More Handwritten Memories to LOVE!

A favorite Stories by Me maxim

"Your Story, much more than a book!"

I often marvel at the truth of that statement.

Kevin's paternal grandmother was known to be an excellent cook. Uncle Earl tells us that she started the school lunch program in the Lewiston area of Cache Valley, Utah. I would have LOVED to spent an hour or two with her in the kitchen. Supposedly she could tell the exact temperature of her coal-burning stove just by holding her hand to the oven door. Aunt Wilma says that Grandmother carried most of the recipes in her head. She never wrote many directions, she just seemed to have the built-in know how to create perfection in the kitchen.

It took a while to hunt down these recipes. They had been lovingly passed from family member to family member... none of them in our direct family line. Thank goodness for the digital age. I carefully scanned each image and had the originals returned within days. Now everyone can enjoy a copy of her recipes, in Grandma's own handwriting, complete with the proof that these recipes were family favorites.

How awesome are the hats? Grandma is second from the left in picture #1 and third from the left in the second picture.

Remembering the Taffy Pull

Found this yummy picture over at Skip to My Lou. Cindy offers a fun activity of taffy making with the kids. Go here to check out her recipe and to see pictures of the work in progress.

It got me reminiscing of the trip that I took with the kids to Taffy Town. We had just moved to Salt Lake City from the Bay area of California. We thought that hotel living sounded fun and negotiated three months of it with the company while we searched for the ideal home. In about 24 hours the kids (ages 5, 3 and 1) and I were desperate for any kind of entertainment. We saw the bright, colorful Taffy Town building and figured it HAD to be a fun place to hang out. Obviously, for health reasons, they don't let visitors help pull their candy (BIG DISAPPOINTMENT) but the kids enjoyed seeing the big machines make the candy. Their favorite part was the free samples that were handed out at the end of the tour. Of course, we came home with about $50 of the colorful candy. (We were giving it away for months!)

Did you know that taffy pulling has been a favorite American pastime dating back to Colonial days? When sugar was hard to come by, the candy was made with molasses, maple syrup and even honey. Saturday nights were designated as THE NIGHT for getting together for the taffy pull. The pulling process is important because it puts air into the mixture, making for lighter and chewier candy.

Taffy got its salt water name around the turn of the 20th century. No one is sure, but the most popular legend attributes candy-store owner, David Bradley with coining the phrase. The story goes that his shop was flooded during a major storm in 1883. The entire stock of taffy was soaked...supposedly with salty Atlantic Ocean water. Bradley was trying to save his inventory and offered "salt water taffy" almost as a joke. Turns out the laugh was on him because the candy was a hit and the name stuck.

An Amazing Generation

Just in case, you didn't know; we have amazing kids doing their part to make a difference in this world. Opened my front door tonight to a group of teenagers, decked in halloween attire. Thought it a little strange given the fact that it's a week before Halloween. I apologized that I hadn't gotten my Halloween treats yet, (we ALL know what happens when there's hoards of candy sitting around) and quickly tried to come up with an alternative.... Maybe they'd go for a slice of left-over pizza, or maybe I had enough sticks of gum to go around. One cute 'bum' named Emily quickly explained that they weren't there for treats. They were collecting cans of food for the local food bank and would gladly accept any donation that I could make. WOW! What amazing kids!

Pioneer Day Memories, 2009

We did it! In honor of Pioneer Day, we made our own Pioneer Doughnuts! It was a fair amount of work considering we're the type of family who lives for the conveniences of the local grocery store. Two hours later we have a plate piled high with the mouthful delights. There's no possible way we can eat them all, but we'll start running plates to our neighbors and savor the memories that this treat afforded.

Nothing but the real thing for us, baby! Hubby grating nutmeg by hand for the real pioneer experience!

Notice that there are no electric tools here. Everything done by hand!

This was a "many hands make light work" effort. Every one chips in!
You can never add too much sugar!

Plenty of calories and memories for all!

Pioneer Doughnuts

Oh Yum! I was perusing our local newspaper yesterday and came across a recipe for pioneer doughnuts. This recipe is said to be a Brigham Young original, handed down through the generations and first published in the church magazine, the Ensign, in 1976. The article also makes mention of a local historian who revived the interest in the recipe earlier this year. You'll want to check it out!

I think that we'll give this a try tomorrow. Of course, we won't be using the original recipe that called for frying these delicacies in lard. These doughnuts are said to have a cake-like texture and instead of the super-sweet treats of today, provide a hint of nutmeg. We'll also use baking soda since I have no idea where to get saleratus.

Here's the modernized version:

Brigham's Doughnuts

5 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons grated (or ground) nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 melted butter

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and sift together. Set aside. In large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and sugar. Add melted butter to liquid mixture and whisk again. Stir in sifted ingredients until well blended. (No fair using anything electric here! Stir with a wooden spoon!!)

At this point, the dough will be sticky. Let it rest for 5 minutes before rolling for easier handling.

Roll or pat dough on floured board about 1/4 inch thick and cut with 2 1/2 inch doughnut cutter. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain and sprinkle with powdered or cinnamon sugar.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I thought I would share some Hyer comfort food! The recipe comes from dear friends who recently spent three years in Mexico City. I'm sure my rendition tastes nothing like our friend's version, but it is still plate licking good. Left overs are unheard of!

I really meant to share this yesterday, but once again, time got away from me. Maybe you can extend the holiday and celebrate Seis de Mayo!

Enjoy!

Mexican Rice
2 roma tomatoes, cut in halves
2 cloves garlic
1 sm chunk on onion and 3 open rings of onion
2 C hot water
1 C long grain rice, dry
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Knorr chicken bouillon
1 3/4 C chicken broth or water
4 stems cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lime
Fresh or frozen peas and carrots (optional)

Add 2 tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, 1 small chunk of onion to blender. After contents have been added, fill blender to the 1 C mark with water. Blend.

Heat 2 C water to very hot, but not boiling. Pour rice into hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Drain rice and rinse well in a colander with cold water. Get as much water out of rice as possible as it will splatter when added to oil. Heat skillet with 1/4 C olive oil. Add 1 clove garlic and 3 rings of onion. Saute for 2 minutes. Spoon rice into skillet. Don't stir rice too much. Cook about 10 minutes.

Rice should start to look opaque, golden brown, and almost crunchy. Garlic and onion should look browned. When oil is on top of rice, drain oil into a heat safe bowl, keeping rice in hot pan. Remove garlic clove and onion rings.

Return rice to heat and add blended tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp Knorr chicken bouillon and 1 3/4 C chicken broth or water. Add cilantro stems and lime juice. If adding fresh diced carrots, add now. If adding frozen vegetables, add towards the end of the cooking time.

Simmer, covered for 25-30 minutes. When all the liquid is absorbed, remove the cilantro and fluff rice.

Serves 4-6 people or 3 hungry teenagers!

Violinist in the Metro

We know that this story has made the rounds via email. Maybe you've already seen it. We felt it was a story worth repeating!

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Think of the Possibilities!

Had a fun class at the Ft. Union Deseret Book store today. It's always nice to get together with people who understand our passion (or is it obsession?) and validate the long hours and sleepless nights of trying to get our ideas into project form. The best part of classes is seeing the pictures that participants determine need preserving and hearing the stories that make these pictures so meaningful.

Today, Sharon made a memory puzzle using pictures of past trips to the Oregon coastline. The puzzle was beautiful, in part, because of the fabulous pictures that Sharon had taken, but the real beauty was hearing Sharon's stories of past visits to these picturesque lighthouses and the memories that had been preserved in her mind.

Lori is a talented crafter who put the pedal to the metal and cranked out TWO puzzles in the time most of us can barely get through one. She recently became the proud keeper of an entire box of family photos and she made a wonderful keepsake of her grandparents legacy. She also bears the distinction of being a descendant of a local town's namesake. She beautifully preserved pictures of many of the town's early buildings and will give this puzzle to the current mayor, who just happens to be another relative.

As we visited, we discussed the countless options our blocks kits provide for preserving memories. I've personally given puzzles for wedding gifts, baby gifts, birthday gifts and Christmas gifts. Obviously, I think our Memory blocks make a great gift! We've seen puzzles made of summer vacations, family pets and historical events. The ladies at the class suggested that I throw the question out there to our world-wide audience... what life events do you consider important enough to preserve for future generations?

Plate Licking Good!

So that last blog might have been a little less than cheerful. What can I say? 6:00 a.m. comes earlier than I remembered. Well, the saying goes "If life gives you lemons, MAKE LEMONADE!" I say... "Make Stuffed French Toast!" We have usually reserved this delicious treat for holiday breakfasts. (You know, the ones where you can lounge around in your p.j.'s after gorging yourself?) Kids made a special request to start their school year in style and I couldn't deny them. Got this recipe from my hair dresser, who got it from a client, who got it from... who knows the circuit it has traveled. I am sure it'll find its way on to your family's best recipe list and perhaps become the catalyst for many meaningful family meal stories!

Enjoy!

Stuffed French Toast
10 slices french bread or
bakery bread (thicker cut)
2 8-oz cream cheese (sounds like a lot. Guess what? It is! And worth EVERY pound!)
1 doz eggs
1 C milk
1/3 C
maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon

Remove crusts from bread. Cube and place 1/2 of the bread in a buttered 9x13 casserole pan. Cube the cream cheese and place over bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add remaining bread. Combine eggs, milk, syrup and vanilla. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Next day, bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with buttermilk syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup
1 cube butter (here's another diet buster)
1/2 C buttermilk (or 1 C milk with 1 T vinegar)
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Combine butter, buttermilk and sugar. Melt over medium heat. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda. Stir (it will foam up for a moment).

Food for Thought

This packrat has learned that what the next generation will value most is not what we owned by the evidence of who we were and the tales of how we loved. In the end, it’s the family stories that are worth the storage. ~ Ellen Goodman (1948 - )

Food for Thought

There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.

~Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)

Food for Thought

We all know that books burn—yet we have the greater knowledge that books can not be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and force can abolish memory. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt. (1882 – 1945)