“Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.”
— Sarah Ban Breathnach (1947 – )
American author
“Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.”
— Sarah Ban Breathnach (1947 – )
American author
“I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
— Harry S. Truman (1884 – 1972)
33rd President of the United States
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”
— Irish proverb
“How incredible it is that in this fragile existence we should hate and destroy one another. There are possibilities enough for all who will abandon mastery over others to pursue mastery over nature. There is world enough for all to seek their happiness in their own way.”
— Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 – 1973)
36th President of the United States
(from his Inaugural Address, Jan 1965)
Make them fresh or tear into a favorite bag of tortilla chips today to celebrate National Tortilla Chip Day.
Munch them, dip them, stick them into your favorite guacamole, or make nachos. Yummmmm.
I can eat nachos at any time of day. (Yes… I am rather known for even consuming them for breakfast.) My favorite Super Simple style is simply a single layer of crispy tortilla chips, topped with plenty of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and then slathered with a favorite sauce.
But I confess to loading them up, too! A great seasoned beef or pulled pork, some diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and sliced jalapeño peppers do the trick quite nicely!
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
— Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922)
French novelist & literary critic
Celebrations of Daffodil Day date back to the 1600s.
Share the happy flower or simply share some happiness with someone and brighten their day. Spring is here and so are you.
Two great reasons to celebrate!
“It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are your diamonds.”
— Gina Barreca (1957 – )
American academic & humorist
“People never give up their liberties but under some delusion.”
— Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Anglo-Irish statesman & philosopher
“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”
— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
19th Century American author and humorist
(pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
On St. Patrick’s Day we may tend to think about green beer or Irish whiskey. Or we hunger for traditional Irish foods. When doing so, corned beef and cabbage may come to mind, even though the dish is not originally from Ireland. In truth, it was popularized by Irish immigrants in America when they couldn’t afford their more traditional bacon. Something special happens when we add crispy bacon and caramelized onion to cabbage. So, here are a couple of Super Simple recipes, one with sausage and one with bacon. Both will satisfy your St. Patrick’s Day hunger and set you on course to dash blarney back and forth with friends… with or without green beer or Irish whiskey.
Sausage and Cabbage
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 lb smoked sausage, kielbasa, or bratwurst, sliced into ½“-thick disks
1 lg onion (sweet or yellow), sliced
8 c coarsely chopped green cabbage (about half of large or whole medium cabbage head)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ c chicken bone broth or stock
2 T chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
For serving: grainy whole mustard and/or sour cream
Heat oil and butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Add sausage, cook and stir 4-5 min, till golden brown on both sides. Remove sausage with slotted spoon to a plate, but keep oil in pan. Add onion to the pan and let cook about 5 min to soften. Add cabbage, garlic, salt & pepper; cook 7-8 more minutes, till cabbage wilts. Return sausage to skillet and stir to combine. Add chicken stock. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium low; let cook 20 minutes, without removing cover. Then stir in parsley and add more salt & pepper, if desired. Serve. Makes about 3 servings.
KISS Note: There are no hard and fast rules. I’ve seen this dish prepared with hotdogs, rather than smoked sausage. I’ve also seen it with extra goodies tucked in, ranging from peas and carrots to sliced ripe olives and rice. You can also add more broth and make it a stew.
Fried Cabbage
Typically, I am a fan of regular-cut bacon, but for Fried Cabbage, I suggest choosing the Irish original… thick-cut.
5 slices raw, thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 large onion (yellow or sweet), coarsely chopped
1 small head green cabbage, cored & diced into 1” pieces
2 T water
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp celery seed
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 T apple cider vinegar
Cook bacon in medium Dutch oven 10-12 min over med heat, till crispy. Remove from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer bacon to paper towels but leaving bacon dripping in pan. Add onion to pan and cook over med heat for about 6 min, stirring often. Then add cabbage, 2 T water, salt, celery seed, and pepper, tossing well to distribute throughout cabbage. Cover and cook 8-10, stirring occasionally just till cabbage is tender. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and bacon. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.
“Why is it when we talk to God we’re praying, but when God talks to us, we’re schizophrenic?”
— Lily Tomlin (1939 – )
American actress & comedian
Welcome to Sully’s Place in Columbus, NC! This new all-American grill sits in the classic location of the former Green River Tavern and Larkin’s Carolina Grill. The menu features a great selection of pub appetizers, salads, soups, and sandwiches. They opened with great success AND consistency out of the kitchen… NOT an easy feat. We enjoyed the Pretzel Knots and opted for the white queso cheese dip. They are soft inside and perfectly crisp on the edges… far more than “knots,” and you can also opt for a mustard dip.
Hubby and I shared the Rueben sandwich, which was splendid.
Our friends went for the Tin Can Nachos. I will be rolling video next time, as Dixie (bar tender-manager extraordinaire) lifts the huge tin can, allowing the nachos & fixins to tumble out onto the platter.
They also shared a sandwich we will go for next time… the Beef and Weck… rare roast beef with Havarti cheese, served with horseradish sauce and au jus, plus a side choice, which was the grilled pineapple slaw. Indoor and outdoor seating, plus plenty of free parking for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. May Sully’s Place enjoy great success.
Ahhhh…. When steak is done right and “your way,” little can be more satisfying. Some like it fancy with sauces; some prefer it black and blue and straight-up.
Though not a great beef fan, I do love biting into a perfectly cooked rib-eye, from steer that were raised open-range, grass-fed, and never given any hormones nor antibiotics. Make it real and keep protein healthy.
I like to season all sides with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper, and some garlic powder; then I let it sit in the refrigerator (uncovered) for up to 24 hours. Dry brining this way helps “seal” the exterior a bit, delivering perfectly crisped outer edges when cooking and helping the meat maintain moisture as it cooks.
To serve, I do sprinkle on a bit of flaky, finishing salt and, perhaps, some herbs or herbed butter. (For non-beef eaters, dig into a portobello mushroom cap or two. They grill beautifully and can be seasoned precisely to your taste. For a little extra pizazz, top it with some sliced shiitake mushrooms, sautéed with some chopped onions and a favorite herb, such as thyme.)
“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.”
— Ben Sweetland (1900 – 1987)
Author and psychologist
I do love the sweet, tenderness of scallops. Prepare them any way you like… on the half shell, baked-stuffed, wrapped in bacon or pesto encrusted. Here’s a recipe I first created in 1980, I’ve only done the very slightest update since… like suggesting pinot grigio and shifting to sweet onions.
Cathy’s Sesame Scallop Kebabs
The key to cooking scallops is to avoid the tendency to overcook them. Scallops stay luscious and tender, unless overdone. This also cooks nicely on the grill.
1 lb fresh sea scallops (dry pack, no water added), rinsed & drained
½ c white wine (pinot grigio or chardonnay)
4 T sesame seeds (toasted, if you like)
¼ c grated sweet onion
½ tsp each: garlic powder & salt
1/8 tsp each: ground nutmeg and pepper (or lemon pepper)
Put scallops in zip-top plastic bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over the scallops. Seal the bag and refrigerate 10-15 minutes, turning the bag once. Drain, reserving the marinade. Divide scallops among 6 skewers (warm water-soaked, if bamboo or wooden). Place in foil-lined 15×10” baking pan with sides; pour reserved marinade over skewers. Bake at 425°F for 10 min or till tender, turning once. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges, if desired. Makes 2-3 generous servings.
I love Spring! And in the mountains of North Carolina we enjoy 3 gorgeous months of Spring.
Of course, Mom Martin’s double camellia is in bloom, as are the daffodils.
Our weeping cherry tree is starting to blossom…
… as are the plum trees.
And we are now watching the iris spring to life. Ahhhhh… just breathe!
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
— Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
German-born theoretical physicist; developed theory of relativity
(Image by Iván Tamás)
“Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one’s own goodness.”
— Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)
French Renaissance philosopher
Joining the nation in 1859, Oregon became the 33rd state in the U.S. Since the discovery of a small, prehistoric stone knife in 2012, some archaeologists believe people have lived in the region for at least 15,000 years. Home to 10 Native American tribes, Europeans began arriving in the 1500s, when both Spain and Great Britain claimed it for themselves.
In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson sent American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to map out a huge swath of land bought the year before in the Louisiana Purchase… and the land beyond, which included the region that is now Oregon.
American settlers started arriving by wagon trains in the 1840s. All European claims were soon quashed by the large number of Americans settling there.
Bordered by Washington, Idaho, Nevada, California, and the Pacific Ocean, the 9th largest state in the U.S. is slightly larger than the United Kingdom. The origins of the name Oregon remain disputed. Some claim it comes from the French word “ouragan” meaning “hurricane,” a term used by French explorers to describe an especially windy part of the region… but others say it’s derived from the Chinook word “oolighan,” a type of fish eaten by the Native Americans.
A coin toss in 1854 determined the name of Portland. Had the coin landed on the other side, the city was to be called Boston. With no sales tax, Oregon’s population nears 4.3 million, but the Beaver State is particularly known for its grandeur.
At 1943 feet, the famed Crater Lake is the nation’s deepest lake. Oregon is home to more than 6,000 lakes, plus 112,000 miles of rivers and streams, 16 known hot springs, 230 state parks, and 13 national forests. Nearly half of the area, nearly 30 million acres, is forested,
At 7,913 feet deep, Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America and averages 5,500 feet deep.
The state’s highest point is Mount Hood at 11,245’.
Oregon has 14 National Historic Districts, 4 National Historic Trails (including the “Go West, Young Man” Oregan Trail), and more than 7,000 bridges.
Oregon’s Klamath Basin has the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles, and the Western Meadowlark is its official state bird.
The “Tater Tot” was invented here by brothers Nephi and Golden Grigg, founders of Ore-Ida.
Oregon is also home to the corn dog.
This Pacific Northwest state grows 99% of the entire U.S. commercial crop of hazelnuts. The state is also home to over 750 vineyards, growing 72 varietals of wine grapes.
“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.”
— Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)
American poet
“A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.”
— Carl Sandburg (1878 – 1967)
American poet, biographer, journalist, & Pulitzer prize winner
“An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?”
— Michel de Saint Pierre (1916 – 1987)
French journalist
For National Snack Day, let’s munch down on a little Pepperoni Pizza Dip. Super Simple and soooo satisfying. (The picture is how it looks heading into the oven. Sorry… no picture of how it looked when we took it out of the oven because it disappeared very fast.)
Pepperoni Pizza Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ c mayonnaise
1-2 T thinly sliced green onion
½ c finely chopped sweet onion (microwaved 1-2 min)
1 T fresh (or lightly dried) mixed Italian herbs
½ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¾ c pizza sauce
2 T finely chopped sweet bell pepper (any color, but green for contrast)
½ heaping cup of finely chopped pepperoni (see note)
½ – ¾ shredded mozzarella cheese
Cream the mayonnaise into the cream cheese thoroughly. Then mix in all the onions, herbs, and cheddar cheese. Spread in 8” square (or other) baking dish. Spread sauce over the top. Sprinkle with bell pepper, most of the pepperoni (saving 2 T for garnish), and the mozzarella. Garnish with reserved pepperoni. Bake at 325°F for 25 – 30 min. Serve with crostini, tortilla chips, or toasty pita chips for dipping. Makes 8-10 servings.
KISS Note: Before cutting up the pepperoni, spread them in a single layer on a triple layer of paper towels; top with another layer or 2 of paper towels and microwave on high for 1 min. This takes the greasiness out and keeps all the flavor!
“A positive attitude may not solve every problem, but it makes solving any problem a more pleasant experience.”
— Grant D. Fairley (1959 – )
Business consultant & author
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
— Mario Andretti (1940 – )
Italian-American professional racing driver (1 of only 3 to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, the World Sportscar Championship, and NASCAR)
With 675 million pigs in the world, on every continent except Antarctica, pigs earned their own special day. National Pig Day is not just to celebrate bacon, ribs, ham, and all the other goodies pigs deliver to help sustain humans. This is a day to learn about an animal most of us simply take for granted. There are hundreds of breeds, most of which have descended from the Eurasian wild boar.
We’ve heard all the stereotypes… a messy room is a pigsty, or someone sweats like a pig. In truth, pigs are very clean animals. They wallow in the mud to stay cool, as they are not even able to sweat. They would much prefer a lovely swimming pool, and they are good swimmers.
Many people know that pigs are clever and very intelligent. They make great pets and can be trained and taught tricks. Pigs are born with the intelligence of a 3-year-old human toddler and rank as the 5th smartest animal, smarter and more trainable than any breed of dog. They have excellent memories and can even play video games better than some humans. (Who tried this to know?)
After a pregnancy of 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days, a female (or sow) can produce 10 piglets in a single litter, each weighing about 2.5 pounds at birth. That weight will double in the first week, but they are born able to walk and run. Pigs can run as fast as 11 miles per hour!
A mother pig sings to her babies while nursing. Pigs constantly communicate with each other via more than 20 distinct grunts and squeals. However, pigs have poor eyesight, but their sense of smell is 2,000 times more sensitive than ours.
Few animals are more social than pigs, and they are known to form close bonds with other pigs and humans too, which has helped make them easy to domesticate. They also enjoy belly rubs. Like humans, pigs spend 1/3 of their day sleeping. And they dream. They also like sleeping nose-to-nose with one another.
As adorable as they are, I am unlikely to stop eating pork products. That said, I am a believer in open-range, healthy living conditions for all the creatures that are raised to feed us. We all need to say, “No” to factory-farmed pork, along with beef, chicken, etc.
I will close with some information that I had previously been unaware existed. For decades, pig heart valves have been successfully being used to replace heart valves in humans. So, celebrate the process called xenotransplantation.
Here’s oinking at you!
True… a person turning 100 years old today only got to officially celebrate 25 birthdays. This is also National Frog Legs Day. But, of course! A couple of silly one-liners seem in order. Sooooo…. What do athletes wear on Leap Day? Jumpsuits, of course. And what do you call a talking kangaroo? Unbe-Leap-able.
In seriousness, early Egyptians had a leap year in their calendar. Early Roman calendars had an entire leap month from time to time to keep in line with astronomy. Julius Caesar pushed for the Roman calendar to have 12 nearly even months and a leap day every 4 years.
Regardless, we all get one extra day this year. So, what shall we do with it? For me, this is a day welcoming a couple of dear friends coming for their first visit with us in the North Carolina mountains.
I’ll close with a cultural tidbit: One ancient Irish tradition allowed women to propose marriage on Leap Day. Allowed. Words like “allowed” feel so incredibly archaic in such a context. Yup. Such “allowances” and rules were definitely created by boys. (Men do not feel threatened by women.)
24 years ago today, I was on the eve of a Leap Year Day surgery. Following a diagnosis of Stage IV ovarian cancer, I was given 3 months to live. If I didn’t wake up from surgery in the hospice ward of Mass General, I had signed off to let the surgeon use my body for experimental treatments that might help save other women after I was gone.
God and my sturdy fleet of guardian angels were with me. The diagnosis was false. What I had was going to “take me out,” but it wasn’t cancer. The successful surgery gave me a renewed lease on life. Not everyone gets to wake up to such a positive result.
Whether or not we face critical life-and-death situations, sobering diagnoses, or any of Life’s other “foul balls,” we all have crosses to bear and challenges to face. I was blessed to have my parents with me, my sister Deborah literally at my side before and after surgery, and an amazing circle of supportive friends and colleagues. Life and experience have taught me that not everyone is as fortunate.
And yet, everyone needs someone, even if it is just some ONE, to be positive… to be with us, to believe, to assure us that we are not alone, and to encourage us with every possible prayer and loving thought. I hope that those in your life who uplift you know how precious they are to you.
The dozens… or perhaps even hundreds of stories I have heard over the years from people who did not feel the warmth, comfort, and strength from someone supportive became the impetus for me to write one of my books. 2019’s “Encouragement: How to Be and Find the Best” is all about unlocking positive, life-changing skills and learning to team up with people who are true encouragers and not discouragers. I have been deeply humbled by the outpouring of love and gratitude that continues to come my way from people who have read that book.
Whatever you may be going through, you can do it. As long as there is breath in your body, do not ever forget that.
“A person who tells you that you are not good enough knows that you are better than they are.”
— Cathy Burnham Martin
Author, voiceover artist, and dedicated foodie
“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”
— Thomas Jefferson 1743 – 1826)
3rd president of the United States; diplomat, architect, and philosopher
(in his papers at the Library of Congress)
This is true for both primary and general elections. We humans like to complain… er, uh, express our opinions. However, if we fail to vote, we should also fail to criticize. Just saying…
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
— Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
American statesman; 16th President: 1861-65; assassinated following Civil War
Let’s celebrate National Clam Chowder Day with a simple discussion of the Great Chowder Debate. Some insist it must have a clear broth base; others want it creamy and thick. Some add tomatoes; some stick to onions and potatoes. Everyone is right. Chowder is perfectly adapted to anyone’s texture and taste preferences.
The word “chowder” comes from “chaudiere,” a French word for an iron soup kettle. Originally, New England clam chowder was made in such a kettle, and was a simple, clear broth chowder… just clams, onions, salt pork, potatoes, and pepper. Gradually, people started adding crumbled hard biscuits to thicken the broth. Then came additions that include milk or cream, celery, butter, bacon, corn, salt, paprika, parsley, thyme, and carrots.
Tomatoes, a staple in the Manhattan chowder, were late comers to the clam chowder party. After all, tomatoes were viewed as poisonous before the mid-1800s.
Serve it plain or garnished. Try au natural or topped with a flaky pastry. Clams in shell or out.
Go for clam chowder any way YOU like. Red, white, clear, or creamy.
Regardless, the big, hard-shelled Quahogs remain the preferred clam of choice. That said, steams have also won prizes for chowders in recent years.
If you have favorite tastes and concepts, today is no day to “clam up!” Share the yumminess with your friends and family. Chow down!
“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.”
— Anais Nin (1914-1977)
French-born American novelist and dancer
“Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”
— Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr (1808 – 1890)
French critic & journalist
I thought I’d serve up a dish that is often popular at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it’s a big hit at Easter, too. Funny, none of those holidays land in February. And yet, February 22 is National Cook a Sweet Potato Day.
Sweet Potato Souffle
I skip the pecans if someone is dining with us who can’t eat nuts. And it’s still Yummyland! Some folks call this dish Sweet Potato Pie or Souffle or Casserole. I call it, “Gone!”
6 lbs baked sweet potatoes
1 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1 large finely chopped sweet onion (microwaved 2 minutes)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated orange peel (can use dried)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt & ½ tsp pepper
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 lg eggs, beaten
½ c (approx.) half-and-half (or milk)
1 c coarsely chopped pecans
4 c mini marshmallows
2 c pecan halves (or pieces), for garnish
Peel and mash the potatoes; then mash in butter, sugar, onion, seasonings, and extract. Gradually stir in the cream, just to reach your desired consistency. Stir in the egg, followed by the chopped pecans. Divide between 2 well-buttered 11x7x2” baking pans. Use back of spoon to smooth the top. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 min. Remove from oven and distribute marshmallows over the top. Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes till marshmallows are golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle tops with pecan halves. Let stand at 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes 20 servings.
KISS Tips: This can be easily divided in half for smaller amounts. Before baking it also freezes well or can be refrigerated. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Before baking, bring to room temperature. (Remember to not add the marshmallows till halfway through the baking time.) This is also yummy with raisins and/or cranberries (dried, fresh, or frozen).
“If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow-citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem.”
— Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
American statesman; 16th President of the United States, 1861-65; assassinated following Civil War
“Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”
— Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882 – 1945)
32nd President of the United States
Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
— Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) (1904 – 1991)
American children’s author, illustrator, and political cartoonist
Happiest Birthday wishes to my hubby, Sir Ronald!
I was recalling Rumaki, a popular appetizer from the 1950s & 60s. Thought you might like this updated rendition and some variations.
Rumaki
1 recipe of Asian Sauce (below)
6 chicken livers, halved
6-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
6 slices raw bacon, halved
¼ c coconut sugar
Pour Asian Sauce into large zip-top plastic bag with livers and 12 slices water chestnuts. Close and refrigerate 4 hours. Reserve the marinade. Wrap 1 liver and 1 water chestnut slice in each piece bacon, securing with wooden toothpick. Roll in coconut sugar Broil 3” from heat for 10 min, turning once or twice until bacon is crisp. Makes 12 tapas pieces.
Asian Sauce
¼ c tamari or soy sauce
¼ c x-virgin olive oil
2 T catsup
1 T apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
Combine. Makes ½ c of sauce.
KISS Variations: Try these as Oysters in Bacon. Use 1 lb bacon, partially cooked and cut in half. Plus, an 8-oz tub or can of whole oysters, each cut in 3 pieces. Wrap bacon around an oyster; secure with wooden toothpick. Bake at 350°F for 12 min, turning once or twice. Turn this into a Rockefeller-style with the addition of baby spinach, etc. Also can do this as a Shrimp Rockefeller. Another Super Simple twist is to replace Asian Sauce with a favorite bottled sweet Thai chili or General Tso sauce. You can also eliminate the chicken livers completely, and use whole water chestnuts. Or replace the chicken livers with another protein or even a chunk of pineapple.
“Bigotry is the disease of ignorance of morbid minds. Education and free discussion are the antidotes.”
— Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826)
3rd president of the United States; diplomat, architect, and philosopher (in a letter to John Adams on August 1, 1816)