Happy Birthday Kelly Jo

Today is my sister Kelly's 50th Birthday. Each family member and friend is celebrating it in their own way. My niece took her little one (Kelly's only grandchild) to Olive Garden and got her a piece of birthday cake for her grandma. The picture of her sweet face with all of the cake, frosting, and smiles was totally worth the effort. Today, I got a hair cut, wore red (her favorite color), and am now in the process of making a nice dinner for myself. I have a bottle of Martinellis to toast her with that I have saved from when her daughter got married. I bought Junior Mints and will watch the movie Hocus Pocus. Watching a movie with Junior Mints was something that Kelly and I did whenever I would go up to visit. We had a lot of jokes about those mints! I chose to watch Hocus Pocus tonight because it's a movie about three sisters. I will let each of you chose which witch is which! Halloween night I will, of course, require each trick or treater to show me a trick! This was something our Daddy always made us do before we could get a treat from him. Kelly and I always take great delight in the "tricks" the children come up with each year. If the child can't come up with one, they can always sing "Happy Birthday" to Kelly. I have had at least one each year sing for her. It's nice to have good memories to fall back on when life becomes to hectic. Love you Sis!

Casseroles

I have been trying to find an effective way to post my recipe for generic casseroles. I think I might have it! Casseroles are great for the winter months and can be great for the grocery budget. They can be healthy or not so healthy depending on your preference. Protein: This could be any kind of meat, dairy, or a combination of beans, cheese, and rice. I have used hot dogs, browned hamburger, tuna, stew meat, leftover pork roast, etc... Filler: This would be your starch. I suggest whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or cubed potatoes. Veggies: Don't skimp on these! Peas, carrots, corn, green beans, broccoli, and any other veggie you can get your family to eat. I even combine them. I like to get the frozen variety packs. Sauce: Something soupy to bind the goodness together. Any creamed soup or gravy will work great. I like the low sodium varieties. Toppings: I like to top it all with cheeses, but you could used crushed potato chips, or bread crumbs. The amount you use depends on how large your group is. One pound of protein, 2 cups of starch, 2-3 cups veggies, and one can of soup. Mix well and pour into a 9x13 cake pan and sprinkle the topping on. Bake 350 degrees for half an hour. You could microwave it as well if there is only cheese on top. Everything is cooked, you just need to heat it up! Combinations I have done are: hot dogs, mac and cheese, mushroom soup, and peas with cheddar cheese on top; brown rice with hamburger, mixed veggies, and mushroom soup; you could layer the protein, veggies, and sauce, then put mashed potatoes on top for a shepherd's pie. What ever combination you come up with enjoy the meal with your family!

Grandma Wicke's Bread

I have my grandmother's bread recipe that I have been using since I first got married in January of 1980. My mother said that she believes it is an alternate recipe to the one she used when her children were growing up as this recipe is quite small compared to what my mother remembers her making. Momma said she remembers her mother using a large galvanized tub to mix and knead the bread in. The recipe I have only makes three loaves and does not need that large of a container. I first used a 32 cup Tupperware bowl and now use my Kitchen Aid to mix the dough. It is super easy to mix and takes 2 hours from start to finish depending on how you use the dough. I use this recipe for cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, bread, and scones (the Utah way, which is fried bread). Mix 3 cups warm water and 2 tablespoons of yeast (2 packages); let sit for 10 minutes to proof. The mixture will look bubbly and smell yeasty. Add 2/3 cup oil and 1 cup sugar or honey and mix well. Add 8 cups flour (I like to use 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat; I have used rye before and had a good product also). Mix this well until no flour remains in the bowl. Raise the dough for half an hour, more if the room is on the cooler side. Bread dough likes to be warm for the yeast to do its thing and raise the dough. When the dough is ready beat it down and knead for 10 minutes or so. you are now ready to use it for what ever bread product you like! Rolls and cinnamon rolls need to raise about 20 minutes and bake for 20-30 minutes. Bread needs to raise for 30 minutes and bakes for 30 minutes. Bake all bread products at 350 degrees. If you choose scones, deep fry until golden brown on both sides and drain on a paper towel. My kids love this with home-made jams or honey. Enjoy!

Halloween Party

Our family Halloween party this year will be an Oktoberfest. I am excited to share our German heritage with my children and grandchildren. We cook traditional German dishes together and have lots of laughs. This year it will be at my son's house. We will have currywurst, onion pie, German potato salad, molasses cookies and pfeffernuse. The grandchildren will have hot dogs. Currywurst is a spicy dish made with brats, and a spicy chili sauce, onions, and peppers. Our families that came to America from Germany are the Coleman (Khulman), Wicke, and Shrum (Shramm) families. The Shrum and Coleman families have been in America since the early 1700s. The Wicke family came in the mid 1800s. I look forward to our heritage dinners, because it is a chance for everyone to be together and experience another culture. Take a minute or so to look up the foods and cultural ideals of your heritage. It is fascinating to me how America truly is a "melting pot" of cultures.