Crab Apples and Johnny Appleseed

I couldn't leave September behind without writing a post about apples.  I couldn't.  But I'm not talking about the beautiful apples we see at Farmer's Markets or your local grocery store - I'm talking about crab apples.  When I was young they would grow in abundance in neighbors yards and provide an endless supply of fruit for crab apple jelly.  I can remember our kitchen becoming especially 'sticky' if my mother decided to make that concoction!  Frequently, we would feed the raw apples to horses that resided in a nearby field.  In my last post I shared a recipe for 'Sweet and Sour Meatballs' that used crab apples as an 'optional' garnish. 

The 'Food Lover's Companion' defines crab apples as 'A small, rosy red apple with a rather hard, extremely tart flesh.  Crab apples, available during the fall and early winter months, are too sour for out-of-hand eating but make outstanding jellies and jams.  Spiced and canned whole, they're a delicious accompaniment for meats such as pork and poultry.' 

I knew there had to be more uses for these small, tart apples besides crab apple jelly and found several at http://www.recipesecrets.net/.  If you have a tree in your yard that is currently laden with these apples...the time is now!

If you have children in elementary school you probably learned that this week is when Johnny Appleseed Day is traditionally shared.  Although September 26th is the 'official' day when schoolchildren in America learn about the lore of Johnny Appleseed his legend is told throughout the month.  Some cities even have festivals and fairs in his honor!  He was an eccentric character that was a naturalist and animal lover who roamed west through Indiana, Ohio, the hills of Tennessee and some say even Nebraska and the Rockies planting apple seeds, nurturing them into seedlings and giving them away to families moving west with the intent that they would plant apple orchards beside their new homes.  Our children learned that he sometimes went barefoot, wore a tin pot that he used to cook his dinner in for a hat and was a friend to all animals.  He wandered the countryside and relied on the kindness and hospitality of strangers.  He died in 1845 after living a long life defined by charity.  A life well lived.

Here's an old 1948 Disney short film about Johnny Appleseed.  It's in 2 parts.  This is classic Disney!

Here's part 2 of the Johnny Appleseed animated film:

Mod Podge, Macrame, and Meatballs...Marvelous!

I decided to take a trip down memory lane tonight.  The seventies gave us lots of 'interesting' fashions, foods and fads including earth shoes and pet rocks.  There was a surge of crafting that went on during that time and two of the most popular were decoupage and macrame.  I can remember that white, pink and orange jar of 'Mod Podge' was constantly in our home.  Decoupage was 'in' and everyone could manage it.  Nothing was sacred.  You could use mod podge on anything and have it permanently encased in the gluey substance in no time flat!  It was a favorite for classrooms, scout troops or home made gifts.  During that period of time there were a lot of homemade gifts! 

Macrame was much more complicated but the very creative among us were determined to learn this knot tying technique to make plant hangers, bracelets, wall hangings and even purses.  It was made with twine or hemp and required patience and plenty of time.  Pass the Mod Podge!

How could I possibly tie food into this post?  Easy.  Meatballs...it begins with 'M' and was a very frequently made party food during this decade when dinner parties were still very much the rage.  These are not Italian meatballs I'm talking about.  The meatballs that reigned during the 60's and 70's were 'Swedish Meatballs' and 'Sweet and Sour Meatballs'.  They were smaller and could be served in a chafing dish with toothpicks if you were offering them as part of a buffet or as appetizers during the cocktail hour.  The Swedish Meatball recipe comes from an old 1975 Betty Crocker cook book I have while the Sweet and Sour recipe is part of my 'collection'.  It is credited to Good Housekeeping, April 1968 issue, page 135.  Seriously, it's typed on the bottom of the page.  A warning: these recipes are labor intensive and only for the brave!

Swedish Meatballs  

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
3/4 cup dark rye bread crumbs
1 egg

1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. dried dill weed
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cups water
3/4 cup dairy sour cream

Mix ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, egg, onion, milk, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, the Worcestershire sauce and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Shape ground beef mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into balls.  Brown meatballs in 12-inch skillet over medium heat about 20 minutes; remove meatballs.  Drain fat from skillet, reserving 1 tablespoon.  Return 1 tablespoon fat to skillet. (If necessary, add enough shortening to fat to measure 1 tablespoon.)

Stir flour, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper into fat in skillet.  Stir in water; heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add meatballs; heat until meatballs are hot.  Stir in sour cream until gravy is smooth.  6 to 8 servings.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

5 thin bread slices, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 pounds round beef, chopped

salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. mono sodium glutamate

1/8 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. salad oil

1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet gherkin chunks
1 - 13 and 1/2 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
2 small green peppers, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, pared and diagonally sliced.

Optional: 1 - 1 pound jar spiced whole crab apples

Method: About 1 hour and 15 minutes before dinner;

1.  In large bowl, combine bread cubes, milk and egg. Let stand 5 minutes then with fork, press together until bread is wet through; add ground steak, 1 and 1/4 tsp. salt, pepper, mono sodium glutamate, garlic salt.  Knead with hands, mixing well, form into balls, roll in flour.

2.  In large skillet over medium heat, in the 1/2 cup salad oil, brown meatballs until light golden; remove to paper toweling.

3.  Pour oil from skillet, then to it return meatballs with 3/4 cup cold water, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and sweet gherkins.  Set aside 6 pineapple chunks, then add rest to sauce.  Simmer over low heat, uncovered.  Turn often, 10-15 minutes or until about 2/3 of liquid is absorbed or evaporated. 

4.  Meanwhile, in 1 tbsp. of oil, in medium saucepan, over medium heat, saute green peppers and carrot slices and 1/4 tsp. salt until just tender-crisp, 3-5 minutes.

5.  Then, to meatballs, add half of green peppers and carrot mixture, and stir until heated through.

6.  Spoon into large serving bowl, top with reserved pineapple chunks and rest of green pepper and carrot mixture.

Garnish with crab apples and serve.  Serves 4-6.

On a personal note...the above recipe better serve 4-6 after all that work!  And what - WHAT are crab apples doing in any recipe meant for human consumption?  Maybe, I'm just 'crabby' after typing these recipes out!

Please note: the photos are courtesy of http://www.pinterest.com/ Visit them!

Feeling Scandalous? Read a Banned Book!

I wasn't sure if I was going to write today or not and then I remembered (I have no idea how) that today is the beginning of 'Banned Books Week'.  If you're a reader like I am then I know how important books are to you.  Readers have piles of books in their homes.  Most have been read but many are yet to be explored and you just can't stand the thought of getting rid of them.  Books provide us with the ultimate escape, vacation, education and vision.  There's nothing better than browsing through a book store, a book sale or any place where books dwell.  Now a library is the ultimate place for a book lover to walk into.  There's a certain smell a library has when you first walk through the doors that is unmistakable.  My very first job was as a library page.  That was back in the days when books were still stamped and technology was still a subject reserved for the science fiction aisle!  I loved that job and the fact that libraries were still relevant and funded well made it just that much better.  When my children were little I took them to story hour at the Danbury Public Library and later enrolled them in their summer reading programs.  Our city was taken to its knees when a careless cigarette was dropped in the book drop and our library burned in the '90s.  It has been restored and is better than ever. 



I own this bracelet and proudly wear it!

 Currently, libraries are fighting for their lives financially all across the country.  If you love books, visit your local library and check out a banned book!  Take the time this week to celebrate our literary freedom and remember the not too distant past when we allowed prejudice to prevent books from being read in our public school systems.  It is still happening today - though I hope not as rampantly as in the past.  Tell your children about 'Banned Books Week'.  Ask them to check with their school media specialist to see if it is being remembered in any way.  Stir things up.  

Make sure to visit www.ala.org/bbooks  for all sorts of info. about Banned Books Week (Sept. 24 - Oct. 1, 2011).  There is also a link on that site where you can purchase 'Banned Book' merchandise including the bracelet above!

Time Heals! But Not With These Recipes.

I'm feeling much better today and actually made it through the day without watching the clock or scoping out whatever classroom I was in for the tissue box!  The crazy thing about my day was that I spent it in a science classroom showing a video about viruses all day.  I had to watch or listen to that video 5 times today.  It was over 45 minutes long and after I had seen it 3 times it was torturous to watch it the last 2 times!  I have been so aware of washing my hands this week.  At our school we have had so many children out with stomach and cold viruses that the germs certainly must be winning.  Even my son that is a senior in high school has been out of school for two days this week with a stomach virus.  He's dreading the weekend because he will be doing nothing but make-up AP work.  He finally feels well enough to go back to school tomorrow and has been able to eat again.  What a strange event that was to have him turn down food! 

I'm quite sure that if I had tried to 'cure' him with any of the following recipes for gruel he would have sought nourishment elsewhere.  In other words, he would have dragged his sick self to whatever drive through fast food establishment was closest!  Here are some more recipes for the sick gleaned from the 'Rumford Complete Cook Book'.  Do not try to make these.  They are for entertainment only!  If you do insist on trying them, well, good luck with your family.

Oatmeal Gruel

1 cup water or milk
1/4 level tsp. salt
2 level Tbsps. oatmeal or rolled oats.

Have the water or milk actively boiling, shake the oats into it and cook fifteen minutes.  Then place over hot water (a double boiler is best) and cook one hour.  If the gruel is made with milk add the salt just before serving; with water, it may be put in earlier.  Strain if desired to remove the particles of oats.

Corn Meal Gruel

1 1/2 cups water
2 level Tbsps. corn meal
1/3 level tsp. salt

Have the water salted and actively boiling, shake the meal gently into it and cook twenty minutes, stirring constantly; then turn the whole into a double boiler and cook two hours.  Strain if desired.

Arrowroot Gruel

1 level Tbsp. arrowroot
1 cup milk
1/4 level tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. brandy or wine
A very little sugar if desired

Mix the arrowroot smoothly with a little of the milk, heat the remainder and, when boiling, put in the arrowroot and cook gently for ten minutes; add salt and sugar and, at the moment of serving, the brandy or wine.  Arrowroot contains little nutriment, but is useful a vehicle for the serving of stimulants. 

Wow.  What a collection of 'gruel' recipes!  And just for fun...

Irish Moss

1 small handful Irish Moss
3 cups milk
1 level Tbsp. sugar
1/3 tsp. vanilla or other flavoring

Wash and pick over the moss carefully, add it to the milk in a saucepan, and simmer the two till the moss begins to dissolve.  A double boiler is preferable as it prevents too rapid cooking.  In about twenty minutes, if the moss is dissolving, strain through cheese cloth, add sugar and flavoring, and turn into wet moulds or cups to cool.  Serve with cream and sugar.

Just the name 'gruel' evokes thoughts of Charles Dickens and 'Oliver Twist'.  I can't imagine telling a sick person that I cared about that I was going to make them some gruel.  And how many of us could spare several hours to supervise the simmering of these glutinous masses? 

I have more of these 'recipes' to share but thought that this gruel gala would be enough for today.  If you didn't already have a stomach virus, reading these could certainly cause your stomach to turn.  Sorry.  Here's that wonderful 'Oliver!' musical clip about gruel - of course.

More Recipes to Heal the Sick...or Not!

I'm still dealing with an annoying cold and trying to just get through the requisite length of this viral visitor.  It's miserable working while you have a cold and I was indeed miserable today.  Even with daytime cold medicine the constant need for sleep enveloped me!  I'm at the stage of my cold where I'm excessively tired and have a nagging, dry cough but other than that it's not so bad and in about 48 hours I'll feel like a new woman.  I keep telling myself that - all the time.  I took a brief nap this afternoon when I got home and felt revived enough to sit down and write about some more recipes from the past that were served up to the sick about 100 years ago.  I think some of these concoctions would certainly cause all sorts of intestinal and even emotional distress!  But, if you're adventurous and have some time on your hands - give these a try the next time a loved one gets ill.  I'm quite sure they'll discover the will to live and will vacate their sickbed or decide that maybe attending school isn't that bad.  Just for fun I've attached a 1960's commercial for 'Scotties' tissue with the magic oval box!

Beef and Sago Broth

1/2 pound round steak or shin of beef
1 pint water
3 level tsps. sago
1 egg yolk
Salt

Cut the beef into small pieces, add the water and let stand for half an hour; then cook in a double boiler two hours; strain, and press as much as possible of the meat pulp through a sieve.  Add the sago, return to the saucepan and cook half an hour longer.  Season and pour the broth over the yolk of the egg which has been lightly beaten.  Serve at once.

*First of all, 'shin of beef'?!  Are you kidding me??  And then there's the mystery ingredient called 'Sago'.  I looked it up and it's a thickening agent cut from the heart of palm...or something.  Gross.

Invalid's Tea

1 level tsp. tea

1 cup scalded milk

Sugar to taste

Bring the milk quickly to the scalding point and pour it over the tea.  Let the two infuse four minutes, strain, and serve with or without sugar.  Tea made by this method nourishes as well as stimulates.

*Why would anyone serve this without sugar?  I'm sure whoever receives this hot beverage would be stimulated to get out of the sickbed!

Clam Broth

6 clams in shells

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 level tsp. butter, if allowed.

Scrub the shells and put them in a saucepan with one cup of water.  Cook till the shells open, remove the clams, chop and return them to the saucepan with the water.  Cook ten minutes, strain, and add the remaining water if necessary to reduce the strength of the broth.  Season and serve.

*I don't get it.

Beef Juice

1/2 pound top round of beef.

Pinch of salt

Broil the meat for about two minutes to 'start' the juice, then press all the liquid from it with a meat press or an old-fashioned* wooden lemon squeezer.  Turn into a warm cup, or colored glass to disguise the color; add salt to taste, and serve.  As this will not keep it must be prepared fresh for each serving.

*If it was 'old-fashioned' 100 years ago it must be a relic now.  I love the part about serving the 'broth' in a colored glass to disguise the color and that this must be prepared fresh for each serving! 

Beef Tea

1/2 pound round steak
1/2 pint water
1/3 level tsp. salt

Cut the meat in small pieces, the smaller it is cut the more easily it will give off its juices, or scrape it from the fibre.  Add the cold water and stand aside for half an hour.  Then place in a Mason jar, cover and stand in a saucepan of cold water; let it heat slowly to about 140 degrees and cook two hours; strain and season.  It is better to have the jar raised from the bottom of the saucepan, that it may not come in too close contact with the heat of the range.  Beef tea may be served hot, frozen, or in the form of a jelly, the latter consistency being obtained by the addition of one scant teaspoon of granulated gelatin soaked five minutes in a tablespoon of cold water and added to the beef tea as soon as the latter is strained.  Stand in a cool place until set.

*Alright.  That last one did it.  I'm done for today.  But don't worry, there are plenty of additional recipes to scare the illness out of you.  I can't imagine living in a time where these were actually considered healthy options for sick people.  I hope the illness wasn't that serious because these recipes took hours to prepare and the ill person would only have become worse!

As in my last post all of these recipes were found in my old 'Rumford Complete Cook Book' by Lily Haxworth Wallace.  She offers this 'advice' for storing foods while caring for the sick,

"Be very careful to keep such foods as milk, beef tea, etc., covered while in the refrigerator, to avoid contact with other or more odorous foods.  If the refrigerator has more than one compartment reserve one exclusively for the use of the sick room."

I'll check back in a day or two when I'm feeling much better and share some more of these 'gems'.  In the meantime, I'm going to eat something yummy.  Comfort food.  The above recipes would not fall into any comfort category!

Retro Recipes for the Sick

I have been gifted with my first cold of this school year thanks to the darlings that attend the middle school where I work.  It's not entirely their fault - wait a minute - of course it is!  Our school is completely aware of the hazards of germs and is proactive in that we have hands free hand sanitizers readily available in every hallway and placed strategically throughout the building.  The staff does a good job of reminding the students to wash their hands frequently and to cover their coughs and sneezes.  However, germs are germs and the children are in the main office in September probably more than any other time of the year making phone calls home for missed buses, forgotten lunches, etc. and I use the same phones.  It's inevitable.  With over 1100 students and crazy mornings with kids coming and going we really don't have time to think about disinfecting the receivers every time a phone is used or wiping down all the doorknobs with sanitizing spray every time a door is opened. 

I came upon some recipes 'for the sick' in my old "Rumford Complete Cook Book" by Lily Haxworth Wallace that I thought would be fun to share.  Thank goodness that we have drugs that work and comfort food that tastes better!  I think that if many of us saw some of these 'remedies' headed our way it would be motivation enough to get well.  

Barley Water 

2 level Tbsp.  pearl barley
1 quart cold water
1/3 level tsp. salt
Juice of half a lemon
Also a little sugar if desired

Wash the barley, pour the water over it and soak for several hours.  Add salt and cook in a double boiler for at least three hours.*  Strain through cheese cloth or a fine strainer, flavor with the lemon, and add sugar if liked.

*I hope the person being cared for doesn't expire while this elixir is being prepared!

Toast Water

2 slices of stale bread toasted.
1 cup boiling water
1/6 level tsp. salt

Toast the bread till golden brown and dry all through, or dry it in a moderately hot oven till golden brown and crisp.  Pour the boiling water over it and add the salt; cover and set aside till cool.  Strain, and serve hot or cold.  Some* add milk, cream and sugar, and serve hot in place of tea or coffee.

*nice people

Eggnog

1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 level Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. rum or brandy*
Pinch of salt

Separate the white from the yolk of the egg, beat the latter and add sugar, salt and milk.  Stir in the rum or brandy and beat, and add the white of stiffly beaten egg at the last moment before serving.

*medicinal, of course.  If nothing else, you'll take a nice nap!

Wine Whey

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sherry or port wine

Boil the milk, add the wine and remove from the fire at once.  Let stand till the curd is separated from the whey, then strain through a fine cloth and serve as it is, or reheat.*

*Are you kidding me?  Separating curd from whey...and straining?!  Just give me the sherry or port wine, shut the door and leave me alone!!

There are several other 'Recipes for the Sick' that I will share when just the thought of reading or typing them doesn't make me sick!  Some involve clams and rump roast.  Yum.  If all else fails you will probably feel better in about a week.  And remember to wash your hands!

Green Bean Grab Bag!

As I was perusing my collection of recipes I happened upon several using green beans as a main ingredient.  I was interested to learn from the book, 'How to Pick a Peach' by Russ Parsons that only about a quarter of green beans grown in the U.S. are eaten fresh and that about half of those come from Florida.  Mexico supplies more than 90% of our imported fresh beans. Most of us are used to preparing the now traditional 'Green Bean Casserole' during the holidays or often just as a standard and easy family side dish.  To learn more about this phenomenon check out this link to foodtimeline.org.  I found a recipe from 1954 that seems to be the precursor to that popular recipe and thought that would be a good place to start!  This recipe does not include the french fried onion rings baked on top.  You'll have to consult your can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup (you know you have at least one in your pantry or cupboard) for that recipe!

Oven Green Beans 

2 1/2 cups canned green beans
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup grated cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped pimiento

Place green beans in a well-greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add the flour, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soup.  Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture is thick and no starch taste remains.  Remove from heat and add cheese and pimiento.  Stir until cheese has melted.  Pour sauce over green beans.  Bake in moderate (350 degrees F.) oven for about 20 minutes.  Serves 5.

Stepping back even further in time I found these two recipes including green beans from the book, 'Grandma's Wartime Kitchen' by Joanne Lamb Hayes who writes that green beans were a popular backyard crop and produced abundantly in most climates.  These were wartime recipes that provided good nutrition and plenty of protein during a time of rationing.  If you're brave...

Green Bean and Egg Salad

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally crosswise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil and vinegar dressing
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 hard-cooked large eggs, chilled

Combine beans, salt, and water to just cover in a heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain well.

Combine cooked beans, oil and vinegar dressing, and green onion in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to pack or serve. 

To pack or serve, peel eggs; cut each into 8 pieces and mix with beans.  Divide between 2 containers or salad plates.

2 servings

Victory Sandwiches

2 1/2 cups cooked string beans, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Drain beans well and chop very fine.  Add remaining ingredients and blend.  Makes 1 cup and fills 5 or 6 full-size sandwiches.

And now to finish - let's visit 1971 (such attractive food) for a truly 'interesting' salad that only a mother could love.  Translation - please don't make this.

Greens and Bean Salad

1/2 cup salad oil
2 Tbsp. vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. paprika
1  16 ounce can (2 cups) cut green beans, drained
4 cups torn lettuce
2 cups torn fresh spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded natural Swiss cheese

In screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, celery seed and paprika; cover and shake to mix well.  Marinate green beans in oil mixture in refrigerator at least 2 hours.  Just before serving, drain the beans reserving the marinade.  Toss beans with the lettuce, spinach and Swiss cheese.  Add reserved marinade and toss to coat.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This is just a brief survey of some green bean recipes through the past 75 years.  Because they have always been plentiful, we have tried to blend them into our diets in numerous ways.  As summer pulls to a stop wherever you are, I hope you will find a way to work green beans into your weekly family menus.  You do plan ahead...right?  And of course, you'll be busy canning and putting up jams and jellies for the winter.  Of course!

Here is a vintage TV commercial for Campbell's Soups!  Enjoy.

Weddings and Kitchen Appliances are Timeless!

My husband and I have just recently celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary.  Besides the cost of a wedding being significantly more expensive than it was in 1987, the American experience is pretty much the same.  Just to rub things in - when I was married 24 years ago, our wedding with 150 guests cost $13,000.00 and that included the two week honeymoon!  Before we were married we had the traditional engagement parties (each family had to have one) and bridal shower which provided us with the requisite household items to begin our life together.  After doing some research I discovered that over the past 100 years American women received the same type of gifts.  Read this ask.com site for more information about discoveries and inventions by decade.  Anything to make life easier was welcome.  For instance, in the 1930's toasters were popular gifts.  I received a toaster oven.  In the 1920's if you were gifted with a stove or oven you were considered to be blessed by your family.  In 1987 nothing but a microwave would do (Sharp, please). 

The following is a brief list of some of the items we received for our wedding.  Some things we still have and use.  Others are long gone and some items are treasured and will be passed down to our sons when the time is right. 

*American Tourister Luggage - lost during Tropical Storm Floyd
*Cutco - still being used
*Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner - traded in 9 years ago for a newer model
*Farberware pots and pans - still being used on a daily basis
*Sharp Microwave - replaced once. Current Sharp is over 20 yrs. old
*Microwave cookware - gone...don't bother
*mini wok - popular in the 80's
*wooden cutting boards - still in use
*Toaster Oven - gone but replaced w/a much larger convection model
*Blender - broken and gone. Replaced w/ a food processor
*Wine glasses - broken and replaced (of course)
*Sheets and towels - gone and replaced multiple times
*Lenox China - Carolina pattern (Treasured)
*Bread Warmer Basket - (aka bill keeper)
*Scott Tubby oil lamp - see recent August post
*Clocks - still ticking
*Miniature orchid plant - dead

The above is just a small sample but I'm sure you get the idea.  As time goes on technology continues to advance but for the most part things stay the same.  My husband and I have received countless electric or battery operated can openers over the years.  They have all been thrown out or given to Good Will.  We still prefer the old fashioned hand operated can openers.  Sometimes, simple is just better...just because.

Here's a clip from 'Everyone Loves Raymond'.  Marriage is sometimes about really stupid stuff. 

What a Substitute Teacher Sees!!

We've been back to school for just over a week now.  I thought it would be a fun diversion if I wrote about what I do everyday.  I work as a substitute teacher in a large middle school (over 1100 students) and help with the coordination of standardized testing.  Because we just began the school year I thought it would be appropriate if I offered some 'tips' for middle school parents based upon what I see everyday.



Having a child enter middle school can be an incredibly stressful experience for a family.  It's a right of passage from childhood to adolescence and both child and parent are struggling to find new ways of relating to each other.  Some families handle this change seamlessly and others fight against the inevitable.  For many this is the first of what seems like an endless parade of 'letting go' experiences.  At the school I work at parents are not allowed to accompany their children into their classrooms and must say their goodbyes at the door.  This only seems to be an issue with 6th grade children and their parents and appears to last just a short while.  During the first few days of school we always have a few tearful children in the morning and afternoon but once the school schedule and routine become second nature the emotional tide calms!

Understand that middle school is a social situation unlike anything your child or you have ever experienced before!  These kids love spending time getting to know each other, talking about and with each other and of course anything during class time that involves 'group work'.  This generation has social media wrapped around their being.  It truly makes up part of who they are and who they become.  Curbing their enthusiasm for anything high tech during the school day can become quite a task.  Most middle schools now try to involve technology in any way possible to appeal to this need for speed - Internet speed!  In our school, cell phones are allowed to be carried by students but not used.  If a cell phone is seen being used by a student it is confiscated.  Of all the things I've seen students shed tears over...this is the most frequent.  Students today head home from school and spend hour upon hour gazing at their computer screen and communicating with friends (some real and some they just met online).  If you as a parent or aunt, uncle or grandparent have the opportunity to drag your student away from the computer screen and introduce them to the out of doors - do it.

The middle school teachers that are responsible for the well being of your child during the school day have worked hard to prepare lesson plans and to make sure that your child is learning the curriculum and not just reciting it.  Respect your student's teachers and their time.  While they truly care for your child as an individual they typically teach 5 classes per day and may have as many as 25-28 students in each class.  In addition, they are required to attend to staff 'duties' during the day, before school begins and of course there's always bus duty.  E-mail is now the preferred method of communication.  Phone calls are often hard for a teacher to return given the limited 'free time' they are allotted during the day.  Be patient.  Some things that you can do at home to ensure a smooth day at school include checking your child's backpack (if the student is a 6th grader - ask older students if there is anything you need to see), signing and returning papers and permission slips in a timely manner, staying on top of your child's homework and schoolwork, accepting that the teacher is the authority in the classroom and always attend meet the teacher nights and conferences.  Get involved.  It just makes life easier if a teacher can put a family face on your child.  Really.

Some other basic tips about middle school include lunch time and school dress.  Please curb the urge to run to the middle school with a forgotten lunch or money for your child.  I can guarantee you that your child will eat.  The school will always provide a lunch or your student will borrow money from a friend.  The only reason I say this is that if you open this door you will be driving to the school frequently with money requests, last minute permission slip signing requests and the ever popular 'homework rescue'.  This is a lesson that is easiest learned when they are in 6th grade.  It is very difficult to learn in high school and college!  You may find that you get a phone call from your child (in our school anyway) requesting a change of clothes.  There is really nothing you can do about this except...make sure your child is dressed appropriately for middle school!  Our district has a strict dress code policy and I have seen kids lined up in the office to make that phone call.  This does cause tears.  Remember, they are in school to learn.



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 If you have heard from other parents in the past that you are indeed a 'helicopter parent', it's time to permanently park that thing!  Enjoy watching your 6th grader become an independent and resourceful teenager - because high school is just around the corner.

Vintage Rainy Day Food!

It's been incredibly rainy here today and it started me thinking about food that would have been made in weather just like this about a hundred years ago.  In my recipe collection (the oldest one) I found some recipes for soup, sandwiches and baked apples that would more than likely have been served on a cool and rainy day.  If you would like to learn about all things soup check the link! Enjoy reading the soup recipe and be thankful because...well, you'll see.

Chicken Soup

3 lbs. chicken
3 qts. water
1 Tbsp. salt
1 onion
2 stalks of celery or 1/4 cup celery root, diced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Method

1. Select an old hen.
2. Singe, clean and joint; then salt and let stand for several hours.
3. Put on to cook in cold water and let come to a boil quickly.  Thoroughly skim if clear soup is wanted.
4. Let simmer slowly for at least three hours. 
5. Add the vegetables.
6. Boil one hour longer.
7. Strain, remove fat and add seasoning to taste. 
8. Serve hot with any soup garnishing.

Note:  Remove the chicken from the soup before the meat falls from the bones, and use the meat for salads or croquettes or serve with a tasty sauce.

Amount - 10 servings

Simple, right? Think of that next time you're at the store and realize you can skip the 'selecting an old hen' portion of the instructions.  I don't even know what 'singe, clean and joint' means nor do I care to!  This was an all day event.  However, while it was standing in salt for hours and simmering for hours more you would have plenty of time to prepare some of these 'sandwich recipes'.  Because you have to have a sandwich with your soup.  You do.

Sandwiches

Spread graham bread with cream cheese and currant jelly.

*That's the 'recipe'.  Really.  Here's another one:

Chop about an equal amount of stuffed olives and walnuts.  Mix with a little salad dressing and spread on bread and butter.  Sandwiches can be made of dates, nuts, lemon juice and salad dressing.

Nut Sandwiches

Mix equal parts of grated cheese and chopped English walnuts, season with salt and cayenne, and spread between thin slices of bread slightly buttered.

Onion Sandwiches

Mix together two white onions peeled and chopped, a small cupful of chopped celery, eight chopped stuffed olives and sufficient mustard dressing to make a paste that will spread.  Spread thickly on a crisp lettuce leaf and use between buttered slices of wheat or rye bread.

I have other, more complicated, sandwich recipes but I'll save them for a later date.  They involve meat and eggs.  Enough said.  Below is a dessert type recipe to go with this meal for a cool, rainy day.  Of course, you would be getting ready to go apple picking.  You do have a tree or two in your yard...don't you?

Baked Apples

Into a rather deep two-quart pan put a full teacupful sugar, grate about one third of a small nutmeg and add a cupful of water.  If the apples are of the juice less sort they will require a half cupful more of water.  pare, quarter and core enough apples to make two quarts after they are prepared.  Empty these into the pan and place in the oven, keeping a steady but moderate heat, so that the apples cook slowly until tender and the tops are delicately browned.

Well, then.  The women that went before us were just - better.

What We Bought for Less Than $1.00!

Last week as we were preparing for the arrival of 'Irene' and the potential loss of power, we stocked up on all sorts of items.  However, one item that we did not count on having to replace were cloth wicks for our oil burning lamp.  We received this beautiful piece of handmade pottery for our wedding in 1987 and have used it several times throughout the years.  The last time that it received any 'long term' use was during the blackout in August of 2003.  Mainly it is a decorative item in our home.  I had not realized that there were no wicks left to light the lamp and after several trips to craft and local hardware stores my husband and I realized that this was going to take an Internet search to finalize this purchase. 

Buying items from the Internet is not something that is foreign to us.  We have done this many times and have never had difficulty.  My big concern was that the procurement of such tiny items would result in prohibitive shipping and handling fees.  My fears were completely unfounded!  My husband found a company located in California called The Columbia Lighting Company that makes anything and everything to do with lighting, illumination and lamps of all kinds.  They even sell die cast pencil sharpeners...who knew.  Visit their site - it is interesting and you will learn some history!  We ordered 3 wicks for a total cost of $1.20 and a phenomenal shipping fee of $1.00!  They arrived at our home in Connecticut in less than 5 days.  While this purchase was delivered too late for the arrival of 'Irene', we are now more than prepared if we ever need an oil lamp.  We might just light it for the ambiance!

An interesting postscript:  As we were measuring the lamp for the correct wick size to order we turned the lamp upside down and noticed that the lamp had been signed and dated.  We are happy to say that we own a Scott Tubby oil lamp! 

It's September and School is Starting!

School is about to start.  Where we live in Danbury the opening day has been delayed because of 'Irene' but the staff has been feverishly preparing for the arrival of students on Tuesday.  Working in a large middle school gives me a unique perspective on all the behind the scenes efforts that go into making a child's first day of school smooth and memorable!  Our school is special because 'community' is the one word that describes the staff and students that inhabit this little world on top of a hill.

All summer the custodians have been busy cleaning the floors, moving classrooms, changing lighting systems, improving security, and helping our physical space stay comfortable and safe for everyone.  What a huge job they have!  In addition to handling any small repairs and clean ups (it's a middle school - use your imagination) in the building they also process work orders for the 'big' jobs and deliver supplies to all the teachers before the first day.

The cafeteria staff has been busy planning meals to serve breakfast and lunch (3 times per day) to a large and noisy crowd!  Deliveries have been made and the menus are ready.  School cafeteria lunch has changed over the years to include many options and while it may not be perfect and improvements can always be made; as a parent I'm grateful for the changes that have are in place and the ones that are 'just around the corner'. 

All of the secretaries have been coordinating the distribution of procedures along with administrators for bus arrival and dismissal plans, staff duties, cafeteria supervision, student and staff schedules and a myriad of other pieces of information that will come home with your student that first week.  They have also been inundated with the delivery of mail, new books, student planners, picture day packets and of course the dreaded fundraiser packets!  Secretaries in every sense of the word are the school gatekeepers and they are pros at customer service, calming frayed nerves, purchase orders, accounting for the school and directing your call when you have a question.  You won't get voicemail at our school!  

The guidance department has been swamped.  Our school is large and crowded.  We live in a part of the state that is undergoing huge demographic challenges that translate into big trials for our city's infrastructure, school budgets, teaching staff and available teaching space.  The guidance department is working overtime to make sure that each child will have a classroom to go to on Tuesday morning and that each child feels welcomed into this community.



The nursing staff is busy verifying medical records and ensuring that all of our student body has had the proper vaccinations and physicals before they begin school.  They also work together with our school psychologists and social workers to guarantee that those with special needs (physical or mental) receive the care and attention that they need during the school day.  They meet with all the teachers the first week of school and inform them of medical needs of their students and how to address those during the year.  Nurses coordinate all the necessary medication that the students require and make sure that a supply is brought in to the school by the parents.  Our nurses work in tandem with our School Based Health Center that offers counseling and the services of a Physicians Assistant as well as a dentist that takes care of our students' teeth!  

The teachers have been getting classrooms ready by making them look and feel welcoming.  Those that work closely with the teachers include our Media Specialists, IT specialists, paras, tutors and interpreters!  Teachers and the administration staff have been busy analyzing data from CMT's and learning together how to reach each child.  They've been attending training sessions, learning new computer programs that will eventually involve parents in the classroom like never before, and most importantly...preparing for your child to walk through the front door and join our 'community of learners'.  

Here's a classic from 'Leave It to Beaver'! It's in 3 parts.  Enjoy.