Mental Health and Suicide Awareness

I know I'm a bit late getting this out, but we had a family emergency this last week. We're all good now! For those on my Facebook page, I have tried to post pictures of Clyde with our family this year. His accomplishments were important, but family is the most important "thing" in this life. The love and joy we share is beyond words sometimes. I have had a lot of encouragement and some flack for posting about mental illness and suicide in September. There are those who feel we are celebrating his death and not caring about him as a person. Let me set everyone straight on this topic. We as his wife and children continue to celebrate him, not the illness or suicide. Please be aware that because we discuss him and mental illness, we are in no way talking down about him. We just want to make others aware of the signs and release the stigma associated with mental illness and suicide. There are so many people out there who think that they are alone. They need to know there are others like us. We went or are going through the same emotions, the same problems, the same doctors, medication, and actions. I have family members thinking we are celebrating his death and demeaning his memory. That is NOT the case. We celebrate his life and love our memories of him. We look through his scrapbook and talk to each other. We let his grandchildren know about him and the things he did. There is no "magic cure" for mental illness. It takes hard work and perseverance just to accomplish small tasks some days. We understand and accept the limitations that go with it. We love the people, not forgetting that sometimes, they can't show their love for us. Being a family helps us to work through our issues and allows us to grow. If you or someone you love has a mental illness, talk to the people at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Never let a friend or loved one with suicidal thoughts alone. We encourage talking and writing about Clyde. His grandchildren know stories and often see pictures of him. I have a very prominent family picture in my living room as well as our wedding picture. The older grandchildren know of his illness and suicide; the younger ones know that he was sick for a long time and died. As the years go by the dynamics of our grief change, but the love we have for him does not. My oldest once said that celebrating has different meanings, we do not have a party and dance on his grave. We tell stories of happy times and remember the quirkiness that was their father. Believe it or not he had a small collection of hats! Two were straw, two were bucket hats, and one was for scouting. He had half our bedroom full of ham radio equipment and books he was reading. He loved lasagna, vanilla ice cream, cream soda, and hot salsa. His favorite color was blue in any shade. We cannot, however, ignore his illness or death. The more we share, the more others have a chance to prevent the loss in their lives. Mental illness is so prevalent in today's society that one in every five families are affected. Count the houses on your street and determine the number for yourselves. I have heard a lot of comments on how suicide is the coward's way out; and for some it is, but for others, it is the release of pain-years of built up agony. And for one brief moment in time, they give in to that agony. The results are like ripples on a pond. I can't tell you how many people to this day will come up to me at the store and tell me about how they remember Clyde. I have had everyone from cashiers (he had him in scouting) to people he worked with talk about how much they miss him and how he had such a great mind. It has been twelve years since my husband chose to end his life. We as a family discuss him frequently. We are open and honest about our situation. We do not fear the stigma. We are united in keeping his memory alive and making this world a better place for his grandchildren. Thank you to all our friends and family members for helping us in this endeavor. And thank you to all of our new friends for taking the time to ask questions and help us heal. Each September we post because we love; and we love because we are loved. I have notice more and more family and friends post the suicide hot line numbers, THANK YOU! Our goal is to help as many people as possible understand and remove the stigma of mental illness and suicide. "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all!"

Crock Pot Applesauce and Apple Butter

Crock pot applesauce is so easy to make! I bought an apple slicer from the store. The kind that will core and slice the apple into eight equal pieces. I use any kind of apple for sauce. The sweeter the apple the sweeter the sauce and less sugar to use. Delicious apples require very little sweetener. Slice your apples and with a paring knife take off the skin. The skin will get tough when cooked so don't use them. Fill your crock pot with the apples packing them in but not too tight. You will need room to stir the apples while they are cooking. I add a half cup of water or apple juice to the pot and let it cook. You can use the low temp to cook them all night or all day and the high temp to cook them faster. I love cinnamon so I tend to add lots to my sauce when it is finished cooking. I also add the sugar at that time. Be sure to taste the applesauce first! As a newbie to canning, I read a recipe for apple butter wrong and used apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider. I grew up drinking apple juice, so I had no idea what apple cider was. The result was a happy mistake! Mix 8c applesauce, 1/2c apple cider vinegar, 4c sugar (I tried honey last year and ended up cooking it a lot longer), and 2t cinnamonish. Mix well and divide into two crock pots or one very large crock pot. Cook all day or over night on low stirring every hour to hour and a half. Process pints in water bath for 10 minutes. This also freezes well. I love the smell of the apples cooking and often will make this year round just to eat the applesauce fresh.

Hummus Recipes

I have been trying different hummus recipes lately. I really have an aversion to chick peas, so I have been experimenting with white beans and black beans. Hummus is rich in protein, fiber, and a lot of vitamins. Adding veggies to it rev it up even more! Basic Hummus Recipe 1 16oz. can of white beans/black beans/chick peas: 1T chopped garlic: 1/4c tahini: 1/4c lemon or lime juice: Use a food processor or a blender and make into a paste. Add 1/4c olive oil slowly while blender is still running. Now comes the fun part! I made a roasted red pepper hummus using bottled roasted red peppers: drain well and add 1/2c to the blender with 1 diced jalapeno, 1t paprika, 3T chopped cilantro, 3T chopped onion, 1T chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Spinach and artichoke was really good too. Add 2c torn fresh spinach and drain one bottle of marinated artichokes: mix 1/3c juice with the hummus and spinach mixture: dice artichoke hearts and add after so that there are chunks of artichoke in your hummus. Black beans are great with cumin, jalapeno, and chipotles. I have yet to try it with roasted beets/feta/dill, caramelized onions, or green olives. When I think about it, the possibilities are endless. I enjoy them with tortilla chips or wheat crackers, but pita chips would be good too!

BBQ (as from Idaho and Utah); Sloppy Joes to everyone else!

I recently lost a recipe that was at one time a staple in my children's lives....the BBQ recipe. First I feel the need to explain; when you live in Idaho and Utah, bbq is a sloppy joe. I know that everyone from the other states will know what that is and that bbq has other meanings in different areas of the country. Sloppy joes were the one thing that all five of my kids could agree on at one time. They ate them at family get-togethers, winter or summer nights, and when there were a LOT of friends coming over for dinner. I was craving them the other night and searched high and low for my treasured recipe. I sent a text to my friend's daughter (my friend gave me the original recipe, but she was at work), I then sent a text to her husband at their home; no dice! I then searched my numerous recipe books for a similar recipe and finally found one. I really had to modify it and taste test the sauce, but I feel I had come up with a respectable facsimile. My friend came over that night and the smell that hit her as she walked through my door was a great one. She stirred, she tasted, she ended up taking a "to go box" home for dinner the next night! Picky eaters are sure to love this recipe and you can feel good about the veggies they are getting along with the protein. 3lbs browned ground beef; 1 diced onion; 2 stalks diced celery; 2 grated carrots; 1 diced green pepper; mix well and put into your crock pot. Mix 2 14oz cans of tomato sauce; 4 cloves minced garlic (I use the bottled minced garlic); 3/4 t salt; 3/4 t pepper; 1/4c balsamic vinegar; 1/2c brown sugar; 1T Worcestershire sauce; 1T brown mustard; pour over crock pot mixture and stir to evenly coat. Cook on low 5 hours or high 3 hours. Serve on hamburger buns or bread. I like to add a tossed salad or potato salad with veggies sticks and dip to the meal. If you happen to have left overs; they freeze really well!

Freezer Meal Methods

Everyone is talking and making freezer meals. There are some of you at home preparing them by yourself or with family members helping. Others are getting together and making it a social experience. Which ever one works for you, it's great that you are experimenting and making healthy choices for you and your family. The recipes I have read online so far have been to place your ingredients in a freezer bag and label for later. I have tried this method and it works well, but what about those nights when you just don't have 5 hours on high to get the meal table ready? I have been successfully making freezer meals for years using an alternate method. I crock pot or double bake two or more meals at once. I use plastic sandwich containers or quart freezer bags to distribute the "leftovers." I am single and this method works great for me. I can take out a container for lunch, and it is thawed out by noon if left on the counter. I take out containers for dinner the night before and put them in the fridge. By using this method,, I have less wasted leftovers, healthy meals, and a large variety of foods at my disposal. I once had to not cook for three weeks due to the freezer above the fridge being so full of ready-made meals! My daughter pops in once in a while to grab a lunch on her way to work. My "huge secret" is that I LOVE TO COOK! I have a really hard time cooking for one or two, I can usually make enough for four to six okay. I was cooking for seven of us before the kids moved out, got married, or went to college. (I had three boys before I had my two girls!) Most of the recipes in this blog can be frozen or freeze them to be cooked later! Whatever way you choose to utilize, be healthy and happy!

Tuna Casserole

I made this a lot when my children were little. They loved it! Their father made it once and substituted corn for the peas.....he had a major rebellion! He couldn't understand it; they were both vegetables! I let him know that if the corn was on the side of the casserole, they would have eaten every bite. He never made tuna casserole again. 1 box mac and cheese cooked; 2c peas (we prefer frozen); 1 can cream of mushroom soup; cheddar cheese cubes (eyeball it); 1-2 cans drained tuna; mix well and bake 350 degrees for half an hour. I have a "no tuna" son, so it can be made without the tuna. He loves it that way!

Artisan Bread

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/ This was one of the first sites I looked at when I started making artisan breads. Here is the basic recipe that I use: 1c warm water; 2 packages of yeast; mix and proof for 5 or 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2c warm milk (can be sour milk past expiration date); 1/4c oil ( I use canola, but when making an Italian bread go for a good olive oil); 1/4c honey; 1T sea salt.; Mix well and add:2c whole wheat flour and mix well. Add 1c whole wheat flour; 3 1/2c white flour; and 1c optional item(s)but not more than 1c! Raise 1 1/2 hours; make into two or three loaves and raise another hour. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Options are; white chocolate chips and pecans; white chocolate chips and cranraisins; chocolate chips; pecans; sunflower seeds; sundried tomatoes and green olives (chopped); grated cheese; grated cheddar and chopped jalapenos; 1T Pampered Chef Sun Dried Tomato Herb Dipping Seasoning. I will also add 1c oatmeal when adding just herbs. The bread is a bit denser however. I am thinking of making oat flour to add in place of the white flour. Now the challenge is to find new and exciting things to add!