On My Mind Today

I don't know if you have had the pleasure of eating a fresh peach right off the tree, but they are amazing! A few years ago when we were in South Carolina my sister brought home some fresh peaches - so sweet and the juice runs down your hand when you take a bite. There is nothing like it here in New England. I have always loved peach pie and ran across this true southern recipe which is wonderful. Peach Praline Pie   4 cups peeled, sliced Peaches (about 4 medium peaches) 9 inch unbaked Deep-Dish Pie Shell 1/2 cup Sugar 3-1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking Tapioca 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour 1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Pecan pieces 4 tablespoons cold unsalted Butter   1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. 3. In a large bowl combine peaches, sugar, tapioca and lemon juice. Let stand for 15 minutes. 4. In a small bowl mix flour, brown sugar and pecan pieces. Using your fingers or a fork, cut in

I'm sure that there are many others who are as dismayed about the improper use of words today as I am. Whether it be in email correspondence or on social media pages, there are days that I want to make corrections and send them back to the author of the email or post. Unfortunately it most likely would not be well received. So....here are a few things to keep in mind in choosing your words: * They're - They are * Their - Shows possession * There - Specifies a location * You're - You are * Your - Shows possession * We're - We are * Were - Past tense of "are" * Where - Specifies a location * Than - A comparison * Then - A point in time * To - Where it's going * Too - An excessive amount * Two - The number 2 Also the proper word is ASKED - not axed! I don't know how many times I have heard someone say what sounds like "I axed him if he had .......?" Not quite sure what they are thinking, but.... Axed:  "transitive verb axed

This winter has been brutal - too much snow, with frigid temperatures and the north wind blowing with no mercy. Seems like it started in early December and has not let up yet. Many are calling it the winter with no end, and we can only hope that things change for the better soon. So I was thrilled when we made our plans to escape from the northeast and take a week in Florida. We arrived in Miami and the sun was shining and the summer like temperature felt like heaven to my winter weary body. Once we picked up the rental car we bought snacks for the ride, and headed south to the Keys. Our first  couple of nights were spent in Marathon which is about an hour north of Key West. The balcony outside our room looked out over the waterway with palm trees and coconuts lining the shore. Easy to take considering what we had left that morning.   The next morning we headed down to Key West and the views along the way were postcard perfect. Sunshine, white sand and beautiful aquamarine wat

This recipe is one that my mother made for many years. It is from Myra Waldo's Chinese Cookbook which was given to her by my great aunt. I always remembered this dish and a short while ago she passed the cookbook on to me. This dish was as delicious as I remembered. Sautéed Beef with Snow Peas   1-1/2 pounds Sirloin Steak, cut into thin strips 3 tablespoons Dry Sherry 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce 2 tablespoons Cornstarch   Mix the sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch - toss with the beef. (I do this the night before and let it marinate overnight, but you can do it when you prepare the meal)   1 pound Snow Peas 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 2 cloves Garlic, minced 1 teaspoon Sugar 1/3 cup Soy Sauce   1. Remove the ends from the snow peas and cook in boiling water 3 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. 2.  Heat 1/4 cup oil in a skillet and sauté beef until lightly browned. Remove. 3. Heat the remaining oil in another skillet and sauté the snow peas for 2 minu

Each day I look around and see more and more lost children. It does not reflect well on our society and I fear what kind of adults they will grow to be. When I refer to lost children, I am not only talking about those who do not live with their parents. Many of these lost children live with one or both parents, but something very essential is missing for them. It is extremely difficult on those who have been taken from their parents and are in foster care or homes for children. They are thrown into a strange environment with people they do not know and all sense of security is gone from their life. They learn quickly how to survive, but it is not the life a child should have. Although they have been removed from a bad situation there is one truth - children love their parents no matter what they have done. Other children live with one (or both) parents and still have no sense of security. They may live in a household where there is constant turmoil due to fighting. Parents may spen

One recent Saturday morning we were trying to decide what to have for our once a week leisurely breakfast. Pancakes were suggested so I went on a search for something new and different. What appeared was this wonderful recipe filled with cinnamon and honey so I figured it was worth a try. They are excellent - and even better with Maple Grove Farms of Vermont All Natural Blueberry Syrup! It makes a lot of pancakes which is great for company (or to put some in the freezer for another day). Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!! Cinnamon Honey Pancakes   2-1/2 cups Flour 3 tablespoons Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Baking Powder 1/4 teaspoon Salt 2 Eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon Vanilla 2/3 cup Honey 1-1/2 cups Milk 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil   1. In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients.   2. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; mix well. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour batter on a hot greased griddle or frying pan.

Our lives get chaotic and sometimes we wonder how we will accomplish all the things that need to be done. Our daily routine of work, children, meals, cleaning, etc. can overwhelm us and we cannot fathom how we would ever give our time for anything else. What will we leave undone in order to give some of our precious time? And yet giving our time to someone else is one of the most rewarding things that we can do. It does not have to require hours per week, but can be one small thing that you do once or twice a month. Volunteering at a shelter, soup kitchen, church, hospital, school or another organization that is in need of assistance. If you have the time, becoming a big brother or big sister can change the life of a young child just by letting them know someone cares enough to spend time with them. Checking regularly on an elderly neighbor and visiting for a few moments - the stories they could tell you from years of living would amaze you. The list could go on and on, and if you ca