Good evening -- now don't faint - two nights in a row! Everything on this new laptop is turned around - different places for all the keys I use the most -- delete, backspace, and insert!
Have you ever had something or someone touch you so emotionally that every time you try to talk about it or think about it - a tear drops, your throat tightens up, or you catch yourself asking, "Why God?" Today was one of those days for me. A family came by the bank to visit and I was in the lunchroom finishing lunch -- actually about to leave the bank to go visit a customer, when my assistant came in and said "some friends from out of town are here to see you." I asked who and she didn't know - so I said I would be right in. I walked in and did not recognize the people she nodded to -- but I walked on over and said, "Hello." They turned around and of course I recognized them. It was a family that had left several years ago - after the wife and mother had died. She died leaving two children (probably about 17 and 15 at the time -- both mentally challenged - and her husband had his own problems too! When she died - several people in the church did all they could to help them pay for her cremation and burial. We stood in the lobby visiting, them telling me what each one was doing, and them asking about my family - and other people we each knew. I finally told them I had to go visit a customer who was expecting me and thanked them for remembering me and coming by. After I got to my car - I felt like my heart would break for them. They looked so lonely and helpless - the Mom was the only one that was very smart - and took care of the other three. It is hard to understand why someone that precious and so needed had to be taken so early. Before I had time to question God - I remembered to thank God for my blessings and my family.
I had already had an email conversation with someone else that was hurting and I just pray that while I was trying to uplift I didn't do the opposite. I should have just picked up the phone and called her! Oh how perfect hindsight is!! Wow - what an emotional day!!
Last night I told you about the Chinese Five Spice and how good it is and the Red Black spice which is also wonderful if you appreciate HOT! Tonight I want to introduce you to two more spices I bought at Penzey's on Sunday afternoon. One is called "Balti" and it is a combination of coriander, garlic, ginger, cumin, dunicut chiles, Ceylon cinnamon, mustard, cardamon, clove, fennel, fenugreek, chamushka, star anise, ajwain, black cardamon, cilantro, anise seed, and bay leaf. NO - I don't know what some of those are -- I can't even pronounce them -- but I did read a letter to Penzeys saying that she likes to make vegetable soup to give to neighbors or shut-ins and she will not make it without putting Balti in it. It smells delicious and I can't wait to try it!
The other spice is simply called "Southwest" and just by its name you can pretty well figure that it has a bite to it. Well - correctly guessed because it is a combination of the following spices: salt, ancho pepper,onion, garlic, black pepper, Mexican oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, chipolte, and cilantro. Just listing the ingredients makes me want to cook something and a several dashes of this. I think I will take a tiny taste. Yes - I did and yes it is hot and delicious!!!
Now I just need to make veggie soup and something else and give it a Mexican flare with my new Southwest seasoning!
When I was in Ruidoso - we went to Santa Fe for the day. The restaurant where we had lunch brought out three muffins - they were blue corn -- and very tasty. From then on - the search was on -- Mary and I wanted "Blue corn meal." We finally found it and both bought a bag. I made mine up last night - using the recipe on the bag -- adding jalapeno, green chiles, and fresh corn. I thought it had a good taste (Travis said it didn't have any taste) but it was very crumbly and dense. I would like to buy some more blue corn meal and make my own recipe -- I would use about half blue corn meal and two thirds of regular white or yellow corn meal, and about 1/4th cup of flour.
I do like to make muffins though -- they may seem like too much trouble but actually they are really easy -- especially if you use the cute little paper liners. Here is a neat recipe.
BACON AND PIMENTO CHEESE MUFFINS
2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/4 cups crumbled cooked bacon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup whole milk (wonder why skim would not be better??)
1/3 cup prepared pimento cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Preheat oveb to 400 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray (or line all 12 holes with paper liners!)
In a large bowl, combine flour, bacon, baking powder, and salt;
In a small bowl, combine milk, pimento cheese, oil, and egg; pour into well in flour mixture (make a well by just making a clearing a whole in the center of the ingredients); stir ingredients with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm!!
Have a blessed evening and day tomorrow. Oh I do have a favor to ask of each of you! I had mentioned this on FB last week -- but this is so important -- it could be important to you or someone you love. The Red CRoss needs money and volunteers very badly. One way you can donate at least a dollar is in a 24 hour strech - starting at noon tomorrow - if you will sign up with IGive.com and choose Smith County American Red Cross as your charity - we - the Red Cross will receive $1.00 for each person that signs up in that time period. We also receive one cent for every time you search for something through IGive. THen if you buy something from one of the stores listed (over 700) we get a percentage and if you purchase within 45 days from when you sign up - we get $5.00. So please go to IGive.com and sign up between 12:00 noon tomorrow and 12:00 Thursday. Thank you - and that will definitely be your "I did something good today!"
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