I suspect when you saw the title of this column it took you right back to a family experience or one of your very own. For me it didn’t because it was a first. I have not had problems from deer on the highway ever in my life, but I know others who have damaged their car and even had some serious physical injury. There are things that happen in your life every day that sometimes make an impression and other times don’t. Some events happen so quickly we can’t really focus on them until they’re over. Recent reports have indicated…
Author: Melanie Behrens
For all those sweet tooth people, here you are. Caramel bars Crust: 1-1/2 C quick oats 2-1/4 C flour 1-1/2 C brown sugar 1-1/4 C butter Filling: 1/4 C butter 1 C brown sugar 1/4 C milk 2 tsp. vanilla 2 TBS flour For crust, melt butter completely. Mix it with oatmeal, flour, and brown sugar. Press 2/3 of mixture into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. When done, allow it to cool. Set aside remaining 1/3 of crust mixture for topping. While crust is baking, melt butter for filling in a saucepan. Stir…
It was a tough time in the sunshine state. It turns out that when people go to Florida for a while they expect warmth and beauty, sunshine and all good things. Recently, I was there and got to experience some of the coldest temperatures they have had in a few years. Now cold temperatures are not only disappointing for the visitors, but also it screws up all kinds of things that are going on normally in Florida, where people expect temperatures between 75 and 80 during the day and about 65 at night. They can’t go to the beach or…
This is a great apple week! Apple brown Betty 6 C apples, peeled, cored and diced 3 TBS lemon juice 3/4 C brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 C flour 1/2 C rolled oats 1 stick butter, divided 1 tsp. Cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 13×9 pan with non-stick baking spray. Place peeled, cored and diced apples at bottom of pan, spreading to fill it. Sprinkle lemon juice over apples. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, 1/3 cup butter, cinnamon and oats. Cut butter into dry ingredients until well blended and pebbly. Sprinkle mixture over…
He had an interesting start at Marysville High School, graduating in 1986. He went on to the Ohio State University graduating in mechanical engineering and later became a consulting forensic engineer. Erin Higinbotham has had an exciting life investigating crashes involving cars and motorcycles. He got his start with motorcycles at just age 9. Apparently that was only off-road stuff. Now he has his own company and has named it 830 Engineering (after his former motorcycle race number). He consults for mostly attorneys and insurance companies, investigating why bad things happen to people and figuring out why they were severely…
This is the week of dessert bars! Chocolate chip bars 1 16.5-oz. refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 C confectioners’ sugar 1 12-oz. carton frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided 3 C cold 2% milk 1 3.9-oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix 1 3.4-oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix optional: chopped nuts, chocolate curls and miniature semisweet chocolate chips Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13×9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 14-16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. In a large…
This is our time to review some very interesting questions. These questions may send your mind wondering, who is the wacko who thought of these things? I decided they were interesting because they send our minds thinking in all different directions and that some people would obviously answer yes, and others would answer no. So I’m going to follow through with a few for you and tell you how I’m thinking, and then you will have an opportunity for your thoughts. Our first question is, “Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?” What? I have to have…
It’s winter and we need soup! Best enchilada soup 1 can black beans, drained 1 can pinto beans, drained 1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can sweet corn, drained 1 12.5-oz. can chicken breast drained & flaked 1 10-oz.can green enchilada sauce 1 14-oz.can low-sodium chicken broth (1 3/4 C) 1 packet taco seasoning 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder In a large pot, heat all ingredients together over medium high heat until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Maybe garnish with chopped cheese of your choice.…
You just never know when you’ll need interesting facts of trivia. Several years ago we used to play trivial pursuit all the time and I loved it. Some of these facts would fit into that category, but also make an interesting discussion. Let’s start with this beauty: “A rat can last longer without water than a camel.” When you first read this, you think, how can that be? A rat needs less water than a camel? It turns out that a rat can also fall from five stories without injury. They can survive large doses of radiation and swim for…
This is pasta week. Mac and cheese bundt style 3/4 C cheese Doritos, blitzed to a fine crumb 2-1/2 C macaroni 2 TBS butter 2 TBS plain flour 2-1/4 C milk 1 C cheddar, grated 2 C Parmesan 2 whole eggs 2 C mozzarella, sliced 1/2 C mozzarella, grated Grease a bundt tin with a generous amount of butter and then add most of crushed Doritos, reserving a handful for later. Move tin around so that they stick to butter and coat the whole inside of tin. Set aside. Cook macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for…
The new year is beginning and nothing has really changed in this situation since last year – men and women think differently about the same thing. Many of them approach the solving of a problem in the opposite way. Are you with me now? Please don’t misunderstand me, I like men, but sometimes it’s really hard to understand them. Some of my friends who supplied me with such interesting things, have recently forwarded some thoughts about men and women and their relationship. I hope this will hit home with you and maybe make you smile whether you’re a man or…
Here’s some comfort food. Cheesy stromboli 1 11-oz. tube refrigerated crusty French loaf 6 oz. baked ham, thinly sliced 3 green onions, sliced 8 bacon strips, cooked until brown and crispy 1-1/2 C of sliced Swiss cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough into a rectangle on a greased baking sheet. Place sliced ham over dough leaving ½ inch of edges of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with green onions, bacon, and cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with long side. Pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam side down on baking sheet. With a sharp knife,…
My friends love to participate in my column. That is to say, they love to supply me with things they think will be great topics. I have to say I do agree with these recently received. We will begin with this: “I wonder as I age that I may be less tolerant for questions asked of me that are sort of silly.” And then this – “Today I was in a store that sells sunglasses, and only sunglasses. A young lady walks over to me and asks, ‘What brings you in today?’ I looked at her and said, I’m interested…
These loaded soups should do the job. Warming robust soup 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions 3 C beef broth 1 C cooked rice 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1/2 tsp. dried basil 1 bay leaf kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Brown beef in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat, then drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat and set aside. Return skillet to…
New Year’s eve is less than a week away. We always try and make some sort of plan whether it’s a big one or little one to celebrate the New Year coming in. Sometimes there’s alcohol involved and sometimes it’s a very late night. All over the world, it’s a special time celebrated in various ways, even though some seem really crazy. England, the country that I always think is closest to us in traditions, has a really strange custom. The Brits believe that the first guest to enter through the front door after the new year rings in, should…