30 Years and Counting

Sorry, I missed last Sunday's posting, we sent to a "super" get together at Nate and Kristen's. It was fun and there was a lot of good food and an exciting football game to watch although I was ultimately disappointed in the outcome.

Yesterday I was enjoying a pretty lazy day. I had spent a couple of hours doing a little spring cleaning then went outside and was sitting on the deck soaking up some long missed sun. It was a beautiful afternoon. Ben called and asked what we were doing. He had a favor to ask but wanted to know our plans before he asked. I assumed it was that he need us to watch Tafton. We told him we were planning to go the the movie that night around 6:00. He and Megan was at the RC Willey's in West Jordan and needed help in bringing some furniture back. It was nearly 3:00 in the afternoon so Shirley and I jumped in the truck and raced down to West Jordan. When we backed up to the dock they asked if we had additional vehicles. I said "no". He said "are you planning to make multiple trips?" I said "no". Ben and Megan had bought a 6 piece sectional couch with recliners. I only have a 5' bed on my super crew cab Ford. The guys on the dock said they were good at playing "TETRIS" so we commenced strategically placing each section and with quite a bit of rope we were on or way back home.

We were a little late getting to the movie - which was an adventure in it's self. We like to go to the Kaysville Theatre because we are cheap and the tickets are only a couple of bucks. It is important to get there early to get a seat together because the theatre is small and it fills up fast. The only seats were on the front row. How bad could it be? Well, half way through a 3 hour movie (Australia) my neck was and lower back was screaming! What was planned as a low impact Saturday turned out to be quite busy. I was happy to be able to help Ben and Megan out though and it was a nice drive.

Anyway, as I was cleaning I ran across a few old pictures. WOW - time can be a cruel enemy. But, on the other hand, time allows you to experience many wonderful things. Today, Shirley and I have been married for 30 years! Where does the time go? We have been blessed with a wonderful family that brings us much happiness as we have watched them grow up and have families of their own. I have been individually blessed to have a wonderful wife and Mother to our children. The picture below is from 1981.

Surprise!

I am posting another cookie recipe from Grandma Passey. I hope I get everything right this time. This recipe was another of my favorites and I do not recall seeing anyone else make them. It is called "surprise cookie" but I don't remember calling them that as a kid. It was the cookie that was like a hot pocket but a cookie that was filled with a nut and raisin mixture. Here goes:

Surprise Cookies

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (2 cubes butter)
2eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
6 tsp baking powder
6-7 cups of flour
pinch of salt
Mix together in order given - sift baking powder with flour. Roll out thin and cut.

Filling
1 package (1 pound) raisins chopped (boil with 1 cup hot water)
1 rounded tbsp flour mixed with 1 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp salt
After raisins have cooked a few minutes, add sugar, salt, and flour mixture.
Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts before removing from heat.
Add 1 tsp vanilla.
Bake at 375 degrees approx 12 minutes.

Happy baking!

Can I start over?

OK, thanks to my wife for telling me to pay more attention to my spelling and grammar. I must also give a "shout out" to my sister Carol for proofing the recipe. I must have really been spaced out last Sunday night. I really messed up copying the recipe. So, for clarity, this is what I should have put down.

Drop Sugar Cookies

1 cup shortening or 2 cubes butter/margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp sour cream or 1/4 cup and a little bit more canned milk with 1 tbsp vinegar
4 cups flower
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

These are the ingredients, mix as listed previously. Bake for 11 minutes at 350.

So sorry for the confusion - thanks everyone for keeping a close eye on me.

Doug

You gotta love educaters

OK, so my fingers move a little faster than my brain. It's great being married to a teacher so she can correct my grammar and misspellings. I am sorry, my last post had multiple errors. I was only kidding about the teacher thing - I am very proud of what Shirley does and I am only teasing her. Perhaps I ought to use the spell check more than I do!

What's Cookin' in Grandma's KIgtchen?

I had a request from Jenny to post some recipes from Grandma Passey's recipe box. I had forgotten that we rescued it. I will start with some cookie recipes and will try and post a little more often now that I have something to say, Thanks to Jenny for asking about them and thanks to Shirley for suggesting I pu them on the blog. I will have to start with my personal favorite - sugar cookies. Not the kind you frost but the kind Mom made that never saw anyone else make.

Drop Sugar Cookies
1 cup shortning (2 cubes butter)
2 cups butter
3 eggs
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
5 tblsp sur cream
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter

Cream shortning and suger. Add eggs and beat 3 minutes. Add cream and stir well. Add flavoring. Add dry ingredients sifted together. Drop from spoon. Bake at 350 for 11 minutes.

I haven't had these since I left home, I guess I will have to make them myself!

Where does the time go?

It has been some time since I have made a postingto our family blog. I have no good excuse other than time gets away from you and we lead a pretty boring life.

I have been a bit under the weather this weekend so I better take advantage of the "down time" to make a posting. We have had a wonderful fall getting ready for the holidays. I have been busy in the shop making a few items and Shirley had our Christmas tree up and decorated by mid November. Last year she purchased a pre-lit tree after Christmas. It is a beautiful tree about 13 feet tall and the best part is I did not have to string lights on it!


We still went with the family to cut down a tree up by our cabin. We have been doing that now for nearly 25 years and are not ready to give it up. We stopped at our cabin and lit a fire in the stove and by the time we got back to the cabin after cutting our trees it was nice and warm. We ate lunch and all wanted naps. After a brief nap we headed back home.


In October I had my 5 seconds of fame. I was interviewed by Ed Yates from Channel 5 on camera about a new EKG system we put into our place at our hospital. It was a good laugh to see me on the news. If you want a good laugh, here is the link to the story: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4596848


I will try and do a better job of posting in the future. If I do not get a chance to tell everyone - I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!

As a proud parent I am going to exercise my prerogative to brag about my kids. Megan plays for the Morgan High's girls soccer team. She scored her first goal for Morgan in one of her games this past week. She has been playing defender most of the year until just recently she was moved to the front line as forward and wing. She has to run quite a bit more but it is fun to watch her be more involved in the game. I took a few pictures at her last game.


I can foresee an awesome header coming!

Megan and Kenzie practicing some dance moves during a game!

Here is Megan making a break for the sideline.

It has been a difficult adjustment for all of us to accept the commitment (both time and financial, and energy) that is required to play at this level. It is all consuming for Megan as a player as well as Shirley and I to get her to and from practices every day.

So far, Megan's high school experience has been positive. Soccer requires she does well in school and gets to class on time. Now all I have to worry about is all of these older boys circling the herd like a pack of wolves! This is going to be a long 4 years!