Odds and Ends

Fond Memories of Putting Up Apples and Figs For The Winter

2022-10-06T07:26:00.000-04:00

One of my fondest Fall memories was when we were raising our 7 children. My husband and I would go to the Farmer's Market early in the Fall and buy 3 baskets of apples.

Apples from the Farmer's Market

I prefer 3 individual kinds of apples (Northern Spy, Machintosh and a green cooking apple which they now call a Granny Smith). Then we would spend a Saturday sitting around the table peeling, coring and preparing the apples to be put into quart jars for the winter.

Except for the labor involved it is an easy task to prepare the apples so that we could make pies and strudels when there were no more apples. Today that doesn't happen because the supermarkets carry apples of all varieties in every season but it was a productive day for us as a family.

The jars were prepared in the usual manner by boiling them and then setting them aside. Once the apples were peeled and cored, they were cut into slices in a rather large bowl and sprinkled with about a third of a cup of sugar and a lot of cinnamon. The bowl was then covered and put in the microwave for about 15 minutes.

Apples out of the microwave

When the apples came out of the microwave they were put into the waiting jars making sure that there was no air bubbles and set aside to cool. Once cooled the jar was sealed. Each jar of apples was marked with the date it was filled. Once the jars had cooled and were sealed they were put on the shelf in what was once the butler's pantry off the kitchen. That room stayed cool in winter and kept the jars perfectly.

Applesauce jarred for winter

After we had enough apples for pies and baked goods over the winter we would take the remainder of the apples and run them through the blender to make applesauce to be put aside for winter use also. The applesauce was put into the jars in the same manner, making sure there were no air bubbles and set aside to cool before sealing.

The apple slices normally lasted until around Christmas time and would be used in strudels for the holiday. If we were lucky we would have some left over and when the applesauce ran out we would reheat the apple slices and make them into applesauce. In our family the request for homemade applesauce ran into all the holiday and family gatherings because they liked the homespun variety that I made which I called my "Mountain Sauce" which was almost brown from the abundance of cinnamon.

Figs growing on tree not ripened.

I never made this but my mother-in-law would take grapes and put them up into jams. That recipe I don't have because it was never written down. I also found a recipe for fig jam.

Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob

2022-09-01T07:53:00.000-04:00

The Aspinwall VFD Flea Market is in full swing and will come to a close in October. I'm pretty sure the farmers have corn. I thought you might like to know how to make that delicious corn on the cob without the huge pot of boiling water that can be made for those days when you are grilling steaks outside.

It's easy peasy so they say. Just line your slow cooker with a spray and then add a quarter cup of water to the bottom.

husked corn in slow cooker

Place your husked corn into the slow cooker. I suggest cutting the ears in half in order to get more corn into the slow cooker. Set the temperature to low and let it cook for 2 hours. See the latest way of husking corn in my article on putting up corn for the winter.

corn wrapped in foil and seasoned

If you prefer you can wrap your ears of corn in foil. Brush the corn with melted butter and season to taste.

Husking the corn is now easier and less time consuming so why not use modern methods linked here to achieve what took a lot of hard work to achieve.

What's great about this recipe is that you can take the whole crock outside when the corn is done and you are ready to eat at the picnic table.

Which ever method you choose, the end result is a mouth watering summer treat while the corn is fresh out of the fields.

Of course, if you live in Sharpsburg, this week is the Guyasuta Festival. Last night they had their all you can eat corn on the cob night. That is a huge attraction every year.

Bon apetit' and as my mother-in-law used to say, "try it -- you'll like it."

Apples Best For Eating Or Cooking

2022-08-10T05:35:00.000-04:00

There is truly no season that is best for apples. In this day and age, the supermarkets carry a vast variety of apples year round. The season for apples is only determined by what area is growing them at this time of year.

In the Northeast, the Fall is the best time to harvest apples. The crop is at it's peak and falling off the trees.

Local farmers then gather them into bushels and take them to farmer's markets to sell. But in today's world you don't have to wait for Fall to get the best variety of apples. They are all at the supermarket.

There are many varieties to choose from and each has it's own texture and taste. When I am putting up apples for the winter, I normally bring home a bushel of three different kinds to get a special taste for my winter baking and my applesauce.

My mother loved McIntosh Apples and ate them plain or cut them up into her Waldorf Salad.

The skin on this apple is red and green and it has a tart flavor. The flesh is white and it ripens in late September. Because it tends to mush up while baking, this one is not a good one for an apple pie.

My favorite to munching is a Gala which I only recently found in the supermarkets.

This one has a mild and sweet flavor. I normally cut them up into slices after I core them for snacking. The peel on this one is a bit tough so I usually peel the slices before I eat them. This is one of my selections for my three apple mixture in my canning.

The next apple I look for is the granny smith.

This one is an all around apple for eating, baking or just about any recipe. The flesh on this apple is normally a bit more crisp and it holds up well in recipes. It is definitely one of my thee for canning.

I have always used a Northern Spy Apple to finish out the canning mix.

This variety has been a long time favorite of mine and is becoming more and more hard to find. The supermarkets tend to carry different brands rather than waiting for this one. I like it because it has the flavor that you find in the Gala and the crunch that you find in the Granny Smith. It is a good one for baking pies and other recipes that call for baking or cooking.

I have tried Cortland Apples

I picked this one up because it looked like a Northern Spy with it's flecked skin. That was my indicator that it would have good flavor and the crispness I was looking for. It's texture is better for snaking and that ever popular Waldorf Salad.

This is all I have on apples for this fall. I have spent many a fall hour coring and peeling apples for my winter canning. We normally had between 12 and 18 jars of apple slices and an equal amount of my family's favorite apple sauce which I lovingly called mountain sauce because of all the cinnamon I put into it.

Cooking with Apples for Fall

2022-08-04T05:56:00.000-04:00

In the Fall, my mind turns to apples and apple recipes. I'm partial to blending my apples for recipes to get a better flavor. My favorite blend is Machintosh, Northern Spy and Gala apples. This gets you not only a mixture of flavors but also a mixture of textures.

Let's start with a basic recipe for apple slices.

Escalloped Apples is an easy recipe that requires 2 pounds of apples, preferably tart apples since you are going to sprinkles them with sugar and cinnamon. Drop some dabs of butter over them. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Serve warm over ice cream or pound cake. If you wish to eat them plain you can sprinkle them with a grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese before baking.

Let's try a Baked Apple next.

These are simple and easy since all you need to do is core the apple. You can peel them if you are using a firmer apple. Next you mix sugar, cinnamon and butter together and insert into the center of the apple. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until the apple is tender. Serve warm and top with fresh cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, whichever is your preference.

Apple Dumplings are prepared the same as baked apples except that you cover them with a pie crust before you bake them. You can make your own pie crust or buy a premade at the grocery store. Click link for recipe

Let's move on to the ultimate our apple pie. My mom preferred her apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top. I like mine plain but you may want to serve it with whipped or ice cream.

A variation of this is to make an apple turnover. Cut your pie crust in quarters and fill the shell with your apple mixture. Bake the same as you would a pie placing the turnovers on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Click link for recipe

The easiest of the apple cakes to make is an Apple Upside Down Cake. This was always a favorite of mine. Click Link for Recipe

But my ultimate love for apple cake came after my next door neighbor's Aunt shared her recipe for this cake filled with fresh apples and then drizzled with a caramel drizzle. You can only eat a small square of this cake because it so heavenly delicious and sweet. Click link for recipe

In conclusion, I can't relate the delight I get from any of these recipes. I'm hoping you try them and enjoy them as much as I do every time that I make them.

Apples Fresh or Baked in Your Favorite Recipe

2022-08-04T05:47:00.000-04:00

There are so many delicious apple varieties. My Mom preferred Macintosh. I like Northern Spy and Gala. I find the apples with the best taste are the ones that are white spotted reds. Just cut up and eaten by themselves is the healthiest way to enjoy an apple.

Apple juice is okay but I never acquired a taste for it and apple cider is way too pungent for my taste. A glass of apple juice is also healthy.

Waldorf Salad is a fresh fruit salad that uses chunks of fresh cut apples. My Mom always kept apples in the house and loved this salad. She would make this salad any time she had extra apples that were starting to go soft.

Jarred Apple Slices

When apples are plentiful, I would buy three bushels and then put up my own apples for the winter season so that I could make my favorite recipes. Yes, the supermarkets now stock all your favorite brands of apples year round but I preferred to just make my own when they were falling off the trees.

Baked Apple

My Mom made baked apples but not the traditional way wrapped in pie crust like apple dumplings. She would take the whole apple and core it. Then she would place the apple on a pie pan and drizzle a mixture of sugar and cinnamon into the cored out space. The house smelled so wonderful as she baked these in the oven.

Apple Dumpling

Over the years, I have come to like the apple dumpling style that you can buy in most bake shops or at fine restaurants. These apples are cored, wrapped in a pie shell dough and then baked. These are served with a dollop of whipped cream or in a bowl with cream poured over them. Again , being a plain Jane, I like these served by themselves so that I can enjoy the pie crust flavor and the apple.

Apple Fritters

My mom also made apple fritters, These delightful little crisps were so delicious after a beef stew dinner or as a breakfast treat.

Glazed Apple Turnover

From my childhood, I remember the Duquesne Bakery Truck that would come around once a week. apple turnovers. These delightful apple pastries were also filled with a whipped cream to give it that extra flavor. The quick recipe for these that I use from time to time is to make them using frozen puff pastry dough from the supermarket.
My favorite from their baked goods was

Making Apple Strudel

At Christmas time, I would pull out a jar of my apples I had preserved and make an apple strudel using either my sweet bread dough or puff pastry dough from the supermarket. Admittedly, the puff pastry dough made a much better tasting strudel that had vanilla glaze drizzled over it.

There are so many different ways to use apples and so many different tastes.

Hot Crossed Buns for Lent

2022-08-04T05:46:00.000-04:00

ONE A PENNY, TWO A PENNY, HOT CROSSED BUNS. We used to say that rhyme when we were children. The only time of the year that you would be able to buy hot crossed buns was during Lent which starts next week on Wednesday.

The old A&P Supermarket always carried them during Lent and my Mom dearly loved them. They would be packaged in a tin of six buns. I could never see what was so special about them other than the sweet icing done piped into a cross on top of them. I was never one for fruit such as currants and raisins inside my pastry. I don't know why because I do like to eat raisins by the handful.

Most bakery shops carry them during Lent and I'm sure that their sweet dough is the same as what you can get in the modern day supermarket in their bakery departments. I saw an ad for them in an email I received from Giant Eagle and that's what reminded me of this annual pastry. Oakmont Bakery carries them during the season also.

For those of you who still prefer to make your own, Shop N Save offers an easy recipe online for making these.

In looking up the story behind this tiny bun which is almost the size of a biscuit, I find that it is traditionally eaten by people of British descent on Good Friday. Here in the states you can get them all during Lent and only during Lent.

Memories of Hilton Grand Vacation in Orlando

2021-07-14T07:30:00.000-04:00

I'm reflecting on this vacation because it is by far my favorite vacation site and the last one that I took with my oldest son. This is the only timeshare location that he liked to visit. He didn't travel with us on subsequent vacations to Myrtle Beach. So here is my story.

Four years ago, We arrived in sunny Downtown Orlando an hour later than expected at the Orlando Amtrak Station. Getting off the train was fun since we needed a lift for my son's wheelchair and the lift was just on a level to be concerned about wheeling out right into the blades of a ceiling fan.

My other son's family was renting a car and we waited for our ride so that they could follow us to our resort which is on Grand Vacations Way right next door to Sea World.

We were still an hour early for the 4 PM check in so we checked our baggage and went about our business for the hour. We were expecting to use two three bedroom suites with one being the penthouse. The second suite was ready early and I sent two younger son's families off to those rooms to settle in.

That left my party waiting for the Penthouse to be ready for use. As it turns out, the people who were in our rooms left late and we didn't get into our suite until well after 4 PM. This is unusual and the LP on duty tried to move things along for us since we had been traveling 48 hours to get there and were dog tired.

Bill with a big sandwich

Family lunch

We all landed in the Coral Reef Cafe for a late lunch an relaxation while we waited for our rooms to be ready.

Living room across the dining table

The wait was well worth it though because the Penthouse was every bit as beautiful as I remembered it and I settled in for a much needed night's sleep and the end of Day 2 of our vacation.

Poolside Cafe

Day 3 started with the wheelchair rolling down the path from Building 1 to the poolside area where the Coral Reef Cafe is located on the pool deck. My son was disappointed because his mouth was watering for their breakfast buffet. Oops! They terminated the buffet two years ago so it was order off the menu, but he survived and had a hearty breakfast in his favorite spot. I followed along about a half hour later and had my breakfast just as he was leaving and my second son joined me for a chit chat.

Waterfall and Pool side view from my table

I had planned a vacation week of sitting by the pool and lazing in the hot tubs and I spent all day Sunday doing just that. This is by far my favorite destination for lazing by the pool and spending my timeshare points.

This has got to be one of my favorite vacations because it was spent with family and we all had a good time together even though my younger children were off doing the theme parks. We spent our evenings together around the table in the Penthouse Suite.

I may never get to travel here again because I sold the timeshare in 2017 but my memories are forever away at this beautiful destination with my loved ones.

Alternate Transportation, Riding the Rails

2021-07-12T18:11:00.001-04:00

IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM PAUL DUDAS, JR.
for his birthday, July 13.

In 2014, our family booked a family reunion in Orlando, Florida. Some of the family went by airplane, but my son and I decided to book onto a train that would take us from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Orlando Florida. The cost was right and we would be on the upper level with the option of watching the sights go by and not having to keep the foot on the pedal or pull over to see the scenery of our country.

After we booked our trip we told my second son about the great prices and they decided to book the same train for his wife and two children. The plan was hatched. Double deck train to Washington DC and then in the regular Amtrak cars from DC to Orlando.

Everything was fine until the my oldest son had a foot amputated and we had to change our e-tickets for handicapped seating. My son and I sat on the bottom deck and the other son and his family sat in the upper deck. He boarded with his wheelchair and was seated in a front seat. This was a shame because he missed the opportunity to get to the dining cars and to the observation car.

Bill relaxing on the way to Orlando

I did the running between cars to get sodas and snacks from the cafe which on the double deck train was a trip up the stairs then cross over from one car to another twice and then down the stairs to get to the cafe. Remember, I'm the one with the handicapped parking and was hovering just below 70. But, I made it. We are a coca cola family so that meant we had to substitute Sierra Mist for our drinks because Amtrak carries only Pepsi products.

I did get to see the observation car it was nicely laid out with seats that faced out the windows and tables for larger groups to sit.

Other than that the trip from Pittsburgh to DC was great. We left about 15 minutes behind schedule but ended up getting to DC about 45 minutes late which cut us back to a much smaller time to get into the station and onto the platform for the train to Orlando. The Amtrak personnel were very accommodating by giving us a ride from the upper deck to the lower deck to get onto the next train.

handicapped lift provided at each station

The second half of the trip was overnight. I think if I were to do this trip again I would consider getting a sleeper. My son and I were very uncomfortable and needed to switch often. The only good thing turned out to be a bad thing. We were seated right behind the bathrooms. There are two on each car. The rest of the bathrooms were having customer problems and the two by us seemed to be the choice of the entire four cars that were on this train. They were lined up constantly for the train until someone did the unthinkable and stopped up the big one. Then it was locked for the rest of the trip into Orlando.

My sons are smokers and the younger boy was able to hop off the train on the longer stops and grab a quick puff or two from a cigarette. If he lucked out and there was someone being loaded by the lift then it took longer and he got two cigarettes. The oldest boy though was confined to the inside of the car and was not able to get out for a cigarette. The conductor offered to get him out at one station because they had four people who were going to need to be lifted onto the train. That was very nice of them since they are not obligated to offer that service. He refused the courtesy though because we were so close to Orlando by this time and we were well over an hour behind schedule.

We were behind schedule because we had to sit on sidings and let freight trains pass by. That is because Amtrak uses Conrail tracks and Conrail has preference if there is a conflict on a one track section. At one point the freight train passed us and then another Amtrak train whizzed past us going like the wind. That held us up from getting into the next station even longer.

Homward bound

Coming home the conductor explained to us that they let already late trains wait if they have one that is on time go first to stay on time. This picture show us so much more relaxed on the way home since the son had two massages that gave him two and a half hours of therapeutic massages. I got a half hour Swedish massage while I was in at the timeshare. We traveled home by way of train from Orlando to Washington DC where we rented a minivan for the rest of the trip home. We decided to do this because there was going to be an eight hour layover in DC while we waited for the next train into Pittsburgh and then a seven hour train ride. Even though we had to wait for the car rental office to open we were home in Pittsburgh before the train left Washington DC.

Even with the cost of the car rental my round trip only cost the two of us $750 total. That was the full train ride from Pittsburgh to Orlando. The Train ride back from Orlando to DC and the car rental. I don't think we could have flown for that price and at least I had the opportunity to get up and walk around.

All in all, I enjoyed the ability to move around during the ride and even though it took a longer time to get where we were going, I got to see places and things I would never see from the air.

It is my recommendation if your travels allow enough time for taking the train to give it a try. Our check in was for Saturday at 4 pm. We left Pittsburgh on Friday at 5 am and arrived in Orlando well before our check in time at around noon on Saturday. Of course, coming home was more of a hassle but would have gotten us home by train before the end of day on Sunday.

Reflections of a Gold Star Mother

2021-05-29T07:55:00.001-04:00

May is Gold Star Month dedicated to those families who have lost someone while on active duty.

It's been nine years since the call came and I returned home from church on Father's Day morning to find my children waiting for me. They had known since before I left for Mass that my son wasn't coming home again. They took me into the house and sat me in my lazy boy before they told me.

I banged my fist and I cried but it was something I could not change. It was something I had to accept. My son's wife and two children returned to the states and the sensitivities between siblings and in-laws was something that had to be overcome. Everyone's emotions were raw. We had to wait for the Navy to make the arrangements to get him home to us so that we could take him to his final resting place in The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.

Later in the day, two uniformed officers from the Navy came to tell me what I had already heard through a telephone call from my daughter-in-law in England to an older son. They informed me that I would be contacted to sign paperwork since I was second beneficiary. Of course, I knew that my daughter-in-law would be the first contact but I was grateful to be recognized.

Headstone

I didn't go to the cemetery until his headstone was put up. I didn't want to go visit an upturned earthen spot in the ground. I go from time to time to put fresh flowers on the grave. Each year the Veterans put Christmas Wreaths on the graves for Christmas. One year my daughter, granddaughter and I went to the wreath laying ceremony and took care of his grave with a wreath.

It's been a topsy turvy few years going between days of deep depression and days of doing what needed to be done for the rest of the remaining family. As a member of the BPOE, Elks, I continue to proudly serve our Veterans at luncheons and services held in their honor.

The Navy investigation into the incidence that took my son's life concluded that he died from accidental causes and that he died while on active duty. I had proudly flown a blue star pendant in my window while he was serving and now a gold star pendant replaces it for special days such as Memorial Day, The Fourth of July and Veteran's Day. At our home Old Glory flies from May to November between Memorial Day and Veterans Day to lend support to our troops and this great nation.

I applied to the Department of Defense for my Gold Star Pin and have received it to wear proudly on all National Holidays. All in all, I have accepted the fact that my son isn't coming home but I can't help feeling emotional every time I hear a patriotic song or see a commercial concerning worthy veterans who have returned in need of help.

I went to the Memorial Day Service a few years ago at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies as I had observed the Veteran's Day Service the previous November from a spot on the hill near my son's grave who is buried in a direct line with the huge flag pole in section 1.

This year we visited on the Saturday before Memorial Day to bring flowers and a flag.

Hiroshima Cherry Tree planted at American Legion Post 77

My son's wife and children planted a Cherry Tree in the side yard next to our American Legion Post 77 in memory of my son and his years of residence in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania before leaving to join the Navy.

my favorite picture of Rob aboard CVN65, the USS Enterprise.

This is a society that I never wanted to join even though I always knew the possibility was looming in the background. I grew up to honor Gold Star Mothers as my family was always linked to our Legion Post and I knew many of them personally from World War II. My heart is healing but there will always be a spot there that longs to have my son home again so that I can hug him as I did when he was a child.

Mother Mary Come To Me

2021-05-11T02:00:00.001-04:00

The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; and, as a tribute to Mother Mary, Catholics set up May Altars. In August we celebrate the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. I thought I would resurrect this post in honor of that feast day.

In Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, Madonna of Jerusalem is one of our three churches. The parishioners do an excellent job of setting up a May Altar.

2014 May Altar at Madonna of Jerusalem Church

Before each morning mass whoever is in attendance recites the rosary invoking the Blessed Mother's continued compassion on all for peace in our world.

I grew up attending St. Scholastica School and we were also taught to set up our May Altars, which I have attempted to do. A long time ago I asked my Aunt where she had gotten her stone statue of the Blessed Mother. She went out into her yard and gave it to me. That statue has moved with me to 5 locations until I finally settled in my present home.

Madonna in 2013

My son-in-law painted her at one location with white paint which wore off over the years. The year my husband died, I bought blue, white and green paint to paint her. That coat of paint lasted 10 years and started to flake and peel off for the next two years.

Madonna in June 2014

A few years ago my neighbor offered to paint the statue after he painted his mother's. I was so grateful because now she stands on her stone overseeing my garden which I have tried to keep up with flowers that will bloom in May. There are currently no blossoming flowers in my little grotto except the Lily of the Valley have started to bloom a bit early. None of the Day Lilies have grown big enough to bloom yet. I'm hoping they will during the month as I continue to say my daily rosary.

My old neighbor, who owned a greenhouse, taught me that isn't safe to plant flowers in the ground until Mother's Day because of the chance of a freak frost. I will be purchasing flowers for the planters between now and Memorial Day.

My new Madonna was a gift from a neighbor when the one above was stolen from in front of my house.

Old Fashioned Penny Candy and Fudge

2021-03-26T05:48:00.002-04:00

In years gone by, I remember penny candy that we would buy from the corner store. Don Kahn, our local grocery store owner, and many like him across the country had glass cases just lined with these delightful candies that sometimes sold two for a penny. After Don came Ruth's Store and she was known to shut down the candy sales during the dinner hour so that the children would not ruin their supper.

glover320.blogspot.com

I have searched the Internet but cannot find a picture of one of my favorites which was the tiny pie tin that had chocolate fudge in it with a tiny tin spoon to eat it. The poster I borrowed from another blog has the closest picture I could find. They sold for a penny each and they came in chocolate or vanilla fudge. The link is to Old Fashioned Fudge Recipes.

Of course, everyone remembers the licorice whips which you can still buy in the candy section in bags sold as Strings.

Along the same line, was the red jelly candy coins. These were normally cherry flavored.

During holiday seasons, you might find some of these treasures in the candy case. They were chocolate medallions covered with gold foil.

When I had more than a few pennies to spend I would buy the candy balls that would change colors as you sucked on them. In and out of your mouth you would pop them to see what color they had turned into. Then there were the fireballs that were red hot as you sucked away at the sweetness.

I remember those waxy little bottles that were filled with just a drop or two of sugary flavored syrup that we called soda pops.

Tootsie Rolls and Daisies

Who could forget the Tootsie Pops that are still popular today

Tootsie Rolls that come in various sizes and bags of the bits in your local candy aisles.

In this selection you have your Mary Jane that were peanut butter flavored and a Bit-O-Honey another hard candy. Banana Flips were popular too.

Fruit slices were not among my favorites but you could buy them in various flavors. The most popular being the orange slices. You can still buy these by the bagful at the grocery store.

The day of the penny candy is gone but not from my memory. Candy has become a big business and most of these candies are still sold in various containers and sizes of bags.

Making Decorated Cookies for Christmas

2020-11-27T09:25:00.000-05:00

There are so many Christmas cookie favorites but it doesn't take a lot of skill to make decorated cookies for Christmas. In fact, you can buy your cookies and then ice them yourself.

Decorated Christmas Cookies

You can also take a basic cookie and decorate them. Just start with the basic decorator cookie icing recipe.

Mix Icing

Make your colors in bottles so that you can squeeze the ends of the cookie with the icing.

outline your cookie and

then fill in with the color you want.

Walla! Your decorated cookie.

Christmas cookies are so much fun and fun to decorate. They can be used for a Christmas Cookie Tree.

Have fun baking for Christmas

Special Occasion Cheesecake - Christmas

2020-11-14T05:29:00.000-05:00

Anyone who loves cheesecake will get into the swing of things by making some one's Christmas Day a memorable one.

There are so many recipes for good cheesecake that it is hard to pick one. I have one but due to a family tradition, my daughter has banned me from sharing it. So needless to say, I have to rely on other good recipes for this edition of my blog.

Let's start out with perhaps the simplest of cheesecakes and make them individually in a a mold such as the ones shown above. The link takes you to the recipe for making this delicious cheesecake individually for your family and friends.

Next on our list of cheesecakes is one that is just that a cheesecake made in a heart shaped cake mold and not decorated With this cheesecake you have the best of all worlds in that you can use the recipe above and leave it up to the individual to use the topping of their choice while enjoying the cheesecake flavor.

Since I can't use my own recipe, I'm suggesting that you use the recipe of the one that I linked you to for the rest of these Christmas offerings.

The first is my personal favorite. It is a cheesecake decorated with fruited jello and whipped cream topping.

A good portion of the people prefer strawberry topping with their cheesecake.

Blueberry Mini Cheesecake

Others are partial to blueberries.

My final suggestion takes a little more decorating ability and is made with two cheesecake made to form a snowman.

Whether you top these off with whipped cream or not is totally an individual preference. I vote for with whipped cream.

Try these for that special someone in your life in their favorite flavor.

Thanksgiving Memories from My Youth

2020-11-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

I grew up in Aspinwall, a suburban town just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thanksgiving Day brings back a jumble of memories from the 1950's.

In our house my Dad was a cook in the Army and he always took over the Thanksgiving turkey and how it was cooked. There was never any problem with that because in the 1950's Thanksgiving was a true holiday and nobody and I mean nobody worked Thanksgiving Day.

The stores were not open on Thanksgiving and if you forgot something or were out of something you had to borrow it from a neighbor because there wasn't anywhere to shop for it. One Thanksgiving, as a young mother, I had forgotten something and I drove around three boroughs looking for a store to buy it. To my surprise, there was just one shop open on North Canal Street in Sharpsburg that carried produce.

My grandfather, was always in charge of the pies. No one could make a better crust than my grandfather and I always judged a pie from my youth on by the crust and not the filling. He started early in the morning so that the oven was empty in time for the Turkey to be put into it. He would make pumpkin pies and a mincemeat pie. I never tasted the mincemeat because I was a picky eater and didn't like the looks of it at that time. To this day, I couldn't tell you what a mincemeat pie tastes like.

Not our A&P but very similar store from the 50's

We had an A&P grocery store in Aspinwall and my Mom would send me with my Dad to do the shopping for what was needed. I remember that my Dad's brother, Uncle Bill, worked as a butcher at that store even though he lived in Pitcairn which was clear on the other side of the city. The pies needed evaporated milk and spices. My mother didn't make her own cranberries and jellied cranberries were bought in a can. I remember that I always had to have cranberries with poultry or beef because as I said, I was a picky eater.

truck similar to Jim and Tony's that came around the streets twice a week

The stuffing needed celery, onions and green pepper. Sometimes she would buy the produce from Jim and Tony who would drive a produce truck through our borough selling fresh vegetable. She also bought the potatoes from him.

Butcher Counter similar to McCafferty's

The turkey was always bought from McCafferty's Butcher Shop, which was in Beck's Grocery Store on Center Avenue, around the corner from our house. My grandfather wasn't rich but he always contributed to the table by buying the meat that was being served for Sundays or holidays.

Stuffing cooking in the skillet in batches

My mother made her stuffing the night before Thanksgiving from crust of bread that she had saved in a paper bag and then broke by hand into little pieces to be sauteed in the iron skillet in batches. As we got older my brother and I would help by breaking up the stale pieces of bread crust. She would put the batches into the large soup pot and then stored it on the back porch which was always cold enough to serve as an extra refrigerator for my Dad to stuff the bird in the morning.

Thanksgiving was a day of anticipation and there was nothing for us kids to do but wait for the deliciousness that was happening in the kitchen. Grace, My friend, and I would go for long walks on Thanksgiving just to get ready for the big meal we were anticipating. I remember that Thanksgiving was usually the day of the first snowfall in our area and Grace and I would walk to the Box Factory and find a sheet of discarded cardboard and slide down the side of the on ramp to the Highland Park Bridge. That was the closest we could come to an actual sled ride when the snow was just a dusting and to us it was loads of fun.

When we got home the house smelled glorious with turkey. My Dad always got the honor of carving the turkey with my Mom's silver carving knife and fork that came from her mother before her. Dad preferred dark meat but my plate had to have white meat.

Dinner started with Grace to thank God for the abundance of what were were about to eat. With Grace being said, we devoured several rounds of filling our plates with the simple meal on the table. Turkey with cranberries, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn were the meal of the day. Sometimes, broccoli, cooked carrots or peas were added. We never had room for pie after dinner and it was always saved for later in the evening. I don't know why but as soon as dinner was over, I found myself sound asleep on the couch.

That's was Thanksgiving from my youth. I'm sure everyone has similar stories to tell.

Sunday Farmer's Market in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania

2020-09-20T06:14:00.002-04:00

Sundays are great for going to the Aspinwall VFD Flea Market. Find that treasure and to support your Aspinwall Volunteer Fire Department. The flea market for the 2020 season was cancelled early due to corona virus restrictions but has been up and running for the past three months.

Open for business through the end of October, weather permitting, the best farmer's market can be found in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania at the AVFD Flea Market. This year we moved the firemen's coffee to the pergola in the parking lot. The AFVD has coffee and other items for sale. Above are our tee shirts and lawn signs that can be purchased to support your local firefighters.

The vendors are located on Freeport Road. Parking is along the reailroad tracks and street parking but we are available on the Port Authority busline. So come on down to Aspinwall to view some of the best vendors on the flea market trail.

If you haven't tried one of the firemens' hot dogs you have missed out on a real treat. All beef and loaded with flavor that only the firemen know how to do. Unfortunately, we cannot sell them this year due to the virus restrictions. But for those of you who want one!!!!! The AVFD will be selling their famous hot dogs from the firehall October 8th. from 5 to 7 PM.

The farmer who is featured here has been a vendor at the flea market for many years. The young people who sell their vegetables come from a family that has a history of selling door to door in Aspinwall with their fresh cut meats and vegetables. As a child I remember them coming to our street with their eggs and produce.

Freedom Farms in 2018

While the flea market itself has many vendors that display their wares, the main attraction each week is the local produce. Being at a Port Authority bus stop is another feature that allows many people who don't drive to attend this weekly event and buy items that they can carry home on public transportation.

What is especially good is that all of the produce is professed to be locally grown and the young people who run the stand are from a local farm. This farming family started out in a smaller location in a corner of the lot. They have since moved to the center of the lot taking up three prime spots selling their produce from the truck and collapsible tents. They are in the center of attention each week.

The flea market doesn't need any more publicity because it is run by the Aspinwall Volunteer Fire Department and has been for many years. As in any event worthwhile attending, parking is at a premium since the event itself is held in the community's public parking lot and attendees need to find parking on nearby streets. But the result of your trip is well worth the time it takes to visit the stands of this hard working volunteer organization.

In Pennsylvania, senior citizens who live on limited means are presented with four gift certificates for fresh vegetables early in the season to be used over the summer months. Each certificate is worth $5 and must be spend entirely on produce that is locally grown. Freedom Farms is a local grower and they do accept these certificates in payment of their fruits and vegetables.

Darden Foods - Bahama Breeze in Orlando

2020-07-31T05:00:00.000-04:00

While we were in Florida, I took a tour of a popular timeshare and was rewarded with $100 worth of Darden Food Gift Cards. We normally visit Olive Garden when we have gift cards but being in Orlando we felt adventurous and decided to try Bahama Breeze instead. Having fourteen in our party we called ahead to let them know what time we would be arriving. The restaurant staff was very accommodating and were ready for our arrival.

So off we went in two cars. Since there were four families each driver made two trips to take us from the timeshare to Bahama Breeze. There is a driveway but the handicapped entrance is off to the side nearer the rear parking lot.

Once inside we waited in the lobby for the second car to arrive with the rest of our family with the son in the wheelchair floating back and forth to the porch area where he could smoke. Once everyone was at the restaurant we were seated in a double booth area with the tables pushed together so that all fourteen of us could sit together in family style. Even with us throwing off their arrangement with a wheelchair in the party and the need for a high chair, the staff made every effort to make our meal pleasant.

The menu boasted everything from a Cheeseburger that my son, Bill, ate and declared on Facebook to be the best cheeseburger he had ever eaten. This is quite a boast since he is so particular about foods and places I shop for them.

Being a seafood restaurant my daughter and I selected the shrimp linguini with a side salad which I had no problem polishing off. I'm not fond of alfredo sauce but there was just right blend of garlic in the sauce that it was just what the doctor ordered for me.

The rest of the family enjoyed a multitude of selections from the children's menu to a miriad of fish and chicken dishes. Even with all fourteen of us eating the final bill only came to a little over $250. To me that is affordable dining.

Meatloaf Burgers - Half the time of Meatloaf

2020-07-25T04:51:00.000-04:00

Meatloaf is the most popular way to make and eat ground beef because of the goodies that make it a cut above an ordinary hamburger. My son, Bill, who hated to wait for anything came up with this originally and I have to admit it takes nothing away from my meatloaf recipe especially since I love my meatloaf on a bun or slices of bread.

Using the same recipe as you would for my no frills meatloaf, you can cut your prep to table time in half.

This tasty form of the popular favorite only takes half the time to bake in the oven and can be eaten plain for dinner or as a meatloaf burger.

Tool used to form the ground meat patty

It just takes a handful of your meatloaf mixture to form your patty. I use the egg tool to measure the patty.

Be sure to press down in the middle so that your burgers cook evenly and then put them onto a foil lined pan to cook at 350° oven for about 30 to 45 minutes. Once the top is browned you can be remove from the oven. I use the tool that is used to keep an egg in one spot in the skillet to form my burgers.

Now that you have the recipe and the instructions, it up to you if you want to wait the time it takes to make a full meatloaf or not. Happy eating.

Flower Explosion

2020-07-17T10:08:00.000-04:00

The growing season for flowers was slower than in past years. During a similar winter a few years back, I was disappointed when I found the bulbs from the previous year's lilies unearthed in my little side garden by my entrance stone. It seems my neighbors were not so nice when they were walking their dogs because they dug them up for me. I took them out and dried in my basement to replant them in the Fall. The bulbs took nicely and I now have a profusion of Lilies in front of my new Madonna that is a replacement for the one that was stolen.

I wanted to add some new plants this summer but had not made up my mind what to plant. I love lilies of the valley but they only bloom once each year and then you have greens the rest of the year. I may do those and then I wont have so many weeds showing in the garden. My neighbor gave me some from her garden but when my other neighbor was weeding for me last year he pulled them out. This year yet another neighbor gave me some from her garden when she was thinning them out. Hopefully, these will take hold and I wont have to do anything there in years to come.

I'm not a good gardener. My grandfather had a green thumb and could grow anything. Each year he went to the greenhouse to pick out something new for his garden. I just want to get something growing that will come up year after year and look nice.

This year I bought some annuals that were left at the garden center too long and I planted them between the Asian Lilies and the front of the garden. I got some delphiniums and lantas. They are just starting to come up and will fill the void for the rest of this growing year.

If you have any suggestions on what to put in such a small planting area, please comment so I can consider your suggestions.

Doughnuts The Old Fashioned Way

2020-07-16T05:56:00.000-04:00

As a child I remember my father would bring home a package of cake doughnuts, just plain old cake doughnuts with no powdered sugar, no chocolate, no cinnamon on them. It was just a package of a dozen plain cake doughnuts.

You can still buy the packaged brands of these doughnuts or you can go to the supermarket and buy some from the bakery section.

There is Bella Christi Bakery in Aspinwall where they make a smaller version of these doughnuts right in their sales room as patrons are coming in to purchase baked goods.

It is very easy to make these simple doughnuts. I prefer to use my deep fryer to make these but you can do it in a cast iron frying pan filled with 2-4 inches of oil with the flame set on high.

Mix 1-1/2 cups of flour with 1 c. sugar, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 2 tbsp. soft shortening, 2 eggs and 3/4 c. milk. Blend on slow speed in your mixer and then stir in 2 additional cups of flour.

Put dough on well floured surface. Roll around lightly to coat with flour. Roll dough 3/8 inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter.

Slide doughnuts into hot oil using a slotted spoon, turning them when they rise to the surface with a slotted spoon. Don't use a fork to turn the doughnuts so that they don't get saturated with oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Remove carefully from oil with your slotted spoon. Drain the doughnuts on brown paper. I use the paper bags from the grocery store for this. Paper towels work just as well but are more expensive to use.

Serve plain, sugared, or frosted. When you are done with your doughnuts, you can make a batch of doughnut holes to use up all of your batter.

The best way to eat cake donuts is using them in a Hot Fudge Sundae such as the ones we used to get at Sweet William Restaurant. Cake donut on the bottom with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Enjoy our version of old fashioned doughnuts.

So That's What Goldfinch Looks Like

2020-06-07T09:38:00.000-04:00

When you live to be 70, you think that you have seen it all or had all your "first times" but I was proven wrong in a most surprising way.

Never in my lifetime have I seen a goldfinch but I did that day. I was sitting on my deck and out of the corner of my eye, I spied a speck of yellow fly out of my neighbors dense foliage and over the top of the garage roof next door. I thought to myself that must be a wild canary and I looked up wild canary the next time I came inside. What popped up was a picture of a goldfinch.

Since I saw the yellow speck in my lazy part of the day, I just registered it a question for when I actually went back into the house. A short while later, I noticed a beautiful yellow bird with the black cap and v-shaped black wings sitting on a rung in my other neighbor's fence. To my wonderment this bird stayed perched there for several minutes letting me take in the beauty of a first time experience.

I had never seen such a bird in all my born days except in nature books and I was thrilled beyond words to have seen it. As a young adult my neighbors owned a greenhouse and neighborhood flower shop. Mister Blaha was a great outdoors man and he loaned me several books, one of which was a bird guide. Since I have long since lost that book, I now rely on my internet for my sightings.

As you know I spent two months in 2011 just attracting birds to my deck with a selection of seeds in various bird feeders and did a whole list of the birds that I had seen and heard.

This beauty never visited my feeder but that is understandable since I have now read their migration habits and what types of flowers attract them. They are attracted to seeds and since my neighbor recently planted a sunflower in his yard that is as tall as an elephants eye. I'm guessing that it should be going to see about now and I attribute the attraction to that plant.

I will never again make the mistake of thinking that I have seen and done all my "Firsts."

National Doughnut Day

2020-06-05T08:12:00.000-04:00

It seems like it was a long time getting here, NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY. As a lover of doughnuts, it was a long hard 12 months. The first Friday in June.

Last year I went to Giant Eagle at around 8 am and in the entrance was a table full of boxes of a dozen doughnut assortments. I'm particular and wanted mostly chocolate this year so I went back to the bakery where the selection was slim pickings until a bakery worker told me they had a special section today in honor of the day over by the fresh baked breads. Wow! They had long johns with white cream and Bavarian cream. No jelly doughnuts this year. All the regulars were there such as glazed, raised with sugar, white and chocolate cake doughnuts with white, chocolate or maple frosting.

This year is an even better deal, "$3.99 a dozen." There were racks and racks of fresh doughnuts just waiting for the shopper who was there for the special. Usually the price is $5 on Fridays.

A selection of Giant Eagle doughnuts

I'm a kid again or at least a kid at heart. I love raised doughnuts.

Dunkin Donuts Assortment

They can be glazed,

sugar coated,

iced

or even be long with white cream

inside them. It makes no difference. I just love doughnuts.

I'm not fond of the the Boston cream though. As a child we ate cake donuts. My son prefers the Boston cream and I'm always sure to get at least two of those for him.

I remember my neighbor making raised donuts. She used a biscuit cutter to cut out the doughnut and then a whiskey glass to cut out the hole.

She didn't use a fancy grease fryer. She just used a pot and a slotted spoon to turn and lift the doughnuts out of the grease onto brown paper bags to absorb the grease.

She then dropped them into another paper bag filled with granulated sugar to coat the doughnuts before placing them on a tray.

What a wonderful day today because I get to fill my sweet tooth with my favorite breakfast food. . .a wonderful raised doughnut. Happy National Doughnut Day.

Happy Mother Day Memories

2020-05-09T05:55:00.000-04:00

I know everyone has a special feeling and thinks that their children or grandchildren are the most precious children in the world. My perspective on the subject is no different. I have three generations of grandchildren. That is to say, some are grown ups ranging in age from 19 through 32. Then there are the three that range in age from 8 through 14.

The youngest two came to visit me for Mother's Day a few years back bringing me the most precious gift any mother or in my case Mema could ask for.

They made this card. It is filled with real rose petals that are encased in a vinyl coating. DJ was so proud of it that he read it to me himself.

Rose are red,

Violets are Blue,

We picked these

rose petals just for you.

I'm now a great grandma. The oldest is headed into teen years with the youngest just one year old.

I'm the happiest grandma in all the world and I thank God for the blessings he has given me.

A Walk Through Nature's Splendor

2020-04-18T07:01:00.000-04:00

I miss my morning walks with Tipper since she went to doggie heaven a few years ago. I was trying to get her back into form so to speak. She had gained so much weight over the winter months that she waddled and had problems getting up on the sofa. It broke my heart to see her eyes pleading me to lift from her from her new bed next to mine. I could no longer lift her to sleep with me. That was not the whole meaning of my walks though. I too had gained those extra pounds that needed to come off. The real meaning of our meandering walks would be lost when I saw what nature was blooming all around me.

Hiroshima Cherry Tree 2016

Last spring I was so awed by the beauty of the Hiroshima Cherry Tree that we had planted at the American Legion in Aspinwall in honor of my son who had died while serving in the Navy. The snow white flowers bloomed and soon there will be cherries on it to feed the birds. Last year the tree was pruned and I was thankful to see the blooms opened up last week as I passed the Legion.

New growth on the rose bushes

In my own rock garden my rosebushes are sprouting new foliage that year's growth. It wont be long before the stocks get tall since these are long stemmed rose bushes. As the buds start to show I will await my summer roses which give me so much pleasure. Unfortunately, the bushes have turned into wild roses now because of a harsh winter two years ago. I no longer get my golden or pink blush roses. They are now red and flat looking but I still love roses.

As I would round the corner with Tipper, this awesome display of white and purple blossoms strikes me with it's beauty. These two dogwood trees were planted years ago by the current owner's grandfather and it was so nice talking with him and watching the respect on his face as he talked about his grandfather.

Dogwood in neighborhood

These traditional spring flowers have a whole legend about them that is so significant of this time of year and the whole Easter season.

Nestled below the white beauty is this gorgeous Azalea Bush with all of it's regal splendor. This one has such beautiful lavender and pinkish purple buds.

My yard is again alive with Violets growing among the grassy edges. To my wonder their beauty still surrounds me in my neighbors garden among the lily of the valley.

As I continue along my walk I am reminded of why we are on this earth and what beauty God has given us for our enjoyment. There is a suggestion that my day lilies may be coming up. We will see if they bloom this year.

Easter Fritta (Frittata) Italian Style

2020-04-12T06:52:00.000-04:00

In our house the traditional Easter brunch was Homemade Braided Easter Bread made with colored Easter Eggs embedded in it and Italian Style Frittata. We call it Fritta and it is NOT just another egg souffle. It is the ultimate of Italian cooking.

Fritta baked in a glass baking dish

Fritta starts with a trip to the Italian store. In Pittsburgh, you can either visit the Strip District or visit Labriola's Italian Store. For those who do not live in Pittsburgh, you can order your supplies online from Labriola's.

Fritta fried in a cast iron skillet

In our house we always made more than one pan of Fritta and we baked it in the oven. You can also make this Italian treat in an iron skillet which is a tradition for a lot of Italian families.

Frying Sausage to be added later

You start by precooking your Italian sausage. We bought the sausage in casing and then slit it out of the casing to cook it into little pieces in the skillet. You can use sweet or hot sausage according to your taste. We made a pan of each for our family. You set the sausage aside to be folded in after it is cooled.

Next beat your eggs and mix in the ricotta. I'm leaving the measurements to your taste because you can't miss with this recipe and only you know how many you are feeding. Once you have mixed in the ricotta and the mixture is smooth, you fold in a bounty of Italian meats and cheeses. We use diced Capicola, Genoa Salami, pepperoni, your precooked sausage, parmesan grating cheese, romano grating cheese, shredded mozzarella and provolone. Whatever you add, you can't go wrong be it mushrooms, spinach or any of the other herbs so popular with gourmet cooking.

Fritta cut and ready to eat

Once all of the meats and cheeses are blended into the mix, you pour the mixture into a greased lasagna pan and place in the oven at 350 deg. for about an hour. You know the Fritta is done once it has browned and a butter knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Fritta Slice

You may need to order your meats ahead of time if your Italian store runs out of ingredients. As always, "Munga and enjoy!"

Special Treats for Easter

2020-04-11T06:30:00.000-04:00

I know my stepchildren had a tradition that my husband started when they were quite small. We had a fabulous donut shop something like Dunkin Donuts that made special Easter donuts. These would be donuts decorated to look like Easter baskets with jelly beans or some other treats on them. They had a decorator who individually decorated the donuts to look like Easter grass and some even had spring flowers on them made from decorator icing. As I recall, some were even decorated on sticks to make them look like lollipops.

I found a website that features Easter Bunnies made out of little packages of donuts that are easy to make and something that will create a memory.

I know that it was always fun to find special cookies in our baskets that were cutouts that were decorated with cookie icing.

This year I saw a demonstration how to make Rice Krispie Treats into the shape of Easter baskets or nests. These are hollowed out to allow you to add some jelly beans into the center of the treat. You could even put some foil eggs into them if they are large enough.

I guess what I'm saying here is that it doesn't have to be all chocolates and jelly beans that go into making your Easter fun. You can make it special just by adding something out of the ordinary. Like my motto says, "It only takes imagination -- yours of mine!" Happy hunting or baking for those special Easter Treats.