My Recipe For Life! (To Thank You All)

I've been mortally scared three times in my life. The first time was the period before Jeffrey was born, when I was in the hospital for seven weeks and his health (and life) were uncertain. The second time was when my Mama got sick and eventually died from complications from open heart surgery.

And the third time occurred over the past three weeks.

I've always been terrified of cancer. I'm so thankful I don't have cancer.

I learned something these past few weeks, and it is a recipe I think belongs on this blog: it's My Recipe for Life.

Take one part pure emotion, from friends, students, and family from here to Washington State to New York to Tampa Bay to Spain to Belize and Wales and back again;
Add a generous dash of humor, from the Hamster Dance to Fierce Frog and Operation games and Witchy-Poo Hats and casting Satan out of my office for good measure (Shundra, you were right all along);
Sprinkle with heartfelt treats, like homemade GF pound cakes, ginger cookies, Coke Zeros, and Snickers Bars (as Snickers are naturally gluten free);
Brighten the flavor with cards and flowers and beautiful letters from dear, dear friends. Emails in the middle of the night. And Facebook notes. And phone calls burning up the wires!
Fold in the gathering of dear friends and my dearer family, flecked with an hour of Polka Joe and Oma and the Ooompahs;
Salt with a good cup of tears, a little displaced anger and some bitterness, because we all got scared in the middle there;
Pepper with cursings at cancer from those who sadly know all to well about it;
Toss generously with strong, fervent prayer, positive thoughts, and a knitted Linus blanket.
For good measure, add a miracle.

Serve in the beautiful silver bowl from the Peachtree Street Girls, while wearing a Braves Cap!

I can never, ever, thank you enough for all you've done for me this past few weeks. New friends. Old friends. ALL friends. You have given me the strength I needed to get through yesterday. And we did it together.

At this moment, pick the song of your choice and join me as I rejoice!

Much love. Really.

Ging

No cancer!

I'm home. I'm fine. There's no cancer.

More later.

Much love and THANKS for all your thoughts, prayers, poems, presents, and love!
Ging

Sour Cream Pound Cake (A Sunday Blessing)

OK, so it's Saturday. I'm a little preoccupied tomorrow.

One of the few foods I've been missing terribly since I went GF is pound cake. Sour Cream Pound Cake. That was one of my Mama's signature dishes, and I loved it. I can't make a pound case for spit, so I have been without. Tommie, our wonderful secretary, made me one last Christmas before I stopped eating gluten.

I miss a good pound cake. So versatile -- can be cake, can be frosted, can become strawberry short cake.

My favorite part of the cake is the crusty crumb outside of it. It has to flake into crunchy bits. I thought long and hard about how to make that happen with a GF flour mix, and finally found a blend -- Carol Fenster's, I believe -- to use for it. I surmised (and I was right) that a combination of sorgham flour and corn starch would do the trick.

A few weeks ago, i asked (ok, begged) my student Rachel Stubbs to ask her mother to make me a Sour Cream Pound Cake. I told her I'd provide the flour mix for it, and all she had to do is make the cake.

Last Tusday, Rachel bought me the cake, and it was the crunchiest, most beautiful pound cake I've ever seen. True, the color is a little different because of the GF flour mix. But except for being a little bit denser than my Mama's cake, it was perfect.

When Rachel gave me the recipe -- it turned out the be the same recipe I had in my recipe box. My Mama's cake, from her Mam's kitchen, from her oven. Kharma Kale!

So without further ado, here it is.

GF Sour Cream Pound Cake By by Me and my Mama and Rachel Stubbs and her Mama (whose sister studied Home Ec with my Aunt)

Flour mix:
1 1/2 c. each sorgham flour and cornstarch
1 c. tapioca flour
1/2 c. corn flour (not masa de harina)
(there will be a little mix left)

1 1/2 c. butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups flour mix
1 T. Xanthan gum
1 8 oz container Sour Cream
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. lemon extract and 1/4 t. almond extract (or you could add any flavors of your choice)

Cream butter and add sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well till fluffy.
Sift flour mix, salt baking soad and add xanthan gum. Add butter alternately to dry mixture with sour cream, ending with flour mixture. Then blend in extracts.

Bake in a greased and GF FLOUR MIX floured pan at 325 degrees for 90 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes, and then remove from pan and cool completely.


Much love and happy pound cake!
Ging


Surgery update: Surgery is Monday at around 8 a.m. Thanks for your continued prayers.

A day at Atlanta Motor Speedway

I am exhausted, and the last thing I needed to do this Friday before my surgery, was spend seven hours walking around Atlanta Motor Speedway's "Fan Fest."

But Jeffrey and I have a tradition: If I'm in town, and it's not raining, we head to AMS for the qualifying/happy hour day of the race. We've actually done this four times -- once with Susan -- and we always have such a good time. We play the games at the exhibits, we walk and look at collectibles, and we make fun of the Knuckle Dragging NASCAR Hell Fans.

See there are fans like us -- Jeffrey in his vintage Valvoline Pit Crew shirt (which 10 people asked where we got it) and Goodyear jacket and Jimmie Johnson hat (for me, because I don't wear NASCAR gear because I don't OWN any NASCAR gear). Nice people in regular clothes, a tshirt or hat (or both), a jacket here and there.

Then there is Knuckle Dragging NASCAR hell fans.

You know, like the couple dressed in matching Dale Jr. wear (from head to toe), smoking Marlboros, drinking Miller Lite in a Chevy koozie while hauling a wagon with a no. 8 flag flying off the back AND a bumper sticker that says "Jeff Gordon is Gay." Or the woman with boobies to her navel wearing a (braless) Tony Stewart Tank Top and cut off denim short shorts, chain smoking, popping gum and drinking a beer in a can while her daughter talked about how much she wished she could have sex with Kasey Kahne. LOUDLY talking. While chain smoking. And drinking.

But I am so tired. My poor back, which is already dreadfully tender, got worse as the day went on. I went to the Richard Petty House to get some Goody's, only to find it has aspirin in it, and I can't have any of that now that surgery is only 72 hours away. So I stumbled on, but we had a great Mom and Son time. It's amazing what amuses my son.

Here are some cute pictures from the day:


Jeffrey driving a simulator at the Pep Boys booth


My son WITH The Pep Boys. I was tempted. SOOOO tempted.


Jeffrey driving a giant CROCS shoe simulator. I was impressed. I bought Crocs at AMS.

Some of the fun/cool/things that happened:

1. I met a guy who works for a sports advertising/marketing firm in Atlanta who wants to talk to some of my students for internships. AND he works for Fathead. I won Jeffrey a Fathead Elliot Sadler poster for his house. Fair and square.

2. They had a great Crocs booth and display -- not only did I find a pair of size 8 Mary Jane Black Crocs (which I've wanted) BUT i got a whole of cool free Croc stuff because I'm a suck-up. Shoot, if I hadn't already paid for my operation, I could have had some cute as heck fleece lined Crocs. Maybe Santa... (AND Julie/Joy/Jenn/Rachel -- BABY CROCS galore in every size. CUTE!)

3. I managed to have a completely GF and nonCC meal! The Johnsonville Brats people had plain grilled brats, no where NEAR buns, so I had two (they gave me a deal). I also had at least a whole NASCAR burger patty that they were serving in a cup, no condiments, and no bread! Imagine.

4, Of course, we spent $16 on sodas (I forgot the cooler rule at AMS, i.e., only idiots don't bring coolers). At least we bought them from a church group inside the grandstand.

5. I met, for a brief second, that metrosexual NASCAR driver, Michael Waltrip. He was very frou-frou with his hair and all, but he smiled and gave me a high five. Couldn't get the phone out fast enough.

6. I got lots of good junk that will stuff Randy and Jeffrey's stockings this year. Cool stuff. Can't say what cuz Randy reads this blog :-)

7. Got stopped by the State Patrol and sweet talked my way into a warning. Carter is a speed racer. Thank GOODNESS Jeffrey started telling the trooper we were going to Hampton. THAT was one of Jeffrey's favorite parts. He loves it when we get stopped, even if almost never happens (thank GOD!)

8. Got at least 10 free bottles of bleach and 10 free packs of trash can liners from Dollar General. AND a T-shirt.

What can I say. I was tired and sore, and I'm hurting right now (hello Xanax?) But it was worth it to see my baby smile in the stands as the cars roared by. There's nothing like our special trip to AMS every year, and we are already planning for March.

Much love, and vrooom vroom.
Ging

Fake Spaghetti

Make your meatballs browner than these. They're a little underdone.

In my family, there are two kinds of spaghetti sauce - real sauce, the Grandma Redente model from Italy, and fake spaghetti. Fake spaghetti is what you make when you're lazy and you don't want people to know it. I remember when I was first married (the first time) I made an Italian Meal for my parents and inlaws (outlaws) together for dinner. Only my Mama knew for real that it was fake spaghetti.

I have a confession here -- my favorite fake spaghetti used to be from Shoney's. Now, of course, I wouldn't go there, but there was something about the meat sauce. But I don't make spaghetti with meat sauce unless someone requests it. I usually make my Fake Spaghetti.

OK, so in my family, when we want the taste of real sauce but not the work, here's how we do fake spaghetti: we make meatballs (and maybe cook some mild and hot Italian sausage), then add a jarred sauce to the drippings.

Yesterday I decided that I would need some fake spaghetti next week after surgery, so I decided to use the ground beef I had in the fridge to make meatballs. My recipe is very authentic (i.e. from my Aunt Jeannie, and from my Mom, whose parents were born in Italy). Point of contention: my uncle Sebby doesn't like onion in his meatballs. Neither does Randy. So we argue in on the Redente side on how to make the meatballs). We also argue about size. My Aunt Jeannie used to make them really big like a baseball; my Mama made them like a golf ball. I'm in the golf ball camp here.

And to eat them right -- eat the meatballs and sausage first with your salad, THEN eat a bowl of pasta with sauce.

So here is a recipe for real Italian meatballs that will make just about any jarred sauce taste great.

2 pounds 8 percent fat ground beef (these have just enough fat but not too much).
three eggs
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs (I use GF but you can use any kind -- even italian flavored)
four to five cloves of garlic finely minced (VERY FINELY MINCED)
1 small onion or two large shallots, very finely minced (optional - I use onions for me, shallots if Randy is eating them)
1 T. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning (or italian seasoning of some kind)
1 T. Parsley, dried or freshly minced
2 t. garlic salt
1 t. pepper
1/2 c.parmesan cheese grated (I don't care if you use green can stuff).

Mix this up -- don't mix it too much, but it should hold together when you roll into balls. If it is a little loose, add more crumbs or cheese til it is stable.

This should make about 18 golf ball sized meatballs. (I always have to eat two or three). Brown a small amount of the meat in the hot oil to check the seasoning. Add more garlic salt or pepper if you think it needs it (but I don't think it will). Brown the meatballs in olive oil in a pan of your choice. If you're going to add sauce to the pan, make it a high-sided pan. When the meatballs are cooked almost through (about medium) drain off fat and return to pan. Add the sauce. Stir well and simmer. If you're making Italian Sausage too, just buy them, cut them into links, prick them with a fork, and cook them 2/3 of the way through in hot water in a frying pan. Drain well and add to sauce. If you skip this step, you can get a similar taste in your sauce with 1 t. dried fennel seeds.

You can also put the cooked meatballs in the Crockpot, add sauce, and simmer away all day while you do something else, like hike the Adirondacks.

This is a little more work than just browning the beef and adding sauce, but it is so, so worth it. I can make this up in about a half hour total. And it makes great leftovers for pizza toppings and sandwiches. Serve on the pasta type of your pleasure. My Dad prefers penne, I like thin GF spaghetti, and sometimes I just like it on bread with more cheese.

Much love, and I hope you enjoy half of a family secret recipe. Maybe someday we'll make some sauce.

Ging

Let it rain (more than A Sunday Blessing)

I love music of all kinds, and I love to sing. Songs are often the "art imitates life" I refer to in conversation. I mean, if I can use a rap by Eminem in my Mass Media Law Class to explain the FCC....well. I love music for what it means.

I especially love old hymns and gospel music. I'm the epitome of "make a joyful noise," but I was in a church choir since I was a little kid, and have always loved singing hymns. In fact, the biggest thing I miss about attending church is being among the fellowship of a choir.

This morning, I can't get a couple of polar opposite songs out of my mind. One is an old hymn, the other classic rock. Go figure.

If you've ever been to a church revival, you know the first one -- Showers of Blessing. It comes from the verse “There shall be showers of blessing.” Ezekiel 34:26

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

I also keep thinking about a song by Eric Clapton, "Let it Rain." He wrote the song with Bonnie Bramlett, and it's a classic, too.

The rain is falling through the mist of sorrow that surrounded me.
The sun could never thaw away the the bliss that lays around me.

Let it rain, let it rain,
Let your love rain down on me.
Let it rain, let it rain,
Let it rain, rain, rain.

I am trying to be strong, and thanks to the showers of blessings I've received from my friends and loved ones this week, I am hanging in there. I am very grumpy and unusually needy right now, but I am hanging in there.. Your love and friendship is washing away the mist of my fear.

THANK YOU to all of you who have assured me of your love and support this week. From the blue ribbons showing up on Facebook sites to calls, cards, letters, Coke Zeros, flowers, and hugs galore, I am hanging in there.

We can make it one more week. Then we'll know. It's going to be a long week. But then we'll know.

Much love, and I can't thank you all enough.
Ging

P.S. Thank you Carrie (Ginger Lemon Girl) for my Shoo Fly Pie! I wish I could be sitting with you now, eating pie and talking about GF cooking.

A recipe! Southern GF Cornbread Dressing

stolen with love from Jeff Houck's Blog, The Stew

Today at the store, I caught an enormous sale on Butterball Fresh Turkey Breast, and that got me thinking about this recipe. I posted it a while back on the Celiac Listserv and never got it on here.

This is my family's recipe, adapted for GF. My Grandma Rudeseal from Alto, Georgia, taught my Connecticut Yankee Mama how to make this in about 1955, and Mama taught me in 1982 during a long-distance call from Germany, where my ex was stationed with the Army. No printed recipe for this exists in my family.

I have actually taught this recipe to others who don't know how to make dressing, so in a sense it's TNT -- the procedure is, at least. But this will be my first try with GF breads. I trust they will be fine. You need to know two things before you begin. 1. You have to know how dressing is supposed to taste (like Stovetop, only better). and 2. You have to know what thick oatmeal looks like.

If you don't have a cornbread recipe, my Southern GF Cornbread recipe is in my Recipes and Resources guide to the right. To make a smaller batch, halve everything -- just make sure it's 2 to 1 cornbread to table bread. And you non GF people -- use plain cornbread and plain bread, and drop the Xanthan gum. It's still a great recipe.
Makes: A LOT about 7-8 cups of dressing total, which will serve about 10 people with leftovers.

Ingredients:

For the crumbs:
4 cups of cornbread crumbs, made FROM A NON-SWEET CORNBREAD RECIPE If your favorite recipe calls for sugar, leave it out. (This is roughly two recipes of my cornbread, which I make in an iron skillet. It is very crusty, so I use mostly the innards. Crumble it up into crumbs but do not dry it. Can actually be made way ahead and frozen, just thaw before mixing.)

2 cups stale GF bread or rolls, torn into little pieces, but not toasted into crumbs or croutons. A not-too-sweet bread, again, is better. I am saving some Bob's Red Mill bread for Thanksgiving right now in my freezer.)

MIX these in a large bowl and let stand to continue to dry slightly. I often do this the day before, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and put in the oven (no heat) over night as a "storing place."

2. Aromatics
Saute the following in a large skillet until crisp tender.
2 large onions diced or 8 large shallots, chopped (I prefer onions, but my husband won't eat them, so I also use shallots with equal success).
1-2 cups celery, finely chopped (depends on how much you like celery).
(Optional, and not southern: One package mushrooms, sliced)
2 sticks melted margarine -- can use light margarine for this.

when cooked, add this Seasoning to the pan til warm and dissolved:

GENEROUS amount of Poultry Seasoning, at least 2 tablespooons
1 T. each Salt and Pepper (or to taste, see below)
2 T. Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb (again, optional: not southern, but good)
1 T. Onion Powder (not salt)

Dump the skillet contents on the cornbread and mix.
Add enough low sodium GF chicken stock or broth to make the dressing the consistency of thick mushy oatmeal. (If you have GIBLETS and like them and aren't using them for gravy, add them here). *Note: In my family, we always have homemade stock with chicken bits in it. Warm it up and add it in. There is nothing wrong with some chicken bits in the dressing.) ADD STOCK A CUP AT A TIME, mixing in between. You don't want cornbread soup, and depending on the crumbs, it might take more or less stock. Usually it takes me about 4 - 5 cups for this amount of dressing. (so have one of those aseptic quarts handy for starters, but I've added chicken boullion cubes in water in a pinch).

MIX Thoroughly: Taste it. Here is where I adjust seasonings -- very important to do now, because the last few add-ins will make it taste weird and are unhealthy. IF you like a sage-flavored dressing, add dried ground sage here to taste. I almost ALWAYS have to add more poultry seasoning here, but I don't like sage so I don't add that. If you DO like sage, add it in addition to the poultry seasoning.

NOW, when it tastes good to you, add:

Four eggs beaten (or the equivalent in egg replacer of any kin)
2 T. Baking Powder
1 T. Xanthan Gum (just to make it rise lighter)

to the bowl and stir. It should still be like mushy oatmal.

Pour into a greased baking pan. Top with slivers of sliced margarine.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. During baking, feel free to baste with your turkey drippings or a little more chicken broth or stock.

It will rise up slightly, and you know it is done when the crust on the top is golden brown and the casserole is firm. It holds well and reheats beautifully by just basting it with broth/stock. You could easily make it ahead, freeze and thaw it, then reheat.

Serves ME :-) with leftovers, and I often share with my guests.

Questions you might have:

Why no sugar? It's a southern thing. You can use cornbread with sugar, just don't taunt me about it :-)

Can I do all cornbread? It's not as good that way to me, but sure. I'd keep at least 1 cup bread pieces. But the cornbread is more porous and not as light when made into dressing by itself.

Can I add other veggies? Sure, shredded carrots are great in this and add moisture. A lot of people want corn in there, and that's fine. Just remember -- mushy oatmeal.

Can I leave out the onions all together? Sure, but it just won't taste right. If you add any more celery, you won't be able to taste anything else. If you prefer leeks or green onions, they'll work.

Can I leave out the salt? Sure, but it will need some light salt or something. Add it to taste if you want to instead as prescribed. And you don't have to use low sodium broth -- just DON'T ADD SALT til after you put that in there. Salt to taste.

Do I have to use that much margarine? Well, no, not really. You can cook the veggies in broth with a little margarine. But use a little for taste, even if it's light.

Can I use butter? Heck yeah. Or half and half. Just don't use oil. It will taste oily.

Can I stuff it in the turkey? Yes

Much love, and I might have to make some thing for next weekend. I'm hungry for it.

Ging