Hard Shell Tacos

Don't shop for groceries when you're hungry.  How often I've heard this little piece of advice.
Sometimes shopping and hunger happens at the same time in spite of good intentions. 


One day I dashed into Aldi for supplies -- hungry as a bear.  Near the door boxes of hard shell
tacos were stacked.  The picture on the box showed grated cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, browned hamburger, tacos and the words *Taco Bell*.  Everything I needed to start some memories rolling.


The first time I ever tasted tacos was January 1974.  Our family traveled from British Columbia, Canada south through Washington to Portland, Oregon to visit friends.  I remember the novelty of the middle of winter and no snow!  Weather that was damp and chilly with clouds and rain . . .


This weather was unheard of for Minnesota girls from a small town west of International Falls, MN, the coldest spot in the lower forty-eight.  It didn't seem like January to us -- no winter coats or boots, scarves or mittens.  We traipsed about with light spring jackets over our shoulders and high top tennis shoes on our feet.


Our friends took us to sea world and a wax museum and to the coast where water stretched toward the edge of the sky.  There were lots of rocky cliffs and waves splashed into the rocks spraying salt water all over the place.


One of the delicious meals we were served was tacos.  I can still remember watching the process of spooning the meat into the taco then loading it with lettuce and cheese. Maybe there were tomatoes and onions to sprinkle on top.  I don't remember for sure. And then trying to eat all of that crunchy goodness without everything falling to pieces . . .
                                Like they say in How to Talk Minnesotan, by Howard Mohr          
                                 "This taco is really good but it's dripping down my arm!"


That evening while I browned hamburger and grated cheese I told Krysta stories of my first visit to Oregon and my first taste of tacos. 


*Add salsa to the mix and make tacos even more scrumptious and messy.

Caddie Woodlawn

We have a family tradition.

Every time we travel home from a funeral in WI we stop at Caddie Woodlawn's home place.
We started this 20+ years ago after Grandpa Ben's funeral. Somewhere we have a picture of
Jeremy, Evan, Deanne and Jorgan posing beside a wooden fence and soon - very soon - I will
scan it into this computer and show you what they looked like so long ago.

The next time we stopped was after Grandma Christina's funeral. We posed everyone for more
pictures. We were going to get school pictures to give away. They are in an envelope in a box
packed away with my good intentions.

This past Tuesday Mom and I headed west on Hwy 29. In Menominee we turned south on
Hwy 25. I kept watching for a brown historical marker that would tell me where to turn. This
busy road with trucks and cars speeding along is very different than the road that went past
Caddie's house all those years ago.

The little white house shaded by the surrounding trees has seen many changes since 1864.
You can read all about her and her family in the books, Caddie Woodlawn and Magical Melons,
written by Carol Ryrie Brink

One of these days I will pack a lunch and drive to WI on a warm summer day. I hope I can hike
to Chimney Bluffs and explore there. So far every time we've stopped we had some reason
we had to hurry away.

This time was no different. We were on the way home after yet another funeral. We are at a stage
in life when our family reunions are not planned but hastily thrown together because someone we love has gone on to a Heavenly home. This time my mother's brother went on ahead of us.
I can picture Ray visiting with his dad, my Grandpa Jason.

And as so often happens, when one goes on ahead, God gives us another family member.
My niece and her husband welcomed a little boy named Jason Emerson to their home.
He was born on Monday morning . . . 
The same day as Ray's funeral.

We have seen pictures of Jase and his delighted brothers, Jensen and Julian.
Maybe some day they will be racing up and down the trails at Caddie Woodlawn's park.

February ~ 1978 Maranatha Bible School

"What were you doing when you turned 17?"

Krysta asked me this on the morning of her 17th birthday.

My memories had to back up -------------------------------

   Krysta was amazed when I told her I was at Maranatha

Bible School.  Yes, they let 16 year olds go to Maranatha way back

in the long ago days.  Now students are asked  to stay home an extra

year and grow up a bit more before attending for the first time.


Just a teensy tiny history lesson here -- 

The grade school in Lansing MN was leased in the summer/fall of 1977.

There were a lot of renovations made and plans went forward to start

Maranatha Bible School. 

There were two three week terms in the winter of 1978.

I still remember visiting Deanne at Maranatha one evening in 2008

for an end of the term dorm party. I did some math in my head.

 I was wildly startled to figure out she was in Bible School

thirty years after I was there.

So many things change -- so many things stay the same.

Same dorm parties

Same skits with a few new ones added

Same laughter

Mothers and daughters stretching and growing and learning together.

Man's Cookies

When one wants to bake cookies it's a good idea to have flour on hand.
I grabbed the bowl and opened the door in the island where the glass canisters
are kept. For my recipe I needed two cups flour and two cups oatmeal.
I could see there was not enough for two cups flour. There was lots of oatmeal.
I had whole wheat flour and coconut flour. I could have experimented but
fortunately I didn't have to this time.

Before panic set in a happy memory came to me. At Chelsea's bridal shower we
exchanged recipes. One was for cookies made out of a cake mix. Thankfully I had
a cake mix. After that it was easy.

Dump the cake mix in a bowl.
Add two eggs
Add  1/2 cup oil
Mix together
Add 1/2 bag of chocolate chips
Drop by spoon on a pan
Bake at 325* for 10 -12 minutes.

When I make these again I might try a stick of butter instead of oil.
It would have to be softened of course. And vanilla. I forgot to splash vanilla in the
cookie dough.  They were quite delectable even with this major forgetfulness!

Here is the famous recipe for Man's Cookies that I was trying to make.
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar        
Cut in:
1/2 cup margarine or butter
Add
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
Mix all together with a big spoon.
Add one 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
Add one or two tablespoons water if it seems too dry.

(I cut the margarine in half for this recipe.
The original recipe calls for a cup of shortening or margarine.)

Drop by spoon on cookie pan. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 min. Do not over bake.
We take them out when they are still gooey looking and let them finish baking on the pan.

This is the very first cookie recipe I ever made. When I was about ten or eleven a young
couple at our church had a little baby. I helped as a mother's helper and learned how to make
these cookies.  They have been a family favorite ever since.

Camel Train

When you are invited to a wedding in Sparta then its a good idea to look up directions
for the place in the town of Sparta instead of say - Tomah -   a neighboring town.  That
saves a bit of trouble when you actually get to Sparta and start looking for the wedding.

The night before we carefully looked up the directions online and very carefully wrote
them down on a piece of paper. Then I stuck the directions in my purse with the invitation
and made sure my purse was in the car when we started off.  But something went wrong -
very wrong.

The directions looked like someone had dyslexia - hwy 21 turned to 12. 
Streets turned to avenues. Nothing added up and nothing matched.
But my husband is one of those rare men who will stop and ask directions. 
I know!  He is a keeper!

So we made it to the wedding with five minutes to spare.
What a sigh of relief to find out there was a relaxed atmosphere inside.
We walked in and saw the groom's dad and uncle and brother standing there talking.
They welcomed us in and said find a seat and we did.

Chatted with grandmother of the groom and more cousins. After awhile the groom escorted
his grandmother to her seat and the wedding began. There was a darling flower girl tossing
petals down the aisle and the cute ring bearer did his best to keep up.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen

Bride with her parents

The minister broke the ice by declaring he never gets in on any of the pictures so he's
solving that by taking a *selfie* on his tablet right then and there with the bride and groom.

Then he went ahead and preached a sermon that spoke to us all. 
And the groom said his vows
        and the bride said her vows.
They exchanged rings
          and kissed
 and were introduced
    to the audience.

There was a feeling of deja vu. The girls who sang at our wedding were there. 
(Two of them weren't able to be at this wedding) The trio sang this song which has
become a favorite of mine ever since I first heard it at my sister's wedding. 
My aunt and uncle sang it at Dad and Mom's 50th wedding anniversary as well.

1	’Twas a day in early springtime, By an ancient wayside well, Eliezer paused to rest his camel train. He had found a bride for Isaac Ere the evening shadows fell, For his weary journey had not been in vain. Chorus:
	Oh, get ready! Evening shadows fall. Don’t you hear the Eliezer call? There’s going to be a wedding, And our joy will soon begin, In the evening when the camel train comes in.
2	So he took the fair Rebekah, Dressed in jewels rich and rare, Quickly to her waiting bridegroom far away. Where Rebekah loved her Isaac, And he loved Rebekah fair; Oh, it must have been a happy wedding day.
3	Now the blessed Holy Spirit, From our Father God above, Has come down to earth to find a worthy Bride. For our Isaac over yonder Has prepared His tents of love, And He wants His fair Rebekah by His side.
4	We have left our kinfolk gladly; We have bade the world goodbye. We’ve been called to be His pure and spotless Bride; Where we’ll soon behold our Jesus In that blest eternity— What a happy, happy wedding that will be! - Hansel P. Vibbert       - from Genesis 24

Visit a Library

Ellis is out of town this week.  That's why Krysta and I are at home
"doing all the fun stuff, like put wood in the basement, fold laundry
and eat pizza." 
(A quote from Krysta's letter to Dea and Jorgan.)

. . . and a visit to a library that is celebrating its 115th anniversary
Krysta had a friend over Sunday afternoon. We had a quick lunch of :

                                      Banana Splits
ice cream
sliced bananas
peanut butter
home made granola
chocolate topping

To make your own topping put 1cup sugar in a small pan.
Add 1-3 T. cocoa, depends on your taste
Add 1/4 cup milk
 1 T. butter
Melt over low heat, stir with a wire whisk.
Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into a small pitcher.
Make sure the pitcher is made to withstand hot temperatures.
I do not want to be responsible for breaking your great - great
grandmother's creamer for her china set.
Pour over the ice cream.


Granola

Pour one container of old fashioned oats into a large roaster.
(or minute oats if that suits your taste better)
about 12 -15 cups
2 cups brown sugar
1 T. salt
1 cup coconut
Stir all together
In a small pan heat gently
1 cup oil
1 cup water
a splash of vanilla

If you want to use honey cut back on the brown sugar and add honey to the liquids.
Pour over the oatmeal. Stir very well. Toast in the oven 1 and  1/2 hours. Set the timer
to remind you to stir every half hour.
Options: You can add sun flower seeds, wheat germ, any other healthy goodies your
family enjoys.

After inhaling this delightful, delicious, nutritious lunch we scurried to the car and hit
the interstate. We were aiming to get there in time for the tour but we were running late.

"Are you here for the open house?" a young girl asked  us at the door. She told us on which
floor to find the cookies and coffee.  Cookies?!  We didn't know there would be cookies!

We found the tour group and got in on the tail end of it. Our friend who conducted the tour
took some of us late stragglers back to the top floor and showed us the attics.  In one attic
wooden rails are stored that used to be set up in front of the shelves of books to keep the
common people from reaching and choosing their own books.

They had to request them and the librarian got them off the shelves.

Ridiculous! 

There is a big room where people gathered to hear recitals. The grand piano that used to be
there was donated to some place else.  We saw the door and the metal fire escape and tried
to imagine the piano being lowered down those steep steps!  a few strong, brave men would
have been needed to accomplish that task.

An older gentleman gave away thin, wooden bookmarkers. He asked our names and printed
each one on our own personal bookmarker with beautiful hand writing and special colors of
 ink to contrast with the finish on the wood. Krysta's name was printed with a silvery, gray ink.

The room where the cookies were served had a fire place with stuffed chairs pulled up in a
cozy half circle.  A high bench was built under the windows. Climb up on a sturdy chair,
plug in your lap top and look out the window at the scenery below. The atmosphere just begged you to pick out a book and sit down and read. 

But we had places to go and things to do so we left that beautiful building. 
If you are ever in Owatonna MN stop at the library.  I recommend it to you.

Pizza

When you make pizza with cauliflower in the crust (recipe from THM)
 be sure to line the pan with the right kind of paper especially made for ovens . . .   

Not freezer paper . . .

Last night, Krysta and I were very hungry! I threw that pizza together as fast as possible.
When it was baking I started noticing a funny smell.  Like wax melting?   maybe?

I checked the furnace in the basement.  Nothing out of the ordinary.
Back upstairs I looked in the oven and noticed the lining was wider than the pan.
That should have stopped me when I put the paper in the pan, but being in such a hurry
scrambled my brain, I guess.  

Then I thought maybe the paper was burning. So I trimmed the edges.
Finally, when the pizza was done and we were loading up our plates we discovered
a strange thing. The lining was glued to the crust.

We had upside-down-pizza. We couldn't even be sure we got all the paper off.
We discovered chewing on freezer paper is not good!