Hello my little icicle, Can we hope for a thaw anytime soon? Here in NC I think we might get to thaw out a little by next week. Sending out prayers to all of my Texas friends as they dig out from under and start to get power restored. I hope that as all of us are hunkered down, waiting for the power to come back on and eating bologna sandwiches or beanie weenies or whatever, that we are finding some time to check on each other, lift up a prayer and smile at whomever you are inside with. My pugs are starting to wonder what is up with me smiling at them all day long. lol. Anyway, let's get ON TO THE FOOD! This week at Loaves and Dishes, we went into overdrive... Well, not really, but it feels like it because I've got a bunch of new recipes in the testing phases and a few that are just waiting for final pictures, etc. before I can hit the publish button. But you get the idea. I did some final testing on this Louisiana Crunch Cake (also called Sock-It-To-Me Cake by the elderly ladies at my church in the 80's). You might remember it as having coconut in it, but I left that out because I just don't like the texture. This cake has a RIBBON of cinnamon, brown sugar and pecan goodness right through the center. YUM! Then these Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies are perfect any time, but when you add some colored icing, I think they are just perfect to herald spring or even as an Easter treat. (Psst, they are great without icing as well). They have a rustic look and you just spread the icing on with a butter knife. Nothing froo froo about that. Then for my newer cooks, I did an article about How To Thicken Spaghetti Sauce. I felt like I was writing a spaghetti primer because there are about a million ways to thicken a tomato sauce, but there you go. Now you know. I share the method I like best and the next best and the next.... and so on. ____________________________ HOT COOKING TIP OF THE WEEK My best hot cooking tip is, "don't lose power". That said, what if you are cooking on a grill, camp stove or just eating out of the cooler that you are keeping on the deck to preserve your fridge contents? What then? Well, we still have some kitchen magic we can do... (and I am not assuming that everyone can get to the store. I know I could not unil today, so, just make due with what you've got. Here are some ideas if you have some things in your fridge or freezer). Adding some "other" ingredients to a plain ol ham sandwich works. Look past pickles and go for something else with an acidic kick. Try a few dilly beans, pickled red peppers are chopped pickled Giardiniera. Like what I do with my favorite sandwich of all time. Canned Pinto Beans are a wonderful way to fill your belly and have a rich wonderful meal. Just doctor them up with a few ingredients you may have squirreled away in your kitchen. Heat them up on the grill or campstove and you are good to go. Even when it's cold as can be, you can marinate a pork chop and throw it on the grill. Here's an easy marinade to whip up. Save your eggs by boiling them and making some egg salad. You can then snack on it with crackers, wrapped in lettuce, on bread or even a tortilla! If you have some ramen (or noodles of any kind) and need to use up some veggies, you can do some terrific ramen soup. I cover that here. (This video is from an online "cook together" class that I did at the beginning of the pandemic on youtube). ______________________ THREE LITTLE THINGS I'm trying to overcome and evict the dark little fella that lives in my heart sometimes. He is cynical and aggressive and just a real, well, there isn't a nice name for him. His main problem? He forgets to be thankful and grateful. I'm trying to be more mindful of all that I have to be grateful for and so, I'm sharing that with you here so that maybe you'll be reminded of your own gratitude.
____________________ A FINAL WORD I had been planning to tell you about the changing world of the internet this week. Third party cookies are ending soon and that will change the face of most websites that you visit often. It has to do with privacy while browsing, but it is going to mean a weird change in the ads you see. We can talk about it later. Because many of us are cold and without power and sitting under ice/snow/both/something else I simply want to say, "Hey, I see you and I care". I don't know how or if I can help, but sometimes just having someone say, I see your struggles helps a tiny bit. I'm encouraging you to take a few minutes to take care of you. I don't know if that means to go pour yourself a cup of hot tea or coffee, go take a bird bath and find some clean undies and pj pants to put on (even if there isn't enough hot water for a shower) or if it means wrap up in something warm and go sit in a room by yourself for a bit to have some alone time. You'll know what you need. We can't take care of anyone else if we don't take care of ourselves first. So put your own oxygen mask on and then help someone else. For me at this moment, it means to put the baby down for a nap, pour a cup of hot coffee and enjoy a few lemon flavored Moravian cookies before I finish editing some photos and before I finished writing this little letter to you. You are worth it. You deserve some time for yourself (even when the power is out and it's cold as can be outside). You know, I'm right here and all you have to do is to hit "reply" to this email and it will come straight to me (and not anyone else). I answer every single email I get and I'm thankful for the time you give me in writing one. Take care, stay warm, be safe and be well. Till next Friday when I see you again in your inbox, God willing and the creeks don't rise. Love you bunches! Unsubscribe | Update your profile | PO Box 82 , Danbury, NC 27016  |
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