SOMEBODY THROW ME A LIFE LINE! AND PEACH ICE CREAM

I know....that is the title of a book but it is so apropos I had to borrow it.  I want to thank all my friends and family that have responded to my blog.  I am amazed at the comments and emails.  I was especially pleased to see, according to blogger.com, my blog has had over 9,000 views! Wow, and I thought only a few friends and family would be it! So, thanks everyone!
Since I have been alone....I spend most of the time thinking or talking out loud to the dogs. I try hard to shut off the "thinking" but it just creeps right back in. Now the last thing I want in my life is depression.......so I take deep serious thoughts and try to turn them into something constructive. I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" but I feel this is an important subject for everyone and that is, communication with people that are alone. I know I am so guilty of this......so I am pointing my finger first at myself. I think of my own Mother and the years and years she was alone. I was living in Mexico so communication was difficult but I did call at least once a week. Not enough.  When Bob passed away I was barraged with love from friends and family, slowly it all but disappeared, and I am still alone. Okay, okay, this is a fine line in voicing my feelings but not wanting pity or guilt feelings.....I just want awareness. I am sure each of you have someone in your life that is alone. I know that it is hard sometimes to communicate with them but if you only knew what a phone call, a note, a message on FB, or an email means to that person you would do it. I have a friend from Canada that has called me almost every other day since Bobs death. My dear friends, Brenda and Mike from Cabo San Lucas called me everyday, after Bob died, for 22 days straight, before they moved to England. I'll remember that all my life....they cared.  I have several other friends that call almost as often. If you only knew what those calls mean to me. Sometimes, I can't even talk, I just cry, but it is such joy to me to know that someone cares and is thinking of me enough to call or write. Before the conversations ends......I am usually smiling or laughing. Its just a shot in the arm that a person alone needs. So, remember that one caring act can keep a lonely person from feeling sorry for themselves and start to smile and have a good day instead of a bad one.
Okay, enough of that........please understand...its just a message I want everyone to think about.
I know I have given you this recipe before but since it is peach season.....this one can't be beat. This is my Mothers Peach Ice Cream recipe....so simple.....its like eating peaches and cream but you can keep it in the freezer and dig it out anytime.
I will give you her measures for a large ice cream maker. I have a small, hand crank, so my measurements are in parenthesis.
2 quarts cream  (2 cups)
2 quarts mashed peaches (2 cups)
3-4 cups of sugar (1 cup)
Just stir it all tog..........put in your ice cream maker.......it takes mine exactly 20 min.
Scoop out into a freezer container and freeze.
I promise this is just delightful.  I have 3 peaches left so tomorrow will make a mini peach pie. Enjoy your peaches while the are fresh and wonderful. Its a sunshiny day and sunshine always makes me smile!

BITTER/SWEET

Everyday is different. I have some good days and I have some bad days. Yesterday was my Nascar race. Bob and I looked forward to it every week. I would plan special food to eat and all friends and family knew not to call or come by during a race. Our "man" was Dale Earnhardt and then after his death, of course, turned to Dale Earnhardt Junior. Junior has had a rough road to haul but suddenly is on the right course. He won yesterday, his third win of the year, and I was so excited but my heart ached as I could not share it with Bob. For 12 years we have cheered for Junior, wanting so badly for him to be a Champion like his Father. The irony of it.......I believe he is headed for the Championship this year and Bob will miss it. Oh,  I know, he won't "miss" it but it won't be the same for me. These are some of the things we just don't think about with the death of a loved one. No one is sitting in his chair.
Okay, so I spent the rest of the day trying to stay busy. I see the beautiful peaches in a basket on my bar. I'll make peach jam! Now, I am not sure why more people don't make fresh fruit jam or jelly any more. Its so easy and nothing to be afraid of. My daughter Robin has a crab apple tree in her back yard that would serve the entire city of Ft Collins crab apple jelly! Every branch was just weighted down with crab apples. I hope she finds the time to give it a try.
So for 6 pints of peach jam: First buy your pint jars, lids and screw tops. You will need 4 cups of peaches, I cut up my peaches, mash some and leave some of the small pieces whole. Put these peaches in a large pot and add 1 package of pectin. I use Sure Jell. Stir like mad on med/high heat. When comes to a full on boil.........add 5 1/2 cups of sugar. (I know that sounds like a lot but its not....AND it must be exact. Bring all of this to a full on boil.......boil 1 minute. Ladle into clean jars leaving about 1/4" from the top..........Nothing to it. Just follow the directions that come in your package of pectin.
Okay, here's the hints: Wash jars and make sure they are warm. Put the lids in a pan on the stove and bring to a boil, then simmer. As soon as you ladle the hot jam into the jar,
wipe the rim with a wet cloth, to remove any drops......any debris on the rim of the jar will keep the jar from sealing.......place the lid on the jar, then the screw lid and just set aside until you have done all six. You will hear them "pop" as they seal themselves.
I don't put mind through a water bath.......this is all that I do. If one or more doesn't seal....just put them in the frig......will last a long time. Please give it a try.......any fresh fruit is great.......you will be so proud! Okay, Brenda, not sure what kind of pectin you have in England but search around and give it a try.....I remember how much you love peach jam and homemade is the best!

A NEW CHAPTER IN THE BOOK OF LIFE

I given this a lot of thought. I am not trying to be morose or asking for pity but I am writing this as a therapy for the new journey I am taking. As most of you know, I lost my beloved husband Bob in April. Of course my life has changed. I have had days and days of crying, pacing the floor, looking out the window, and begging God to help me. I finally said, "enough, get a grip, thousands of ladies out there have been through what you are going through and they made it......you can too!" I think I am unique, that no one loved their spouse as I loved mine....not true. So I am moving on and this blog is going to help me and maybe someone out there will benefit from my words also.  I am going to continue with my recipes, as cooking is my therapy. I'll always love to cook, it will just be different. I had just learned to adjust recipes to cooking for two and now I'll cut it one more time.......to cooking for one. I am sure this won't be daily but as often as I have thoughts and food I want to share.
Going through this difficult time.......I find my mind just races with different ideas and things I need to do. One day I packed up all of my painting supplies and put them away in the garage. The next day I woke up and said, "Why did I do that, do I think I'll never paint again?!" I move things around in the house from place to place and then suddenly I have everything right back where I started from. So, now I realize I must just take my time and eventually I will find the right answers.
So, quite a bit of TV time right now. I have full control of the remote. Cooking shows do tend to top my list and I was watching Rachel Ray the other day when her guest was Heidi Klum, whom happens to be a great cook. Heidi made her mothers recipe of Sauerkraut Soup, looked so good I immediately jumped up and made it. It was really good and I do want to share the recipe. Oh, I have no eating schedule now.....eat when I am hungry........actually quite nice. Yesterday I had a rib eye at 10:00 am!

Sauerkraut Soup:
3 med onions
1 lb hamburger
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1  2lb bag of sauerkraut (I used canned.....don't drain)
1  28oz diced tomatoes
1 cup vegy broth (I used chicken broth)
1 bottle of shish kebab sauce......no where to be found in OK.....I used a little bottled
            sweet n sour sauce and generous amount of hot sauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup cream
Brown onions and hamburger, add mushrooms.
Add sauerkraut, tomatoes, broth and the kebab sauce....add water as needed.
Just before serving, stir in the cream.....do not let come to a boil!
Misty suggested adding navy or pinto beans.......good idea.
Now I know that this sounds more like a winter dish but I have found that in the hot days of summer, I just want something light and soup is always good. Of course the rib eye was an exception. Enjoy!

COLD, COLD DAY AND SPLIT PEA SOUP

I am not sure what the weather is like where you are but it is cold here in Oklahoma and has been for days and days and days.......I am getting real sick of it! Cold weather does mean soup or stew or chicken 'n noodles or chili or mac and cheese......any kind of comfort food. As a child split pea soup sounded like the most horrible thing anyone could eat. Now, I liked peas but mashed up peas were really disgusting! I think that came from my brother chewing them up across the table from me and then opening his mouth wide so I had to look at him and screech.  I have given you this recipe in the past but I seem not to make the same thing exactly the same twice so here it is again.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

I use smoked beef sausage cut into cubes.  Now, when it comes to buying sausage, for hell sake, this is not the time to be cheap.  Take your time and read all ingredients, only buy the best.

1 russet potato diced

1 onion diced

1 carrot chopped

1 cup dried split peas, rinsed

about 3 to 4 cups chicken broth

Saute the sausage, add potato, onion and carrot continue to sauté til vegys are a little soft. Stir in the split peas and then the broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer about an hour.  You may need to thin with a little more water. I guess you vegetarians could omit the sausage and use vegy broth and it would work for you........not nearly as good but would be okay. LOL!  Pray fro Sunshine......my body needs some rays!!

SUPER BOWL SNACKS.......A MEMORY OF YESTERDAY!

Well, its all over...during the week, I made numerous plans for food for Super Bowl Day but as it turned out, Bob wasn't feeling well and he spent most of the day in bed.  OH, wait, wait, don't feel sorry for me........I am one of those strange people that really enjoys my own company.  I comment to myself, I yell at the TV, I shout, I cuss, I jump up and down and totally enjoy myself. So, I made a decision, I was going to eat snack food all day.  I know its not healthy but decided it was a "sort of" holiday and decided to "Go for it!" Looking in my freezer, which by the way, has lots of little freezer bags of left overs, as I just can't bear to throw away food, I found a bag of red pork filling left from when I made tamales. Another bag of frozen left over refried beans, (yes, I freeze everything!) I layered this and the pork, salsa, and cheese and made a delightful dip. I made some taquitos from rolled up corn tortillas filled with cheese and fried in oil and these were my munchies for the day. But wait, I'm just getting started! Then I ate some cherry jello with whip cream, then 3 "cuties" (the little tangerines) followed by 2 mint filled oreo's (those are just delightful!) and I finished the evening with a handful of chocolate covered raisins and a spicy V8 juice. Isn't that just disgusting!? BUT I really enjoyed every minute of it.  So today, Bob is feeling better and it was meatloaf and baked potatoes for dinner. Is your meatloaf as hard as a brick? Its because you are either using bread crumbs or crackers for filling......if you want light, moist meatloaf use fresh bread torn into tiny pieces.  Sorry about the Bronco's........I so looked forward to a day with Peyton.....congrats to the Seahawks, I guess.....sigh. 

OH, NO, SHE'S BAAAAAACK!

I have been really surprised to find that people have actually missed my blog! Some have even asked me to start it again.....So, I have been thinking of it and here we go.  Bob has been very sick and I spend my days caring for him but I still do cook, if not for him, for myself.  I do find cooking as a sort of therapy.  Nothing I enjoy more that looking at recipes, looking for ingredients, and carrying out the deed. I am just so sorry that most everything I like to cook is fattening.......I promise I am working on that....never will I resort to being a vegetarian or God forbid a vegan but I am trying to cut back and eat a little more healthy. And bless your hearts, all you vegetarians and vegans...I do love you but I just enjoy "real" food too much. So, the subject that brought me back to writing this blog.........Short Ribs.  I made some unbelievable short ribs yesterday and they were so good, I thought to myself......these are just too good not to share with someone. You do know that the flavor in beef, comes from the fat. So when you see lean pieces of beef in the store, pass it over.....you must just learn to render the fat and savor the flavor. So, the first thing I did was salt each piece and cover it, placed in frig for overnight. The next morning, early, I browned each rib on every side real well in my heavy cast iron pot.  Then removed the ribs and poured off the fat but you aren't through. In the same pot, brown some onions, cut up carrots and cut up celery. Put the ribs back in and pour over, about a cup of diced tomatoes, about a cup of red wine and a few cups of beef broth, enough to cover. Put on the lid and back in the oven for several hours.(325 degrees) Now, carefully remove the ribs again and place in a pan. Drain all the liquid through a wire sieve. This will be your sauce, set aside. In the same pot, add little yellow potatoes, sliced in halve, some carrots, some celery and some onions. I sauté all of this in butter and then add a cup of chicken broth, put the lid back on and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer til vegys are soft. Drain off any liquid and toss.  Now put the ribs back in and just warm it all up together....in the meantime put the first liquid that you had drained in another pan and boil down til a nice sauce....I thickened with a little cornstarch in water. Now, place the ribs, the vegys all on a platter and serve the sauce on the side. The ribs will be falling apart and the flavor is unreal! I have only one piece of advice.....always remember to take your purse to the grocery store with you...........I don't have to tell you what happened! You guessed it!