Do. Not. Sit. Down.

 

 

 It has been raining heavily for the better part of two weeks. Now, don't get me wrong. I love the rain, have even gone dancing in it with my grand kids. I love so much about rain (we live in a desert climate), that it hurts to admit that enough is enough.

 So what do I do when these black shadow clouds hang over me? Videos of toddlers doing fun things. I mean, if those sweeties are having fun times, this has to be my fun.

 Makes sense. 

Charlie and Daddy--good times.  When she is 4, let's see what she is like then.

Happy Birthday, Robert

 

Robert Peck, 1951 - 1997

All my life, my family has called me "Sis".  Now that there are only three of us, hearing "Sis" comes less and less frequently. That fact pulls out stories  about a few of those times.

My brother Robert was born January 14, 1951.  Then about eleven months later, I was born on December 4, 1951.  We were inseparable, sometimes enemies and sometimes friends.  But, always always we were ready to be there for the other.  

Robert was able to talk me into cook or bake a treat for him.  How, I don't know.  "Sis...let's make some..."  only he did not do the work. 

He convinced me to make deep-fried onion rings on Sunday afternoon. My hair smelled like onions even when we went to church at night.  Had to shampoo several times to remove that odor.  Then he thought frying up some bologna sounded good and I made that for him.  

But, Robert's favorites were anything sweet.  Again, he would say, "Sis...let's make some..." I would sigh, but there would quickly be some dessert of any type.

Here are some of his favorites, taken from Mom's cook book given to her as a wedding present in 1946. The binding is gone, pages fragile and crumbling. Lots of splatters and wear speak volumes.

God bless Betty Crocker.

She taught many war brides how to cook.

Sis. How I would love to hear Robert say "Sis...let's make some..." again.  I probably would mix up hundreds of batches, just for him.

Robert is holding his son Tony. Robert was a big man, and Tony is now.  

Robert is on the left. His vision was so bad, and no one knew it until he was 2 or 3. I am on the right in a red gingham dress. Mom is holding me, I don't know how she survived. My father is the handsome dark man. His family were from the Iroquois tribes; he and his brother had features and skin color from that.  

Ruby in the kitchen Wednesday Words

 

Ruby dumped the yeast roll dough onto the wooden table. Brioche?  Were they serious? Brioche takes 24 hours to prove.  An hour or so of kneading and the dough was thrown into the proving drawer.  I hate making brioche.

Next was the apple cranberry crumble pie. Ruby, peeling apples and cranberries were nothing. In an hour, the pie was pulled all bubbling from the oven.  I love apple pie!

All was well until the word PI popped up.  PI ? 

Everyone knows 43⋅(π(5)3) Sheesh.

Timer rang, and Ruby felt her duty for the honor of St. Catherine's Women Auxiliary was met.  Cleaning and wiping baking materials, Ruby was done. 

 

Ingredients for Classic French Brioche

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast