Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 59

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!

National Religious Freedom Day

“Ultimately, America’s answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired.”

— Robert F. Kennedy (1925 – 1968)
American politician, US Senator, lawyer, and 64th US Attorney General

Observed annually in the US, Religious Freedom Day commemorates passage of a significant 1786 piece of legislation penned by Thomas Jefferson. The day promotes religious freedom and tolerance.

In the days of the 13 colonies, the faith of Britain’s appointed governor in each colony determined that colony’s official religion. Only white males of that governor’s religion could vote in that colony. In our fledgling nation, Jefferson fought against any such mandatory establishments of religion. Separation of Church and State was very clear. Leaders were expected to practice their religion, but not force it on their states. Everyone was to be able to practice their religion without discrimination or coercion.

And yet, trouble brewed in Virginia, which had been an Anglican colony. The new legislation settled that issue. Dissenters from the Anglican/Episcopal church in Virginia “would no longer suffer civil penalties for their religious beliefs. The precedent was set. Citizens could not be compelled to support any religious worship, place, or ministry.

However, Thomas Jefferson and the founding Fathers expected everyone to have and practice faith. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson referred to God three times… Nature’s God, Creator, and Divine Providence.

In 1954, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add “under God” to our Pledge of Allegiance. “In God We Trust” was added to all US currency in 1955 and became our national motto the next year.

Courts, both high and low, have affirmed and reaffirmed that such a national motto and its appearance on currency and federal buildings does not violate our separation of church and state, as it neither establishes nor endorses a specific religion.

Praise God!

National Hat Day

Observed since 1983, National Hat Day commemorates the day in 1797 when the first Top Hat made its appearance in court, inspiring the judge to proclaim the rather prominent hat disturbed the public. That did not dampen the hat’s popularity. Even baseball umpires wore top hats in the 1800s.

 

 

 

Originally designed for women, fedoras later became strictly a man’s hat, but today they are  not gender specific.

 

 

 

So, what hats have you donned? In 1960, I wore the first of many graduation caps as I graduated from kindergarten.

 

 

 

 

And since posting “crowns” grew popular during Miss America week, here’s a pic from the night I became Miss New Hampshire back in 1975.

 

 

 

During my years at WMUR-TV, hats became the order of the day for special appearance… as when co-anchor Tom Griffith and I attended a Great Gatsby charity gala in 1989 (perfectly dressed by June Pastman of “Junz” for the occasion).

 

 

 

Baseball caps are a very All-American hat. Hubby and I knew we were at odds when Sir Ronald’s was the Yankees, his youngest son Adam’s was the Mets, and mine represented the Red Sox… and we were attending a Patriots football game.

 

 

Of course, we also wear hats for sun protection and when we travel.

 

 

Hats were the order of the day during certain community service activities, too, like grilling hot dogs and burgers for the Kiwanis Fish with a Child event.

 

 

 

And we do enjoy Halloween and costume parties, as when attending events like a Pirate Party

 

 

 

 

Naturally, theatrical productions provided the most moments for marvelous millinery, from playing Morgan Le Fey in Stage One Productions’ “Camelot”

 

 

 

 

… and the New London Barn’s “Man Who Came to Dinner”

 

 

 

 

…to a favorite Palace Theatre production of “The Wizard of Oz” where I played one of my favorite characters… the original WWW.

From fascinators to football helmets, it’s hats off to all hats today!

National Hot Pastrami Day

I can think of no better way to celebrate National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day than sinking my teeth into the crunchy, savory, succulent, perfectly grilled sandwich! Pastrami on rye was introduced to Americans in 1888 by Romanian immigrant Sussman Volk. His deli was New York’s first, and the first pastrami on rye was made with goose meat. Much has changed, and the variations are endless. You can even swap coleslaw for the sauerkraut and thousand island dressing for the mustard, but then you are making a Pastrami Reuben. Today, we’ll focus on the Hot Pastrami Sandwich. You can grill it, toast it, or serve it simply on the bread. Your way is the right way.

Super Simple Hot Pastrami Sandwich
I like to grill these beauties up as I do for a grilled cheese sandwich. That means I spread mayonnaise, rather than butter on the outside of the bread. I think you’ll find little as superbly satisfying as this mini stay-at-home trip to a NY Deli!

1 T butter
4-6 oz shaved pastrami
2 slices hearty Jewish rye bread with caraway seeds
1-2 T Dijon, yellow, or other smooth brown mustard
2 large slices Swiss cheese (or combo with 1 of Provolone)
2-3 oz sauerkraut, warmed on grill or in microwave
2-4 T mayonnaise
2 T butter

Melt butter in skillet over med-low heat; add pastrami. Stir it a couple of times just to warm it through. Spread 1 side of both slices of bread with mustard; top each with a slice of cheese. Then divide the warmed pastrami atop the cheese slices. Pile the warmed sauerkraut on one side and fold the other side over to complete the sandwich. Spread half the mayonnaise on the top slice of bread. Melt the remaining 2 T butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Turn the sandwich over so the mayonnaise side is down and place in the melted butter in the hot skillet (or ridged grill pan). Then spread the remaining mayonnaise on the top slice of bread. Let cook 1 – 1 ½ minutes; turn over with a spatula and let cook another 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Remove from pan, slice in half, and serve hot. Makes 1 sandwich.

KISS Tips: I love to serve this the same way I enjoyed it for years at the Rein’s Deli… with chips or fries and a kosher dill pickle.

To You Abundant Health!

 

“It is health which is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

— Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Indian lawyer, spiritual & political leader, and nonviolent resistance advocate

National Baking Month

We’re celebrating National Baking Month with a recipe from yesterday’s look at National Arkansas Day. Arkansas Possum Pie does not contain opossum… or any other meat. It’s a creamy layered pie with chocolate and cream cheese in a melt-in-your-mouth pecan shortbread crust. Okay, you could opt for Super Simple and use a prepared, store-bought 9” graham or shortbread crust, but the crust is the only thing we’re truly baking in this recipe. The pie’s name came from its deceptive appearance. Topped with thick whipped cream, you can’t see the flavorful layers beneath, so the pie is “playing possum,” so to speak. ‘Tis yummy!

Arkansas Possum Pie
Crust:
1 c flour
½ c butter, softened to room temp
¼ c brown sugar
¾ c finely chopped pecans
Combine with a fork; press firmly into a 9” pie plate. Bake 15 min at 350°F. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Layer:
6-oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
½ c confectioners’ sugar
2 T heavy, whipping cream
¼ – 1/3 c chopped pecans
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and cream in a bowl till smooth; spread in bottom of cooled crust. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the cream cheese.

Chocolate Layer:
1 ¾ c cold whole milk
¾ -1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 (3.4-oz each) boxes instant pudding (see KISS Tips)
Whisk together for 2 minutes; let stand 2 more minutes to set. Spoon over the pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the pie for at least 4 hours before adding the whipped cream and garnishes to serve.

Whipped Cream Layer:
½ c heavy/whipping cream
2 T confectioners’ sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Grated or shaved chocolate curls
2-3 T chopped pecans (or 15-30 pecan halves)

Beat cream with hand mixer till soft peaks form; add sugar and vanilla and continue beating till mixed. Spread over the chocolate layer; garnish with chocolate and/or pecans and serve.

KISS Tips:

For the instant pudding, you can choose 2 boxes of chocolate, or 1 of chocolate and 1 of either chocolate fudge or vanilla or white chocolate. While there’s no substitute for the real thing, if you are a fan of Super Simple, feel free to use Cool Whip in place of whipping cream… or use canned whipped cream.

National Arkansas Day

Joining the Union in 1836, Arkansas became the 35th State. The name Arkansas came from the Quapaw Indians, whom the French called the “Arkansaw.” In truth, the first people to live there arrived around 11,650 BC.

 

 

Much later (around 650 AD) a group called the Plum Bayou built mysterious mounds of dirt that can still be seen at Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park. The Rock House Cave in Petit Jean State Park contains well-preserved rock drawings created more than 500 years ago.

 

The population is about 3 million. And food specialties do not go unnoticed. Arkansas is known for such delights as Southern hush puppies, fried catfish, chicken fried steak, Arkansas Possum Pie, and southern biscuits with chocolate gravy (oh, yeah… breakfast made beauteous)!

1957 photo by Burt Glinn / Magnum Photos

 

Arkansas made history in 1957 when 9 African American students were escorted by Army troops into the previously all-white Little Rock Central High School.

 

 

2007 photo by Doug Wertman

 

But the state is known for more than its role in the Civil Rights Movement. For example, Arkansas is the world’s largest producer of bromine, and it’s the only state that actively mines diamonds. In fact, the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro is the only diamond-producing site in the world that is open to the public. A 37.5-acre plowed field is where visitors can hunt for real diamonds.

Yup. Finders Keepers. The site ranks as the world’s 8th largest diamond-bearing volcanic crater.

 

With its nickname “The Natural State” it comes as no surprise to find beautiful lakes, rivers, mountains, and wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

Among the abundant wildlife species, you will find elk, the Eastern spotted skunk, and the indigo bunting.

 

 

 

The highest point in Arkansas comes in at 2,753 feet. Magazine Mountain is flat-topped with steep cliffs.

 

 

Photo by Brandon Rush

 

Plenty of water flows through and around Arkansas, which is home to the 2nd smallest national park in the US. With just 8.6 square miles, the waters of Hot Springs National Park can reach 143°F.

 

Photo by Patrick Hodskins

 

 

Another “don’t miss” site is Mammoth Spring State Park, which sees 9 million gallons of water flow through every hour.