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Friday, April 13, 2012

STATE STUCO at ARLINGTON

On Sunday, April 1, at 7:00  am  these 16 student council kids, and I boarded a yellow dog and headed for Arlington for the state convention.  They slept most of the way because the prom was the night before, and most stayed up all night at various parties, and got home just in time to pack. 
It was so much fun and the kids were just great to be with.  I am glad a whole passel of them got to go so they will be all enthusiastic next year, and it was just good to get to know them better.  The convention center is right across a small pond from the Ranger baseball stadium, and close to 6 Flags Over Texas.  Monday night 6 Flags was closed to the public so all the student council kids could have their own private party (all 4500 of them).  I was still semi-crippled from surgery, and after I rode the Titan I was really "stove up" (as my dad would say).  The Titan is a beast that I should never have tackled.  We were headed down a huge incline straight for a tunnel that looked too small for anything to go through, so I instinctively ducked and the G--forces sucked me even further down.  One of my muscles in my back was  strained terribly, so the bus driver had to do the running at 6 Flags for me.  Thank God for women bus drivers!  Here is a picture of the Titan from various angles.
I took this picture from the road as we left on Tuesday.  You can see the clouds building and later on there were some bad tornadoes in area.

So, when you ride the Titan, sit back, keep your head against the back of the seat, hang on (because at times you will be lifted off the seat), and enjoy the ride!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

FOOD!!!!!!

I don't have pictures, but I do want to post these two recipes just in case you are dying to make something good!!
I made the Key lime pie for the teachers lounge--$2.00 a slice for a STUCO fund raiser.  The recipe is from a Knox County cookbook, and I changed it some, but I will do the original and make a comment on the changes.  It was good!
TIM'S FAVORITE KEY LIME PIE submitted by:  Michelle (Coulston) Henry from Vera, Texas

Crust:
2 C. crushed graham crackers
2 T sugar
1/2 stick butter
Melt butter and mix with the cracker crumbs.  Lightly spray a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate with cooking spray.  Spread out the crust mixture evenly going up the sides and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Let cool completely.

I did my regular pastry crust that I use for all my pies, and it was delicious.
Filling:
1 C sugar
1/4 C cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 C heavy cream (I used 2 C, and it was perfect)
3 large egg yolks  (I use jumbo eggs)
1/4 C Key lime juice (regular lime juice will not have the same flavor)
2 T unsalted butter (I used salted from Falfurrias, Tx. and the extra salt was just right)
1 T finely grated lime peel

Method of Preparation:

1.  Mix the sugar, corn starch and salt in a heavy saucepan.
2.  Add the cream and stir until thoroughly mixed.
3.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and turn the heat to low; cook until thickened.
4.  Slowly whisk 1 C of the hot mixture into the 3 egg yolks in a bowl until smooth.  Pour back into the sauce pan and cook until it steams, but do not boil. 
5.  Stir constantly.
6.  Remove from heat, stir in butter and add the lime juice and peel.
7.  Pour the filling into a bowl and loosely cover until it cools to room temperature.
I don't know why I bothered with this long drawn out affair!
Here is how I do it and there was no weeping meringue and the filling was about as good as it gets (no brag, just facts that I learned from my little neighbor Mrs. Koonce, in Jayton).
Add the egg yolks to the cream, sugar, and corn starch, and cook until thickened (never let it boil), while you stir constantly with a whisk.  Add the juice, peel and butter and stir until blended.  Pour the super hot mixture into the pie shell, slap the meringue on it, and pop it in the over at 325 (forget the hot, 400 degree oven).  Bake until golden.

Meringue:
4 large egg whites  (3 jumbos work fine)
1/4 t cream of tartar
1/2 C sugar (I use 1/4 C)

Last night I began searching all my cookbooks for potato rolls simply because I had potatoes that needed to be used and they do make really nice rolls.  Finally, I found this recipe in a cookbook Bobby brought back when he was in Georgia many years ago.   The cookbook was from Newnan, Georgia
MASHED POTATO ROLLS (fool proof, it says)
by: Mrs. Irwin H. Pike (Helen) from someplace in Georgia
1 package of yeast
1/2 C water (I use the water I boiled the potatoes in because yeast loves it)
1 C mashed potatoes
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2/3 C  oil (I used 1/2 C olive oil)
1 C milk
5 to 6 C flour (I never measure it)

Method of Preparation:
1.  Soak yeast in the lukewarm water.
2.  In a large bowl place potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, oil, and milk, and mix well.
3.  Add the yeast, mix.
4.  Add the flour gradually as you mix into a dough that can be kneaded.
5.  Place in a greased bowl, cover and refrigerate.
6.  Shape into rolls and allow at least 1 1/2 hour to rise before baking at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes.
I didn't put them in the 'fridge.  I made them this morning for Easter dinner, and they rose like crazy, and were gooooood!