If I could choose what I really wanted to be doing today, it would be baking a birthday cake for my husband. Sometimes he would pick the kind he wanted; at other times, he would tell me to surprise him. When asked, that is what he said eight years ago, “Surprise me.” Little did I realize my selection would be the last birthday cake I ever made for him. Thankfully, he was delighted with the caramel cream cake I prepared,…..
At my stage of life, there are not many things that I find more enjoyable than time spent with my grandchildren. Last week I was privileged to have two visitors for a couple of days – Vivian (8) and Elijah (4). I brought them home Sunday afternoon, then took them back to their parents on Tuesday evening. The in-between hours were packed with activity. For some reason, Vivian loves to ride on my zero turn mower. Usually when she asks…..
Regular readers of Cooks’ Corner know that I often look to a list of monthly “specials” when I am deciding which type of recipes to feature during a particular week. Some months are overloaded with ideas, while others are sorely lacking. April falls in the latter category, having only three designations. However, one of those is “National Food Month.” Since pretty much all of my recipes deal with food, I can easily handle that one. Then again, the subject is…..
During my childhood, Easter was often referred to as “Resurrection Sunday.” Those of us who are Christians understand the reference, but in today’s society, many people do not. Jesus, the Son of God, came into our world as a baby. He was born to a mother who was a virgin; His Father was God Himself. Jesus began His ministry to others around the age of thirty. The Bible records His story in four different Gospels, located in the New Testament;…..
In a few days, this month will have Marched on by. The first quarter of 2019 will be history. Didn’t the year just get started? Someone once explained that the reason time seems to speed up as we get older is because each year is a smaller fraction of our lives. In other words, when we are four years old, a year is one-fourth of the time we have existed. When we are fifty, a year is one-fiftieth of our…..
What is black and white and red all over and comes in the middle of February? It isn’t a sunburned penguin, nor is it an embarrassed skunk. It’s also not a zebra running through a strawberry patch. Give up? It’s my annual column with recipes for Valentine’s Day. (Black-on-white print in the newspaper that is read all over…) Sometimes it is hard to write about themes that recur year after year. This is the thirteenth time I need to come…..
There are times when I reminiscence about childhood memories with one or more of my siblings. Most of the events we discuss would not have been possible without the people involved in those recollections. Some folk pass in and out of our lives without much fanfare, but there are others that hold a special place in our hearts. One of the super special people we have recalled lately is Hazel, a lady that played different roles in our lives. She…..
When I first began writing the Cooks’ Corner column, much of what I discussed was the “how-to” aspects of cooking and baking. As time went on, I began adding stories as well as recipes. The story submissions were much the favorite of my late husband, who always took his proof-reading job seriously. I would write a column, print it, and ask him to check it for errors. His comments about the ones that had no story: “This is good but…..
Several people have asked me lately about “that little girl who used to cook with you.” That girl, my granddaughter Maggie, isn’t so little anymore; she is taller than I am! She turned fourteen on Saturday. Maggie lives in Newburgh, Indiana, and recently started her freshman year of high school. She plays clarinet in the marching band, so a lot of her summer was spent at band camp. Also in 4-H, Maggie completed several projects this year, one of which…..
Here are some things you probably already know: There are twelve eggs in a dozen. There are twelve months in a year. There are twelve inches in a foot. Now for something you may not realize: Once these words are in print and I cut them out of the newspaper and place them with the rest of my collection, I will have completed my twelfth notebook of “Cooks’ Corner” columns. Twelve years seems like a long time, and it seems…..