So there I was yesterday, driving to points north for a meeting with another team. Recent changes in our company have created opportunities for many, including me. But with those opportunities come changes and with those changes come new responsibilities and with those new responsibilities come questions and concerns. I think most just want to get it right, but we’re moving so fast right now that many are afraid to ask for help.
That’s where this meeting came in. Talking with another Manager, she referenced the changes to her team and how a responsibility our departments share has raised a lot of questions.
“Is there any way you’d be available to walk us through this sometime?”
“Sure, how about Thursday.”
This is a role that I enjoy most: mastering a task and helping others master it, too. It’s not new, I’ve done it my entire career, but sometimes the ability to share like this gets replaced by other tasks at hand.
Windows down, sunshine in my face, I drove past a “Big Boy” restaurant and I felt it. A pinch. I thought of him: Grandpa to the boys, Step-Dad to the hubbs. Father-in-law to me. Elderly. Widowed. Alone.
I called and, of course, got his answering machine. No surprise for he’s never answered numbers he doesn’t recognize. Listening to his stern message scolding solicitors and anyone daring prey on this ex Military policeman, I chuckled. I identified myself, told him where I was off to, and that I’d be back in about 2 hours .. just in time for lunch at Big Boy, if he was free, that is.
About 40 minutes later, my phone rang. The tutorial was already underway but I excused myself to take the call, something told me I knew who it was.
“Hi, this is John. I’m up for lunch – what time?”
Military man – man of few words — direct and to the point. I like that. We worked out the details with me promising to call when I was on my way back. Arriving at the restaurant first, I couldn’t help but notice all of the other elderly gentlemen dining …. alone.
The Big Boy Slim Jim – yum!
In he came, grinning, and big hugs were exchanged. We laughed a lot, ordered our lunch, and chatted some more. He told me how they liked to stop here after her Wednesday hair appointments. He ordered the “Slim Jim” with the comment “it was her favorite.” We talked about the passing of George Jones and how she’d be tapping her toe in Heaven, now that George and Tammy were reunited again.
We talked of my Mom and sister’s upcoming visit and plans for barbeques he’s invited to and, before long, it was time to go. More hugs, more smiles, and I think I heard a whistle as he walked to his truck.
* “Near You” was played at her funeral
“A lonely day is God’s way of saying that he wants to spend some quality time with you.” – Criss Jami
More hostile comments so nonsensical and poorly written that they’re laughable?
More links to – ahem – enhancement products and dating sites?
More subscribers with links to blogs that … don’t exist?
I have.
When I was a kid, Mom bought Spam sometimes.
this kind — salty with a touch of slime
She’d slice it into thick slices and fry it on high heat, heat so hot the edges would burn and curl just a little. Served up with scrambled eggs or cheesy potatoes we kids, fresh off our ponies, the lake or the field, would gobble it down.
It wasn’t great, but it was a salty-hammy-concoction that was tolerable. Especially with enough ketchup.
Nowadays, Spam means something else.
Spam now is unwanted e-attention from ill-intentioned people and systems.
Systems and individuals looking to scam, steal, trick, coerce and lie their way into our good graces.
Do what I do … send ‘em to the Spam folder. Never respond. Don’t click on their faceless links.
And hope that WordPress turns the heat up so high they smoke.
The Akismet Widget in action
Are you seeing more spam these days? Have you turned up the heat?
It was Easter weekend, only a few weeks ago now. We had oldest boy and the wee ones over, plus Grandpa, youngest boy and, of course, Frankie the dog. Add in me & Hubbs and we had ourselves a full table. The kitchen was brimming with the scents of ham and roast turkey, double stuffed potatoes, steamed vegetables, salads and desserts. The table, loaded with place settings and bunnies, was peppered with talk of egg hunts later on.
As we gathered, little MJ, the youngest of the bunch, leaned over and asked, “Nana, can we pray?”
“Of course we can,” I said. Seeing her delighted smile, I asked “Would you like to say the blessing, Luvee?”
Shyly she nodded.
Ignoring her brother’s eye roll, she took his hand firmly in hers and watched as he took Pops’ hand. She reached for me and I, in turn, reached for Grandpa who reached for oldest boy who reached for youngest who reached for Hubbs/Pops. Together, we completed a circle. Even Frankie, lying at Grandpa’s feet, was in on it.
Three and half years old, she waited for everyone to bow their heads before she started to sing, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little to ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong.”
And with that, she clapped, we cheered, and the love at the table was palpable.
It’s that time again … time for yet another tried-and-true recipe from the Emjayandthem vault.
One so simple, so good, so to-heck-with-New-Years-resolutions-where’s-the-chocolate kinda good.
It’s my Butterfinger Cake.
You read that right: Butterfinger. Cake.
Mmmm hmm.
Have Mercy!
So here’s the thing. I’m not a chocolate girl. I’m a potato-chip-and-dip kinda girl. But, lots of my friends and family are admitted chocolate fiends and since I like to mess around in my Kitchen and get ‘er done, here’s what came of it.
Yep, goofing off in the kitchen and making up something fun brings out the kid in me.
Back to the cake, Jake.
So, a few years ago I came up with this lil beauty. At the time, youngest boy had a severe hankering for Butterfingers. And he had a birthday coming up. Easy, peasy, pudding and pie, this Mom’s gonna bake that boy a cake that’ll make his toes curl.
And it did.
And it wouldn’t be very nice of me to keep it all to myself, now would it?
Here’s what you need to make your very own Butterfinger cake:
You thought this was going to be complicated? Naw ..
1 box of Yellow Cake Mix, any Brand.
1 box of Butterscotch Instant Jell-O Pudding
3 Butterfinger candy bars
1 jar of Chocolate frosting
Ready?
Grandma Pearl gave me that mixer in 1981
Prepare the cake as directed but also add the Butterscotch pudding mix. Mix all ingredients.
Pour one half of the mixture into a well greased Bundt pan (you could also use a 9 x13 pan) then top with 2 crumbled Butterfinger bars.
Oh yeah
Pour the rest of the batter on top, be sure to cover the Butterfinger bits.
Cover it up as best as you can
Bake according to the directions on the cake mix box .. roughly 26-28 min.
Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for about 4 minutes (this is important, if you don’t let it sit it will fall apart when you try to remove it from the pan.)
C’mere sweetness
Take a butter knife and loosen all around the Bundt pan (don’t forget the center). Place a baking rack on top and flip the whole thing over; gently shake the pan and watch the cake slide out.
Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?
Let the cake cool on the baking rack — about 45 min or until your kid or spouse walks by and asks if they can eat it yet.
Nuke (microwave) a can of pre-made frosting (be sure to remove the lid and the foil liner) for 30 – 40 seconds, just enough to warm it and make it pour-able.
Pour it all over that beautiful cake; get jiggy with it.
Boom-chicka-mow-mow!
Ready? Crumble the last Butterfinger. Eat whatever falls off.
Load up the top of the cake with more crumbled goodness
Last step.
Good luck.
What?
Yep, good luck getting this cake out of the house. Your church group, office mates and Super Bowl watchers are gonna have to settle for something else.
Look at that cute lil’ cheeseball .. all dressed up for the Holiday!
Your search is over.
I know what you’re after, yes I do. You’re looking for that one recipe this Holiday Season that’ll knock their socks off. The one … singular sensation … the one that brings them out of the woodwork to get the last scrapings off the plate, the one people will ask you about one year later.
Look no further, it’s here for you right here, right now.
Why is it so good, you ask?
I don’t know (curry) but I do know this: every single time I’ve taken it anywhere I have been asked to hand over the recipe. Every. Single. Time.
Oh, there was a time I didn’t give it up. Oh no. I held my trade secrets close to my heart like the treasures they are …. and, truth be told, I still do that if the person clamoring is someone I’m not sure of. You know the ones, they take your recipes and claim ‘em as their own. But .. I’m past that now.
That’s right, I’m opening the vault to you, my delicious readership, you.
Why?
Because you deserve it. You deserve the slice of hap-hap-happiness this cheese ball recipe will add to your Holiday gatherings!
2 Words of advice? Stretchy pants. You’re welcome.
**MJ’s Look-No-Further Cheese Ball** (makes 3)
2 blocks of cream cheese
2 packets of Carl Buddig Smoked Ham, chopped (sold in the deli meats section)
1 envelope of dry ranch dressing seasoning
3 green onions, chopped with some green, too
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of curry (I don’t measure, just give it a shake)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of Mrs. Dash regular or onion (I don’t measure, just give it a shake)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
If you want to “fancy it up” you can roll the cheese ball in chopped pecans or walnuts before wrapping. My personal pack of Wolverines could care less but some peeps like it like that.
google.images.com
Directions:
Bring cream cheese to room temperature OR microwave on low heat ’til soft. Stir in seasonings: ranch dressing, curry, and Mrs. Dash. You can add a pinch of garlic powder if you’re so inclined.
Next blend in the chopped onion & ham. Lastly, add the shredded cheddar.
Divide into 3 cheese balls about the size of your palm and roll in chopped nuts if you’re getting jiggy with it. If not, skip the nuts and wrap each cheese ball in plastic wrap. Think you’re done? Not so fast … wrap again and refrigerate immediately. Bing, bang, boom – done!
These are best if made at least a day ahead (the ultimate party food!) but can be made up in less time than it takes you to shower and slip on your Holiday sweater! They can also be frozen although the texture will shift from creamy to crumbly .. but still plate-scrapingly good.
15-20 minutes before serving, take cheese ball out of the fridge so it has time to soften. Serve with your favorite crackers (we like Triscuit Rosemary & Herb … mmm), stand back and prepare for the accolades sure to come your way.
Me? I like to set it out, step away quietly and watch the frenzy from a safe distance!
Happy Noshing
How about you? Got a “go-to” Holiday recipe to share with me?
Going to a Holiday party and don’t know what to bring? Want to make a home-made treat to give away to friends? Try my Easy-Peasy Caramel Chex Mix.
Sweet and buttery, nutty and delicious, it’s a simple treat that’s ready in 30 minutes. And at this busy time of year, simple and good just can’t be beat.
Here’s what you need to make it:
1 Small Box Chex Wheat & Rice Cereal
2 cups of chopped nuts – pecans or walnuts
2 sticks of butter, not margarine, butter. Oh Yeah!
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven 325 degrees.
Coat an cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and then pour cereal and nuts into the pan and set aside.
In a deep sauce pan melt butter and then stir in brown sugar. Over medium heat stir butter and brown sugar steadily to prevent burning; bring to a boil for one minute. Once boiling, slowly add vanilla; mixture will foam (and may splatter) cook one to two more minutes.
bubbling goodness
Pour butter/sugar/vanilla mixture evenly over cereal and nuts, coating well.
Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake another 10 minutes and remove from oven, stir again to coat evenly.
When just about cool, remove from pan into an airtight container and enjoy!
crunchy, carmelly deliciousness!
December 1st signifies the start of the Christmas baking season at my house. You?
Mom was visiting us for the Thanksgiving holiday and we had no less than 17 guests in attendance. I’d been cooking for three days already so the fridge was stocked to the rafters, the garage fridge was jammed, and every spare counter-top seemed to hold a pie or appetizer.
Afterwards, while packing up the leftovers, Mom started to cover what was left of the 26 lb turkey. I began to explain that I wasn’t keeping it when I saw a look of abject horror cross her face. She tried to suppress it but there it was. Guiltily, I scraped the last of the turkey bones into the garbage. Later I tried to dodge the issue by explaining that we just didn’t have room to which she softly replied, “No turkey soup? That makes the most wonderful turkey soup you know.”
Of course I knew that. I grew up knowing that. On the farm, mom made soup all the time; hearty hamburger soups during harvest, ham soup after Easter dinner, creamy potato soup, chicken noodle soup, you name it soup. Soup was a staple in our home. Soup was a bowlful of loving care and not saved just for head colds or cold wintry days.
~Sigh~
A few days later, after many hugs and tears, I put her on the plane back to her prairie home and reflected on what I’d nearly missed. That week I bought a rotisserie chicken, cooked it down and made homemade soup, for the first time in years. Hubby thought he’d hit Nirvana! Next came beef & rice soup, beef vegetable soup, chicken tortilla soup, ham & bean soup, you name it soup. More soup than you can ever eat! Guilt begets soup? In my case, yes, yes it did.
Flash forward to the next Thanksgiving: we were all gathered at a relative’s home and, for once, I wasn’t in charge of the meal. Later, as we cleaned up, there it was: what remained of the turkey. As I started to cover it with foil, our hostess commented, “Oh we’re not keeping that.” A look of abject horror crossed my face that I tried, but failed, to suppress. “No turkey soup? That makes the most wonderful turkey soup you know.”
It was at that moment that I knew. I knew that all Mom wanted me to do was to look and really see what I was doing. Slow down. Re-examine. See the value in what’s before you.
I get it. Thanks Mom.
Me & Mom. an emjayandthem photo
MJ’s Turkey Soup:
Place all leftover bones and meat into a large stockpot, fill with water about 1/2 full. Add chopped onion & celery, seasonings (I use Mrs. Dash and a bit of garlic, salt & pepper). Bring to a boil and then cover and let simmer for about 2 hours, or until all meat has fallen from the bone. Remove from heat and carefully spoon out bones and discard. When the broth and remaining meat has cooled, shred turkey into bite sized pieces and place back into the stock.
Add 1 chicken bouillon cube and whatever chopped vegetables or noodles you like. I add: peas & carrots, shredded cabbage, more celery and onions, canned (chopped) tomatoes, corn, diced potatoes, rice or egg noodles (not usually all 3). Bring to a boil until vegetables are cooked. Season to taste.
