Mr. Dickens Danced at Midnight

It was the day after Christmas and an unusually warm night for this time of year.  Even though I was exhausted from all the holiday festivities, I decided to go to Wal-mart and K-mart to see what kind of deal they have this year. 
Gary, of course, thought I'd lost my mind going shopping when it was already past 10pm.  He was having no part of going to town this time of night.  It was OK because I was totally happy to go alone.  It was a beautiful evening and I sometimes enjoy the calm of being alone.

It's almost midnight and all I had done so far was talk to friends I met in the store.  I did a little looking while talking, but didn't buy a thing.  I did enjoy seeing and visiting with old friends though better than anything I could buy in the store.
As much time as I spend downtown this time of year, I still never get to enjoy the mannequins, so on the way to K-mart, I decided to go and see spend some time with the Dickens "people".  The sky was illuminated with sparkling bright stars and a huge glowing full moon.  I decided to park in the 6th Street Park 'n Shop lot and walk the two blocks to the courthouse so I could see all the people on the way.  Even though the courthouse lights had long since been turned off, the courtyard was still beautiful and it was nice to just sit there on a bench and enjoy.
As I rounded the building at the corner of the parking lot and downtown came into full view, it looked suspiciously eerie but beautiful at the same time.  I thought to myself as I looked at the empty streets, the reflection on the buildings coming from the quaint looking new street lamps, Gary was right, I had lost my mind.  What sane woman would be downtown, even in Cambridge, this time of night alone?  I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked on.  As I neared the Dickens Welcome Center, I could tell that the door was ajar, whoever closed up that night, must not have gotten the door secure.  It is hard to open or lock.  I had my key with me, so I crossed the street to go and lock it.  As I got up to the door, I noticed that Charles Dickens was not seated at his desk in the window, but I decided the volunteers must have started cleaning for the end of the season.  I stepped inside the door to see what had been done, and noticed the Donna and the Bobby were also missing.  "Hmmm, this is very strange", I thought. Wonder where they were, surely not back at their summer home at Edge Tech.  Oh, well, I needed to do this and get back home. 

I stepped out on to the street and I could not believe what I saw!  I rubbed my eyes and shook my head, but nothing changed.  There was the Bobby and the Donna mannequins, or someone dressed like them, walking up the street.  As they passed one of the Dickens scenes, they reached out and touched them and when they did the mannequins magically stepped off their platforms.  Wow!  I swear this is what happened, and I had not been into any Christmas cheer!  Surely my brain had taken leave of it's senses.  I wanted to get closer where I wouldn't miss what was happening, so I hurried up the alley behind PNC Bank and through their drive through and crouched down in the darkness of the building and watched.   I stooped down and stayed close to the building so the mannequins could not see me.  Oh Lord, did I just say that? 
As the Dickens "people" stepped off their platforms, they walked to the courthouse lawn where the violinist was playing and the carolers were singing, while all the others were dancing a beautiful waltz, just like at the Fezziwig Ball.  Surely I must be dreaming, but truly, I was not!  OMG what should I do?  I was too curious to leave, but what if one of them should see me, and where was Charles Dickens.

What an amazing fantasy unfolded before my eyes.  As the merriment continued on the courthouse lawn, the Bobby and the Donna continued up the street awakening the statues.  They all filed in line down to the Courthouse Lawn, when they arrived, they all began singing or dancing or just sitting on a bench enjoying the beautiful evening as I was.  Even dog from the mail box was howling the old Christmas songs in tune. 

There wee a couple newsmen, one local and one from the capital city, a photographer, and other local celebrities, all of them having such a wonderful time.  Goodness, I just got enough light to see my watch and it's going on 2am.  I left my cell phone in the car;  I wonder if Gary has been calling worried about me?

As the end of the mannequins arrived on the Courthouse Lawn, there suddenly was a great bright light that shined upon the upstairs window of the US Bank Building....Lo and Behold, there was Charles Dickens dancing a beautiful waltz with the Queen.  What a show! 
I have no idea how long this festive event will continue on, and I can not come out and be seen.  I am getting very tired and don't know if I can stay awake much longer. 
"Yes, yes, what,"  I said sleepily, what is it?  By this time I was freezing cold.  I looked up, and this had to be a dream, it was Charles Dickens telling me it was time to go home, the show was over!  My mouth dropped to the ground about, and I was speechless! He said to me, "You should go home now, my friend.  I hope you enjoyed your evening with us"!  Really!  The Charles Dickens mannequin talking to me!  Now I know I've lost my mind...  This night is too good to keep to myself, but if I tell it will it end or will my family commit me to a Psych ward somewhere and lock me up for good! 
No, I was not dreaming and I want others to know what I experienced.  But they also have to know, that I was so very privileged to be there and for the Dickens People to continue with their plans while I was there, because even though I thought I was hidden, I was not. They knew I was there. 

I am so so tired, I know Gary will not believe this and I have only a few friends who will.  Do you???

Wow, here we are at November 1.  The Dickens people went out on the street today and it's time for me to begin my volunteer work as a step-on-guide.  I love being on the buses but it does take a little away from the holidays with my family doing this nearly every day of my life! 
The remarks that I get from the travelers, the group leaders, and other escorts and bus drivers makes it all worth it.  They always have good remarks about me, and they have great things to say about our town and county and the people they meet here.  I am writing a little story about Dickens and when I figure out the ending, I'll publish it here.

So it's holiday time and should have a recipe for you, but as of right now there is not a special one that comes to mind.  I do have a great tip for you to save time this busy time of year......
When you have to cook a meal choose things that you can do all in the oven.  Less clean up and you do not have to stand and watch the stove, you can be wrapping presents.  If you can get buy with it, eat on paper plates. 

I do the oven thing often.  Example:   Make pork chops coated with Oven Fry (they have it at Riesbecks and Wal-mart)  Then take a couple sweet potatoes (real sweet potatoes are not deep yellow but sort of creamy white)  or yams if you want and peel and slice them about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick.  Add water about 1/2 way up on the potatoes, drop in 2 tablespoons of butter, one teaspoon of brown sugar and salt to taste.  (doesn't take much salt).  These will bake in about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour depending on how many you are making.  The pork chops take 45 min in a 400º oven.  Make sure to use a covered casserole for the potatoes, and you can also put your veggie in a casserole dish, season them and add to the oven same time as the potatoes.   Be sure to line your baking pan for the chops with aluminum foil, little effort to wash the pan. 

Open a jar of apple sauce and you have a great meal in 45 minutes, with very little clean-up. 

So I don't like to wish my life away, but I hate winter, so hurry summer and come back!   Til next time

Betty

My special rainbows

In 1984, I lost my grandmother and my mother.  When my mother went asleep in the Lord, I was so torn up I couldn't stand it, but I felt I had to keep it together so that my brother would not lose it.  So on January 2, 1985 as we went to the funeral home to view the body before friends began arriving, it was thundering, lightening and pouring the rain.  I prayed all the way there, which was only a couple blocks for my mom to give me some kind of sign that she was in heaven with God and that she was doin ok!  Just at the time we arrived in front of the funeral home, the thunder, lightening and rain stopped and the biggest most beautiful rainbow appeared over the funeral home.  I took that for my sign, that she was ok!

Then a few years later, 1986, I think, my father-in-law went home to be with the Lord.  It had been many years since I had seen my husband cry, but after the funeral for his step-father, we sat in our living room and he quietly shed tears for the second father he had lost.  I sat by his side, and asked the Lord to please give us a sign that George was in heaven and well, and lo and behold, a big double rainbow appeared as we looked through our living room picture window.  I took that as my second sign. 

Now, if you see the photos that I posted on FB of the huge double rainbow that appeared today, you'll understand when I tell you, I came home to find out that my daughter's most treasured friend, Rupert, her dog was hit by a truck killed right in front of her.  That rainbow that appeared today was the biggest and closest to earth that I've ever seen.  The colors were bright and it looked as if you could reach out and touch it.  Then at second glance, I saw there was a second one, not quite as bright, but it was there none the less.  Brighter than many second or double rainbows I've seen. 

I tried to get a photo of the whole rainbow, but it was not possible.  I believe that bright beautiful rainbow, was for Rupert and possibly the second one was my mom, waiting for him to arrive in heaven.

I wonder if any of you have similar stories.  If you do, please post!

Betty

Saga of the great potato recipe

Saga of the great potato recipe

Well, I posted this recipe before when I was so excited about what I made myself to eat, but I didn't have a clue what I was doing and screwed it up. No so sure I'm doing any better, but I hope so. Well, this well be a shorter version of that post, but here goes the important part. I saw these potatoes being made on 5 ingredient fix. Normally, I do not get excited about a potato because a potato is a potato.... Well that's not entirel true.

Take some small red bliss potatoes, however many you think you will need. Lay them out on a cookie sheet and pour 3/4 cup of water on the sheet, drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Cover tightly with foil and put into a preheated 450º oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick easily penetrates the potato.

Remove from the oven and pour off the excess water. Be careful taking off the foil that you do not get burnt with the steam. Take a potato masher, and smash the potatoes down to about 1/2 inch thick. Drizzle again with olive oil and Sprinkle with grated Parmesean Reggiano Cheese, or any hard cheese of your choice. Put back in the oven or under the broiler until the cheese becomes golden brown and crispie. Remove from the oven and load it as you would a baked potato. You ca pick these up with your hands and eat them like a sandwich or cookie. Yum Yum!

I was so excited on Tuesday when I made my self this meal, because the intent was to go to a locsl grocery and buy a couple pieces of old dried up chicken for dinner. Then I thought about all the meat I had just purchased at Rittberger's new retail store and drug a strip steak out of the freezer instead, and fixed these potatoes, and had green beans seasoned with garlic pepper and Amish roll butter. Mmmmm mmmm mmmmm!

Well, something new and different tomorrow. I am very excited to have a blog, and I hope you all enjoy reading t, and I hope I have some good tips that you did not know every now and then.

Bye for now!

Outdoor Cooking

Hello again!
Today I want to share my weekend camping experience with you.   Cooking over an open fire!  I'm sure most of you have done this in one way or the other, but there may be some general rules that you don't know or haven't followed.

Cooking over an open fire requires two important things:  1. You have to have a way to add fuel (logs) to your fire, it will not stay at a constant temperature as your stove at home does.  2.  You need to have a space in your fire pit that has very little fire or hot coals.  This is how you regulate the heat in your skillet or pot.  When it gets too hot, you move it to a spot where there is less heat. 

I found the idea my husband had this weekend to be very beneficial also.  The heat was more even.  We have an aluminum griddle that is used over an open fire, and he put it on the grill that was directly over the fire, and then I sat  my cast iron kettle and cast iron skillet on that when I was cooking.  It worked out very well.

Normally we have a two tiered device that you stake in the ground close to the fire pit and it can be moved around, however, it was bent and was being repaired so we had to improvise by laying one of the grills directly on the old wheel in which we built the fire.  Oh Oh, I built this fire, well with the help of a neighbor man who brought over a piece of burning log from his fire.

Ok, so now you have a great bed of hot coals and some flame, and it's time to begin cooking.  You need to have everything peeled, sliced or chopped that is going into the pot.  This would be true for cooking a one pot meal at home also.  First goes the onions and garlic, be sure there is a sizzle when you put them in the pot.  I usually just drop in one piece to check it first, but after you've done this a hundred times you can look at the oil and tell if it's hot enough or not.  You put the onions and garlic in and keep them stirred around so they do not burn, just long enough to sweat them.  This is how you get the best flavor out of them.  Next you put in the veggies that require the longest cooking time, such as carrots, potatoes, then add your cabbage if that is what you are cooking, as I was.  Then finally add the meat and salt and pepper.  Add about a cup and a half of liquid such as water or chicken broth.  Put the lid on your kettle and let it simmer until done stirring occasionaly to be sure there is still liquid on the bottom. 

Cleaning your cast iron cookware:  I assume if you are using it you have followed the directions previously for preparing it for use.  So after your food is cooked, you clean it with just plain warm water, boiling it over the fire or on the stove if need be to loosen stuck food.  Then heat it slightly and apply lard to the inside and outside and heat it again.  Never put them away without heating them because they will rust if not completely dry.

I hope you can enjoy some outdoor cooking.  I also made fried green tomatoes, bad thing was hubby had not set up my little table outside for me and I had the tomatoes that were waiting to get fried sitting in a lawn chair, and the ones that were fried sitting in another lawn chair.  Well, you know anyone who just sits and does not look first?  I'm arried to one. He sat on the ones waiting to be fried, so they didn't look so great, but they tasted fine!  Moral:  take the time to set up the table.
See you another day!  Happy cooking!
Betty

It has been a very long time since I have been to this blog of mine.  I wasn't even sure how to find it.  I got interestedin writing a blog after seeing Julie and Julia!  Mainly because I love to cook.  Well, mostly I like to bake, but like to cook cute little Hors'dourve type things.

I am a food network junky.  I love to watch and learn new techniques, but don't look at my recipe books much any more.  Put a lot of them in my yard sale.  I did get one great tip from my tea party book that I got at the dollar store.

 If you are an ice tea lover, you have to make you tea this way:
First always use purified water, it just tastes better and does not leave a scum on your tea. It also is a more clear color. Heat the water until is it just ready to boil, but do not let it boil.  Turn it off and add the sugar to your taste.  I use only 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar for a 2 quart pitcher of tea.  Put in your tea bags, I use three decaffeineted family size tea bags.  Do not let the tea steep any more than 15 minutes.  Do not squeeze the tea bags, take them out without squeezing and throw them away.  IF you squeeze, that is where you get a bitter taste.  Let the tea cool completely before you refrigerate.  IF this is not the best tasting ice tea you have ever drank, I don't know why!  Enjoy!

I get a lot of my recipes from the internet and from TV food shows.  Some of them often have ingredients that we do not have available in our area, but Wal-mart will have most anything you see on TV, except Mascarpone Cheese and they now carry it at Reisbecks, and Kroger if you live near one of those.  The one things I have not been able to find at all is Kreme Fresh and

Wow, sorry, I thought I had lost this page, so you will see some duplication.  Sorry, but I told you I was new at this.

BJ


.

I love to cook.  I get a lot of ideas from food shows on TV, Martha Bakes, Emeril Live, Mad Hungry, 5 ingredient fix, and several  others.  I also get many from the internet. Some of these recipes will have ingredients that you can not find in the stores near you, if you are not in a city where there are mega stores, but Wal-mart will have most anything you need.

In my area, the two things I have never been able to find are andouille sausage and Kreme Fresh.  But there are substitutes out there for most anything and you can find a good substitute by doing a google search for just that.

I was forever looking for Mascarpone Cheese ( sort of like cream cheese, but not as sweet)  no one had it, recently I found it in Krogers in Columbus, and most recently I found it in Riesbeck's.

Here's a good tip for making ice tea.  If you make your tea this way it will be the best tea you ever tasted.  Heat purified water (.25 cents a gallon at Riesbecks and Value Fresh) til ready to boil, but do not let it boil.  Put in your sugar to taste, I use only 2 1/2 tablespoons for 2 quarts pitcher.  Put in your tea bags, I use three decaffeinated family size tea bags. Do not le them steep more than 8 - 15 minutes.  I usually leave it the full 15, because I add more water to make the 2 quarts.  Do NOT squeeze the tea bags, remove them and throw them away without squeezing.  This is where you get the bitterness in your tea.  Probably more important in a cup of tea, than in a pitcher of tea.  Let the tea cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. If it is not the best tea you ever had, then I don't understand it.

I may not be on here tomorrow as I'll be helping out in the store, but next time i write, I'll try to have a great recipe for you, something I have made up myself or one I have tried.  Possibly some couponing hints.  Have a great evening and enjoy some good food.  I'm off to make some pumpkin rolls!

BJ