Category: Did You Know? by Joyce Word

My trip to Devine last week was great. For the first time, I got to meet my newest great-grandson, who is a whole two months old, of course, he is totally precious, and I held him to my heart’s content. He’s a good baby, the only time I heard him cry was when he was hungry!
This coming Sunday is Easter. It is a little later than usual, being in April rather than sometime in mid-March. I will be part of the holiday in Devine and part here at home as I have a few family members coming in. Saturday, I got out the boxes of Easter decorations and placed some here and there in the house. My dining room table is cute, not as decorated as in the past when I had an “Easter Tree” in the middle of the table with flowers and lots of plastic eggs hanging from it, but for a “do it now” job, it looks good!
Spring is really here, not only according to the wildflowers blooming along the roadsides, but also according to the calendar! The bluebonnets have appeared in all of their glory and in various places they are really thick and beautiful. The roadsides around this area are absolutely gorgeous, and the flowers are really profuse. Unfortunately, I do not have any in my own field, as that portion was always cultivated, so I just have coastal mixed with a few weeds, a few wine cups and a patch of buttercups!
On my trip to Devine last week, I noticed that there weren’t very many bluebonnets, mostly white prickly poppy, along with the beautiful magenta ones here and there, wild mustard and lots of yellow rapeseed, and purple mallow, that is also called winecup, (which I just learned from my Victoria paper).
One thing that I have noticed this year, maybe more than some others is the yucca is blooming profusely. In traveling back and forth from Yoakum to Cuero and Victoria, as well as a couple of towns in the opposite direction, I have noticed several yuccas that are out in open fields, and some have as many as four and five ‘branches’ all bearing flowers that are creamy white to ivory in color. The yucca plant is pollinated only by a moth called simply ‘yucca moth’.
The yucca is basically a desert tree that grows primarily in the southwestern United States, and it is related to the Joshua tree. It is called by many names, including Yucca, Spanish Dagger, Spanish Bayonet, Dagger Plant and Candlestick Plant. According to a map of the United States that accompanied the article concerning yucca, yucca will grow in the western parts of Washington, Oregon, all of California, parts of Nevada and New Mexico, all of Texas except the panhandle area and on through the southern part of Oklahoma, through all of the southern United States from Louisiana through Florida and up into Virginia and the Carolinas and beyond up the eastern coast line states, including Delaware and southern New Jersey.
The yucca, (which is what I am going to call it for this article for simplicity), has sharp pointed dark green leaves, that are generally 2½ feet long and sometimes more and about two to 2½-inches wide at the centermost area. Some varieties have smooth edges on the leaves and others have very rough, edges. If you use them for landscaping, they should never be placed anywhere near a walkway because of these leaves with their sharp points. Even though the plant is considered a shrub, it can grow from six feet to sixteen feet tall. The ones in the wild seem to be about ten feet tall.
The yucca belongs to the Agave family and yucca is actually the genus name and there are over 50 varieties of this plant. Historical use has it that the Native Americans used the soapy leaves and roots for numerous conditions, including boiling the roots or leaves and making poultices and baths for skin conditions. Sprains, joint inflammation and bleeding were also believed to be helped when treated with a poultice or washing with a bath made of yucca.
We only have the rest of this week to need meatless dishes, but here are a couple of shrimp recipes to help you get through it.
Cajun Style Shrimp Skewers
¾ cup cooking oil
1 finely chopped medium sweet onion
2 Tbs. Cajun seasoning
6 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced
2 pounds, large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Place the shrimp in a resealable plastic bag, add one-half of the marinade, seal bag, turn to coat shrimp and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. (Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade to be used later for basting).
Drain and discard marinade, thread shrimp onto eight (8) metal or wooden skewers that you have soaked. (If you use 2 skewers to thread the shrimp on, they will be easy to turn on the grill or in the oven*). Grill over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes on each side until the shrimp turn pink. Baste once while cooking, *I would have to bake these in the oven or under the broiler until they just turn pink. My thought would be 350º to 375º.
Shrimp Tostadas
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can use the ready-to-eat shrimp now available)
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained well
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles (whatever heat you prefer)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. cooking oil
3 Tbs. lime juice
1 can (16-ounces) refried beans, warmed
10 tostada shells
2½ cups shredded lettuce
Combine shrimp, tomatoes, onions, chiles, cilantro, cooking oil and lime juice in a medium bowl; mix together to combine, cover and set aside.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans on each tostada shell, top with ¼ cup lettuce and ½ cup of the shrimp mixture. Makes 10 single servings.
Now, here’s the dessert I will be making for Easter. I don’t think there are any of the men in my family that don’t like Carrot Cake. It is frequently requested for birthdays!
Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ cup sugar
1½ oil
4 eggs
2 cups finely shredded carrots (a food processor works great)
1 can (8½-oz) crushed pineapple, in juice, drained
½ cup chopped nuts
1 can (3½-oz) flaked coconut
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add oil and eggs to this mixture and mix well. Add carrots, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Pour into 10×12 pan or a Bundt pan and bake at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. A Bundt pan will need about 45 to 50 minutes baking time.
Remove from oven and cool either in the pan or remove from pan and place on a cake rack to cool completely. For Bundt pan, cool about 5 minutes in the pan and then remove. Cool completely and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup butter or margarine
1 block (8-oz) cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and light, gradually add sugar, beating just until creamy. If it is too stiff, add a few drops of milk until of spreading consistency.

It has always been interesting to me, and yet a bit confusing to listen to “new phrases” utilized by the younger folks in my life. Of course, as a Bona Fide Baby Boomer, there are several generations of them by this point of time.
Our Grand Daughters, ages 8 and 6, use the phrase You Do You on occasion. I have come to understand that is NOT an expression associated with acknowledgment of their unique personalities. And be assured they ARE very different in some ways. It is more akin, in their language, to mean “Go Ahead and be Stupid”.
I have learned that trying to wear a Black and White Shirt, AKA be The Referee, is NOT a wise approach, so I just sit back and observe. If there becomes some danger of bodily harm being inflicted, I will intervene, but mostly am amused that they go from Mortal Enemies to Best Buds in about 60 seconds on some days.
But pondering on that term caused me to think back to “my younger days” of what that saying might have translated into. Let me quickly acknowledge such a consideration is ALWAYS dangerous for an old guy who sometimes is stuck with how to respond to the greeting of Good Morning.
It strikes me that a common phrase back then was “Do Your Own Thing”. Free Speech, Flower Children, and several other labels were used to describe that period in our history as a nation. Far be it from me to appear to convey any skill or pretense as a Sociology Expert. I spend far more of my time looking for my keys or cell phone and checking for rain forecasts than pondering the implications and meanings of words associated with and to varying groups of people.
But a thought did come through the foggy spot called my brain that there might be a better way to use the term. Now I want to acknowledge there is a fine line between Inspiration and Indigestion in my world these days, so this idea might be off course in the viewpoint for some of you fine readers.
How about if we change the wording to: YOU DO THE BEST YOU. By focusing on developing into the best possible version of yourself, a person can contribute in a manner that brings some good to others as well as themselves. Seems to me that is a double win!
I spent a whole lot of years observing very well-educated people in colleges and universities debating the “finer points” of many subjects. Many seemed, at least to me, quite insignificant in terms of the “bigger picture”. But in keeping with the above concepts, if the collection of these ramblings are way off base from your point of view, well all I can say is YOU DO YOU!

This past week has been a medium one for me. The Auxiliary is having their annual spring drawing, so, in addition to working a couple of afternoons in the gift shop, I also worked Friday afternoon helping sell tickets. We have some awesome prizes this year, including a Grand Prize of outdoor furniture and a fire pit, a 1st prize of a smaller fire pit with chairs, a 2nd prize of a $300.00 live oak tree, a “date night” gift certificate, and last but by no means least, a basket filled with cup towels, potholders, cooking utensils and an Auxiliary Cookbook. Our drawing date will coincide with the Annual Tom Tom festival the first week of June.
The coming week will be a busy one, as I have a couple of appointments, in the middle of the week and the list just seems to keep growing. To start my week, my sister invited me over for lunch and we had a great time eating and visiting, and now it’s time to get to work!
UGLI® Fruit is one that goes under several different names. Jamaican tangelo is only one of about half a dozen that were listed.
Jamaican tangelo is a natural cross between an orange and a grapefruit. (One source had it being a hybridization between an orange and a tangerine). However, I’m basing this on the orange and grapefruit hybridization. The Jamaican tangelo first appeared nears Brown’s Town Jamaica and that is where it is mostly grown today. The UGLI® Fruit was first discovered growing in 1917, and after much budding, grafting, etc., was first exported to Canada and England in 1934, came to the United States in 1942.
(The name UGLI® is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited who distributes this fruit, and the word itself is a take-off of the word ugly). It refers to the fact that his citrus family fruit is not particularly appealing to look at. The rind is a rough surface, greenish yellow that peels easily, the ones I saw in the store was light yellow, but looked as if it had some type of dark stain rubbed on it, that made it look totally unappealing and dirty. I touched one to see and that was the actual color. The flesh is yellow/orange in color and is separated into segments, just as are oranges, tangerines, lemons and other citrus fruits. According to the information I found the taste is sweet, like that of the tangerine but with a hint of the bitterness of the grapefruit.
Parts of this article are from Wikipedia; the free Encyclopedia and other parts are from typing UGLI fruit into my computers search program. The stories are interesting and vary greatly. There were no recipes in any of the articles, so, I just found a couple that can be made and set out for snacks at Easter. The first is “Puppy Chow”, I’ve never met a child and just a few grown-ups who don’t like it! The first time I tasted it, was at Bunco in Devine and I think Sherry Davis was the lady who was hostess that night.
Puppy Chow
(aka Kibbles & Bits)
1 cup butter or margarine
1½ cups peanut butter (crunchy or regular)
12-oz package chocolate or butterscotch chips
1 box Crispix cereal (or Rice Chex, Corn Chex or mixture of both)
1 box (1-lb) powdered sugar
Melt butter or margarine, peanut butter and chocolate chips together. Place cereal in a large mixing bowl and pour melted ixture over it. Stir and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for 5 or 19 minutes, then place in a large plastic bag, add the powdered sugar and shake and mix until well coated.
Almond Bark Cookies
24 oz almond bark
2 cups dry roasted, unsalted, peanuts
2 cups pretzels (short straight ones)
2 cups (peanut butter flavor, Capt’n Crunch Cereal
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups miniature marshmallows (optional, but very good)
Place almond bark in a very large Pyrex bowl and microwave 2 or 3 minutes, stir and put back for 2 minutes longer. Have all other ingredients mixed together in a large container. When almond bark is melted, dump the other ingredients into it and stir until well coated and then drop by spoonfuls on to foil. You can substitute chocolate bark and use pecans instead of peanuts for another delicious cookie.

My week was not as busy as some have been lately, and I enjoyed an afternoon visit from my grandson and part of his family on Thursday! We had a very enjoyable time together, he soon will be stationed in Florida, so I am enjoying their company now, while I can. They brought hamburgers, ‘fries, and tea for our lunch and we totally had a wonderful day. My days for the next two weeks are full, it seems as if each day something new is claiming my attention and I have to tend to it. Sunday afternoon and evening, my neighbor invited my sister and I over for an afternoon of games with she and her mother who was visiting. The three of us started out playing dominoes and when my sister came, we switched over to Rummycube. Great company and a fun time for all of us!
In our area, Mother Nature seems to think that spring has arrived, even though there are still a few days until the first official day of spring. The Texas Mountain Laurel is sporting a beautiful purple coat, and the fragrance is out of this world. The Indian Blankets are blooming along the roadsides, the mesquite trees and huisache are finally wearing green, wild verbenas are beginning to show their lighter purple and the wild phlox are in full bright pink bloom. The pecan trees however, as well as the Sycamore in my brother’s yard both realize it is still winter and they are biding their time to bud out.
Friday is St. Patrick’s Day, a day the Irish and the “wanna be” Irish celebrates. “Erin go Bragh”, shillelagh, shamrocks, green ribbons, scones and Irish stew will be the order of the day. Over the years in reading different books and articles, I’ve come across the (slightly comic) Irish cop (usually in Chicago, sometimes in New York), telling someone to straighten, “Before I lay me shillelagh up alongside your head”.
When it comes to stories about St. Patrick, legend and truth are totally intertwined. The young man who was to later become St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, was born in Wales around AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and due to lack of required scholarship, he almost didn’t get the job of Bishop of Ireland. Until the age of 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that time, after a raid on his village, he and other young men were sold into slavery in Ireland.
During his time of captivity, he learned the Celtic language and also moved closer to God. After six years of slavery, he was able to escape and went to Gaul. There, he studied in a Monastery under St. Germain, Bishop of Auxerre for twelve years. While he was in training, he became aware that he was being called to convert the pagans to Christianity. He was ordained as a deacon, then as a priest and finally as a bishop. Pope Celestine then sent him to Ireland to preach the gospel.
St. Patrick is best known the world over, for having driven the snakes from Ireland. Different tales tell of his standing upon a hill, using a wooden staff to drive the serpents into the sea, and banishing them forever from the shores of Ireland. One legend says that one old serpent resisted, but the Saint overcame it by cunning. He is said to have made a box and invited the reptile to enter. The snake insisted the box was too small, and the discussion became very heated. Finally, the snake entered the box to prove he was right, whereupon St. Patrick slammed the lid and cast the box into the sea. The legend of the shamrock is also connected with the banishment of snakes from Ireland by a tradition that snakes are never seen on trefoil and that it is a remedy against the stings of snakes and scorpions. While not the first to bring Christianity to Ireland, it was Patrick who encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan ritual.
The custom of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day came to America in 1737, when it was celebrated publicly in Boston for the first time. The Irish have their own language (Gaelic) and their own names for the foods they eat, and believe it or not, corned beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish dish. So, what are traditional foods? One could start the day with a dish or porridge with a topping of cream or honey, followed by a full Irish breakfast fry, consisting of sausage, bacon, fried eggs, fried tomatoes, black pudding, white pudding, toast and brown soda bread. In accompaniment, there would also be a large pot of fresh tea, marmalade and honey.
Some more items that are considered traditional Irish recipes (those that are at least fifty years old), soda bread, oatcakes, gingerbread loaf, seed cake, basic scones, porter cake, Irish whisky cake, Irish omelet, oatmeal bacon pancakes, and Irish stew. This stew is traditionally made of lamb or mutton, potatoes, onions and parsley. Frequently, lamb or mutton neck bones, shanks and other trimmings were the basis for the stock. The root vegetables, turnips, parsnips or carrots, add further flavor and thickening power, as well as filling sustenance.
Yes, I know Irish Stew made with short ribs is not a meatless Lenten dish, but it fits the column! Serve it on Sunday or as your main dish for the day.
Irish Stew
4 to 5 pounds short ribs
7 small red potatoes
6 carrots
2 medium onions
Salt and pepper
1 cup flour
3 cups water
3 beef bouillon cubes
½ cup cooking oil
Dissolve bouillon cubes in water and place over medium heat until just under boiling. Keep hot on low heat. Season meat with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and brown a few at a time in oil. Place in a large Dutch oven or roaster and set aside as you add more meat to the skillet. Fry onions in same pan with ½ cup of the flour left over from dredging the meat, until lightly browned. Add to ribs. Add water in which you have dissolved bouillon cubes, cover and cook about 1 to 1½ hours. While meat is cooking, peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Peel carrots and cut into ½-inch chunks (or use baby carrots and leave them whole). When meat has cooked the 1 to 1½ hours, add the vegetables and cook an additional hour, or until the vegetables are tender.
Now, here is a recipe which is truly Irish.
Oatmeal Raisin Scones
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chilled butter (do not substitute)
1½ cups oatmeal (either old-fashioned or quick cooking, but not instant)
½ cup raisins
1 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling on top
Preheat oven to 375ºF Mix together, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut chilled butter into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oatmeal and raisins. Add buttermilk and mix with fork until dough forms a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead 6 to 8 minutes. Pat dough into ½-inch thickness. Cut into 8 to 10 rounds or shape into large circle and cut into 8 to 10 wedges. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Scones are similar to the biscuits we eat. The “biscuits” that are eaten in England and Ireland are the equivalent of what we know as cookies!

According to the calendar, spring officially begins March 20th! At the time I am writing this, it really looks like a spring day. Friday afternoon when I came home from town, I came what is considered the back way because you don’t have to go through town to get back to my home. At the crossroad, about two miles or so from my home, the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush were blooming profusely. These were the first that I had seen so far this year in anywhere near what could be considered profusion. Maybe I’m just not going to the right places! The Arizona Ash trees and elm trees around my home are beginning to leaf out, and the Anaqua trees are totally white with blossoms, however, the mesquites and huisaches aren’t showing even a little bit of green. This past week we saw some bad weather, with your area getting a lot worse than mine did. I have a few small limbs down, mostly off the old Arizona Ash trees in my front yard, and lots of small sticks from the same two trees. From what my daughter has told me, the wind in your area was over 60 MPH or more. It was not that bad here, just enough to keep me awake and going from window to window to check on things, not that it did any good! And there wasn’t enough rain to measure.
As far as I know, no one to my knowledge, has seen Purple Martins flying around and I haven’t had any “mud birds” or bridge swallow trying to build their nest on top of the light on my patio nor on my front porch. I guess we can consider that spring is here…unless the weather changes and we get a late freeze, which can happen, after all, we live in Texas; and Easter, even in April can be cold, wet and messy. (My birthday is in April, and I have seen it pretty cold around that time.
Now, how about a little weather lore and some old adages?
If you find no dew on the grass early in the morning, it will rain within 24 hours. Over a period of time, this has been proven true more times than not. My uncle told me about it many years ago, but, of course, sometimes you have to be outside before sunrise to check it! And many times, I just slide my hand over the gate, just to see!
An old saying states; “Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning, red sky at night, sailors delight,” which is another prediction for stormy weather.
Lots of pink or white blooming thistles in the fields are an indication of an impending drought, and since I didn’t come to Devine in February, I didn’t get to check the acres of them that grow each year between Floresville and Pleasanton. “Turkey track” clouds in the sky forecast rain within three days.
Purple sage blooming predicts rain. And last but not least, according to folklore, sighting a “Scissortail” swallow, is said to be a truly sure sign that spring has arrived. The mesquite trees and other trees can freeze back, but when you see one of these birds, spring is truly here. Weird as it sounds, this old adage does seem to be true. I watched it several years, especially since moving to this area and the temperature has never gotten down to freezing.
Here are a couple more meatless dishes for you to try, for the ones of you who are on “meatless” Fridays!
Chiles Rellenos
1 large can whole California green chiles*
2 eggs, beaten well
Monterey Jack cheese, cut into pieces ½ inch square, and 1-inch shorter than the peppers you are going to stuff.
Drain canned chilies and pat dry. If they have any seeds and pith, remove them. Stuff each chili with a piece of the cheese. Lap one side of the pepper over the other to close. Roll very generously in flour, dip into the beaten egg and then back into the flour, repeating twice. (You want to coat them just as if you were frying chicken). Deep fry in heavy skillet until brown on one side turn over gently and brown the other side. Serve either plain or topped with enchilada sauce, or a ranchero sauce and sprinkled with cheese. (The sauce for the Cheese enchiladas, that was in last weeks’ paper works well with this! *If you are interested in using fresh chiles, you will need the large green Ancho chiles, and will have to check on-line, as to how to prepare them for this dish. This is the “I’m in a hurry for dinner” version.
The following dish is really delicious and works well with the easy-peel shrimp that you can purchase at most HEB stores. Over time, I have found their seafood to be really fresh and good in most recipes. The good thing about this dish is that you can use the small to medium shrimp that are not as pricey as the large or jumbo shrimp are.
Shrimp Pasta Primavera
½ cup chopped green onion
½ cup green or red bell pepper cut into strips
½ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
½ cup margarine
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes, and at room temperature
¾ cup milk
2 cups, small to medium, peeled, de-veined shrimp (tails also removed)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package spiral macaroni (7-oz or 8-oz), cooked according to package directions and drained well
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Sauté onions and bell pepper in ½ cup margarine, add cream cheese cubes to pan, along with milk; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in shrimp and Parmesan cheese and cook until shrimp are pink and done. Cook and drain macaroni, toss with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, add to cream cheese/shrimp mixture and stir together. Serve hot, along with salad and hot rolls or bread.
Now, to get ahead of the game, here are some desserts, if you would like to try something you haven’t made in a while for your Easter dinner, or make it now, if you didn’t give desserts up for Lent
Lemon Meringue Pie
(1 baked 9-inch pie shell)
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
3 eggs separated
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
6 tablespoons sugar
Combine sugar, salt, flour and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water with a wire whisk and cook over moderate heat until mixture becomes thick and clear, stirring frequently. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl; add a little of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks. Stir yolks into the hot mixture, and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. (If you want this filling to be a prettier yellow color, add a few drops of yellow food coloring). Remove from heat and blend in butter, lemon juice, zest (if used), and extract. Pour into baked pastry shell. Cool slightly, and top with meringue made by beating egg whites with 6 tablespoons sugar until stiff enough to hold in peaks. Begin beating the egg whites and add sugar one tablespoon at a time until you have your stiff peaks. Brown in hot oven 425ºF about 5 minutes, cool thoroughly before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Wow! Didn’t the month of February fly by? Of course, it being three days shorter than most months, could have something to do with it, couldn’t? The weather can’t seem to make up its mind as to what season it is. Our mornings are cool enough for a sweater or light jacket and by noon, you’re shedding layers. The morning fog is sometimes stupendous, when you get up in the morning and can’t see your car, that is parked less than fifty feet from the house, you have a fog! It is not an unusual occurrence for me to be unable to see my brother’s house (across a hay field) in a fog, but usually I can at least see an outline, but not some recent mornings. With another three weeks (officially) of winter to go, we still have the chance of colder, damp, messy weather. The first day of spring is not until the 21st of March, and I have seen it freeze well into March. It doesn’t matter that trees are leafing out. It has been in the 60s each morning for several days and my elm and Arizona ash trees are beginning to sprout leaves already and I noticed, on the way home from church this morning that the blue bonnets were thick in several places. It amazed me that San Antonio made it completely through Stock Show time without rain or freezing weather, this is very unusual. I’ll believe spring is here when I see the first Scissortail Fly Catcher. That is what Mr. Alfred Brieden told me was the real harbinger of spring, not pecan trees or mesquite trees leafing out!
When is the last time, or have you ever baked a cake from ‘scratch’? When I was growing up, cake mixes didn’t exist. All cakes were baked from ‘scratch’, meaning that you got out a mixing bowl, a big spoon to mix the cake batter with and your ingredients. Until after the years following WWII, many homes did not yet have a mixer, and everything that needed mixing was done with a spoon! Times have changed, haven’t they, and aren’t we glad they have? The first cake mixes came out in 1947, after the war years, and bearing the Betty Crocker label.
A cake from scratch is not hard to make. It just takes a little longer than a box mix. My two favorite recipes for yellow cake (which means you used whole eggs to make it, rather than just the whites of the eggs), were from my mid-1950s Betty Crocker Cookbook. These were two cakes that Mother had also used frequently. This cookbook gave two methods of mixing, the older, “cream together…” type and the newer, “mix together…” type. Both made wonderful cakes. Each page also has several variations of each cake, using the main, or “key” recipe and then adding nuts or fruit to the batter. Both of the following recipes are from this Betty Crocker Cookbook. I have used this one many, many times for birthday cakes and they never last long, it is truly my go-to recipe if I am baking a cake from scratch!
Light Golden Cake
2¼ cups, sifted Softasilk® cake flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1½ teaspoons flavoring
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round or square cake pans or a 9X13 pan; set aside. Sift the dry ingredients together, stir the flavoring (usually vanilla extract) into the milk, add the shortening to the dry ingredients, along with a little over half of the milk/vanilla mixture; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk mixture and the 2 eggs. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into prepared pans; bake until cake tests done. Frost as desired.
Here is my favorite recipe for enchiladas during the Lenten season. They are cheese enchiladas from a recipe my Mother used to make for a main dish at supper time for a meatless Lenten meal.
Cheese Enchiladas
SAUCE:
2 tablespoons butter, margarine or cooking oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 or 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons Gebhart chili powder
1 can (16-oz size) tomato sauce
½ cup water
1 small can diced green chilies
Cook onion, green pepper and garlic in butter until soft. Add flour, salt and chili powder; stir until smooth. Add tomato sauce or tomatoes, breaking tomatoes up with spoon or fork (can use the ‘recipe ready’ type if desired), green chilies and water. Cook until thick and smooth.
1 pound shredded cheese (can use American, cheddar, or the pre-shredded type that is seasoned for tacos)
1 medium onion, chopped
10 to 12 corn tortillas
TO MAKE ENCHILADAS:
Dip tortillas into sauce to soften or soften by heating ¼ cup oil in heavy skillet and dipping them briefly into the hot oil, or soften by heating a short time in the microwave.
Spray a rectangular pan with non-stick spray and spread a small amount of the sauce in the pan, just to coat the bottom. Spoon a small amount of sauce onto a tortilla, add some cheese and onion and roll up. Place each enchilada, seam side down onto sauce in baking pan, as you finish rolling it. Repeat until all tortillas are used. Top with remaining sauce and additional cheese. Bake at 350ºF about 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

The past weekend has been a truly memorable one, as my sister and I flew to Huntsville, Alabama on Friday, to attend the wedding of our great-niece that was Saturday afternoon. The rehersal dinner that evening was fun, with lots of visiting and meeting new people. The wedding itself was totally awesome and almost everything went according to plan. However, like most weddings, there were a few glitches, which were handled without most of us knowing about them. Since all of us family members were staying at the same hotel, we met in the lobby after the rehersal and visited and caught up with everything that had happened since the last time were together, which was in June of this past year! We all had a wonderful time, but it was great to get home again Sunday afternoon.
Everything was beautiful and fun, the weather, while a little cooler than we have locally was great the whole time. No rain, no sleet and no snow that stayed on the ground. One of the wedding party commented that snow had been falling earlier in the day at his home.
The date on this paper is February 22, and that was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of lent and the end of Madri Gras. Many of you will be wanting meals that are meatless, for this lenten season, so, here are a couple for you to try.
Parts of the following information appeared in one of my previous columns.
Each and every year, Americans eat more seafood. The country’s leading experts, for example, now recommend eating fish twice a week. However, most times when we decide to have seafood, our first thought is to go to a seafood restaurant rather than cook it at home. Why do we do this? Are we just unsure of how to cook seafood because we didn’t grow up cooking it, or do we simply think it’s too much trouble and don’t want to have the odor that sometimes remains? With the easy transportation and modern conveniences, fresh seafood is more available than it was when I moved from the Victoria area to the Devine area many years ago. Both the HEB and Wal-Mart in Victoria have large fresh seafood departments as well as a wide variety of frozen types. The shrimp I keep on hand in my freezer are the packages of e-z peel, headless shrimp, available at HEB, that are in the freezer section and are usually $5 (this past year, they have gone up a little, but mostly, they are on sale at $5!). The other packages I keep are the peeled and already cooked shrimp. I use these by thawing them and using them to make Shrimp Alfredo. To do this, I empty a jar of Alfredo sauce into a sauce pan or skillet and heat until the shrimp are heated through. While this is heating, I bring a pot of water to a boil and add either spaghetti, linguine, or other type of pasta. When the pasta is finished cooking, I drain it well and combine it with the Alfredo sauce and the shrimp. Quick and easy!
There are two simple suggestions for the home cook: Select a quality product and cook simply.
Quality tips for fresh fish: Color – color varies in fish, but it should be bright and uniform, never yellow at edges. Flesh – Moist, cleanly cut, firm. Aroma – Fresh sea breeze, never fishy (or like bait that is too old), or like ammonia. Store in original package in coldest part of refrigerator. Keep refrigerator at 34º-40º F. Cook in one or two days.
Quality Tips. Frozen fish: Color – Package should be undamaged. Fish should never be chalky looking or freezer burnt. Flesh – Never partially thawed or covered with ice. You can store frozen fish 2-4 months. Keep freezer set at 0ºF or colder. Thaw fish in refrigerator for a day or in a container of cold water.
Quality fish never tastes ‘fishy’.
Today, Grocers are required to label seafood according to country of origin. It’s always best to choose American, as the U.S. easily has the most rigorous quality standards. Be especially careful of fish labeled ‘packed in China’ or any other country. According to emails I’ve been getting, the conditions the fish are raised in are less than sanitary to say the least.
Cook Simply: You can actually cook quite a variety of meals, while using one simple method: baking. The standard rule is cook fish 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. Turn fish halfway through cooking, unless it’s ½ inch or less. To ensure that fillets cook evenly, tuck thin ends under.
Still, cooking times vary depending on density of the fish, so, here are backup tests: Fish is done when meat flakes easily with fork at thickest section; when it’s opaque all the way through; or when it’s 145ºF internally.
You can bake just about any type of fish. Allow 6 ounces per person. You’ll need butter or oil; a cooking liquid like white wine, water broth, or milk; herbs of your choice; salt and pepper to taste.
In a baking pan, drizzle lean fish with butter or brush with oil Add ¼ inch cooking liquid, herbs, salt and paper. Bake in preheated 400ºF oven until ready.
Lemon Broiled Fish
½ cup margarine or butter, melted
¼ cup REALEMON® Lemon Juice from Concentrate
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (4 slices)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
½ teaspoon paprika
1 pound fish fillets, fresh or frozen, thawed
In small bowl, combine margarine and ReaLemon® brand. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, parsley and ¼ cup margarine mixture; dip fish into mixture. Broil until fish flakes with fork; top with crumb mixture. Return to broiler; heat through. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 4 servings.
The following recipe for shrimp not only sounds delicious it is!
Good and Spicy Shrimp
3 to 4 pounds in shell (without heads)
2 lemons, thinly sliced
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
¾ teaspoon dried basil
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Tabasco® hot sauce
3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
Place shrimp in a single layer, in large, shallow, glass baking dish. Cover with lemon slices. Mix remaining ingredients in saucepan, and heat to boiling. Pour over shrimp and lemons, cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator. Bring shrimp to room temperature before cooking. Bake in preheated 450ºF oven for 20 minutes.

It’s Sunday afternoon and my TV is tuned to the game channel. Even though I may not watch much of the game, I do enjoy the commercials. If you watched the game, I hope you enjoyed it and your team won!
This past week varied between being busy and being quiet. I spent quite a bit time with my sister. She had business and appointments in different directions, and we had a great day together on Thursday. On Friday, her daughter took her to her doctor’s appointment, and she is now allowed to wear her neck brace as needed, which makes her feel much better. She has been wearing it day and night, since her surgery in November and was getting a little tired of it!
My daughters were in for a visit this weekend, celebrating the retirement of the youngest one, who actually came in on Friday afternoon. After lunch and visiting, we were invited to my neighbor’s home for game time. We played numerous rounds of Rummycub® and then, her husband came in and joined our game and in the midst of much laughter and joking round, we played several more games and had a wonderful time. The other two daughters came in close together on Saturday morning and the fun began. We had flowers, balloons, cards and gifts and a trip to Victoria, TX to do some shopping. I think each of us found something we needed or wanted and had a great day checking out different stores outside the mall, and then quite a few that were in the mall. All I can say, is thank goodness for cell phones. We usually seemed to go in four directions and then all of a sudden were back together again. We lunched at a favorite restaurant and then did a little more shopping. Suddenly, it was nearly 5:00 and time to head back to the house. After a snack, the one daughter headed to her home, and the other two and I relaxed for a while, caught up on family gossip and just talked in general. Then, it was time for a few rounds of Rummycub®, yes, we’re all pretty crazy about that game. We have a few members of the family who are experts, but thankfully they weren’t around, and we were pretty casual with the game. Sunday morning after making sure everything was neat and clean around the house, beds made, and the kitchen clean, they both headed home. It has been a quiet afternoon for me, even though it was slightly frustrating. I had nearly finished typing this column, clicked on the space bar or something and lost everything I had done in the previous hour. After about thirty minutes searching various ways to find it, I gave up and started over!
This morning, the weather changed from the bright sunny, slightly windy day we had Saturday to one with the temperatures in the mid 30s. Other than being chilly, the day has been beautiful.
The following recipe is one that a friend served at one of our Pokeno parties. Since we had several members who were diabetic and she was diabetic herself, she made this, and we all loved it.
Diabetics Delight
1 box yellow cake mix (now that sugar-free cake mixes are available, you might consider trying one in this recipe)
12 oz. diet soda (Sprite Zero® or your choice)
1 can crushed pineapple (16-oz size) (divided use)
1 large tub Cool Whip®, sugar free
1 large box of sugar-free vanilla instant pudding
Empty cake mix into large bowl, add diet soda and mix well. Then add ½ can of crushed pineapple and stir well. Pour into 9×12 pan that you have lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake as directed on package. While the cake is baking, mix the Cool Whip®, the remaining crushed pineapple and the pudding together and stir well. Chill thoroughly. When the cake has finished baking and has cooled, spread the Cool Whip® mixture over the top. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 12 to 15 servings.
Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
2 boxes cornbread mix (8.5 ounces each)
(the unsweetened type works best)
1½ lbs. ground beef
1 can Rotel (mild, medium or hot, your choice)
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can ranch style beans
1 cup shredded cheese
1 pack taco seasoning
Mix cornbread according to package instructions then set aside.
Preheat oven 425°
Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning, undrained can Rotel, undrained ranch style beans and drained corn. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir into cornbread mix. Mix in shredded cheese. Stir completely. Pour into a greased 9×13 Casserole dish. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean, you can top it with more cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever your heart desires.
Quick and Easy Shrimp Salad
1-pound boiled shrimp, peeled and deveined
(Use one of the packages of peeled, deveined shrimp from the grocery store and boil them, it’s much easier, or even easier, use one of the bags of pre-boiled shrimp)
1½ large celery ribs, finely chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
Salt and ground black pepper
Mix all together in bowl and stir well to distribute the mayo. Chill before serving.

Last week was busy, but not just too bad! On Tuesday we had over four inches of rain which was badly needed. I worked in the gift shop as usual and as you can imagine, with a downpour going on, there weren’t many customers for me. Of course, the Dr.s offices were open and everyone who came in was pretty wet.
On Wednesday, there was a “meet and greet” occasion for our incoming CEO, it was very nice, and I found out, that like one of my grandsons and his wife, she is a Star Wars fan! After the party, I headed out to Devine for my usual bunco, and the visiting that I do each month, beginning with the time I now get to spend with my youngest grandson and his family. Those little ones are so cute and I have so much fun with them. The trip was not bad and there wasn’t much traffic for me to contend with, and I am always happy about that. That area did not have the amount of rain that we did and the only place you saw anything other than sere and brown in the countryside was where someone was irrigating, usually winter rye or something like that.
Bunco, that evening, was fun as it usually is and all of them said they had been in good health, and I got to catch up on everything that had been happening in the past month, and even won first prize! That always makes the evening more fun!
As always, Thursday was my fun day, no traveling for hours, just visiting, either on the phone in person with a couple of friends, and of course lunching with my son! And then, getting to see my great-granddaughters in Castroville.
Since it had dawned on me, during the night on Tuesday, I had a busy weekend coming up, I realized that I had to travel back home on Friday, rather than on Saturday and I met with my daughter and the little girls and had a delicious early lunch, before I went back to Devine for a hair appointment, so it was later than usual when I left, however, it was closer to dark than I like when I got home. No problems until I got to Floresville and hit some typical 5:00 p.m. traffic. Thank goodness it isn’t football season, then you really have traffic!
Saturday and Sunday were both busy with a fundraiser for one of the organizations at church, my sister and I are in charge of the cole slaw and Saturday we made six gallons of the dressing that we use and helped cut up potatoes that are part of the meal and Sunday, we made over 200 hundred pounds of cabbage into slaw. We work well together, and the guys did all the lifting for us. We both came home tired, had lunch together around 2:00 p.m. (the plates were “to-go” only), and then went our separate ways for the afternoon, with naps on the horizon for both of us. She is doing well but is still unable to drive due to neck surgery that was done on November 1. She is hoping the brace will be removed this coming week but is still unsure.
A couple of weeks ago, I gave you a recipe so you could make treats for the dogs in your life. Today, I’m going to include one to make for the precious feathered friends you may have at your feeders. Food for our winged friends is scarce at this time of the year, and my son-in-law gave me several similar recipes he found online for a treat for them. As he took it out of the freezer, I wondered what kind of treat he was planning to share with me, only to find out it was a birdie treat! He has a wonderful feeder set up that can be observed from their kitchen window and sometimes they have a large variety of birds there eating the grain he provides. Right now, however, all he has is an occasional ring-neck dove and lots of sparrows.
Version 1
1 part peanut butter (crunchy or regular)
1 part shortening
1 part flour
3 parts cornmeal
1 part cracked corn (chicken scratch grain is what he used)
1 cup black oil sunflower seeds
Mix all together and chill until firm.
Version 2
Homemade Peanut Butter Suet
1 cup shortening
16 to 20-oz crunchy peanut butter
Heat and stir together until melted.
Add the following:
1 cup raisins
1 cup black oil sunflower seeds
6 cups cornmeal
4 cups flour
Mix together with the shortening/peanut butter mixture and spoon into a 9×13-inch pan and chill until firm. Cut into chunks for suet feeders or do as he does and just cut the chunks and place on the feeder itself.
Now, here is a recipe for you to make for the family, it is simple enough that the children can help you. I made this and took it to the group working in the kitchen at our fund raiser and it was a big hit, everyone loved it, and I hope you do also.
Cinnamon Roll Delight
1 can Caramel Apple Pie filling
2 cans, (8-count each) cinnamon rolls (I use HEB brand)
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Open the pie filling and pour into a bowl, cut the apples into smaller pieces.
Open the cinnamon rolls (set the frosting aside, you’ll use it later), cut each cinnamon roll into four pieces, when you’re finished, mix the cinnamon rolls into the pie filling. Place the mixture into a sprayed 9X13 baking pan or dish and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are done, it should be lightly browned on top. Cool for about 10 to 15 minutes and then use the reserved frosting pouring it as evenly as possible over the cinnamon rolls and apples. Serve warm or cool.

This past week slowed down a bit by the time the weekend rolled around. My sister and I did a couple of things together, including having supper on Friday, with my niece and her husband. They had to leave early Saturday to return to their home in north Texas and we had a great visit. They had also invited my sister’s daughter and her husband; pizza was the order of the day and it was very good. My sister took fruit salad, her daughter brought a delicious chopped salad, and I took dessert. (Real simple, cake taken out of my freezer!).
Saturday was noodle making time at the Family Center of our church. Our ladies’ group, Catholic Daughters of the Americas is having their annual chicken fried steak fundraiser this coming weekend and we always have a “Country Store”, where we have baked goods, canned goods and homemade noodles. All the bags of noodles always sell quickly, if you are working there and want some, we all know to have them on hold until we can pick them up.
My sister and I with some help this year from others will be making the cole slaw, just as we have done for several years. It’s still hard for her to do some things, as she had neck surgery in November and has to wear her brace for another couple of weeks.
My personal biggest news is that I have a brand-new great-grandson! He was born early Saturday morning in Colorado, and when I spoke with my granddaughter, they had not yet named him!
This week will see me back on the road to Devine for bunco, I didn’t realize how much I missed bunco and seeing my friends until the pandemic hit us and now I think I enjoy it more than ever!
We have talked about baking cakes in the past but hopefully there are a few new readers who will enjoy this weeks column.
When is the last time, or have you ever baked a cake from scratch? When I was growing up, cake mixes didn’t exist. All cakes were baked from scratch. Cake mixes came out after WWII, with Betty Crocker bringing out a Chocolate Cake mix for the first time in 1947. The lady I talked with didn’t have any information as to whether they were the first to come out with a cake mix or not, but, I’d bet a nickel they were. Since I couldn’t find an 800 number for either Duncan Hines or Pillsbury, I couldn’t check any further.
A cake from scratch is not hard to make. It just takes a little longer than a box mix. My two favorite recipes were in my Betty Crocker Cook Book. There were two which Mother had also used and I learned to make them while I was still in school. The recipes in this book give you a choice of two ways to mix the cake, one by creaming the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy, and adding eggs, one at a time and mixing well, then adding the dry ingredients alternately with the milk; and the other by sifting the dry ingredients and then adding the shortening and eggs. Each page also has several variations of each cake, using the main recipe and then adding nuts or fruit to the batter.
The following two recipes are both from the Betty Crocker Cook Book, (ninth printing, first edition), which I received as a shower present before I married. The one is called Light Golden Cake and the other is called Rich Golden Cake, the main difference between them is the amount of eggs used.

Light Golden Cake
2¼ cups sifted Softasilk (cake flour)
1½ cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup soft shortening
1 cup milk
1½ teaspoons flavoring
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round or square cake pans or a 9×13 pan; set aside.
Sift together dry ingredients. Add shortening and a little over half of the milk and flavoring. Beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk and eggs. Beat 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake until cake tests done. Cool. Frost as desired.
Rich Golden Cake
2¼ cups sifted Softasilk (cake flour or 2 1/8 cups Gold Medal flour)
1½ cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup soft shortening
1 cup milk
1½ teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round or square pans or one 13×9 pan.
Sift together the dry ingredients, add shortening and a little over half of the milk and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk and the eggs; beat 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans; bake until cake tests done. Frost as desired.
Easy German Chocolate Cake
1 box German chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup water (scant)
1 carton sour cream (8-oz)
1 can coconut pecan frosting
Mix together cake mix, eggs and water, stir in sour cream. Pour into microwave safe tube pan. Drop frosting by spoons full into the batter. Microwave on High for 15 minutes rotating pan after first 9 minutes (unless you have a turntable). Cool about 3 to 5 minutes and then turn out onto serving plate.
German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake
1 box German Chocolate Cake mix
Eggs, oil, water to make cake
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 lb. powdered sugar
8-oz package cream cheese
1 stick butter
Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Cut waxed paper to fit pan and grease paper also. Sprinkle pecans and coconut into pan. Mix cake according to directions on package; pour over coconut and pecans. With mixer, mix together powdered sugar, cream cheese and butter. Drop by spoonfuls over cake mix. Bake at 350ºF until cake is done. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, turn onto serving platter. Peel off the waxed paper. Serve either warm or cold.
The following recipe was displayed as part of our hospital décor for fall. I have made it several times, and everyone always enjoys it.
Delicious Apple Pie Cheesecake
2 medium to large Granny Smith apples, peeled cored and sliced
(you may take steps to prevent the apples from darkening, but I do not feel it’s necessary) *
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 prepared graham cracker crust (10-inch) **
1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Whisk 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese ¼ cup sugar together in a bowl until smooth, add egg and vanilla and mix until evenly combined.
Place apples in the graham cracker crust, sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mixture over apples, sprinkle oatmeal over sugar/cinnamon mixture. Pour and spread cream cheese mixture overall. Bake in preheated oven until top is just beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. (If it seems to be browning too quickly, turn the heat down to 350ºF). Cool on wire rack for 1 to 2 hours, refrigerate until completely set, 3 to 4 hours. Also, if you rinse the apple slices with lemon juice/water or lemon-lime soda, be sure to drain them well before using. **I haven’t tried it, but I feel that a 9-inch crust would work just fine, because the apples settle a bit as they bake.