Country CousinIssue Date: March 28, 2022Shirley Prudhomme Is It Spring Yet?
We had a brief and wonderful taste of Spring when it officially arrived on Sunday, March 20, but ever since then we've been putting up with Old Man Winter again. Rain, rain, and then ice, snow and night time temperatures well below freezing predicted for the next week. We might get to see the sun a bit on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, but with lows in the 13-degree range, we won't feel much like getting outside to enjoy it.
Bet that old bear spotted walking around last week wishes he'd kept sleeping for a while. No real relief in sight for at least a week, and who knows how much longer.
God did promise to never flood out life on Earth again, but He didn't say He wouldn't freeze us out.
EASTER TREE
Easter - Sunday, April 17 this year - is fast approaching. Less than four weeks are left of Lent, but that's still enough time to start a family Easter Tree tradition that will make Lent more meaningful for this year and for years to come.
Cut or buy one of those bare bark birch-looking trees and stand it in a tub of potting soil or something else that will keep it sturdy.
Cut strips of different-colored pastel construction paper into the proper size and shape for making a chain, like the old-fashioned chains some of us used to make for our Christmas trees. Put them into a basket, preferably an Easter basket. Have some Elmer's tacky glue handy.
Then cut some of the paper into egg shapes, and punch holes for string from which they will hang. Glitter pens would be great to decorate them.
Each evening during what is left of Lent, let the children (and their parents) write on an egg or chain link a very brief petition, thanks or offering. Examples of petitions might be "peace," "patience", "pass the test", "new Job," whatever.
Or if your Lent includes giving up candy, for example, write "no candy - March 25." If you failed in your resolve, you don't get to make a link.
Add links to the prayer chain each evening. Even starting at this late date there should be quite a respectable chain come Easter.
Perhaps once a week the youngsters could decorate a cutout egg or two and put them into an Easter basket. Then on Good Friday decorate the Easter tree with all the prayers, thanks, and sacrifices of Lent, and also with decorated blown-out egg shells.
Start blowing eggs now when you do your baking or make scrambled eggs so there'll be a plentiful supply of empty shells for this and other Easter decorating projects.
BLOW AN EGG
To blow out egg shells for decorating you need a clean bowl; a needle, pin, skewer, nail or other small sharp object; raw eggs; scotch tape or masking tape; paper towels, and finally, soap and water.
Start by putting a small piece of tape over each end of the egg. The tape will help keep the egg shell from cracking when you poke the holes. Take a needle or straight pin (or something else small and pointy) and poke a hole into the top (skinnier) end of the egg, through the tape. Wiggle the pin around a bit to make the hole just a little bit wider than the pin and to help break up the yolk inside the egg. Be careful not to break bits of the shell into the egg. You can do it! Flip the egg over with the bowl under it to catch anything that drips out, and poke a hole on the fat end of the egg, which will be the bottom. Make this hole a little bigger than the hole on the top, because this is the hole that all the eggy insides will exit through.
Put your fingers over both holes so nothing comes out, then shake the egg to break up the yolk and all the membranes that hold the egg together.
When you can hear the egg sloshing around inside the shell, hold the egg over your bowl, bottom/fatter side down, and blow through the hole at the top of the egg.
Make sure you get a good seal around the egg with your mouth so that all your air goes into the egg. If the liquid contents of the egg still do not come out, try covering the holes and shaking the egg again to break up the insides more, or make the bottom hole slightly larger. Keep blowing until the egg shell is completely empty.
Don't worry about germs, because you're going to cook those eggs any way. Or if you're really finicky, try blowing out the eggs with a gravy baster. Might work.
Again, do not let parts of the shell fall into the eggs. If shell bits do get into the egg, once you're done beat the entire bowl of eggs and put through a strainer.
Once they're empty, rinse each egg shell in warm soapy water, making sure to clean out the inside as well as the outside. Run water from the faucet through the egg shell to help rinse out the insides.Set the shell aside to dry, making sure the bottom/fatter side is pointing down so the water can drip out.
When the shells are dry, color them with Easter egg dye if you like, and/or paint with glitter paint, or apply sequins, glitter, ribbons, lace or whatever suits your fancy, to decorate them. Glue a looped ribbon on top if you plan to hang the shells on your Easter Tree. they're lovely on an Easter wreath or centerpiece.You could snip a hole in the side of some shells to create a frame for tiny treasures like little bunnies or miniature crosses.
These decorated shells can be sprayed with shellack, but that is not really necessary. If carefully stored between uses they will last for years.
ON THE SOAP BOX
TOLERANCE???
Have been reading about some of the intolerant cruelties practiced by those of some other religions in several other parts of the world.
Am glad that we Christians no longer prosecute - or persecute - those of other beliefs, but do wish we would stand up at least a little bit for our own faith.
We have allowed prayers to be removed from schools. In fear of hurting someone's feelings, we have destroyed Easter Vacation and turned it into Spring Break, and don't even sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" any more.
Meanwhile, just recently, in Uganda a family was reportedly sprayed with acid for leaving the Islam faith, a Christian in Pakistan was arrested and tortured on blasphemy charges, and other Christians in other parts of the world are severely punished for their beliefs and we say little and do less.
Compared with morality in America today, Sodom and Gomorrah might be considered pillars of sainthood!
Let us at least have the courage to express our beliefs out loud, and in public, without apologizing to anyone. Let us quit being more afraid of offending some of our fellow men than we are of offending God!
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
It's always good to observe the old adages, "Waste not, want not," and "A penny saved is a penny earned," but never more important than when times are lean. In our country we have had things so good for so long that we tend to forget. Now, with grocery and fuel prices high and likely to go higher (thanks largely to the supply chain problem and high fuel prices thanks to flawed government policies), we need to pull out some old penny-pinching tricks and add some new ones.
Turn off the lights. Unplug chargers when not in use. Turn off the TV.
Use those last few drops of shampoo and dish soap, those last few dabs of toothpaste. In fact, practice cutting the amount you use in half. You'll probably find they work every bit as well and it won't take as long to rinse out either.
Now here's one that came as a surprise. Experts on these things say keeping your car waxed helps to save fuel. Actually, you save twice by waxing the car. First, wax helps save the vehicle's finish, which means the body will last longer and the vehicle will bring a higher price at trade-in time. Second, having a nice, clean, shiny waxed finish cuts wind resistance, which improves fuel efficiency.
Years back, we laughed at my brother-in-law for believing his car ran better when it was washed and waxed. Thought it was just vanity. Turned out he was right. Sorry for doubting, Ken.
Dirt in other places hurts too. They say a dirty air filter can cost a mile per gallon at 50 mph, misfiring spark plugs can waste 25 percent of your fuel, and even cleaning out all the junk you haul around can save significant dollars. An extra 500 pounds costs two to five miles per gallon, depending on your vehicle. Okay! No more passengers! Everybody out! Make two fairly large people and two or three small ones walk and you've eliminated that 500 pounds. (People like me could eliminate 500 pounds by just cleaning the car, but most folks aren't like me.)
Do the math. Admit I'm not that good with numbers once I run out of fingers, but here goes:
Suppose your vehicle usually gets 20 mpg. Change the bad spark plugs, and you go 25 miles on that same gallon. Wow! Wax it, you're up to maybe 26 miles mpg. Get those five extra people out and replace the air filter, you can travel maybe 31 or 32 miles on that gallon. See how much farther you can go on the same amount of money?
Of course, depending on who you made get out and walk, you just might have to keep right on going. Is it worth it? Your call!
COOKIN' TIME
Lent is the perfect time to make sacrifices, including those that will help you shape up for summer. That's sort of cheating, because if you're dieting, it's probably not for any spiritual reasons, but if you manage to get a little bonus by way of lost inches for giving up some self indulgences, that's a good thing, right? Anyway, here are a couple of recipes that will help, and at least one that will not, but they will certainly make a meatless meal more satisfying.
MUSHROOM CHOWDER
This hearty chowder is perfect for a meatless meal, provided you aren't concerned about the chicken broth. If you are, substitute six packets Golden Seasons broth mix and six cups water. You can make it low cal by substituting plain yogurt for the half and half. Makes 12 hearty and delicious bowls of chowder. Sounds goofy, but freezing the mushrooms before you slice and cook them seems to add flavor. Certainly is not necessary, though. Using a variety of mushrooms in this chowder rather than one type is also good, but not necessary.
5 tablespoons butter, divided
2 leeks, chopped, or 2 cups diced onion
2 large carrots, sliced
6 cups chicken broth (or packets of Golden Seasons broth mix)
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
2 teaspoons salt (if you use the seasoning packets, leave this out)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup flour
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Mix in leeks or onions and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Pour in broth. Season with dill, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Mix in potatoes, cover, and cook 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but firm. Remove the bay leaf and throw it away. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the mushrooms 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir into the soup. In a small bowl, mix the half-and-half or yogurt and flour until smooth. Stir into the soup to thicken. For added color, garnish each bowl of soup with dill weed or fresh dill to serve.
ALASKAN SALMON CAKES
These patties are both low cal and low carb. If you use the skinless, boneless salmon, canned or in pouches and make the sauce ahead of time, you can have dinner on the table in 15 minutes. But the traditional canned salmon is cheaper, tastes just as good, and leaves some treats for the cat. Now I'll spoil everything and advise serving with macaroni and cheese and buttered broccoli. For diet fare, skip the butter, put lemon juice on the broccoli, and nix the mac and cheese.
1 can (14.75 ounces) regular salmon or 2 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 ounces each) skinless, boneless salmon
1 egg
1/4 cup small-curd nonfat cottage cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 Tablespoons garlic-and-herb bread crumbs
Buttery flavored non-stick cooking spray
Yogurt dill sauce
Drain salmon and discard skin and bones (if any). In a medium bowl, whisk egg lightly. Add cottage cheese, dill, lemon pepper and green onions, and mix well. Crumble in the drained, cleaned salmon, then sprinkle in bread crumbs and mix well. Shape mixture into 4 patties, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and about 3 inches in diameter. Spray a nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add the salmon cakes and fry for about 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Cakes should be crisp and golden on the outside and still moist on the inside. Serve with Yogurt Dill Sauce. (Recipe follows.) Also great served with Creamed Peas spooned over them. If you prefer a crunchy coating, lightly dust the salmon cakes with fine cornmeal before frying.
YOGURT DILL SAUCE
Takes about 5 minutes to make. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups. Leftover sauce is good with all sorts of other things, too, and it works as a veggie dip.
1 cup nonfat yogurt
3 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1 cup cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything else, then add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
BUTTER CHEESE CAKE
Nothing at all low calorie or low carb about this! This recipe comes from friend Yolie, whose talent at finding wonderful new recipes just keeps getting better.
1 package yellow cake mix (pudding in the mix type)
4 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
1 pound powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the melted butter with the dry cake mix and stir in one slightly beaten egg. The mixture should have a moist dough consistency. Spray a 13x9x2 pan with non-stick cooking spray and press the cake mixture into it. In a medium large bowl, use electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, the remaining three eggs, and the salt. Beat until creamy, then beat in the powdered sugar gradually until it is again smooth and creamy. Pour over the cake crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or a bit longer if necessary. The cheese mixture will sink somewhat in the center, leaving a firmer crust around the edges. Cut into squares to serve. Serve plain, or topped with a generous spoon of canned pie filling, preferably cherry, blueberry or cinnamon apple.
Thought for the week: Dear Lord, help me to make this a good Lent. Help me to let go of my vices and open my soul to Your love. Amen.
(This column is written by Shirley Prudhomme of Crivitz. Views expressed are her own and are in no way intended to be an official statement of the opinions of Peshtigo Times editors and publishers. She may be contacted by phone at 715-927-5034 or by e-mail at shirleyprudhommechickadee@yahoo.com.)
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