Fourth of July

It is near that time of year, again, when the smoke from barbecues start clouding the sky, mothers are busy making delicious foodstuffs for the planned picnics and parties. Evening falls and excited children anticipate the fireworks. Oh, and yeah, it is a national, patriotic holiday . . . but that seems to go by the wayside for the most part. Just to bring some of our history back into play, I found the entire lyrics of the Star Spangled Banner. The last verse is especially poignant given the fight for religious freedom imposed on us by our current administration. Our country was founded because people were looking for freedom and the Star Spangled Banner is a great reminder of that.

Lyrics, by Francis Scott Key:

First Verse
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Second Verse
On the shore dimly seen, thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines in the stream;
'Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Third Verse
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Fourth Verse
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust"
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Avocado Bread - Really?

My husband has access to library book sales and is always kind enough to bring me home odd and interesting cookbooks. There was one from Translyvania that had a wonderful recipe (?) for bear paw. Thinking it was a cute name for some kind of dessert, I read it and knew it was the real thing when it said it was necessary to remove the nails and fur between the pads of the paw. I can usually find at least one, good recipe in a cookbook. In this one book, the nearest thing to that was the bear paw  and only from a standpoint of interest! I sent the book back to the sale with my husband the next day.

This recipe sounded unusual but  the primary ingredient is more available than a bear paw. Besides, I keep envisioning a three-pawed bear knocking at my door! As soon as avocados go on sale, this bread is going into my oven!

Lemon Spice Avocado Bread
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Freshly grated zest from one lemon
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups thoroughly mashed avocado
1/2 cup toasted and ground walnuts or pecans
1 cup dried cranberries

Place all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir in everything else and mix well to combine. Spread into three vegetable-oiled sprayed loaf pans.

Bake at 325 degrees (preheated oven) for approximately 45-60 minutes our until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without any wetness.

Cool in pans about 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. You can glaze the loaves with a tart lemon icing, if you like.

We can always turn to our Mother . . .

“Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” ~Our Lady of Guadalupe

Where have all our freedoms gone . . .

You have to admire the current administration in horror over the obamacare fiasco. When they tried to assure us that there wasn't any tax involved and we had a choice about coverage, we wondered as we were dealing with the money-grubbing government that likes to spend OUR money for THEIR agendas. When push came to shove, the Supreme Court decided to call the cost of universal healthcare a tax . . . about which we have no choice. A win/win for the money-hungry administration once more. And, now that they can make us pay by calling it a tax, what other 'goodies' do they have in store for us for which they can make us pay by calling it a tax and turning over the collection of such tax to the IRS. Freedom of choice is in jeopardy. Was this part of obama's employment tactics because word has it that a lot of new IRS agents were added to the payroll! An unthinking popularity vote in 2008 may have cost everyone a great deal of their freedom in 2012 . . . unless November 2012 shows that people have finally caught on to what is happening.

Political comment through quotes . . .

"One should as a rule respect public opinion in so far as is necessary to avoid starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
-- Bertrand Russell

"The only difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is that the Democrats allow the poor to be corrupt, too."
-- Oscar Levant

Prayer for the United States of America

God our Father in Heaven,
you chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters;
Holy Spirit, you overshadowed Mary at the Annunciation;
God the Son, you became incarnate
in the womb of Mary, your Mother.
In union with Mary, we adore you,
the Most Holy Trinity and acknowledge that you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
hold eternal dominion and authority over all nations.

Most Holy Trinity,
we place the United States of America into the hands
of Mary Immaculate in order that
she may present our country to you.
Through her we wish to praise and thank you
for the great resources of our land
and for the freedom, which has been our heritage.
Through the intercession of Mary,
have mercy on the Catholic Church in the United States.
Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president
and on all the officers of our government.
Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity.
Raise up and protect all of our families.
Through the intercession of our Mother,
have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners—
on all who are in need.
Above all, we ask Mary to intercede on our behalf
that you would protect our conscience rights and religious freedom,
upon which our country was founded.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin,
Our Mother, Patroness of our land,
we honor you and give ourselves to you.
Wrap your mantel of protection around each of us
and all our fellow citizens.
Protect us from all evil and harm.
Pray for us, that acting always according to your will
and the Will of your Divine Son,
we may live and die pleasing to God.

VENERABLE Archbishop Fulton Sheen!

God always sends us some joy even after the disaster of the Supreme Court decision yesterday. God always sends us hope. Archbishop Fulton Sheen was made 'venerable' today!

Show me your hands. have you a scar from giving? A scar of sacrificing yourself for another? Show me your feet. Have you gone about doing good? Were you wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love?” – Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Big problem in the world re. the last quote!

History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind."
-- Edward Gibbon

"What happens when the future has come and gone?"
-- Robert Half

"What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure."
-- Samuel Johnson

"The trouble with America is that there are far too many wide-open spaces surrounded by teeth."
-- Charles Luckman

Kittens, Kittens, Everywhere . . .

Anyone who has seen the movie, Jurassic Park, will understand this analogy. Last night a friend expressed interest in seeing one of our kittens today. Rather than race around the yard when she gets here, we lured the kitten into the house, last night, and put him in with the other three. This morning, I released them from their various abodes and immediately they started checking out every inch of the barrier walls we had put up to keep them out of harm's way and our way during the day. They were absolutely methodical about this and I started seeing them as baby dinosaur raptors trying to get out and take over! No sooner did we block off one weak area, they were squeezing out another. Four kittens against two grownups is unfair odds . . . in favor of the kittens! At one point, the guest kitten escaped down the hall and raced under a bed in my son's room. He soon got scared of the unknown and headed out into the living room. He could have stayed hidden a lot longer if he hadn't started complaining out loud and was recaptured. Even now, I can hear them scratching and checking the walls of their makeshift enclosures, planning their next escape! If you don't hear from me in the next few days, the kittens won!

The different views of calories . . .

This is a link for an interesting study on how not all calories are alike. Gosh, eating gets more complicated all the time! :-)

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/which-diet-works/?src=me&ref=general

Green Chili Rice

As you know by now, I like a bargain meal or side dish. This one could work for a meatless Friday meal or a side dish to chicken or beef.

Green Chili Rice

1 cup uncooked, white rice
1 cup sour cream
2 cups Monteray Jack Cheese, shredded
4 ounce can of roasted diced chilies
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook the rice according to package directions or in a rice steamer.

Combine the rice with the remaining ingredients except for 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. Spread the mixture into a greased casserole dish and then top with the remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and casserole is heated thoroughly. Serves four to six.

Ideas . . .
1/2 cup diced, cooked chicken or ham changes the game plan!
1 can of drained tuna would be interesting.
Mix the 1/2 cup topping cheese with some Panko crumbs for extra crunch.
Use 1/2 Monterary Jack and 1/2 sharp cheddar cheese.
Want it hotter? Use canned Jalepeno chilies.

Last Family Portrait!

 Since the orange and the gray kitten are leaving for their new homes on Saturday, I wanted to get one, last family portrait. It is interesting to see how each kitten has a bit of their mother cat in them along with whoever their fathers happened to be!

Packaged Kittens?

 The kittens very favorite toy is not the soft ball we got for them. They already lost interest in the ball of yarn that was a seven-day wonder . . . until they unraveled it. Their favorite play thing is an empty pretzel barrel. They rummage around in it, they sleep it in, they roll each other around in it, and stage kitty battles - either all three inside or two batting the third one who is inside the barrel.

Another Dark Day in American History . . .

This news just came in over the Internet:

The Supreme Court has issued a 5-4 decision essentially upholding the Obamacare law that pro-life groups regard as the biggest expansion of abortion and abortion funding since Roe v. Wade. The law also drew strong opposition from the pro-life community not only over abortion but because the legislation also promotes rationing of medical care that could lead to involuntarily denying lifesaving treatment. The Supreme Court has incorrectly ruled that Obamacare is constitutional, pro-life groups are saying in response to the decision. They are pointing out that the need is greater now than ever to defeat pro-abortion President Barack Obama and elect a pro-life Senate that will join the House in repealing the legislation.

It seems that the Supreme Court ruled that as a mandate, obamacare couldn't force everyone to buy into the health care system proposed and passed by the democrats soon after obama came into office. Today, however, they did play with the wording and said that as a tax, this was constitutional. You have to wonder about these people. Ever since obamacare hatched into dreadful being, obama has been adamant that it was not a tax, yet, in order to stand by the president in opposition to the majority feeling in the United States, the Supreme Court has changed the wording of the law in order to find a reason to uphold a bad law. I imagine obama is smiling happily regardless of the play on words because he is now closer to forcing government intervention into every aspect of our lives. Next step? He will probably mandate we all take home part of our paychecks (if we are so lucky as to even find employement) in the form of vegetable to insure we eat a government mandate (or tax?) amount each day! Today, we surely find the Constitution being shredded to suit politicians and not upheld to protect the taxpaying population.

It is known that Catholics comprise a great amount of democrats. The Church has always wanted to make sure the poor and needy are taken care of so have supported programs that do just that. On the surface, it might have been a good move but history shows that when big government takes over, it is a detriment to religion. It is probably easier for the Church to do 'good' through government organizations but it has been at the cost of religion. I know for a fact that many Catholics and clergy supported the idea of obamacare so that everyone would be helped. The problem is they all supported politicians, including the president, who didn't respect their votes and had liberal, government-control agendas in mind.

Right now, we are in the middle of the Fortnight for Freedom to fight for our religious liberty on another front . . . and the Church, as a whole, isn't supporting the efforts of a few who actually care how it will all turn out. I wrote a letter to our diocese to ask about rallies, programs, talks, etc., that might be scheduled in support of the Fortnight for Freedom . . . and have yet to get a reply. Other people have reported the same disregard from there dioceses.

Sometimes, people wonder why things are going so wrong. It could very well be the contraceptive mind set of even our clergy. I was in a singles club once and the priest gave a talk and actually said that there might be a time in a marriage when the only solution would be using artificial methods of birth control. Years later, I realize that when you are lukewarm about birth control, how can you expect any of them to take a firm stand against abortion. Well, the proverbial chickens have come home to roost with all that has passed and been accepted over the last years. And, yet, there is still no massive outcry from the Church. Yes, there are a few who are not afraid to get picked up and picked on by the media but most of them keep a low profile. Someone told me that priests could not take any of this sort of thing on themselves without the 'blessing' or the bishop of their diocese. When we are confronted with a situation as we have today, shouldn't we leave the safety of silence and stand up to what we all know is right?

It is another black day in American and Catholic history today. One caller to a radio program said we shouldn't put our faith in princes, which is correct. The host said she wasn't a Biblical scholar but she knew the 'end' of the story and God always wins. I mentioned this to my husband and said we have to trust in God and pray. He said that God's answer might be the end of America as we know it. Interesting . . . another caller called obama the AntiChrist. The host said that she didn't believe that because the AntiChrist is a person who is popular to almost everyone and obama doesn't measure up on that score. Scary thought as we may encounter something even worse down the road.

A Reality in our Every Day Life . . .

When you struggle, that's when you realize what you're made of, and that's when you realize what the people around you can do. You learn who you'd want to take with you to a war, and who you'd only want to take to lunch.

- Chamique Holdsclaw

That explains a lot . . .

We hear so much from our local and federal government about making cuts in spending which sounds admirable given the state of our current economy. Most politicians have no compunction about spending taxpayers' money in ways that they see fit which is not always in line with need. I was shocked, however, to find out that when they say they are going to cut spending, often they are talking about cutting spending on proposed spending not current spending. So, basically, they will continue with their ways on spending already in place but will cut expenditures on programs, etc. that are going to happen. Sounds like a bad way to save money to me! Hmmm . . . They come up with a figure they would like to spend on some, usually, stupid, deal and then tell us that they will cut the amount on the phantom money they are going to spend. I'd like to see one of us basic citizens try and get away with that!  When are politicians going to remember a.) the were voted into office to represent our needs/wants/requirements and b.) it isn't their money to spend according to their sights.

Bragging about my daughter . . .

 

So, what does an art major do when there are no jobs available. Her mother encourages her to start drawing, painting saint pictures in hopes that someone might be interested in an original of their own! The very first college art class my daughter took at community college brought out the artist in her. She has a knack of drawing people and getting very good likenesses. She actually painted individual portraits of a friend's six children for a gift one Christmas. She doesn't go ordinary with her portraits but tends to paint them in colors that reflect the personality. Anyway, in case these saints aren't immediately recognizable - St. Philomena, Padre Pio, Blessed Mother and Child, and Maximillan Kolbe.

Another thing an art major graduate does when there aren't any jobs available, is to head to another State and look for work there. The current economy is certainly changing life plans these days and not always to the better!

Easy peas . . .

My husband has a strict rule that there must be vegetables at every meal and no one leaves the table until the vegetables are eaten. It is a good rule but there are often times when children and adults get bored with the same old vegetables showing up. When I grew up, the ongoing vegetable du jour was carrots. It was actually a treat when we got canned spinach which I know I couldn't stomach today after having prepared fresh spinach.

The vegetable rule keeps me thinking and creating and this one is pretty well-received even with the addition of mushrooms.

Easy Peas . . .
1 pound package frozen peas (weight doesn't have to be exact)
8-10 fresh mushrooms (depending on size), sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion powder

Melt the butter in a cooking pot and saute the garlic until tender. Add the mushroom and continue cooking and stirring until they are hot through. Add the peas, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir and cook to heat through and combine all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and serve!

Picky eaters? You can reduce the amount of mushrooms and finely dice them to keep the flavor but hide the obvious fact of their existence!

A solution to choosing wedding gifts?

I had to laugh when I heard the latest presidential fund-raising scheme. It seems there is a site where one can go and donate money to the current president's re-election fund in place of giving wedding gifts! That is really over the top and egotistical to think that newly-weds (especially in this economy) would be thrilled to get a note saying a monetary donation was made in their name to an election campaign instead of gifting them with something they could use to start their new lives. Perhaps, there are a few that might think it is a great idea but pieces of paper don't help a young couple get a start on housekeeping.

People, however, might say that donating to the re-election of the current president is an ongoing gift to couples starting out as it will continue all the policies and laws he has enacted and wants to enact given another four years in office.

Let's see . . . we have unemployment and no jobs for college graduates who also have student loans to pay off now. We have several executive orders overriding Congress and one of them legalizes almost a million more people to work in this country without documentation while we current have millions of citizens in desperate need of a job. Our medical care hangs in balance with a pretty liberal Supreme Court at the helm. Our borders are not being protected and our border guards are either murdered or jailed just by doing their job. Our religious liberties are being threatened. The attorney general is pretty particular about who he will or will not stand up for and it doesn't look like conservative well being is on his list.

Yeah, given all the last almost-four years have given us, I'd rather have a set of towels for a wedding gift then a voucher saying that someone gave money to any political party in my name.

Eat your vegetables but watch where you grow them!

When we  married, we purchased our first home together. There was a long patch of ground by the side of the garage in the front yard. My husband put in some raised flower beds and in between and around the area, he planted squash and tomatoes. It helped with our budget and we never once had a thought enter our heads that somewhere, some time, this might be considered an illegal activity.

A family in Michigan found out it was against their city ordinance and the mother was served a notice and could have faced up to 93 days in jail . . . for daring to raise vegetables in the front yard. Like us, she had raised beds and you could see it was a work in progress and well-kept up. Fortunately, the uproar reached the ears of the city and the charges were eventually dropped against this one family. The ordinance still stands, however.

You have to wonder about the mind set of elected officials that find a need to invade every single aspect of our personal lives and demand their imprint of how we should conduct our homes and activities. With all this talk about being eco-friendly, and green this and green that, you'd think the ordinance would state that everyone should grow a percentage of their yard in vegetables. I wonder what their stand is on fruit trees?

Rules, Age, and Reading . . . some quotes to ponder . . .

"Rules are just helpful guidelines for stupid people who can't make up their own minds."
-- Seth Hoffman

"You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there."
-- George Burns

"Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity."
-- Christopher Morley

History Repeats Itself - When Will We Learn?

The problem with the human race is that every generation seems to think they have it figured out and neglect to study the past in order to build a better future. History repeats itself, over and over, and the intellectually arrogant continue to think they are forging new worlds when the past will reflect their current mistakes were already made in past eras. Instead of learning from history, they keep trying to make their own mark in history and it usually fails. Dr. Taylor Marshall excellently clarifies this in this post I had to share with you. For more of his thoughts, books, etc., please check out: http://cantuar.blogspot.com/2012/06/what-king-henry-viii-can-teach-us-about.html

What King Henry VIII can teach us about the HHS-Bishops Controversy
 by Dr. Taylor Marshall

Here in America, there is a growing awareness that our government at the federal level is seeking to dislodge the last remnants the Catholic Church's influence by means of federal regulation of medical care. Most recently the Health and Human Services (HHS) controversy has revealed that the government is hitting the American bishops where it hurts most: the moral issues of contraception and abortion.

The HHS controversy is frequently hailed as a "religious liberty" crisis, but it's more profound than that. The Obama administration knows that American Catholics by and large do not submit to the Catholic teaching regarding contraception. This is the weak underbelly of American Catholicism and the powers at large have honed in on this sad reality.

This is not the first time that the government has exploited sexual sins to foster confusion, anger, heresy, and worst of all, schism. King Henry VIII of England also attempted to break the influence of the Catholic Church in his nation. Like the current administration, Henry VIII began by restricting the activity of the clergy. First, Henry VIII pressed the bishops into a compromise, next he made it illegal for tithes and ecclesiastical judgments to leave England - for example annulments and controversies over succession and wills could not be referred to Rome any longer. While not officially creating a schism at this point, Henry VIII practically separated the bishops of England from Rome.

The next step was for Henry VIII to request the title "Protector and Supreme Head of the English Church." Although compromised, the bishops rightly refused and Bishop Saint John Fisher led the charge. Then Henry VIII asked for the title, "Protector and Supreme Head of the English Church - quantum per legem Dei licet - so far as the law of God permits." The "so far as the law of God permits" addition alleviated the consciences of the bishops. The bullied bishops submitted in 1531 and against the wishes of the Pope granted the title to Henry VIII. The clarification "so far as the law of God permits" was, of course, quickly forgotten.

Four years later all the bishops except for Saint John Fisher capitulated. Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More's heads were on pikes over the the river. Mother Church lost England...

What can we learn? Civil persecution starts slow and subtle. It's built on small, tiny compromises. The bishops in the time of King Henry VIII were neither malicious nor fools. Almost all to a man had studied at either Cambridge or Oxford. The Chancellor was a genius, revered diplomat, and a saint. England at this time was renowned throughout Europe for its devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pilgrimages, daily Mass attendance, church buildings were at a high, according to historians.

What happened? The king wanted something and he would stop at nothing. He worked slowly and perseveringly. Henry VIII did not attack the Church outright. He waited year after year.

This HHS controversy in America is not really about religious liberty. They want us to think that. The HHS mandate is the beginning of many subtle attacks against the Catholic Church in America. The HHS mandate is designed to remove the Catholic Church from the public realm of medicine (and hence medical ethics) and eventually divide the Church over "reproductive rights" or "contraception."

Something similar may likely happen in the realm of education in the coming years - perhaps a mandate that Catholic schools must submit to a "lifestyle diversity agreement" in order to retain their accreditation and ability to receive government loans. Catholic colleges are another huge weak spot in the landscape of Catholic America. You can be sure that the devil has plans there, too.

What do we do about it? We must be humble about everything. "God resists the proud" (Jas 4:6). God resists the proud even when they are magisterial Catholics who attend daily Mass and tithe. Pride comes before the fall. If we our proud, God will resist us even when we are right.

We must pray for our bishops. They are already uniting against the threat. They need prayers. We have no idea as to the difficulty and stress they are under. We cannot complain or judge. Again, we must be like their humble children. We can piously aid them and pray for them. That is what Christ expects from us.

We pray the Rosary daily. Most of all, we try to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Saint John Vianney once said, "All good works taken together cannot equal the value of one Holy Mass, because they are the works of men, but the Mass is the work of God."

Saint John Fisher, the nemesis of King Henry VIII, once shared with a Carthusian that he wished that he had not spent so much time writing theological works defending the Catholic Church, but had instead used that time for prayer. "Prayer would have done more good and was of more merit."

As lay people, our ingenuity won't accomplish much. Instead, humble prayers will break the snares of the devil.

Saint John Fisher and all holy martyrs, pray for us.

Please check out Taylor Marshall's books about Catholicism at amazon.com.

Fast Candy Treat . . .

Sometimes, the simplest of ingredients will make for a memory. When my children were small, they liked nothing more than 'cooking' in the kitchen. One daughter would cut up celery and think she was the most accomplished of cooks. When they got older, they would experiment with Ramen for lunch.

This is a fast candy treat to make on a 'boring' afternoon. The children can help and it could be a surprise for Dad when he gets home from work. The best part is you probably have the ingredients in
your cupboard. The even better part is you can be creative and substitute some of the inclusions in the recipe.

Quick Candy Treat
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chunky peanut butter
4 cups minature marshmallows (using the colorful ones only add to the drama!)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

Gently meld the chocolate and peanut butter together. Keep stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and quickly mix in the walnuts and marshmallows. Now, you can either spread the mixture into a greased 9-inch pan or drop spoonfuls onto parchment or waxed paper. Chill until firm.

Ideas . . .
You don't have to use walnuts, mixed nuts, cashews, pecans . . . it's your call!
1/2 cup of your favorite cereal?
Coconut?
Chow Mein Noodles?

Oh, dear . . . too much truth in the first quote!

"There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it's only a hundred billion. It's less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers."
-- Richard Feynman

"The easiest way for your children to learn about money is for you not to have any."
-- Katharine Whitehorn

"A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top ."
-- Unknown

"Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them."
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

G. K. Chesterton and other words of wisdom . . .

"There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read."
-- G. K. Chesterton

"Many would be cowards if they had courage enough."
-- Thomas Fuller

"It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power."
-- David Brin

Interesting Facts and Ideas in Child Care . . .

I'm always interested in finding out new things and sharing them. It is especially great when someone who reads this blog shares a link of their own http://cleaningbabybottles.com/! I'm pretty sure I don't miss that aspect of having babies but I wish I had known some of this when I did!

Oatmeal Cookies . . . again and again!

One of the readers of this blog shared a link  http://healthyoatmealraisincookies.com/ with more recipes for Oatmeal cookies. These are more in line with healthier eating. Seems to me that oatmeal cookies certainly lend themselves to a good diet and if you can cut a few calories and add a bit more fiber, don't tell your children they are good for them. Let them enjoy while you smile!

Canticle of Zechariah

Seems appropriate in the face of what the United States government is trying to do to people of faith today. The fifth stanza is most telling of what should be right in the world!

Canticle of Zechariah

Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
Born of the house of His servant David.

Through His holy prophets He promised of old
That He would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember His holy Covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,
Holy and righteous in His sight
All the days of our life.

You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning.
is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

Homemade Candy . . .

Various versions of this recipe have been around for years. I ran into it in an ancient cookbook and decided to print it out to try this week. Thought other people might like to include it in their summer dinner parties and festivities . . . or just because everyone wants some homemade candy!

Homemade Chocolate Nut Crunch
4 sticks of butter (Margarine won't work!)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 cups chopped almonds (I toast them a bit and leave them unblanched)
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts for topping

Melt butter over low heat in a large cooking pot. Add the sugar and stir constantly until melted. Add in the water and  corn syrup. Cook and stir constantly to prevent burning until a candy thermometer registers 290 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 cups of chopped nuts. Spread immediately into a vegetable-oiled sprayed pan, approximately 9 x 13 or whatever you have that will work. You can always do this is two, small pans. Refrigerate until candy is hard.

Melt the chocolate and spread over cold candy and immediately sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts. When the chocolate is set, break into pieces and enjoy!

Ideas . . .
You can also top it with melted white chocolate chips and sprinkle with colorful sugar or decorations.
You can add a smidge of cinnamon to the nut crunch portion just as you finish cooking it.

Where are the priorities?

The prayer petitions at our Mass are always . . . interesting. Today, they were for fairness in the workplace, a worthy thing to pray about. In honor of St. John the Baptist's feast day, they made mention of the safety of the unborn - something that is seldom included in the prayer petitions from the altar. I waded through the diocesan-prescribed petitions and . . . no mention of the obama mandate regarding our potential loss of religious freedoms and no mention of the Fortnight for Freedom and recitation of the special prayer that is making the rounds of everywhere except, seemingly, from our pulpit. I find that very sad. We are a one, Catholic, universal Church so why aren't all Catholics and clergy strongly and loudly behind this push to fight the loss of our religious freedoms?

There are bishops in the United States that have been very vocal about the injustice of obama's mandate against Catholics and Christians. It is pretty quiet here in California. I may be wrong but I haven't seen/heard any of our clergy crossing the line and appearing on any media reports. Yes, I'm sure they are worried about it in their own way but, like the proverbial flock of sheep, we need our shepherds to bring this matter forcefully to the forefront of our attention and prayers. I have had friends who tried to talk to fellow Catholics and run into a mental brick wall because so many don't understand the impact this mandate will have on religion.

A friend told me, years ago, that soon it will be the people in the pew who have to set the world straight about what is right and wrong. I guess all that believe in the Constitution and how it is supposed to protect our right to Faith will have to do their best to spread the world from their corners of the country.

Still, it would be nice to have heard it from the altar today. And, if I were in charge (scary thought!), I sure would have ongoing prayer petitions for the protection of the unborn and an end to artificial methods of birth control every day a Mass was celebrated. It wouldn't hurt to include petitions for a return to modesty, purity, and spiritual awareness for the world especially our teens.

Truth, Facts, and Smiles through Quotes . . .

"We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it."
-- Roald Dahl

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."
-- Krishnamurti

"I can think of nothing less pleasurable than a life devoted to pleasure."
-- John D. Rockefeller

Eggplant IS good!

 Strange as it may seem, I actually have three of my four children who enjoy and look forward to dinner even more when I'm serving eggplant. I never knew this vegetable when I was growing up and only started cooking it about ten years into my marriage. Eggplant with homemade sauce, Provolone, Feta, and Romano cheese is a definite favorite. It isn't difficult, just a bit time-consuming but, after all, it is my job to feed and care for my family so I enjoy the process. My husband's contribution to the meal preparation? His homegrown green beans which he happily cleans and cuts for me. Anyone interested in a recipe, let me know, however, a quick Google search would turn up any number of equally good versions of this meatless meal that doesn't make you feel deprived of meat!

Hoping for the best . . .

We had decided to take the remaining three kittens and their mother to the Humane Society Animal Shelter yesterday. At the last minute, my husband decided to give us another week to find an alternataive situation for the little balls of fluff. A local pet supply shop has adoption days where they bring in an assortment of dogs and cats they have been fostering in hopes of finding homes for them. I spoke to the woman in charge and she was rather rude and abrupt. She even got on the phone in the middle of our conversation so I just left. She did, however, inform me that being it is 'kitten season', any cats we take to the shelter will be put down almost immediately.

In the back of my mind, I do understand that there is a chance that stray animals may end up being killed for lack of homes/room, etc. at the public shelters. The idea of actually handing over these sweet kittens and knowing for a fact that it is their last day wasn't something I could cope with and do. We have now put an all-points bulletin out to let people know we have the kittens and to spread the word. Meanwhile, we continue to feel like a kitten farm with three of them inside the house and three of them living on the front porch.

It is frustrating that there are so many people allowing their cats to have litter after litter of kittens that either end up feral or mistreated in the wilds and having to scrape and scrape for food. We are planning on having the two mother cats spayed and keeping them. My husband plans to build them a protective shelter outside. They do like to come in the house and sit in the stone entry way as a treat once a day.

In the meantime, anyone in the Southern California area that desperately wants a sweet kitten, I happen to know of three very adoptable sweethearts!

Funnier than reading the real news of the day . . .

"A joke's a very serious thing."
-- Charles Churchill

"The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it."
-- Franklin P. Jones

"USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population."
-- David Letterman

"More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly."
-- Woody Allen

Welfare for Everyone?

The president came out with another of his executive orders last week and basically gave amnesty to something like a million people give or take a few. Now I can understand concessions for children who were brought over to this country and growing up in this country. I do think the president is making more of an election promise than solving a problem, however.

We currently have a high unemployement rate in America. I, personally, understand this as I have two college graduates who cannot find any kind of employment and have student loans due. The last rough figure I heard was that there could be a million unemployed United State citizens in our country right now. How can the presiden think it a good idea to put another million in a situation where they, too, would require jobs. It is simply math . . . We can only hand out unemployment compensation when there are people working to cover the out of work. The more people out of work, the less unemployment compensation available. You add another massive group of people seeking employment and it topples down the whole economic structure.

Yes, there has to be some kind of restructure in our immigration policies. We are not only talking about people from Mexico as a lot of illegal immigration comes from many other countries in the world. When the president keeps stating that children brought over the border from Mexico, isn't he doing a disservice to immigrants that did the same thing from other countries?

More than a solution, the president has tried to put a tiny bandaid on a massive wound that needs careful consideration and work before declaring it will be all right now. He may earn the votes based on what I consider mere campaign promises but,  what kind of a mess has he created that will make matters even worse in the future.

Chocolate Cake in Minutes . . .

Okay, it won't be baked in minutes but you can have this dessert in the oven quickly to bake while you go on with your other meal chores.

Chocolate Cake in Minutes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water

Combine all the ingredient in a mixing bowl and whisk to form a smooth batter. Spread into an 8x8-inch baking pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched.

Ideas . . .
-Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
-Cool thoroughly and frost your your favorite homemade or store-bought icing.
-Scatter white and chocolate chips over the top of the cake when it comes out of the oven. When they melt, gently swirl to form a marbled icing.

St. Thomas More - Pray for us!

St. Thomas More

Patron of Religious Freedom

Pray for us!

St. Thomas More always stood with his Faith and God even in the face of sure death. He had a lawyer's mind and our Lord in his heart. His Catholic Faith came before politics without wavering. We certainly need a lawyer on our side during the Fortnight for Freedom as we face down the politicians and our president who would like to see us fall and are making every effort to distort
our religious freedoms for their own benefit.

Why bring up St. Thomas More today? It's his feast day and a reminder that all is not lost to those who put their faith in God and not man.

Event Locator for Fortnight for Freedom

http://www.catholicvote.org/index.php?/locator/step1

Great way to find out what is going on in your State/Diocese/Parish for the Fortnight for Freedom. We began the special prayer with our evening prayers and it was a poignant moment to realize that we lived in the United States of America that was founded on religious freedom yet were praying that we could keep our religious liberties.

I checked our parish and nothing is planned. I'm still looking for another avenue of participation but praying is always a good way to ask God's forgiveness and petition for our freedom of religion.

Perfect Explanation of Life!

Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.

- Stephen Vincent Benet

Prayer for the Protection of Liberty 2012

The Fortnight for Freedom begins today. This is the prayer issued by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. I plan to add this to our evening prayers and wanted to share it with anyone who hasn’t received it yet. Our religious liberties are on the line and God is the One to stop this disgrace in it’s tracks.

　

Prayer for the Protection of Liberty

O God our Creator, from your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters gathered in your Church in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome—for the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and all who come after us—this great land will always be "one nation, under God,indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tangy Cheese Crisps

Most of the time, you would probably be sure to have the ingredient for homemade snacks right in your cupboards/refrigerator. I like cheese crackers or most any sort but the boxed ones from the store are expensive, have many additives, and are too salty. Besides, my cravings usually happen when I can't indugle myself and race over to the grocery store. These go together pretty quickly especially if you think ahead and have the dough already chilling and ready to bake.

Tangy Cheese Crisps
1/2 cup butter
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Ingredients should be at room temperature. Cream the butter until smooth. Add the cheeses and cayenne and beat until very smooth. Stir in flour to the cheese mixture to form a dough. Chill for about an hour. Form into 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes or until pale, golden brown. Great hot, warm, or cold.

*If the crisps don't spread out enough, you can press them down a bit with a fork to form a crisscross
pattern.

**You can roll the unbaked balls of dough in poppy or sesame seeds for an even more festive presentation.

Life's Recipe

Life's Recipe - Author Unknown
1 cup of good thoughts
1 cup of kind deeds
1 cup of consideration for others
2 cups of sacrifice for others
3 cups of forgiveness
2 cups of well beaten faults

Mix these thoroughly and add tears of joy and sorrow and sympathy for others. Fold in 4 cups of prayer and faith to lighten other ingredients and raise texture to great height of Christian living. After pouring all this into your daily life, bake well with heat of human kindness. Serve with a smile.

Not a Barrel of Monkies!

 A new space-saving device for kitten storage? Nope, this old pretzel barrel is the kittens' favorite plaything. When they are done playing, they like to curl up in it and take a nap. They are getting a little too big to fit in but they still make the effort. Naturally, the orange cat got in first and took up most of the room. He is all-boy and very bossy.

Still Dreaming about a Home . . .

 We have one kitten left without a home. His brother and sister are going to new homes at the end of the month but, as yet, this little one is heading for the animal shelter. I wish we could keep her but we have a dog that would like nothing better than having cat for lunch. I've tried not to get attached to any of the stray kittens that found their way to our door but this one is the sweetest of the bunch. While the other two like to try out their claws on our arms and legs, this one seems to make a point of using 'soft paws' - no extended claws. As you can see, it is a cuddler, too.

Another way to use zucchini . . .

The one crop that seems to excell every summer is zucchini. Soon, we will be trying to leave our extra crop on the doorsteps of unsuspecting neighbors who are probably out doing the same thing with their overabundance of zucchini! I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to use this vegetable. I guess I'm one of the few that truly like it. I even eat it sliced and raw for a lunch time snack.

Zucchini Spice Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup honey
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries (although raisins or diced dates would work, too)

Cream together the butter and honey. Add the egg and beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients and then stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Drop by teaspoonsfulls onto a parchment-lined or vegetable oil sprayed cookie sheet and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes.

You can dust them with powdered sugar for presentation purposes or ice them with lemon or orange icing. Makes about 4 1/2 to 5 dozen cookies. Great with a glass of milk for an after-school/work snack.

Never thought of life that way . . .

A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction.

- Rita Mae Brown

Fortnight for Freedom!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKlRen8yzaw&feature=youtu.be

This is a short but fantastic video that shows the omama mandate for what it is - a governmental attempt to take away basic freedoms and forcefully put guidelines on how we practice our faiths. This affects all religions and no one should feel safe with this mind set being unleashed on our country. The United States was founded on freedom and the current administration has done little more than find ways to limit our freedom. Pray and speak out!

Making Shortbread at Home . . .

One of my favorite cookies is Shortbread. It is a comfort cookie that goes with everything from hot tea to cocoa. You can dress them up or just enjoy a piece of buttery goodness and forget, for the moment, that calories even exist in the world. There are many recipes around but the basic one always suits me the best. I never add vanilla extract because, then, it wouldn't be exactly like Shortbread!

Shortbread
3/4 cup butter, softened (not melted!)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Blend the butter and sugar together thoroughly. Work in the dry ingredients either with your fingers or with a pastry cutter. It should come together into a workable dough. Chill while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray. I like using parchment for these cookies as it absorbs some of the butter fat and gives a nice, brown underside without burning.

Roll out dough to about 1/2-inch thick and cut with your favorite, small cookie cutters or just use a glass and make circles. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top just starts to get a golden tinge. You don't want brown cookies as they will be dried out.

Ideas . . .
Make circle cookies and when they are baked and cooled, dip each cookie half way into melted chocolate. Let set on waxed paper.

When the half-dipped cookies are set, drizzle white icing to make a contrasting design.

Before baking, brush tops of cookies with beaten egg white and sprinkle with colorful sugar or chopped nuts.

Use dough for a pie crust for a pre-baked crust for a pudding-type pie or fresh strawberry pie

Quotable Points to Ponder . . .

"Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought."
-- Sir William Osler

"I can forgive Alfred Nobel for having invented dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize."
-- George Bernard Shaw

"Happiness isn't something you experience; it's something you remember."
-- Oscar Levant

"Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist ought to have his head examined."
-- Samuel Goldwyn

Motivating Thought for the Day . . .

How can you come to know yourself? Never by thinking, always by doing. Try to do your duty, and you'll know right away what you amount to.

- Johann von Goethe

The Three Little Kittens Story . . . revisited!

 This mother cat, we call her Mrs. Black Cat, brought her three kittens over to our front step a couple of weeks ago. Just what we needed when another cat had already brought her brood of three over a week before that. The kittens are happy to reside in our bushes and we plan to turn them over to the Humane Society this Saturday and pray they all get good homes.

The kittens have provided us with a lot of interesting moments. Besides being very cute, they have disappeared twice which gave us som concern as to their safety. The first instance, we discovered Mrs. Black Cat with only one, black kitten in tow. She was very protective of the kitten and looked worried about the whereabouts of the other two. We kept looking and checking around thinking the scatterbrained babies had wandered off too far to find their way back. No luck and no kittens.

I was preparing dinner the evening of their disappearance and heard some kittens crying. Thinking it was the other set of three, I checked, but they were sound asleep in their box. I looked outside and the one black kitten was curled up with Mrs. Black Cat . . . yet the meowing persisted. We finally discovered the two kittens in our garage. They must have thought it was a veritable Disneyland for kittens because they hadn't made a sound all day. A bowl of stinky canned cat food soon lured them out and we made a successful grab for them and return the missing babies to a grateful and happy Mrs. Black Cat.

The next day, my husband had to clean the front porch. When he started up the blower to get the leaves and dirt out of the corners, etc., he knew it would scare the kittens so he made sure the garage door was shut and angled his work so as not to startle them and made sure they didn't head in any adverse direction. When I went out, later, all three of the kittens were missing! My husband thought about checking up and down the street but figured he would be suspect if he went up to every neighbor's foliage and bushes and batted around trying to see if he could scare up kittens. We were sad as it seemed they had really gotten themselves totally lost this time. Naturally, we checked the garage but since the door had been closed, we didn't hold out much hope.

My daughter showed up and we told her the sad story. She immediately checked the garage and caught a glimpse of the kittens having a great time back in their kitten wonderland! I guess they were having such a good time, they didn't make enough noise for us to realize that, some how, they had gotten in the garage, again. We easily caught the gray kitten because all he thinks about is food and was quite happy to find an unexpected plate in the garage. My daughter had more problems with the black kittens because they are more skittish being feral cats. They were busy thinking about having a snack from the tempting plate of cat food when my daughter crept up on them, swooped down and managed to get two in one grab!

Two, whole days, now, and they have remained in their usual haunt in our bushes. We discovered why the gray one is such a hefty fellow. His mother feeds him, we feed him kitten formula and cat food and he has made friends with the other mother cat . . . who has been feeding him. Talk about an opportunist!

A New Low . . . ?

It seems that a group of Kindergarten children were prepared to sing God Bless the USA at some kind of event. The principal decided the song was not appropriate for American children to sing so substituted one by Justin Bieber dealing with dating, etc. In protest, children gathered in the school yard to sing the song they wanted to sing . . . and were actually heckled by Democratic grownups who tried to drown out their voices. In response, the children shouted them down with, "USA! USA! USA!"

Since when is singing and enjoying patriotic songs offense to any political party? How low for grownups to try and undermine a group of children. Kind of brings to mind, 'can't they pick on someone their own size?' One person actually said they should go sing on Republican property. So much for bipartisan efforts on any level.

Thought I'd share the video: http://dailycaller.com/2012/06/19/children-singing-god-bless-the-usa-heckled-by-man-screaming-burn-in-hell/

This is so sad that grownups want to refuse children the right to sing proudly about their country. What a bitter bunch of people are in this video. The first and loudest man was particularly sad. What about the USA and all the benefits he enjoys in this country doesn't he understand? Does he feel manly outshouting little children who are singing on school property? Sounds like the whole bunch should be rounded up and charged with being bullies because wasn't that just what they were doing - bullying children for no reason?

Salad Days . . .

Naturally, with the onset of summer weather, dinner ideas are likely to include salads. I don't know how many times I've purchased wonderful salad greens, come home, wash them, and then discover we are out of salad dressing.

After doing more label reading, however, I have been into home creation salad dressings. Not only are they less expensive but I, personally, know what is going into the food I'm setting before my family.

A popular 'gourmet' dressing is raspberry. If you have raspberry jam (seedless variety!) on hand, you can soon have just enough dressing to fix your salad and save yet another trip to the store. This is a try and taste proposition. Start with a tablespoon of the jam. Add some lemon juice, salt, pepper, a smidge of cayenne and you have a something different and tasty. This is just a basic premise. You can make it as thick or thin as you like it, as spicy as suits you, and as exotic. A touch of dried Chinese hot mustard really perks it up. That is why I'm not setting out definite recipes. For one thing, mine never turn out the same. For another, I don't know you and your family's tastes. I'm giving suggestions and, hopefully, some inspiration!

Apricot or orange marmelade can be thinned out with some salsa for either a strong dressing or a basting sauce for chicken.

Plum jam/jelly can be turned into an Asian sauce with some grated ginger and braised, chopped garlic.

Grape jelly can be changed beyond recognition.

I guess what I'm trying to share is that you have the ingredients in your cupboard to create and you don't always have to rely on a bottled item to put a great salad on the table.

In addition, don't forget the add-ins of grated cheeses, Feta cheese, chopped olives, mayo, etc. If you use good ingredients, you will get something tasty in return.

Always gets the last word . . .

My husband enjoyed his Father's Day especially the homemade cheesecake. I usually make a low-fat version and although there is no taste difference, my husband insists the fat makes the dessert. In honor of Father's Day, he got the full-fat version. I made a small one that would cool down in time for dessert last night and a larger one to enjoy today.

Before he went to bed, last night, my husband posted a note on the refrigerator for my son who get up before everyone else in the morning that said: "Cheese cake is for dessert, not for breakfast or lunch". This morning, a post it note was found attached to the first sign that said "What is your policy on midnight snacks?"

Awakening Kittens . . .

 There is nothing sweeter than watching kittens wake up in the morning. The orange tiger cat looks like the baby of the bunch but he is all boy and is just waiting for a chance to escape the confines of the box to strut around the floor and pounce on unexpecting siblings. The gray one has a fanstatically soft fur coat and very sweet disposition - perfect for the convent life where she is heading. The black and white one is the runt of the litter but a feisty kitten ready for games or a wrestling match. You have to be careful reaching into the box as they have all learned to jump up on your arm as a means of escape.

Some Side Kick Dishes . . .

Here are a couple of pasta dishes that make great side dishes or can be a fast, light lunch on a hectic day. They are also great for Lenten meals and meatless Friday dinners. I like the fact that you probably have the ingredients on hand so it takes the worry out of too much planning ahead.

Buttered Poppy Seed Noodles
16 ounces spaghetti
1 stick butter (margarine won't work as well here.)
2-3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Prepare your pasta to taste. Drain thoroughly and place back into warm pot. Melt the butter and add the poppy seeds. Simmer very slightly for a moment or two to blend flavors. Pour over the pasta, toss gently and serve.

Walnut-Garlic Pasta
16 ounces spaghetti
2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, diced
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

While your pasta is cooking, melt the butter with the olive oil. Throw in the garlic and cook gently until softened. Toss with the chopped walnuts, cooking two or three minutes longer. Be careful not to burn the butter/oil mixture. Pour over now cooked and drained spaghetti, mix together and serve. A crisp, green salad goes well with this. And there is always your fresh bread to consider!

Some Sunday Morning Quote to Grin About . . .

"Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying."
-- Fran Lebowitz

"I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow."
-- Woodrow Wilson

"Stoop and you'll be stepped on; stand tall and you'll be shot at."
-- Carlos A. Urbizo

"When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. Now I'm beginning to believe it."
-- Clarence Darrow

Just saying . . .

Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.

President Ronald Reagan

Almond Sour Cream Pound Cake

For anyone still wondering what to bake for their loved one on Father's Day, this recipe looks extremely good and not complicated. As always, I plan to try it but will tweak it a bit for my own tastes but have to admit, that just as written, it sounds pretty good.

http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Almond-Sour-Cream-Pound-Cake-recipe-

Cat Action!

 Our resident kittens have a favorite toy and it is an empty, plastic barrel. They will either tease the one inside the barrel from the outside or all cram in to see who wins the total space to himself.

They are growing so quickly and two of them will soon go to their new homes. We are still hopeful of finding a good home for the black and white kitten who is a dear little critter. We don't want to take her to the shelter on her own so keep looking for a happy family for her to join.

Countdown to Father's Day . . .

 A 'count down to Father's Day' treat for my husband! It has been awhile since we had an apply pie so I made sure to add some tart, green apples to the grocery list and there you have it.

One 'secret' I've learned for preparing the apples is to add both cornstarch and flour to the apples along with the granulated sugar and spices. Also, if time permits, I marinate the simple, plain apple slices the night before in a mixture of lime juice and brandy.

There are all kinds of way to put together an apple pie and very few people who will turn down a slice regardless of how it was prepared!

Remember November 2012 - VOTE!

"A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election."
-- Bill Vaughan

Father's Day!

Tomorrow is Father's Day! You have to feel a bit sorry for Dads as their Sunday in June never seems to be quite as celebrated as Mother's Day. Yes, Mothers may bear the brunt of being pregnant for nine months and raising the children but fathers must carry around so much stress in the realization that they are the support of people other than himself!

I'm blessed that I stayed home with my children while my husband went to work each day to insure that we had enough to eat and a house over our heads. I sometimes look around and try to remember the moment my husband and I went from newly-wed couple to parents of four college students. I always tell young mothers to cherish the moments, even the tantrum-throwing, sticky, goofy moments with their children because they become a memory all too soon.

Over the years, I have discovered that a lot of the children's milestones are seen by me and then shared with my husband when he comes home from work. I'm so glad he takes a stay-at-home mother seriously because if we were both working, who would care to tell either of us these events in our children's lives that only we care about?

I offered to splurge and made a rib roast for my husband's Father's Day dinner. He said he would rather have one of my 'created' meals. We finally settled on a German dinner of Rouladen (thin beef rolled around a mustard/onion/bacon filling), red cabbage, and garlic mashed potatoes. Since he has lost weight, he says he deserves a cheesecake and not one my low-fat ones!

Getting my husband a gift is always a challenge. He loves to read but he is a librarian so has access to any and all books he might be interested in reading. He has more tools than he needs although he is attracted to shiny, new ones! We finally hit on what we hope will be a perfect gift - a new rice steamer!

Okay, giving a dad a rice steamer might sound odd. My husband has a few dietary concerns and the perfect breakfast for him is steamed rice and fruit. Our old rice cooker was a cheap model that worked okay but it is aging and shows the wear.  It works but isn't terrific. After a Google search, as always, I found the perfect one on-line at Costco and for the best price around plus free delivery! My husband has, in the past, looked at other steamers and although this one isn't the top of the line model (with a price to match!), reviews told me that many people preferred the one I finally purchase and it was a great deal less expensive. Besides his new rice steamer, we got him three Mass cards to take care of the spiritual while he fed the physical . . . with his new rice steamer!

Here is hoping that all the deserving fathers feel the love of their families tomorrow on their day!

The President who wasn't afraid to believe in God . . .

With the attacks coming so strongly against people of Faith, it is good to remember some of the quotes from President Ronald Reagen. He may not have been a perfect president but he put God into his thoughts, actions, and decisions.
"We in the United States, above all, must remember that lesson, for we were founded as a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. And so we must remain. Our very unity has been strengthened by our pluralism. We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free, and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief. (President RONALD WILSON REAGAN)

"At the same time that our Constitution prohibits state establishment of religion, it protects the free exercise of all religions. And walking this fine line requires government to be strictly neutral. And government should not make it more difficult for Christians, Jews, Muslims, or other believing people to practice their faith. And that's why, when the Connecticut Supreme Court struck down a statute -- and you may not have heard about this; it was a statute protecting employees who observed the Sabbath. Well, our administration is now urging the United States Supreme Court to overturn the Connecticut Court decision. This is what I mean by freedom of religion, and that's what we feel the Constitution intends." -- Remarks to Members of the Congregation of Temple Hillel and Jewish Community Leaders in Valley Stream, New York, 26 October 1984 (President RONALD WILSON REAGAN)

"I believe that the most essential element of our defense of freedom is our insistence on speaking out for the cause of religious liberty. I would like to see this country rededicate itself wholeheartedly to this cause. I join you in your desire that the Protestant Churches of America, the Catholic Church, and the Jewish organizations remember the members of their flock who are in prison or in jeopardy in other countries. We are our brothers' keepers, all of us. And I hope the message will go forth from this conference: To prisoners of conscience throughout the world, take heart; you have not been forgotten. We, your brothers and sisters in God, have made your cause our cause, and we vow never to relent until you have regained the freedom that is your birthright as a child of God." -- Remarks at a Conference on Religious Liberty, 16 April 1985 (President RONALD WILSON REAGAN)

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under." (President Ronald Reagan)

THE quote for the day!

Only under a Godless government can you:

legally kill your children 
and
go to jail for disciplining them.

Don't Politicians have enough to keep them busy?

The economy is in a downward spiral not matter how the administration twists and turns the numbers to make themselves look good. After all, it is election season so lies often win votes. Ms. obama wants to curtail bake sales and limit access to foods she doesn't deem worthy of consumption in order to orchestrate a bodily perfect view of the world. She might try starting with her other half who is often seen cramming a burger or hot dog into is mouth. Now, Mayor Bloomberg of New York has found time hanging heavily on his hands and is out to limit the size of soda to 16 ounces. For the time being, free refills are okay. So? What's the point other than he can wreck the income of many fast food places who have to dump their supply of larger-sized cups and reduce their income. Why take it out on companies trying to keep their heads above water right now? Yes, soda should be consumed in moderation but who is Mayor Bloomberg to tell grown ups what they can or cannot purchase? Will he send out the anti-soda forces to private homes to determine how many liter bottles of cola they might have stashed away? Will private citizens have to maintain only cups and glasses holding 16 ounces or less in their homes? As one newspaper said, 'what next - popcorn and milkshakes'?

Of course, you have to realize that when erring politicians and movie stars get arrested, it isn't for over consumption of soda and popcorn. Nope, it is usually liquor and drugs. Seems ironic that politicians are pushing for legalizing drugs while trying to ban some simple pleasures in life like soda. Just a part of imbedding a socialistic outlook in our Democracy where we need a government official to stand guard over every sip and morsel that goes past our lips for our own good.

What is interesting, that while too much of anything is deterimental to one's health, over the years, 'banned' dietary items are discovered to be actually necessary. Salt isn't  the demon it once was thought. Coconut oil can actually be good for you. Soy, in many forms is not good for you. Jumping on the bandwagon early in the game often makes one look foolish later on. Perhaps, our ruling government should look up the word 'moderation' - something they don't seem to understand especially when it comes to our money.

I don't know about Mayor Bloomberg or others of his ilk that want to send the SWAT teams into our grocery stores (just kidding about the SWAT teams - I hope!), to make sure our grocery carst are properly filled. Education is a good thing but free will is even more important. If you educate, people exercise their free will with good knowledge. If you take over their free will, they will lie, steal, and kill to get their soda.

I think the economy needs attention and politicians should stay out of our cupboards and away from our dinner tables. They also need to keep their personal agendas out of our lives and fix what they so stupidly broke through their own ignorance or mean-spirited gestures of competence.

My favorite quote for today!

Sometimes the best way to figure out who you are is to get to that place where you don't have to be anything else.

- Unknown

Hope the third quote isn't played out in the 2012 election!

Ethics are so annoying. I avoid them on principle."
-- Darby Conley

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
-- Hunter S. Thompson

"You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public."
-- Scott Adams

"Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple."
-- Barry Switzer

Almost-Vegetarian Barley Soup

I like vegetable soup but am not above using chicken broth for the liquid! This is a filling meal in itself and all it needs is some good bread and butter to complete the menu.

Almost-Vegetarian Barley Soup
1/2 cup barley
7 cups chicken broth or half chicken broth and half water
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
Pinch of chili flakes
4 new potatoes, peeled and diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup diced red bell pepper (or any color bell pepper you might prefer)
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 cup green beans (frozen and defrosted is fine)
1 cup your favorite yellow squash
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 chopped green onions or scallions
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh Basil, snipped into strips
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, sautee the onions and garlic until fragrant and softened. Add the barley, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook a minute to warm the ingredients. Add the chicken broth/water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until barley is tender. It is usually about 20 minutes but check the package.

After the barley is done, add all the ingredients except the Basil and the Romano cheese. Cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Test for seasoning. Stir in the Basil and cheese and serve.

If you like, you can add a can of diced tomatoes for a more Italian presentation with a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Cool Chocolate Dessert

This one takes a bit of prior work to have it ready in time for your after-meal enjoyment. It is, however, relatively easy and can be dressed up or plain - your time, choice, and creativity!

Cool Chocolate Dessert
1/3 cup hot water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
dash of salt

Combine the hot water, cocoa, and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside for now.

Microwave the chocolate  until completely melted. Let cook for ten minutes. You can also melt them over a double boiler if you don't have access to a microwave.

Whip the cream, sugar, and salt with a mixer until soft peaks form. Stir the cocoa mixture into the melted chocolate. With a hand whisk, fold the combined chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.

Now comes the fun! Do you want to turn it into a pie? Just spread it into a baked pie crust and refrigerate until firm. No time for a pie crust? Layer the chocolate cream into pretty glasses alternating with whipped cream, cookie crumbs, canned cherries, etc. and top with a garnish of whipped cream. A drizzle of bottled caramel sauce wouldn't be bad, either. It is hard to go wrong with anything chocolate and it is easy to create a great dessert with this as your base.

Whipped Cream (this recipe lasts for a few days without breaking down)
1-2 cups of heavy whipping cream (depends on how many you are serving and whether you are layering the dessert, too.)
1/4 cup sour cream (not low fat!)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Whip together the cream to form peaks, whip in the extracts, and there you have it!