LORRAINE'S/LISA'S/LOUISE'S SWEET POTATO {PIE}

LORRAINE'S/LISA'S/LOUISE'S SWEET POTATO {PIE}>>>>>>> This is the traditional Rossi sweet potato pie that is served at Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving....and rarely other times of the year. Hubster _loves it_ but it makes a lot so i don't make it very often. This is the exact recipe from Lorraine, who got it from Louise, with my adjustments as a footnote at the end. >>>>>>>4lbs sweet potatoes--- boil whole peel and mash, set aside>>>>>>>1/2C brown sugar, packed tightly>>>>>>>1 stick (1/2C) butter [NOT margarine)>>>>>>>1lb4oz can of crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)>>>>>>>1t cinnamon>>>>>>>1t nutmeg>>>>>>>1/2C orange juice>>>>>>>mix all of this in pan for ~10 minutes to smooth and sweet smelling>>>>>>>pour over the mashed sweet potatoes,mix well, and spoon into an oven-safe dish>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>bake at 400 for 20 minutes, top with pineapple slices and halved maraschino cherries>>>>>>>bake at 400 for 25 minutes more>>>>>>>[i had to use sliced pineapple this year and puree it myself, canned crushed is better as it has bigger chunks.......can use mandarine oranges instead of maraschino cherries for garnish, as i did.......even better the next day!!]

christmas and beyond

It is different living in Costa Rica, away from family and church. Yes, before we moved here 4-1/2 years ago, we were still away from our "birth families" which are still-and-forever in Ohio/Indiana. Yes, our kids that live in New Mexico from which we moved were only rarely with us. We're adults and left our families to follow jobs. Our son/daughter have done the same thing. They have their own lives and, while we saw _a lot_ of them on our visit the first week of December, we know that this would not have been the usual frequency if we all still lived in Albuquerque. >>>>>>>So, we live in Atenas, Costa Rica and "everyone" celebrates the holidays without our being there.>>>>>>>We made our own Christmas-with-the-family yesterday (Christmas Eve _is_ Christmas in Costa Rica, today is, well, Monday). We invited our friends Peter/James, Ally/Romel (her husband that we've met twice), John/Andy (new neighbors), and Martin. Martin is an "orphan". He moved to Costa Rica from Texas to be near Jerry/LeAnn, friends of his who live here now. He lived in their casita for ~4 months while he was moving his stuff here, buying a house, and remodeling it. He had lived in this house for ~2 months when Jerry/LeAnn put their house up for sale, sold it (within a week), and started getting ready to move back to the US. So, Martin is an "orphan" and we thought that he might welcome becoming part of our "friend-family". We had met him a couple times through Jerry/LeAnn. He was eager to join the Christmas Eve potluck at our house and was told to bring bread (easy, just go to the grocery, pick up a loaf, no cooking/preparing involved). >>>>>>>Everyone was to arrive at 1200, to eat at 1300. At 1120, i get a message on Facebook from Martin saying that he now had a "scheduling conflict" and was not coming. Ten days after he'd received and accepted the invitation.>>>>>>>Ally's husband (it's a sham marriage) decided to spend the holiday with others instead so he didn't come either. We were told that by Ally when she arrived at 1200.>>>>>>>So, our big "Christmas Eve with the Friend/Family" went from nine people and two tables to seven people and one more cramped table (stuck my on the end of a six-person table). No bread as there was not time to "pop out to the store" between 1130 and 1200 with still needing to get dressed for the arrival of everyone.>>>>>>>It worked out ok. We had so much food (but not much leftover, thankfully) and the conversation was good. Christmas was "over" by 4:20 when everyone went home. I made Joe's mom's/Aunt Louise's sweet potato pie (which is not a "pie" like a pecan/dessert pie but more a "casserole of sweet potato and pineapple"), recipe to follow in next posting, so that you can make it and "share" our holiday.>>>>>>>Today, i called my mom/sister to FaceTime and "share" their Christmas. They had already opened their gifts, had the Christmas morning pastries and goodies, and were wearing their matching pj's. I spoke with Christian and heard his wife/son in the background. They had a good holiday as well. >>>>>>> It's a different holiday being 2500 miles from birth families (those into which we were born and that which we bore). I lvoe the weather here. I love the lifestyle here. I love my life her, really. But....sometimes i wish that we still lived in Columbus Ohio, preferably with the small children that we had when we did live there. >>>>>>>I will sign off here before i get too maudlin. Have a great day. Hug your honey for me. xoxo-lisa

TAPICHE

I generally try to use ALL of the fruit/veg and not throw anything away. I don't peel carrots all the time (wash, chop, cook) and rarely peel potatoes (the peel is the best part! fiber and taste!). But, seeing this recipe, i wasn't sure.>>>>>>>I'm not a big fan of pineapple, sadly (they are abundant and cheap here in Costa Rica) but Hubster is. It is, in fact, one of the few fruit/veg that he will happily eat and he does nearly daily (his green-juice smoothies after the gym and/or chunks for snacks). So, we have a ready supply of ingredient for this recipe.>>>>>>>It has been "maturing" (pickling? molding? stewing? fermenting!!) on our counter for three days and i will be straining, bottling, and chilling it today for him to try after the gym.>>>>>>>I really, really hope that he loves this as it is super duper easy and uses "trash". Literally.>>>>>>>TAPICHE>>>>>>>4 C water + 1/2 C brown sugar .......boil water and pour over sugar, stir to mix.......peel and core from chopped pineapple (see? i told you that it's made from garbage!)......put all together, cover bowl with dry towel and set on counter to "age" (ferment!).......after a day or two (or three...), when the mixture is really fragrant and small bubbles of white foam are on the top of the mixture, strain out the solids (keep the fluid!!!).......chill the fluid and drink (add water/sugar to taste)......it's like a pineapple Kombucha......and, if you love pineapple as much as Hubster does, easy to make and have in fridge forever as he chops a pineapple just about every 5-7 days........

this is what i'm making for dinner next week.....let me know if you try it too!

Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing 1 large white or yellow onion (12 ounces), chopped 2 large bell peppers, cored and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped One (28-ounce) can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes 1 cup water 2 teaspoons Aleppo-style chile flakes 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste 3 cups cooked black lentils (from two 15-ounce cans), drained and rinsed (see NOTE) 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese 1 pound no-boil lasagna sheets Directions Time Icon Active: 40 mins | Total: 1 hour 30 mins Step 1 Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Brush a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish generously with olive oil. Step 2 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, celery and carrot and saute until the carrots and peppers start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chile flakes, garam masala, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat, taste, and season with more salt, as needed. Step 3 Use an immersion blender to pulse for a few seconds to get a chunky sauce, or longer to get it smooth, if you’d like. (Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, pulse or puree, and return the sauce to the pot.) Stir in the lentils. Step 4 In a small bowl, mix the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses until combined. Step 5 Line the base of the greased baking pan with enough sheets of pasta to cover in a single layer. Cover the pasta with 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the cheese mixture on top, and add another layer of pasta. Repeat the sequence three more times, layering sauce and cheese on the pasta. The final layer should be covered with the sauce and cheese. Step 6 Cover the dish tightly with foil, and set the baking pan on a large sheet pan to catch any drips. Step 7 Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling, and the pasta layers are all cooked. Carefully remove the foil, turn on the broiler, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and lightly brown. Watch carefully so the cheese does not burn. Step 8 Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm. Substitutions No Aleppo-style chile flakes? >> Use Urfa, Morash, crushed red pepper flakes, or a combination of mostly sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne. Crushed tomatoes >> Diced tomatoes or tomato puree. Garam masala >> Curry powder. Mozzarella >> Vegan mozzarella-style shreds, such as Daiya brand. Parmesan >> Vegan parmesan cheese, such as Violife brand, or nutritional yeast. Notes If you can’t find canned black lentils, simmer 1 cup dried black lentils in 4 cups water until tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes, then drain.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE OLD? SIXTY PLUS WAYS...what do _YOU_ know? I know so many things that i do not need to know. These are things that i had to learn (or just picked up in daily life) but thatare no longer applicable or useful in today's world.>>>>>> Le magnétophone = tape player>>>>>>> La cabine tèléphonique = telephone cabinet/booth (think Superman)>>>>>>> When typing and copying something, the paper must be put to the left of the keyboard and you cannot type with your legs crossed. They must be flat on the floor as you sit at a desk or table.>>>>>>> Five cans of soda will fit easily and perfectly in a Tupperware lunch box.>>>>>>> Sun-in will make your brown hair orange but your blonde hair lighter. Lemon juice will do the same thing and is cheaper.>>>>>>> Room 222 at HIdden Beach is a little bigger and more private than other garden view rooms.>>>>>>> Hanging out wet sheets in the hot sun will bleach them and leave them a bit stiff.>>>>>>> Hanging wet sheets in the sun will also sterilize the and leave them smelling excellent.>>>>>>> Allowing your sheets to freeze outside will also bleach them.This also works with blonde hair in a hot tub (you stay warm, hair freezes solid) but takes a loooong time. >>>>>>> If you shrink a shirt or jeans or a sweater, soaking it a small amount of hair conditioner in a bucket of water will allow you to "unshrink" the item.>>>>>>> If you check the pockets of jeans and turn them inside out before washing, not only will you not wash the iPod in the pocket but, in washing and drying the jeans, they will not fade (as much) over time.>>>>>>> Hubba-bubba bubble gum does _not_ have spider eggs in it. It does, however,crunch when you begin to chew it. It is just really, really sugary.>>>>>> Do not park a '72 VW Bug in the Snider's driveway.>>>>>>> The left door at Turpin High School is the least crowded and the fastest way out of the school to the buses.>>>>>>> One slice of American cheese, broken carefully in fourths, will exactly cover four saltine crackers.>>>>>>> If you give your child (or husband) a choice of two or three things, they will almost always choose the last one mentioned (so say it with your preference presented last).>>>>>>> The first pancake made is always a "test pancake" and not as good as the others. This is even more true of waffles. >>>>>>> You can "erase" permanent marker from a dry-erase board with alcohol.>>>>>>> You can "erase" highlighter marks in a book with lemon juice.>>>>>>> Banana skins will turn black but the fruit will stop ripening if you put it in the refrigerator.>>>>>>> If you put bananas in the refrigerator, no one else will eat them and you can have them all to yourself.>>>>>>> Many "kids' cereals" have fewer grams of sugar and less fat than "healthy" cereals marketed to adults (Raisin Bran, all granola, All-Bran flakes).>>>>>>> Bakery "muffins" are just cupcakes with a "healthy halo". They are always better than homemade because they are full of sugar and fat.>>>>>>> Kids don't care about the cake..they just want the icing. Cakes don't have to be perfect.>>>>>>> Cake donuts only seem healthier because they aren't as fluffy and sweet. They have more sugar, more calories, more fat and are less loved. Go for the glazed.>>>>>>> Krispy Kreme donuts are only good fresh, hot, and instantly. And if you're _starving_ and/or hungover. Otherwise, go to Dunkin'.>>>>>>> Thriftway bakery donuts (except the glazed rings) are almost all made by a private baker (Buskins) and delivered at 0400. Cheaper at Thriftway and sososo much better than the plain glazed rings.>>>>>>> The baked goods in the front of the case are the freshest and you should always ask for these. Those in the back are being cycled out.>>>>>>> When baking, substitute any fruit baby food for oil and it will improve the taste of the cake!>>>>>>> Baby food can also be used for the purée in making banana bread or the like...less crushing and you can use any flavor. (Peach bread? Banana-strawberry?)>>>>>>> Never pump your mascara wand. It dries out the mascara. And replace the mascara every 3 months. Stuff grows in there.....>>>>>>> Do you have to give eye drops? Have a child lie down and close his/her eyes. Put the eye drop medication on the inner corner of the eye then have the child open his/her eyes. Works on adults too.>>>>>>> Take the yucky medicine first, then drink the sweet chaser. Do not put the medication in the chocolate milk.>>>>>>> If you give the child an ice pop to eat first, the tongue will be numb. Then give the medication and he/she will not be able to taste it.>>>>>>> Ice pops are the ultimate mom-bribe. Child thinks that they got a great treat and you know that it's just a little bit of koolaid. Healthier, faster, more convenient than LIttle Debbie cakes or cookies or the like.>>>>>>> Two small pieces seem bigger than the same piece as one(ie.cut the brownie in half and give two pieces to child/husband).>>>>>>> Smaller plates make food servings seem bigger. A sandwich on a dinner plate looks lonely...the same sandwich on a salad plate looks adequate.>>>>>>> If you put the chips in a single-serving bowl and take that to the couch for movie treats, it will be enough. If you eat from the bag, it will never be enough.>>>>>>> 17 small pretzels is on 117 calorie serving. Stick pretzels are all salt and no taste.>>>>>>> Some name-brands are necessary and worth the extra cost. Cheap ketchup is awful.Cheap yellow mustard is the same as French's.>>>>>>> Kroger-brand peanut butter is Peter Pan . Kroger brand apple butter is Musselman's. (same quality and product but cheaper). Kroger whipped topping is NOT Cool Whip and cannot be substituted (is just awful).>>>>>>> Sprinkle drops of water on a hot griddle to make sure that it's hot enough to griddle your pancakes, veg burger, or grilled veg.>>>>>>> Butter on the pan then the bread/sandwich is so much easier (and more even results) than buttering the bread then trying to put the sticky, buttery, messy bread sandwich together to fry.>>>>>>> Soup tastes flat? Add a bit of lemon juice or vinegar to punch up the taste. Do not add more salt until you've tried this first.>>>>>>> Soup too salty? Add potato or rice and they will absorb the saltiness.>>>>>>> Bean soups, especially lentil, will get a _lot_ thicker with cooling and storing overnight. Thin with broth/water the next day before/as serving.>>>>>>> Most soups and stews are better if made today....and eaten tomorrow. As my lentil chili recipe says "this allows the flavors to play with each other and develop"...like people!>>>>>>> Slice tomatoes horizontally to get better slices and retain the moisture.>>>>>>> Stinky hands from cutting onions, or garlic or handling fish? Get rid of the stench with your faucet. Just run your hands up and down the stainless steel faucet and the odor goes away. (Magic...i don't know how or why it works.)>>>>>>> Keep the onions in the fridge and the potatoes out of the fridge. This minimizes the crying when slicing the onion and keeps the potatoes from getting starchy and bland and squishy.>>>>>>> If the wall-attached landline Forestcrest Way phone rings once then goes silent, it means that Grandma Ama wants you to call her on her party line.>>>>>>> Set an alarm for the time that your teen is supposed to be home for curfew and put it in the hall. Go to bed. When she/he comes home, she/he turns off the alarm clock. If the alarm goes off to wake you, you know that curfew was broken. No need for you to stay up and wait.>>>>>>> Eat dinner together every night (as possible) and have "assigned seats". This leads to children (and parents) eating a more healthy diet. Encourage social interaction and decrease the eat-&-bolt.>>>>>>> After-school snack time is good for children of all ages. I still have it every day at 3:00. A good opportunity to take a break, chat with your kids (or Hubster), and recharge for the evening/plan for the next day.>>>>>>> 1 box cake mix + one can of soda, mixed, makes a great easy fluffy cake. No eggs, oil, or water needed. Bake as directed.>>>>>>> Jiffy makes the best corn bread. You can try seventeen (17!) different homemade cornbread recipes but they will never be as good (and certainly not as easy!) as Jiffy. Why reinvent the wheel? Spend the $1 and get two boxes of Jiffy. Add 2/3C milk and 2 eggs, bake at 400 for 14 minutes. Tell _nobody_ how easy it was.>>>>>>> Instant (Martha White?) muffin mixes to which you add milk are quick and easy for waffles or pancakes. Apple cinnamon, blueberry, corn even -- all good. Again, it's our little secret. Bean soups freeze wonderfully. Lentil soup and soups with potatoes do not. They get mealy and unappetizing.>>>>>>> If you put a brick of ramen in a bowl, pour over 1C boiling water and cover with a plate for two minutes, the noodles will absorb the water and "cook" and you don't have to dirty a pot (or watch it). Add sauce/veg/protein as you wish.>>>>>>> Lefty loosey , righty tighty.>>>>>>> How to say "ouch" in french...three different ways. And "don't splash in the bathtub" and "play hopscotch' and the words for postage, airmail, telephone token, lost-&-found, and beaver/seagull/peacock/swallow/woodpecker/lily pad (we were big on weekly trips to the zoo).>>>>>>> All the words to _so many_ children's songs that i still sing daily in my head while doing the yoga routine that i learned and refined in 1999 at LifeTime Fitness while Alessandra was at school and Christian was in the daycare on the ground floor.>>>>>>> Hot chocolate, blueberries, and tomato soup-- all food that they _say_ that they want to have but will not actually eat. The hot chocolate will be too hot....then have a white film on top (with some cooling as the chocolate sinks and the foam rises).....then too cold (after stirred).>>>>>>> If the banana is peeled, Christian won't eat it. Alessandra won't eat bananas that are sliced. Joe won't eat any fruit that is cut that he has to touch (sliced banana, chunks of melon...).>>>>>>>

three ingredient peanut butter cookies.....sosososo good and easy.....

These are so good that, to keep myself from eating them all, i put most of them in the freezer.....only to find that i like them even more frozen!!>>>>>>>THREE INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES>>>>>>>1 Cup peanut butter (or almond butter)>>>>>>>1Cup sugar (real sugar, not that Nutrasweet crap)>>>>>>>1 egg (real egg, not flax egg and water)>>>>>>>mix well and chill (can use now but easier if you chill)>>>>>>>heat oven to 350, roll (chilled) dough into small balls the size of acorns>>>>>>>roll each ball in extra loose sugar and put on baking sheet>>>>>>>bake for 8 minutes or so (will flatten a bit and be soft....don't wait until crunchy!)>>>>>>>let cool a few minutes on cooking sheet then spatula off to storage container>>>>>>>lather>>>>>>>rinse>>>>>>>>repeat

you need a recipe to go with the "he does this and it makes me bonkers"....

And this is just the one. It's a "non-recipe" but i like it.>>>>>>>Sometimes, you just need cake. Now. Just a piece and it needs to be soon. This will do that for you. It's not the _best_ cake. It's not the _prettiest_ cake. But, it's the quickest and easiest and that's something.>>>>>>>1-2-3 Cake>>>>>>>In a large ziplock bag, dump 1 box Angel Food cake mix (yes, it has to be angel food).......add one box another cake mix flavor (i recommend chocolate).......mix well and put in cupboard.......When you _need_ cake, take out bag, scoop out 3 Tablespoons of cake powder to a large microwavable mug.......add 2 Tablespoons liquid (chocolate cake mix + coffee or orange juice is yummy, white cake mix with flat root beer is fun too).......stir and microwave for one minute (3-2-1)>>>>>>>POOF!>>>>>>>Cake that you can et now (still warm!), topped with a spritz of whipped cream is lovely--or let cool a bit........topped with a bit of jelly/jam/honey is also yummy.......lather.....rinse.......repeat.......MORE SUGAR CRAVINGS? Try the three ingredient peanut butter cookies in next posting.......

he does this and it bugs me...

I hear from other wives and read all over the internet complaints from wives/girlfriends that "my guy does this and it makes me crazy!!". Be it leaving dirty balled up socks near-but-not-in the hamper to leaving the lid only 1/2 way on the jar of olives in the fridge to loading the dishwasher "wrong"-- women are just irritated at the quirks of their honeys.>>>>>>>I'm a freak.>>>>>>>See, i love finding the occasional silly, irritatiing thing that Hubster does. I do sososo many things that are crazy and he tolerated _so many_ of my faults and short-comings. Does he use both hooks for his towel so that i have no place to hang my towel? Yes. Does he have to have a specific spoon for his yogurt or bananas-and-sour-cream? Yes. Does he rearrange my spices (alphabetically! not by use frequency!), move canned goods to more sensible order,sweep the kitchen (with big sighs) when i am chopping veg (and get sprinkles on the floor)? Yes. Does he listen to his podcasts and then get frustrated when i forget and try to talk to him over the AirPods? Yes. But.....that's NOTHING compared to how annoying it is for him to live with me.>>>>>>>I eat...poorly. I'm really a pain the butt.>>>>>>>I get "mess" on the handles of cutlery, the handle to the fridge, the edge of a bowl-- while cooking, which makes his skin crawl to touch.>>>>>>>I have to eat at certain times and get "hangry" if it don't. He can literally eat anywhere, anytime (or not at all), and anything. Me? Not so much.>>>>>>>I get up unGodly early every morning and make too much noise (any noise at 0330 is too much noise, right?).>>>>>>>I am "too cold" at insanely warm temperatures so much so that we didn't move to his preferred location for retirement b/c Copenhagen would be too cold. Even Spain in early September was overly chilly for me.>>>>>>>He loves to play board games and i am not a worthy opponent. I have lost the last 20 games by more than 20%. This cannot be fun for him. I'm not a challenge.>>>>>>>And yet, he stays and doesn't complain that i'm "harshing his groove". He tolerates sosososo much more than it is fair to ask of anyone...and has for more than thirty (30!!) years.>>>>>>>So, yes, i'm excited when he has some quirk that seems silly and odd. It doesn't even the playing field but it's a step.