It’s December Again

Where did the year go? Suddenly it is December…again…and we realize that with giant strides that we started with in January that within a blink of an eye, 2018 is almost on its back! A big Thank You to each of you for the impact you had on my life this year. Especially all the emails and phone calls…without you 2018 would have been extremely boring. From me I wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a tidal wave of Love, Happiness, Joy, and Beautiful Thoughts. Merry Christmas and God’s Blessing to each of you…agnes

Some of the most requested recipes:

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

1 pound butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 T vanilla

1 cup hot water

1 tsp baking soda

Self-Rising Flour

Add baking soda to hot water and set aside. Cream butter and gradually mix sugar. Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at the time alternately with 4 Cups of the flour. Beat in vanilla. Make sure that all is mixed well. Remove from mixer and use hands to work in enough flour until you have a good that you can work with. Roll out, cut and bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Make ‘dunking’ cookies by rolling in hand like a biscuit. Bake a little longer. Can shape in a log type roll and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill till firm, slice, and bake. The time for baking will depend on the thickness of the cookies.

Black-Eye Pea Salsa (My children and grand-children love this…agnes)

2 cans black-eye peas (the dry peas that have been soaked, cooked and canned)

1 rib celery, small chopped

1 small bell pepper, small chopped

2 to 3 large tomatoes, small chopped.

1 small sweet onion, small chopped

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1 small jar pace salsa, the heat taste you desire

Salt and pepper to taste

Few dashes hot sauce

Open peas, pour in colander drain and gently wash. Set aside to drain. Prepare vegetables and gently mix all in a large bowl. Add more lemon juice and salt, if needed. Cover and let sit at room temperature a short time before serving. Serve with fried corn cakes or corn chips. Keeps well in refrigerator.

White Chili (Substitute leftover Christmas turkey for chicken.)

4 cans (15 ounce) Great Northern Beans (drained, rinsed, and drained.)

6 cups chicken broth and water (half and half)

4 chicken bouillon cubes

2 medium sweet onions, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 small cans green chilies, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon red ground pepper

4 raw chicken breast, cubed

Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Chopped Chives or green onion tops

In a large pot, heat oil; add chicken, onions and garlic; sauté lightly–until onions are tender. Add liquids and seasonings and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans and green chilies; return to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. NOTE: This can also be made by cooking the chicken, remove chicken from broth, and adding a pound bag of pre-soaked dry beans. For a richer tasting soup, add extra bouillon, but taste before salting.

Angel Biscuits

5 cups self-rising flour

1 cup vegetable shortening (I use Crisco)

2 packages dry yeast

½ cup sugar

1 and ½ cup buttermilk (more or less)

Whisk together flour, yeast, and sugar. Cut in shortening until it is like small crumbs and add enough buttermilk to make a good dough. It should pull away from bowl sides. Turn on a floured surface and gently knead. Roll out to about ¾ inch thickness. Cut with a biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased baking pan. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until golden brown (about 12-15 minutes) Seal remaining dough in a zip-lock bay and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Around the end of the year, as family and friends make plans for the new year, I like to share the following: The Indispensable Man (by SW Kessinger)

Sometimes when you’re feeling important and your ego is in bloom, Sometimes when you take it for granted that you’re the best qualified in the room; Sometimes when you feel that you’re going would leave an unfillable hole, Just follow these simple instructions and see how they humble your soul. Take a bucket and fill it with water and put your hand in it up to the wrist, Pull it out, and the hole that’s remaining is the measure of how you’ll be missed. You can splash all you want when you enter and stir up the water galore; But stop and you’ll find that in no time it looks quite the same as before. The moral in this quaint example is to do just the best that you can; be proud of yourself, but remember there is no indispensable man.