Debbie Delozier :: A Casual Affair

Are you counting today as a blessing?  I am.

I thought I’d take a breather from the things going on around me so that I could catch you up on the last week or so.  It seems my breaks from here have been getting longer and longer lately and I must apologize to you for that.  Sometimes life takes over and we end up letting a few things fall to the wayside.

Since I’ve visited with you last, I’ve been able to recover from my short illness and my little hospital procedure.  J also fell victim to the little bug I had which caused him to miss church last Sunday.  I think that may be the first time he has missed church in 2 years.  Believe me, he was sorely missed too.  All  his admirers (which happen to be all the ladies over 70 or so) sent me home with hugs meant especially for him.  Also; without him no one there knew how to record the service.  This meant our local television station had to rerun an old service.  He was just down over the weekend and was able to get back to his normal activities on Monday.

Speaking of J, I want to do a bit of bragging here (it is my blog and I can do that).  The company J works for is a world wide company which bought out the company that bought out the company that bought the family business built by J’s father with help from his father (J’s grandfather), J’s mother, J’s grandmother and later J and his siblings and spouses (each of who in one way or another at one time or another have worked in the business).  Whew!

J is the branch manager of this NE Oklahoma section of plant/warehouse/office or “spoke” (think of a bike tire with the hub in the center and spokes coming off of it).  Nowata’s branch is a spoke off of the NE Oklahoma Hub.   (explanation is over, here comes the bragging part)  J was informed earlier this week that his branch was voted “Spoke of the Year” for the southwest region of the United States area of the business.  This is all due to the hard workers at the plant; some who have been there working along side J and his sister since the family sold the business back in 1991.  Congratulations to all you guys (and girls) at the plant.  Great Job!

Sunday was my first Lent Sunday School class with the teens.  I really enjoyed our time, the teens told me they did too.

This week’s Rotary lunch was meant to be stuffed poblano peppers but ended up as a  roasted poblano pepper casserole.  With this I served a bitter greens salad with roasted golden and red beets and a jalapeno and lime dressing.  I loved this salad, J didn’t;  I’m hoping at least some of the Rotary members enjoyed it.  Not everyone enjoys the flavor of bitter greens and beets.  Dessert was a fast and easy Sopapilla Cheesecake type of dessert.

Each year during the season of Lent our church has a Wednesday noon meditative service and soup lunch.  I volunteered to do the first week’s soup lunch.  Because people choose to give up certain types of foods for Lent I decided to serve 2 types of soup.  The first soup was Cream of Chicken with Butternut Squash Gnocchi.  I’d made  the gnocchi here while back and had it in the freezer for just such an occasion.  I also served the Kale Fagioli soup that is in the Family Table section of this site.  I served fruit with a brown sugar/yogurt cream for dessert.  Everyone enjoyed both the soups and the fruit (which was still just a bit frozen and gave Ms. Rena a good laugh) and cream.

Wednesday was also Youth group so I spent some more time with the teens.  After Youth group we had our first class study over the last week of Jesus.  Our church has 2 classes each week over this study.  The first class is Sunday morning.  This class has about 10 members, including J’s parents and J’s sister.  Because some people were unable to attend Sunday morning’s class Pastor Rob decided to add a 2nd class on Wednesday evening after youth group.  I’m so glad he did as I had already promised to teach the teen Sunday School class.

I had a hair appointment on Thursday morning.  My initial appointment was the week I was sick so we ended up having to reschedule and my stylist is getting so popular that I had to wait 2 full weeks before she could get me in.  I think most of you will be very surprised when you see me.  I’ll try to get a picture soon so that I can change my profile picture.

I think I’ve bored you long enough with my day to day routine.  I still need to make a grocery list for next week’s catering obligations, prepare for Sunday’s teen class and study for my Wednesday night class.  Also, my college student daughter is on her way home at this very moment.

Blessings!

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The sun is shining today and “they” are saying the temperature will reach the mid to high 50′s.  All I can say is “Woo Hoo, it’s good to feel your healing warmth and to  see your shining face, Mr. Sol”.  I know this will make most of us feel that Spring is right around the corner and might burst forth any day now.  After going through photos this morning trying to find one of the “springy sort” I came across this photo from the end of March 2009:      So I think I’ll wait before I get my hopes up.

I didn’t do much yesterday, other than wait, lay around and sleep until late in the afternoon.  This is because my ever attentive, very careful, (and younger) physician, Dr. Jeff, decided that I needed a colonoscopy screening done, since I turned 50 last October.  So his office made me an appointment at the hospital in Bartlesville for yesterday morning.

Preparations for this little screening, as you might know, begin the day before with a liquid diet and a cocktail designed to totally clean out your system.  I’m sure this little concoction may have been conceived by the devil himself.  It isn’t that it tasted bad, it’s only Gatorade (not red nor purple though) mixed with enough laxative for 14 days worth of doses, but I had to drink 2 quarts of this blend within a very short time period and this was after taking 4 Dulcolax tablets.  Needless to say, I didn’t go anywhere after preparations began.

J drove me to the hospital yesterday morning where we checked in and were led upstairs to the Endoscopy (Ha! Sorry, it’s just my strange sense of humor) waiting room.  After a short time they took me back to the screening area where they took my blood pressure, etc and inserted (after 2 tries) an IV.  Then the waiting began.  As those who know me know  I don’t sit and do nothing very well.  I laid there in one of those nice little hospital gowns with an IV dangling from my hand for over an hour, waiting and fidgeting.  Finally Dr. K came in and we chatted a bit before I was taken on into the Screening Room.  I chatted with the head nurse a bit then another nurse shot a little “somethin’ somethin’ ” into my IV line and the next thing I knew (for sure) was waking up on the couch at home around 4 o’clock.

I found out later, after talking with J, that he and I had talked with Dr. K again after the procedure; my post-op nurse, Brenda helped me get dressed and wheeled me downstairs where J pulled around in the car and picked me up.  He  said I then asked for a Big Mac at McD’s (???), ate it in the car on the way home, shared my fries with him, said I wished I had gotten a 2nd Big Mac, came home, undressed, kissed him goodbye and laid down to take a little nap.  J also told me Dr. K had found a few pollops, not a big thing, and removed them while he was there.  Dr. K also found evidence of Diverticulitis which doesn’t surprise me a bit as I used to have quite a bit of trouble in that area and Dr. Flora had done a screening back then.   I eat a lot more fiber than I did then and haven’t had near the trouble I did all those years ago.

J and I were able to go to the Ash Wednesday services at church last evening before getting a bite of supper and heading to the store to grab a few things before heading home.  We discussed the things we are each giving up for Lent, we know it is going to take a bit of strength but it’s only 40 days, and hopefully, we’ll both be better for it.

It’s time for me to get out and enjoy this little bit of sun we’re getting today so I’m going to close this up.  But I do want to tell you, the screening wasn’t that bad (the IV was the worst part, HONEST) and it is something you can do to make sure you are healthy.  So, if you are 50 or over and haven’t had one, go ahead and do it.  Do it for yourself and for those who love you.

Blessings!

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I see it’s been a few days (10 to be exact) since I’ve popped in to say hi and keep you abreast of what’s happening in this little corner of the world.

Last Tuesday I had decided to try a new recipe on the Rotary Club members.  I did a large, double recipe of Sirloin tips baked in a brown sauce and then put over egg noodles.  I served simple vegetables (glazed carrots and buttered peas) on the side and a simple dessert of pound cake with a lemon whipped cream.  I normally prepare double (sometimes triple) recipes for the club and there have only been a few times in the years I’ve been preparing their lunches that we’ve run out of food and this was almost one of those times.  All but one of the regular members made it to the meeting, plus they had 3 guests.  Most of these guys have pretty healthy appetites, so I’m just glad they had enough to fill them up.

Tomorrow’s Rotary Club menu has turned into be a very simple meal.  I’m planning on patty melts with grilled onions and pepperjack cheese, the cranberry walnut coleslaw and chocolate cupcakes with white frosting for dessert.

I’m hoping the Club will eat all I prepare tomorrow too, as starting in the morning I’m on a liquid diet for the day.  Maybe they’ll just leave one for J and that way I can have my clear broth and pineapple jello for my dinner.

In other food related stories:  Here while back our church youth had decided they wanted to have a Valentine’s luncheon as a fundraiser for them and also to help raise some money for them to send to Haiti.  They asked if I could prepare a menu and give them a hand.  Saturday 4 of the girls, Markquis (the youth director), Rob, Cathy, Twyla and myself met at the church and spent half the day preparing 5 very large chocolate trifles, roasting garlic to spread on loaves and loaves of bread, and a very large pot of vodka cream sauce for pasta.  They also made beautiful decorations and set up the tables and folded all the napkins, etc..  Sunday morning before church 2 of the girls and I finished the last minute stuff.  After services the youth served just about 50 guests.  They made wonderful servers and kept their tables very happy.  They also raised quite a nice dollar figure and decided they would send 90% of it to help out in Haiti.  I was so proud of them I could bust.

Speaking of pride;   I was taking pride in myself here while back that I hadn’t been really ill all Winter.  Well, you know what they say, Pride goeth before the fall; and in this case it did.  I ended up spending 2 days in bed last week with fever and deep, down to the bone, body aches and chills. Tuesday night I had an electric blanket, a comforter and a very heavy quilt, made by J’s grandmother, over me and I was still curled up in the fetal position with my teeth chattering.  My poor achy body was so sore even the Egyptian Cotton sheets hurt my skin.  Fortunately that part of it only lasted through the night and things were somewhat better the next day.  The fever finally broke sometime  Thursday morning and life began to get back to normal.

I was so glad that I felt better on Friday so I could get some town errands completed.  Also, our college student daughter showed up later in the afternoon and I certainly didn’t want her catching any germs and being sick.

I was also glad to be feeling better on Friday because my sweet husband had asked me out on a pre-Valentine’s date. Friday evening we drove over to Catoosa and dined at Molly’s Landing.  Even though this restaurant has been around many, many years J and I have never had the chance to go, but I am so glad we finally did.  We had a wonderful time and a marvelous meal.  Plus, they have a little gift shop there and I picked up a bracelet made of shells and a ring with multi colored gemstones.  If you are in the Catoosa area you really need to drop by and have supper there.  I’m sure you’ll have a great evening.

That just about catches us up I think, so I better be heading back in to the kitchen.  Blessings!

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I know there is, once-again, snow in our forecast but I’ve been dreaming of picnics and barbeques.  Once this water-logged yard of ours dries up I’m having a cook-out, you can mark my word as well as your calendars.

So while I’m waiting on the sun to shine and dry up (as well as warm up) this yard I’m flipping through some recipes for that outdoor style dinner.

I prepared this coleslaw for a luncheon for the Ozark Christian College meeting yesterday.  Everyone really liked it so I thought I’d share it with you.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Salad:
1 bag coleslaw mix
½ cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

For the Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tblsp buttermilk or heavy cream (regular milk is fine if that’s all you have)
2 tblsp vinegar (I used an apple vinegar I purchased at IKEA but white vinegar is just fine)
2 tblsp sugar or sweetener
¼ tsp celery seed
Salt & pepper to taste

Now, lets put it together:
Whisk the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Mix the slaw, cranberries and walnuts together and pour the dressing over the top.  Mix well.  I know it seems like there isn’t enough dressing but it is going to be fine after sitting for at least 2 hours.    Sitting overnight only makes it better.

I hope you’ll give this a try.  I bet you’ll even put it on your next big barbeque menu.

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Individual Chocolate Trifle

Today I’m sharing a quick no-recipe recipe that’s pretty enough to. . .  well, eat.

You can also  make this in a large trifle dish instead of the individual dessert cups.

For 8 individual servings or 1 large trifle you’ll need:  

Your favorite brownie recipe (mix or scratch; I’ll leave that up to you)
Chocolate pudding (I use 2 small packages of the instant)
Milk (to make the pudding)
Whipped cream (frozen whipped topping thawed or whipping cream whipped; again, I’ll leave this up to you)
Chopped pecans
Chocolate syrup
Maraschino cherries (optional)

You want to start by making your brownies and letting them cool.  Because of time restraints (having lunch ready for 8 – 16 people by noon) I normally make the brownies the day before.

When I’m ready to put the trifle together I cut the brownies in small, bite-sized squares and make a layer in the bottom of my dish.  Next I add a layer of chocolate pudding, then a layer of whipped cream.  If you’re doing a large trifle just use 1/2 the brownies, 1/2 the chocolate pudding and 1/2 the whipped cream for each layer;  for individual servings you’ll need to use your own judgement to divide everything up.

Now make a 2nd layer of brownie, a 2nd layer of pudding and a 2nd layer of whipped cream.  Finish by topping it with chopped and toasted pecans and then drizzle the top with chocolate syrup.  Finish with a maraschino cherry on top (I forgot to get them at the market, oops).

Refrigerate for an hour or so before serving (it helps soften the brownie a little).  I hope you’ll make this, it’s easy, tasty and pretty too.

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Just dropping in to say “HI”, chat a bit and post a few pictures of this last snowstorm.  The storm slowly arrived on Thursday evening bringing in frigid temps, ice, sleet, snow and blistering winds.  I saw this morning on the news that there are still some areas of Oklahoma without electricity.

Yesterday was Groundhog Day and I’m hearing we should ready ourselves for 6 more weeks of winter.  I’m just hoping it isn’t like the last 6 weeks we’ve experienced.  I think, due to the 2 snowstorms (one beginning Christmas Eve and this last one), we’ve had snow on the ground for most of the 6 weeks.

We had our last night of bowling with our church bowling league on Monday night.  We came very close to winning the traveling trophy this year.  Trinity Full Gospel has won 3 more games than our First Christian, Disciples of Christ group did, so they took home the trophy this year.   Even though we ended up in 2nd place we can all agree that we sure have a wonderfully fun time out there every Monday evening.  It’s a chance for some of the local church people, regardless of which church we belong to or how we practice or show our faith, to come together, get to know each other and have a really good time.

In work news I had my regular Tuesday Rotary lunch and tomorrow will be doing a lunch for the Ozark Christian College group who is in town working with one of our local foundations.  I’ve also been trying to put together a menu, grocery list, etc. for a youth group fund-raising lunch they’ll be doing for Valentine’s Day at the church.  We would love for any of you locals to drop by (maybe in time for morning services) and have a bite of lunch with us.  Our entree will be Penne w/vodka cream sauce which will be followed with a chocolate trifle for dessert.

Drop by the photo gallery before you leave and check out some of our Winter of 2009/2010 photos.

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