Family · Family Favorites · Holidays · Home · Kitchen

Kitchen Memories

Kitchen Memories started to flood back to me as I looked at my kitchen for the last time before the cabinets were removed.  So many conversations took place in my kitchen with our girls from babyhood to teenage years to adult years.  Meals were prepared for many loved ones, some of which are now gone.

IMG_6246
Kitchen 2015 after the cabinets over the island were removed.

When we first moved into our Smurf blue house in 1988, the kitchen had brown, patterned kitchen carpet, one of the worst ideas on the planet. The Cherry Cabinets were quite nice and the Columbine (Colorado’s State Flower) tile was fitting of the ‘country’ craze at the time.

This kitchen became the heart of our home. Weekday mornings were frantic as Karl and I prepared for work so the girls would often gather on the floor of the kitchen as I prepared breakfast and our lunches.

As I look at the kitchen for the last time, a stream of memorable movies play in my head, including:

  • Homework, Science experiments, crafting
  • Holiday meal preparations
  • Meal preparation while the kids often sat on the counter to chat and share
  • My mother, when visiting, making homemade egg noodles on my kitchen counter to freeze for later use
  • Making our Christmas favorite Kringla for the holidays
  • Birthday Celebrations
  • Christmas parties & Mother’s Day Coffee
  • Dying Easter Eggs

Sarah and Megan dye Easter Eggs 1991

  • Teaching the girls to bake

Megan and Sarah bake a cake 1991

  • Rescuing animals or playing with our own pets

Daddy has a bird

  • Running Circle through the house (Gamma Stout and Sarah)

1992 003

  • Preparing flowers for the Megan (top) and Sarah’s (second) weddings

megan and cathy do flowers 1580

  • Evan’s 2nd birthday, the last event in the old kitchen.

IMG_6407

So here we go…out with the old and in with the new! I’m soooo ready…

Breakfast · Family · Family Favorites

Biscuits and Gravy…Tradition!

Biscuits and gravy were introduced to me when I moved to St. Joseph, Missouri in 1975 and they’ve been a favorite breakfast in our house since.  My husband, Karl, made biscuits and gravy, with scrambled eggs, and sausage almost every weekend while the girls were young.

Biscuits were made from scratch, Bisquick mix, or even refrigerated buttermilk biscuits.  The gravy, however, was always made from scratch and the flour browned to just the right shade of perfection before adding the milk and watching the bubbly goodness thicken to our perfect gravy thickness. A cast iron skillet was always the cooking vessel of choice.

Daughter, Megan, stayed with me for a few days while her hardwood floors were being refinished and she wanted to make biscuits and gravy.  We tried a new drop biscuit recipe that we liked but she made the gravy the old fashioned way.

I love a little sweet with my savory so for my breakfast dessert, one biscuit with honey.  MMMM…

What a wonderful walk down memory lane and the chance to revisit family tradition.

DADDY’S DELICIOUS BAKING POWDER DROP BISCUITS

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 425º.
  • Combine all dry ingredients.
  • Blend in the warm butter.
  • Slowly add the milk to the mixture until the dough holds together.
  • Use two spoons to drop evenly sized biscuits on ungreased baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.

http://www.food.com/recipe/daddys-delicious-baking-powder-drop-biscuits

OLD FASHIONED SAUSAGE GRAVY

1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
1/3 cup flour
3-4 cups milk
salt  and pepper to taste

  • Prepare biscuits and keep warm.
  • Cook sausage patties in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. Set cooked sausage patties aside and keep warm.
  • Add flour to sausage drippings and let brown (watch carefully or it will burn). Once flour is brown, add milk, salt and pepper and let gravy bubble until it thickens.  This may take about 10 minutes.  If the gravy becomes too thick, add milk to gain desired thickness.
  • Optional:  Add some crumbled cooked sausage into gravy.
  • Serve hot with biscuits, sausage patties and eggs of your choice.
Family

Live Your Life Today…Not Tomorrow

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks from the high point of celebrating my Aunt’s 100th Birthday with family in Iowa, to returning home to a call that my husband had been rushed to the hospital and passed away that afternoon.

These are the times that we take stock of what is truly important in our lives, today. Not tomorrow. The thought of writing about something delicious or witty is escaping me now but I will return in a few days or a few weeks. In the meantime:

Those we Love remain with us,
for Love itself lives on.
Cherished memories never fade,
because a loved one is gone.
Those we Love can never be,
more than a thought apart.
For as long as there is a memory,
they’ll live on in our heart.

~Author Unknown

Family · Family Favorites · Holidays

Sweet, Sweet Blueberry Muffins

Warm, sweet blueberry muffins fresh from the oven with melted butter. Oh, my gosh..it’s the best.

The Sweet Blueberry Muffin recipe is one I found (who knows where!) during my college years. I was reading cookbooks like novels in those days. I first tried this recipe on my family when I cooked several items for Easter Dinner. I still remember the wonderful muffins and memories of Easter celebrations at the Farm.

SWEET BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup salad oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or 3/4 cup frozen blueberries (thawed & drained)

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms of 12 medium muffin cups.
  • Beat egg; stir in milk and oil.
  • Mix in remaining ingredients, just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fold in blueberries.
  • Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes.
Family · Family Favorites

Potato Bacon Chowder…Family Fave!

Potato Bacon Chowder is officially a family favorite, shared with me by my sister Carolyn. It’s a quick fix for a weeknight meal and GREAT as leftovers. Need I say more?

POTATO BACON CHOWDER

8 slices bacon (cut in 1 inch pieces)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

  • Fry bacon until crisp in a 3 quart saucepan; add onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Pour off fat.
  • Add potatoes and water. Bring to boil; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

  • Stir in soup and sour cream; gradually add milk.
  • Add salt, pepper and parsley.
  • Heat to serving temperature. Do not boil.
Home · New Favorite

Chicken YUM YUM lives up to its name!

Great friend and neighbor, Maribeth, shared this recipe with me several months ago. She had shared with me that Chicken Yum Yum was a family favorite and I was excited to try it. For some reason, I envisioned a Chinese dish but this is true Americana comfort food. I have made it with cooked chicken breasts (a little drier) or with a whole roasted chicken.  The roasted (or rotissiere chicken from the store) wins, hands down.

This would be a great recipe to assemble the night before (sans the stuffing), adding the stuffing and butter immediately before baking.

I paired the Chicken Yum Yum with roasted broccoli and it was…YUM YUM!

CHICKEN YUM YUM

1 cooked chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box stove top stuffing
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine/butter

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Place evenly in a 9×13″ greased pan.
  • Mix together sour cream and cream of chicken soup and pour over chicken.
  • Sprinkle box of stuffing over soup/sour cream layer.
  • Drizzle chicken broth over stuffing layer.
  • Melt 1 stick margarine or butter and drizzle over the top.
  • Bake for 60 minutes.
Family · Family Favorites

Chicken Divine…a family fav!

Chicken Divine is a recipe I discovered in the ’90s.  I wish I could recall where the recipe originated but it had the elements that my young children liked: chicken, rice, broccoli and, of course, CHEESE!  I made, they liked, repeat.

To this day, it is still a favorite and the aroma of the baking chicken with rosemary is wonderful. I sincerely hope your family enjoys as much as ours does!

CHICKEN DIVINE

3 whole chicken breasts
rosemary to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 sliced onion
1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli
3/4 cup raw rice, cooked

CHEESE SAUCE:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated, sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sprinkle chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake chicken at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool. Skin, bone and slice.
  • Prepare the rice.
  • Cook broccoli in water with salt and onion. Drain.
  • Layer chicken, then broccoli, then rice in buttered casserole.
  • Prepare the cheese sauce:   Melt butter, add flour and stir until smooth. Cook 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add cheeses and seasonings. (I have often made 1 1/2 recipes of the sauce to put on top to make it even more moist.)
  • Pour cheese sauce over entire dish. Add more grated Parmesan on top if desired.
  • Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

 

 

 

Health · Holidays

2014 Health Goals that make sense

The new year is a time for fresh starts, new goals, and hope for the future. This week I heard an interview on ABC with Dr. Richard Besser that outlined 5 ways that can improve your health without being overwhelming.

5 Ways to Improve Your Health in 2014

1)  Lose 5% of your weight:  We all have the desire to lose weight and, in reality, more than 5%; however, 5% is a great step toward improving our health. I can do that!

Day 2/365 - New Years Resolution

2) Take 5 Minutes and Move:  Our society is a ‘sitting society’ at work, at home, driving, etc. Take 5 minutes several times a day to get up and walk around, take a few flight of stairs…move!  When I was working at home one of my doctors suggested I set a timer that went off every 20-30 minutes to remind me to get up, stretch and move around.  We know that we are supposed to exercise 30 minutes a minimum of 5 days a week, but if that isn’t doable, chunk it down into smaller increments several times a day.  Beats nothing!  In 2014 my goal will be to increase my yoga practice and walk more (now that the darned boot is off!).

3)  Take 5 minutes every morning:  As Mom always said, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I’ve always been good about breakfast, grabbing a Greek yogurt or a boiled egg. Take 5 minutes to make/eat breakfast and improve your mental state for the day and curbing binges later in the day.

English: American healthy breakfast in Chicago...

4) 5 Things You are Grateful for TODAY:  Each day focus on the positives in your life, taking mental note of the little things that make a difference. Did someone say hello to you today, open a door, call you to chat, etc.?  At the end of the day, before bed, think of those 5 things and perhaps jot them in a Gratitude Journal.  A few years ago, I pledged to review a daily reading in two different books and keep a gratitude journal.  I made it through the year and found it very inspiring.

Gratitude Journal

5)  Take 5 Minutes for You:  Time is such a precious commodity and most likely time for you is at the bottom of the list.  It was for me for many years.  There were too many family and work commitments and just not enough time for me.  I’ve learned the hard way that unless you take care of yourself, you cannot take care of anyone else.  The suggestion made by Dr. Besser was to meditate twice a day for 5 minutes.  Meditation, in my definition, is to clear your mind of all thoughts.  Clear the clutter and stress from your day and start anew.  While I do not practice meditation regularly, I find that when I do, it is wonderfully refreshing and I feel at peace.

For me, Prayer is also a critical piece of the formula for peace and comfort each and every day.

2014 is full of surprises and we will do the best we can do. My advise to those that are killing themselves with stress from work and family…slow down…enjoy and appreciate the little moments with joy and laughter…take care of yourself…and have a healthy, joyous New Year!

Family · Family Favorites · Holidays · New Traditions

Christmas Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate and the holidays just go hand-in-hand.  That warm cozy feeling in your tummy while gathered around the fire or Christmas tree with loved ones is what Christmas is all about.

Christmas Fireplace
Christmas Fireplace (Photo credit: rockinpaddy)

Daughter, Sarah, requested that we try this recipe for Christmas morning 2012 and it was delicious.  It took a little longer to heat in the crock pot so allow plenty of time for it to warm to serving temperature.

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas!

CHRISTMAS CROCK POT HOT CHOCOLATE

1.5 cups heavy cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
2 cups milk chocolate chips
6 cups milk (I used 1%)
1 tsp. vanilla
mini marshmallows

  • Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips in a crock pot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted.
  • Stir again before serving. Garnish as desired.

adapted from mrshappyhomemaker.com

Family · Holidays · Home · Humor

Aunts and Uncles…storytelling…treasures of the family

Aunts and Uncles are a bit like Grandparents.  They get to spoil the nieces and nephews, shower them with affection and love, and leave when they are amped up on sugar and fun.  It’s a good gig! I was an Aunt at age 7 and grew up with my niece and two nephews. It was wonderful having playmates and helping out my older sister and brother. A highlight of every year was when they came to stay with us and go to Bible School at the rural Carlton Brethren Church, a half mile from our house. There were sticker charts, ice cream, indoor picnics, dress-up (sorry Jeff and Duane), and so many stories!

Aunt Cathy and Sherri
Aunt Cathy and Sherri

sherri duane and jeff christmas about 1969

After college I moved out-of-state and was always sad not to be closer to my family but treasured each of the visits back to see everyone. I was very fortunate to have wonderful Aunts and Uncles as well.  Not all of them lived close but my siblings and I always knew we were loved with the hugs/kisses that went with their visits.

At this state of my life, I have 3 Aunts and 1 Uncle.  Uncle Jack will be 90 this month and planning a big celebration.  Aunt Joyce (Jack’s wife) turned 86 in February. Aunt Lora (also my Mother’s BFF in school) turned 94 this year. Aunt Wilma will turn 100 next June.  From these wonderful people I learned the importance of family/loyalty, laughter, music, traditional dishes prepared for holidays and family gatherings.

Several years ago, when camcorders were new to the market, we traveled to Iowa with our newborn daughter to celebrate Christmas.  Christmas Eve day several of my family members were visiting at my Mother’s House.

Cathy and Uncle Jack
Cathy and Uncle Jack

We turned on the camcorder asked our family members ‘what is your favorite Christmas memory?’  I tear up just thinking about it.  The heart-warming, loving, funny, and sarcastic stories were great at the time but are true treasures now.

Stories
Stories (Photo credit: Enokson)

This holiday season let’s spend our time BEING PRESENT and sharing stories for our children and grandchildren to treasure.   Break out the smart phone and make a video, perhaps the best PRESENT of the season!

What’s your story?