Well, in my life I have had a few second chances and have given a few to others. Now, I find myself giving a second chance to one of my crochet projects that I had been working so hard on. The project is a gorgeous monotone tissue box cover. I had the first part of it completed and discovered that it was too long for the box it was intended for. So after much discussion with my crochet along partner for this project, a very good friend of mine who lives in Florida, whose name is Mary, we decided I should decrease by 2 stitches. So I ripped out 52 rows and put it aside for a few days. I picked it back up this afternoon and am happy to report I have 14 rows completed. The pattern calls for 68 rows, but I doubt if I will need that many. I will let you know.
Anyhow, now that I have had a delicious dinner of lamb chops, baked potato slices and mixed veggies, all prepared by my dh, and had my dessert...apple pie made by Wegman's Grocery Store, I thought it was time to blog before I go to bed for the night.
I am wondering...how many crocheters out there are as frustrated by crochet patterns (even those we have to pay for) as I am? Thus far, I have not had any of my projects come out and as far as I know I am following the patterns...yes, I am a newbie to crocheting, but come on...I'm a knitter and I've been following knitting patterns for years without trouble (for the most part!)...so why is it so difficult for me to follow a crochet pattern? I'd love to hear all of your ideas and suggestions on this!
Well, I like to leave little "gifts" for you, so tonight, I will give you this in honor of my tissue box cover (the one I am working on is copyrighted so I can't give you that one, sorry)...but here is a link to a very simple but cute tissue box cover from jpfun: Simple Tissue Box Cover Pattern BTW, if you haven't been to this website and love to crochet, it's a great site for free patterns!
It's off to bed I go in a bit, so I'll sign off here!
Love,
Marilyn
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Such Frustration
I have been crocheting three different projects. You see, when I have a problem with one, I begin another one. But never more than 3 at a time. Does anyone else do this? So, currently I am working on a shawl, an afghan and a tissue box cover. I am totally stuck on the shawl, which I'm dying to work on, I have to rip out the whole afghan (I am/was more than 1/3 done with it and now have to rip it ), and last night, I was done with the first part of the tissue box cover, and had to rip the whole thing out. I have no idea what my problem is with the shawl. I love the pattern but it's not working out the way it is supposed to ...and I even spent 2 hours with a shop owner in Kingston, NY, trying to figure out the pattern. No luck.
The problem with the afghan is I should have counted my stitches! Somehow I was decreasing and should not have been. The problem with the tissue box cover is that it is too big...I didn't check my gauge...teaches me, eh! LOL
So, today I may have time, but not much, to begin with the tissue box cover. But, I have housework to do, have to wait till the dh wakes up, and then have to get ready to go to a graduation party for my little cousin who is growing up so beautifully! She just graduated from High School.
In honor of my frustration, I am posting a link to a blog that looks interesting. This one is for crocheters! The name of the blog is Crocheting with Raymond and it is written by a Bristish woman, so beware that the instructions are in British English!!! http://crochethealingandraymond.wordpress.com/2011-monthly-mosaics/
I cannot wait to try my hand at one of her Mandala Granny Squares!!! Let me know what you think!
Let's see, I think we are due for another recipe too...hmmm...what shall I share with you?
Dressed Up Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
====================================
Submitted by: lcmcallister
The addition of macadamia nuts and cherry pieces are what dress up these
Chocolate oatmeal cookies so well.
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine
1 tablespoon cocoa
Pinch of salt
3 cups uncooked oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
Method
In a large sauce pan, combine sugar, milk, margarine, cocoa and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat for two minutes. Take off heat
then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Line a large cookie sheet
with wax paper. Drop cookie mixture by teaspoon on wax paper and let
set until firm.
Serves: 36
Serves: 36
Notes: I have not tried these cookies, but they sound like something I could use after a sleepless night! Wish I had these in the house. I apologize to lcmcallister for not including the name and url of the website where he/she originally posted this recipe, but I did not make note of it when I copied it. I found this copy in my dbase of recipes. ~Marilyn Sultar
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Good morning. It is 4:48 a.m. as I am typing this. I woke up wide awake about 2:30 a.m. Don't you just hate when that happens!?! I do...it throws my whole day off and then I tend to sleep half the day :(. What do you like to do when you have insomnia? I like to surf the web. In this morning's search I came across a recipe at Momswhothink.com that sounded so good, I thought I would share it with you. I have not tried this recipe yet, but when I do, I will let you know how it is. If you try it before I do, please let us know what you think of it!
Beef Potato Burgers and Corn on the Cob
Ingredients:
3/4 pound lean ground beef 3/4 cup finely shredded potatoes1/4 cup finely chopped onion2 Tablespoons chopped green pepper1 egg, beaten1/4 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 cup tomato juice1 tablespoon all-purpose flour1/4 cup waterHamburger rolls4-8 ears steamable frozen corn on the cob
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine beef, potatoes, onion, green pepper, egg and salt.
2. Shape mixture into four patties.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the beef patties on both sides. Drain.
4. Add the tomato juice to the skillet. Simmer patties in tomato juice for about 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Steam corn in microwave.
5. Transfer beef patties to a serving platter, keep warm.
6. Combine flour and water, whisking well until smooth.
7. Gradually add flour mixture to the tomato juice in the skillet, stirring while adding.
8. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Place patties on rolls. Spoon sauce over patties.
9. Serve with buttered corn on the cob. Makes 4 servings.
2. Shape mixture into four patties.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the beef patties on both sides. Drain.
4. Add the tomato juice to the skillet. Simmer patties in tomato juice for about 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Steam corn in microwave.
5. Transfer beef patties to a serving platter, keep warm.
6. Combine flour and water, whisking well until smooth.
7. Gradually add flour mixture to the tomato juice in the skillet, stirring while adding.
8. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Place patties on rolls. Spoon sauce over patties.
9. Serve with buttered corn on the cob. Makes 4 servings.
Speaking of recipes, my dh is going to grill out tonight, weather permitting. This will be the first time this season that we will be using our grill. I love food cooked on a grill, don't you? We're thinking of making ribs, but not sure yet.
A progress note: I worked on Paul's (my dh) afghan last night. I got two more rows worked. I really am enjoying working on the afghan. I love the colors, turquoise and green and I love the pattern itself. I can't work on it too much though, my arthritis kick in more and more often. You would think that someone like myself who works with her fingers and hands all the time, typing, knitting, crocheting, and cake decorating all use your fingers, wouldn't you think that they would be flexible and not get arthritic. I wish I had learned how to crochet years ago. I tried to learn a few times, but just could not understand it. Then, thx to my friend, Marilyn, a fellow snow bird whom I met in Myrtle Beach in February, I am now crocheting away and loving it. I am also working on different patterns for dishclothes for charity (I have completed 3 thus far!), and a shawl made it the most gorgeous yarn, and I designed a kippah for my step-daughter who collects them! When I find what I did with my camera, I will take pictures and post them on Ravelry and Meetup.
Well, I feel a yawn coming in, so I will end here for now! I may be back if on my current search I discover something interesting. Hope you are all having either sweet dreams or are having fun if you are awake (depending upon your time zone, I know :)).
Love,
Marilyn
Friday, June 10, 2011
Well, Shavuot is over and today is just another day. I slept yesterday away and today hubby is doing same. So, I thought I would tell you about what I am working on...so many things...my latest obsession is with crocheting. I am working on an afghan for my dh, a shawl for me, dishclothes for 2 different charities. I have thus far completed 1 pillow with handle (which was supposed to be a tote bag), 3 dishclothes, 1/3 of the afghan, a kipah (scullcap) for my step-daughter, and am 3/4 way done with a hook case. My favorite project thus far is the kipah. My most frustrating is my shawl. The one I want to finish is the afghan and I tried to pick it up the other day and could not get the row even begun! I think I was just over-tired and had a brain-freeze. When I find my camera again, I will take a picture of when I have accomplished and post it on Ravelry. I really love the colors of the afghan...my idea was to have it remind me of the ocean and the Cascade turquoise and green colors I chose are perfect together! You can read more about the yarns by following me at Ravelry.com. If you haven't visited Ravelry.com and are a knitter or a crochet, run, don't walk to discover this wonderful community!!! Another wonderful place to find me is at Meetup.com. I am with the Purl Jam group on both of these sites. If you don't know about Meetup.com, again, run, don't walk to visit this wonderful site of real life social groups based on common interests.
Ok, today's "gift" to you is the pattern I am using to make my hubby's afghan (as far as I know there is no copyright on it):
RIPPLE AFGHAN – CROCHET
SOURCE OF ORIGINAL PATTERN: YARN BOUTIQUE, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK; Marilyn’s Pattern Variation is Marilyn Sultar.
MATERIALS:
Size J Hook
Approximately 1600 yards heavy worsted yarn
STITCH NOTE: Dc2tog (dc decrease): Work a dc in the next stitch without completing the last step (leave last two loops on the hook), then dc in the next stitch without completing the last step (you should have 3 loops on the hook), yarn over and drawn through all the loops – decrease made.
DIRECTIONS:
Chain 150
ROW 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc2tog three times, 2 dc in each of the next 6 chains, *dc2tog six times, 2 dc in next 6 ch; repeat from * across to last 8 ch, end with dc2tog three times, dc in each of next 2 ch.
ROW2 (WS): Ch3, turn (ch 3 counts as first dc) dc in 2nd dc from hook, dc2tog three times, 2 dc in each of next 6 dc, *dc2tog six times, 2 dc in next 6 dc; rep from * across to last 8 dc, end with dc2tog three times, dc in next 2 dc, dc in top of beg. Ch.
MARILYN’S VARIATION PATTERN:
I am using two colors, A & B.
With color A, work 8 rows
With color B, work 6 rows
Color A, work 4 rows
Color B, work 4 rows
Color A, work 6 rows
Color B, work 8 rows
Repeat pattern as many times as necessary to get the length you desire.
Ok, today's "gift" to you is the pattern I am using to make my hubby's afghan (as far as I know there is no copyright on it):
RIPPLE AFGHAN – CROCHET
SOURCE OF ORIGINAL PATTERN: YARN BOUTIQUE, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK; Marilyn’s Pattern Variation is Marilyn Sultar.
MATERIALS:
Size J Hook
Approximately 1600 yards heavy worsted yarn
STITCH NOTE: Dc2tog (dc decrease): Work a dc in the next stitch without completing the last step (leave last two loops on the hook), then dc in the next stitch without completing the last step (you should have 3 loops on the hook), yarn over and drawn through all the loops – decrease made.
DIRECTIONS:
Chain 150
ROW 1 (RS): Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc2tog three times, 2 dc in each of the next 6 chains, *dc2tog six times, 2 dc in next 6 ch; repeat from * across to last 8 ch, end with dc2tog three times, dc in each of next 2 ch.
ROW2 (WS): Ch3, turn (ch 3 counts as first dc) dc in 2nd dc from hook, dc2tog three times, 2 dc in each of next 6 dc, *dc2tog six times, 2 dc in next 6 dc; rep from * across to last 8 dc, end with dc2tog three times, dc in next 2 dc, dc in top of beg. Ch.
MARILYN’S VARIATION PATTERN:
I am using two colors, A & B.
With color A, work 8 rows
With color B, work 6 rows
Color A, work 4 rows
Color B, work 4 rows
Color A, work 6 rows
Color B, work 8 rows
Repeat pattern as many times as necessary to get the length you desire.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
FAMILY
Wow, what a week this has been for family! First my sister and I have our long phone call yesterday, and today a very sweet cousin of mine reached me via Facebook. It really seems as if this Shavuot is a very magical, special one for me. So, I decided that today I would tell you a bit about my real life family.
I am the eldest of two girls. I always wanted a big brother, but my parents would never get me one! On my maternal side, my mother comes from a family with 2 boys and 3 girls. Her mother had 6 sisters and a step-brother. On my paternal side, my father is one of 4 boys. His mother had 2 brothers (maybe 3, I'm not positive) and 3 sisters (I think there may have been a 4th sister, but again, my memory stinks! Now multiply this by 2-3 children for each sibling and that's a lot of people, especially now that my sister and I are grandparents ourselves. My Mom is close with her siblings and is close with her cousins. I am close to my 1st cousins, and a few of my second cousins, but the family has grown so big that I don't know half of my relations any more. We are closer to my Mom's side of the family, and I truly believe that this is the norm for most people.
Holidays are great reunions in our family, first congregating at my Maternal or my Paternal grandparents' house, now only congregating at the house of my Mom's youngest sister for all holidays. I don't see my Father's side for holidays, sadly, but I do see them during the year. Some years I can't celebrate with either side of my family as I have my own and spend holidays with my Step-Children and Grandchildren. But, these gatherings are just as important and wonderful to me. But I do worry that my Aunt and Uncle who keep our family together are not in good health, and of course they are also aging. I want to spend holidays with them as much as I can at this point. So, families can cause problems for us, but we are lucky to have such problems!
Does our family argue and have falling outs? Of course we do, we are human after all, but we each know that no matter what we love each other and will always be there for one another if possible.
I think the greatest way to get to know family members is to get older and more relaxed with yourself and are able to focus on other people rather than yourself. You really need listen, to reminisce with your family members, and above all, to laugh with them.
Enough postulating...again, in honor of Shavuot is another dairy recipe. This sounds like a great dessert recipe, especially for this time of the year. I have not tried this recipe and found it on the Net last year.
Creamy Strawberry Mallow Cups
=============================
Submitted by: cybercook
This simple, 4 ingredient, frozen treat will delight young and old alike.
Simply combine ice cream, heavy cream, fresh strawberries and marshmallows.
Ingredients
2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups strawberries, hulled and finely chopped
5 cups miniature marshmallows
Method
Arrange 24 3 ounce paper cups on a rimmed tray. In a large bowl, combine ice cream, cream, strawberries and marshmallows. Stir until well combined then pour 1/4 cup of mixture into each cup. Freeze cups until partially set, insert a Popsicle stick into each cup and freeze
completely.
Servings: 24
Enjoy!
Love,
Marilyn
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
HAPPY SHAVUOT!
Shavuot celebrates the Ten Commandments received by the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai.
According to Chabad.org, "Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah. The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G‑d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him."
Let's think about the Ten Commandments. Many of us just take them for granted and don't think about them very often, probably not unless we are ready to break one of them. What do the Ten Commandments mean to us in the 21st Century?
"The Ten Commandments don’t change based on time or place but are instead statements of high-order moral sentiments that tell how ethical people should conduct themselves. Different generations will sometimes understand the details of law differently, but that’s not what is really at stake." says Michael J. Broyde, the academic director of the Law and Religion program at Emory University’s Law School in Atlanta, GA in "Moment Magazine". I totally agree with him. Many things in all of our religions, IMHO, must change with the times, but not the fundamental core of our religions, and that core, in most cases, I believe, are The Ten Commandments, certainly within the Judeao-Christian religions. Why do I believe this? Because, without The Ten Commandments, we would have no blueprint for moral behavior. Now, I am not a moralist nor a religious person by any means, however, I do believe that one should try to strive to keep the Commandments. Without them, I believe the world would be even more chaotic than it already is.
The first four Commandments deal with a person's relationship with G-d. That is personal, so I will not deal with the first four Commandments. I believe that you know how to handle your own relationship with G-d, and if you don't, then I advise seeing a cleric or a religion teacher.
Commandment #5 - Thou shalt honor thy father and mother...
WoW! This one is not always easy, especially as an American teenager. Why is this? Too much freedom? Not enough respect for anyone or anything? Is it because our society has no time to solidify the family structure? Perhaps it is because teenagers need more contact with their parents and spend more family time together? Or is it because teenage hormones make them predestined to rebel? Perhaps it is all of these reasons. What do you think?
Sadder, is the adult-child that stops speaking to a parent, or who abuses a parent by neglect. How can they not remember that the parent (in most cases) tried their best to be a good parent and that no child comes with a manual for their parents to learn how to be a good parent to that particular child. Why can't these adult-children get over their anger and keep a relationship going till death parts the family, which happens all too quickly. What happens to these adults? How do they deal with the separation from family? What would it take to rebuild the family and the "normal" or perhaps more likely "the abnormal" familia structure? What do you think?
COMMANDMENT #6 - Thou shallt not commit murder...
Pray tell, why can't we all obey this Commandment? Ok, now I know that I have never killed anyone and you probably haven't either. There are many types of killing, so I decided to look up the definition of murder. This is the definition found on "Online Free Dictionary:"
n.
1. The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
v. mur·dered, mur·der·ing, mur·ders
v.tr.
1. To kill (another human) unlawfully.
2. To kill brutally or inhumanly.
3. To put an end to; destroy: murdered their chances.
4. To spoil by ineptness; mutilate: a speech that murdered the English language.
5. Slang To defeat decisively; trounce.
v.intr.
To commit murder.
Hmmm...I love this..."the UNLAWFUL" killing of a human being. What is lawful killing? Killing someone in war or battle? Why is this not murder? Why isn't ALL killing murder? I truly believe that G-d did not put us on earth to kill one another. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Ok, I hear you saying, "what about survival of the fittest." "What about over-population?" "What about natural selection?" Well, my thoughts on the survival of the fittest is not who is the toughest fighter or warrior or bully, but who can survive life, disease, poverty, natural calamities such as storms, flooding, fire, etc. And I believe that over-population needs to be taken care of naturally, not by wars and killing. We need to education all people and we need them to understand why they should not have more than five children and how to help them understand that they should (again IMHO) not have more children than they can afford to decently house and clothe these offspring. And we need to help each other prosper...not thru charity or Welfare, but through job creation, motivation, and respect. We need to support our farmers so they can help feed all of us. We need to tear down vacant buildings so we can rebuild (except we should not tear down historical structures), and build homes and build businesses. We should not have to have warriors-soldiers-armed forces. Stop the hatred, stop the wars! What about natural selection? Well, that too should just be done through nature, who are we to judge who shall live or who shall die?
COMMANDMENT #7 - Thou shallt not commit adultery.
I recently heard or read that adultery can be commited only if the husband says that the wife is a slut or more accurately if he says that she is behaving in a manner that could be construed as being adulterous. And then he has to tell her to stop the adulterous behavior. This thought I just looked up at Chabad.org and found that this came from the Parshah reading of Naso (actually from the Interpolated Translation for Parshah Naso by the From the Lubavitcher Rebbe found at http://www.chabad.org). It also says that the accusing husband must not be an adulterer himself if he is accusing his wife and that he must assume she is not a slut. Also, the woman must be a married woman. A single woman cannot be an adulteress. This Parshah also equates G-d's relationship with Israel as a marriage, and so, if a Jew turns away from G-d, or abandons him for another god, then that Jew is guilty of adultery, according to the Parshah, IF I am interpreting it correctly. Is adultery, in the secular sense, still as serious a crime as it is in the Torah? Why is it considered to be such a serious crime? I think that adultery in today's age, is serious, but certainly not to the extreme as it is in the Torah. I certainly do not believe that it is a crime worthy of death. I do believe that adultery does break up the family unit and that that is not a healthy thing for the family, especially the children, nor is it good for society. How can we stop adultery? I don't believe you can. G-d made humans passionate and passion lends itself to temptation, and humans often fall to temptation. I think it is human nature. And I do believe that people should be given second, and perhaps third, chances before the family is broken up due to adultery.
COMMANDMENT #8 - Thou shallt not steal...This commandment is self explanatory. Why do people steal? What should be the punishment for stealing? Why is stealing so prevelant in our society? Again, I don't have the answers, however I do believe, again, that if we help each other so that everyone lives in relative comfort and is able to eat regularly that there would be no need for stealing and then the crime rate would go way down. I believe that in many instances that stealing is done for survival. I can forgive this. I cannot forgive theft as an occupation nor can I forgive theft for the thrill of it, or for support of a drug habit.
COMMANDMENT #9 - Thou shallt not bear false witness...I totally agree with this...especially if the word "neighbor" is defined as "another human being."
COMMANDMENT #10 - Thou shallt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shallt not covet thy neighbor's wife...What is the definition of "neighbor?" What is the definition of "covet?"
According to The Free Online Dictionary, this is the definition of "covet:"
cov·et
v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets
v.tr.
1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy.
2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire.
v.intr.
To feel immoderate desire for that which is another's.
I think the wording needs to be changed in this Commandment, or it should be deleted. Why? Because, I don't think that in our "Keep Up With The Joneses' World" that we live in today that that would be impossible. Most people want the same things, and if your neighbor gets it first, well, many people would be jealous. Why? Human nature is to be competitive in the sense that most of us want the comforts of life. I know that there are many exceptions to this; I have a wonderful nephew who does not need the materialistic things in life, and I have a tremendous respect for him because of this view, but he is the only person I know who does not desire to keep up with the Joneses. Yes, I admit to being extremely materialistic to a fault, but is that a crime? Not in our society today. Should it be a crime? I don't think it should be a crime and don't see why the punishment for it is death. This is especially true because of the definition of neighbor as defined at Free Online Dictionary as follows:
neigh·bor
n.
1. One who lives near or next to another.
2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another.
3. A fellow human.
4. Used as a form of familiar address.
v. neigh·bored, neigh·bor·ing, neigh·bors
v.tr.
To lie close to or border directly on.
v.intr.
To live or be situated close by.
adj.
Situated or living near another: a neighbor state.
If "neighbor" is interpreted as another human being...that is a lot of not coveting to ask for! Who doesn't fantasize at some stage of their life about marrying a movie star or athlete or the Belle of the Ball? I know that I have had these fantasies...and even though I may not know if that person is married or not, I still had these fantasies, so was I coveting my "neighbor's" spouse? Wow...Many 21st Century people would be dead if the punishment for this Commandment was carried out.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(courtesy of Chabad.org)
1. "I am the Lord your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2. "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, nor any manner of likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord your G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments.
3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your G-d in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
4. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord your G-d. On it you shall not do any manner of work -- you, your son, your daughter, your man-servant, your maid-servant, your cattle, and your stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it.
5. "Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your G-d gives you.
6. "You shall not murder.
7. "You shall not commit adultery.
8. "You shall not steal.
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maid-servant, his ox, his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
Boy, how did I ever get on my soap box? I guess because of the interesting Parshah and the late hour I'm writing this entry. So, now I will end with my recipe for Blintz Casserole. Dairy foods are traditionally served on Shavout. I hope you enjoy the recipe and that you all have a Happy, Healthy Shavout!
BLINTZ CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
FILLING:
2 pounds Farmers Cheese (similar to Riccota cheese) OR Riccota Cheese
2 large Eggs
Juice of 1 medium Fresh Lemon
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 pinch of Salt
BATTER:
1/2 pound Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 pinch Salt
2 large Eggs
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoons Baking Powder
1/4 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
Directions:
BATTER: Cream butter and granulated sugar together for the batter. Add remaining batter ingredients (salt, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla extract). Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth.
FILLING: Beat together all filling ingredients (farmers cheese, eggs, lemon juice, granulated sugar and salt) until well incorporated and smooth.
CASSEROLE: GREASE a large casserole dish OR 9"x13"x2" pan. Place half of batter in casserole (MARILYN'S NOTE: I use 9"x13"x2" glass pan.). It will be a thin layer. Spread filling over the batter layer. Cover filling with remaining batter.
Bake casserole at 300° Fahrenheit for 1 1/2 hours.
This recipe is absolutely wonderful!!! The taste is wonderful and it is so much easier than making blintzes from scratch. I think that it tastes better than the blintz casseroles made with frozen blintzes. The first time I made this recipe, I took it to a New York State Home Bureau (Monroe County's) Pot-Luck picnic in August of 1994. Everyone loved it. I had no leftovers!!!
If you wish, you can serve with cherry, apple or blueberry pie filling on the side. I like this plain.
The recipe came from Cynthia Merzer who lives in Atlantis, Florida. She posted it on the Prodigy Food Boards on September 22, 1993. ~Marilyn Sultar
Servings: 8-10
According to Chabad.org, "Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G‑d’s gift, and G‑d “re-gives” the Torah. The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven-week counting period between Passover and Shavuot. The giving of the Torah was a far-reaching spiritual event—one that touched the essence of the Jewish soul for all times. Our sages have compared it to a wedding between G‑d and the Jewish people. Shavuot also means “oaths,” for on this day G‑d swore eternal devotion to us, and we in turn pledged everlasting loyalty to Him."
Let's think about the Ten Commandments. Many of us just take them for granted and don't think about them very often, probably not unless we are ready to break one of them. What do the Ten Commandments mean to us in the 21st Century?
"The Ten Commandments don’t change based on time or place but are instead statements of high-order moral sentiments that tell how ethical people should conduct themselves. Different generations will sometimes understand the details of law differently, but that’s not what is really at stake." says Michael J. Broyde, the academic director of the Law and Religion program at Emory University’s Law School in Atlanta, GA in "Moment Magazine". I totally agree with him. Many things in all of our religions, IMHO, must change with the times, but not the fundamental core of our religions, and that core, in most cases, I believe, are The Ten Commandments, certainly within the Judeao-Christian religions. Why do I believe this? Because, without The Ten Commandments, we would have no blueprint for moral behavior. Now, I am not a moralist nor a religious person by any means, however, I do believe that one should try to strive to keep the Commandments. Without them, I believe the world would be even more chaotic than it already is.
The first four Commandments deal with a person's relationship with G-d. That is personal, so I will not deal with the first four Commandments. I believe that you know how to handle your own relationship with G-d, and if you don't, then I advise seeing a cleric or a religion teacher.
Commandment #5 - Thou shalt honor thy father and mother...
WoW! This one is not always easy, especially as an American teenager. Why is this? Too much freedom? Not enough respect for anyone or anything? Is it because our society has no time to solidify the family structure? Perhaps it is because teenagers need more contact with their parents and spend more family time together? Or is it because teenage hormones make them predestined to rebel? Perhaps it is all of these reasons. What do you think?
Sadder, is the adult-child that stops speaking to a parent, or who abuses a parent by neglect. How can they not remember that the parent (in most cases) tried their best to be a good parent and that no child comes with a manual for their parents to learn how to be a good parent to that particular child. Why can't these adult-children get over their anger and keep a relationship going till death parts the family, which happens all too quickly. What happens to these adults? How do they deal with the separation from family? What would it take to rebuild the family and the "normal" or perhaps more likely "the abnormal" familia structure? What do you think?
COMMANDMENT #6 - Thou shallt not commit murder...
Pray tell, why can't we all obey this Commandment? Ok, now I know that I have never killed anyone and you probably haven't either. There are many types of killing, so I decided to look up the definition of murder. This is the definition found on "Online Free Dictionary:"
n.
1. The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
v. mur·dered, mur·der·ing, mur·ders
v.tr.
1. To kill (another human) unlawfully.
2. To kill brutally or inhumanly.
3. To put an end to; destroy: murdered their chances.
4. To spoil by ineptness; mutilate: a speech that murdered the English language.
5. Slang To defeat decisively; trounce.
v.intr.
To commit murder.
Hmmm...I love this..."the UNLAWFUL" killing of a human being. What is lawful killing? Killing someone in war or battle? Why is this not murder? Why isn't ALL killing murder? I truly believe that G-d did not put us on earth to kill one another. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Ok, I hear you saying, "what about survival of the fittest." "What about over-population?" "What about natural selection?" Well, my thoughts on the survival of the fittest is not who is the toughest fighter or warrior or bully, but who can survive life, disease, poverty, natural calamities such as storms, flooding, fire, etc. And I believe that over-population needs to be taken care of naturally, not by wars and killing. We need to education all people and we need them to understand why they should not have more than five children and how to help them understand that they should (again IMHO) not have more children than they can afford to decently house and clothe these offspring. And we need to help each other prosper...not thru charity or Welfare, but through job creation, motivation, and respect. We need to support our farmers so they can help feed all of us. We need to tear down vacant buildings so we can rebuild (except we should not tear down historical structures), and build homes and build businesses. We should not have to have warriors-soldiers-armed forces. Stop the hatred, stop the wars! What about natural selection? Well, that too should just be done through nature, who are we to judge who shall live or who shall die?
COMMANDMENT #7 - Thou shallt not commit adultery.
I recently heard or read that adultery can be commited only if the husband says that the wife is a slut or more accurately if he says that she is behaving in a manner that could be construed as being adulterous. And then he has to tell her to stop the adulterous behavior. This thought I just looked up at Chabad.org and found that this came from the Parshah reading of Naso (actually from the Interpolated Translation for Parshah Naso by the From the Lubavitcher Rebbe found at http://www.chabad.org). It also says that the accusing husband must not be an adulterer himself if he is accusing his wife and that he must assume she is not a slut. Also, the woman must be a married woman. A single woman cannot be an adulteress. This Parshah also equates G-d's relationship with Israel as a marriage, and so, if a Jew turns away from G-d, or abandons him for another god, then that Jew is guilty of adultery, according to the Parshah, IF I am interpreting it correctly. Is adultery, in the secular sense, still as serious a crime as it is in the Torah? Why is it considered to be such a serious crime? I think that adultery in today's age, is serious, but certainly not to the extreme as it is in the Torah. I certainly do not believe that it is a crime worthy of death. I do believe that adultery does break up the family unit and that that is not a healthy thing for the family, especially the children, nor is it good for society. How can we stop adultery? I don't believe you can. G-d made humans passionate and passion lends itself to temptation, and humans often fall to temptation. I think it is human nature. And I do believe that people should be given second, and perhaps third, chances before the family is broken up due to adultery.
COMMANDMENT #8 - Thou shallt not steal...This commandment is self explanatory. Why do people steal? What should be the punishment for stealing? Why is stealing so prevelant in our society? Again, I don't have the answers, however I do believe, again, that if we help each other so that everyone lives in relative comfort and is able to eat regularly that there would be no need for stealing and then the crime rate would go way down. I believe that in many instances that stealing is done for survival. I can forgive this. I cannot forgive theft as an occupation nor can I forgive theft for the thrill of it, or for support of a drug habit.
COMMANDMENT #9 - Thou shallt not bear false witness...I totally agree with this...especially if the word "neighbor" is defined as "another human being."
COMMANDMENT #10 - Thou shallt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shallt not covet thy neighbor's wife...What is the definition of "neighbor?" What is the definition of "covet?"
According to The Free Online Dictionary, this is the definition of "covet:"
cov·et
v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets
v.tr.
1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy.
2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire.
v.intr.
To feel immoderate desire for that which is another's.
I think the wording needs to be changed in this Commandment, or it should be deleted. Why? Because, I don't think that in our "Keep Up With The Joneses' World" that we live in today that that would be impossible. Most people want the same things, and if your neighbor gets it first, well, many people would be jealous. Why? Human nature is to be competitive in the sense that most of us want the comforts of life. I know that there are many exceptions to this; I have a wonderful nephew who does not need the materialistic things in life, and I have a tremendous respect for him because of this view, but he is the only person I know who does not desire to keep up with the Joneses. Yes, I admit to being extremely materialistic to a fault, but is that a crime? Not in our society today. Should it be a crime? I don't think it should be a crime and don't see why the punishment for it is death. This is especially true because of the definition of neighbor as defined at Free Online Dictionary as follows:
neigh·bor
n.
1. One who lives near or next to another.
2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another.
3. A fellow human.
4. Used as a form of familiar address.
v. neigh·bored, neigh·bor·ing, neigh·bors
v.tr.
To lie close to or border directly on.
v.intr.
To live or be situated close by.
adj.
Situated or living near another: a neighbor state.
If "neighbor" is interpreted as another human being...that is a lot of not coveting to ask for! Who doesn't fantasize at some stage of their life about marrying a movie star or athlete or the Belle of the Ball? I know that I have had these fantasies...and even though I may not know if that person is married or not, I still had these fantasies, so was I coveting my "neighbor's" spouse? Wow...Many 21st Century people would be dead if the punishment for this Commandment was carried out.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
(courtesy of Chabad.org)
1. "I am the Lord your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2. "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, nor any manner of likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them. For I the Lord your G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children of the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments.
3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your G-d in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
4. "Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord your G-d. On it you shall not do any manner of work -- you, your son, your daughter, your man-servant, your maid-servant, your cattle, and your stranger that is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it.
5. "Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your G-d gives you.
6. "You shall not murder.
7. "You shall not commit adultery.
8. "You shall not steal.
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, his manservant, his maid-servant, his ox, his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
Boy, how did I ever get on my soap box? I guess because of the interesting Parshah and the late hour I'm writing this entry. So, now I will end with my recipe for Blintz Casserole. Dairy foods are traditionally served on Shavout. I hope you enjoy the recipe and that you all have a Happy, Healthy Shavout!
BLINTZ CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
FILLING:
2 pounds Farmers Cheese (similar to Riccota cheese) OR Riccota Cheese
2 large Eggs
Juice of 1 medium Fresh Lemon
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1 pinch of Salt
BATTER:
1/2 pound Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 pinch Salt
2 large Eggs
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoons Baking Powder
1/4 cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
Directions:
BATTER: Cream butter and granulated sugar together for the batter. Add remaining batter ingredients (salt, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla extract). Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth.
FILLING: Beat together all filling ingredients (farmers cheese, eggs, lemon juice, granulated sugar and salt) until well incorporated and smooth.
CASSEROLE: GREASE a large casserole dish OR 9"x13"x2" pan. Place half of batter in casserole (MARILYN'S NOTE: I use 9"x13"x2" glass pan.). It will be a thin layer. Spread filling over the batter layer. Cover filling with remaining batter.
Bake casserole at 300° Fahrenheit for 1 1/2 hours.
This recipe is absolutely wonderful!!! The taste is wonderful and it is so much easier than making blintzes from scratch. I think that it tastes better than the blintz casseroles made with frozen blintzes. The first time I made this recipe, I took it to a New York State Home Bureau (Monroe County's) Pot-Luck picnic in August of 1994. Everyone loved it. I had no leftovers!!!
If you wish, you can serve with cherry, apple or blueberry pie filling on the side. I like this plain.
The recipe came from Cynthia Merzer who lives in Atlantis, Florida. She posted it on the Prodigy Food Boards on September 22, 1993. ~Marilyn Sultar
Servings: 8-10
What made it a happy day for me? I had a 4 hour conversation with my sister. We have not spoken in two years. We laughed almost the whole time and it was just wonderful hearing her laugh and her voice! If you haven't spoken to your sibling(s) for a while, pick up the phone like I did, you will be glad you did. In honor of this event I have chosen a poem I found at Scrapbook.com about sisters. Hope you enjoy it. If you have a favorite poem, please post it here and if I get even one reply, I will post mine. This poem is for my sister:
my sister
Submitted by: pixter
Author: hannah hausler .. aka: pixter
sisters are.. clothes barrowersfit throwerscover stealerssecret keepersan enemy, a friend,a convorsation without end,sassy,bossy,silly,fussypretty and sweet tea partys with treatsdress up, mess up, fess up, get punished,fights over nothing, sharer of dreamsa headache, a pain, she gets spoiled again,a princess, a brat, she ruined my hat,i love her, i miss her, i tease her, i kiss her,she is my family and that means more to mewhat would i do without her?
my sister
Submitted by: pixter
Author: hannah hausler .. aka: pixter
sisters are.. clothes barrowersfit throwerscover stealerssecret keepersan enemy, a friend,a convorsation without end,sassy,bossy,silly,fussypretty and sweet tea partys with treatsdress up, mess up, fess up, get punished,fights over nothing, sharer of dreamsa headache, a pain, she gets spoiled again,a princess, a brat, she ruined my hat,i love her, i miss her, i tease her, i kiss her,she is my family and that means more to mewhat would i do without her?
Monday, June 6, 2011
Today's Tzimmes
Well, a true tzimmes is what today has been...I have been changing passwords on all my favorite websites and every e-list I'm on. I'm going nuts so thought I would take a break and create a website.
I have many interests, crocheting, knitting, baking, reading and game playing, especially on the computer. I play World of Warcraft when I can, and am currently enjoying playing Slots on Winster. I like the people I have met in both games and they are both so different. When I feel like being alone, I play a cute computer version of solitaire called "Solitaire Kingdom" which I downloaded from IWin.com.
I love traveling and wish I could afford to do more.
I have many interests, crocheting, knitting, baking, reading and game playing, especially on the computer. I play World of Warcraft when I can, and am currently enjoying playing Slots on Winster. I like the people I have met in both games and they are both so different. When I feel like being alone, I play a cute computer version of solitaire called "Solitaire Kingdom" which I downloaded from IWin.com.
I love traveling and wish I could afford to do more.
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