Early Saturday Morning Photo

I don't know why I can't sleep past 6:00. Actually I don't really mind it. These early morning hours before everyone else is wakes up are some of my best moments. I enjoy the alone time.

I've been organizing photos in my computer this morning and ran across this one. Grandma, Uncle Ed, Aunt Cathy and me at my house. Of course the visit was far too short but it was so nice to have everyone here. I look forward to the next time we are all together. 

Good Saturday morning everyone!

The Gift of Food

I love cooking....have I mentioned that? But second to that I love to share my creations with others. I like to package them beutifully and surprise people with them. I makes my heart warm.

The lucky recipients of my latest gift? My dear friends Lindsey and Traci. I saw a recipe for Caramelized Onions in EveryDay Food a couple of months ago and couldn't get it off of my mind. The finished product was fantastic! I can not wait to make it again. Here is the recipe, very simple!

16 sweet onions
6 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of Kosher salt- plus more to taste
2 tablespoons of sugar

Cut the onions thinly while gently melting the butter (be careful not to let the butter burn) in a large Dutch oven. When onions are sliced bring the heat up to medium high. Add all of the onions and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt.

Cook onions stirring often for about 45 minutes or until they start to turn a slight caramel color. Do not allow them to brown. Adjust heat as needed.

Then add the sugar and additional salt to taste. Cook onions for another 10-15 minutes or until they turn a dark caramel color. Bring to room tempurature before packaging. Onions will store well in the fridge for up to two weeks.

These onions are so sweet but yet savory at the same time! Lindsey and Traci almost didn't get any because I was eating it straight from the pan! I enjoyed mine in a pasta I threw together with what I had in the house. Some Calamata olives, arugala, lemon, and fresh Parmasen. Oh my goodness.....so YUM!

Lindsey toasted hers on french bread with cheese and Traci made her own pasta to enjoy her's with. Both sounded delish and I can't wait to try them myself!

It's the little things I guess! Happy weekend to everyone!

Crazy Cooking

What a crazy cooking weekend! I loved it. Sometimes I just get the bug to cook and it is so fun.

The past weekend I made key lime pie, pound cake with citrus glaze, almond pound cake with chocolate glaze, chicken & veggie soup, and lasagna. All of which was shared with others which is the best part of all. I love to share things from the kitchen with family and friends.

I didn't remember to take photos of everything but here are a few.

The soup I think was my favorite out of all of this. The addition of kale made it so yummy. Another trick I tried with the soup was making the stock in my slow cooker. It work our great.

The pound cake both with the citrus glaze and the chocolate were good but not great. A new challenge for me! I found it to be a bit dry. The recipe I used called for only a half pound of butter and then 3/4 cup of buttermilk. Now, I made this recipe thinking it would be "healthier".....who am I kidding? It's cake, I should just make the straight traditional recipe. I will probably give it a go this coming weekend.

The lasagna looked and smelled great but we actually didn't eat it, it went to my families house for their enjoyment. The key lime pie (not pictured) was very tasty and simple to make. I am however feeling like I need more of a pie challenge. Ideas are welcome!

Happy cooking to you all!

A New Sister

Facebook. Some people get it, love it, and can't stop checking it. Other would rather not brodcast what they are having for dinner to every person they went to high school with. Myself, my mother, and a lot of extended family and friends fall into the first catagory. My Aunt Cahty...she falls into the second.

After my mother's passing people started using her Facbook page as sort of a memorial. Everyone kept telling my Aunt about these messages and she decided that she bettter start a page so that she could keep up and share in the comfort of the kind words of others. Only there was only one problem. How was she to see mom's page when it was set to private and only "friends" could view it. I had a pretty good feeling I could "hack" (aka: guess mom's password) into Facebook and grant Cathy the permission to view the page. I guessed the password on the very first attempt.....I guess I really am my mother's daughter!

When I got to the office on Monday, January 18th I logged into mom's page to grant the friend request. Not much to see other than her newsfeed and the request. I took a quick look to see if she had any private messages. There was one. I opened her in box and saw a message from a woman named Jennifer. I didn't recognize the name or the profile photo. The message simply said "Are you from Wisconsin".

Below is the correspondence between Jennifer and I. It is amazing and I am 100% sure that my mom is in Heaven playing her part in all of this. I once again find my life changing, and the life of my step-fathers.

Jennifer to Marion
"Are you from Wisconsin?"

Emily to Jennifer
"Hi Jennifer, This is Marion's daughter Emily. Yes, we lived in Wisconsin for most of my life. I am sorry to tell you this but my mom pasted away on January 1st. She had a cancer called Multiple Myeloma. We are keeping her Facebook page active for awhile as many people have started using it as a memorial. If you would like to see it let me know and I will add you as a friend. "

Jennifer to Emily (this is where it get's REALLY awesome)
"I'm sorry to hear that. I lost my mom a couple years ago to lung cancer. All my best wishes to you and your family. I kind of feel bad bringing this up now but I'm looking for my biological father. Not for anything other than a face or a connection I guess. I don't expect anything from him and think he would rather I let him be. I could have the wrong one so I don't mean to upset you. His nam is William Barrington and he was born in Racine, W, had a daughter with Faythe Brechtbill, went to UWM, and happened to marry a woman with the same name as your mom. They were both quite young when I was born and I was raised by my maternal grandparents. Since I was having trouble looking him up I tried another angle and this is where I ended up. Well, I don't know what else to say. I truely hope this note doesn't upset you because that was never my intent. Again, I offer my condolences."

I couldn't believe it. My mother and Will had both told me about Jennifer many years ago. I knew that it had always bothered Will that he wasn't a part of his daughter's life. He tried to be, he really did but circumstances being as they may he was asked, and he thought it best, to part ways with her.

That evening I spoke with Will first. He was thrilled about the news and of course he was open to connecting with her. I then spoke with Jennifer. WOW, how amazing. I just rambled on and on about Will and she listened. I asked her questions too, they seemed so alike! They watch the same TV shows, they're interested in the same books, they both love history, the list goes on and on. Amazing, so amazing. After all this time they were both about to talk to the person that was always missing in their lives. My heart was full.

That night, and through out this entire week I've thought about my mom and if she had a part in all this. As I said I am now 100% certain of it. She worried all through her very short (yet it felt so long) illness that Will would be alone after she was gone. Of course he would always have me and my siblings but he really has no family of his own anymore. He was an only child, both of his parents were only children and since they both had passed many years ago he would have no one. This bothered her and weighed heavy on her mind. I just think it is too much of a coincidence. If not for Aunt Cathy wanting access to the page I would have had no reason to try and gain access and I would never have seen Jennifer's note.

Will and Jennifer talked on the phone just a couple of days after our conversation. Will called me just over the moon about it. They had talked for hours about their lives, their interests, their families. He is so anxious to meet her. I am too! I feel like I am gaining another sister! My happiness for the both of them is overflowing. During this time, with the loss of my mother so fresh something fantastic happens to Will. Jennifer finds herself motherless as well and always had the wonder of who her father really is. She now has the answers.

I share this story in hopes that it brings all of you great happiness as well. I am excited to follow their story and to be a part of it in anyway that I can. Thank you mom. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Breakfast Smoothies

Getting back to one of those goals I was thinking of when I started Decade Three.....lose weight! I have been struggling with this for about 4 years now. I hate it! I really don't care about how much I weigh, I just want to feel healthy and look good in my clothes. The worst part is that I don't eat junk food, I guess I just cook too much!  Anyhoo, back to the story. With the passing of my mother I've been thinking a lot about this, I feel like I really need to take control and do this for myself. I am going to do it, at least I hope that I can do it!

So, I've changed a few things rather than choosing a "fad" diet. First, I've cut my beloved Diet Coke out of my life completly. It's always hard to break off a steamy love affair, emotions run rampant but it had to be done. I've been clean now for 8 days and I really do feel a difference! I don't seem to miss the caffine at all, the morning coffee seems to do the trick, and I swear I have more energy.

I've also been sure to not eat out (which I had been doing a lot of between hospital visits). I am making a stong effort to eat breakfast and incorporate more fruit and vegetables into my diet. Snacks now consist of a whole piece of fruit or a vegetable which is great. But, the breakfast change is what I want to share with you all today.......SMOOTHIES, YUM!

I didn't think I liked smoothies as I am not a huge fan of fruit. But I gave them ago last Monday after reading a recipe in the So Easy cookbook by nutritionist Ellie Kreuger. I am addicted, I really am. I've had one every single day since. They are full of good stuff and low calorie too which is great! Here is the one I enjoyed in my car on the way to work this morning.

Cherry- Blueberry Smoothie with Acai Juice

1/4 Cup Soy Milk
1/4 Cup Acai Juice with Blueberry
1/2 Cup Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Honey
Splash of Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Frozen Cherries
1/2 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 Cup Ice

Add all ingrediants to the blender in the order that they are listed above. Use the liquidify setting until a strong vortex is created in the center. Blend for about 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe makes enough for one serving, is full of antioxidents and oh so good!

10 months into Decade Three

On March 5th 2009 I started out Decade Three. Honestly it was the first birthday since 21 that I really had any excitement about. I didn't dread 30, I didn't feel old, I felt as though I could finally be considered an adult! Exciting and scary, I was ready for it.

The beauty of spring in Georgia with good friends and family around I started my 30th year with all sorts of plans. I hoped to further hone my cooking skills, loose weight, maybe start the planning of our family. In a sense I sort of felt like I would be starting my life again. Of course most of these things are still in the works and a lot of these things happened, but 10 month later where do I find myself? Interesting question. I've have been pondering it now for 17 days and the only answer I can come up with is Motherless. Totally and certainly Motherless.

 

On January 1, 2010 almost exactly 10 months into Decade Three I lost my mother to cancer. I could bore you with the many details of her horrific disease but I will spare you. The point here is that I lost her. She fought for 8 short months and I did as much as I could but as so many cancer stories go it wasn't enough and she moved on far too soon.

My mother was scattered, stubborn, hilarious, fun, kind, loving, and spontaneous. I loved her deeply and in these short 17 days I have come to fully realize that she helped to shape me into the woman I am today. I am who I am, all the good and the bad, because she showed me the way if she knew it or not.

 

So now I ponder the next question. Should I do the easy thing and loose myself in grief or should I try to find a way to learn from this and become stronger? I think the latter. Operative word here is THINK, but I know in my heart that is the right thing to do. Therefore I've decided to start blogging again. I blogged for almost two years exclusively about cooking and entertaining. It was great and I enjoyed it a lot. Then mom got sick and she became my priority. So now that she is gone I think it is time to make me, my life and the people in it the priority. So, I start fresh with this new blog. I will share my experiences in the kitchen, with friends and family, books I'm reading, and whatever else feels right.

I've hardly scratched the surface of grieving my mother. I am not entirely sure that I am ready to, so I am sure that she will be mentioned on more than one occasion. I am hopeful that she will guide me through this decade as I feel confident she has secured me with the tools I need......or at least I hope that she has.

 

I dedicate the blog to my mother, Marion Barrington and I hope that I find the same joys and beauty in life that she did.