb. of green ones, may be mint flavored but not necessary.  As you will see I augment the drops with a generous handful of good chocolate chips.  It makes all the difference. These are quick and easy to make.  My family loves them.  Enjoy!

 Layer one
Layer two
Layer Three and Cut


1.  Get a large sided cookie sheet and put four or five sheets of parchment paper (actually you can use newspaper if you don't have parchment.)  in the bottom cut to fit nicely. (this keeps you from cutting up the
bottom of your pan when you slice the mints) Next put 3 sheets of waxed paper or parchment over this cut to fit. The better the fit the nicer the edges of your mints.

2. You need 2 medium glass bowls (no plastic in the microwave it is not healthy) Add 1 lb. of chocolate drops (For a better flavor I remove 1/2 C and add in 1/2 C. good semisweet chocolate chips.)  Add 3 T. vegetable oil and 4-5 drops of mint extract (any mint you like). Heat in the microwave on 4 or 5 power for 3-4 minutes. You might need to stir to get them all melted.

3.  Pour onto the wax paper and spread with a spatula to get as even as possible. Tap a few times on the counter to level. Place in a cool place just until set. The only problem these mints have is if you let them sit too long between layers sometimes they separate when cutting.

4.  Make the mint layer the same with the entire pound and 3 T. of oil and I always add a little more mint even if they already have some mint flavor. Pour over the chocolate layer being careful not to interrupt your chocolate too much as you smooth it out. Tap to level again.

5. When your 2rd layer is set melt the last pound of chocolate as the first and pour, even and tap. Let them set an hour or so. They cut easier if they don't set up too long.

6.  I use an  exacto knife to cut them.  Score them first with a ruler to get an even cut or if you are not fussy just do a  1 1/4 inch eyeball.  Its OK if they are a little skeewampus...they taste the same. Sometimes the paper sticks to the bottom and must be peeled off some squares. I put them into plastic bags and then into a Large Christmas tin and then store them in a cool place. They stay beautiful all month and even until Valentines Day if you can keep them that long. This makes 3 lbs. I have often made 2 batches while I am at it so I have some to give away. Enjoy!


Monday, December 13, 2010

CASHEW BRITTLE

 This is not like peanut brittle.  It is thin, crispy, buttery, and very addictive.  If I can get someone started on it they are hooked for life. 

CASHEW BRITTLE
2 C. Sugar            1 C. Lt. corn syrup
½ C. Water
Bring to boil  in a large sauce pan or dutch oven size pan
and add 1 C. butter and cook to
Soft crack. (I just do a water test on this.
  When it feels hard in a bowl of cold water it is ready) 
Add 3 C.  raw cashews
(must be raw but the broken ones work fine) 
cook to a hard crack stirring constantly.
(Again I water test this when the nuts begin to brown a bit and
the syrup is a light caramel color drop a little syrup into a small
bowl of cold water.  It should be crispy hard but don't over cook) 
Add 1 tsp. Soda  and stir well. Pour onto the
Bottom of 2 well greased cookie sheets.  Stretch
the candy off the sheet while hot to as thin as possible--
two forks helps.  Break into pieces when cool


 Cooking the syrup to a soft crack


 Adding the nuts and stirring until it is a hard crack


 Add the soda and pour onto the bottom of two
cookies sheets sprayed well with Pam 



With a couple of forks stretch the hot mixture
gradually off the edge of the pan
making it as thin as possible.
Break into serving sizes when cool and store in an airtight container.
It will keep good for as long as it will last.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

THE DANCING CHRISTMAS ELVES

Merry Christmas from the dancing elves,  Michael, Luke, Beau and Grandma and Grandpa Anderson.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

FRESH HOMEMADE PASTA

Roll into a thin circle.  For lasagna cut into 2 inch slices

Cut into 4 pieces


Stack the pieces together and roll up

Slice the rolls into the desired width

Shake out the rolls to separate
The noodles can be cooked now or dried a little or a lot.
They cook faster when fresh.


Fresh Homemade Pasta   is easier and faster than you think and so delicious.

Just Egg Noodles
Beat 4 large eggs add 2 tsp. Oil and enough flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead for 5 minutes and let rest 15-30 minutes before rolling.  The dough needs to be stiff but not so stiff it is difficult to roll.  If you have a Kitchen Aid type mixer you can knead it there but by hand is very energizing

Spinach Egg Noodles
Beat 4 large eggs add ½ cup drained chopped frozen or fresh cooked spinach and 2 tsp. oil. Add flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead for 5 minutes and let rest before rolling.

Semolina Flour Noodles

Beat 4 eggs with 2 tsp. oil Add 1 cups of semolina flour and enough white flour to make a kneadable dough. Knead for 5 minutes and let rest  before rolling.  Semolina flour can be purchased at Kitchen Kneads in Ogden.  It makes a firmer noodle than just eggs.

Rolling and Cooking

Cut the dough into about 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a circle to the desired thinness. (For soup I usually make the noodles quite thin...for lasagna a little thicker. ) Use a little flour on the board when rolling and then dust with flour and cut into 4 pie shaped pieces. Stack the pieces on top of each other with the corners meeting. Roll into a small roll and slice into the desire noodle width. If you want to make lasagna noodles just cut the circle into 2-inch strips.  (Homemade noodles make fantastic lasagna)

Undo the rolls and dust with flour. This can be made ahead until ready to boil—just let sit on a cookie sheet or counter or cook right away.

Each of these recipes makes a large pot of soup or enough pasta for about 3-4 people. If you don’t want the noodles to thicken your soup boil them separately in water then drain and add to your soup (this makes a clear broth.) The flour you dust on them to keep them from sticking together thickens and clouds your soup, which can be nice if you have a rich broth.  Fresh pasta cooks very quickly in about 2-4 minutes, depending on the thickness.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

HALLELUJAH

This made my day...very inspiring that there are that many people in the food court willing to rise and sing with such gusto. Merry Christmas!

Monday, November 29, 2010

5 WEEKS IN EUROPE

Mike and I spent 5 weeks in Europe returning home on the 23 of October. We started in Vienna Austria, to Budapest Hungary and a few days in southern Hungary staying in a small village called Kapolcs. We then flew to Paris and traveled by car to Giverny, France (Monet's home) Then on to the Normandy France area, Mont-Saint-Michel, Loire Valley and ending up in a village in southern France by the Dordogne river called, La Roque Gageac. We were there for 5 days taking day trips to many neighboring villages. There was a castle outside the window of our charming guest house. It was a spectacular area, as you will see in the photos.

We returned to Paris and spent a couple of days (see my post "A Sunday in Paris") Then we flew to Malaga in southern Spain where we had rented a villa in the hills where there are many white pueblo villages. Our house was 20 minutes up a windy (seasick) road, but the view was worth it. We had many adventures in our week there traveling to Granada, Malaga, Cordoba and many of the charming pueblo villages. We took the high speed train (the only way to fly) back to Madrid, Spain and then to Toledo for a day. We spent our last four days in Madrid. From there we took a day trip to Segovia and Avila. While in Madrid we went to a session of the Madrid LDS temple, visited the Prado and a modern art museum. We traveled with Ron and Cheryl Miller from Monterey, California. I took a few thousand pictures and have cut them down to about 1,300 pictures. From this I picked out about 250 for this slide show. They are all labled so you will know what you are looking at. Click on the pictures below, which will take you to Picasa and then get a full screen slide show for a better viewing experience.

Monday, November 22, 2010

THANKSGIVING RECIPES YOU MIGHT WANT

This is as good as any fruit salad.

It has an easy brownie crust.  

Snicker Pie
This is always the request of my youngest son.  He even wants it on his birthday.  I am going to make it this year with a premade graham crust to shorten the preparation time.  It has a few steps but it is worth the effort.  Snicker Pie

Steamed Carrot Pudding With Vinegar Sauce
This is one of my very favorite desserts.  I made it this year for my own birthday.  It has been in my family for over 100 years and has its own story.  The vinegar sauce makes it...unusual but delicious!



Wednesday, November 17, 2010

COOKIE PIE CRUST FOR A CREAM PIE


I love to make this crust for a cream pie at Thanksgiving.  It is easier than a graham cracker crust and makes a large 10 inch pie or a deep dish 9 inch.  Finely chopped toasted nuts are good in it about 1/4 cup after chopping.  I expecially like toasted almonds.  The browned butter makes a very nice flavor and worth the effort, then you can just finish making the crust in the pan you browned the butter in.


COOKIE PIE CRUST: Melt 1/2 C. real butter in a large saucepan and cook over med heat until it starts to brown a nice carmel color. (this will go fast and you need to watch it carefully or it will brown too quickly and burn)  Remove from the heat and quickly stir in 1/4 C. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 C Flour. (add nuts here)  Crumble together and press into a 10 inch pie plate making the sides as even as possible around the top. Bake in a 350 oven for 10-12 minutes or until it starts to brown.



Friday, November 12, 2010

A SUNDAY IN PARIS



I never dreamed of Paris, not even in the days of Jr. High when I kicked my legs and flipped my petticoats dancing the can can on the stage of the old Wellington school. I had other more practical wishes, like seeing Salt Lake City.

But here I am in Paris with its romance and history. The girl with freckles from Wellington Utah is walking the streets of Paris on a mild October Sunday. The sun and my beloved travel with me on this day of happy surprises.

Arrived yesterday afternoon
Ate Pizza for dinner, not very Parisian but close to our room
Spent the evening floating down the Seine with all the glowing lights
Past the Eiffel Tower, effusive glittering for 10 minutes on the hour.
Strolling the Seine with the other lovers before the evening ends.

Cool Sunday morning
Could have worn my coat but before long am doing fine in a sweater.
Fun old statue of women in the park by our room
The hop on hop off bus getting an overview of the eye popping sites
The Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysee, the Eiffel Tower in morning mist

The black beret, bought at the Tower overlook
Worn by Mike and later by me to keep my head warm atop the open-air bus
Giant crepes with Nutella or squeezed lemon and sugar...delicieux!

Notre Dame Cathedral,
Mass in progress, lovely organ music with choir, stained glass splendor.
In front of the Cathedral
Dozens of birds in low growing shrubs waiting to eat from the hands of children
The sweetest thing ever.

Paris Marathon
Hundreds of colorful runners pressed together coming up the bridge
Bikers, old young and in-between, some in costume
Feelings of fun and friends enjoying the day, making their own parade.
A wedding on the banks of the Seine

Couscous restaurant under the basement steps
The best gelato yet, scooped out in flower form
The metro to Sacre-Coeur
"Bravo" and clapping from a young Parisian woman because this old woman
Sprinted up a swirl of many steps without stopping or collapsing even though I wanted to do both.

Artists on the hilltop of Sacre-Coeur, some very good, some drawing portraits.
A gallery with wavy clocks by Salvidor Dali
So many people crowded together enjoying the day and street music

Overlooking Paris from the church steps on the hill as the afternoon winds to a close.
Flower shop, glowing with colorful light as the sun diminishes
Photo of a child with an armload of flowers...hope it’s paintable

Saying goodbye to Paris
Champs Elysee, this time in evening glow
One last look at the Eiffel tower up close
Accordion music floating through the train
A young mother standing with a baby asleep in her arms
A coin dropped in a cup
Our musical send off
Not a dream come true but a day to remember with joy
Au revoir Paris.
Goodby
 
 

Saturday, November 6, 2010

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE


THE BEST EVER PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE
I have never been a big fan of Pumpkin Chiffon pie until I tasted this one at a party brought by my friend Sue Chase.  Now it is my favorite pumpkin pie.  One small can of pumpkin makes 2 pies. By all means make 2 pies while you are at it...no bigger effort if you buy the premade Keebler ghram cracker crust, which is very good with this pie.  Get the larger size crust.  

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
2 large egg yolks, beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree


2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust (larger size Keebler)
Whipped cream for garnish


In a saucepan, combine the gelatin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. Stir in the milk, egg yolks and pumpkin. Cook over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from the heat and chill until partially set, about one hour.Remove the chilled pumpkin mixture from the refrigerator and give it a stir, set aside.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Fold into the pumpkin mixture along with the whipped cream. Pour into the pie crust and chill for 1 hour. Decorate the top with more whipped cream and chocolate curles if desired.  To make curles warm up a chocolate bar and pul some curles off the side with a potato peeler or cheese slicer.

Here is a great tip for stabalizing whipped cream for the top of the pie. Buy a box of one of the vanilla type instant pudding mixes and put it in a jar to use for your whipped cream.  Add about 2 tsps. of the mix to a  cup of cream.  When it is almost completely whipped with the sugar and vanilla flavoring add the pudding mix and continue to beat until the cream is stiff.   It will last as long as the filling.  But this pie won't last long.



Sunday, October 31, 2010

BOOK REVIEW - HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET

I didn’t know much about the interment of the Japanese Americans during WWII, so this book made aspects of what went on illuminating as it unfolded in the lives of a 12 year old Japanese girl and a Chinese boy friend in Seattle Washington.

I took this book with me to Europe thinking it would be an easy read, especially with the small chapters. I was well into reading "Water for Elephants," and hoped to finish it on the flight, but when the language and sex got too much for me I gave up and threw it away. (warning if you want to read that book.) Hotel was in my checked luggage so I plugged into my MP3 and listened to BYU devotionals instead.

Our traveling pace was fast and exhausting so it took me several weeks to get through this book (besides I’m a slow reader).

This is a sweet coming of age story focusing on the problems of immigrants and their children as it related to the country's atmosphere during WWII. The 12 year old girl Keiko was well integrated into the Seattle culture in that her parents were born in America, but the fear of anyone Japanese in the US during the war would eventually turn her world upside down. Henry was the son of first generation immigrants from China. His family had language barriers and still held nationalist ideas and a strong hate for the Japanese. So, having these two fall in love created family problems for Henry well portrayed by the author. I think the characters were a little young for some of their experiences and the depth of their ardor. It would have worked better for me if Keiko and Henry had been 14.

For me this was more about the immigrant family relationships than the facts of the interment. I would have liked a little more of what went on with Kieko during her time in Idaho and what happened after their release. But the story was told by Henry in two time periods alternating 1944 when he was 12 and when he was 56 in 1986. I don’t usually like this format but this gave me a glimpse into how a generation can change everything when Henry’s son was a full-fledged cultural American by the time he was a college student.

I thought Henry’s interactions with his father were sad and poignant. I had an understanding of how difficult the family culture gap can be for immigrant children. There was a strong sense of Henry’s aloneness and how nice for him to bond with this little Japanese girl at school.

I would give this 3 stars. It was a pleasant story and gave me things to think about. 

 

Sunday, October 24, 2010

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

This is a recipe I have made for many years.  They are moist, quick and yummy.  (They have less oil than some and I like that)  Someone left a message on my phone recently after making them from my Ward recipe book and said they "loved" them.   It makes 2 dozen, medium muffins.  Don't hesitate to make a full batch.  They keep well for a few days or freeze for later reheating.

Mix together:
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Milk
½ C. Oil
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
2 C. Pumpkin (a small can)
1 ½ tsp. Cinnamon
 ½ tsp. Nutmeg
¼ tsp. Cloves

Add: 3 C. flour
3 tsp. BP
½ tsp. soda
Add chocolate chips, nuts or raisins
If desired.

Mix just until moistened and spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake 375 for 15 min. Add chocolate chips, nuts or raisins If desired.  Makes 2 dozen


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

THE BRIDGE AT ANDAU - BOOK REVIEW




The Bridge at Andau by James A. Mitchner

In 1956 I was 10 years old when the Hungarians revolted against the Russian communist occupation of their country. I actually have vague recollections of discussions that went on concerning this horrific event. The world was stunned as this tiny country launched a courageous attempt to depose the Russians and the AVO thugs who had a stranglehold of fear and poverty on their society.

In the beginning the Russians came in and kicked out the Hungarian aristocracy and wealthy land owners with slick promises of a better life for the working man. The propaganda was organized and intense. They promised: more consumer goods, increased wages, many social benefits, shorter work hours and education for everyone. Ten years later life was worse in every aspect. The consumer goods, food, machinery and minerals produced with a heavy burden on the people were being shipped to Russia leaving the Hungarians working harder for less. Instead of freedom, society was choked with poverty and tyranny.

In order to gain control of the people the communists had infiltrated every aspect of their lives with the AVO police. Some were Russians but many were locals, promised special advantages if they would agree to inform on their fellow workers and neighbors. Violent torture camps were set up to punish any opposition. Some were deported to work camps in Siberia never to be heard of again. Fear increased as no one knew who they could trust or if someone would fabricate evil against you for their own gain or revenge.

This is the backdrop of the Hungarian revolt of 1956. James Mitchner was there, after the event, interviewing the refugees as they streamed out of Hungary , seeking asylum in Austria. Mitchner’s story is told from the eyes of real characters who participated in the revolt. The stories are a stunning indictment of the evils of communism.  (Published in 1957)

I was spellbound with the details of courage and love of country. "Give me liberty or give me death" could have been the battle cry of men women and children as they did the impossible in incident after incident. The revolt failed but according to Mitchner, it exposed communism for what it is to other countries who were toying with the possibilities for their own governments. Lest we forget how people can get sucked into such lies I believe it should be required reading for everyone.

Thousands were killed in the crushing defeat, after which, 200,000 mostly young and educated Hungarians fled the country over a rickety bridge, in the swamps near Andau, across the border to Austria, who welcomed and helped the refugees.

Next week I will be traveling to Hungary with my friend Cheryl Miller who recommended I read this book. I am grateful I did and will have a different feeling for these people knowing the struggles they have endured in my lifetime.  (This is only 280 fast pages)
 
 

Monday, August 30, 2010

THE WELLINGTON GIRLS 2010

Back Left -Elynn Shorts Branch, Olivia Gonzales Moreton, Me
Front Left-  Karol Thayn Hartley, Norene Norton, Louise Pierce Jones

You know God had a hand in your life when he let you grow up with girls who always inspired you to do good and be good.  We try to get together every couple of years and this picture is only half of us.  It was interesting that there were hardly any girls a year younger or a year older than us in the little town of Wellington, Utah. There was a large group of us who went to school for 12 years together.  We were nice girls who played together amiably and respectfully and we had a lot of fun.  Sometimes our fun was just sitting on a log in the wash and talking about our dreams.  We still have dreams but now mostly we have memories that can keep us chatting all day and into the night.  These women still inspire me to want to be better. 

-"In a sense we make up all our relatives. . . fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and the rest....We take what we know, which isn't ever the whole story, and we add it to what we wish and need, and stitch it together into some kind of family quilt to wrap up in on our mental couch."  Robert Fulgum,  "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"

Thank you dear friends for being a piece of my family quilt...you are "the rest."  and the best!



 

Sunday, August 15, 2010

FLOWERS - A LEGACY



A floral designer partners with God in arranging His most beautiful creations to celebrate birth, death and everything in-between. My mother didn’t work outside the home until we were all in school and then mostly part time doing menial jobs like motel maid or waitress. Then on one bright lovely day she answered an add in the local newspaper for a job caring for plants at Slaughs greenhouses in Price. It changed her life. It gave her a career.

When mother returned from her motel or waitress work her face would be flushed and her body slumped with exhaustion but not at the greenhouse.  There was a visible serenity at the end of her day. She often commented on the smell of the moist air and the joy of the sprightly new plants and exotic roses. Mother worked alone in a quiet meditative state planting, watering, pruning and picking the fresh new blooms for use in Slaughs Price floral shop. It was a job she never stopped being joyful about.

It all changed after a couple of years, when the Slaugh family invited mother to learn flower design, and perhaps not a change for the better. Memorial Day, Valentines Day, Mothers Day, funerals and wedding are pressure cookers in floral shops but my mother adjusted and she was a good designer, trained by her coworkers in a very traditional method. Working gave my mother some freedom and independence that was good. My dad was very tightfisted with money and she never really had things she needed or wanted until she had her own income. Floral Design was a perfect fit for her artistic nature and she created with joy all the remaining days of her life. The last 2 years, before her untimely brain tumor, mother sold her silk floral designs in Aunt Addys with me. She wanted to continue arranging florals even as the tumor was ravaging her body.

I have my mother’s artist genes, for sure. I started sewing at a young age and it was a creative adventure for me. (Read “Things I Have Sewed”) I eventually moved to crafts of various kinds including sewing crafts. Silk flowers became the rage in the 80’s and when a group of friends opened a co-op gift shop I began arranging silk flowers, with no training other than having watched my mother. I never cooked when I was young but my mother cooked so I knew it was something I could do if I wanted to. So it was with floral design.
My style eventually evolved apart from my mothers, as happens with all artists, and my creations sold well in Aunt Addys gift shop. I became a silk floral arranger, working in my basement, obsessed with it, as I had been with sewing and crafts, for the next 15 years or so. Those little Chinese guys do an amazing job of creating copies of God’s beautiful flowers and I loved them all. Perusing the wholesale houses for new flowers was like what I imagine a drug high would be. For some years Mike and I or my mother and I picked a van load of rice grass in Spanish Fork canyon to use as filler for my arrangements when the “country” look was in. I made wreaths with hand picked grapevines and a beaded weed that grew in the hills behind our Farmington house. I sit here writing this not quite understanding my drive. I didn’t need to work. I had better things to do, like being a mother. I have some regrets.

When Maren was in High School she made some small arrangements and wreaths to sell in the store. She had an obvious talent from the beginning. The first year after high school, when she was attending Salt Lake Community College, she answered a newspaper add placed by Tai Pan Trading. At the time they were a one store wholesale floral seller but have expanded to almost 6 mega gift stores. In the beginning they created mass-produced floral designs to sell in grocery stores and also design ideas with store merchandise. Maren was hired and worked there until she married and moved to South Carolina. Needing a job in her new town, she found the biggest and best floral shop in Columbia, Rosewood Floral, and talked the owner into teaching her how to arrange fresh flowers. (Mary became Maren’s mentor and mother figure) One year later Maren won second place in a state design contest, unheard of for someone working in the field for only a year and so young. Oh, and she was going to school full time getting on the deans list.

Maren moved from the big flower shop to Chinaberry, a small upscale gift, floral shop combination. They were often hired for the cities most expensive weddings and parties. Once when I visited Columbia her boss Peggy told me about a wedding Maren designed that cost $20,000, just for the flowers. Peggy said they were all blown away as Maren went into the woods and pulled out vines to drape on the stairway of the reception center. Her boss said the flower arrangements and garlands were amazing. Everything she did was uniquely Maren, with flare. She definitely has her own style.

After finishing her merchandising degree Maren got a job with a tile and granite store helping customers design their kitchens. She was good at that also. After 8 years in South Carolina she moved back to Utah taking a job with a Salt Lake granite installer. A few months later she bumped into her old boss from Tai Pan in Home Depot. He asked her what she was doing and if she would like to come back to work for them. In the last 5 years she has opened 5 of Tai Pans new stores, doing displays and floral design. She is now working on the 6th store in California.

So Mother, you started something. Isn’t it interesting how taking that job in Slaugh’s Nursery affected your female prodigy. Was it genes or environment? I am not sure but it has bonded us together if nothing else.
My mother Mollie Marvell in her Slaugh Floral Days


My wedding flowers arranged by my mother


First botique with my mother.  The beginning of my flower days.


Newspaper article about Aunt Addys
The first co-op gift shope in the state


Maren's College Graduation - University of South Carolina


Maren her Rosewood Floral days


Maren with coworker at Chinaberry

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

MARINADE FOR MOIST CHICKEN BREASTS


Grilling or broiling chicken breasts are less than satisifying because they taste dry and very dry.  I adapted this recipe from  my friend Janet Thaeler who used the finished product to make Cordon Bleu.  She told me they were, "so moist."  I thought, "Why not for grilled chicken."  It works.  Much improved taste and texture.


1 Scant tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. black pepper 
Cayenne pepper – a little or a lot or none
1-2 cloves of garlic grated  (your taste in garlic)
½ tsp. baking powder
2 T. white wine or apple juice  (I buy those little boxes of Juicy Juice and always have a small amount on hand.)
2 T. olive oil
Cut 4 chicken breasts into 3 pieces and pound until equal thickness.  (Pounding ensures not over or undercooking any part)  Put in a glass bowl, with the marinade, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. (the longer the better)  Grill, broil or brown on the stove. Don’t overcook.  Good in anything that you need cooked chicken. 

Sunday, August 1, 2010

GRILLED CHICKEN AND PINEAPPLE QUESADILLAS



The Pioneer Woman had this recipe on her blog. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/grilled-chicken-pineapple-quesadillas.  I was having guests and wanted to make a light supper so decided to give it a try. I thought it was good but I like ham and pineapple pizza. This is a take off of that kind of flavor. My guest wanted the recipe so I will make it again (plus my husband ate it). I changed and clarified a few things from the PW.  I did use fresh pineapple but I think you could grill some canned pineapple rings or not grill it at all just use pineapple tidbits. 


Ingredients

 8 whole Flour Tortillas
 2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
 Salt And Pepper, to taste
 4 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
 1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced (seeded if you don’t want the heat)
 Cilantro as desired
 Barbecue Sauce (Costcos Sweet Baby Rays my favorite)

Preparation Instructions

To grill pineapple: cut in wedges and grill over low heat. Brush with BBQ sauce. Cut into cubes.

Grilled Pineapple

Pound the chicken to uniform thickness.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and Cajun spice or garlic and a bit of chili powder. Toss with a little olive oil to coat. Grill or broil on both sides until done. Brush with barbecue sauce. (I love Costco’s Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce) Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Grilled Chicken

Warm griddle over medium heat and put a little oil (PW used butter but it browns too fast) in the pan. Slightly toast tortillas on both sides (brown on one side), then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four grilled tortillas with half the grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro, if desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top and the remaining cheese. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Assembled ready for more cheese and top tortilla

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. (I put them on a cookie sheet and in a 300 degree oven for 10 min to melt the cheese rather than grill them since the tops were already grilled.) Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and lime wedges.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

THE MIKE HAYES STORY

Innercity Missionaries


My Husband and I served two years as inner-city missionaries at the St. Benedicts Manor in Ogden. It is a government-housing complex with about 100 members who deal with various disabilities. Mike Hayes gave an impressive talk in Sacrament meeting on one of our first Sundays at the Manor. His testimony was powerful. The missionaries were assigned to visit the members monthly in their apartments. Our first visit with Mike was a cherished experience. We knocked on his door and he opened cheerfully and invited us in. We spent a few minutes discussing his work and career goals. He collected bills for a nearby business; he did part time drafting and had an online business with hopes of success. We were impressed at his ambition with his obvious handicap.

Mike happened to mention that he had only been active 3 years. I asked him what brought him back into the church. He told the following story:

"I am an epileptic. I was having seizures so often my life seemed hopeless. I decided the only answer was to end it. I sat on the bed with a 32-caliber revolver. I was contemplating where the best place to shoot would be—in the mouth or at the temple. As I sat there discouraged and distraught something came over me and I dropped to my knees and prayed. I stayed there for a long time pouring out my soul, pleading for help. I glanced at the shelf by my bed. I saw a book—my old dusty scriptures. I put down the gun and picked up the scriptures. They fell open to 2 Timothy 1:7"

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…
"I cried and dropped to my knees and prayed again. I had my answer."

He pointed to a spot on the wall with the scripture printed out below a picture of the Savior. He said the scripture sustained him daily.
I asked him about his health. He said he got an implant to control his seizures and now only has one or two grand mauls a year. He told us he was happy and hopeful—that the gospel had given him a new life.

We left uplifted as we often did with these wonderful people who were trying to live the gospel with challenges most of us can’t even imagine.