Fresh in May

It’s May. What is in season this month? You’ll still find most of what you found fresh in April. You’ll also find …

Arugula – look for arugula that is fresh, vibrant, and green. Avoid any that looks wilted, yellowing, or slimy. When buying prepackaged arugula, check the bag for excess water, as moisture can cause arugula to rot quickly. And always buy a bag of greens with the least amount of air. Greens give off gasses over time. The bag with the least amount of air will be the freshest.

Brussel Sprouts – look for a pronounced green color and tight, compact, firm heads.The fewer the yellowed, wilted, or loose leaves the better. Choose smaller heads; they’re more tender and flavorful. Pick ones of similar size so they cook evenly. Store them in the refrigerator in the cardboard container they came in or in a loosely closed plastic bag. They should last a week or two.

Pineapples – look for pineapples that smell delicious. They should give slightly if you press your thumb into the side. Look at the leaves. They should be deep green. Try tugging on one. If it comes out with a bit of resistance, buy it. If it comes right out without a tug, skip it. That pineapple is over-ripe. Pineapples don’t ripen once picked, so if it doesn’t smell good, don’t buy it. Once you get it home, wrap it in plastic and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it. It should last for up to two weeks.

What else is in season this month? Here’s a list.

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Chives
• Fava Beans
• Kale
• Lettuce Greens
• Mushrooms
• Peas
• Radishes
• Rhubarb
• Scallions
• Spinach
• Watercress

May your week ahead be filled with sunshine.

This is a reworking of a column I wrote for Rae of Sunshine in the online newspaper Peru Indiana Today.

Lucky?

I don’t believe in luck. I believe in God’s favor or blessing. I also believe in being prepared. I am part of a co-worker space at Inventrek in Kokomo. I love it. It gives me a quiet place to work with great Wi-Fi. It gives me access to meeting rooms. One of the things I love about it is the ability to get up and move around at will while I’m working. I routinely work in 50-minute segments. I set an alarm. After 50 minutes, I get up and move around for 5 to 10 minutes. It helps keep my metabolism working efficiently. It gives my brain and tush a break. I find I work better this way. For years I took advantage of the free Wi-Fi at restaurants (Starbucks and Bob Evans in particular) when I needed to do a lot of uploading or downloading, since I don’t actually have Wi-Fi at home. (I do have access through my cell phone, but that’s not fast enough for such things.) I joke that they look at me funny in those places when I get up and walk around or do a few jumping jacks. When I go to Inventrek, I usually carry two to three bags in addition to my purse. There’s my computer bag. There’s my networking bag. I have a bag that holds all of my accouterment for recording my YouTube videos. I have another bag that I use as a traveling office when I have special projects to work on. I usually make at least two trips from my SUV to carry everything in. One day, when it was cold and raining, I was headed back out to my SUV for the rest of my bags, when I encountered someone making her way into the building. I was wearing a raincoat and carrying an umbrella. She was utilizing neither. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was clearly shivering. As we passed, she said, “You’re lucky!” I chuckled but didn’t otherwise respond. But I thought, “It wasn’t luck.” It wasn’t by sheer luck that I was wearing a raincoat. I had checked the weather and knew it was likely to be damp and chilly. It had been that way since the wee hours that morning. It wasn’t by luck that I had an umbrella. I carry at least two in my SUV pretty much all the time. I carry a mini umbrella in my networking bag, because sometimes I enter a meeting while the skies are clear but leave in a downpour. This is true in most areas of my life. I make lists before I go shopping or traveling. I prepare for my business activities. I prepare for just about anything I can prepare for. Of course, there are the things you can’t prepare for, like the 5 am call from our 20-year-old son that he’d had a car accident on his way to work. He was fine, but the car was undrivable. The interesting thing about preparation is that it makes it much easier to adjust those preparations. I knew what needed to be canceled, postponed, and modified. Being prepared also makes me more flexible. I worry about the young woman I encountered that morning. If she thinks that it’s by pure luck that people are prepared for the day, she must be caught cold and damp often. There’s a saying that the harder you work the luckier you get. It’s attributed to people from Abraham Lincoln to Mark Twain to just about any oft-quoted person. I would adjust it just a bit. The more prepared you are, the luckier others will think you are. But we know the truth. Don’t we?

Everyone Has a Temperature

I’m a known grammar geek. I know there are very smart people who are terrible spellers and have no grasp of proper grammar. I’m married to one. Because of this, I don’t judge the average person on their ability to spell or use proper grammar.

I will, however, judge you if you are a professional speaker or writer who uses poor grammar. This includes news anchors and reporters. If you’re reading a teleprompter, and whoever wrote and entered that text into the teleprompter is to blame, that person should be fired. If they can’t provide you with text that uses proper grammar, they are incompetent at their job.

There are a few things that pop up in TV shows and movies that are like nails on a chalkboard to me. The first is the improper use of I/me.

Correct: Bob and I went to the movies.

Correct: She bought the tickets for Bob and me.

That second one is the one that trips people up. They tend to believe that it’s always “Bob and I.” Nope. One great rule of thumb is that you take “Bob and” out. You wouldn’t say, “She bought the tickets for I.”

The other that makes me cringe is when a medical professional says that someone has a temperature or asks if someone has a temperature. Everyone has a temperature. Dead people have a temperature—it’s the same as the ambient temperature; nonetheless, it’s a temperature. The proper question is whether the person has a fever or, alternatively, an elevated temperature. Yes, proper word usage is part of proper grammar.

If you make this error (and you’re not a nurse, doctor, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, etc.), I will let it go. Well, honestly, if you’re a particularly close friend (especially a fellow grammar geek), I may jokingly correct you. That will depend on the situation.

Here’s the evil part about this blog post. This is now in your head. The next time you hear someone talk about someone having a temperature, this will pop into your head and make you smile.

You’re welcome.

You Never Know

You never know where the connections you make might lead. Recently one of my connections led me in a most unexpected direction.

I have been blessed through my Pampered Chef business to meet and network with a wide variety of people. One of those people is Sharry Rahl. Sherry makes me look slightly quiet and subdued. Sherry’s role is fundraising and connecting supporters to Kokomo Urban Outreach.

Kokomo Urban Outreach (KUO) is a 501(c)3 established by Jeff Newton in 2006. Its initial focus was food distribution. In 2016, their focus shifted to mentoring children and youth. Through that shift in focus, Jeff, Deanna Ancil, and Kareen Dunn founded the UP™ Programs. UP™ stands for Unlimited Potential.

One of the many things I love about KUO and the UP™ Programs, is that the children earn everything they receive. They work at age-appropriate activities to earn “bucks” to use in the store for things from hygiene products, to clothes, to food. There are no handouts. They also learn important life skills.

Sherry let me know about a KUO fundraiser. I was anxious to help financially and to offer support to Sherry and the organization. When I arrived, Sherry told me she had a young man she wanted me to meet. It was Kareen Dunn. Kareen and Jeff and recently written a children’s book, and Sherry knew I had a YouTube channel on which I read books to small children. She thought I might like to feature their book on my channel. A short conversation with Kareen confirmed that it was the type of book I’d like to feature, and it led to an invitation to appear on the weekly podcast he and Jeff do.

Way Down Deep Conversations with Kareen and Jeff is done via Facebook Live. They invited me on to talk about the importance of reading to small children and took the opportunity to introduce their new book, The Talking Toolbox. It presents the four Rs that the UP™ Programs teach:

• I am Respectful
• I am Responsible
• I am Reliable
• I am Ready

I was thrilled to be invited, and the experience was more than I could have hoped. Both men were kind and thoughtful. Our conversation touched on why reading to children is important and how to make it work in the real world of busy parenting.

I encourage you to check out their podcast. (My segment was on April 2, but you don’t have to seek that one out.) They talk about a wide range of topics and show that it’s possible to be civil and remain friends, even when you disagree.

I encourage you to check out my reading of The Talking Toolbox. It went live today, April 11, on my YouTube channel Grandma Rae Reads.

I also urge you to intentionally go out and meet new people who do things you know nothing about. You might be amazed by what you discover, and you never know where such a meeting might lead.

Miracle on Ice

I’m reading through a book I’ve read for the past few years. It’s The Book of This Day in History. I enjoy it because every day I read about several things that happened in history. The February 22 chapter included an entry about the Miracle on Ice.

For those who don’t know, this is what they called the US Olympic hockey victory over the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was unbeatable. Everyone knew this. No one questioned that except Herb Brooks, a non-nonsense coach from Minnesota.

Now, it’s important for you to know, if you don’t already, that at the time the Soviet Union used professional hockey players, while the US insisted on only amateurs. Herb Brooks was attempting the impossible—the unimaginable. Spoiler alert: the US team beat the Soviet Union team and went on to win the gold.

Every year, on or about the anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, I watch the movie based on the event, Miracle on Ice. Those who were a part of the phenomenon say that the movie is fairly accurate in its portrayal of the coach, players, and all that went on.

This year I was struck by how much of what Herb Brooks did to make that miracle happen wouldn’t be allowed today. He was not nice to his players. He didn’t consider their feelings. In the movie, he tells them, just after naming those on the preliminary team, that he will not be their friend. They can turn to the doctor or assistant coach if that’s what they’re looking for.

He had players from competing college teams on his Olympic team. The rivalries between these players were deep and caustic. At first, he allowed them to fight it out among themselves on the ice. Slowly he built a cohesive team that played a new style of hockey for the US.

One bit of back-story about Brooks is key to understanding his determination. He was the last person cut from the 1960 US Olympic Hockey Team. That team pulled off what has been called the first “miracle on ice.”

One thing I enjoyed early on in the movie was the way he would, between drills, ask a player or two their name, where they were from, and who they play for. Every one of them answered with that last part with the college team they came from. Finally, one of the players wised up and answered that he played for the US Olympic Team. Yes. Your past may have brought you here, but you can’t let where you used to be define you today.

In 1980, when the Miracle on Ice happened, I was a 17-year-old high school junior. I remember watching that game. I watched it with my then-boyfriend at his house. It was amazing. Though, to be honest, I probably didn’t realize quite how ground-breaking it was at the time. I was not a hockey fan. I knew the Soviets were favored to win, and the US chances were viewed as dismal. But I didn’t realize the history behind the win.

Brooks was able to bring the US team to that win because he worked them mercilessly. Early on he told them they may not be the best team at the Olympics but they’d be the best-conditioned team. He didn’t choose the best players but the players he thought could work best together and learn a different style of play.

Talent is great. But hard work and the willingness to learn will take you even farther.

Strawberry-Kiwi Jam

My husband, The Furry Guy, puts jam on and in all kinds of things. He’ll use it to flavor his yogurt, top his ice cream, sweeten his grilled cheese sandwich, and more. Years ago I adapted this recipe from one I found in a now-defunct cooking magazine. It’s delicious. What’s great, is that you don’t have to add pectin, since kiwi fruit has enough pectin to thicken the jam.

Remember that the atmospheric conditions can greatly affect your jam. The time you’ll need to boil the jam in order to get it to the right consistency will be different on a cold, dry January day than on a hot, humid August day.

This is not a pressure-processed jam, so you’ll want to keep it in the refrigerator, even when it hasn’t been opened. It will last longest if you put the lid on while it’s still hot. This will sort of vacuum-seal the jars as the jam cools.

This blog post is a reworking of a column I wrote for Rae of Sunshine in the online newspaper Peru Indiana Today.

Strawberry-Kiwi Jam

1 bag (1 lb) frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2  lb. kiwi fruit
4  cups sugar
1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Coarsely chop thawed strawberries. Peel and coarsely chop kiwi fruit to make approximately 1 cup.

2. In Dutch oven, combine strawberries, kiwi fruit, sugar and lemon juice. With potato masher, crush until well blended. Cook over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture comes to a rolling boil, stirring frequently.

3. When mixture is boiling and you are unable to stir it down, continue to boil 7 to 8 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Note: I check mine by using a cold plate. Before I start making the jam, I put a small plate or bowl in the freezer. When I believe the jam is ready, I remove it from the heat. I drizzle about a teaspoon of jam on the cold plate and return it to the freezer for 1 minute. I then run my finger through the jam. If the jam stays divided, it’s ready. If it run quickly back together, I return the jam to a boil for two more minutes and try again.

4. Ladle into sterilized jars; cover with sterilized 2-piece lids. Cool. Store in refrigerator up to 6 months.

Makes 4 (8-oz.) jars

PER TABLESPOON: 55 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, .5 g fiber

Easter Sunday

Easter is early this year—March 31. That’s next Sunday, as this blog post goes live. If you know me, you know that I am a follower of Christ. I attend church regularly. I do my best to live a life pleasing to Christ. I do it far from perfectly, but I do my best.

I talk a lot about Christmas, but Easter is actually my favorite holiday. It’s intensely personal for me. So, while I don’t talk about it much, my year centers around Easter.

The church I attend is Cornerstone Fellowship Church. We aren’t perfect; we’re simply a group of people who are doing their best to live out what Jesus modeled for us. If you don’t have a church home but would like to spend Easter Sunday with a group of friendly people, consider this a personal invitation.

We meet at the Miami County Fairgrounds in the Community Building. Sunday School starts at 9. The service starts at 10:15. Jeans and T-shirts are as welcome as suits and ties.

You are also welcome to join us Easter Sunday we enjoy a sunrise service at 7:45 am at Mt. Hope Cemetery. A cemetery is a great place to celebrate our risen Lord. It’s a short service of music and prayer. Bring a chair if standing for 30-40 minutes is difficult for you. And dress warm, since it tends to be chilly that early in the morning.

Whether you worship at your own church or join us at Cornerstone Fellowship Church, I wish you a glorious Easter Sunday.

Kid Shoes

One of the best things I’ve learned in recent years is that I can wear shoes from the children’s section. Children’s shoes are so often fun and colorful! And they are much more likely to have sparkles!

So many shoes in the women’s section are black or gray. That’s not a bad thing for most people, but I generally don’t dress in black or gray. (I will occasionally wear something predominantly very light gray, but never dark gray.) Add to that the fact that I like to fully color coordinate if I can, and black or gray just doesn’t work for me.

Children’s shoes are also often less expensive. That is a big plus, since I’m frugal. I recently bought shoes on clearance. They look sort of tie-dyed, with swirls of pink, purple, and blue. They have sparkly pink crystals on the sides. They cost me just under $6. The first time I wore them I was helping with senior bingo, and I got oodles of compliments.

If you’re curious about whether you can wear child-sized shoes, here’s the rule of thumb. Take the size you wear in women’s shoes and subtract two. That’s the children’s size you wear. Since I usually wear an eight, I wear a child’s size six. Most stores carry up to a child’s size six. Occasionally I see a size seven. Some stores only carry up to a size five.

Sorry, guys. I’m not sure what the conversion might be for men’s to children’s.

So, if you see me wandering among the children’s shoes, I could be looking for something for one of the grandkids, but more likely I’m searching for a good deal on something cute for myself.

Fresh in March

It’s spring in warmer states. That means you’ll start to see some fresher produce in the store. One of the first fresh foods you’ll find is peas. You’ll want to look for full, plump, medium-sized pods. The peas inside large pods turn starchy more quickly. Medium ones will stay sweet for 2-3 weeks if you store them, unwashed, in an open plastic bag. An open bag allows some air to circulate. Don’t shell them until just before cooking.

I love kiwi fruit. While you’ll see kiwi fruit referred to as simply kiwi, I am a bit pedantic and insist on calling them kiwi fruit. (A kiwi is a flightless bird from New Zealand.) Choose a kiwi fruit that has dark brown skin, is plump, round, and full. They should give slightly when you squeeze them. Avoid fruits with bruises, darks spots, or wrinkles. Also avoid them if they look shriveled. Store ripe kiwi fruit in the refrigerator and eat them within a few days. If you purchase the kiwi fruit while it’s still unripe (very firm with skin more yellow than brown), it will ripen on your counter.

Also fresh in March:

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Chicory
• Lettuce
• Leeks
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Parsnips
• Radishes

May your week ahead be filled with sunshine.

This blog post is a reworking of a column I wrote for Rae of Sunshine in the online newspaper Peru Indiana Today,

Pack Your Lunch

What do you think of when you think lunch? Salad? Sandwich? Burger and fries?

If you take a lunch with you to work or on your errands, you might want to think outside the norm. I often do a more European take on lunch—some olives, a few nuts, some fresh fruit, a bit of cheese, and maybe some good, artisan bread. I think of it as having “bits and bobs.”

Wraps are popular as a lunch item. You can wrap the filling of your choice in a flatbread, a tortilla, or even lettuce. It’s a great way to use up leftovers from last night’s dinner.

Here’s a great recipe from Pampered Chef. If you’d like more recipes, visit my website www.pamperedchef.biz/rae and click on Recipes.

May your week ahead be filled with sunshine.

Southwestern Salad with BBQ-Lime Dressing

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 1 small romaine heart, trimmed (about 4 oz./125 g)
• 1   plum tomato, cut in half
• 1   green onion, green part only
• 2 oz. (60 g) chicken breast, cooked
• ½ small avocado

Dressing

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Basic Vinaigrette
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice (about ½ a lime)
• 2 tsp (10 mL) barbecue sauce
• 1 tsp (5 mL) Greek yogurt or sour cream

Toppings

• ½ cup (125 mL) tortilla chips (optional)
• ¼ cup (50 mL) black beans
• ¼ cup (50 mL) grated cheddar cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Add the romaine, tomato, and green onion to the colander of the Salad Cutting Bowl and rinse.
• Rinse and cut up the romaine, tomato, and onion. Cut up the remaining salad ingredients.
• Pour the basic vinaigrette and remaining dressing ingredients into a container and shake until combined.
• Toss the salad with the vinaigrette.

Yield:

• 1  servings of (3 cups/750 mL salad plus dressing)
• Nutrients per serving:
• U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 410, Total Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Sodium 650 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Fiber 6 g, Sugars 8 g, Protein 21 g

This blog post is a reworking of a column I wrote for Rae of Sunshine in the online newspaper Peru Indiana Today.