Where Have I Been?

I'm scratching my head trying to remember what I've been doing that's kept me so busy I haven't had time to check-in for a while.  Hmmm...

I did some work, as in a "real job", for an awesome Interior Designer.  Writing her press kit and website info was easy because I LOVE her design aesthetic.  You might have seen some of my (very over-shared) photos on Facebook.  No???  Click here to see her Guest House for the Pasadena Showcase House of Design.

Facebook-- Gawd I've spent too much time on Facebook lately.  I dove into it for the above mentioned job's social media push.  But I'm afraid I'm too easily addicted to endless scrolling through posts that really have no relevance to me just to see what the handful of people I truly love are up too.  It's become a bad habit that takes up too much of my day.  I have to quit cold-turkey!

So anyway... that all took several weeks, was a total blast, and now I'm "retired" again.

And we went to Israel for a fabulous family wedding.  I so love it there.  Great family (on my husband's side), amazing food, perfect weather and wonderful people.  This trip we spent all our time in Tel Aviv.  The purple Jacaranda trees were in bloom.  So were the kumquat trees at our hotel.

We stayed at a small boutique hotel called The Norman.  It's a lovely hotel with a chic Moroccan vibe-- Hip but quiet in the middle of the city's Rothschild section.  My idea of perfect.

Since we were exhausted, we camped out in hotel room's bed far more than usual to catch up on our sleep.  The linens and duvet were scrumptious-- And by Frette!!!  Do you know them?  I did-- and what I know about them is that they are far to expensive to ever be on my bed at home!  But there they were in all their glory at The Norman.  It was like sleeping on, in, and surrounded by, a silky cloud.  Heaven.

One morning I woke and figured out how The Norman tracks these gems of sheets-- Senors!  Yep, they are actually sewn into the seams so guests don't walk off with them!  Never saw that before.

Traveling though, not so fun.  I've come to the sad realization that a 10 hour time change and 20+ hours of flying and layovers are just too much for my body.  Talk about a killer.  It took nearly 5 days to adjust and catch up then it was almost time to come back home again.  Once we actually returned home it took another 5 days to get myself together.

Makes me wonder how I traveled like that for business all those years.  I know I was younger but sheesh-- It really wore me out.

While in Tel Aviv I discovered a new cookbook-- New to me at least, and I'm working my way through the recipes.  The amazing thing about the food in Israel-- and let me tell you-- we ATE and ATE and ATE, day in an day out-- was that both my husband and I actually LOST weight by the time we got home!  The menu is so filled with fresh vegetables and fish that even though we indulged, we felt great and dropped a few pounds.  That was an unexpected treat at the end of a vacation!

So now it's almost May and I'm working on getting central air conditioning in our house.  Last year's brutal two month heatwave was the straw that broke the camel's back. We live close enough to the ocean that we really didn't miss having it in the past but climate change, global warning, or old age-- whatever you want to call it, has changed things at Casa Jenkins!

How are YOU?
Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

That Moment...

Have you ever had that moment when you took a shortcut through the alley of restaurant you've always wanted to try... only to wish you'd taken the long way around?

That happened to me today on my way for some Indian food.

Cilantro drying in the back alley parking lot.

And to think the front of the restaurant looked so nice.  Sigh, I won't be eating Indian food again for what will probably be forever.

How's your day going?
 Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Crave

 It's interesting-- the foods people crave when they're not allowed to eat-- Like my mom who's still in the hospital (29 days and counting) and on a diet limited to chicken broth, cream of wheat, and Jello. 

When the time came for a more substantial meal, her very first request was a Dairy Queen chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry on top.  I literally ran out of the hospital and into a hail/snow/sleet/thunderstorm to get her one on Thursday.

And in the blink of an eye it was totally consumed leaving a smile on Mom's face (for the first time in a very long time) as she practically purred the word "Delicious!"

For more Sundays In My City click HERE

What would you crave?

PS  I was in Ohio again all this past week and I'm heading there again on Friday so I'll be scarce in these parts for a while.  Please keep Mom in your prayers for healing and strength.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Taste of the Holidays

Mine is a family full of Foodies... and good old fashioned "Eaters".  During the holidays, we are blessed that the food is plentiful, family is all around, and our dining traditions are firmly in place.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite holiday "Foodie" memories...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Potato Latkes

Home made Chex Mix

Red Jello Salad

Brisket with Onions and Carrots

Angel Food Cake with Cool Whip piled on top

Honey Baked Ham

Oven-baked French Toast

Tamales

Triple Chocolate Cookies dipped in Hot Chocolate with Marshmellows

Made-to-order Omlets

Hot Crab Dip

Green Beans with Almonds - the soggy frozen kind

Mom's Famous Hockey Pucks - also knows as burnt dinner rolls

Bacon from the 4-H Auction

Matzo Ball Soup

Leftover Ham Sandwiches with Miracle Whip on White Bread

Cheesy Potatoes

Heavenly Hash

Whatever holiday you celebrate, may your bellies be full, your spirits high, and your loved ones near.  

Happy holidays!  xo jj

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit: © Ruth Black - Fotolia.com

Thanksgiving Comes First

As I sit watching TV with a half eaten bag of Halloween candy, I am reminded, despite the barrage of Christmas commercials and the numerous news reports of people camped out in from of retailers for days to get "early bird" specials on Black Friday, that Thanksgiving Comes First.

And really, it should-- Thanksgiving coming first, that is-- Especially since it's early this year-- November 22nd.  To that end, I'm focusing on the things I am thankful for while I ignore the non-stop Christmas music on the easy listening radio stations and the endless stream of Christmas commercializing from retailers on the TV that started well before Halloween.  And I'm making a point of NOT Chri$tma$ $hopping before Thanksgiving to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.

Instead, in the 22 days leading up to Thanksgiving I am focusing on the many things I am thankful for...

1.  Chocolate.  Because just one bite helps minimize angst, exhaustion and anxiety.

2.  Lumpy turkey gravy.  It immediately reminds me of my late great-grandmother who made the best ever.

Dad, Mom, Granny and me - circa 1964-ish.

3.  Holding hands when my Ohio family says grace before a meal-- even if we're in a restaurant.  Stopping everything everyone is doing to hold hands and give thanks for the day and the meal we are about to share brings tears to my eyes.

4.  My grandparents-- The ones who always welcomed me with open arms and unconditional love.  My first Thanksgiving memories were at the kids' table in their crowded kitchen-- warm from all the cooking and so many people crammed into the small room that the windows "steamed up".

5.  Cool whip.  'Nuff said.

6.  Jello, because it's not Thanksgiving without it.

7.  Friends.  True friends.  Mine are few but priceless.

8.  100 watt light bulbs-- A lot of them, and having them turned on-- All.  The.  Time.  These days I'm still a little spooked because of these idiots so I'm lighting things up day and night to remind myself how thankful I am to have a home, even if it is all glass.

9.  Prayers for my loved ones in need.  Knowing that on a daily basis, loving and generous people I have never met, pray-- by name, for the well-being of people I care about is absolutely humbling and deeply appreciated.

10. My sewing machine and the ability to use my arthritic hands well enough to make this quilt for Middle Sister as a house warming present...

11. A whole week of school vacation for Thanksgiving-- Godson (now in high school) and I have big plans.  And to say that I am thankful that I'm still cool enough for him to hang out with is an understatement.

12. The old cemetery in my hometown.  It's a beautiful place where my dad and his side of the family are all buried.  Rain, shine, blazing heat or brutal winters-- it makes no difference. It's the place to go to be surrounded by love and peace.

13.  I give thanks for breakfast.  Second only to Thanksgiving dinner, it's hands down, my favorite meal.

14.  Flannel pajamas and warm fuzzy socks.

Mom and her dog, Noah.

 15.  I'm thankful for strong female role models growing up.  I had more than my share-- starting with my mother.

16.  All twelve of my nieces and nephews.  They full my heart with joy.

17.  My brother-- The one to call in case of an emergency.  He's rock solid, gives great advice, never judges, and loves with his whole heart.

My siblings and I - circa 1966-ish.

18.  My three sisters--  I can bare my soul to all of them and vice-a-versa.  We are blessed to have each other.

19.  Monopoly-- the game, because it's brought multiple generations of my family together after Thanksgiving dinner for more years than I can count.

20.  I am very thankful for my husband, the love of my life.

21.  My husband.  Because it's worth repeating.

22.  Grandma Lee's Nude Apple Pie.  It was a family favorite dessert, although it was a cake, not a pie and, it was "naked" because there was no frosting.  Gram kept the "recipe" on a 3" X 5" index card covered with spattered ingredients from decades of use.  The thing is though, that the recipe lists all the ingredients but not the quantities.  And her "secret" ingredient that made the cake so darn delicious was never written down.  No matter how hard we've tried, my sisters and I have never been able to come even remotely close to duplicating her cake.  But, the memory of Grandma Lee's cake is still vivid in our minds, especially at Thanksgiving.  And for that reason alone, I don't want to rush past Thanksgiving-- I want to linger in the memories and the joy it brings.

Thanks to Suldog, a terrific blogger and writer, for always reminding us that Thanksgiving Comes First.  Check it out HERE.  

Happy Thanksgiving.  xo jj
Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins

Pause...

Every now and then something happens that feels like a sucker punch to the face causing me to stop and be so present in the moment that it takes my breath away.  I hope that feeling has never, or does not ever, happen to you.  This week it happened to me again.

I was reminded how fragile life is when I walked into our favorite deli-- like my husband and I do every weekend morning for breakfast, and asked to sit in our favorite waitress' station.  The look on the young hosts face gave me pause, then a busboy rushed over followed by another waitress to tell me that Terri, a 20 year veteran of the deli, had passed away in the night from a massive heart attack.  Terri was only 53 years old.

The weekend prior she was out sick because of bronchitis.  Terri actually called my cell phone when she knew we'd be at the deli so I wouldn't worry about her.  She said she was okay but not feeling great.  She was seeing the doctor the next day.

Beyond being a fave waitress, Terri and I developed a friendship outside the restaurant that included emails and phone calls to catch up with each other on family and life in general.  Together we shared the loss of her mother ten years and my step-day last year, the joyful births of our numerous nieces and nephews, health issues, and new stores and restaurants in our neighborhood.  We had sort of woven ourselves into each other's lives over the years and considered ours a meaningful friendship.

Terri called me from the doctor's office to say she was on the way to the hospital because her bronchitis was far more than that.  She'd actually suffered a heart attack and was being whisked away.  We talked briefly so I could take down phone numbers of people she wanted me to call and promised to call me later.

We talked from her Intensive Care Unit bed for the next four days as doctors worked to stabilize her bronchitis that had rapidly progressed into pneumonia and to find a solution to her heart issues.  Wednesday night she started to sound better and a bit stronger when we talked and was optimistic but frustrated with the endless paperwork and social workers because she did not have any medical insurance.

Thursday multiple phone calls to Terri's hospital room and cell phone went unanswered.  Thursday evening she had a massive heart attack and was gone.

As my husband and I were finally seated after hearing the news on Friday, numerous wait staff members stopped by our table to share their sadness.  They'd only learned of Terri's passing a few hours earlier and were all still in shock.  Terri was a sweetheart and loved by so many that I wasn't surprised that the "old timers" who'd worked with her for countless years would be devastated.  But an interesting thing happened around the restaurant...

There was clearly a different vibe in the deli that morning and even if you didn't know Terri or what had happened, you knew something was up.  As regular patrons and "Terri's customers" continued to arrive and learn the sad news, sobs and words of shock could be heard around the dining room.

Terri had, purely by her smile, thoughtfulness, kind words and great service, touched the lives of so many people who were genuinely sadden by her passing.  The thing is, I think that Terri would be surprised by how many people miss her.  I don't think she realized what a difference she made in people's lives.

I know in the coming weeks more and more deli patrons will ask for Terri and hear of her passing. Many will cry as I continue to do.  And, I think many will pause for just a moment and remember her kindness.  I hope they take a moment-- we all take a moment-- to remember the people we see on a regular basis that touch our lives, even with something as simple as delivering eggs and a bagel with a smile and a few kind words.  Terri has reminded me to stay present and to take a moment to appreciate life's little things.

Big sigh.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins
Photo Credit: © rgbspace - Fotolia.com

Thanksgiving Comes First 2011

Dear Retailers, Television Networks, Radio Stations and major corporations:

With all due respect to the holiday, I am asking, actually I'm begging you, to please-- please, knock off the early Christmas chatter. It's only October, not even Halloween yet, but the red and green mall decorations popping up, the trees with shiny stars on top selling ornaments, the jingle bells, the random caroling over the loud speakers, and the increasing stream of commercials, all shouting Christmas, are just too much. It leaves me in a puddle of tears on the floor.

I realize I am not your problem, and I know the economy is rough, money is tight, and profits are at risk, but if you could grant this one request by holding off on "Decking the Halls", until December and remember Thanksgiving Comes First, I'd deeply appreciate it.

Thanksgiving is my great big family's very favorite holiday, one steeped in tradition and filled with meaningful heart-felt memories that we look forward to all year long. On this holiday, we come together as a family for fellowship, joyful conversation, wonderful food, and the opportunity to take time out of our busy lives to say thank you for all the things we are so blessed to have.

We look forward to this day all year long, as do countless other Americans, and it shouldn't be swept under the table, disregarded, minimized, or taken for granted just to cash in on Christmas.

But that is not why I'm asking you to hold off on your commercialized Christmas rush this year. My request actually comes from the bottom of my heart and a sincere need to protect and support my mother and family.

We are devastated over the recent passing of my sweet step-father, Dave, and this will be our first holiday without him. We need more time to heal and mend and prepare our hearts for a Thanksgiving without him leading our family in Grace at the dinner table.

Our hearts are still so very heavy and there is a layer of sadness in my family that is difficult to describe other than to say it is a sadness so deep that Thanksgiving, my step-dad's very favorite holiday, is too hard for us to imagine yet without him.

We started preparing for Thanksgiving months ago, well before Dave's passing. His famous Pretzel Jello Salad and Cranberry Jello were two dishes he planned to lovingly prepare just the way everyone likes them.

He was going to help move the furniture out of their living room so the dining room table could stretch all the way to their front bay window allowing our entire family, young and old, to all be around the same Thanksgiving table together. It's a lot of work but it was that important to Dave and he'd have gladly rolled up his sleeves and made it happen with the help of my nephews and brother.

I know Dave had been thinking about what he would say that he was most thankful for this year when it was his turn to share with the family. It's our tradition before dessert-- to always go around the table and not only thank god and our folk's for the wonderful meal but we also give thanks and verbalize something important to each of us from the past year. We'll never know what Dave was holding in his heart to share but you can be sure he is one person we are all deeply thankful for.

This Thanksgiving will be so difficult for my family, especially our Mom because very honestly, her heart has broken into a thousand pieces. It's obvious to see when the thought of life without her Beloved crosses Mom's mind. And now with so many retailers and corporations all but ignoring Thanksgiving and it's significance makes Mom and my family feel even more devastated by our loss.

We as a family are in desperate need of Thanksgiving and the opportunity to come together and remember the things we are thankful for. As we hold hands to say Grace before our meal I have no doubt tears will flow, but I pray that it is also a time to help the healing process and for us to remember not just our sweet Dave, but also the many things we have been blessed with and are thankful for this year.

So again I ask-- Please do not rush into Christmas yet-- Let Thanksgiving Come First-- for all the right reasons, and because my mom and family are not yet ready to face a holiday with one less loved one in our life.

Sincerely, Joanna Jenkins

It's time to roll the Thanksgiving Comes First boulder up the mountain of Christmas advertising that seems to inundate us earlier and earlier with each passing year. Click HERE to read Suldog's annual post then join in and help spread the word.

Get In Line

All I wanted was a small container of the Deli's sliced potato salad but it took me a full 13 minutes for my turn at the head of the line-- A line that, when I arrived, only had one, count 'em one person ahead of me.

What is it with grown men and women who think it's okay to cut ahead of people in line as if everyone else in their presence is invisible?

At first I thought I'd give the elderly gentleman who barged in and elbowed me out of the way a break because he was, well, elderly. But when I realized he was wearing tennis clothes and was perfectly fit, alert and well aware of exactly what he was doing, he had his sandwich and was gone.

When the Deli guy asked who was next, I raised my hand but another woman appeared out of nowhere. A few years older than me and dressed in her Sunday best, she looked me over as if I had the plague and simply stepped in front of me. So I pointed out to Her Majesty that she needed to "take a number" from the machine at the end of the counter. She did-- as she loudly placed her order, then returned and stood in front of me waiting for the counter guy to slice her turkey and swiss cheese.

Then, when it was almost my turn, a third guy with two wild kids in tow sashayed up and gave the "poor me, I have to babysit" look. The kids were bouncing off the ceiling and dad was clearly beat so the counter guy looked directly at Daddy Dearest and asked him for his order.

What am I-- chopped liver?!?

And so I waited and wondered if the potato salad was really worth it. I weighed my options and decided it would take more time to go somewhere else then it would to get what I needed at the Deli, but sheesh-- What is wrong with people! They know better right? Didn't we learn about not cutting in line around the same time we learned "take one and pass it on" in kindergarden?

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit: © Richard Cote - Fotolia.com

Gasp!

I was reeling over the alleged lack of beef in Taco Bell tacos-- You know, the lawsuit claiming only 36% of their taco beef is actually beef, giving a whole new meaning to the term "mystery meat".

Godson loves Taco Bell and so do I, so the mystery meat revelation was unsettling to say the least. When Taco Bell countered with their 88% real beef public relations campaign I justified the remaining 12% "fillers" as "seasonings and vegetables" and put the controversy out of my mind.

Every Tuesday after school, the Taco Bell #3 Combo-- 3 Crispy Taco Supremes, are smelling up my car on our drive home. He usually eats two and I, um, err, occasionally eat one, as we cruise over the hill to my side of town.

Have you ever eaten a taco while driving twist and turns on a narrow canyon in swiftly moving traffic?

It's best left to professionals-- Which I am clearly not.

Case in point-- Driving home yesterday, starved out of my mind, with the Ghostbusters theme song playing at an ungodly decibel level. With a taco in one hand and the steering wheel in the other, navigation aided by my knee, I was taking a bite of (translation: practically inhaling) my fave mystery meat supreme when I hit a whopper of a pothole....

And swallowed a HUGE piece of taco shell-- WHOLE. Dang!

As the very hard and very jagged two inch square chunk of taco shell scraped its way down my throat at 35mph, I momentarily thought I would, quite frankly, die from the pain.... So, in an attempt for serious relief, I guzzled 16 ounces of root beer so fast it started coming out of my nose-- But still the taco-- now painfully lodged in my throat, did not budge.

Still driving hair-pin turns in fairly heavy traffic, I searched for a spot to pull over but to no avail and started coughing like a crazy person, all the while Ghostbusters, which Godson has on "repeat", continued to blast my eyeballs around my head. Godson, by the way, was oblivious to all of this and continued munching casually on his tacos.

Fast forward two miles later, the little grocery market half way over the hill brings me hope for salvation. I pulled into the tiny, over-crowded parking lot, jumped out, and gave myself a freakish version of the Heimlich Maneuver in an effort to dislodge the piece of taco shell that was now feeling like the size of New Jersey half way down my throat.

Unfortunately, instead of moving the shell up and out-- The crispy shell moved south and further down my esophagus. But-- if I leaned forward and slightly to the right, with my head tilted to a 45 degree angle to the left, with my arms over my head, I could almost breathe comfortably. This position was not, however, conducive to driving, nor was it a red flag for any of the market's customers to offer assistance, so the problem and the pain continued.

Godson eventually rolled the window down and asked what I was doing. Squeaking out a call for help, he was a champ, jumped out, and started pounding on my back, before running back to the car and get me his soda.

If the situation wasn't bad enough already, I chugged Blue Mountain Dew to try to "soften" the chip and relieve the pain. All I can say is, if the mystery meat, an enormous taco shell stuck in my throat, or choking root beer up my nose didn't kill me, I assure you Blue Mountain Dew nearly pushed me over the cliff-- That stuff is nasty, and thanks to the hideous amount of caffeine it contains, I am sure to be awake for the next 36 hours.

But "the blue Dew" helped soften the crispy taco shell enough to move to a less painful position and I could freely breath again.

Thank gawd.

As I type this, about 8 hours after my "leisurely lunch", I swear I can still feel what can only be summed up as a "taco chunk" in the middle of my chest that feels similar to "heartburn from hell". This experience confirms my "adventure" was anything but FAST food.

Was this a junk food "teaching moment" for me? You bet!

I know for sure I will never drink a Blue Mountain Dew ever again. I will never drive with one hand while I inhale food with the other. And I will only eat Taco Bell sitting in the restaurant dining room directly next to the Heimlich Maneuver "how-to" poster.

Better yet, I think I'll skip tacos all together for, oh about, the next hundred years.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

Photo Credit: © kmit - Fotolia.com

Sundays In My City #60 - Canned

Travel the world with

Unknown Mami's Sundays In My City

I have never been a "morning person", not as a child full of energy and certainly not as an adult living with cranky joints and sleepless nights. It takes a lot to get me to set the alarm for 6:45am on a Saturday morning but I'm so glad I did this week.

My godson's mom is an excellent cook-- I mean seriously good and outrageously generous with her wide variety of culinary skills. Our table is regularly graced with everything from her jams and marmalade to pies, tarts and cakes. On Wednesday night we had her homemade butternut squash-filled tortellini. It's the third time in a month she's shared her pasta making skills with us! (Yum.)

So when she invited me to attend a pickling/canning class at Hollywood's The Farmer's Kitchen I thought keeping her company was the least I could do even though, thanks to a hefty case of arthritis, canning, a skill I used to be proficient in and enjoyed quite a bit, is now history. My hands haven't been able to handle all the necessary chopping, slicing and dicing for years.

But this kitchen was different. Twelve women were in the class and everyone shared in the peeling and cutting so the work was spread out and fairly manageable.

What did we make????

Spicy Dilled Carrots, Red Onions in Balsamic

and Vietnamese-Style Parsnip and Daikon Pickles.

Yeah! I actually helped make these delicious, locally grown treats and I'm feeling really good about the sense of accomplishment.

But I didn't stop there. Oh no, no, no.! I went a little crazy....

Tomato Marinara Sauce, Corn Relish, Apple Sauce

and three kinds of grape jam.

Okay, true confession, I didn't actually make those myself but the chef of the class did and they are so wonderful I had to take a stash home. Since Chef only cans what's in season, I bought enough to last a while. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.)

Trust me on this, they are pure heaven.

As for this Sunday... I'm sleeping in-- FOR SURE!

*******

My sweet friend and blogger extraordinaire, Holly of What Your Mother Knows But Won't Tell You had foot surgery this past week. She'll be missing in action for a little while through her recovery. Please stop by and show her some love.

*******

How's your Sunday?

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

For More Sundays In My City CLICK HERE.

Beans

Lately, friends have been asking what I've been up to. I haven't been out of the house much due to my monster cold and I haven't made my usual phone calls or written emails since that would require my missing in action energy. But once people hear my hacking cough they pretty much assume I'm down for the count in bed.

But that's not the case, or at least it's not entirely the case.

Between the usual doctor's visits and unpleasantness that go with being sick, I have been working very hard to accomplish one simple task that's turned into my number one priority every waking minute of the day since Christmas.

I want to open this huge, half gallon jar of our favorite Four Bean Salad....

It was a gift from my brother and sister-in-law for the holidays-- A gift that's actually produced in my hometown by a company owned by the Mayor. It's one of our very favorite treats and as crazy as it sounds-- it's comfort food for me.

But we can't open the jar to save our lives.

The lid will not budge. We've tapped it, run it under hot water, used the rubber gripper thing, held it upside down, stood on one foot, cursed, prayed and pried, but so far-- The jar, after 16 days of trying, is still not open.

I'm kind of a weakling but my husband is really strong and usually the jar opener in this household, but no luck. Same goes for the people I've asked to try to open the jar, who all also looked strong, not the least of which were:

The Postman,

A Garbage truck driver

Three gardeners

One UPS guy

The FedEx woman

Two next door neighbors

The nanny who works across the street

The guy my husband plays tennis with

My BFF

Godson

Both daughters and a son-in-law

Four dinner guests

And my Rheumatologist (Yes! I actually took the jar to the doctor's office with me-- I'm that desperate!)

So I ask you dear Blog Friends-- What's the trick to opening a stubborn jar of Four Bean Salad? All advice, suggestions and secret tricks welcome.

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

Sundays In My City #57 - Food & Giveaway!

Don't Forget To Enter My Giveaway HERE!

$80 CSNStores.com Gift Certificate.

Travel the World with Unknown Mami.

Armed with twelve dozen eggs and five loaves of fresh challah bread, I entered Godson's middle school classroom on Friday to assist him in a cooking demonstration that consisted of teaching a group of very fun, and slightly hyper, 13-14 year old guys how to crack eggs and make Cinnamon French Toast.

Getting hands washed and actually clean was the first challenge that seemed more like herding a litter of kittens but eventually all were scrubbed and covered in aprons (yes, I made them wear aprons) so Godson could get started.

I don't know if it was the promise of food with maple syrup or their actual interest in cooking, but the group quieted down and focused, and I mean really focused, on the task at hand-- Egg cracking. And they did a great job! Only one egg landed on the floor and the rest managed to make it into bowls with a minimal amount of egg shells.

The French Toast recipe was explained and measured accurately and eventually the end result was a delicious smelling and tasting treat...

In the interest of student privacy, this is the best photo I could share.

Here's the recipe courtesy of William Sonoma:

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray or melted butter for cooking

6 large Eggs

2 cups Whole Milk

1 Tablespoon (Tbsp.) Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon (tsp.) Grated Nutmeg

2 Tablespoons (Tbsp.) firmly packed Brown Sugar

1 large loaf of Challah - Cut into 1” thick slices

Butter and Maple Syrup for serving

Directions:

-In a large bowl, using a handheld whisk, beat the eggs.

-Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar and whisk until blended.

-Preheat electric griddle or a large frying pan over medium heat

-Spray griddle/pan with nonstick spray or swirl with melted butter

-While griddle/pan is heating up, dip 1 bread slice into egg mixture and soak, turning once for about 45 seconds on each side. (Make sure the bread doesn’t soak to the point of falling apart.)

-Place bread on preheated griddle/frying pan and cook until golden brown, then flip over bread with a spatula over and continue cooking on the other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Keep warm while you continue to cook remaining bread.

Serve with butter and maple syrup. Serves 4 - 6 people

Godson received high marks for his demonstration and the food was excellent. Even teachers passing by followed their noises into the class for a sampling. In between huge bites and a constant mouthful of food, Godson was pretty proud of himself. So was I.

*******

Stop by and enter my Giveaway HERE.

$80 CSNStores.com Gift Certificate

If you've already entered,

stop by again and leave another comment

for a 3rd chance to win!

How's your Sunday?

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

For more Sundays In My City click HERE.

Sundays In My City #55 - It's Official

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On Saturday, even though we had a turkey hangover and were still dizzy from too many carbs on Thanksgiving, Godson and I got a head start on the next set of holidays since Hanukkah is just around the corner.

We started with this and got an instant energy boost *translation*sugar*rush* after sampling the supplies....

And we had one of these as our excuse to have all those candies...

Before long the kitchen started to smell like gingerbread and cinnamon....

And things started to take shape....

In the end we had a multicultural gingerbread house with runny frosting, but we had a great time decorating and eating way too much candy....

For us, the holidays have officially begun!

How's your Sunday?

Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins

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