Let's Get Cooking!

 This week is Thanksgiving. Hoorah! Lots of good food will be served and eaten. I will be going to my brother's house to share Thanksgiving with my family. It will be nice to have a break from school and regular activities. Everyone in my family brings dishes of food to help with the meal. 


This year, my brother will cook the turkey and dressing. I have never cooked a turkey, but I will get the honor at Christmas. My husband and I bought a twenty-four pound turkey today and put it in the freezer. I am a little sad to be eating such a fine bird. I hope my turns out as nice as this one. It is all roasted and browned nicely. 


My job is to bring a dessert, rolls, and deviled eggs to the table on Thanksgiving. This does not seem to be too much work.

 I looked online and found a good deviled egg recipe. The trick is to have eggs that are not fresh because they are easier to peel. My brother sent me two dozen eggs to boil so I am ready to cook them, which I will on Tuesday evening. 

Monday, I will go to the store and buy all my ingredients. I know the store will be busy since it is Thanksgiving week.  Everyone will be buying their groceries for the upcoming holiday meal. 

I often wonder if the Pilgrims really ate turkey when they celebrated Thanksgiving with the Indians. A few summers ago, I saw a wild turkey crossing a busy highway. The turkey did not care that he was on a state highway.  Fortunately, he did not get ran over by a car or truck. My brothers go turkey hunting every year so I cannot tell them that I saw a turkey or they will want to come over with their guns. They are true hunters. They inherited this gene from my dad because he is a coon-hunter. He has owned coon dogs all his life. He said that there is something about a dog barking at a coon that is music to his ears. I would like to know what kind of music that is anyway. Since I do not have the hunting gene, I only hear a barking dog. When I was a child, my dad would train his coon dogs with a live coon. The poor coon would get dragged around and around until the dogs picked up his scent. 


 
My dad won trophies with his prized coon dogs. He had Walkers, Black and Tan, and Blue Tick coon dogs. I believe he knows every kind of coon dog that was ever born. He waited every night until dark so he could go coon hunting along the river and in the woods. A few times, he got shot out by farmers. Even though we were poor, my dad always had coon dogs. I guess they are part of his identity. On his tombstone, he has a picture of a coon dog treeing a coon in a tall sycamore tree. Of course, my dad is still alive and is 80-years-old today. He does not coon hunt anymore because of his health and age, but he still loves to talk about it.

When I go shopping, I will pick up some Parker House Rolls. They are my favorite. I like to make yeast rolls, but I will just buy the rolls this year since I do not have much time to cook. The rolls are in the frozen food section. All I will have to do is thaw them and cook them in the oven. They will be golden brown and melt in your mouth.

For the deviled eggs, I will boil the eggs and cold water for 10 minutes. Then, I put the lid on and turn the burner out. The steam will make the eggs cook inside. I leave them on the stove for at least thirty minutes so they will be hard boiled when they are done. It is fun to mix the egg yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and relish and then fill them. I can taste them now. Deviled eggs always disappears fast around my family.
 
We will also have mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, and salad. After we eat, we will watch football or play with the young cousins, nieces, and nephews. This strenuous activity will create an appetite, and we will eat again later the same day.

Thanksgiving is a feast in which food, fellowship, and family come together. Relatives come from all around to share a meal together. Many of my relatives come up just for the day to eat and visit. They have traditions that go back for years and years. One great aunt makes a great poke salad, and another aunt bring her homemade chicken and dumplings. 


 I will have to pace myself with all the rich food. I think my favorite food is the dessert: pecan pie, peach cobbler, and cherry cheesecake. But I decided to start a new tradition and make a Weight Watcher's Orange Dreamsicle Cake. It is so good that you cannot tell it is low-fat. With all the rich foods, we will need something light to eat. 


I have much to be thankful for this year. Even though my parents are both in poor health, they are still with us. They have been married for 60 years. I plan to celebrate with them and enjoy myself completely. It is a time to count my blessings and be happy with life. I also have two brothers and two sisters that I can laugh and joke with. Family is one of life's greatest treasures. It is not how long we live that matters. What truly matters is that we really live! 
            Happy Thanksgiving!

Beverly Cleary

"She was a girl who could not wait. Life was so interesting; she had to find out what happened next." --Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Clearly




When I was a young girl, I loved reading Beverly Cleary's books, especially ones about Ramona. I read about all the scrapes that the young girl got herself into. The droopy socks, wild hair, and stick legs captured my attention since I found myself frequently in trouble during my childhood. I also read Ellen Tibbits, the Ralph S. Mouse books, the Henry Huggins novels, and Cleary's memoirs: A Girl form Yamhill and My Own Two Feet. Even though Cleary was born in Oregon, she became inspired to write while working as a young librarian in Yakima, Washington. She drew on fond memories of her own childhood in the 1920s and 1930s in Portland, Oregon. Cleary actually spent part of her childhood living on Klickitat Street, which is home to many of her characters.

On Klickitat Street, kids rode their bicycles to school, dogs ran free, and mothers stayed at home. It was an innocent time in which children entertained themselves and mostly played outdoors. The middle-class neighborhood is the setting for Cleary's unique characters that I love so much. They provide a universal and timeless message of innocence and youth.
Something about Ramona reminds me of myself when I was her age. Maybe, it was her independent spirit or her unquenchable curiosity. Henry Huggins book collection was published first between 1950 and 1964. Beezus and Ramona followed in 1955, and then Ramona the Pest in 1968. Cleary explores serious issues in her later books. In Ramona Forever, Ramona mourns the death of her cat while she worries about being replaced by a new baby. She is also concerned about her father losing his job and her aunt moving to Alaska. The newer book illustrations portray modern depictions of characters wearing bicycle helmets and carrying backpacks. Cleary's books are still read and enjoyed today.


I remember checking out my quota from the school library. I was sad because we were only allowed to take five books at a time. I would read mine quickly and then longed for more. But I had to wait until the allotted time to read more Ramona books. The illustrated pages of Ramona fascinated me. Ramona looked like a stick figure that I could easily draw. But somehow, Cleary made this little girl come to life. I could not wait to see what trouble she would get into next.

I do remember my hair stuck out all over my head in grade school and my bangs were cut short, similar to Ramona's hair. Once I discovered Ramon, she became my hero because I admired her courage and bravery. Somehow, Ramona always managed to land on her feet. When the movie came out, I was thrilled. Most of the events in the books were carried out on the big Hollywood screen. I love watching the movie because it reminds me of all the Ramona books I read as a young girl. The movie became a box office success and earned $3 million on the first day.

Check out this online video of the Ramona and Beezus movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yG4oBdWONM

Cleary has won many prestigious awards: the John Newberry Medal in 1984, the American Library Association's 1975 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Catholic Library Association's 1980 Regina Medal. She was also the 1984 United States author nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Cleary was called a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress. Her books are in over twenty countries in fourteen languages. Cleary's characters are funny and life-like, which children of all ages adore. Television programs have been created with characters based on Cleary's characters. Cleary wrote about the things she grew up with. Her characters, Ramona and Henry are based on the friends she made in Portland. Henry is modeled on the boys that graced Cleary's street in Portland. They also had mangy dogs, similar to Ribsy. Reading Cleary's books influenced me to love reading and books. My dream was to grow up and write books just like she did. Since I was the youngest in my family, I was often called "pest." Yet, I learn to love reading and writing, which inspired me to major in English. One day, I plan to teach students to love reading as much as I do. Maybe, I will use Beverly Cleary's books as my text.

Eureka Spring, Arkansas

Eureka Springs is one of my family's favorite places to visit. We visit there at least once a year. Itt is one of the top destinations in Arkansas and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The winding streets, Victorian-style houses, and quaint shops make Eureka Springs a unique resort village. I love the way it is tucked into the mountainside. When we go there, we ride the trolley to the shops downtown. The streets are steep and winding, which makes a scenic ride. It is a struggle to walk on the sidewalks though. Horse-drawn buggies are part of the traffic in Eureka and drop passengers off at restaurants and shops. It feels like we just stepped back in time. The winding roads and slow pace of the town are refreshing after driving on the busy interstates and turnpikes at home. It is a great place to catch your breath and relax. Most people ride the trolley to the main shopping areas, but there are also parking areas for cars. There are all kinds of shops and cafes on Spring Street. My favorite is the Flat Iron Building, which is located between two parallel streets. I also enjoy shopping in the leather shops because they have unique belts, purses, shoes, and boots that are made with fine leather. I have found great buys in Eureka Springs. Since I have trouble finding shoes that fit, I enjoy shopping in a place that carries various sizes and styles. Homemade fudge, taffy, and candies are delicious to eat. We buy the treats in shops that resemble old general stores.

Usually, we spend the entire day browsing through the shops and exploring the downtown area. When we get tired, we take the trolley to see other parts of the town. The trolleys offer several different routes within a five-mile long loop. I love the Victorian houses that line the streets. Many of them are open for tours such as the Queen Anne house. Other places rent their rooms and are bed and breakfast establishments.

We like take a trolley up the mountain to the Crescent Hotel to see the amazing view of the town. It is a gorgeous view! Built in 1886, the hotel has seventy-six rooms on fifteen acres of beautiful manicured gardens. Couples often have their wedding in these gardens.

One summer, we spent the night at the Crescent Hotel. It was a little scary because the floors and doors squeak. I found out later that the hotel hosts Haunted House tours during Halloween. An old yellow cat lives in the hotel and goes in and out of the rooms. I also heard lots of strange noises during the night. Maybe, it was the wind since the hotel is located high above the town.

The next day, we took a trolley north to the see Christ of the Ozarks and the Passion Play. Christ of the Ozarks stands sixty-seven feet tall. It is made of white concrete and was built in 1966. It took two million pounds of mortar and steel to make this giant statue. Yet, he stands high above the tree line to guard the town of Eureka Springs. With outstretched arms, Christ of the Ozarks attracts visitors from all over the world. The Jesus statue is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and is a free attraction. The Great Passion Play theme park also has a Holy Land Tour with a full-scale replica of the Old Testament Tabernacle and the Sea of Galilee.

At first, I was overwhelmed by the size of the statue. I thought I saw the eyes move, but it might have been the sun shining on it. We enjoyed seeing the splendor of such a magnificent statue and its symbolic meaning. He is a great tourist attraction! Hundreds of tourists ride the trolleys to see the huge statue. It faces west as if he is blessing the scenic village below. Everyone was very respectful and reverent around the statue. I was impressed! Regardless of faith, people came together to stand at the foot of this massive statue.
Our next destination was to see The Great Passion Play.


The Great Passion Play is modeled after a play in Bavaria hat runs a week long. Eureka's play began in 1968 and occurs five nights a week for 2.5 hours. 250 Christian actors perform along with live donkeys, camels, mules, horses, sheep, and birds. It is the largest outdoor pageant in the United States and has been seen by millions of people. It was breathtaking to watch under the stars. I loved the end when the birds fly away and Jesus ascends into the night sky. It was very moving for my family to watch. I am sure they will not forget seeing the live drama. Because it was outdoors, it felt as if we were part of the performance.



Our next visit was to Quigley's Castle, which is located four miles south of town. This is a unique house that Mrs. Quigley built in 1943. Apparently, her husband failed to build his wife a house after promising her one. When Albert Quigley went to work, she demolished the old house and began constructing a new one. She collected rocks and cemented them to the outside walls. In fact, she had so many rocks she made bird baths, mailboxes, bird houses, and yard sculptures with them. Mrs. Quigley also collected bottles. I saw several bottle trees in the yard. This lady was not only unique, but she was also very determined. She only spent $2000 in cash for labor and material. Wow! This is an inspiring story that stands for everyone to witness. She built her own heaven and displays the things she loves. Her flower bed blooms at different times to greet visitors and attracts butterflies.

Inside the house, live trees grow up to the second story. She could actually sleep with the birds. Mrs. Quigley also collected butterflies and arrowheads. Outside, bottle trees and various sculptures stand in the garden. In the front yard, I found an old outhouse. Apparently, nothing is copied in this house. It is as unique as the owners. It is a natural wonder of God's creation!

Eureka Springs is a place where we can get away from it all. My family enjoys all the fun activities and old world charm. It is close enough that we can go for a long weekend. Although we like to visit many places, we always return to Eureka Springs. In the past, people traveled to this town for the healing waters, but I think it does more than that. This amazing town restores the soul and refreshes both mind and body.

Week Three: Pizza

Pizza is amazing! I love the gooey cheese, warm tomato sauce, and crispy crust. It is truly a food of the gods! Originally, pizza began in Italy as a Neapolitan pie with tomato. In 1889, Queen Margherita of Italy was served a pizza that looked the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil).
Later, a pizza was named after the Queen as Pizza Margherita.


My favorite pizza has lots of cheese and Canadian bacon.

I do not care for frozen pizza and have not been able to make a good pizza in my own kitchen; however, after watching a television show about pizza, I am ready to find the perfect pizza pie!

First, I tried pizza from Pizza Hut. I ordered a large, deep-dish one. It was only $10.00, which was a good buy. But it failed my test because the crust was too doughy. Perhaps, the deep-dish accounts for the doughy crust. Next time, I will order thin and crispy crust.

My next pizza came from Domino's Pizza. It was a large hand-tossed pizza with hamburger, black olives, an Canadian bacon. But it also failed to meet my criteria. The crust was crispy, but the pizza slice tasted dry and had very little tomato sauce on it. Apparently, it is hard to find a pizza with just the right ingredients on it. I would have to search further in my quest for the perfect pie.
Hideaway Pizza was my next pizzeria to try. I ordered a cheese pizza so I could focus on the three main ingredients: crust, sauce, and cheese. The pizza looked great coming out of the hot oven. The crust was nicely brown and crisp. The sauce and cheese were equally distributed. In the past, my family ordered Tulsa Hurricane, which is a blend of pineapple, Canadian bacon, and jalapeno peppers.

I have to get the hot peppers on the side because they cause me digestion problems. On the other hand, my husband eats them with every meal and loves them. Hideaway takes first place so far. It is a bit pricey though. A large specialty pizza costs about $20.00, but I can purchase a small cheese pizza with a salad or drink for less than $10.00. This works good for me since I am a college student on a limited budget.

The following weekend, I attended my niece's birthday party. I was excited because it was at Rodney's Pizza Place in Purcell, Oklahoma. I could continue searching for the perfect pizza while I celebrated Sierra' s tenth birthday. The party consisted of twenty people so there were different pizza varieties to try. Each one had a single topping: hamburger, pepperoni, sausage, and Canadian bacon. The waitress brought us a Canadian bacon first so I tried it. The slices were a mass of melted cheese, similar to a plate of nachos. Small flecks of pink bacon covered the mound of mozzarella cheese. I took a bite and fell in love. It was juicy! The crust was crisp, and the pizza melted in my mouth. I had found my perfect pie! It even looked like a pie because the melted cheese and Canadian bacon ran together as pies do. Then, I tried the hamburger pizza, and it was just as delicious.


The next time I visit Rodney's Pizza Place, I will try the Works. This is a pizza with mushrooms, hamburger, sausage, and bell peppers. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water and my stomach grumble. The true test to good pizza, though, is eating it the next morning. It has to taste good then, too. Unlike some students, I do not eat it cold. I will heat it up and see if it is as good as the night before.


I have loved pizza since I was a young girl, but I have eaten more since I have been in college than any other time in my life. Perhaps, it is the gooey cheese and warm sauce that comforts me when I am cramming for exams or writing essays on the computer. During my research, I discovered that pizza is eaten all around the world.

I did not know that pizza reflects cultures. On the Internet, I discovered that Israel has Pizza Hut and Sbarro. But they also have kosher locations that serve large portions of vegetable toppings such as mushrooms, onions, corn and labane (strained yogurt), and middle Eastern spices. In Korea, pizza is potato mousse-filled cookie dough crust sprinkled with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and raisins that can be dipped in blueberry sauce. America also has pizza that reflects the influence of Italian Greek immigrants. In Chicago, pizza is deep-dish and sometimes square. In New York, pizza has its own unique variety of thin crust pizza. Likewise, Detroit offers pizza in a distinct twice-baked style.


All this focus on pizza is inspiring. Perhaps, I will create a pizza that is uniquely my own. My relatives came from Germany so I can see what if they eat pizza there. I know they eat lots of sausages and potatoes. I have read about pizza in both Sweden and Japan. Since I really like shrimp, pineapple, and Canadian bacon, I can order those toppings to see how they work together.

The health issues of eating pizza is moderate. It is high in fat, salt, and calories; however, the tomatoes have antioxidants that fight cancer. I will limit my intake of pizza so I do not risk my health. I imagine after I graduate, I will not desire it as much. Pizza is certainly been a life saver to me when I do not have time to cook. I am usually going to class or studying most evenings.


Wow! I found a pizza farm online. It is near the Mississippi River in Alton, Illinois. The farm is a half-acre circular plot that is divided up, similar to the slices of a giant pizza. The eight wedges on the "R" Pizza Farm illustrate the components of a pizza. The three goats represent milk, the cow stands for beef, and the seven pigs symbolize sausage. In addition, there are tomatoes, peppers, and herbs on this unique farm. I am impressed. This organic farm draws 6,000 visitors a year and even serves pizza. This would be a fun place to take the whole family or a great field trip for students.

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20050916&slug=pizzafarm16

Week Two: Little House on the Prairie

"All I have told is true, but not the whole truth." --Laura Ingalls Wilder


As a young girl, I loved to watch Little House on the Prairie. What is it about the frontier that is so captivating and romantic? The show originated with the real Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series in 1932. Wilder wrote these books until she was 76 years old. I love the illustrations, which were done by Garth Williams. Laura and her family live in a Wisconsin forest at first. Here, they have no schools and grow vegetables, Wow! I cannot imagine living so isolated there is not even ha grocery store nearby. Then they travel in a covered wagon across the frozen Mississippi River to the Minnesota prairie.

Hollywood makes the frontier look so appealing. Perhaps, that is part of the intrigue. Every day after school, I would run home and watch this show. I would forget all my troubles as I watched Laura face mean old Nellie Oleson and life in Walnut Grove. I lived on a farm and also had to a gather eggs, feed chickens, and slop the hogs. But my chores were work, unlike Laura and Mary's fictitious ones. It was much more entertaining to watch someone else do farm chores. But it was the interesting plot and positive family that kept me watching it, week after week.

I remember reading Little House in the big Woods. Jack was such a good dog and had to swim in the creek or drown. I am sure my love for the television show was established while I read the Little House books. My mother stayed at home with my siblings and me, sewing many of our clothes. We did not live in a cabin or on the prairie, but we had a garden, chores, and animals to take care of. I adored Laura Ingalls and still enjoy watching the show today.

The books and television series influenced me in many ways. In my wedding, I had two flower girls who wore sunbonnets and dresses just like the ones that Mary, Laura, and Carrie wore to church. I believe Laura was an early feminist because she thought for herself and was a homesteader. Obviously, she had to be a strong woman to endure the hard life on the frontier.

The Little House books were based on Wilder's childhood in her pioneer family. She lived from 1867-1957. Life was very hard during this time; nevertheless, Wilder survived. The First Four Years is a manuscript that was discovered after Rose Wilder died and contains some of the hardships she lived through.

She and her husband, Almonzo, suffered severe drought, hunger, and lost a son soon after his birth in 1889. Almonzo also had diphtheria and became partially paralyzed. Wilder's story is inspiring and helps me to appreciate the television shows even more. I catch the reruns from time to time and am reminded of my childhood once again.

Here is a link to the television show and theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO72KBtUmHk

Classic Cars

Old classic cars are so cool! My husband and I have decided to purchase one; however, we cannot agree on one model. He likes the 1963 Impala SS (super sport) because he drove one like it when he was a teenager. He also likes muscle cars, but I have different taste. I want a car that is roomy, comfortable, and nostalgic. The 1955-57 Chevy Bel-air is a car that has all these qualities. I love the turquoise and white cars because they have huge back seats and trunks. The dash boards are sweet and so wide! We are looking for a car with original interior, but we know that we will have to put an air conditioner in since most older cars do not have them. I did not realize this until we began looking for a classic car. This year, we have been to a few car shows: Holdenville, Paul's Valley, Shawnee, and Prague. We hope to go to Guthrie this weekend and check out the cars there. I can picture us cruising down the road in a cool car. I realize the gas mileage is only twelve to fifteen miles per gallon, but looking cool comes at a price. I do like the 1966 Thunderbird. We saw an awesome black one in Blanchard recently. The Thunderbird was in the movie, Thelma and Louise. I like the way the back seat wraps around the side of the door. Old classic cars carry a nostalgic message, which is why many people are drawn to them. They bring back so many memories of childhood. If we could just capture the innocence of youth in them, we would be set. Maybe, we will find the perfect car in Guthrie. . .

Week One

Today is the first day of Advanced Composition class. I am excited about it. I hope to learn new writing skills and make new friends. I have always loved to write. Although the class is only eight weeks, I think it will be fun.

Blogging is a new way to write these days. Many people use it as a tool to advance their writing. I do not really understand how people know what blogs are out there, but I suppose I will learn about it. I enjoyed watching the movie, Julia and Julia, because the young Julia incorporates blogging as she experiments with new recipes of Julia Childs. I think this would be fun; however, the cooking might be a lot of work.

I love to watch cooking shows with competing cooks. They are hilarious! Sometimes, the contestants forget one ingredient and the entire entree' flops. I recently watched Just Desserts. The cooks created a chocolate masterpiece that was four feet tall. In fact, it was a chocolate tree with branches. This project took skill and creativity.

Writing is similar to cooking. First, you start with a thought and freewrite to gain ideas. Then you stir these ideas together until a concrete topic surfaces. Once all the ideas are down on paper, you can write a thesis and eventually the paper. The final product is a complete essay, blog, or letter that is worth reading. Others can read it and enjoy it as well. Writing gives a sense of accomplishment, regardless of the topic.