Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 53

Good for YOU!

 

“Aim above morality.  Be not simply good, be good for something.”

— Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)
American naturalist, philosopher, and writer

National Florida Day

The Sunshine State became a US Territory in 1921, after falling under colonial rule by France, Spain, and Great Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries. Florida became our nation’s 27th state in 1845. Of course, Native Americans were living there for at least 12,000 years prior being named “La Florida” (meaning “land of flowers”) by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. Florida is home to the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the country, since St. Augustine was settled by Spaniards in 1565.

Averaging 300 days of sunshine each year, Florida is famous for warm, sunny weather and beautiful landscapes, average temperatures range from 65-70°F in the northern region and 74-77°F in the southern region. With its 825 miles of publicly accessible beaches, Florida also has the longest coastline in the continental US and is the only state bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. When you are in Florida, you are never more than 60 miles from the ocean, and there are more than 7,700 lakes.

 

Florida has 47,300 commercial farms and ranches, totaling 9.5 million acres. The state ranks #1 for fresh market tomatoes, cucumbers, snap beans, watermelon, grapefruit, sugar cane, and oranges.  Producing 75% of the nation’s oranges, Florida also produces 40% of the world’s orange juice supply.

 

Only Texas and California have larger populations, and approximately 1,218 people move to Florida every day, adding to the 22-million people already living there. Florida is a melting pot with Native American, Hispanic, African, and European influences among those represented in the State’s architecture, cuisine, and culture.

 

 

 

A number of “firsts” can be claimed by Florida. For example, on January 1, 1914, the world’s first scheduled passenger flight occurred, as the plane flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa. NASA also launched its first communications satellite from Florida as Echo 1 launched from Cape Canaveral on August 12, 1960. Benjamin Green, a Miami pharmacist, invented the first suntan lotion.

Key West is the southernmost point in the continental US. Protesting the traffic jams caused by a US Border Patrol checkpoint on the only road to the mainland, the mayor of Key West and a number of businessmen declared the Florida Keys independent in 1982, under the name “The Conch Republic.” (You can still get a Conch Republic passport to the tongue-in-cheek micro-nation, and the Conch Republic flag still flies throughout Key West.)

 

Thanks to Walt Disney’s early vision, Orlando has become the country’s amusement park capital. No other amusement park destination gets as many visitors. In fact, Disney’s Magic Kingdom is the 8th most popular tourist destination in the world, right behind New York’s Times Square, the Las Vegas Strip, and Niagara Falls.

 

 

Greater Miami is the nation’s only metropolitan area with two national parks… Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park. The Florida Everglades mark the only place on the planet where crocodiles and alligators co-exist.

 

Funky Florida facts:

No dinosaur fossils have ever been found in Florida.Florida is the 29th most obese state.Florida is the flattest state.At 345 feet, Florida’s highest point (Britton Hills) is the lowest highest point of any US state, lower than many of Miami’s skyscrapers.Florida hosts more golf courses than anywhere else in the US… more than 1300.Gatorade was named after the University of Florida’s Gators football team, for which the drink was first developed.The Florida driving test no longer requires parallel parking, but you must demonstrate that you can park your car straight and centered in a parking spot… and show that you can use your turn signal 100’ before you turn… and demonstrate the ability to fully stop at a stop sign before safely proceeding into an intersection… and be able to turn your car around in a 30 to 40-foot space.Among the peculiar laws you will find that it is illegal to skateboard in Florida without a license, illegal to sing while wearing a swimsuit in public, and illegal for an unmarried woman to skydive on Sundays. Of course, oral sex is also illegal in Florida, and it’s illegal in Miami Beach to bring a pig with them to the beach. You can also face up to 30 days in jail for selling oranges on the sidewalk.And last, but not least… The famed honky-tonk Flora-Bama Beach Bar, which sits on the state line between Florida and Alabama, hosts thousands of Floridians once a year for its annual Mullet Toss, during which thousands of Floridians stand at the state line and toss dead fish into Alabama. (Hmmm… I am sure there is no beer drinking involved.)

And the Sun Rises on a New Day

 

“There won’t be a better tomorrow if you can’t move on from today.”

— Unknown

Rah! Rah! Rhubarb!

Though this is National Rhubarb Pie Day, we’ll have to use frozen rhubarb, because Spring is still way off in most parts of the country. But rhubarb is a great addition to our diets if we have health concerns. Rich in antioxidants, rhubarb has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. This means that rhubarb is one of the veggies that protects us from many health issues, from heart disease and diabetes to cancer. It also lowers blood pressure and aids digestion.

 

Rhubarb stalks are also being hailed as “the next fruit superfood.” That’s great, even though it is technically a vegetable… a member of the buckwheat family. However, it was labeled a fruit in 1947 to avoid the higher tariffs that were placed on vegetables. That’s okay, especially when we remember that a tomato is technically fruit.

 

 

 

If you like tartness, rhubarb is most tart when eaten raw. It sweetens when cooked, much like onions. Oh, but never eat the leaves. Very toxic.

 

Thanks to Mom teaching me to cook and bake when I was a child, I have been making pies for decades. Rhubarb is a favorite, since I enjoy tart flavors, such as cranberries. But most folks prefer pies to be a little (or a lot) sweeter. So, I now always add strawberries. They sweeten the rhubarb.

 

 

Cathy’s Strawberry Rhubarb Pie  
4 c rhubarb, thick stalks cut in half lengthwise; all sliced in ½”-pieces
2 c strawberry slices (thick or thin, your preference)
¼ c sugar
¼ c light brown sugar
2 (3-oz) or 1 (6-oz) sugar-free strawberry Jell-O
1 T cornstarch
1/3 c flour
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp orange zest
¼ tsp salt
¼ – ½ tsp almond extract, optional
Pastry for 2-crust (9 or 10” pie), fresh or frozen
2 T cold butter, cut in tiny pieces
For glazing the crust:
Either 2 T milk & 2 T sugar Or 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water

In large bowl, combine sugars, cornstarch, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, zest & salt. Toss with rhubarb, berries (& almond extract, if using), till coated. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Dot with butter. Cut 2nd pastry into ½ –  ¾” strips and weave a lattice top for pie.  Fold ends under at edges; press to seal; crimp edges. Brush lattice with milk; sprinkle with sugar OR brush with egg yolk wash. Bake at 400°F for 20 min.  Reduce heat to 350°F and bake additional 25-35 min till crust is golden and filling is thickened & bubbly. Cool on wire rack to desired temperature. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

KISS Tips: You may want to protect crust edges with foil for last 10 min to prevent from getting too dark. Cooling to room temperature allows the juices time to thicken. To absorb some of the liquid that naturally is created by cooking the rhubarb, add 2-3 T instant tapioca in place of the 1 T cornstarch.  Let filling stand 5-10 min before putting in pastry shell. For a Super Simple shortcut version, skip the nutmeg, cinnamon, orange zest & almond extract. You don’t even have to dot the filling with butter.  To add a flavor zip, switch to 1 box Strawberry and 1 box Raspberry Jell-O. You can also top with a full crust, rather than creating lattice, but do cut slits in top for steam to escape.

For the Love of Brownies!

 

This is National Blonde Brownie Day! Oooooh, I have such fond memories of Mom regularly making these for us in the 1950s and 60s. Then I started making them, too. Nothing has changed. They are still merely mahhhhvelous!

 

Blonde Brownies
Mom made these for us constantly in the 1950’s & 60’s.  Nothing has changed.  We still love ‘em! 

2½ c flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ c (1½ sticks) butter, softened
1¾ c packed light brown sugar
3 lg or ex-lg egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 c (12-oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ c (or more) chopped pecans or walnuts

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder & salt.  In a large bowl, cream brown sugar into the butter till smooth; beat in eggs and vanilla.  Gradually stir in flour mixture till well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Spread batter in well-buttered 9×13 or 10×15” pan. Bake 20-25 min at 350°F till golden.  Cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting.

KISS Tip:  These are just as chewy & great when made nut-free. And they freeze splendidly.

National Squirrel Appreciation Day

Whether you think squirrels are pests or fascinations, they are playful and agile rodents. Indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, they are indeed rodents, in the same family as chipmunks, woodchucks, prairie dogs, rats, mice, and beavers. However, they also play an important role in the environment. In one season, a single squirrel can bury up to 10,000 nuts, but a good 25% of those never get dug up again by that squirrel or any other. Thus, squirrels are powerhouses in forest regeneration.

 

Their favorite foods are nuts, insects, and berries. Squirrels are hoarders, but they are also acrobats and bandits. They can run up to 20 mph and jump up to 20 feet in length.

 

We all have likely seen their antics as they fashion ways to access even the trickiest bird feeders. They can also be annoying, as when they gnaw on our home’s wooden siding. I get it. Their front teeth never stop growing, so they must gnaw. But I fear they’ll be in the house one day. We’ve tried a variety of scents they allegedly do not like… from peppermint oil, coffee grounds, and white vinegar to cinnamon, garlic, and rosemary.

Here are a couple of nutty facts about squirrels. A male squirrel is called a boar. The female is a sow. She selects her mates, and mates with several males. She will give birth to an average of 2 to 8 offspring, all of which are born blind. At just 1” long, a baby squirrel is called a kitten.

 

Squirrels run in a zig-zag pattern when trying to escape hawks and other predators. (Yeaaaah, that technique doesn’t work so well with cars.)

 

 

The Native American symbol for preparation, trust, and thriftiness is the squirrel.

 

 

 

And we humans can learn something from squirrels. When it’s cold outside, eat more and bulk up. (Okay, I think we’ve got that covered.) When it’s hot outside, lying down and sprawling out on a cool surface is the squirrel’s answer. It’s called splooting.

 

Have a gleefully squirrelly day!

Say, “Cheese!”

For National Cheese Lover’s Day, I’ll share my updated 1990s recipe for stuffed zucchini boats. They are Super Simple and fast to make. They’re moist and cheesy.

Cathy’s Stuffed Zucchini Boats
3 medium zucchini, not peeled, ends cut off, halved lengthwise
1 c Ritz (or other buttery) cracker, crumbled (24 crackers)
½ c finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 c each: sharp Cheddar & Mozzarella cheeses
½ c chopped sweet onion, microwaved 1 minute to soften
2 T each: minced fresh parsley and Italian herbs (freeze-dried are fine)
½ tsp each: salt & ground black pepper
1 lg egg, beaten
Topping: 2 T butter & 3 T shredded Parmesan cheese

Use a small spoon to remove the pulp, hollowing out each zucchini half to form “boats;’ place pulp in a bowl. Place zucchini shells in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Combine remaining ingredients (except topping) and press into each shell. Sprinkle the extra Parmesan on top and dot with butter. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

KISS Variations: Not only are these great stuffed with cheese as a side dish, but you can also kick it up to luncheon entrée status. For Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats, add some cooked & crumbled bacon or sausage plus 3-4 T of a favorite red Italian sauce.  Crabby Stuffed Zucchini Boats are splendid too. Simply switch muenster cheese for the Cheddar, add crabmeat and a squirt of fresh lemon juice. Or go for Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats by adding shredded chicken and a few drops of Mike’s Red Hot (or other favorite) sauce to the mixture and replace the chopped onion with chopped celery and replace the Parmesan cheese with Monterey Jack.

Trust, But Verify

“The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.”

— Stephen King (1947 – )
American author

Ah, Politics!

We are not the first generation to witness a barrage of attacks on someone in politics with whom folks disagree.

 

 

 

“Before you give up hope, turn back and read the attacks that were made on Lincoln.”

— Bruce Barton (1886 – 1967)
American author and advertising executive

National Classy Day

I like to reflect on people who grace the world with qualities that make it a better place. That said, I note that “classy” needs a touch of refinement, as we could be high or low class, just as the word “quality” does not specify good or bad quality. Classy to me means rich in spirit, not in money.

 

So, I suggest Classy Day seeks those with sophistication, elegance, and inner classiness… whether gobbling up a lobster or lounging barefoot in my back yard.

 

 

 

 

To me, classy folks exude good manners, respectfulness, or a timeless way of dressing, even when donning costumes to attend special events…

 

 

 

…or winning a spring hat contest by  making one featuring Annalee doll bunnies.

 

 

 

I am honored to say that my mother is a perfect example of a classy person. She and Dad met in high school.

 

 

 

 

They were married in 1950, and you can be certain that she was a classy bride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here on my www.GoodLiving123.com website, I endeavor to express and share little things that can help make good living as easy as 1-2-3. I learned all such things from my mother.

 

 

 

 

 

I was quite the handful as a youth, but she had the strength and determination to get and keep me on the right path. As a little tribute to her for her 90th birthday, in 2020 I released a book dedicated to her. “Good Living Skills Learned from my Mother” gave me an opportunity to expound on just a few of the countless skills she worked hard to live and teach by example.

 

 

 

Amidst the 40 that I chose to include, skills like “no idle hands,” “choose to be a positive role model,” “get back up,” and “forgiveness” get chapters. The same is true for “rise above the fray,” “make every moment count,” and “follow your dream.” No matter what she has been doing, Mom always exudes all those skills and many more.

 

 

Of special importance to me is the chapter called, “Leave a Place Better than You Found It.” She always took the extra time to do this, even down to sweeping any stray grains of sand off the porch of the little cabin we would rent for a week at Newfound Lake in New Hampshire before we could drive away.

 

 

 

She was classy during travels, too… whether on a boat with Dad off Cape Cod or on a cruise ship in Bermuda.

 

 

 

 

 

Family has always remained paramount… whether we visited them in Florida…

 

 

 

 

 

…or they visited my sister living in Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mom has always been the “Hostess with the Mostest.” Countless people have been grateful recipients of her gracious hospitality and fabulous baking skills.

 

 

 

I observed her calm and diplomatic approach, and her ability to make others feel special as she supported every endeavor any of her children undertook, like the grand opening of a new bank for which I’d been an organizer.

 

 

Mom lifted us above herself and celebrated with us with a heart filled with genuine love and generosity… even while hosting Miss New Hampshire contestants and then meeting a Miss America backstage.

 

 

Classy people, like Mom, are honest and trustworthy, culturally aware and involved, and self-confident in who they are. Together, Mom and Dad made a rockstar team.

 

 

I feel blessed to have been able to celebrate many of their anniversaries with them… including the 25th, 50th, 60th, and more.

 

 

 

 

Mom loved becoming a grandmother and then watching her grandbabies grow up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And she is a doting great grandmother, too!

 

 

 

 

Now, at age 93, we are blessed with her good health. She works out in the swimming pool, sings in a fun chorus, runs a card shop, plays bridge regularly, and remains active in her women’s organization.

 

 

Her spirits and wits are sharp. We can still talk about absolutely anything and everything and get laughing like schoolgirls.

 

 

 

I am also confident that when the Lord does call her home she will have left this Earth as a far better place than she found it. But till then, I keep on praying for more blessings and more years with Mom.

 

 

 

Happy Classy Day, Mom!

Glenna Gulumian Burnham, my mother, remains the classiest person I’ve ever known. If I can follow her lead in even a miniscule manner, I will know that I have contributed to Life in a positive way.

Thank you, Mom!