Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 68

National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

 

As with many of us, I enjoyed toasting marshmallows over the coals of a campfire.

 

We can also celebrate National Toasted Marshmallow Day with a smore… the traditional graham cracker- chocolate bar-marshmallow sandwich or any variation, like the ones with peanut butter cups. Enjoy s’more!

 

 

Super Simple Smores
I enjoyed toasting marshmallows around a campfire as a child and making these sweet treats. But when we hosted a truly massive bonfire as adults, I needed a twist that could let everyone stand back from the roaring bonfire. Success!!

Graham crackers, snapped in half to form squares
Pieces of milk chocolate pieces (broken snack sizes work fine)
Large, round marshmallows, snipped in half horizontally into 2 rounds

Lay Graham crackers in single layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Top each with 2-3 mini pieces of chocolate, followed by marshmallows (2 halves per cracker square). Bake (or cook in a closed grill) at 400°F for 3-5 minutes. Serve warm!

National Chop Suey Day

Chop Suey epitomizes American Chinese cuisine. Both Chop Suey and Chow Mein are stir-fry dishes. Chow Mein is an authentic Chinese dish, while Chop Suey is totally Americanized. In preparing Chow Mein we typically mix the stir-fried ingredients in with our noodles (or rice), but Chop Suey is served on its own or with rice, perhaps, on the side. So, as today is National Chop Suey Day, feel free to use leftover or fresh proteins and any assortment of veggies that you would like.

Super Simple Chop Suey
Serve over or with rice, if desired.

Marinade: 1 T each: tamari (soy sauce) & oyster sauce
1 tsp salt & ¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cornstarch

Sauce: ¼ c each: tamari (soy sauce) & water
2 T each: oyster sauce & rice vinegar
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 tsp monkfruit (or other sweetener)
1 T cornstarch

Stir-Fry:
2-3 T canola, peanut, sunflower or other high smoke point oil (or as needed)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 lb protein: pork, beef, chicken, or combo cut in thin strips
2-3 c crisp raw veggies, such as sliced sweet onion, sliced/chopped cabbage, diagonally-sliced celery, sliced carrots
2-3 c softer raw veggies, such as thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced zucchini, thinly sliced red bell pepper
1-2 c specialty veggies, such as sliced (or whole) baby corn, sliced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, trimmed snow pea pods

Garnishes:
Thinly sliced chives
Crispy fried Chow Mein noodles

Whisk together marinade ingredients and pour over sliced protein in large, zip-top plastic bag. Let sit for 10-15 min, turning the bag over once. Meanwhile, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside. Heat 2 T oil over med-high to high heat (450°) in wok or large skillet; stir-fry meat just till barely done. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm. Adding a bit more oil as needed, stir-fry crisp veggies 2-3 min; add softer veggies and stir-fry 2-3 more minutes. Then add specialty veggies and stir-fry 1-2 min, before returning the protein to the pan. Add the sauce and stir for 1-2 minutes to thicken and coat ingredients. Serve hot with or over rice, garnished as you prefer.

Power and Politics

“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”

— Mark Twain (1835-1910)
American author and humorist; pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens

Wisdom… hmmmm

 

“Wise men don’t need advice. Fools won’t take it.”

— Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790)
Founding Father of the United States, inventor, publisher, political philosopher

My Spin on a Common Thought

“When farewells make us sad, try to remember that farewells are necessary before we can meet again.”

— Cathy Burnham Martin
Author & dedicated foodie

August 25th is Kiss and Make Up Day!

We can all get a bit curmudgeon-like from time to time. Well, here it is… an official day to live and let go. Let’s release whatever negative we may be feeling… resentments, grudges, or anger. Whether accepted or not, we can try to make a gesture to reconcile. Kiss and make up.

Search for Truth

 

“It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it.”

— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)
German poet, dramatist

Forever

1996 send-off for Miss NH 1996 Michelle Tolson

Honored to have been included in the new “Where Are They Now” series on “Forever Miss NHs,” launched by our 2023 Miss New Hampshire, Brooke Mills. For decades, I have watched the young women grow more beautiful, smart, talented, and community-involved. I am humbled to be considered one of their “Forevers.” Thank you, Brooke!

 

 

With Belinda (Bridgeman) Freeman and Miss NH 1995 Stephanie Foisy Mills Ryan in Atlantic City, during Stephanie’s Miss America Pageant week.

 

The RePost:
!!! Welcome to a new series of “Where are they now?” with our Forever #MissNH’s !!!

Where are they now?
Cathy Burnham Martin, 1975

 

 

May 9, 1975 At Miss NH pageant reception celebrating my 21st birthday

 

As a student at New Hampshire College, I planned to enter their local competition. Because I was nervous to do my first local pageant in front of my college chums, I entered the Miss Manchester Pageant as a warm-up, and won!

 

 

 

August, 1975 – hosting other New England titlists at Volvo International Tennis Tournament dinner

 

Talent: I was thrilled to win the Talent award at the 1975 Miss New Hampshire Pageant. As a stage actress, I chose comedy for my talent and performed Queen Lucy from the Broadway musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” I recall being concerned that I might run over the time allowed, as there was a lot of laughter throughout, but I was thrilled to see the sponsor Union Leader’s publisher William Loeb laughing so hard he was holding his belly!

September, 1975 competing in Miss America evening wear competition

 

Favorite Memory: 1975-76 were packed with an abundance of awesome memories. Some are funny, some are poignant, and all are cherished. The experience taught me a great many skills, including public speaking. (Someone, somewhere believed that if you put a crown on someone’s head, she could speak easily in public… so I learned.)

 

September, 1975 – Atlantic City midnight celebration following Miss America Pageant

My craziest lesson in speaking came while commentating a girl scout fashion show. Not one of the young models would even enter the stage until AFTER I finished reading the one and only line written about them on the little 3×5 cards that I had been given. Sooooo, I quickly learned to ad-lib throughout the entire program. Great lesson and fond memory.

 

 

July 4 1975 parade appearance

 

Favorite Sponsor/Gift: The jazzy Fiat X19 from Sexton Motors in Nashua was a phenomenal gift, as I am certain every other Miss New Hampshire feels about the car that is provided for the year. And wardrobe gifts also provided great confidence and added to many memories.

 

After emceeing 1992 Miss NH Pageant, with the beautiful winner, Rachel Petz

But I think one item stands out as particularly special because I have owned it for decades. From a store that no longer exists in New Hampshire I was gifted a stunning Lane Hope Chest. The idea of a hope chest may seem antiquated in this day in time, but it was a superbly high-quality piece of furniture. Inside, a young woman would collect items for when she got married. These might include trousseau articles or goodies she was making for her future home.

With my 1975 Miss America Pageant sisters at our 20th reunion in Atlantic City

 

What are you doing now? After retiring from an eclectic career path that wove through broadcast journalism, marketing, bank organizing, and telecommunications, I chose writing as my retirement career. With over 20 published books now, genres range from cookbooks and nonfiction to comedy and fiction.

 

Backstage at the 1995 Miss NH Pageant with reigning Miss America Kimberly Aiken and my fabulous Mom Glenna Burnham, an annual, beloved hostess for the State contestants

 

My latest endeavor has been into historical fiction, and the third part of the “Destiny” trilogy will be released late this Fall, concluding a story that tells the hauntingly meaningful tale of the Armenian side of my family. I also try to post something positive daily to my www.GoodLiving123.com website and on social media.

 

 

Anything else?
I gleaned the title of one of my non-fiction works while covering the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City back in the 1990s. I was beside the famed Convention Hall runway with my videographer and heard a couple of guys quipping about the contestants who were on stage rehearsing. “What a bunch of bimbos,” the man beside me laughingly said. “Yeah,” I butted in. “But these bimbos have brains.”
“Huh?” They looked confused. I couldn’t help myself, so I replied, “They are smart, poised, talented, and expected to answer impromptu political, environmental, and life-changing questions in front of 25,000 people… questions that baffle even world leaders.” My later non-fiction life lessons book focusing on relationships got gleefully named The Bimbo Has Brains… and Other Freaky Facts. (Yes, indeed… available in paperback, digital, and Audiobook formats.)

Thinkers

 

“The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.”

— Will Durant (1885 – 1981)
American historian & philosopher

Live Greatly!

 

“The more you venture to live greatly, the more you will find within you what it takes to get on top of things and stay there.”

— Norman Vincent Peal (1898 – 1993)
American clergyman & author
(in his book The Power of Positive Thinking)