"It's Life"

“It's life”, he remarked as he ate his dinner. I looked at him and asked what he was talking about. He retorted with absolute delight,,”The pasta”. I stood there thinking about what he had said and why. He loved homemade pasta so the comment seemed to fit. Another round of homemade pasta.

Homemade pasta had just been served from several 'pasta pucks' that had been stored in the freezer for a few months, for that last minute meal. Today I would make more pasta dough and freeze the 'pucks' for for next time. My days of making the dough, rolling it into pasta then cooking it were over. I would make the dough then freeze it. Others would assume control for the cooking and dressing of it..

Dad would cook it. He always did. Eliminating the cooking step for me was a game changer. Someone else would do it. My presence was not needed. The boys could do it while mom and dad were there.. Freedom from drudgery. And everyone was happy. If there was a shortage of pasta pucks, I would simply eat a hotdog then make more dough.

Making pasta dough was easy. This the boys knew. At 8 and 5 years of age these pasta connoisseurs had begun learning the craft a few years ago. The taste difference of homemade pasta was an obvious joyful moment for these boys. Even dad seemed happy . He loved homemade noodles with cottage cheese, his family favourite since he was a boy. His wife, their mom, liked it too but would rather have saurkraut filling from pierogies.

Everyone received something homemade worthy. Croissants would wait till I taught them how. First I had to learn! The fun of eating in was all around us. Health and wealth was in the room.The vegetables were nearby.

Handwriting's ComfortingTouch

Handwriting is becoming obsolete says the author. It is no longer needed or wanted.Today's generation believes in the absolute power of online messaging to replace the drudgery of handwriting, the pen and paper way.  

Handwriting offers us a special and unique style of someone we know that makes us feel special each and every time. Pen in hand is a personal triumph. It takes time and to do.. Handwriting can be a declaration of love or friendship of the person who is writing in his unique style known by no other.

I shudder to think that 'greeting' cards for those special moments or people in our lives do not rate that upgrade that comes from handwriting. Because my handwriting is not the greatest (I am left handed) cards of all sorts offer a sense of relief and wonder for me, a place where adding more is commonplace with the handwriting skill of the writer. It is a secret language like no other.

I was not proficient at handwriting so I practiced and practiced with pen, often, to improve my style. I used both hands hoping one would be the winner. I envied the handwriting style of others I knew. It was perfection. My right side seemed useless so I printed, scribbled or wrote to strengthen my brain's connections to that hand.Using both hands made sense. What if my handed side was injured, one day. The other side could help.

During this period of mourning, I have been given comfort through the memories that cards, letters and notes left behind by him. He was my GPS and family right from the start.  I was a cocktail waitress: he, a late Thursday evening customer, arriving with friends after a long week on a business trip. Our lives spanned over 50 years. He touched my heart over and ove in words that have soothed the pain of his passing. Mr. Wiggles, our 12 year-old retriever, joined him that months later.

Loyalty, caring and love kept us together. The vestiges of a life well-lived is showcased in handwritten notes and cards. This handwritten style of love has kept me strong, comforted and connected. I was and still am a lucky girl. The personal nature of handwriting, the human symbols of communication, carries me forward knowing I mattered to someone special once upon a time. My heart is healing. 

More of Easy Does It.......

Let's continue with more “Easy Does It in the Kitchen”. Let us redesign the recipes themselves making them healthier and more family friendly.

As I was looking through a bake sale cookbook, there were recipes galore suitable for the school bake sale or other charitable ventures to make money. I removed those pages that attracted me. Holding onto the rest of the book can be somewhat time wasting and a burden. Time stands still for no one, especially little children.

There was a picture of cookie bar that reminded me of cheesecake. So instead of following the steps for this luscious looking 'cake', I will substitute ricotta or dry curd cottage cheese and include the other ingredients: dried cherries, chocolate chips and toasted coconut. Why not, I thought? Where's the harm? It looks like cheesecake so I will remake it into a cheesecake. I will report back to you, my valued and treasured readers with my results.

I have been the Momsey blog over for 14 years. I was told to by an eighteen year old I had known for a  only few months. No one spoke, wrote or thought like I did, she remarked. Over 30,000 readers from across 25 countries- including Germany, France, Italy, United States and Canada, to name a few, have been a part of my vast audience.

I have never entered into other social media platforms - Instagram, Facebook and others. No desire. I do not text. My heart had other important parts to it called grandchildren, dogs, volunteering and special education. I thank you for being there for me. My readers inspire me to write funny, sad and informative stuff. It's all about we!

Look at any recipe and if parts of it are not appetizing, change it. Your health matters all the time. In one canning magazine, the recipe called for 7 cups of sugar to 4 cups of peaches. Why bother?. If sugar is considered harmful to health, buy the next jar of peach or strawberry jam at the grocery store. It might be a better choice. Just read the ingredient list to decide. Read to your children / grandchildren so they can read labels and report back to you. Mine are food critiques.

Have children create salads in a jar with a teaspoon or less homemade dressing on the bottom. Let them layer the vegetables, and protein, customized to each family member, then refrigerate. When ready to eat. Flip the jar with lid on to dress the contents. Something different and more inviting, too? The sky is the limit. Little children will love the adventure in the kitchen where wealth and health live. Creating food experiences will guide them to their healthy futures.

Easy Does It in the Kitchen

Simplifying the kitchen routine makes me happy while streamlining the dessert trail. Main courses are easy. Number one for me is the cookie list. Such a necessity when something small and sweet are desired but the time and effort are not desired for that perfect ending.

When homemade cookie dough or cookie mix are made I immediately turn the results into cookie balls, ready for freezing. Freshly baked cookies can result anytime -in the air fryer. Momsey has done this many times. Three or four cookies can spice up a brunch, lunch or late night dinner. No need to bake batches of cookies when the desire is only for 2 or 3. How lovely it is to serve any cookie 'freshly baked' out of the 'oven'. Air fryer to the rescue. 

Dessert is nearby any time. The newest Phillips air fryer oven appliance rules my kingdom. It has a patented baking/ air-frying technology which is the reason this product was purchased. Another baking appliance is available, too for cakes and casseroles, I believe. The name Phillips is tops in my world.

I peeled a large sweet potato, sliced it into sticks then brushed on olive oil with a light dusting of course salt (iodized course salt reduces sodium intake by 25%..-That's me!..) As a side dish in a restaurant these golden gems cost a lot more than regular fries.. Why do it? and are usually over done because of their sugar content. Is the oil or fat being used even clean? The cancer causing compound called acrylamides can result in foods cooked at high heat with unsuitably low smoke point oils that might be old (rancid) and burn. Budgeting for take out food requires a bit of advanced planning but is worth the effort to save. money and health. (They need you more then you need them!) The bottom line works both ways. Simple and clean is all it takes.

Though freezing egg salad sandwiches is frowned upon, I have always done it. Egg whites can be rubbery tasting when frozen then thawed. I have not experienced this phenomenon. Use a fine grind, for the hard boiled eggs ...Grate eggs on finest setting. Use mayo, salt and pepper hot sauce, diced dill weed?. Do not add other ingredients that might make sandwich soggy upon defrosting. Allow sandwich to thaw in bag or on plate till ready to yum. Eat celery with the sandwiches rather then in them. Crispier that way, too.

A frozen sandwich is its own freezer pack and remains cold till thawed. Keep an eye on the thawing process. Use thermal bags with thickest padding. Bacteria can multiply without warning on a warm summer's day. Tuna, salmon, chicken or ham salad can be frozen also. Drain liquid out of cans. Sprinkle with lemon juice. I do this all the time. (Lemon juice kills cancer cells, I have read and heard. Add lettuce or any other vegetable to sandwich after it has thawed. Makes sandwiches healthier, too. But use mayonnaise sparingly. Eating radishes with your homemade sandwiches adds another boost to health.It blasts cancer cells if they are out and about in your body. (So says the Medical Medium)

Lately I have rekindled my love affair for pickled hot banana peppers. In my youth, many a high school lunch time treat was a simple hot banana pepper sandwich with bologna or sliced cooked hot dogs. Not an appetizing meal for most but for me it was like dessert. When these pickles were sold out recently, I realized I could make them quickly. I was no longer a hostage to the whims of companys'/store's inventory. How long does the customer have to wait, anyway?

I bought mini peppers – smaller versions of banana peppers. I used crushed red pepper flakes for heat, replacing the heat missing from these cute little colorful peppers. (I purchased organic or NONGMO mixed.) Into each jar,- there were two in total - I added 1 Tbsp.coarse salt, top and bottom, sliced garlic cloves, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp. vinegar, a few of the stems of fresh dill. White vinegar, top and bottom, coupled with olive oil, top only. 

Cooking the peppers in water till boiling then added to jars makes for a wonderfully satisfying condiment. It is great with any meal, sandwich, hamburg or hotdog. Tongs help with placement of peppers into jars. Remove tops of peppers but keep seeds intact as they help in flavour development and allows liquid to settle inside peppers. The thought of hot peppers lying in wait in the fridge for me is my delicious secret. Sauerkraut perogies are also a delicious accompaniment to any meal or a meal unto itself. Always a treat waiting for me. And its my problem if there are none.

When I make homemade pasta dough, simple easy steps follow now. I freeze the dough in small reasonably sized balls. Eggs and 00 Italian flour. Mix then knead a bit. Use flour as needed then cut into smaller pieces and freeze. Use parchment paper. It reduces the need for flour when letting pasta rest on counter or baking sheet. Parchment paper is king. Thaw in fridge, later, or on counter. 

Roll dough till paper thin on cutting board after dusting surface with flour. Go easy. Fold, dust with flour wherever needed, then slice with small sharp cutting knife, a santoku or a small chef's. Cut with precision and keep edge clean with pastry cutter. touch lightly as you go. Use fingers to separate noodles easily into a mound of noodles. Rub noodles up and down being certain lumps are not present before cooking. Use common sense. Cook in boiling water for 3-5 minutes till done. Drain. Add fried onions to pasta or use sauce or cottage cheese -or all 3 - to complement the pasta. Absolutely delicious! 

Enjoy noodles any time. The children can roll the dough and learn the simple common sense rolling technique for a savoury meal at an unbelievable low cost. Healthy, too. Finally, when losing the berries you have bought, freeze immediately or freeze when you have them fresh. In some cases I use a potato masher to make jam with sugar or maple syrup I have added. Add lemon juice/grated pulp to help in thickening, health and taste. Common sense rules the roost.

"See You Soon", Signed the little Boy From Class.

As I looked down at the signature on the postcard, I was pleasantly surprised, reminded of the moment 'Jason' had entered 'Mary's'  special class that Wednesday, mid morning, decades ago. Postcards, 2 years apart, brought back fond memories of the scientific discoveries we had made.

I had been sorting through one of many boxes, recently, containing loving reminders of years past. Postcards, cards, notes from my late husband and others served to illustrate the many layers my life had taken. It was a life well lived and loved. 'Jason', you lit up my life then and now as I read your mail delivery.

You would see me soon, you wrote. It was August of 1997, days before school's return. How thoughtful. I was not your teacher just a parent volunteer. I was honoured by your thoughtfulness, the time taken to buy the stamp and card, writing on it, then mailing it somewhere in the strange city you were visiting with your grandmother. The cards meant everything to me - 30 years later.

We met that mid weekday morning, late last century. I had asked you, to participate as you entered 'Mary's' classroom. At 6 -7 years of age,you, respectfully, declined. After all, you knew nothing about what the class was doing. I understood. Those Wednesday mornings, beginning in September of 1994, became an important part of school I was told. Miracles were unfolding everywhere. I was learning, too. It was the impetus for higher order thinking and learning I knew. You felt it, too.

Writing was not important in the beginning of this experimental journey we all took. It would later. (It was the journey that language took each and every time,)  Nothing mattered more to your teacher and me than the words becoming the basis of our conversations. They were magical learning tools in learning. A science program rolled into a baking class. It was unlike anything I had ever attempted on this scale. 

Dough was a creative experience with new vocabulary and new ways of thinking. Confidence soared as the questions were asked. We all asked. We shared. We smiled. The day the dough rolled onto the floor became an interesting departure from our path. It became a new chapter, our new reality but the world did not collapse.

Simple conversations took us everywhere. Language meant something. It showed us the way. It meant everything. (One of my favourite books is a dictionary.) Your words told me a story that has never stopped. Then the poem and crossword puzzle appeared on the board, one morning, for all to see. Words began to take shape and have meaning. It was an easy exercise. One student guessed the word one crossword clue - across- as he entered class, one morning. There were many boxes to fill in. He was familiar with such a word. I had mentioned it while discussing dough and its gases. His enunciation of two words from memory was exhilarating for us to hear. (Carbon/dioxide)

I had been a secondary school foods teacher for special teens long before becoming a parent of three boys. All born prematurely. For children to thrive academically, learning had to be fun. And so it was. When I left teaching, decades ago, I began volunteering while my own sons were students in the  elementary school system in which I 'worked'. 

At first I did not understand dough's impact on your learning. But then it became obvious. All of you showed me the way. And it grew from there. Questions were the foundation upon which everything we did those mornings were based. ... Sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell came together. Learning became a lively exercise. Eye contact was a must while we spoke. The abstract ideas, thoughts or comments were suddenly alive because of dough. Conversations flowed as your thoughts tumbled out. We were onto something incredible. (My older brother, a physicist, makes bread for his family.)

We discovered dough's implication and application to our life and learning. Words always took center stage. Questions were always ongoing. -To understand what we were doing those many years ago, questions were a mainstay in our 'academic diet'  Please explain. 

I was the silent partner.That was an imperative.Yeast dough was not just about baking, 'Jason'. You ,knew it. It was about higher order thinking and learning. You and your classmates were scientists in the making.

Your postcards, two years in a row and your unexpected parting gift to me, the cute handheld bagel book with its bagel slicer attachment has meant the world to me. Years later, your mom, in a twist of fate, in her place of business, revealed dough's significance on your life to a mutual third party. Dough had changed it, she remarked. 

Thank you, 'Jason' for being a part of it all. The journey is still ongoing.

The Cricket, My Friend?

The sound was so familiar.. The piercing song, emanating from my past, was suddenly here again letting me know it was in the house. I walked to the garage to see where the tiny creature with its billowing voice was hiding. The chirping stopped then resumed once I began speaking to it. What had changed?

I was living in a new reality. Suddenly the sound of a cricket living nearby was both welcoming and comforting to me. How could that be? I was not annoyed by its piercing call to its family. But I might be with more lying in wait. Context was important.

I began speaking, in hushed tones, in this adjacent space called a garage. The company was appreciated. He had to know. The sound stopped as I walked to see where he might be. But really. I did not care. Just being here was all that mattered. In the past this noise would have been sought out for evacuation. But not now. I enjoyed the comraderie, the conversation. Had my standards been lowered? No, they had changed. That is all.

The cricket was here and so was I. In the house I listened. The voice was gone if only for a moment. Then it began again. It's noticeable sound a calming reminder that company was here, a friend from our past. Its presence was to acknowledge to me that some things can change. I had felt it. Punctuating the silence of the night was a welcome nuance. I could sleep with that cricket sound both familiar and comforting. The mind helps when we begin to see things differently. I even smiled.

As time marches on, have our thoughts on animals changed, too? I hope so. As a little girl, in the 50's, 'pork' was never associated with pigs those clean, intelligent and social creatures. Veal, oh my, was the worst. Baby cows being nurtured for a few months till 'it was time'. How could they! Then charbroiled steaks from sweet, lovable cows to that place of horror. Imagine being a butcher. Can't be easy at all. ......But for now, I listen to the cricket. 

Books. Baking. Animals, Too

I'm managing to reduce the paper trail, spanning nearly 50 years. Moving is hard work but reducing my living footprint is much harder, without my husband and my 12 year old pup. Last year was not an easy one for us. But much worse for others, I know.

I had been sleeping on a Canadian made sofa for a long time. Snoring got me here, (my husband's, not me, initially, but my dogs kept me downstairs for many reasons, one dog at a time.). ... Sleep was critically important, especially, where driving was concerned. I had to leave, not him. Then there was my sweet girl's dilemma's. ..... Silly, maybe, but my retriever had had several surgeries, emergency and otherwise. The sofa was now off limits to her. I had to protect her. My life evolved.

New 'chapters' in this life have opened up a new way of living. One of these steps was ridding the house of books. I was an addict here. We both were. In my case, the yeast dough program, begun on a teacher hunch that morning, in 1994, was up front and centre. It had to be. (I was on the cusp of the next step in my 'career' when life happened last August and its consequences - Sept. 3rd and Christmas eve of last year.) My book collection had to be reduced but new found treasures came to life. My purpose had been re-ignited and made clear. My standards had changed; new decisions, made. 

Many books were being given away while others disposed of. Nowadays no one wants free books, -  not even libraries. And so I purged my investment. Some, however, still held an obvious  hold on me. The Education of the Central Nervous System was one such book, printed in 1898 about enriched environments and their impact on the brain. It was compelling reading, then and now.

Language is about learning and higher order thinking. What better way to teach those skills than engaging a five sense thinking tool called yeast dough to dig through the massive learning wall. My books were my personal on line course. (Web sites change. Books do not.) A frightened child becomes soft and forthright when engaging with dough. The challenges were unlimited, a curriculum like no other

I came upon one book in particular about baking bread so I thought. But I was in for a shock, saddened by photos of animals, in various poses, with recipes on one side of the page and the animal on the other. Though I have eaten meat on occasion, my favourite meal has always been being cottage cheese with home made noodles while many other people are strict in their food beliefs. Where is the respect for both parties here? Those pictures were in poor taste. It was a book with unclear intentions, I guess. I had bought a baking book without my customary cursory look through.  It tore me apart. 

Another picture, nearby, assailed me when a photo of duck feet, rising above the liquid in the roasting pan, appeared opposite a beautiful drawing of a majestic duck as though a painting had been done. I asked myself, Why? The shock value was lost on me. Times have changed. The book had been printed many years ago. The final insult was a 'thank you' near the end of the book with a photo of a precious cow looking out at the reader supposedly saying those words.. Where was the respect for the animal?

As I slowly amass a glorious but condensed collection of books for my 'return to teaching', I was thrilled by one book that stood out as the master of all: Baking by James Peterson. It was mine and everything a baking book should be. I was one lucky girl. 

I shall continue on this somewhat heartbreaking journey of book disposal. Many have gone but a few stars remain helping me deliver a new age in elementary special education. Challenging special needs children through the lens of language is the name of this learning game for special children.

Teaching developmentally delayed children to think as they use language in a continuum for learning and thinking using yeast dough can never begin too soon. Time stands still for no one. (Reading and writing, not required!) Fun and silliness will follow as they learn. Every child must become masters of their own fate, from the beginning, as they engage in making pizza, doughnuts and croissants. Let the games begin.