Subj : Re: Newspapers ws: More Cookw To : Ruth Haffly From : Dave Drum Date : Fri Apr 19 2024 06:53:22 -=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=- DD> I started by writing an outdoors column for a Sports paper based in DD> Springfield - whilst living in California. When I moved back "home" DD> I became a jack-of-all-trades for the little weekly paper. Then the DD> owner/editor/pub;lisher had a heart problem and I was forced to learn DD> the printing trade in order to keep the doors open. After that I had DD> a college weekly, followed by a group of small town papers. And ran DD> a "job shop" printnig operation at te same time. RH> I never got into it that much but Dad did a lot for the paper, probably RH> more than I ever knew. I've done some writing, not a lot in the past RH> few years (except for Fido), published mostly in a (monthly) church RH> newsletter, but had some published in the paper as well. In the back of RH> my brain I think about getting back to it, but it hasn't happened yet. I've got a lot of "round tuits" many of which may never be gotten around to. But I do get a sense of satisfaction when I mark one off the list. DD> I was young and energetic. These days I'm north of 80 and getting DD> tired. RH> I'm not there yet but times I feel much older. Other times I feel I'm RH> too young to be this old. (G) I know the word to that song. Time has been kind to my physical shell and many people are amazed when they lear that I'm the age I am. "You sure don't look that old." To which my standard comeback is "Try looking through my eyes" Bv)= DD> If I hit the lottery I'm going to have my dream kitchen designed as DD> the hub of my new home. Then hang the living, sleeping and home RH> office DD> space off of that. Wall ovens, walk-in reefer, dishwasher, RH> counter DD> seating for eat-in, nook for a table for six (or more), RH> etc. And lots DD> or cabinet and pantry space. I've mentally budgeted RH> U$50,000. DD> The problem with a house that fancy is that the local gummint wants DD> their "pound of flesh" every year at tax time. Bv)= RH> Tell me about it! Wake County re-evaluates property every 4 years as RH> compared to 8 years for the rest of the state. Our taxes more than RH> doubled with the last re-evaluation, done last year. According to them, RH> the house/lot is worth more than twice what we paid for it in fall of RH> 2014 but we can't sell it for that much. Illiois has a "Homestead Act" for residential property that is occupied by its owner or owners as his or their principal dwelling place. Plus the "Low-Income Senior Freeze" provides limited-income seniors with protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. My taxes haven't gone up since I moved into this home. Used to have to make the trek to the Country Assessor's office to apply/renew the deal in-person. And may have to in future. But, for now, the CoVid pandamic has put the brakes on the in-person deal. Bv)= RH> Meanwhile, local strawberries are beginning to hit the market. Steve RH> picked some up for me at the local farmer's market so we've had RH> strawberry short cake and a riff on a salad we'd had last year in RH> Fairbanks. Salad has candied pecans, craisins, bacon bits, feta cheese, RH> strawberries, greens (I used fresh spinach) and a balsamic vinegarette RH> dressing. We'll probably enjoy it a few more times before the end of RH> fresh strawberry season. (G) We're a bit behind you. Our season is mid-May to ...... We have several U-Pick and/or farm stands plus the farmer's market. MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: White Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries Categories: Five, Fruits, Cocolate Yield: 18 Servings 12 oz White baking chips (2 cups) 1 tb Shortening 18 lg Strawberries w/leaves 1/2 c Semisweet chocolate chips 1 ts Shortening Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Heat white baking chips and 1 tablespoon shortening in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. For each strawberry, poke fork or toothpick into stem end, and dip three-fourths of the way into melted chips, leaving top of strawberry and leaves uncoated. Place on waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Heat semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate chips are melted. (Or place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) 1 minute; stir. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes longer, until mixture can be stirred smooth.) Drizzle melted semisweet chocolate over dipped strawberries, using small spoon. Refrigerate uncovered about 30 minutes or until coating is set. EXPERT TIPS: Dip the berries in the melted semisweet chocolate and drizzle with the melted white baking chips. Melt the semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening in a resealable plastic food-storage bag in the microwave on Medium (50%) until chips are softened; squeeze bag until chips are smooth. Snip a corner of the bag, and squeeze for easy drizzling. Rinse strawberries with cool water just before you are ready to use them, and pat dry with paper towels. If you wash and then refrigerate the strawberries ahead of time, they will turn mushy. RECIPE FROM: https://www.bettycrocker.com Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives MMMMM .... Flourless bread! That's an oxymoron, right? But no! --- MultiMail/Win v0.52 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200) .