Is minus 6 cold enough for you?

If not then we will factor in the wind chill which is 16 below zero.  Baby, it’s cold outside.  I couldn’t go anywhere if I wanted to, which I don’t.  When our driveway was plowed yesterday I had enough snow thrown behind my car to be above the trunk now.  I thought I had it bad until I received photos from my nephew in northern Illinois.



Not sure about that last picture, but my great niece was having fun with the snow.
I am trying to think of something good to cook on a cold winter day.  I am thinking salmon patties with creamed peas or tuna fish casserole.  Taking votes.  Something different.  I used to make salmon patties a lot because they were one of Jim’s favorite meals.  The cookies are in the freezer as I was enjoying them too much.
Time for me to fix breakfast.  I hope you all have a great day.  At least the sun is shining here on top of all of that snow.
  Beth

Photos from the storm…

My poor car.  Click on pictures to enlarge them.
Just heard from my son in Chicago. They got over 20 inches there. So ready for spring.

The storm is winding down…

and the grand total stands at 16 inches.  It is still gusting like crazy outside and we are predicted 1 – 2 inches more snow before the storm winds down.  Then  the bitter below zero temps move in.  Last night was really something.  We had a lot of thunder snow.  Inside it sounded just like a summer thunderstorm.
I took a picture through the top of my kitchen window a few minutes ago.  I couldn’t get my front door open because of the snow. 

Looking out my back door.


Looking out my front door.  Click on the pics for a bigger view.
The cookies yesterday were delicious and being here alone and in an anxious state I managed to scarf down quite a few.  I love this recipe.  It is on both of my recipe sites.

Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

 
by Beth Marie in Cookies

A recipe from cooks.com
1 1/4 c. butter, softened
1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 c. quick or old fashioned uncooked oatmeal
1 c. dried cherries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; add to creamed butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in oatmeal and dried cherries.
Drop by a rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-11 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then remove. Makes 5 1/2-6 dozen cookies.
When I make these cookies I only get around 3 dozen as I make huge cookies.
Time for me to see about some breakfast.  I will catch you all later.
  Beth

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The lull between the storms..

It is windy and otherwise quiet outdoors this morning.  We got a couple of inches of snow last night and now we are bracing for the heavy snow which is to start this afternoon with total accumulation of 20 or more inches.  The wind is to pick up to 50 – 60 miles per hour and so we are under a blizzard warning.  All schools are closed.  I am in the house for the duration, praying that we don’t lose power.
I have a pound of butter on the kitchen counter softening.  I think I will make some oatmeal/cherry cookies  made with dried cherries.  No telling what else I will make or cook.  I have the iPod hooked to the Bose speaker and I will turn off the scanner and ignore what’s happening outside.  My daughter gave me strict orders  to not try to clean my car off as she will do it as soon as she can get here.  We are under a city wide parking ban until Thursday afternoon.  That means no parking in the street.  I have parking behind my building just a few feet from my door so I am good there.
Bee , my blogging friend, has graciously given me the Stylish Blogger Award.  I told her I was already  a recipient of this same award but I will try to tell 7 more things about me.

1. As a child in a large family that was very poor, there wasn’t a lot of things that I remember from my childhood that were really happy.  I do remember running barefoot all summer long and playing softball in the street with bases made up of anything,  What fun.  To this day I think that is why I am such a baseball fan.  In those days I was a Brooklyn Dodger fan and I had this huge crush on Pee Wee Reese.  My sister Rae, liked Gil Hodges.  After they became the Los Angeles Dodgers it wasn’t the same and I shifted my loyalty to the St. Louis Cardinals, and why not?  My dad was a Cardinal fan and the games were on the radio all of the time.
2. I had an aunt on my dad’s side.  Her name was Alice and I was a favorite of hers when I was a small child.  She would bake a birthday cake for me on my birthday and it would be beautiful with lots of frosting.  I really felt special because none of my siblings received a cake from her on their birthday.  Of course, Aunt Alice has been gone now for many years but I count those birthday cakes as another happy memory of my childhood.
3. Growing older, I remember my teacher from the 5th grade.  Her name was Miss Keithly.  To this day, she is the only teacher from my grade school years that I remember.  She was always so kind to me and praised me for everything that I did right.  I count her as an influence on me that helped me to be the person I am today.
4. Wait, just a minute, I want to go back to the first grade.  That was the time of my first boyfriend.  His name was Harold and he was a preacher’s son.  He was a nice chubby little guy and he had this big crush on me.  He would occasionally bring me a candy bar to school.  I would keep it in my desk and eat just a bite every day.  I didn’t take the candy home with me because I didn’t want to share. Shame on me. 
5. I remember when I was a freshman in high school that my grandmother on my mom’s side passed away in Missouri.  I remember her lying in state in the living room.  To this day that memory is so vivid that I can recall all events from that day.  I really wish I couldn’t remember them so vividly but I do.
6. On to the summer before my senior year in high school. I got a job at the telephone company.  My very first job and the pay was 25 cents an hour.  During my senior year I worked 4 – 9 each evening after school and all day long on Saturday and Sunday.  Yes, you are reading this right, I worked 41 hours each week and still managed to finish near the top of my graduating class.  It was fun though, I finally had money to spend.  One of the first things I bought was a lovely set of dishes for my mom from the Sears store there in town.  Oh my, my mom was so proud of those dishes.
7. I met Jim through a co-worker at the telephone company.  Her brother in law was home from Korea and would I introduce him around to my friends.  I have told this story 100 times or more in my blog.  Long story short, met in July, engaged in September, married on Dec 2nd to the nicest guy I have ever met.

And that is all of the reminiscing for today.  I will visit you all and then I am off to the kitchen to keep myself busy.
  Beth