BeamNY's blog

Chili

Tossed Salad

Whole Wheat biscuits

Wild Cherry Frozen Yogurt for dessert

A quick look at AOL's News comments indicated that the bigots are out in full force. Some comments should, in my opinion, be removed, but AOL appears to thrive on this type of community back biting. Our country took the first step in healing the wounds the inept Bush administration caused for eight years. Electing Obama may not set well with the bigots. However, they are a small minority.

Quite honestly, if I were elected president and faced the 'clean up' job required to put this country back together after the many years of Republican rule, I would ask for a recount. It isn't going to be an easy job.

Will Obama raise taxes? Quite possibly, but who did you think was going to pay for the debt Bush foisted upon us? When did you think that bill would come due? I applaud the Obama victory and pray that President elect Obama will find the strength and the wisdom to lead this country out of the mire caused by the Bush years.

When, in your recent memory, did you see one of our presidential elections greeted with such a positive impact around the globe?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27396463/

Tony Hillerman Dead at 83

Every once in a while I will discover an author that intrigues me. Tony Hillerman is one of those people. Tony Hillerman, author of the acclaimed Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels and creator of two of the unlikeliest of literary heroes Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. 18 of his 30+ books were the Navajo series.

It was Mr. Hillerman's books that led me to New Mexico to trace the steps of Leaphorn and Chee. There, I discovered Mr. Hillerman's acute eye for detail. When he wrote of roads leading to or from Window Rock and when he mentioned a particular landmark, you could be sure that it was exactly where he said it was.

The cases of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee have given readers an insight into the cultural milieu of the Indian peoples of the Southwest, particularly the Navajo. Hillerman has always been extremely careful, making no claims for insider knowledge (he is a white man who grew up with Indians in Oklahoma) and maintaining respect and courtesy toward the privacy of the tribes his books focus on.

Hillerman's Indians are wonderfully humanized and individualized, and his knowledge of current Indian issues is always impressive.

The Navajo Mysteries by Tony Hillerman

The Shape Shifters. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.

Skeleton Man. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.

The Sinister Pig. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.

The Wailing Wind . New York: HarperCollins, 2002.

Hunting Badger. New York: Harper, 1999

The First Eagle . New York: Harper,1998.

The Fallen Man . New York: Harper,1997.

Sacred Clowns. New York: Harper,1993.

Coyote Waits. New York: Harper,1990.

Talking God. New York: Harper,1989.

A Thief of Time. New York: Harper,1988.

Skinwalkers. New York: Harper,1986. Reprinted 1987.Bestseller List, 1986. This book won the Western Writers of America Spur Award in 1986.

The Ghost Way. New York: Harper, 1984. Reprinted 1986.

The Dark Wind. New York: Harper, 1982. Reprinted 1983.

People of the Darkness. New York: Harper, 1980. Reprinted 1982.

Listening Woman,New York: Harper, 1978. Reprinted 1979.

Dance Hall of the Dead. New York: Harper, 1973.Reprinted in 1975. MWA Edgar Allen Poe Award for the Best Mystery Novel of the West, 1973.

The Blessing Way. New York: Harper, 1970. Reprinted in 1978. This book was a finalist for the Best First Novel Edgar Allen Poe Award.

Saturday's day trip took us to Brown's Berry Patch (http://www.brownsberrypatch.com/). Our objective was apple cider, but came home with so much more.

Brown's offers samples. We tried EVERYTHING!!!! I don't think either of us realized how many samples we consumed until we stopped f for lunch. We both ended up bringing most of our lunch home in a take out box.

The best find, for me, was apple cinnamon jelly. It was a must have. We also tasted an apple salsa loaded with heat. I loved it, he found it too hot (can you say WIMP?). On the other hand, he loved the pickled garlic and I didn't (okay, so can you say WIMP again?)

We both agreed that the sweet pickles were out of this world. Remember the bright green, sweet icicle pickles that Grandma used to make? If you do, then you will know why we had a hard time walking away from that sample table.

They had five samples of apples. I loved the Crispin apple. It is an apple that can be used for many different recipes as well as standing alone as an eating apple.

The horseradish cheese and the extra sharp cheddar cheese were delicious. While standing at the check out counter I realized that something was missing. Would you believe that we almost forgot to get the cider? We picked up cider; apple cinnamon jelly; apples and a bag of dried pineapple slices then headed to The Village House Restaurant in Albion for lunch.

The Village House Restaurant is an Orlean's County gem. It is clean, the service is excellent, and the food reasonable and darn good. I couldn't resist the Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese soup and the supreme burger. He opted for the chicken tortellini salad. I can spend hours raving about the soup. It was creamy, you could taste the cheddar, and texture came from small elbow macaroni. I'd get it again.

The chicken salad was HUGE. He has a good appetite and normally can finish anything placed in front of him, but not this time. The romaine lettuce was crisp; there were large pieces of chicken; the tortellini filled with cheese and chilled to perfection. He finished half the salad and brought the rest home and had it while waiting for the rain to stop in Philadelphia so we could watch the game.

Snow is in the forecast for early in the week. I can't wait to mimic Phillip and have a mulled cider evening.

The residents of 400 Towers kicked off their guest speaker season on a sweet note. Bob Pacer from Oliver's Candy is the first in the series to discuss the history of Batavia businesses. Mr. Pacer took the residents on a trip to the equator to show where the cocoa beans are grown and discussed the journey embarked by that bean to it's final destination to Oliver's Candy.

Oliver's Candy has been part of the Batavia landscape for 75 years. It started as a small business selling it's product door to door in the village of Batavia. Today, Oliver's can boast of a large mail order business shipping to the four corners of the globe.

The residents learned about the candy making process and which candies are still made by 'hand' and which are made using modern technology.

This year's series is a business tour of the City of Batavia. Speakers from established businesses and those who recently chose to call the city the home of their new ventures will be featured between now to May, 2009. Invitations to the series are currently in the works. Any business who would like to be included on the calendar can contact Bea McManis, 400 Towers Residents' Council Activities Coordinator at 585-297-5512.

 

from the Gosby House Inn in Pacific Coast, California.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs Italian Sausage

2 apples, peeled and cored

1/2 cup raisins

Over medium heat lightly brown the sausage with apples and raisins until 3/4 of the sausage is gray but still barely pink. Drain fat.

Mix in:

1 teaspoon anise

1 1/2 lbs baked potatoes, cooled

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

Fill a quiche pan with mixture

Top with

1 layer of puff pastry

brush with an egg wash made of 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of milk

Bake in a 450 oven for 30-40 minutes (if potatoes were chilled, 40 minutes)

Serves 8

I strayed from the basic recipe using turkey Italian sausage from Tops. I used a biscuit batter for a topping rather than the puff pastry the last time I made this for a luncheon.

Harvard Beets

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup water

2 (15 ounce) cans sliced beets, drained

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minute. Add the beets to the liquid, and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat. Stir in butter, salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Serve warm or chilled.

ROASTED YAMS AND APPLES

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed and cubed with skin

1 pound apples, cored and cut into wedges

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, brown sugar, paprika, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth, then add potatoes and apples, and toss to coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until the potatoes are tender and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Try this as a stuffing for acorn squash halves or as a side dish on it's own.

Corn Relish

This is the basic recipe. I add whatever I have from friends' gardens. Green tomatos; green and red pepper; corn etc. As long as it all chopped to about the same size as a kernal of corn. Although not in the recipe, I add a tablespoon of pickling spice (sometimes more, depending on my mood).

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups chopped seeded cucumber

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 cup sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 cup corn starch disolved in warm water

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until thickened. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Apple Butter

Prep time is minimal, but cooking takes 11 1/2 hours in a slow cooker. INGREDIENTS

5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

DIRECTIONS

Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, syrup, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Apple Butter Prep time is minimal, but cooking takes 11 1/2 hours in a slow cooker. INGREDIENTS 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt DIRECTIONS Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, syrup, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

I looked out my window a few minutes ago and was surprised to see that snow covered the cars in the parking lot. This morning's weather forecast hinted to snow mixed with rain, but not enough to accumulate. The winds carrying that cold air over the warm lakes should have been the first clue that we would see more than a dusting. I don't think I'll ever get over the thrill of the first snow. It seems to waken some primative need to stock the larder and bring out the heavier comforters and quilts for the bed. I wonder if others have this same urge. So today was a day to make apple butter; Harvard beets; roasted yam with roasted apples and corn relish. All staples that will hold over the winter. The apple butter is spiked with a good shot of maple syrup. The beets rest in a thick sweet sauce. The corn relish offers a blend of sweet and sour that is delicious on crackers for a snack or used as the base for sweet and sour chicken over rice and other recipes. The combination of roasted yams and roasted apples laced with brown sugar, butter, and apple pie spice freezes well. It makes a great side dish or a super stuffing for acorn squash. This is a dish that should be made when no one else is about. I find that friends like to spoon it on crackers and eat it as a snack. I put the light comforters away today. The heavier quilts now rest on the bed. Most likely, for the next few nights, I'll just kick them off because it will be too hot. But, it is nice to know they are there when needed.

I am searching for information regarding Capt. Thomas C Campbell Jr. This is what I know: b. 16 May 1920 d. 20 Oct 1944, when his aircraft crashed near lake Anten in Sweden. They were on route from Leuchars, Scotland to Bromma, Sweden as part of "Project Sonnie", in a C-87 (NC18618). According to one webpage, he came from Genesee Co, NY (source of this information unknown). According to a local newspaper report (Swedish newspaper Sydsvenska dagbladet) dated 12 May 1948, his mother then lived in Alexandria, VA. A Large Stone Tablet with the Crew Names and a Propeller from their B - 24 43-30619 crashed near Goteburg in Sweden Oct 20, 1944 bearing civil registration NC18618. This was some sort of secret operation. It seems that the plane was a part of Operation Carpetbagger, which was a special program to deliver supplies to resistance groups in enemy-occupied countries, to deliver personnel to the field, and occasionally to bring back personnel from the field. It is believed that this plane was being used to fly back to the UK Norwegian aircrew trainees and American internees from Sweden. I can find nothing in the Batavia Daily News regarding this Genesee Co. resident. I don't have a clue as to what amount of time would lapse between the crash and when it was reported. There is no record of Capt. Campbell enlisting in Genesee Co., nor is his mother listed as a Genesee Co. Gold Star mother. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

I often wonder how many others are seasonal cooks. All of us, to some degree, must be. We take advantage of the bounty of fruits and vegetables available in our area at harvest time. Yet, how many are like me? I seem to follow the seasons - a spring menu - a summer menu - fall then winter. Dishes I will only make at certain times of the year. The first frost signals a need to make a boiled dinner. The first signs of spring and I crave asparagus. The waning days of August and the month of September can bumfuzzle my palate. I still need the summer foods, but I have an urge to make heartier autumn meals. This week's menu is a good example. Bar-b-que beef (summer); Ham and cauliflower chowder (fall); chicken salad (summer); spaghetti and meatballs (anytime and almost every weekend); egg and olive sandwiches (spring/summer) are all on the agenda for this week. Sliced tomatoes and onions drizzled with olive oil and laced with grated cheese will be a good side dish as will fried zucchini.

Among Americans 50 and older: — 45 percent say food prices have caused a hardship for their budgets — 39 percent think at least some foods will have to be rationed within a year — 47 percent are shopping for food less frequently — 41 percent are eating less meat — 18 percent have started eliminating some meals Are you in this age group? What hardships are you, or do you perceive to face in the next few months?