Mr. Happy

Recently my two preschool-aged grandchildren were visiting and both were dealing with coughs. In an attempt to contain the germs, I was trying to encourage them to aim their coughs into their elbows. They are way too young to understand that covering a cough with a hand does nothing but spread more germs with everything that they touch. It occurred to me that perhaps they needed a visual. Voila! Sharpee marker and Mr. Happy to the rescue. Both of them responded positively for the rest of the morning, coughing into their Mr. Happy marks and correcting each other when procedure was not followed. One of them, however, did end up in Vanderbilt ER because his situation was accelerating. While being examined, the attending physician asked the little guy about the mark on his arm. My grandson promptly responded, "That's Mr. Happy. That's where I cough." The physician remarked very positively about the visual, so I am passing along the information to you during this intense flu season. 

The Belt: Low on Style, High on Function

If you have a housekeeper, this blogpost will not interest you. If you do not, you may find some helpful information. I apologize ahead of time for the length of this post. A couple of years ago I took back the cleaning of my house. It has been a good thing for sure, but I have had to make some modifications in my procedure since I am not as young as I once was. As I began to study the situation, I broke it down into 2 blocks: 1) bathrooms and all floors, and 2) all other surfaces. What I observed about my own behavior was that the bathrooms and floors got done often, the "all other surfaces" not so much. After scrubbing 4 bathrooms and doing all of my floors consuming more than a couple of hours, I was spent. When I would do the "all other surfaces," I left products all over creation. The bucket-carrying was not working. So, after further study as to why was this making me crazy, I realized that in my house (and probably yours) there are 4 different types of non-bathroom surfaces to be cleaned: 1) glass which needs Windex; 2) hardwood which needs a little orange oil especially in the dry heat of winter; 3) stone, marble, painted surfaces, etc. which need only a damp wipe; and 4) ceiling fans and other hard to reach dusty spots which need Swiffers. No wonder the #2 Block was making me crazy. So, back to the 2-block theory. By breaking the chores down into the 2 categories, perhaps I could manage them better. One session for #1 Block, another session for #2 Block. The #2 Block is the part I dislike most. It is not gratifying like mowing grass. I know that I am weird, but the immediate gratification of a mower or blower along with being outside motivates me more. The dust still accumulates. To make my time more efficient, I decided that a tool belt might help me keep up with my varying products and get me moving efficiently from room to room, leaving no stone unturned. Pockets... that's what I need... several pockets, big & strong. I went to Lowe's and studied their selection of tool belts. I purchased one for $15.00. Now I have plenty of pockets and even an empty one for collecting evidences of little people visits (joy). Pockets for paper towels/Windex, 2 different cloths- one oiled - one damp with water, 2 different Swiffers- long and short handle, pocket for crevice attachments for vacuum, and cell phone in front pocket. Large carabeener hooks are also helpful. And not to belabor a point, but my eyesight is one of those "not as young as I once was" issues. Enter hubby's headlamp. Wow. Now that's a fullsize dustbunny I would have missed otherwise. Not a very good photo opportunity when I am all suited up, but so far the tool belt and headlamp have really helped me get the job done. Happy cleaning!

Cowboy Cookies By Request

This blogpost is in response to a request from the lovely ladies where I have had my hair done for almost 3 decades. The Cowboy Cookies recipe was given to me by a cookfriend long ago, and I took them to the salon during the holidays. They have not stopped talking about them! Thrills my heart. I thought the cookies spread on the pan a little too much, so next time I might use the procedure I use for Toll House Cookies which is half butter, half Crisco. However, the salon ladies wanted the recipe for exactly what I brought them. Those gals are adorable. Here's to the Ladies at The Ritz!

Cowboy Cookies

1 cup butter                                                                                                           

1 cup brown sugar                                                                                               

1 cup white sugar                                                                                               

2 eggs                                                                                               

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2tsp. baking powder

2 cups rolled oats

1 sm. pkg. chocolate chips

1/2 cup nuts

Cream sugars, butter, eggs, & vanilla until fluffy. Mix dry ingredients & stir into creamed mixture. Add oats, choc. chips, & nuts. Bake 350° for 12 minutes.

Kiss Konundrum

Do you have leftover seasonal Hershey kisses like I do? Don't let the delicious morsels go stale. Since Christmas season came before all of our autumn kisses were consumed, I had an overstock situation of gold, orange and brown foil-wrapped kisses. So I drew on a favorite peanut butter cookie recipe which can only be enhanced with the addition of chocolate. If you are on your January starvation plan, give the cookies away... someone you know may need cheering up with a little delivery. Or maybe it is someone's birthday - I would love these for a gift! This recipe is a cherished one which a longtime cookfriend baked when we were mere teenagers. I have not altered one thing about the ingredients, and I never make less than the 4 times quantity since they store beautifully in zip bags in the freezer (not with the kisses, though). Truly the perfect peanut butter cookie.

Peanut Butter Cookies

                                                          recipe x4

1/2 cup butter                                     2c

1/2 cup peanut butter                          2c

1/2 cup sugar                                       2c

1/2 cup brown sugar                             2c

1 egg                                                   4

1 tsp. vanilla                                        1 Tbsp.

1 1/4 cups self-rise flour                       5c

1. Combine & scoop with 1" cookie scoop, flatten slightly with a fork or my personal favorite, the Pampered Chef wooden tart shaper which has been dipped in sugar. Bake 375° 10-12 minutes.

2. Amounts to the right are for large batch.           

Notes from 11/5/10: Baked with seasonal M&Ms which did great. Made 45 XL cookies (4" diameter) using my large scoop (1/4 cup batter per cookie). Baked 13 min. & left on cookie sheet several minutes to cool and set up.           

3. Great cookie to add leftover seasonal Hershey kisses. Bake cookies, then immediately press on kiss while cooling on cookie sheet.                                                                                                                                                           

Santa Has A New Elfa

Sometimes it is a wine sort of night. Other times one might like a martini. And for dessert, a Velvet Hammer (see "Grown Folks Milkshake" from September 2012). And then there is the Banana Sheet Cake from The Cake Mix Doctor Cookbook which is enhanced with a little banana liqueur. Suffice it to say, we enjoy quite a wide assortment of spirits at our house. A recent trip to the Container Store was in order to address the organization dilemma. 

Problem: 1) too many bottles but can't part with any of them, 2) inventory check very difficult, 3) trying to reach something in the very back not easy, and 4) since these items have rather long shelf lives, the bottles don't disappear very quickly. 

Solution: Santa's Elfa! At the suggestion of "Tammy" at the Container Store, I removed the liqueurs and mixers from this cabinet to reduce the volume of bottles. Two Elfa pullouts took care of the rest of the bottles. Tammy suggested that the liqueurs be moved to another Elfa unit for the inside of my pantry door. I designated one basket-shelf for mixers. I installed the pantry door unit all by myself! No drill involved nor any extra tools. The allen wrench needed is included in the installment kit. With a couple of the basket-shelves still empty, it will be a pleasure decluttering some other to-be-determined area. 

There might be a Christmas Elfa lurking around the corner to help you. Jot down your measurements and set a goal to straighten up a cabinet in the New Year. Perhaps a little giftcard from The Container Store in your stocking? Merry Christmas, faithful readers!

A Honey Hint For The SOS

When a family grows like mine has, some Stuffers Of Stockings (SOS) eliminate the adult stockings and just do the little people. Other SOS eliminate the stockings altogether. But since I enjoy every single part of Christmas, this SOS is preparing 15 stockings again this year, including my husband's mother and my brother. The biggest issue for me is keeping inventory of what is to go in each one. The endless written lists of groceries and gifts works for awhile, but the stocking items seem harder to track. Stuffing stockings for ages 6 months to nearly 83 years makes for an impossible mental inventory for this brain. So, I am offering my solution to you: liquor boxes, specifically 6-slot like the LARGE bottles of wine come in. I reuse the boxes every year so that I don't have to rewrite names. Then I can peer down in each slot to see whose stocking is lacking. No putting all items on my bed on Christmas Eve to stuff and discover that somebody is WAAAAYYY short. Merry Christmas to all SOS readers!

Stewing A Turkey Carcass

You know the soup must have been good if the grandson finishes off his bowl by drinking the last of it through a straw. If you are a blog follower of mine, you may remember last year's November blog on "The Turkey That Doesn't Quit." Stew your turkey carcass in a quart or two of water for 20-30 minutes, then pour all through a colander, defat the broth again, pour broth back into stewing pot. Once the turkey bones are cooled enough to handle, pull off any meat and chop it fine. This will be added last to your soup. As well as my husband carves a turkey, I still had ample meat for the soup. Bring broth back to a boil, adding any leftover gravy from your Thanksgiving Day feast and the demi-glace to the broth. The demi-glace is the goo in the bottom of the roasting pan which you may have thrown away. No worries, just remember next time to cool the demi-glace, defat it, and freeze it in a labeled baggie for soup. It is truly the essence of the herb-roasted turkey... all of the delicious herbs and flavor minus the fat. Also add leftover chicken broth and water to make 3-4 qts. of liquid. Once boiling, stir in 1.5 cups of regular rice (not the instant), cover pot, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, then return heat to high and add a couple of pkgs. of frozen mixed vegetables. I also threw in leftover lady peas here. Reduce heat to simmer again and let her rip for 15 more minutes or so. Check broth for seasonings. The rice will absorb much of your liquid. Thin with more water/chicken broth to your preference. Remove from heat and add chopped turkey. Serve with iron skillet cornbread for sopping up the broth... or expect a request for a straw.