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On most Saturday mornings, Christy puts on a pot of coffee and invites us over to chat. Today, though, it's our turn to offer some very special FDL love to Christy and her family in the loss of her husband's mother this week.
We lean on each other so much here that it has become a real community of shared joys and sorrows. We offer Christy, her husband, and their family our deep sympathy, our hugs, our spiritual energy, and our flowing love as they go through this terrible loss. We are with you.
When people in our own neighborhoods suffer a loss like this, a lot of us would bring over a casserole, so that the family wouldn't have to worry about cooking for a while. Today, I'm asking you to bring a virtual casserole (or other comfort food) to Pull Up A Chair, since it's what we would do if we all lived in the same physical community.
Bring your favorites here, either a description or the recipe, for her family to contemplate, and maybe some of those recipes will become favorites of her family in the future as they remember the community who loves them.
We all grieve in different ways. At its worst, grief can nearly knock people down physically, and it can be hard to endure one hour to the next. It can be hard to imagine why the sky is still blue -- does it even matter? And how can people go on living normal lives all around us? Don't they understand that everything is different now?
In mourning we often need an unknown combination of time alone to contemplate and then time to be surrounded by others who care for us. It can be difficult for others to know what is the right thing to do or say. But it's always right to show that you care, that you are there for each other. A simple "I'm sorry for your loss" or a hug can be more healing than you imagine.
One of the loving ideas that comes to us from the grieving family is that they are asking, instead of flowers, for folks to donate to their own local library -- libraries being a lifelong passion of Christy's mother-in-law. I am going to pass this idea along in my own circle of friends and family.
We're at a physical distance from each other: Christy in the east, other family in the west, and firepups all over the globe. Even so, keep Christy and her family with you in love and in spirit this morning. She does so much for us, and today we can return her hospitality as we surround her and her family with our caring.
It's been a rough time for Christy, her husband, and The Peanut as they've dealt with all of this. Christy may join us in the comments this morning, or she may decide to sleep in and check out the comments later on. Either way, please come on in, set your casseroles on the kitchen counter, and pull up a chair....
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Offering up some Potato Leek soup here. Simple warmth for the tummy and soul. A pat of butter and splash of cream with a garnish of curly parsley…
Wishing Christy and family well.
((((Reddhedds)))
Good Morning egregious, what a great way for us to to offer condolences from afar.
My sincere condolences to Christy, her family and Mr. Redd’s family.
I second that egregious.
Small town where my country house is just built a new library. Gonna be a “bucket brigade” a week from today to pass the books from the old library to the new one. I have supported the effort both financially & with book donations.
((((Christy & family))))
I’ve got beef stew and homemade whole wheat bread. There’s enough to freeze for later too.
Hugs to Christy, her husband, and Peanut.
(((((Christy and family)))))
My condolences.
This stuff is just too much. McPAlin deliberately stir up these hateful crowds fora few days, he decides it isn’t working, tells them Obama’s a good guy they shouldn’t be afraid of and gets booed by his own people!!! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
I’ve been cooking up a storm to stock my new freezer. Got enough vegies in it to last a good portion of the winter. Great soup recipes in The New Basics Cookbook. Tarragon pea soup is particularly good. Made from sweet peas, the initial taste is sweet, but the final taste is a bit pungent because of the small about of chili pepper.
Find the recipe on p. 87 at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reade.....eader-link
Morning all. Thanks egregious for this — and to Peterr, too. Was nice to get to bed early last night, although no sleeping in today since I’m home with The Peanut. Mr. ReddHedd’s dad will be coming to live with us, so my next week is going to be a whole lot of getting the spare room ready and re-doing some things in the house to make him less likely to fall (moving a couple of rugs out of the way and such).
Really appreciate the good thoughts. It’s been a long year for our family…
Remember to include prep instructions.
And snacks and drinks are a big help, too.
Around here that would be chips, pretzels, and ring baloney & cheese.
oh my, even more adjustments.
Grandpa Reddhedd is lucky to have such warm arms to hold him now.
{{{{{Christy and Family}}}} i offer crusty bread from my new bread machine,and TEXAS CHILLI…..take good care of yourself,and those you love
Mac and Cheese
13 tpsp butter
Salt
1 ld ziti
2 lb white cheddar grated
2 14 oz can evaporated milk
4 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 tsp paprika
2 pinches cayenne
Preheat oven to 375, boil a pot of water for the pastsa and use 1 tsp of the butter to butter a large baking dish.
Cook the ziti, drain, and transfer to large bowl. Add cheese, evaporated milk and the remaining 12 tbsp of butter to the bowl and stir
until cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, paprika and cayenne and stir until well mixed.
Place in large baking dish, place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: I mixed extra sharp white cheddar with mozzerella, This comes out dense and cheesy. I got this recipe out of Saveur magazine from a article about the Bahamas. Evrytime I make it I get asked for the recipe.
History of Chili
http://www.chilicookoff.com/Hi....._Chili.asp
Yeah, one of which will mean my office is moving elsewhere in the house. Have to figure that out this week. May be back to the kitchen for my morning blogging again. *g*
I’m waiting to make chili until I get ground venison from my hunter friend.
But I have jalopena peppers in the freezer in case I can’t find them when the chili making time comes.
Yum dont forget dollop of Sour Cream (hey why not)
Joe Cooper’s Chili
3 pounds lean beef (never veal)
¼ cup olive oil
1 quart water
2 bay leaves
8 dry chile pods or 6 tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons salt
10 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon oregano or marjoram
1 teaspoon red pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons cornmeal
When olive oil is hot, in 6-quart pot, add meat and sear over high heat; stir constantly until gray - not brown. It then will have the consistency of whole-grain hominy. Add 1 quart water and cook (covered) at bubbling simmer 1½ to 2 hours. Then add all ingredients, except flour and cornmeal. Cook another 30 minutes at same bubbling simmer, but no longer, as further cooking will damage some of the spice flavors. Now add thickening, previously mixed in 3 tablespoons cold water. Cook 5 minutes to determine if more water is necessary (likely) for your desired consistency. Stir to prevent sticking after thickening is added. Some prefer all flour, others all cornmeal, and still others use cracker meal - about as good, and more convenient. Suit your own taste.
Mmmmm . . . soup.
In a large pot, put the following:
One ham bone, with plenty of meat scraps still attached
6 qt water
4 tsp instant chicken boullion (can substitute homemade stock)
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 lbs split peas
Simmer uncovered for 90 minutes. Remove the ham bone, then trim the meat and add it back to the pot (can add extra ham if you so desire).
Stir in 3 cups thinly sliced carrots and 2 cups chopped celery.
Simmer uncovered for another 2-2.5 hours, or until it reaches the consistency you like. Remove bay leaves and serve. (At the table, you can stir in some grated cheddar cheese, add oyster crackers, or other garnishes as you like.)
It makes a bunch, and leftovers freeze very well.
Peace to you and yours, Christy!
im not crazy about venison,but hey give it a try….if its a cold winter ,it will be fab…hey,I think ill be buying my house i rent now,lease purchase i think.wish me luck ,the last 8 years have been horrible,looking foward to a gemocratic stabilizing influence,fingers crossed
that sound soooo yummy ,thanks
I’ve been thinking that, in general, spices should be added toward the end of the cooking process for exactlty the reason states. My chili recipe (ad hoc) calls for long cooking down the liquid, and the jalopenas hold their flavor during the process, but should add powdered spices in the last half hour.
Condolences and an ultra satisfying recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies. Ultra satisfying because the effort is minimal as are the ingredients, hence they get to your tastebuds quickly.
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
Mix all ingredients, roll into balls and do that criss cross thing with the fork. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes. And no, there isn’t any flour in this recipe. It has been a favorite of mine for over 30 years
oy Democratic stabilizing influence
I love venison & have made chili with it for the past 3 years.
Condolences to you and your family. I’m sure that you will welcome your father-in-law into your home, just as you have welcomed us.
A hint for getting your house “elder proofed”:
Invite over someone you know who is about his age (a neighbor, a retired former co-worker, a friend from a group to which you belong), and have them walk through the house with you, especially “his” room. They’ll be able to point out things that you and I might not have thought about. Another option would be to bring over a friend who had an elderly parent move in with them, so that you could gain from their wisdom.
absolutely,i hope everybody starts a little indoor living window herb box,they make winter more delicious
I also have a freezer full of broth from beef, chicken/turkey, pork, to be used in soups. Also can freeze some in ice cube trays (take em out when frozen & transfer to an more space efficient container, like a freezer bag) for when you need only an ounce or two.
maybe the venison ive had wasnt prepared correctly
Mmmmm . . . gotta find me a hunter friend. Any particular recipe, or do you just take a basic chili and substitute the venison?
i want to get a little freezer,been looking at one at BestBuy
Deepest condolences, Christy, to you and your whole family.
When I’m down I always make myself a warm bowl of rice and peas. I’ve brought you some. It’s just long grain white or brown rice cooked as usual and then mixed with a can of Green Giant LeSueur Baby Peas. A little salt and butter tops it off. Warm, delicious, and very nutritious. It always makes me feel better.
Good Morning Egregious and Pups.
(((((reddhedd family))))) are in our hearts.
Perhaps. My hunter friend butchers himself & gets it quick frozen. I’ve never had a bad piece yet. But I have to say that meat is my favorite food and the meatier the better. Many do not share my taste.
Hugs and love to all. Lots of changes for Grandpa. I wish you all the best.
Great idea — thanks. It wasn’t so long ago that The Peanut was in the toddler phase, shuffling along on the carpet. So I’m trying to be mindful of the sorts of things that tripped her up. It’s not the same, I know, but easily mobile rug ends were one of the things she used to take a spill over, so I’m trying to move those out of the way. We have a fairly open house plan, so I think we’ll be good for the most part. It’s just figuring out logistics — like moving my office somewhere else…that’s going to take some thinking. *g*
Oh, and BTW, watching Fox & Friends is a real hoot this morning.
Guaranteed to make you laugh.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Christy.
my mom too,and she is 91 ,sharp,and feisty as hell,eats it blue,.)partially alive)…”g”
My chili “recipe” is ad hoc. Included tomatoes, jalopenos (I like that kind of hot pepper better than others), kidney beans, and I just look for ingredients that sound like interesting additions. A little bit like my memory of the chili my mom made. In the recipe above, cumin sounds like a good ingredient.
This year I canned green tomotoes (green when ripe), but it didn’t work because the color faded in the canning process. But the flavor will be fine and I’ll use them in the chili.
Do share. I don’t know what channel on my cable is Faux.
eCAHN
I have a recipe for a roast lion of venison if you’re interested. I’ve never made it, it’s in article about an Italian estate in Tuscany and I’ve made 2 other recipes from the article and they were very good.
hey Bob Herbert
Voters in the George W. Bush era gave the Republican Party nearly complete control of the federal government. Now the financial markets are in turmoil, top government and corporate leaders are on the verge of panic and scholars are dusting off treatises that analyzed the causes of the Great Depression.
your vote matters
You means she gallops it thru the kitchen with the stove on & butchers it fresh on the other side? *g* Sounds like my kind of lady.
i have a ton of over ripe yellow tommatos ,my knew passion,what should i do with them?if you please
Roast lion? Must be a mighty big estate in Tuscany . . .
*g*
oh she is a piece of work,goes to the steakhouse and orders the 24 oz steak…i shit you not
Ah! A kindred spirit. I’m forever stewing up the last of the bones, every time we have a roast. I also save the broth from vegetables, extra juice from canned black-eyed peas, etc. Combo, plus some carmelized onion, tomato, and fresh veggies makes a soup that’s, well, super. broth is key to gravy for us also, giving that special touch. tastes full and rich, with NO added fat. Guilt-free gravy.
Yep; email or post it please. I have a basil shallot mustard that I made as an experiment. I have been using it as a marinade for every meat I make in the oven, including venison loin that gets broiled. It’s yummy, but other ideas welcome.
Tuscany …am yearning for that peacefull,beautiful place
Now that’s a funny typo. HA!
Much love to you all, Christy.
Condolences to Christy and her family.
I don’t know. I’m new at the canning tomatoes thing, but the instructions call for properly ripe tomatoes, not over ripe ones.
How about making tomato sauce & storing it in the freezer? The local farmer who grows organic heirloom tomatoes in every color of the rainbow told me he once made spaghetti sauce with yellow tomatoes and his 7 year old neice protested at the color, but found the flavor fine. Some things just don’t “taste” the same if they’re the wrong color, but it’s better than wasting them.
So here I am, in the ICU room of my father in law, having “the talk” with my sister in law and I click on FDL and see this. Thanks for a lovely write up.It so speaks to me at this moment.
so to Christy and family- hugs hugs hugs and good food and energy. A time to celebrate the life and support one another.
Condolences to you and your family Christy and I am so glad to hear that you have opened your home to grandpa. When my mother died we had to put my dad in a nursing home because his dementia was so far advanced.
Heaven help me. I think I remember a candidate who did that in Strongsville OH the other day.
Oh it’s just incredibly stupid wingnuttia. It’s laughable.
Attacking ACORN at the moment.
So sad :(
Love to you and yours, Christy…
(((Ruffian)))
(((((Ruffian and family)))))
Tomato juice.
Interesting thing is my hunter friend’s significant other is a vegetarian because she cringes at the idea of killing animals. Go figger.
(((((BIG HUGS TO CHRISTY & HER FAMILY)))))
I offer you some Maine chowdah to calm your souls on this cool Fall day.
Ok great comfort food-and kinda adddictive….
noodle kugel
use 2 cassaroles or 13″ pans
1 lb med noodles
1 pint sour cream
1 lb cottage cheese
½ lb butter
1 c milk
4 beaten eggs
salt & pepper
bread crumbs
cook/drain noodles. add 1 stick + 3T butter (stir & melt) & everything except crumbs. grease casseroles- put in- cut & dab remaining of butter
350 1 hour
HALF SERVING
1/2 lb med noodles
½ pint sour cream
½ lb cottage cheese
¼ lb butter
½ c milk
2 beaten eggs
salt & pepper
bread crumbs
cook/drain noodles. add 2/3 butter & everything except crumbs. grease casserole- put in- cut & dab remaining of butter
350 1 hour
Salsa. Base for pasta sauces. Anything that requires chopped tomatoes and juice.
with yellow tommatos?
“One of the loving ideas that comes to us from the grieving family is that they are asking, instead of flowers, for folks to donate to their own local library — libraries being a lifelong passion of Christy’s mother-in-law. I am going to pass this idea along in my own circle of friends and family.”
A lovely tribute to honor a lifelong passion.
I sent along some lemon cornmeal cakes –I bake them in a muffin top pan so you can put them in the toaster and some of this year’s blackberry jam.
now that you mention it
ive been looking at pasta machine too….homemade noodles will ALSO be good this winter
ew lemon anything…got the recipe
and teebee dipshits MARVELING over the dropping price of OIL….so we are NO LONGER in PEAK OIL………thieves and scoundrels all of them,ALL of them
Lombata di Cervo Arrosto
(Roast Loin of Venison)
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, trimmed and chopped
1 carrot, peeled, trimmed and chopped
1 tsp juniper berries
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 springs fresh rosemary
1 bottle fruity red wine
1 4-lb boneless loin of venison
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup gin
3/4 cup fresh red or black currants
Put onions, celery, carrots, juniper berries, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves and venison in a in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours turning venison every 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 425. Remove venison from marinade, pat dry, and generously season with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Heat oil in a heavy roasting pan on top of stove over high heat. Sear meat until browned onall sides, about 2 minutes per side and transfer pan to oven and roast until internal temperature of meat registers 125 for rare, about 15 minutes, or 135 for medium rare, about 20 minutes. Transfer venison to a warm platter cover loosely with foil and set aside for 15 minuets before carving.
Meanwhile return roasting pan to top of stove over medium heat. Add gin and 3/4 cup water, scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and cook until pan juices thicken. Add currants and cooked for about 1 minute, puree in a blender, strain through a fine sieve, season with salt and pepper and serve over venison.
you guys making me hungry bbl
((family redhedd))
It’s a sunny autumn day here, hope the sun shines on you and yours.
Sure.
Especially salsas, but pasta sauces too. I’ve seen many a salsa with a mix of colored tomatoes, and it gives it a different feel and look.
In other words, experiment. It sounds like you’ve got plenty of raw materials to work with. *g* Make up a small batch, see what you think, and if it works, run with it!
Loving thoughts to Christy and her family this morning. Remembering my Grandfather when my family lived with him for a short while as our house was built when I was about the same age as the peanut. She will later remember the special experiences she will have with him. It was 60 years ago and I am here remembering that time this morning. Cherish the special experiences that this will bring.
Mornin’, Egregious, Christy, pups
My deepest condolences, Christy and family. I saw some comments the other day but was clueless as to what had happened.
If only more folks would bring their parents home in such circumstances. We gotten away from taking care of our own, preferring to stick them somewhere else. Family is, after all, the nucleus of civilization.
The Peanut will now have grampa to spoil her rotten and drive Mom and Dad crazy in the process. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? *g*
A marvelous suggestion a friend fwded to us the other day:
[Warning. Set down beverage before reading.]
A Plea for Unity
Let’s All Come Together
There’s only a short time until the election, an election that will
decide the next President of the United States. The person elected
will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the
Republicans. To show our solidarity as Americans, let’s all get
together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It’s time that we come together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of Senator Obama, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support John McCain, please drive with your headlights off at night.
Thank you for your participation.
I’m guessing the bottle of wine goes in the marinade. (Or is that for direct consumption by the cook during the 24 hour wait?)
apologies. forgot the /s at the end of #80.
I made a tasty yellow tomato gazpacho, which is basically my salsa recipe,
chop yellow tomatoes
chop a red chili or two (i used some nice fresh red cherry peppers recently)
chop a small purple onion
chop a good portion of vietanames coriander if you have it if not cilantro
mix together, add the juice of one lime and splash of apple cider vinegar.
color full and very tasty.
lol, Thanks for that message and I’ve already passed it on.
Fantastic flavor combo to experiment with:
maple, balsamic vinegar, golden sherry, and honey mustard, a touch of allspice.
glaze for meats, etc.
That looks yummy. I’ve seen another recipe with juniper berries in scanning thru recipe books, but have no idea where to buy them.
Yes it does. Good thing I set type and layout out information for a living huh? HA!
Thanks for catching that.
You can always leave the wine-watching to me. Wine-tasting, too, for that matter. *g*
Christy, a stranger to me, offered support and kind words when I was going through a hard time. It’s obvious, from her writings, that she is a person of good intent and a big heart. My thoughts are with her this morning, and my gratitude for her role in shaping this community.
(((((Christy and Family))))) Love and Hugs
That pea soup sounds so good on a fall day. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome. Christy shared this source for spices with me recenty and they have juniper berries
we have to smile thru the tears and anxiety once in awhile, or we’ll never make it. we rec’d that on a particularly rough day, and it helped. it’s so simple, and just sorta creeps up on ya. thanks for understanding. ;->
My deepest condolences to you and yours Christy.
I get mine from Penzeys for our sauerbrauten recipe. Will dig that recipe up and post it one of these days when I have a little more time.
Millinaryman — thanks for the venison recipe. We’ll be trying that one this winter. My dad still hunts and fills our freezer every year. That looks like a winner!
(((Ruffian)))
Hugs, Tommy. How are things going this weekend?
Thanks for the link.
But you remind me that there are 2 local organic produce stores, one quite large, that might carry juniper berries. Think I’ll check them out first.
Aw, so sorry to hear it. We’ve been dealing with parents in and out of the ICU all year this year. It’s such a tough place to be. Take care…
Sincere condolences, Christy, to you and your husband and father-in-law and the Peanut. Take heart that your mom-in-law’s long trial is ended and peace is now hers.
I recommend the dining room table for your “command central”…mine only gets used for “dining” Christmas Eve, when we make our annual international dinner…country selected at Thanksgiving so we can research culture and recipes. Virtual paella for you today, improvised with memories of the Spain year. And a great way anytime to gather up odds&ends of leftovers, some calamata olives on the side. yum.
oh, and the voice of experience, beware of puppy piddles as a hazard for falling. ouch.
OK. One small political observation from Washington Monthly before I get outside on this glorious autumn day:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.c.....015130.php
My deepest sympathies and heartfelt good thoughts to Christy and her family–Christy’s seen me, and all of us, through these godawful times with sanity and love, and I hope that the family somehow finds a peace and unity to help them through this trying time. Much love to all of them.
I grind/squash juniper berries up and put them in Thanksgiving turkey stuffing.
We love having little herb plants right by the kitchen door. Nothing quite as good as fresh-picked, on whatever’s for dinner. Not quite as successful on the morning waffles.
You’re welcome, it does look very tasty. I love Saveur Magazine. The recipes are always spot on, and they really do a good job connecting food to local culture and traditions.
[as you can see, I’m way behind on this thread]
Re preparing wild game, venison, bison, etc. I’ve learned that low’n’slow is good practice for tender results. As for tasty, prep-processing matters, some meats benefit from soaking to draw out “gaminess.” And then a lot of people never tasted authentic meat before…just the plasticized stuff from the grocery. Could be the tastebuds aren’t prepared for “wild.”
Man, that shows a profound understanding of the peak oil concept. Not. And they pay these morons millions to say this kinda shit?
You are so right, our society has been tsk-tsking extended families living together as unhealthy. Balderdash.
ROFLMAO
Evil, pure evil. I love it.
{{{Ruffian}}}
Thinking, too, of our Barbara and her David in their difficult time.
Deepest condolences, Redd to you and yours.
I can’t think about junipers without hearing Donovan’s Jennifer Juniper in my head. :)
I have a 24 hour chili recipe my dad gleaned from the Texas Chili Parlor in DC over a couple of years because they wouldn’t give him the recipe. Each time he went in he got an ingredient or two until he put the whole thing together. This stuff is so hot it burns through the plate its served on. Over pasta it’s divine. Haven’t made it since I quit eating meat, though.