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MYRA'S EMPTY CUPBOARD WITH YOUR FAVORITE SOUL
FOOD OR SANDWICH RECIPE!!
Sign
into the guest book on the left and share your
recipe or email it directly to
myrafs@myrasmith.com
FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, I HAVE AN EASY,
DELICIOUS DESSERT FOR YOU. I DON'T THINK
THAT I'VE GIVEN IT TO YOU BEFORE. MY
NIECE, ASHLEY, FIRST INTRODUCED ME TO THIS
DECADENT DESSERT.
RECIPE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY:
Here's a little something from Rachael
Ray:
This recipe comes from her April 09 issue
of the magazine. I haven't tried it, but
it sounds really yummy to me.
Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for
greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 c. ketsup
2/3 c. bread crumbs
2 lg. eggs
1/2 c. bread and butter pickle chips,
chopped
1 1/2lbs. ground beef
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3 in.
cubes
2 lbs. new, raw potatoes
3/4 c. heavy cream
A note here...I have never seen bread and
butter pickle chips, so just leave that out, or
possibly add a bit of dill to the recipe. Or,
another suggest might be just to add a few reg.
chips. That's my suggestion, not Rachael's!
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a
rimmed baking sheet. In medium skillet,
heat 2 T. oil over med. heat. Add onion
and cook about 3 min.
In large bowl, combine ketchup, bread
crumbs, eggs and pickles( opt.)Mix in the onion.
Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix
together. Transfer to the baking sheet and
shape into a 4x12 inch loaf. Bake for 35
min.
Meanwhile, halve the potatoes and place
them in a pot with enough salted water to cover
by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower
the heat and simmer until tender, 10 to 15
minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash
with the cream.
Let the meatloaf rest for 5 min. before
slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.
SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE:
2 cans crescent rolls (use the bigger
ones)
2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 c. cinnamon/sugar mixture
Take crescent rolls directly out of frig.
Do not set out to room temp. Spread on the
bottom of a 9x13 pan, sprayed with Pam.
Cream together the cream cheese, sugar and
vanilla. Pour on top of the roll mixture.
Put other pkg. of rolls on top of this.
Pour melted butter on top and sprinkle cinnamon
sugar mixture on top of butter. Bake in
350 oven for 35-40 minutes. This is
delicious and so easy!
You don't have to roll out the roll dough.
Just place them together and pinch to cover the
bottom. For the top crust, just place.
It will look good when it is done.
HERE'S A REAL VALENTINE TREAT FOR YOU. Listen,
folks. This cake is so yummy that even if
Valentine's Day is over, you will kiss somebody
or something when you eat this. It's
called "Elvis Presley Cake" and it comes from my
friend, Carol Griffin of Liberty, who made this
and other wonderful specialties at our latest
UMW meeting. I can tell you one thing...it
made my hips jiggle, but that wasn't hard to do!
Enjoy, and thanks Carol!
Elvis Presley Cake
I pkg. butter cake mix
1/2 c. sugar
8 ox. cream cheese, softened
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter softened
1 (1 lb.) package of confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 chopped pecans
Prepare and bake cake mix using the package
directions for a 9x13 cake pan. Bring the
sugar and undrained pineapple to a boil in a
saucepan, stirring constantly. Prick holes
in the hot cake. Pour the pineapple
mixture over the top. Let stand until
completely cool.
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixing
bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the
confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat well.
Stir in the pecans. Spread over the cake.
Store covered in the refrigerator. (Note:
this cake is best prepared the day before
serving to allow the pineapple mixture time to
soak into the cake, making it very moist).
I've eaten a lot of cakes, folks, but this thing
is one of the best. Enjoy, and don't blame
me or Carol for your jiggly hips!
A RECIPE FOR COOOOLD JANUARY!
Black Bean Chili (as I remember from
Rachael Ray)
one onion chopped
1 Mexican beer
1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg (sounds
weird, but it's good)
1-2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes
(depending on how you like it)
2 cans of black beans
2 Tbsp. cumin powder
olive oil to coat the bottom of the dutch
oven
Cook onions until clear. Add most of
the beer. Let that cook until some of the beer
cooks out. Add tomatoes and seasonings.
Pour in black beans and let cook on low heat for
about an hr. In the meantime, fix some
rice and your favorite cornbread recipe.
This is so easy and a wonderful cold weather
recipe.
RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 17:
Here is a wonderful appetizer that is both
beautiful and delicious for the holidays:
Raspberry Cheese Tart:
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups Mexican cheese (not with jalapenos)
2 bunches green onion, sliced
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup chopped nuts
1 jar Prairie Time raspberry of blackberry
ambrosia (any high quality jam is fine)
Mix cheeses, onions, nuts and mayonaise.
Press into round pan (salad ring) and chill.
Line pan w. plastic wrap before mixture for easy
removal. After it has chilled for awhile, put a
plate on top of mold and invert. You may want to
carefully go around the sides with a flat knife.
It will come out easily. Spread the jam
around the sides of the dish and serve with
holiday crackers.
WEEK OF NOV. 12TH:
This recipe comes from the Dec. 4th issue
of Woman's Day magazine. It is a Tex-Mex
snack mix that can be stored for up to two weeks
and would make a nice Christmas gift for
friends.
Makes 32 cups
1 bag (3.5 oz.) microwave popcorn, freshly
popped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 bag (22 oz. )small fun shape pretzels
(about 15 cups)
1 box (15 oz.) nacho-flavored cheese
crackers
1 can of cocktail peanuts
Pour popcorn into very large bowl or pot.
Immediately sprinkle with chili powder and toss
to coat. Add remaining ingredients; toss
to mix. Let cool completely and pack in
airtight containers. Store at room
temperature for up to 2 weeks.
WEEK OF OCT. 22nd:
HEre's a recipe from Gooseberry Patch that
sounds perfect for this time of year. It's
called "Pumpkin Trifle"
14 1/2 oz. pkg. gingerbread cake mix
1 1/4 c. water
1 egg
4 c. milk
4 1 oz. pkgs. sugar-free instant butterscotch
pudding mix
15 oz. can pumpkin
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. allspice
12 oz. container frozen whipped topping.
Combine cake mix, water and egg in mixing bowl.
Mix well and pour into ungreased 8x8 baking pan.
Cook at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. Cool.
When completely cooled, crumble cake and set
aside, reserving 1/4 for garnish. Whisk
together milk and pudding mixes in a bowl for 2
min. or until slightly thickened. Leave in
frig for a few minutes until softly set.
Stir in pumpkin and spices; mix well. In a
trifle bowl, layer one quarter of the cake
crumbs, one half of pudding mixture, one quarter
of crumbs and half of topping. Repeat
layers, ending with topping. Garnish with
reserved cake crumbs. Serves 18.
WEEK OF OCT. 1ST:
Here's a recipe from my good friend, Lavonna
Templeton. This will be so good at this
time of the year, and salads are always a
favorite.
Frito Corn Salad
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 c. mayonnaise
1c. grated cheese
1 bell pepper
1/2 c. red onion
1 bag chili cheese fritos
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Serve or chill in frig, without fritos and add
them just before serving.
Don't forget to send me your recipes and
caregiving stories! I want to publish them
on the webiste.
WEEK OF SEPT. 6:
Here's the recipe for this week:
Apple Butterscoth Bars
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 c. apples, cored, peeled and shopped
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. butterscotch chips
Combine sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a
large bowl. Mix in flour, baking powder,
soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
Stir in apples and nuts. Spread in a
lightly greased 13x9 pan; sprinkle with
butterscotch chips. Bake at 350 degrees
for 40-45 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.
WEEK OF MAY 28: I don't have any new
caregiving stories to share this week, so I'll
just leave you with some more tips for healthful
eating. This time, we'll be talking about
the benefits of folate for lowering your risk of
Alzheimer's disease.
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate.
If you have high blood levels of it, you may
need to take a supplement to help correct this
problem. High levels of folate are called,
"homocysteine". For the people who are low
on folate, a good diet rich in these foods can
help. Fortified pasta, breads, cereals,
and whole grains are great sources as are some
fruit juices, artichokes, asparagus, spinach and
oranges. The good levels of folate in the
body will help to reduce arterial aging and help
with the production of healthy blood cells.
WEEK OF MAY 14:
For this portion of the month, I'm going to list
some tips for healthy eating when you eat out.
I'm not going to post any caregiver comments
this time except to say that I received a nice
note this week from my nephew, Lee Fatheree.
Thanks, Lee!
Dining Out Tips:
Opt for grilled items over fried.
Order rice or a baked potato instead of french
fries.
Go easy on the mayonnaise. Use mustard,
ketsup, horseradish, and pickle relish.
Have low-fat milk instead of the soft drink.
Resist super-sized portions unless you are
sharing with someone else.
Eat half a sandwich instead of a whole.
Choose whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
Select grilled, lightly sauteed or stir-fry
items rather than deep fried.
Try vegetarian dishes.
Go easy on the baskets of bread and other
pre-meal offerings.
If your sweet tooth is calling, split a dessert.
Limit your alcohol intake.
And from my personal experience, I would suggest
that you not eat three baskets of chips before
your Mexican food arrives and that you don't
consider cheesecake a healthy food because it
has the word "cheese" in it!
WEEK OF APRIL 30:
I received a nice note from
another lady who lives in Baytown. Her
name is Rose Ann Pitts, and here is her
caregiving story:
As for my caregiving...My
husband is disabled...my mother-in-law is my
husband's step-mother, she married my husband's
step dad about 25 years ago....he passed away
after 3 years of marriage..she had never had any
children, just her and her Mom. She took care of
her Mom until she passed on. She is now 81
and in bad health. We just took her in our
family and promised his step dad we would take
care of her and him. She still lives in
her home and most of the time on her own.
Since my parents are both gone and so are my
husband's, she is our only "Moma" left and we
love her dearly. Between the two of us we
have 6 children, he four and I two. We
have raised all of them ourselves and couldn't
be any happier to have them all together, and
between a policeman and banker's salaries, we
barely made it sometimes, thank God for his
extra jobs. We will be married 34 years
this August, so where there is a will there is a
way.
Wow! Now, that's
caregiving on both ends. Thank you so much
Rose Ann for your story. For our recipe
today, I'm going to share something so easy that
I'm amazed that I've never made them before.
These are easy, cheesy quesadillas that my son
Brad and his wife Becki make all the time.
They're wonderful. P.S. I added the
butter!
EASY CHEESY QUESADILLAS:
flour tortillas, you pick
the size
Mexican cheese in the
package (usually this is a blend of four types
of cheese)
Monterrey Jack cheese in
the package
small amount of butter
sour cream and fresh pico
to garnish
Melt a small amount of
butter (not margarine) in your skillet.
Put the two types of grated cheese inside your
tortillas and when the skillet is hot, place in
the skillet and turn a few times until browned
on both sides. Enjoy with pico de gallo,
sour cream and anything else your little heart
desires! Yummy and so, so easy.
WEEK OF APRIL 15: I recently received an
e-mail from a lady in Baytown named Glenda
Miller. Glenda helps to take care of her
Dad and she has experienced the same feelings
that all of us do as caregivers. Here is
what Glenda wrote to me on my guest book:
I've been helping to care for him (her
Dad) since my mom passed away in September
2004. He hasn't been the same since.
He's gotten to be extremely senile, stubborn and
hard to get along with sometimes. But
thank God, I have 2 sisters to share the
responsibility with, and we all live on the same
street with our dad. I'll be sharing the
book with them, and I will order extras to give
as gifts to people I know who could benefit from
it. I'm so glad you were inspired to write
it! I've enjoyed reading it so much.
Thank you so much, Glenda, for your inspiring
words and for all that you do and your sisters
do to care for your dad. By the way,
Glenda's dad is 89 years old, so he has lived a
long, full life, but we all know that problems
arise with age and these must be addressed by
loved ones.
For our recipe today, I'm going to give you an
easy, easy recipe from Gooseberry Patch.
It's just a simple way to prepare a whole baked
ham:
12-14 lb. fully cooked boneless or semi-boneless
ham
12 whole cloves
1 1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. maple-flavored syrup
6 slices canned pineapple
1 c. water
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 T. mustard
Place ham fat-side up in a shallow roasting pan.
Press cloves into top of ham; stir together
pineapple and maple syrup and pour over ham.
Arrange pineapple slices on ham. Bake at
325 for 1 1/2 hrs. Add water and bake an
additional 1 1 1/2 hrs. Remove from oven; remove
pineapple slices. Mix together brown sugar and
mustard. Arrange on ham. Bake an
additional 30 minutes. Yields 18-20
servings.
WEEK OF MARCH 26: For today's caregiver
comments, I would like to give you a message
from Bronwyn Bridges, a member of the Houston
Chapter of Inspirational Writers' Alive.
We have been great e-mail pals for quite a time
now, and I enjoy so much corresponding with her.
Bronwyn wrote:
Thank
you for your ministry. Our parents are at
this point in their lives insisting on living in
their own homes in other cities and are somewhat
able to. However, there are many times we
need to step in. One of our daughters and
her two children are now living with us.
Things can get very busy in our lives with all
three of us holding down full time jobs and
trying to meet everyone's needs. Without
the Lord it would be impossible.
Thank you Bronwyn for all the wonderful time you
give as a caregiver and for your deep faith
which sustains you.
RECIPE FOR THE WEEK:
SOUTH TEXAS SQUASH SOUP:
1 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 med. butternut squash
1 med. yellow onion, chopped
3 Tbs. butter
2 c. chicken broth
sour cream for garnish
nonstick veg. oil cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350. Cut squash lengthwise
and scoop out seeds. Spray pan, then
arrange cut side down. Bake for 40-45 min.
or until tender. Set aside. Once
cool, scoop pulp from skin. While squash
is baking, saute onions in butter for 3-4 min.
Add broth and milk; cover and simmer for 10 min.
Then add pulp to blender and puree until smooth.
Stir into saucepan with whipping cream; heat
thoroughly. Garnish with a swirl of sour
cream. Serves 6.
WEEK OF MARCH 12:
FOR THIS WEEK'S CAREGIVING COMMENTS, I AM
GOING TO INCLUDE ROBERTA THORNTON AND BRENDA
DYKES' RECENT COMMENTS ON MY WEBSITE:
Roberta had this to say:
Myra...being a caregiver stuck in-between is so
hard. I don't want to cease being one
because I think it means losing someone or
becoming obsolete. I seem to encounter
hard-heads in each generation. I just hope
that my head is not the hardest! Thanks
for all you are doing!
Roberta cares for both generations and I
know how loving and kind she is, so there is no
doubt in my mind that she is an excellent
caregiver. However, even the best can have
"those times" of conflict and hurt feelings.
Thank you, Roberta, for your honesty and for
your willingness to help those you love.
Brenda Dykes has cared for her husband in
the past several years and she has sent me
numerous notes of encouragement. Her
husband, Norman, is doing much better, but they
went through some rough times and she is a
person I want to know better. What a
sweetheart she has been to encourage me.
Here is her last note on my website:
Your messages come just at the right time!
Glad to see you are getting invitations to help
others. Keep up the good work. It is
so needed!
For our recipe, I'm going to pass along
something that sounds totally sinful. I
haven't tried this, but my friend from Houston,
Ida Bathey saw it on the Rachael Ray show and
passed it on to me.
Oozie Gooie Bread
Buy big ole biscuits (any large
refrigerated kind)
Take 3 biscuits and put them in bottom of
greased loaf pan.
Tear up another biscuit and put in the
holes of that bottom layer.
Cook bacon (not sure how much..probably at
least 1/2 package) and crumble.
Mix a whole bottle (8 oz.) maple syrup
with one stick melted butter.
Rip the other biscuits into pieces and put
on top of the bottom layer. Add the rest
of the bacon pieces. Then, pour the rest
of the syrup/butter on top.
Bake 25-30 min. in 375 oven.
Loosen loaf from the sides of pan and flip
onto a platter. Oink, oink!
P.S. Don't call me if you have to go
to the emergency room after eating this! I
cannot be held responsible for my recipes!
WEEK OF FEB. 26:
For this week's caregiving story and recipe, I
want to share with you some wonderful tips from
Minta Clark who is a member of my book group.
Here is what Minta wrote to me concerning her
personal caregiving experience:
A
lesson I learned about care-giving is "don't try
to be a hero". Daddy was completely
bedridden and under hospice care for six months
before he passed. Most of that time he was
alert and sharp as a tack, which was a mixed
blessing. He could tell us where he hurt,
what he would like to eat, was good humored and
appreciative of care. However, he was also
very aware of how his body was failing.
Toward
the end his mind, too, began to fail and he had
strange hallucinations. He kept me up a
couple of nights hollering to get out of bed.
By the second morning, I was hollering back.
Strangely enough, it seemed to reach him and
settle him a bit. However, it left me
saddled with guilt. My sister and daughter
were very willing to help, but they looked to me
for direction as to what was needed. I
called early for one to stay with him during
that day and the other stayed the next night.
I was pooped out and strung out.
If a caregiver seems to have no available
help, I strongly urge them to go out and
actively search for it. If your church,
family, friends or neighbors have not
volunteered, ask for volunteers. If you
have volunteers you have not called on, do so!
Don't think you are the only person in the world
that can do this right. You can't do it
right if you are a basket case!
Thanks so much, Minta for your wise words.
Haven't we all experienced the "basket case"
syndrome? And there's nothing to feel
guilty about. It is a part of trying to do
too much, even if you're doing it with love and
the right spirit.
For our recipe for this week, I'm putting up
Minta's ideas for quick, healthy solutions for
caregivers:
Campbell's Chunky Soups are very meaty and she
says that she expands them by adding a can of
Veg-All or Del Monte mixed vegetables. You
can also use leftovers from the frig or a can of
tomatoes. If you're watching your blood
pressure, use an unsalted variety or dilute with
the veggies or tomato.
Then, she suggests making cornbread muffins from
a mix to make it easy on yourself!
Thanks, Minta! Great ideas!
WEEK OF FEB. 12:
This week, I will again be listing
comments that friends have made online, either
about their caregiving experiences or comments
about my website. Thanks so much to all of
you, and remember...if you're not on yet, you
will be!
From Diane Kaigler who is taking care of
her Mom right now, and also has an extended
family and is a new grandmother, comes this
comment:
I received your book at exactly the
time I needed it. Every once in a while I
reach back for another "morsel" from it.
Definitely recommended!
From my sister who lives in Lufkin, Texas
and does so much to help out with Mom who lives
close by, comes this wise statement:
Love the book-we all need a reminder of
who takes care of the caretakers.
From a classmate of mine from the good old
days in Alto, Texas, Carolyn Jenkins, comes this
comment:
I've thoroughly enjoyed the book--and
now the website is awesome! I've passed it
on to all my 'Red Hat' friends! We are all
very proud of you!
Finally, this week comes a comment from
Sara Brown. Sara is my handbell partner
and she does more for people in and out of
Liberty, Tx. than just about anyone I know.
Here is what Sara had to say:
Myra, I love you, your book, and your
website! I am honored to be on your list,
and I look forward to the new book and future
updates. Thanks for all you do to make
life better for so many people.
And on this week of Valentine's Day,
may I just say thank you to all these special
caregivers who make life better for so many
people. Thank you for being my friends and
my sister!
In two weeks, I will have comments and
recipes from all my children...sounds like a
soap opera, but actually it will be great food
and sweet notes from my favorite people.
NOW, HERE'S A LITTLE SOMETHING SWEET FOR
YOUR SWEETHEART:
Easy Hugs Chocolate Almond Cookies:
(Recipe from Families Online Magazine
www.familiesonlinemagazine.com)
2 cups silvered almonds
2 bars (1 oz. each) Hershey's unsweetened
baking chocolate
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (not
evaporated
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
About 20 Hershey's Hugs brand chocolates
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread
almonds in thin layer in large shallow baking
pan. Bake 8-10 min., stirring
occasionally, until light golden brown; cool.
Finely chop almonds. Do not turn oven off.
Spray cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray;
set aside. Melt Hershey's unsweetened
baking chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl
as directed on package; stir in sweetened
condensed milk, reserved almonds, almond extract
and vanilla. Drop by rounded
tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes or just until set; cool 10
minutes.
Remove wrappers from Hershey's Hugs brand
chocolates; gently press one down in center of
each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to
wire rack. Cool completely.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL...ESP. MY
SWEETIE, RAY SMITH. LOVE YOU MORE TODAY
THAN WHEN WE FIRST MET AFTER 37 GREAT YEARS
TOGETHER.
CAREGIVING STORIES AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF
JAN. 29:
Jeanette McSherry, a writer friend from the
Woodlands Writers' Guild wrote to me. Here
are some of her caregiving experiences:
Growing up with grandparents and great aunts and
uncles instead of a traditional family unit of a
father and mother, I learned to enjoy being
around the elderly. We often visited and
cared for friends of theirs in nursing homes and
hospitals every weekend. I went on to work
for the United Way and most enjoyed working with
the retired senior citizens.
Overall, I'd say--being a friend, listening,
providing little things that give comfort or
fortify faith--can be done from every walk of
life. I remember making several hundred
pink carnations one mother's day out of tissue
and spending a few moments with each person as I
delivered them to a local nursing home along
with a selection of fresh fruit.
Thank you so much, Jeanette, for your great
stories of inspiration. It is so true that
being a friend, listening and the 'little
things' are so important.
RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 29:
I'm going to give you another of Ida Bathey's
recipes. Ida is a great friend from
Houston where we attended Westbury Methodist
Church many years ago. Here is her
"Earthquake Cake" recipe:
EARTHQUAKE CAKE (Easy to throw together)
350 oven
Spray a 9x12 pan with Pam. Do not flour
pan.
Sprinkle a can of coconut on bottom of pan.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top of that
and
set aside.
Mix a German chocolate cake mix as directed and
pour over pecans and coconut.
Melt a stick of butter. Add 8 oz. cream
cheese that is softened. Then add a box of
powdered sugar and blend. Glob onto cake
batter, not too close to the edges.
Cook in 350 oven for 50-55 min. Cool and
sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Sounds yummy, Ida. Thanks!
CAREGIVING STORIES AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK
OF JAN. 22:
This week, I'm going to give you a few
comments from some people who wrote nice words
to me. These aren't necessarily caregiving
stories, but I certainly do appreciate their
kind words.
From Allen Youngblood, who is co-owner of
Youngblood Wholesale and the designer and
operator of
www.i-dineout.com comes this comment:
I know all too well the changing needs
of different generations and
their changing concerns.
Allen is helping me to get a music CD
together and he is a great friend to have.
If you need someone with great ideas and the
energy to put them into practice, Allen is your
man!
Debbie Randel, a great friend who also
just happens to be the mother of my sweet
daughter-in-law, Erin, wrote this:
Myra, I am so proud of you. I
continue to read your book over and
over. I always get a new message,
lesson, or idea from a reading.
Love you and all your hard work.
I also love it that we share our
precious children.
Thanks so much, Debbie, and how proud I am
of our children, too. Rayford and I have
truly been blessed with wonderful sons and great
"daughters".
And, from my Mom, Frances Johnson, who
bought many more books than I know she wanted;
sold more than she had time to sell and always
supports me, come these words:
I love giving your book to my friends.
I sent one today!
Thanks, Mom. What would we do
without the love and support of our mothers?
I know that I certainly depend on mine and she's
always there for me.
Next week..kind words from my sister,
Darlene Fatheree and good friend, Sara Brown.
For our recipe this week, I'm finally
going to put on a sandwich recipe that I got
online from Williams-Sonoma.
MESSY GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES
This recipe says to use a panini grill,
which I would love to have, but do not. If
you don't own one either, I don't see any
problem with using a broiler setting on your
stove for these. I wouldn't use a real
high setting, probably no higher than 400
degrees.
Ingredients:
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at
room temperature
6 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh, flat-leaf
parsley
12 slices country-style bread, each 3/4
inches thick
1 lb. aged cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, stir together the butter
and parsley. Spread one side of each bread
slice with the parsley butter. Lay 6
slices, buttered side down, on a clean work
surface and top with the cheese, dividing
evenly. Top each with one of the remaining
bread slices, buttered side up.
You can either cook these according to the
panini grill directions or broil..bake,
whichever you prefer. When the bread is
golden brown and the cheese is melted in 3-4
minutes, they are ready. Transfer
sandwiches to a cutting board and cut in half.
Serve immediately. Serves 6.
CAREGIVING STORIES AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF
JAN. 15:
Well, I'm going to go back on my promise a bit
this week. I promised you Nancy's Waffle
House story which is wonderful. However, I
think that I will print some stories from folks
that I haven't put on the website yet this week
and we will get to Nancy's waffles at a later
time. That will give me time to look up a
yummy waffle recipe!
This week, I want to give you two short
caregiving comments. One of them comes
from Dawn Berger who is a sorority friend of
mine. She wrote this to me:
"Myra,
thanks for all of your wonderful information.
My father is in declining health. I seem
to be calling my parents more and more and
driving to them more often. I am so
thankful my brother lives within 15 minutes of
them."
Then, there is this comment from another
sorority friend, Cyndy Pare. Cyndy says:
I am
really feeling the sandwich, with my parents
rapidly going down hill, after years of always
being 'forever young' and taking care of a
granddaughter (a darling, of course) since her
mother has decided to go back to school (you go
girl!)
Thank you ladies for all you do to help those
you love.
RECIPE FOR THE WEEK:
I got Nancy Archer's recipe for "Grillades and
Grits" (that's the word I couldn't remember).
This recipe is served at the Commodore Hotel in
New Orleans.
2 lbs. boneless veal cut into bite size
pieces...or use sirloin steak
salt and pepper...flour and dredge meat to coat.
In a deep frying pan, heat olive oil and butter
to brown meat. Remove meat when brown.
Add more butter to pan and cook 1 cup finely
chopped green onions and 1/2 cup chopped green
bell pepper. After cooking has begun, add
2 cloves of chopped garlic. After this has
cooked down, add 1 large can chopped tomatoes, 2
tablespoons of tomato paste, 1/2 cup red wine,
11/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons finely chopped
parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. thyme. Add
meat back to mixture. Reduce to low heat
and simmer for 40 min.
Serve over buttered grits.
I have eaten this at Nancy's house and your
mouth will still be watering for days! It
is wonderful.
CAREGIVING STORY FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 8:
This week, I'm going to give you a second
story that Nancy Archer sent to me about her
mom. It's not an easy story to read in
many ways, but it is so sweet and touching.
Death is a part of the caregiving process and
Nancy writes about her mother's death with so
much grace that I wanted to share it with you.
I'm trying to get a recipe from Nancy for
her wonderful grits and gravy. There's a
much more sophisticated name for it, but I can't
remember it! In the meantime, I have a
recipe for "Hoppin' John" that I got from a
Hallmark online magazine.
Here is Nancy's story:
2001
This year would be my first Christmas
without my mother. After seven years at
Poydras Home and a painful death, I was not
prepared for the emotion that was about to
engulf my entire body. I missed her so
much. I ached for just one more day.
As strange as it sounds, her death had been
beautiful and God's presence engulfed us all as
we watched her slip away. The cancer which
had eaten her body put her in excruciating pain.
She asked my sister Jamie to please call the
nurse and give her a shot. She asked, "Am
I going to get better?" to which Jamie replied,
"No mother, but we can get you out of pain."
She looked up and smiled and said, "I had a
wonderful time. I want to be with your
father." God let me get there in time to
hug and kiss her one last time although she
never regained consciousness. As the four
of us sat there, one of the young black nurses
came in and asked if we would like to sing. "One
of my best loved hymns is 'Just As I Am.' Why
don't we sing it together?"
As we began singing, several other
nurses came in as well as the doctor that was on
duty. The ever faithful volunteers were
with us too. The room was soon crowded
with every manner of voice and Christian
experience. I soon realized this was
mother's last testament to her deep and abiding
faith and that God was in charge of this.
I was only a participant in something much
larger than I had ever known. We went
through 'Fairest Lord Jesus', 'Blessed
Assurance' and ended with 'Precious Lord.'
The last line in that beloved old
spiritual is 'Precious Lord, lead me home.' My
mother took her last breath on the last note.
No on there that day will ever forget the
experience we had. Tears were muffled as
we all understood God had taken her home.
That was early October. By late
November we were all learning to live without
mother. She was the draw that would keep
us coming back to New Orleans again and again.
This Christmas would be spent in Philadelphia
with my oldest daughter Mallory and her family.
My son Christian and his family would join us,
as would my youngest daughter Lenn. The
early blanket of snow that covered the ground
added to the magic that Christmas always
promised. Four grandchildren all under
five completed the stage for a storybook
setting.
John and I had driven up and the rest
of the family was flying in later in the week.
It would take several days to really get rested
from the road trip. I had been telling
Mallory about the drive and our first night on
the road that included our dining experience at
the Waffle House.
...to be continued
Nancy's story about the Waffle House is
hilarious. I will print portions of it in
the weeks to come. Keep reading!
Our recipe for the week doesn't compare to
Nancy's grit recipe, but this one sounds like a
good January meal. We always have
black-eyed peas, cabbage, cornbread and potato
salad every New Year's Day.
Hoppin' John
1 lb. dried black eyed peas
1 small smoked ham hock (about 1/2 lb.)
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
10 cups water
1/2 lb. fresh spicy chorizo sausage or
spicy Italian sausage
1 cup rice
1 tsp. salt
6-7 scallions
1 large red bell pepper, diced
Soak the peas overnight in water to cover
2 inches. Drain well. In a large
pot, combine the drained peas, ham hock, bay
leaves, garlic and water. Bring to a boil,
reduce to a high simmer, partially cover and
cook until the peas are almost tender, about 45
min.
Meanwhile, prick the chorizos in several
places with a fork. In a medium skillet,
with 1/8 inch of water, cook the chorizos over
med.-high heat until cooked through, about 10
min. Set the sausages aside. When
cool enough to handle, dice them.
Add the chorizos, rice and salt to the
pot, re-cover and cook until the rice is tender,
about 20 min. Stir in the scallions and
bell pepper about 10 min. before the rice is
done. If desired, pull off any meat from
the ham hocks and add to the pot. Discard
the bay leaves.
This makes about 10 servings.
CAREGIVING STORY AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF JAN.
1:
This week's caregiving story comes from Ruth
Staley. Ruth lives in Dayton, Tx., and she
is the only woman I know who is as much at home
around horses as she is around humans!
Ruth and I met while we were both in sorority
and we are long overdue for lunch, so hopefully
we will do that again soon. Here is what
Ruth wrote to me about her experiences with her
parents:
"Actually both of my parents were deceased by
the time I was 41. My father died suddenly
when I was nine and my mother about 10 years
ago. But unlike most people, I didn't have
children to take care of during the time I was
the primary caregiver for my mother. She
was quite ill for over a year and life was the
hardest it has ever been. It was my most
difficult time, physically and emotionally.
I have pretty well forgotten that last year and
remember the good times with her. My dad
died suddenly so caregiving was not an issue."
I can identify with Ruth's experience with her
Dad because my father died quickly from cancer
and it seems that there was so little that
anyone could do, except for my Mother who was
always at his side.
Thank you Ruth for your story.
This week's recipe comes from my
daughter-in-law, Becki Smith, who lives in
Landsdowne, PA. We visited them this
Christmas and she fixed a fabulous Christmas
dinner. All of us loved this salad and
Becki also told me that you can substitute the
Splenda brown sugar for the regular. I
can't give you any advice about the butter!
Ingredients:
1 can of peaches...big can
1 can of apricots (save 1/2 of the juice)
1 can of pears
1 can of pineapple chunks
1 can of cherry pie filling
Drain fruit, saving 1/2 of the apricot juice.
Arrange fruit in a 9x12x2 pan.
In the meantime, bring to a boil:
1 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 c. apricot juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Pour
this mixture over the fruit.
Bake 1
hour at 300 degrees.
This makes a beautiful and delicious Christmas
salad.
CAREGIVING STORY AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC.
18:
This week, I will feature the caregiving
experience of a friend of mine from "the old
days" as they say. Gayla Garnett and I
went through school together in Alto and she,
like Judy May, was and continues to be a great
friend, even though, sadly, we don't see each
other very often. Gayla and I enjoyed
cheerleading together and she accomplished a lot
in her life, including being a school principal,
but she would probably tell you that her
greatest achievement is her grandchildren!
Here is what Gayla wrote to me
I grew
up in a home with a Mother and Grandmother who
always said three cooks were one too many in the
kitchen. I was always told to get out of
the way and go play. Needless to say, I
never learned any of the secrets of the two
greatest cooks in the world. I follow
recipes to the letter never understanding a
"dash of this" and "cook til done." And
so, I hate to cook!
Recently, my 82-year old Mother broke her arm
high by the shoulder and it could not be cast.
My brother and I took turns for six weeks
traveling the three and a half hour journey to
her house to care for her. And guess
what--I had to cook!
One
day I decided to fix her brownies and she sat in
the kitchen to guide me through it. I need
to stop here and tell you about Doe's brownies.
"Doe" is a family nickname that Mother has had
since she was a small child and all of her
grandkids and great-grand-kids call her Doe.
Every Christmas she makes these 'melt in your
mouth' brownies that everyone loves. And I
decided to make them with her help.
At the
age of 57, my Mother was finally teaching me to
cook. As I followed every direction, I
wrote it down. I timed the "cook til done"
time (it's 25-30 min.), and learned not to use
all the canned milk (even though it calls for a
can in the recipe.) I also experienced a
wonderful time with my Mom and the brownies
turned out great!
They
nearly taste like fudge. I hope you enjoy
them.
HERE
THEY ARE!
DOE'S
BROWNIES
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup butter or margarine
pinch salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Icing:
I box powdered sugar
1 small can evaporated milk
1/3 cup cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
Brownies:
Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in
cocoa while hot. In large bowl mix other
ingredients and add butter/cocoa mixture.
Mix together and pour into greased and floured
9x13 baking pan. Cook about 30 min. at 350
degrees.
Icing:
Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in
cocoa while hot. In small bowl pour butter/cocoa
mixture into powdered sugar and mix well.
As you are mixing this, pour a little milk in at
a time to make the consistency wanted for icing
(not all the milk will be used.) Stir in vanilla
and spread on brownies while hot from the oven.
Let cool and cut into squares.
Thank you, Gayla, for a wonderful story and
equally great recipe. I can't wait to make
these! Everyone have a great holiday
filled with family, friends and good food.
I will return with more stories and recipes
after the first of the year.
CAREGIVING STORY AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF DEC.
11:
This week, I am going to feature a statement
about her caregiving experience given to me by
Wanda Dionne, a writer friend of mine from
Spring, Texas. Wanda is a prolific writer
with many books and published works to her
credit. In her "spare" time, she cares for
her husband when he needs her, her 88 year old
mother and 86 year old mother-in-law. She
says, "And sometimes I do feel like I'm being
'squeezed' between two rock-hard pieces of
bread. But everyday I count my blessings."
Thank, you Wanda, for the love you show every
day to those in your family who are fortunate to
have you as their caregiver.
For our recipe of the week, I'm going to put
online my Mom, Mary Johnson's, Mexican
Casserole that I just happen to be making for
dinner tonight. It's so easy and good.
Ingredients:
I lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 small cans or 1 large can of enchilada sauce
8-10 oz. cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in
skillet with onion. Add soups and
enchilada sauce and simmer on low for a few
minutes until mixed well. In large
casserole dish, layer tortilla chips, sauce and
cheese until you finish with a cheese layer on
the top. Use as much or little cheese as
your family likes. Cook for 30 minutes or
until bubbly.
Very good and easy!
CAREGIVING STORY AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK
OF DEC. 4:
This week, I'm going to share
a few thoughts from an old friend of mine from
elementary and high school. Judy May is
one of those people whose smile and incredible
personality just make your day and your life so
much better. When you grow up in a town as
small as Alto, Texas, you know everyone, but
some folks are a lot more special than others,
and Judy has always been one of those people to
me.
When Judy signed by guest
book, here is what she wrote about her
caregiving experience:
"While I lost Mama and
Daddy very quickly, I helped Randy love and care
for his Mom when her health declined.
While it was definitely a labor of love (she was
an awesome lady), it was a challenging time in
our lives."
I am including a recipe
that sounds good for this cold weather we're
having this week. I got this one from the
Gooseberry Patch website.
Senate Bean Soup
2 10 3/4 oz. cans bean and
bacon soup
15 1/2 oz. can Great
northern beans
15 oz. can navy beans
16 oz. can pinto beans w.
jalapenos
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 1b. Polish sausage,
thinly sliced
1 3/4 c. water
Combine all ingredients in
a stockpot. Simmer over low heat for one
hour. Serves 8-10.
CAREGIVING STORY AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF NOV.
20:
Tinya Griffin sent me a wonderful recipe for
chicken spaghetti and a note about caring for
her parents last week. I want all of you
to have this recipe before the holidays because
it looks very easy and also yummy!
Tinya and Frank Neal are the kind of people who
are cornerstones of any community. Frank
Neal has operated his pharmacy in Liberty for
many years, and I can tell you from personal
experience, that no one gives you better
service. He is truly the home town
pharmacist. Tinya is a great wife, mom and
grandmother. This is a couple who are
always ready to help people.
Here is what Tinya said about her caregiving
experience:
"Myra,
I helped my dad take care of my mother after she
was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The
doctors told us to take her home and love her as
she would be bed-ridden in about two years.
This did happen. I would fix supper for my
family and add an extra serving to the pot for
Mom and Dad. I took it each night, then
helped Dad get Mom ready for bed. One of
the favorite things I would take is chicken
spaghetti. Here is the recipe:
Tinya
Griffin's Chicken Spaghetti:
Boil 4-6 chicken breasts until done.
Remove chicken from pot, saving the broth.
Cook 1 pkg. of spaghetti in the broth.
Drain and once again save the broth. Bone
and dice the chicken. Set to the side.
In the meantime, saute:
1 onion
celery to taste
1 garlic pod
Add:
1 can each of chicken and mushroom soups
1 can milk (half and half is really good)
1 can chicken broth
1 jar Cheese Whiz (I use the one with
salsa)
Stir until the cheese is melted. Add the
diced chicken and cooked spaghetti and stir
together. Pour into a casserole dish,
sprayed with PAM. Pour reserved chicken
broth over all and heat until hot throughout.
This can make as much or as little as you need.
Delicious with a green salad and garlic toast.
Thank you, Tinya for this great recipe and for
the love you showed to those who needed you.
Caregiver Story for the Week of Nov. 13:
This week, I'm using the story that LaVonna
Templeton sent to me about her caregiving
experiences. You will not believe
everything that she has been through! She
comment that Rita, the storm, brought people to
her, and I would say that those people are very
fortunate to have her. I met LaVonna
through Beta Sigma Phi and she and her twin
sister, LaDonna are great girls and a lot of
fun. You haven't lived until you've made a
Canton trek with them!
Here is what LaVonna said about her experience:
"My
mother and father in law both lost their home
due to the storm. They both now live with
me. They sometimes have a hard time
getting along with each other and not getting on
each others' nerves. Since they're divorced that is often a challenge. It has
been hard on all of us. My father in law
purchased a travel trailer so we could get away
and enjoy each other since our baby is a senior
in high school now. My mother in law told
us she sure hoped we did not mind when the
travel trailer pulled out she was going to be
with it and decided to retire the beginning of
the year. Due to loving her dearly and
being a close family, I could never tell her she
could not go. I over and over tell
myself...We will survive!
Thank you so much, LaVonna, for your warm and
honest comments. I think all of us have
experienced these feelings at one time or
another.
For today's recipe, I am sharing one from my
daughter-in-law, Becki Smith, who happens to be
a great cook. I used to give her recipes,
but now she gives them to me!
Here's
her recipe for Grilled Chicken with Crunchy
Salsa:
Salsa:
2 c. fuji apples, cored and chopped
3/4 c. 1(lg.) chili pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Combine salsa ingredients and mix well; allow
flavors to blend about 1/2 hr. Makes 3
cups of salsa.
Marinade:
1/4 c. white wine
1/4 c. apple juice
1/2 tsp. grated lime peel
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Combine ingredients and pour over chicken.
Marinate for 20-30 min. Grill over medium
hot coals or under broiler, turning once, just
until cooked through.
Thanks, Becki, and keep sending me those great
recipes!
Caregiver's Story for the Week of Nov. 6:
Nancy Archer is one of those people who
feels like a lifelong friend, even though I
haven't known her for long. We have so
much in common. We both love to write; we
have grown children in Philadelphia, and we are
both die-hard liberals! Nancy sent me this
portion of a book she's working on about her
experiences as a caregiver. Nancy is quite
the writer, and if reading this doesn't bring
both tears to your eyes and a smile to your
face, nothing will. Thanks, Nancy, for a
beautiful story.
The sun began to sink behind the levee.
The familiar sounds of the river filled the hot
muggy New Orleans air. Smoke stacks reached
upward from the great cargo ships that lined the
Poydras Street wharf. Their exhaust only
intensified the brilliant sunset as it worked
its way across the pink verandah of the Poydras
Home for Elderly Ladies. The sliver of a
new moon shone brightly in the distance.
Located just two blocks from the
Mississippi River, the stately mansion had just
been redecorated and renovated to accommodate
the growing population of aging women who were
forced to give up their homes. It had
housed an orphanage years earlier but that, too,
had gone the way of time. With the second
floor removed, the rooms were made suitable for
wheel chairs and walkers, and large enough to
accommodate a few chosen antique pieces to
welcome guests.
The great dining hall was just off the
main entrance. The center of southern
hospitality, it served equally well as a parlor
and entertainment room. The grand piano
often beckoned residents and guests alike to
offer tunes of an earlier age. The huge
windows were draped in red watered silk with
miles of golden fringe. Greeted by staff
in crisp white uniforms, entering was stepping
back into another era.
The gracefulness of the veranda only
added to the gentle feeling. Sweet jasmine
grew over the wrought iron archways.
Corinthian columns dissolved into azalea boarded
flower beds. The vast expanse of the
manicured lawns lay just before the covered
portico. The ancient oaks lined the
perimeter of the grounds blocking the view and
traffic noises of Jefferson Avenue. Green
rockers lined the walkway and were always a
favorite spot after supper. The sweet
fragrance of the sweet olive trees permeated the
air.
Mrs. Grace Mallory never expected to be
a resident. She was there "temporarily"
after breaking her hip months earlier.
Unaware of her early stages of Alzheimer's, she
put up with the old people knowing that she
would be going home any day. But, home as
we soon found out was a state of mind.
Assuming it was our stately old uptown home
where we grew up we soon found out her reference
to home was that of an earlier day. A day,
any day, of her youth in a small Mississippi
town. She asked of her Mama and Mrs.
Spell. She asked about the fish ond and
the pecan trees. She asked if her car was
parked on the side or in the front. She
related stories we had never heard before that
always intrigued us.
Mrs. Charles Hamilton, formally of
Mobile, never expected to be a resident either.
Living with an advanced stage of Alzheimer's she
hugged her teddy bears and carried on
conversations with them and often with
others-either present or not present who may or
may not have ever lived in the first place.
It was always a stretch to enter the
conversation. Ingrained southern manners
dictated that you must make the attempt.
My sisters and I took turns eating with
our mother every evening during those
transitional days trying to ease her pain and
ours over the turn of events that brought us
there to begin with. After supper, we took
our seats in the rockers that April evening with
Mrs. Charles Hamilton between us. Mother,
or as the grandchildren called her-Luv-because
they loved her so, started the conversation
something we had given up on months previously.
"Look girls, there's a new moon".
Mrs. Charles Hamilton looked up along
with the rest of us. Momentarily slipping
out of her imprisoned world, she replied, "Why
no dear, it's been there a long time."
To accompany this delightful Southern
story of love, I chose a recipe from John
Hadamuscin's DOWN HOME cookbook.
It's called
"Aunt Bertie's Ham Balls."
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground country ham
1 lb. lean ground pork
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. orange juice
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 c. fine cracker crumbs
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Sauce:
1 c. orange marmalade
1 c. apple jelly
4 Tbsp. dry mustard
6 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl,
combine all the ingredients for the ham balls.
Form into balls 1 inch in diameter.
Arrange them about 1 inch apart on cooking
sheet. Bake 15 min., turn and bake for 10
more. Transfer to absorbent paper to
drain.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a shallow
baking dish and stir well. Add the ham balls and
toss to coat with the sauce. Allow to
cool, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Bring to room temp. before proceeding.
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to
350. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and
the ham balls are heated through, about 30
minutes. Serve from the baking dish with
toothpicks or bamboo skewers.
CAREGIVING TIP AND RECIPE FOR THE WEEK OF
OCT. 30:
Well, I'm sure you've heard the old saying
that skinny women can't cook. However,
this week's recipe is fr | 
