It's a busy time for the Lit n Latte book club! We will be meeting for our monthly discussion on August 31st due to the Labor Day holiday landing on the first Monday in September. Next, September 26th will be our Lit n Latte Tea (what an oxymoron..latte Tea - coffee tea) We are meeting with the sister group to discuss this month's read "Dying to Decorate".
Please come to our first ever Lit n Latte Tea Party!
The evening and morning book clubs will meet together on Saturday, September 26. Tea and refreshments will be provided by the p.m. ladies. We ask that each person bring their own placesetting: cup, saucer, and salad plate. We will discuss the book "Dying to Decorate" by Cyndy Salzmann. If you feel brave, bring one of the recipes from the book and/or your high school yearbook so we can see you BK, before kids.
I found a couple of recipes for spreads to go with the scones that Lisa Roberts has graciously volunteered to make. They look easy and will be one of my contributions to the event. Wish me luck!
Lemon Curd
A classic scone spread. It's thick, tangy and very rich. You'll have to pay close attention while cooking, to keep whisking. Your curd will be wonderfully smooth that way.
Ingredients:
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zest and juice
1 stick butter
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, add a small amount of water (about an inch deep) Bring to a simmer In a small bowl, combine yolks and sugar. Blend until smooth Add zest and 1/3 cup of lemon juice to the egg mixture (add cold water if you don't have enough lemon juice) Whisk until smooth. Place a bowl on top of the simmering saucepan, or use a double-boiler. Reduce heat to low, and whisk the mixture until thickened (8 minutes) Mixture should be light yellow and coat a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter, one pat at a time. Let each melt before adding the next Pour lemon curd into a clean container, and refrigerate
Easy Devonshire Cream
Serves: 16
Hands-OnTime: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes
What you need:
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy cream
What you do:
1
In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar and salt. Beat in cream until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving.
This isn't a true clotted cream, but it's pretty close. An easy introduction to the fine world of clotted cream on scones.
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
12 oz sour cream
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Preparation:
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Lastly, I am planning on taking a group to the Women of Faith Conference on Oct 2nd and 3rd third this year. Many thanks and kudos to Noelene for getting out the word to various groups of women from CCV that have never attended. Let me know if you are planning to come as I need to make the group reservation the first week of September.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Montana Rose Chapter Nine
This chapter submitted by Marla Hazelton
Chapter Nine
I Samuel 16:7 “For the Lord sees not as a man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Even after sixteen years, Audrey Rose still is lonesome for the close relationship she had with her mother and father when they all lived together in Arizona.
Audrey Rose and Jamie have been talking and praying for some time on how they can close the chasm between Audrey Rose and her parents. After much prayer, they have decided to invite Dan and Lois Miller up to Montana for Easter.
The Easter celebration with Jamie, Audrey Rose and all the children is always a major event with the main focus on Jesus. So they are hoping that with this in mind their invitation will be accepted.
The children have never known that there was an issue between their parents and grandparents but thought that since it was such a distance and their grandparents were so involved in their church in Arizona and with their volunteer work that was why they could never find the right time to come visit.
So the invitation went out with a prayer and a hope that the invitation to come to Montana would be accepted.
Dan and Lois were surprised to get the invitation to come up and stay for several weeks to enjoy the Easter celebration with the Jamie and Audrey Rose and the family. They did not turn down the invitation but did not accept right away, they said they needed to pray about it.
So there were prayers in abundance from Arizona and Montana all about the Easter celebration, and all with different twists. My goodness, Heaven is being bombarded. What kind of answers will Dan, Lois, Audrey Rose and Jamie receive?
Jamie and Audrey Rose decided that they would plan as if Audrey Rose parents would be coming up to enjoy the Easter celebration. They did not tell the children about the invitation so as not to cause disappointment if they did not come.
Jamie and Audrey Rose were working on many projects trying to get a head start this year on this special day. It was hard not knowing if their prayers would be answered or not. But Jamie and Audrey Rose worked with a light hearted happiness that was infectious and their children soon joined in and were offering to help with little things and soon the list of things that they wanted to get completed before Easter was getting smaller and smaller.
Their hope for Audrey Rose parents coming to visit was still on their minds and in their prayers but in their anticipation, their happiness was growing each day and their children were seeing this joy in their parents, which made their home run smoother in all areas.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13
Chapter Nine
I Samuel 16:7 “For the Lord sees not as a man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Even after sixteen years, Audrey Rose still is lonesome for the close relationship she had with her mother and father when they all lived together in Arizona.
Audrey Rose and Jamie have been talking and praying for some time on how they can close the chasm between Audrey Rose and her parents. After much prayer, they have decided to invite Dan and Lois Miller up to Montana for Easter.
The Easter celebration with Jamie, Audrey Rose and all the children is always a major event with the main focus on Jesus. So they are hoping that with this in mind their invitation will be accepted.
The children have never known that there was an issue between their parents and grandparents but thought that since it was such a distance and their grandparents were so involved in their church in Arizona and with their volunteer work that was why they could never find the right time to come visit.
So the invitation went out with a prayer and a hope that the invitation to come to Montana would be accepted.
Dan and Lois were surprised to get the invitation to come up and stay for several weeks to enjoy the Easter celebration with the Jamie and Audrey Rose and the family. They did not turn down the invitation but did not accept right away, they said they needed to pray about it.
So there were prayers in abundance from Arizona and Montana all about the Easter celebration, and all with different twists. My goodness, Heaven is being bombarded. What kind of answers will Dan, Lois, Audrey Rose and Jamie receive?
Jamie and Audrey Rose decided that they would plan as if Audrey Rose parents would be coming up to enjoy the Easter celebration. They did not tell the children about the invitation so as not to cause disappointment if they did not come.
Jamie and Audrey Rose were working on many projects trying to get a head start this year on this special day. It was hard not knowing if their prayers would be answered or not. But Jamie and Audrey Rose worked with a light hearted happiness that was infectious and their children soon joined in and were offering to help with little things and soon the list of things that they wanted to get completed before Easter was getting smaller and smaller.
Their hope for Audrey Rose parents coming to visit was still on their minds and in their prayers but in their anticipation, their happiness was growing each day and their children were seeing this joy in their parents, which made their home run smoother in all areas.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13
Sunday, July 19, 2009
NYC
I'm getting ready for my very first trip to NYC this summer! My son in law sent me an email to tell me what to expect. Being a wordsmith by his trade, he's a journalist for the Associated Press, he gave me such a poetic description of the city. This is the city through the eyes of a native Arizonan. I wanted to share this with you since we are trying our hand at "creative writing" this year. I hope to see you all at the August 3rd meeting and then I'll be leaving on a jet plane on the 8th. Enjoy the following excerpt from my daughter's husband as he paints a picture of the the big city....
As our first family visitor, you're going to get the royal treatment. And I'm not overstating it when I say it will be a cultural experience. In some ways, New York is the complete opposite of Phoenix. Everything is clustered together. There are skyscrapers on every block. In some areas it gets so dense that they blot out the sun. Downtown is basically a maze of man-made canyons, and even after six months I still catch myself gawking at the rooftops like a tourist, amazed at the size of this city. Down below, the sidewalks and subway cars are usually packed with people. We don't "walk" here. We push, squeeze, force our way through the city. The streets are usually crowded, but nobody lets it slow them down. At rush hour, traveling on the subway is an intimate experience. You're packed shoulder-to-shoulder, back-to-belly with hundreds of other people -- and some didn't shower that morning. I think this was the biggest adjustment for me. It took a long time to get comfortable with the daily assaults on my personal space. But it's no big deal here. In the subways, you'll find businessmen in suits, tramply little teens, homeless people, tourists and more all riding together underground. When the subway jostles left and right, we sway together, holding each other upright, like a family. New Yorkers have their own language too. For example, you never say you're going north or south. It's "uptown" or "downtown." East and west are both "crosstown." If you say you live "in the city," it almost always means Manhattan. People from Brooklyn say they're from Brooklyn. People from the Bronx say they live in the Bronx, etc. And a slice of cheese pizza isn't called "cheese." It's a "plain" slice.
We can't wait to show you around. We live in a quieter part of the city. I'm sure Steph has sent lots of pictures. She found us a cool apartment that's a block away from Central Park, which is so nice. It's the best park in the world. You'll see. There's a huge lake and a boathouse (with cheap beer!) and there are trails going everywhere. On the west side, there's an outdoor theatre where actors like Anne Hathaway stage Shakespeare plays, and during the summer the New York philharmonic and other music groups play on the Great Lawn. All around, dancers and guitar pickers and hot dog venders compete for your attention. It's a great place for a picnic. At night, you can hire a horse-drawn carriage to take you around the park.
If I were you, I'd make sure to bring comfortable shoes. We do a lot of walking here.
As our first family visitor, you're going to get the royal treatment. And I'm not overstating it when I say it will be a cultural experience. In some ways, New York is the complete opposite of Phoenix. Everything is clustered together. There are skyscrapers on every block. In some areas it gets so dense that they blot out the sun. Downtown is basically a maze of man-made canyons, and even after six months I still catch myself gawking at the rooftops like a tourist, amazed at the size of this city. Down below, the sidewalks and subway cars are usually packed with people. We don't "walk" here. We push, squeeze, force our way through the city. The streets are usually crowded, but nobody lets it slow them down. At rush hour, traveling on the subway is an intimate experience. You're packed shoulder-to-shoulder, back-to-belly with hundreds of other people -- and some didn't shower that morning. I think this was the biggest adjustment for me. It took a long time to get comfortable with the daily assaults on my personal space. But it's no big deal here. In the subways, you'll find businessmen in suits, tramply little teens, homeless people, tourists and more all riding together underground. When the subway jostles left and right, we sway together, holding each other upright, like a family. New Yorkers have their own language too. For example, you never say you're going north or south. It's "uptown" or "downtown." East and west are both "crosstown." If you say you live "in the city," it almost always means Manhattan. People from Brooklyn say they're from Brooklyn. People from the Bronx say they live in the Bronx, etc. And a slice of cheese pizza isn't called "cheese." It's a "plain" slice.
We can't wait to show you around. We live in a quieter part of the city. I'm sure Steph has sent lots of pictures. She found us a cool apartment that's a block away from Central Park, which is so nice. It's the best park in the world. You'll see. There's a huge lake and a boathouse (with cheap beer!) and there are trails going everywhere. On the west side, there's an outdoor theatre where actors like Anne Hathaway stage Shakespeare plays, and during the summer the New York philharmonic and other music groups play on the Great Lawn. All around, dancers and guitar pickers and hot dog venders compete for your attention. It's a great place for a picnic. At night, you can hire a horse-drawn carriage to take you around the park.
If I were you, I'd make sure to bring comfortable shoes. We do a lot of walking here.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Montana Rose Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Psa. 34:18 (NIV) “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Audrey walked quickly down the hall to her bedroom. On the way, she decided to change into a pair of gray slacks and a white short-sleeved dress shirt. There were many days living on the ranch she wore jeans. Thankfully, the wedding business gave her a reason to dress up. After changing clothes, she ran in her office to pick up a wedding catalog, sitting on the chair was the diary. She just could not resist reading the next entry.
Diary entry 17 July 1903
“Today I felt the first flutter of the baby inside of me. What a feeling knowing that mine and Marcus' baby is growing! Marcus says it does not matter whether the baby is a boy or girl. Thinking about all of this, reminds me of the secret my friend Alicia shared with me a few weeks ago. She had come over so the two of us could visit over a cup of coffee. I immediately knew something was wrong – her red rimmed eyes gave it away. She looked heartbroken and vulnerable. Nothing like what I thought of her a few years ago. After Alicia sat down at the dining room table, I urged her to talk to me. She looked hesitant at first, but then said, “I can't hold my secret inside any longer Abbey.” It was that day she shared with me a secret no one could ever know. Alicia told the story of what happened before we became friends and around the time Bradley Wellington left town.
That cloudy day in August, Alicia had asked Bradley to meet her at Bitterroot Creek which flowed on the east side of town. They were standing in the shade, under the massive tree where they shared their first kiss. Alicia grabbed both of Bradley's hands and shared the news – she was pregnant. Expecting that he would be happy and insist they get married immediately, but instead he instantly blamed her and yelled that he was leaving town. After all, he had plans – plans that did not involve sticking around here, in some small town. He had no desire to live in Montana, but instead had his sights set on moving far away, to a big city like Denver. He had never told his plans to his father or his brother. After all they wouldn't understand. They were content to stay here. He wasn't going to let anyone, even Alicia, stand in his way. He spouted off all of this and turned away from Alicia. Then hopped back on his horse, which he had rode there and galloped away. Alicia screamed after him, pleading for Bradley to come back. Later that day, she was feeling desperate and walked all the way to the Wellington home. When she got there she found that she was not the only one left crying – Bradley's mother answered the door only to inform her that he was gone.
Three weeks later, Alicia had lost at least ten pounds, she could not eat or sleep. Her mother and father thought she would eventually get over losing her longtime boyfriend. They meant well, both of them worried and prayed for their daughter, but neither one knew about the secret she carried inside of her. One cool summer night she was awakened by a horrific pain ripping through her body. That night she lost the baby. After falling into a deep sleep, Alicia woke up with plans of her own. Ever since she could remember, she had dreamt of becoming a nurse. But now the profession had taken on new meaning. Her hope was that one day she could save someone's baby to make up for the one she had lost.”
Just as she had finished reading that entry, Jamie walked into the room and nodded, “Oh, I see what's been keeping you.” as he spotted the diary in her hand. Audrey put down the diary, and as she did, spotted a slip of paper under her desk that looked like it had fallen there. She pushed it into the pocket of her pants to look at later, and walked down the hall ready to go. Ms. Conrad was famous for her peach pie, and she bet that was what she had made tonight for their little meeting.
By: Andrea Axness
Psa. 34:18 (NIV) “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Audrey walked quickly down the hall to her bedroom. On the way, she decided to change into a pair of gray slacks and a white short-sleeved dress shirt. There were many days living on the ranch she wore jeans. Thankfully, the wedding business gave her a reason to dress up. After changing clothes, she ran in her office to pick up a wedding catalog, sitting on the chair was the diary. She just could not resist reading the next entry.
Diary entry 17 July 1903
“Today I felt the first flutter of the baby inside of me. What a feeling knowing that mine and Marcus' baby is growing! Marcus says it does not matter whether the baby is a boy or girl. Thinking about all of this, reminds me of the secret my friend Alicia shared with me a few weeks ago. She had come over so the two of us could visit over a cup of coffee. I immediately knew something was wrong – her red rimmed eyes gave it away. She looked heartbroken and vulnerable. Nothing like what I thought of her a few years ago. After Alicia sat down at the dining room table, I urged her to talk to me. She looked hesitant at first, but then said, “I can't hold my secret inside any longer Abbey.” It was that day she shared with me a secret no one could ever know. Alicia told the story of what happened before we became friends and around the time Bradley Wellington left town.
That cloudy day in August, Alicia had asked Bradley to meet her at Bitterroot Creek which flowed on the east side of town. They were standing in the shade, under the massive tree where they shared their first kiss. Alicia grabbed both of Bradley's hands and shared the news – she was pregnant. Expecting that he would be happy and insist they get married immediately, but instead he instantly blamed her and yelled that he was leaving town. After all, he had plans – plans that did not involve sticking around here, in some small town. He had no desire to live in Montana, but instead had his sights set on moving far away, to a big city like Denver. He had never told his plans to his father or his brother. After all they wouldn't understand. They were content to stay here. He wasn't going to let anyone, even Alicia, stand in his way. He spouted off all of this and turned away from Alicia. Then hopped back on his horse, which he had rode there and galloped away. Alicia screamed after him, pleading for Bradley to come back. Later that day, she was feeling desperate and walked all the way to the Wellington home. When she got there she found that she was not the only one left crying – Bradley's mother answered the door only to inform her that he was gone.
Three weeks later, Alicia had lost at least ten pounds, she could not eat or sleep. Her mother and father thought she would eventually get over losing her longtime boyfriend. They meant well, both of them worried and prayed for their daughter, but neither one knew about the secret she carried inside of her. One cool summer night she was awakened by a horrific pain ripping through her body. That night she lost the baby. After falling into a deep sleep, Alicia woke up with plans of her own. Ever since she could remember, she had dreamt of becoming a nurse. But now the profession had taken on new meaning. Her hope was that one day she could save someone's baby to make up for the one she had lost.”
Just as she had finished reading that entry, Jamie walked into the room and nodded, “Oh, I see what's been keeping you.” as he spotted the diary in her hand. Audrey put down the diary, and as she did, spotted a slip of paper under her desk that looked like it had fallen there. She pushed it into the pocket of her pants to look at later, and walked down the hall ready to go. Ms. Conrad was famous for her peach pie, and she bet that was what she had made tonight for their little meeting.
By: Andrea Axness
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Moravian Sugar Cake
I am attempting the recipe for Moravian Sugar Cake and hope to bring to our meeting this month. Wish me luck!
Helen Bomberger's Moravian Sugar Cake
Sugar Cake:
1 package (or cake) yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup Crisco® shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup scalded milk
3-1/2 cups flour
1 egg
Add yeast to lukewarm water, set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Add mashed potatoes and salt. Add yeast water to cooled milk and add that to mixture. Add flour and mix until it forms a solid dough. Knead the dough until smooth. Place dough in large greased bowl, cover with cloth, set in warm place. Let dough rise 3-4 hours, until it doubles in size. Pat out dough in 2 greased 9 x 13 pans and let rise again for another 1 1/2 hours. Punch holes across the top of the dough in 2-inch intervals. Fill holes with bits of butter and cover with crumb topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes two 9x13 pans.
Crumb Topping:
1/2 pound brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter in small bits
© 2000 Liz Curtis Higgs
Helen Bomberger's Moravian Sugar Cake
Sugar Cake:
1 package (or cake) yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup Crisco® shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup scalded milk
3-1/2 cups flour
1 egg
Add yeast to lukewarm water, set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Add mashed potatoes and salt. Add yeast water to cooled milk and add that to mixture. Add flour and mix until it forms a solid dough. Knead the dough until smooth. Place dough in large greased bowl, cover with cloth, set in warm place. Let dough rise 3-4 hours, until it doubles in size. Pat out dough in 2 greased 9 x 13 pans and let rise again for another 1 1/2 hours. Punch holes across the top of the dough in 2-inch intervals. Fill holes with bits of butter and cover with crumb topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes two 9x13 pans.
Crumb Topping:
1/2 pound brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter in small bits
© 2000 Liz Curtis Higgs
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
July 6th Meeting
Hope you all are getting ready for the July meeting. We will be discussing: Bookends by Liz Curtis Higgs. Ladies who have read the book before, such as a few years ago: I encourage you to try to re-read. I forgot how wonderfully Liz Curtis Higgs wrote this story. The setting, characters, plot, Jonas :). Makes me smile all over again. Worth reading the second time through. The new choice for July, The Centurion's Wife by T. Davis Bunn and Janette Oake, will be available for purchase at the July 6 meeting. Our own Cathy Holmes read this and highly recommended it.
Until we meet have wonderful 4th of July.
Lit n Latte Book Club
Barnes and Noble Bookstore - Arrowhead
Monday, July 6th 7:00 p.m.
Until we meet have wonderful 4th of July.
Lit n Latte Book Club
Barnes and Noble Bookstore - Arrowhead
Monday, July 6th 7:00 p.m.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Golden In The Morning
June 10th marked the 13th anniversary of my brother John's passing. He loved playing his guitar, listening to fine music such as: The Beatles, The BeeGees, Simon and Garfunkel, karate, coaching his daughter's softball team, and growing up in Arizona. I also found out late in his life that he loved writing poetry. He describe it more as a calling he could not ignore. Words coming to him in the middle of the night. I love this poem he wrote about growing up in our neighborhood in north Phoenix and just growing up. He left behind a wife, two young children, and a multitude of family and friends who felt it was too soon to say goodbye. This year I'm remembering him for the things he loved.
GOLDEN IN THE MORNING
I remember waking to
The sounds of doves and mocking birds.
The smell of fruit trees in the summertime.
As sunlight sifted in the window I felt the words
Golden in the Morning.
I was up in the morning and running
The smell of grass and trees and all of us would play
With childhood friends I knew would never leave.
I played all day into the night and never lost my way
Still feeling Golden in the Morning.
My childhood friends have never crossed my way
As new feelings and adventures replaced child's play
Showing the world had changed as time passed.
I won't lament the changes in life, yet one I may,
The loss of being Golden in the Morning.
My life has swirled and whirled from here to there
With eddies too happy and painful to reveal
With anyone remote and distant to my thoughts.
Yet I find myself at times longing to recall and steal
The memory of being Golden in the Morning.
By John Archibald
July 25, 1952 - June 10, 1996
GOLDEN IN THE MORNING
I remember waking to
The sounds of doves and mocking birds.
The smell of fruit trees in the summertime.
As sunlight sifted in the window I felt the words
Golden in the Morning.
I was up in the morning and running
The smell of grass and trees and all of us would play
With childhood friends I knew would never leave.
I played all day into the night and never lost my way
Still feeling Golden in the Morning.
My childhood friends have never crossed my way
As new feelings and adventures replaced child's play
Showing the world had changed as time passed.
I won't lament the changes in life, yet one I may,
The loss of being Golden in the Morning.
My life has swirled and whirled from here to there
With eddies too happy and painful to reveal
With anyone remote and distant to my thoughts.
Yet I find myself at times longing to recall and steal
The memory of being Golden in the Morning.
By John Archibald
July 25, 1952 - June 10, 1996
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