Blueberry Stackers

Last week we were home visiting family for our annual Summer trip to Louisiana. While at my in-laws, I offered to make supper. I fixed a Wild Rice Soup from my new Bisquick Cookbook. I decided we should have a dessert to go with it, and I quickly located a couple that looked good in the cookbook, but we didn't seem to have all the ingredients for any of the desserts I came across. Back home in LA at each of our folks' house, if you want to go to the grocery store, you have to make an extra trip to town, so I needed to use what was on hand. So, I decided to experiment. Now for those who don't know me well, I tend to be a rule follower most of the time, and that includes following recipes exactly as written. But desperate times call for desperate measures! Below is the recipe I ended up creating with what was in the house. I based it partly on one of the desserts in the Bisquick Cookbook. It turned out tasting pretty good!


Blueberry Stackers

1 package Pepperidge Farms Pastry Puff Sheets
1 package of fresh blueberries
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream
vanilla or almond or lemon flavoring
confectioner’s sugar

Cut pastry sheets into 3x3 squares and cook according to package directions. Cool squares then separate into bottom and top halves.

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Mix in sugar and a touch of flavoring. Beat whipping cream in chilled small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Add confectioners sugar along the way for texture and taste. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Layer pastry sheet squares with cream sauce and blueberries. Make layers with at least 3 pastry squares, and top with cream cheese mixture and 5 or 6 blueberries. Makes lots of servings.

Home Study Update Completed!

Our Adoption Home Study was scheduled for an update this summer in order to renew our Immigration paperwork. Ashley, our Home Study social worker, stopped by for our interview and house walk-through last week. We also had to update all of our criminal background checks. Now we just continue to wait some more. This Home Study and Immigration paperwork will be good for another 18 months. Pictured here is Ashley with Rick and me on the day of our Home Study update in the room that will be Elianna's one day. Right now it's our Library.

Cooking in Cast Iron

Rick and I started a new venture with some friends -- a website called "Cooking in Cast Iron." Cast Iron collecting and cooking has become somewhat of a hobby for Rick and me, so we decided to share our interest with other like-minded folks. Pictured here are some recent dishes we've made using some of our cast iron cookware. Click the title of this blog entry or go to http://www.cookingincastiron.com to read about how to season, care for, and use cast iron products. You will find links and discussions to other sites, too, as well as a photo gallery of cast iron items. Video podcasts will be available sometime in the next couple of weeks, so be sure to visit again later to learn more.

China Hope Chest

It occurred to me back at Christmas when we were home with my Mom for the holidays that my hope chest from when I was in high school has an Asian motif. How appropriate that the hope we have for our daughter in China is represented in this family heirloom!

On My Nightstand This Month

Old Friends

Getting together with old friends is always relaxing and refreshing. This past weekend we reminisced with old friends from out of state, old friends with new babies, and old friends with new babies on the way. Rick patiently grilled in the rain (with Rob's umbrella saving the day). The kids entertained themselves playing X-Box while the adults oohed and ahhed over babies and caught up with the latest family news. See more pictures by clicking the title of this entry.

Camping Adventure #2

Rick and I spent the weekend with friends camping on the hottest weekend so far this summer. Are we crazy? Bessie was glad to get back to her air-conditioned comforts of home, as were we. We had lots of fun, though, sitting around and visiting with our friends, grilling, make s'mores around the campfire, and sleeping with the cool breeze blowing through the tent at night.



Somehow Rick managed to escape all 80 of the pictures we took.

Another Mother's Day Spent Waiting

Just over a year ago we were logged into the China database for adoption. At that time referral wait times were approximately 17 months from log in date. That would have meant traveling to pick up our Elianna in Fall, 2008. Since our log in date, wait times have increased dramatically. The earliest possible date right now to get a referral for Elianna is Summer, 2010, and traveling to China to pick her up in Fall, 2010. That's being on the generous side. Many believe the wait times will keep increasing. I pray everyday that those folks are wrong.

I turned 41 years old last month. Rick and I were married 18 years ago. We've battled infertility for 14 years. We started our process of adoption in 2006, when wait times were just over a year for a baby. I never dreamed that our new route to a baby would end up as another frustrating, long process.

So, once again, I skipped the Mother's Day service at church. Once again, I packed away some of Elianna's baby items so we can use the storage space for more immediate needs. Once again I updated my blog with news of longer wait times.

I'm tired of "once agains."

On My Nightstand this Month

National Cornbread Festival

Rick and I attended the National Cornbread Festival this past weekend in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. 'Betcha didn't even know there was such a thing! The weather was perfect, and the crowds were manageable. Approximately 44,000 folks attended last year's festival. I don't know about this year's count. Ironically, I didn't even have any cornbread the whole time I was there! Rick had pinto beans and cornbread for lunch and bought a bag of cracklin' corn bread to take home. I feasted on real kettle corn made in a huge vat and stirred with a big wooden paddle. Mmm, mmm, good! Sure beats microwave popcorn.

There was lots of Bluegrass music to be had, including some impromptu jam sessions. Rick and I toured the Lodge Cast Iron factory and brought home 19 items. Yes, we do like our cast iron!

Click the title of this entry to see more pictures from the exciting festival!

One Year Mark of LID

Today is the anniversary of our Log In Date (LID) with China. LID is the date when a waiting family's dossier is logged into the Chinese Database to wait for an adoption referral. At the time of our LID (April 10, 2007), the wait time for a referral was approximately 17 months from LID, which would have had us traveling to get Elianna in late Fall, 2008 (just 8 months from now!) The wait time now is close to three years, which would mean a travel date of approximately Summer, 2010, more than 2 years from now. Those wait times could increase even more, but our hope and prayer is that wait times will decrease, and we will travel to get our little girl sooner than later. She already has a Christmas stocking waiting for her!

This summer we will renew our home study, immigration paperwork, criminal background checks, etc. By the looks of things, we will have to renew everything at least one more time after that before we travel.

Hope

Bessie is the most hopeful dog I know. Surprisingly, she only does this when Rick cooks, not when I do. Hmmm.

Bunny Cake

Rick's Mom is famous for her "bunny cake" at Easter time. The last time we actually had any of the cake was Easter, 1991, back when we lived in Louisiana. This year, we were invited to have Easter dinner with some friends. When we were discussing meal plans, Rick announced, "Kathy can make a bunny cake!" Well, as most of my friends know, I'm not much of a baker. So, I was quite intimidated about the whole bunny cake idea, not to mention that the day before Easter was crazy with activity. I ended up baking the cakes (it takes 2 round cakes) at midnight for the next day. I must say, I was quite proud of the results. I've included a picture of the 1991 bunny cake that Rick's Mom made, along with a picture from Easter, 2008.

Snow Hits Simpsonville!

My Hero: Bartleby the Scrivener?

Why Bartleby? I love his one and only response to all requests: "I prefer not to." Those words do not seem to be in my vocabulary. But, oh how I wish they were! Not all the time—just SOME of the time. I must have some sort of need to please people, because I have lots of trouble saying, "No," even when saying "Yes" prevents me from taking care of my own needs. Bartleby's stubborn responses eventually led to his demise, but I'd be willing to experiment with a few "I prefer not to"s.

On My Nightstand This Month

Three of these books I've actually already finished reading, so technically they aren't on my nightstand right now. But, all four of them have been part of my night-time reading ritual during the month of January. Two of them (Sheep and My Name is Sally Little Song) are nominees for the 2008 Kentucky Bluegrass Award. Island of the Blue Dolphins was one of Rick's favorite books as a child. He's been trying to get me to read it for 17 years! Simple Church is a great research book about the differences between simple and complex churches. I think much of the research and insights can be applied to schools, too.

I highly recommend all 4 titles.

Rick Hits the Big 4-0!

Rick turned 40 a few weeks ago. To celebrate, I planned (with Kelland's help) a Halo 3 Surprise Party for Rick and 9 of his friends. After dinner with a group of friends at a local eatery, I drove Rick to the clubhouse of our subdivision where Kelland and Steve had already set up 3 separate screens with 3 controllers at each one to play Halo 3 til their heart's content (which usually translates to somewhere between midnight and 4 a.m.). Rick even had a Halo 3 birthday cake! The guys try to get together for large group tournaments about once a month or so. Must be some sort of "mid-life crisis" thing . . . (although Rick vehemently denies being anywhere NEAR midlife)!

Clark Wins Employee of the Year!

My brother, Joel Clark Putman, won the Employee of the Year Award at his company in Louisiana. He's always been a hard worker, and I'm glad he was recognized for his accomplishments. Way to go Big Brother!

Mom's Famous Dressing

My Mom's dressing is always the best ever, and I've never even attempted to learn how to make it. But this year, I decided to help Mom out and to write down the recipe for future use, too. There's a funny family story about Rick calling Mom one day from Kentucky the night before some potluck event we were going to attend. We had decided that Mom's dressing would be the perfect thing to take. When Mom answered the phone, Rick said, "Can I get your recipe for dressing? I want to make some for a potluck." Mom said, "Sure. About 3 months ahead of time, start saving leftover cornbread and put in the freezer." Rick just sighed and said "Nevermind." We bought a premade batch at Kroger instead.

Well, this year for Christmas, I watched and learned. Mom pulled out the leftover cornbread and crumbled it up while I stirred together all the other secret ingredients. Mmmm, mmm, good!

Right to the Point Movie Reviews #3

Movies Reviewed
1. Love in the Time of Cholera
2. Enchanted
3. Beowulf

Theater Crowd
1. Love in the Time of Cholera -- 6 females, including me
2. Enchanted -- approximately 1/3 of the theater filled with a wide variety of movie goers
3. Beowulf -- full theater, more men than women, wearing bizarre glasses

Origin
1. Love in the Time of Cholera -- modern literary tome
2. Enchanted -- fairy tales
3. Beowulf -- ancient epic tale

Plot
1. Love in the Time of Cholera -- Boy falls in love with girl; Girl marries someone else; Boy waits more than 50 years for girl; Happy ending
2. Enchanted -- Boy falls in love with girl; Girl banished by evil stepmother; Boy and girl find true love; Happy ending
3. Beowulf -- Boy falls in love with queen; Boy battles various monsters; Boy wins queen; Unhappy ending

Quotes
1. Love in the Time of Cholera -- Dr. Urbino: "A man should have two wives: one to love and one to sew on his buttons."
2. Enchanted -- Robert: "You're not going to sing, are you?"
3. Beowulf -- Beowulf: "They say you have a monster. They say your lands are cursed. I am Beowulf, and I will kill your monster."

Recommendations
1. Love in the Time of Cholera -- girls only - definite chick flick
2. Enchanted -- great date movie; fun and lighthearted
3. Beowulf -- guys would see it again and again

Camping Adventure

Rick and I headed out for a camping adventure with some of our friends. Our city-slicker friends stayed in fancy-shmancy campers while we roughed it in a tent. Despite the fact that I was sick throwing up the first night of camping, I had a wonderful time overall and can't wait to go back! My favorite part was sitting by the campfire late into the night telling funny stories. Good times.