#1 Mom

Making cookies this a.m. for the men who are faithful in emptying our trash each week, enjoy, Love you, Mom

#1 Mom

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/12/1-mom.html

my mother - happy birthday

Today is my mother's birthday. Today I celebrate the woman who gave me life and mothered me into adulthood.

My mom is a lover of life. It's amazing that she is because as life would dish out some of it's hardships, she seemed to get a double dose in her very early years.

Mom's early years were pretty much spent learning to survive being passed on from one foster care home to the next. Unfortunately, each foster care home didn't offer much love or nurturing that a little girl needs to thrive. The authorities first removed my mom from her mother when she was abandoned on a bar room floor as a toddler.

Mom never knew who her father was and her only visual of her mother was when she was sought out by her mother for a moment of reconciliation.

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Leary were the last foster care that my mother lived in. And, it was there that she remained until she and my father ran off - eloped to get married. While in the care of Grandma and Pop pop Leary, my mom learned all the 'arts' necessary for a woman to do well at keeping a home.

Because of certain legalities, Grandma and Pop pop Leary were never able to adopt my mother. She was known as "the foster child" of the Leary's.

In spite of life's speed bumps, my mom was an amazing mother. She taught me the value of home and the fun in making home a sanctuary. Mom also taught me the power of the table. Rarely did we have a meal away from the family table and almost always the center of the table had some little touch of her creativity.

Mom's taught me that loving others is what matters in life. She's also taught me that hardships and hardtimes are gifts - they develop character.

So, of the many more things I could say about my mom - I'll add just one more - I wish for you a Happy, Happy Birthday dear Mom!

my mother - happy birthday

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-mother-happy-birthday.html

Mom's Pennsylania Dutch Potato Soup

Since my first post on my mom's wonderful potato soup, I've made it almost weekly. It's that good. And, because it's that good, I wanted to re-post this recipe from my Mom's Kitchen.

Moms says to:

Peel and cube about 4 to 5 potatoes. I actually add 3 more.

Chop a whole onion and several celery sticks. It's up to you how much.

I add crushed garlic.

Saute this mixture.

Then add the vegee mixture, the potatoes in your big pot and cover it with 32 oz (or more) of chicken broth. I use Trader Joe's.

Then add (gulp) 1 stick of butter and (yum) one cup of sour cream. It's rich and it's wonderful.

Then thicken the soup with about 3 T. corn starch mixed with 1/2 cup of milk.

Add fresh dill. I use dill liberally as I have fresh dill in my garden.

Heat and do not boil. "Mash" the cooked potatoes with a potato masher. DELICIOUS!

For an extra kick, chop finely jalapeno and add it to the soup. This made it more than wonderful.

Mom's Pennsylania Dutch Potato Soup

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/12/moms-pennsylania-dutch-potato-soup.html

Christmas Special Bundt Cake - From my mom's kitchen

Mom made this delectable treat today.

I had to show you and have her send the recipe!

Way to go mom and on your birthday!

Dark chocolate Bundt Cake

8 oz.semisweet Chocolate, Coarsely chopped
1 (16 oz) can of Chocolate syrup
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 larget eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp.vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in a microswave-safe bowl at high for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total). Stir in chocolate syrup until smooth. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt, Add to butter mixture,alternately with flour mixture. Beat low speed after each addition. Stir vanilla and melted chocolate just until blended. Pour batter into a greased and floured 14-cup bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.......cool cake in pan on a wire rack. 15 minutes..............then turn onto cake stand and garnish.

Garnish -wintry-white icing. strawberry slices and sprinkled with red sugar.

Wintry-white icing
2 cups of powdered sugar
3 to 4 tbsp.milk
1 tsp.vanilla extract.................stir together until smooth............and start slowly pouring.........

Mom's recipe came from Southern Living!

Christmas Special Bundt Cake - From my mom's kitchen

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-special-bundt-cake-from-my.html

My Mom's Kitchen - Her Chili Recipe. YUM!

My mom is one of God's best cooks!

A few weeks ago, I posted her incredible pototo soup and this past week, I begged her to send me her Chili recipe.

She did so today.

I must say, that my Mom
is a "from scratch only" kind of woman.

I'm proud of that.

Mom says, "I use two of everything."
2 lbs of ground round

Mom says, "Do not use cheap hamburger meat."
Saute one whole onion and 8 garlic minced cloves.
Add ground round and add . .
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin2 tsp. ground oregano
2 tbsp. seasoned salt
1 dried chili pepper, crushed, seeds removed

Then, add 2 cans of diced tomatoes & about 1/4 cup of diced green chillies.
Then add two cans of tomato sauce (10 oz). Take one of your cans and add one cup of water, take second empty can and add one cup of red wine. (Wow, that sounds like it might add some great flavor.)

Next, add two cans of Kidney Beans. Put everything in crock pot and let simmer on low for several hours - at least 4 - 5 hours.

Mom says, "The more you let it simmer the better it tastes."

My Mom's Kitchen - Her Chili Recipe. YUM!

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-moms-kitchen-her-chili-recipe-yum.html

What's for dinner tonight? Soup from my mom's kitchen

Moms are great resources :-). My mom, especially is and I'm so thankful that I still have both of my parents around.

Mom's an amazing cook. I remember, at one time, she pursued "gourmet" cooking (and my dad did too). It was fabulous to be on the receiving end.

From time to time, my own daughters call for a "memory" food recipe and I find myself, from time to time doing the same. I'll call mom and ask for a recipe. The one I asked for last week was for her Potato Soup.

It's what I'm serving for dinner tonight. Since my mom has so many wonderful "memory food" recipes, I decided to start a post with her recipes called From My Mom's Kitchen. What will be good about these recipes? My mom is from Lancaster, Penn and cooks with that Pennsylvania Dutch touch.

Mom grew up in Lancaster and I spent half of my growing up years there. I can still remember "cup cheese" and "shoo fly pie" (of which I have a fantastic recipe for) and Lebanon baloney...

Last week my mom sent me an email: I love fresh dill, have always used it in sour cream cucumbers, and mashed potatoes at times, It has a flavor of it own. I have always added onions and celery to most everything from salads to soups. Then the chicken broth made sense as I am using it also in many things like when I make the chicken and dumplings. Some people use flour for a thickener...........no way have I ever, Corn Starch is the only way as it will never lump for you. It also enhances a much better gravy, smooth and hum good. Enjoy. So it could be called a little bit of this and that. let me know................. later, mom


From My Mom's Kitchen - Mom's Potato Soup
I use about 4 to 5 potatoes, peeled & cubed,
chopped onion, & celery, (the how much is up to you)
salt, pepper, fresh dill. (yeah, I have fresh dill in my garden!!!!!)
Cover with two cans of chicken broth. (I do have homemade stock in the freezer, but for this I'll use some TJ's organic broth)
Add 1 stick of butter and one cup of sour cream. (oh, my is this going to be rich!!!!)
Thicken soup with corn starch mixed with 1/2 cup of milk.
Heat and do not boil. DELICIOUS!

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If you try this, will you post a comment please? Thanks.

What's for dinner tonight? Soup from my mom's kitchen

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2007/12/whats-for-dinner-tonight-soup-from-my.html