Friday, December 07, 2007

A recipe and Friday memes and musings

Here is a recipe for Betsy, as well as some commentary from last year when I put it up:


Anyway, when my mother died and I went back to her husband's house to try to clean out as many of our family "heirlooms" as possible, I hunted and hunted for Mamaw's meat grinder and spritz recipe.  On the last day we were there, I found the grinder.  The recipe I found didn't taste like I remembered, though.  I evenutally found one in Cook's Illustrated, which tasted exactly how I remembered Mamaw's cookies tasting.


Now, at least once a year, I drag out the (heavy) cast iron grinder and make cookies in honor of my Mamaw.  This past weekend was my once-a-year.  I took pictures, which I'll post for tomorrow's Wordless Wednesday, but here is the recipe, sans pressing instructions, for your eating pleasure.  You'll have to figure out the press thing on your own, since I've never made them successfully with a press.  Plus they don't taste like Mamaw's unless they're star-shaped.  So there ya go.


Spritz Cookies


1 # butter (the real stuff, please)


2 1/4 c. sugar


2 egg yolks


1 T. vanilla (yep, a full tablespoon)


1 t. butter flavor


4 c. flour


Cream butter & sugar.  Add egg yolks and mix well.  Add flavorings and mix well.  Add flour a cup at a time and mix until a uniform consistency.  I chill my dough at this point. 


Bake in a 375ยบ oven for 8-12 minutes.  (The directions say 10-12 but 10 was too much for my oven.)  They should be pale, not brown.


Enjoy!  And think of Mamaw while you're at it.


Ok, now for the musings.  I've been thinking a lot lately about getting older and how bizarre it is, at least for me.  In my brain, I'm still about 27.  There are, however, many things around me which point to the fact that I am getting older at a previously unheard-of clip.  One is that I don't recognize movie stars, pop culture icons, movies, tv shows, etc.  I saw someone's Thursday Thirteen yesterday where she talked about 13 good-looking men.  I only knew three of them:  Sean Connery, Denzel Washington, and Antonio Banderis. 


I'm also noticing plenty of wrinkles these days.  The gray hairs don't bother me so much (except when they are on my chin) but the wrinkles do.  I've always had pretty decent skin and it was one of those things I took for granted (i.e. "I may be but-ugly but I still have pretty skin.") but now it's all baggy.  In fact, when I look in my mirror, I see my mother.  Now this is pretty freaky because I look like my father's side of the family but Mother is coming on out now.


I've also noticed how I just get irritated at certain things like clothing:  both fabric choices and design.  I won't say any more than that.


And finally, I just don't get some things, like why all the young mothers (of which group I am obviously no longer a member) are all about being all fashionable when I see them.  Now, I don't think that you should look frumpy just because you're a mama, but do ginormously pregnant women really need to wear tight clothes and stiletto heels?  Or heels with your cargo pants (and full face of makeup) to go to the library?  It's probably part and parcel of my latent hippie tendencies but I just don't see it as being an important part of my existence.


Ok, well, I guess I've yammered on enough.  Here's a meme for the day:


Friday's Feast


Appetizer
What was the last game you purchased?  Um, for the computer, Cake Mania 2.  I don't know what the last board game I purchased was.  Oh wait, I do!  It was Made for Trade and Hail to the Chief at a yard sale this summer.


Soup
Name something in which you don’t believe.  I don't believe that feminists (and NOW) really represent the desires of most women in this country.


Salad
If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?  Debra Winger or Reese Witherspoon.  I've heard that they're both pretty easy-going and good to their employees.


Main Course
What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?  What wasn't a lesson I had to learn the hard way?  Let's see...the lesson to just wait long enough (and pray hard enough) and whatever is hurting you will pass.


Dessert
Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room. Perfect temperature, cozy furniture, snacks at the ready, and QUIET.



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

As far as the oldness, I officially had to admit just the other day that the reason my toenails look funky isn't some passing condition...I have Old People Toenails.

My features and coloring are all young but somehow, I look so much like my mother sometimes. I was cruising Walmart recently and was just stunned for a second by what turned out to be my reflection in a mirror.

Praying for Passages...love, Shawn

Unknown said...

Thanks for your visit to the Cafe for my weekly feast.
I have to agree all lessons are usually learned the hard way....teaching my kids that too.
I also fully agree with your soup.
Nice feast.

poor man's nicole richie said...

feminists are a bunch of hypos.
your main course is superb! happy FF!

Sandee said...

I think your soup is right on the money. I agree. Your dessert works for me too. Have a great FF and weekend.

The Gal Herself said...

I guess I'm a "hypo" because I'm a feminist and a dues-paying member of NOW. I don't know what I'm hypocritical about, exactly, so instead I'll concentrate on your lovely main course. "This, too, shall pass." I wish that every tortured soul who contemplates suicide could keep your main course in mind.

Have a good weekend, and thanks for visiting my feast.

SandyCarlson said...

That cookie recipe would be breakfast, lunch, and dessert for my inner five-year-old!

Mrs. Fussy Fussypants said...

I'll bake & thank Mamaw!

Love, Fussy

Jennifer said...

Great feast! Hope you have a great weekend!

Jennifer :-)