For Saturday, September 27th, 2014

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

SATURDAY,  SEPTEMBER 27TH,  2014

85 DAYS UNTIL WINTER 

 88 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Sunrise: 7:21 am

Sunset: 7:17 pm

Life is a Special Occasion!

Hallmark

September 27th, is Ancestor Appreciation Day.  Many of us are completely unaware of our ancestors and the lives they lived, yet they almost certainly went a long way towards shaping our habits, traditions and values today. Fortunately, the annually-celebrated Ancestor Appreciation Day gives people a reminder to learn more about those who came before us.

It’s a great day to spend  with your living relatives and ask a few questions, let them tell stories and find out about previous generations that way

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

In many ways, each of us is the sum total of what our ancestors were. The virtues they had may be our virtues, their strengths our strengths, and, in a way,their challenges could be our challenges.

James E. Faust

I love the fact that I have a very mixed heritage and due to that there are lots of customs and traditions that fill our holidays. I’ve mentioned that I have English, German, Hungarian, French, Irish and even a tiny bit of American Indian in my blood.  

One of the best things about being of Hungarian decent is the food.  There are lots of things that I make on a regular basis that are from my paternal grandmother’s recipes.  Now that it has cooled down here I’ll be doing a lot more cooking than I did in the summer. 

Known to most as goulash, this popular soup is a Hungarian original. It contains chunks of beef, potatoes, and vegetables, plus plenty of paprika and spices.  Originally made by cattle herdsman, gulyás is pure comfort food: hearty, homey, and hot. It’s awesome. Here is my slightly adapted version.  

3 tablespoons oil 

5 medium onions, diced, I use 2 

2½ teaspoons salt

2½ quarts water, plus a few extra spoonfuls

3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika 

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, I usually don’t use these at all

3¼ lbs beef, chopped into bite sized pieces, I'd use 2

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

5 medium carrots, sliced into bite sized rounds, I do more when making a large quantity like this 

2 medium parsnips, sliced into bite sized rounds, optional

2 large potatoes, cubed, I’d do 4 

2 tomatoes, diced, I use a can of stewed tomatoes

Csipetke,  pinched pasta, optional

Heat the oil  in a large pot, preferably a Dutch oven. Add the onions along with a few spoonfuls of water, so they don’t brown and a pinch of the salt. Cook slowly over very low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are clear and glassy.

Remove from the heat and add the paprika, pepper, and caraway seeds. Stir quickly to combine and add a tiny bit of water to prevent the paprika from burning.

Add the meat and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until the meat is slightly browned, about ten minutes. Turn the heat down to low, add a few spoonfuls of water, and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the meat is nearly cooked through.

Add the water and keep cooking, over low heat, for at least an hour or until the meat is cooked and nearly tender enough to serve. This could take hours, depending on the cut of beef you used. 

When the meat is nearly done, add the tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes and cook for about 15 more minutes, or until they are tender being careful not to overcook them. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

If you are using csipetke or another kind of small pasta, add it to the soup before serving.

This makes a very large pot of soup!

Our beautiful sunny fall days in the 70’s are to continue through out the weekend and into next week.  I hope you all can get out and enjoy the weather !  Today’s pictures are of my youngest granddaughter. our little Precious one.  I got to see her not long ago and got some cute pictures of her too.

Have a Super Saturday everyone !

It’s 88  days until Christmas:  

Consider a Handmade Christmas.  Handmade Christmas gifts add meaning and connection to holiday giving and are good for reducing commercialism, encouraging green giving and reducing packaging and clutter.

Going handmade does take some doing, however. You'll want to start early to complete handmade gifts in good time. Here at my house, hand made is the only way I can afford to give all my loved ones a gift for Christmas.  I’ve been busy here in Santa ‘ma’s workshop for quite awhile now.

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.

 Author Unknown 

I have counted at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for almost 2 years and have now reached 2000 gifts.  On my way now to 3000.  I'm not stopping, but will continue on counting.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.

2075. for the good recipes passed down from generation to generation

2076. for ancestors from different countries and their traditions

2077. for the new generations we can pass our legacy on to

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL !

ADVICE FOR TODAY

May you embrace all the rich legacies of your heritage.

Irish Blessing

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

Love,

ma