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Rocking Chair
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This is a contribution to this column with a very strong message.
Please Wear A Poppy
“Please wear a Poppy.” The Lady said
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street’
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun
“Lady,” said he, “May I have one.”
“Why do we wear a Poppy today?”
The Lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, “This is Remembrance Day,
And the Poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free.
“That’s why we wear a Poppy, you see”.
“I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes,
He loved to play and jump and shout.
As the years went by he learned and grew
And because a man-as you will, too.”
“He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he’d seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said “Goodbye,
I’ll be back soon, Mom, so please don’t cry.”
“But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can still see it in my dreams at night.)
With tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire.
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.”
“Til at last, at last, the war was won-
And that’s why we wear a Poppy son.”
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, “Thanks lady, I’m glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight
But your son—did he come back all right?”
A tear rolled down each faded cheek;
She shook her head, but didn’t speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you’d have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, is oft delayed!
Though our freedom was bought-and thousands paid!
And so when we see a Poppy worn
Let us reflect on the burden borne
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country’s call
That we at home in peace might live,
Then wear a Poppy! Remember-and give!
Don Crawford
Tired of your pie pastry shrinking down into the pan when baking for quiche? Place your unbaked pastry shell in a pie plate and flute edges. Take the same-size disposable foil pie pan and punch holes in the bottom with a sharp object (such as a clean nail.) Turn up the crimped edge of the foil pan so it won’t ruin the fluted edge of your pie shell. Place the foil pan over your pastry and press firmly. Bake as usual.
Serve your favorite broccoli or cauliflower soup in bread bowls made from frozen bread dough. Roll out thawed dough and shape over aluminum foil balls. Then bake until golden brown.
Don’t toss out stale bread! Turn it into that crunchy salad topper; croutons. Cut old bread into small chunks, toss them with olive oil or melted butter and spices such as pepper and garlic salt, and bake them on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees until golden.
To prep the grill, remove the cooking rack oil it lightly and place it about 4 inches above the heat source. Light the grill. The fire is ready when you can hold your hand a few inches above the grill only for a count of three.
Ready –to-use pizza dough is sold in both the refrigerated and frozen food sections in most supermarkets; it usually comes in 1 pound packages. Packaged pizza crusts are thicker and cook better in a covered grill.
No matter which base you use, individual-size pizzas (about 6 inches) are easier to grill and flip than larger pies.
Don’t worry if your crusts are not perfectly round. When they’re grilled even if they start out as circles, they often end up in irregular shapes.
When your hand-held can opener gets balky, use a toothbrush, hot water and dishwashing detergent to clean it. After cleaning, lubricate the opener with vegetable oil and set aside for a while. Wipe off excess oil and it will work like new.
Beans and Sausage Dish
1 pound fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
3 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
In a saucepan, cook sausage and onion in boiling water for 2 minutes; drain. In a bowl, combine the ketchup, sugars, vinegar, molasses and mustard. Stir in the beans and sausage mixture. Transfer to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 for 1-1/2 hours or until bean mixture reaches desired thickness. Makes 14-16 servings.
Note: This recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker. Prepare as directed, transferring to a slow cooker instead of a baking dish. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.
Easy Apple Betty
10 cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
1-3/4 cups crushed oatmeal cookies (about 18)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Toss apples and apple juice; arrange half in a 13X9 inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cookie crumbs, margarine and cinnamon; sprinkle half over apples. Repeat layers. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Makes 12 servings.
Pumpkin Buckle
1/2 cup butter or oleo melted
1 cup all-purpose four
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
3 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, cloves and
nutmeg
Topping:
1 tablespoon butter or oleo
2 tablespoons sugar
Pour butter into a 13X9 inch baking dish; set aside. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, milk and eggs. Combine the remaining filling ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust mixture (do not stir.) Dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Makes 12 servings.
When cooking broccoli, add the thicker stems to the boiling water first and cook for a couple of minutes before putting in the florets.
Plastic milk containers with bottoms removed act as a “greenhouse” when placed around young broccoli or cauliflower plants.
Take care not to overload the crust. If you pile on too many vegetables or too much cheese, the dough will burn before the toppings get hot enough.
No Bake Chocolate Caramel Bars
Saltine crackers
One cup graham cracker crumbs
Three fourths cup brown sugar
One-half cup white sugar
One-third cup milk
One-half cup Crisco
Two-thirds cup peanut butter
One-half cup chocolate chips
Cover the bottom of a greased 9X13 inch pan with a single layer of Saltine crackers. In a saucepan, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, white sugar, milk and Crisco. Boil five minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over Saltine crackers. Cover with another layer of Saltine crackers. Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips together. Pour over top of the bars. Keep refrigerated.
Mary
Hoff worked at the Platteville Journal before she got married. After a
few years, she started a column at the Tri-County Press and also covered
Cole Acres Notes. When the Tri-County Press was sold to Bill Hale in
Lancaster, he asked to carry the column in the Grant County Independent.
Mary says she writes, "just to keep my mind from getting rusty."
mjandmjh@pcii.net