Some days thoughts to put on paper can come so easily and other times it takes serious thinking and perhaps a suggestion or two from another person. It has been cold this past week and therefore I stayed home a lot and didn’t venture out more than I needed to. There weren’t many meetings to attend and I was more than happy to listen to the radio for the ball games, besides my chair is much more comfortable than a bleacher seat although I do take a seat along for a back rest and extra padding to sit on. Basketball season will be winding down soon and it won’t be long before spring sports arrive.
As I read “Slices of Life” I also thought of our dining room table and how much we used it. Years ago that was the table we used to cut out our fabric. I still have the table and it too has been refinished except for the extra table board. I wish I had done as good a job on it as the trays we did in school that had innumerable coats of finish. I remember my classmate said I had to do mine over as it wasn’t as smooth as it could be. Was it worth it? It still looks good after 60 years of use. The table has served its purpose well and I don’t plan to do any more refinishing on it. My parents, and now I have, had a bedside table from the old Home Hospital that they refinished. I can remember them using a pin to take the paint out of the wood grain. Again the finish was meticulously done and looks good to this day. A nice keepsake of the old hospital. A real antique collector wouldn’t appreciate a refinishing job but then I don’t expect to sell it any time soon and will keep it in the family as long as possible.
I couldn’t come up with any Valentine recipes other than cutting some bread in a heart shape and making French toast or a heart shaped frosted sugar cookie like Grandma B. made for our children. I wonder if they remember that. I don’t think she even had a cookie cutter but did the cutting free hand.
Cola Beef Brisket
1 fresh beef brisket (3 pounds)
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup cola (not decaffeinated)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Cut brisket in half and place in a 5-quart slow cooker. Combine chili sauce, cola and soup mix; pour over brisket. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat to a serving platter and keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Thinly slice meat across the grain; serve with gravy
7 servings (2 cups gravy)
Orange Fluff Salad
2 3-ounce packages orange Jello
1 (13-1/2 ounces) can crushed pineapple
1 6-ounce frozen orange concentrate, thawed
2 11-ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 cup cold milk
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
Dissolve Jello in 2-1/2 cup boiling water, add undrained pineapple and orange concentrate. Chill until partially set. Fold in oranges and pour into 9 x 13 inch pan. Chill until firm.
Beat pudding and milk with beater until smooth. Fold in whipped cream, spread over Jello and chill.
Chocolate Billionaires
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup crisp rice cereal
3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
Line two baking sheets with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the caramels and water; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cereal until coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared pans. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until firm.
Meanwhile, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip candy into chocolate, coating all sides; allow excess to drip off. Place on prepared pans. Refrigerate until set. Store in an airtight container. Make about 2 pounds of candy.
