BON APPETITE - A WEEKEND TREAT: Sloppy Joes

I'm sitting here watching the Atlantic Ocean and thinking about what is the easier meal to make for dinner. My favorite has always been one given to me by my husband's sister: Sloppy Joes from a recipe my husband liked at Clearfield High School. So here is the ocean for your enjoyment as well as the recipe.

 

SLOPPY JOES

1 lb hamburger

1 chopped onion

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 can tomato juice (5/1/2 small)

1 can tomato soup

1 cup katsup

½- 1 TBSP sugar

1 c.water

¾ c. flour

  -blend like thickening for gravy

Brown first four ingredients.

Add next four ingredients, then

Thicken with flour and water.                                       

Mixture will be thick.

Simmer for half-hour.

COPING WITH UNPLEASANT CRITIQUES

                       BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR DREAMS

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” If I were to give one piece of advice to a budding writer, it would be to pursue your dreams, but be careful and wary of the critics.

Every writer in their career has experienced a bad review whether it has been on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or on another book seller site. We live in a world where everyone who reads—be it a recipe, novel, back of a cereal box, or the newspaper—believes he or she has the skills and expertise to critically review a piece of written work. These individuals may never have written any fiction or nonfiction in their life. They may never have written a simple letter or read a classic author or an instructional book on writing. But in a world where dissension seems to overshadow the need for harmony and goodwill, you will encounter unpleasant folks who are eager to offer callous comments and opinions. 

When I submitted my first novel, I received a letter from an agent telling me everything that was wrong with my manuscript. This person will never get stars for being positive, helpful, or polite. Needless to say, I was discouraged--since all my life I’ve been a writer and have written for radio, television, education and industry. So what did I do with the manuscript? I shoved it in a drawer to collect dust.

For ten years, I refused to return to novel writing, but instead continued to write short stories, many of which won awards and were published for decent money. Finally, one day, I asked myself: If I can write well enough to write short stories, why was I so horrendous with longer pieces? Or was I? I decided to buy some books on fiction writing and start a new novel. This time, I discounted all the negativity and decided to believe in the beauty of my dreams. Since then, I have four books published in historical and contemporary genres; and I’m working on my fifth.

Along the way, in this often tiring and tedious process, I learned rejection and constructive critique are part of the whole writing process. I learned to receive helpful comments without allowing them to destroy my ego. I discovered I can wallow in a gloomy mood and gobble down a chocolate candy bar when criticism strikes, but only for a brief moment. Then it’s time to move on and use or discard the advice. I also learned a writer should always, always, get more than one opinion of his/her work before deciding to trash it.

Remember to be wary. All criticism might not be noble or valuable. It may merely be from a disgruntled person who selected the wrong book. Maybe the buyer didn’t understand the genre or couldn’t identify with the storyline, characters, or plot. . .or maybe he/she might simply be a self-proclaimed critic who reads a lot of cereal boxes.

Bon Appetite - A Weekend Treat: SWEDISH ALMOND LACE COOKIES

Below is my very favorite cookies I learned to make in Sweden when I was an exchange students. It is a delicate, crispy but crunchy cookie that is worth the time to make. Many people prefer not to roll the cookies over a round object, but leave them to cool flat.

                       ALMOND LACE COOKIES

2/3 cup blanched almonds, ground

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour4               

2 tablespoons milk

confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour large cookie sheet. Into a large skillet, measure all ingredients except confectioners’ sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Keeping mixture warm over very low heat, drop 4 heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes or until golden.

Remove cookie sheet from oven and, with pancake turner, quickly remove cookies, one by one, and roll around handle of a wooden spoon, or drape over a rolling pin. (If cookies get too hard to roll, reheat in oven a minute to soften.) Cool. Repeat until all batter is used, greasing and flouring cookie sheet each time.

Lightly dust cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Makes about 2 1/2/ dozen cookies.

NOTE: Mixture will be hard to handle on humid days.

 

A POLISH CHRISTMAS EVE: Wigilia - The Vigil

A POLISH CHRISTMAS EVE:  Wigilia – The Vigil

For people of Polish ancestry, Christmas Eve is a special night. It is a night of magic when animals are said to talk and people have the power to predict the future. It’s a time for families to gather and reconcile any differences, and to remember loved ones who have gone before them. It’s call Wigilia (vee-GELL-yah) which means, “vigil,” or waiting for the birth of Baby Jesus.

As dusk approaches, the mother of the family places a lighted candle in the window to welcome the Christ Child. Straw or hay, a reminder of Christ’s birth in a stable, is placed under a white linen tablecloth, which symbolizes Mary’s veil which became the Babe’s swaddling cloth. The eldest woman of the house places the blessed Communion-like wafers called oplatki (Oh-PWAHT-kee) on a fine china or silver plate. In modern times, straw and evergreens are assembled on a serving platter and covered with a white napkin. The oplatki is then placed on the napkin.

An extra place is set of any weary stranger who happens to pass by, in the same way Joseph wandered from home to home looking for a place for Mary to give birth, and in memory of those who are departed. (The extra place is also set in hopes that Christ will dine with the family.)

After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. This is why the wigilia dinner is also known as the Star Supper. Only then are the candles on the table lit and the dinner begun. But not a morsel is eaten before the “breaking of the oplatki.”

The eldest family member takes the wafer, breaks it and shares it with the next eldest with wishes for good health and prosperity, and a kiss on each cheek. Each person then exchanges oplatki with everyone else at the table. It can be a very emotional time as grudges are forgotten and deceased family members are remembered.

Instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family not present, Poles send oplatki, first tearing off a small corner to show that the donor has broken it with them as a token of affection. (In America, Polish families often enclose oplatki in their Christmas cards.)

In some regions of Poland, at the end of the supper, Father Christmas, known as The Starman (very often the parish priest in disguise), accompanied by singing Starboys, pays a visit. He brings rewards to good children from Starland, and scolds the naughty ones, who eventually get their reward, too.

Typical food dishes on Christmas Eve include borscht, mushroom dishes, herring, white fish, meatless cabbage rolls, gingerbread cookies, pierogis, poppy seed rolls, spice cake, fruit, chocolates, tangerines, and cognac, liquers, and vodka made into a variety of drinks.

[Information taken from “About Food – Polish Christmas Recipes and Traditions” - by Barbara Rolek, Eastern European Food Expert.]