No matter what our kids and the new generation think about us, WE ARE AWESOME !!!

Our Lives are LIVING PROOF !!!

To Those of Us Born 1925 - 1970 :

At the end of this is a quote of the month by Jay Leno. If you don't read anything else, please read what he said. Very well stated, Mr. Leno.



TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED

THE 1930s, '40s, '50s, '60s, and '70s!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who may have smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then, after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets, and, when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps, not helmets, on our heads.

As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires, and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter, and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar.

And we weren't overweight. WHY?

Because we were always outside playing...that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OKAY.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Play Stations, Nintendos, or X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no videos, movies, or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet, and no chat rooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from those accidents.

We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping-pong paddles, or just a bare hand, and no one would call child services to report abuse.

We ate worms, and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our tenth birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and although we were told it would happen -- we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers,
problem solvers, and inventors ever.

The past 50 to 85 years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of those born between 1925-1970, CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, send it to your kids, so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?
~~~~~~~

The quote of the month - by Jay Leno:
"With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"




WE ARE AWESOME!

CHANGE! Here we go again. Take my TV!

When you become a true Boomer (That means retirement age), you are so tired of so many changes. This generation has seen more changes than any other generation ever. When I was born, no one in my family had a television. Televisions were very expensive and there was only one channel when someone finally bought one. People who lived out of cities could not even get a signal.

When we finally got a TV, we would watch every minute, right up to the presentation of the US Flag and the National Anthem at midnight. I loved Liberace and the Lone Ranger. Then there was Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Ed Sullivan, Perry Mason, and Password. For children, there was Bozo the Clown and Howdy Doody.

At my aunt's home in Louisiana, there was a built-in color TV and my cousin had a 10" screen TV in a huge cabinet. He would charge us to have Jiffy Pop popcorn. He was a real go-getter.

In the 60's our family bought a color TV. Now that was something, but the town we moved to didn't have a color station so we had to watch in black and white.

After getting married in 1967, we bought a TV, but not color, because they were too expensive. Then we moved to Okinowa and Armed Forces TV only ran 12 hours a day - Noon to Midnight. There were Japanese Channels but not understanding the language was a big deterrent. Although, my two-year old loved the Japanese children's shows.

We came back to the States and there were more channels in color and so many programs to watch.

Then came cable with all the new stations and an extra charge every month for TV. Before that, all you had to have was an antenna on top of the house or "rabbit ears" on top of the TV.

Now we have all our services combined: Cable, Internet, Cell Phones
All that costs enough that I could be driving a much newer car if I didn't have that bill.

Things will be changing soon. All I want is Internet: no house phone, no cable. I wonder how much Verizon is going to increase the cost of Internet? I do want to keep my cell phone, but I think it is ridiculous to get a new phone every 2 years. I just got it paid for and they want to charge me for another one.

Some things have gotten better, some have not. People are texting while driving, making it worse than drunk driving in some cases. At least the drunks are not out looking to hit others. People texting are not paying any attention to what they are doing. It is more important that they answer that text than worry whether they kill or maim a stranger.

Did you know that we are one of the greatest generations. We have seen so many changes to our world. As we move into our "Golden Years", we need to let others know about what is really important. We need to share our faith in God, our hopes for the future for our children, and you cannot ever be happy unless you love and are loved. Think about it!

(If you have a blog, follow me and I will follow you.)

Eat Less - Move More - Sabotage

Sometimes it seems like people are trying to sabotage our efforts. I know that in the past, even though I told people I was on a diet, they still offered me other things, like chocolate pie, cake, etc. "Just one bite won't hurt." Who are they kidding? In the Bible somewhere I read that it is a sin to eat in front of other people that could not eat like you do. I will find it again and let you know where it is.

I have found that we can have chicken salad and pimento cheese. I buy water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, french cut green beans, garlic, and onion to go in my beef stew. Pork or chicken is great in the slow cooker with onions and garlic. I even use those same veggies to make chicken soup. Sometimes I mix in greens like mustard, turnip greens, spinach. I buy the big cans and only use half. I put the other half in a jar and keep in the fridge. For the chicken soup, you can use real chicken and boil or you can use canned chicken. Sometimes I will crack a few eggs, whip up in a bowl and drizzle into boiling soup. It kind of makes noodles. You can season to make it taste like Mexican or Italian. At times I also throw in a can of diced tomatoes.

The main thing is to eat as low-carb as you can. Exercise. Just remember, even though this may seem the be all and end all diet, it isn't. Of course, after I got over the craving for cookies and ice cream, I seem to eat less and less often. I chew gum for a snack instead of eating 5 or 6 cookies.

On top of all of this is the warning:

CALORIES DO COUNT!

So don't eat a whole pot roast or chicken.

Eat Less - Move More! Chicken Soup.

The decision has been made that I should take all those fattening recipes and make them healthy, but keeping the comfort. Here goes.

Mama Bates' Chicken Soup

Today is a very cold day and Mama Bates probably would have made a chicken noodle soup.

• Wring the neck of a chicken, boil it until the feathers would come off easily. 
• Then she would put some chopped onions and garlic in an iron pot with a little Crisco and caramelize them. 
• Then she would add about two quarts of water and boil until the chicken fell off the bones - the bones would then be taken out of the pot. 
• The fat would be left in the pot to flavor the soup. 
• Add 1/2 cup of shredded carrots, stick of butter, salt, and pepper. 
• She would put in the noodles, which were usually spaghetti noodles that were broken in 3 pieces. 
• When the noodles were done, she would turn the burner down very low, let it sit for about 20 minutes while she set the table. 

Then she would pour the soup into the big soup bowl, put in a ladle, and call the family to dinner. Most of the time this was served with saltine crackers, but if it was a special dinner, there would be fried fatback and cornbread.

BoomerMom's Chicken Soup

I made my chicken soup this morning.

• There is a Ramen Noodle pack of chicken flavored noodles. 
• First, I sauteed one chopped onion and two cloves of garlic in a little olive oil. 
• The flavoring pack that comes with the noodles is the next ingredient. There were also 3 chicken bouillon cubes, two shakes of hot sauce, 1/2 cup of grated carrot/ 1/2 cup of frozen peas, two quarts of boiling water, salt and pepper. 
• Did I tell you that all this is done in a four quart measuring bowl in the microwave (4 minutes) (except the sauteed part). 
• Then 2 eggs are beat up in a cup and drizzled over the now boiling soup. (This is how Chinese make egg-drop soup - stir the eggs lightly). 

The noodles were somewhat crushed in the bag they came in.

Finally, put the noodles in. (If you like a lot of noodles, use another bag.) 

• We usually have a roasted chicken from the grocery store. Since it is already cooked, I cut off  some of the chicken, chop it,  and put it in the soup. (About a cup)
• I am not going to tell you to put in a stick of butter, that would not help with the healthy part, but a tablespoon of butter will probably give you a little more flavor.
• Then put the dish in the microwave for three more minutes.

We had this lovely soup with saltine crackers today for lunch. I know there is a lot of explanation, but it only takes about 10 minutes to make it. The longest part is heating in the microwave. I cooked it for about four minutes on high before I drizzled the eggs in. We have a new microwave, so I put it in for another three minutes after everything was in the bowl. 

You might want to add some grated cabbage,squash or peppers.

I have no idea how many calories are in the soup, but I imagine it is a lot less in my version than in Mama's version. It is light and filling and hers was a little heavy with all that chicken fat. 

If you have any questions, contact me on Facebook. (Barbara Bates Duncan Duke)

Remember the #BoomerMom motto: Eat Less, Move More

(Calories do count)

A New Beginning? Eat Less, Move More

As Baby Boomers, we all know the weight loss secret.  Eat Less, Move More!

Most of us have been on a diet since we were born, or we recently seemed to expand beyond our boundaries.

We can make excuses to eat chocolate; how about an excuse to get up out of your chair and take the dog for a walk. Chances are, if you are overweight, your dog is too. Do something to help and inspire others.

I know you have heard the story about: What is the first thing you do if you have a small child on an airplane and the oxygen masks falls down and the flight attendant tells everyone to put them on. You do not put the mask on the child first, you put it on you first so you can take care of the child. You would be useless to the child if you passed out from lack of oxygen. 

What I am trying to say here is that we need to take care of ourselves first so we can be there for our families. If we want to see our grandchildren or great-grandchildren, we need to get with it. We need to  Eat Less, Move More!!.

It has been said that we are the greatest generation, but do you want to be known at the heaviest generation. The ones who had too much food while others in the world were starving to death.

We seem to be celebrating big butts now. All those years, I had a big one, but it has fallen down now and seems to be sagging, but I refuse to have implants. Lets get on the band-wagon and see what we can do to lose weight. Everyone's body is different, everyone needs their own diet. I have been on a lot of other people's diets,  but now I am going on my diet. When I had my gastric bypass in 2001, I could only ingest 800 calories per day, including 75 m of protein. 800 calories is what the Nazi's put the Jewish people on in the concentration camps during World War II.

So choose that diet and get with it. Just remember, even if you count your carbohydrates, protein, sugar, you need to count your calories too. 1200 calories a day is normal for women, 1600 for men. The 800 Calorie diet is not forever, only about 6 weeks max. You should not do it any longer, because it could cause muscle loss. Then go on a normal diet, but continue to count your calories. Soon you will be able to to detect how many calories any dish has and eat accordingly. Drink 8 oz of water before each meal or snack.

 Eat Less, Move More!

Mama Bates' Turkey Cornbread Dressing

Thanksgiving has always been one of the best holidays of the year. It was just about right for visiting relatives. They usually traveled on Tuesday evening and left by Saturday night so they wouldn't have to attend church on Sunday. My Uncle Bryan, Aunt Arnettie, and Cousin Jane would come up from Meridian, Mississippi about once a year. 

Jane and I did not get along very well. We acted like two spoiled little girls. I think she was jealous because we looked so much alike, but she had large freckles all over her face, so it made her "not cute" when we were together. Plus, since her parents were deaf, she could get away with anything by telling them that I said something that I didn't say. 

Jane would always brag that her mother was the best cook, but no one could cook better than Mama Bates. Jane was her granddaughter too, but since she didn't see Mama that much, and I lived there, she was just jealous. She lived in an old wood house with a tin roof and outside facilities near Meridian. We lived in a large home on the mountain overlooking the Birmingham Airport. 

One Thanksgiving the clan came to visit. Mama was doing her best to get all the Thanksgiving Dinner items together and still cook meals for the company.

One good thing came of this, she had lots of leftover bread: biscuits, light bread, yeast rolls, and she made a large pan of cornbread so she could have half of it for her wonderful dressing.

Uncle Billy would come into the kitchen before the turkey was done and pour off the drippings in the pan into Mamas' Iron Dutch oven. Leave enough to baste the turkey to keep it from getting dry.

Giblet Gravy

• She would cook the drippings until most of the water was gone out of it. 
• She would then add a couple of heaping tablespoons of flour (constantly stirring, until browned)
• Add one stick of butter
• Finely chop one large yellow onion and add to the mix
• Add a cup of black coffee and two cups of turkey stock 
• Giblets from the turkey, finely chopped 
• Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, celery salt  
• Add a can of Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup to the gravy if you want
• Sometimes I add two or three chicken bouillon cubes with corresponding cups of water

Dressing

Mama would use a large metal bowl to make sure all the bread was broken apart into 1/2 inch pieces. 

Add:

  Six boiled, peeled, and chopped eggs

  One onion, chopped 

  One stick of butter

  Trim and chop two or three stems of celery

  Grate in one or two carrots

Mix everything together, 

Crack four eggs into a bowl, whip with a cup of water and add to the mix.

Stir everything together until it looks pretty even. 

Pour the dressing into a 9"x13" greased baking dish. Use a ladle and dip out giblet gravy over the dressing until it looks pretty wet.

If the turkey is not quite done, just put the dressing to the side to wait for the oven. When the turkey is done, place the dressing into the hot oven and cook on 350 degrees for about an hour. If it looks like the top is turning brown too soon, cover lightly with some foil and continue to bake until done. 

It is alright for the turkey to sit for a while before you cut it. You don't have to worry about it being cold, because the hot giblet gravy spooned over it on your plate will warm it back up. Not to mention, the turkey will be easier to cut after it has cooled off some. The dressing will also be easier to cut five to ten minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you have a large group, you may need to control the servings by cutting the dressing into squares and putting them on a platter.

I know this may seem confusing, but it comes from my memory, not a cookbook. The women in my family all seem to be natural cooks who instinctively add ingredients to taste. If you have questions, send to barbarapduke@yahoo.com, send your phone number and I will call you. This is not my primary email, but I do check it frequently.

Mama Bates Southern Style Buttermilk Cornbread

Mama always said not to put the dressing in the Turkey, She had seen people get sick from eating stuffing in the turkey, and it wasn't pretty. Being raised in the South, we all grew up on Cornbread Dressing. But, before you make the dressing, you must make:

Mama Bates’ Classic Southern Cornbread

For a little extra flavor, add some bacon drippings to the skillet. 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 large egg

3 tablespoons melted shortening, plus more for the skillet

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: Serves 8

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Put about 1 tablespoon of shortening in a 9 to 10 inch cast iron skillet and put the skillet in the oven.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, buttermilk, egg, and shortening into a large bowl. Stir thoroughly. 

Remove the hot cast iron pan or a glass ovenproof dish from the oven and pour the batter into the sizzling shortening in the hot skillet.

Return the skillet to the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 375° F, and bake for about 20 to 24 minutes, until golden brown. 

Cut the cornbread in wedges and serve hot with soups, stew, chili, beans, or greens. Many people like to crumble their cornbread in a glass and fill it with cold milk. A pan of cornbread also makes great dressing to go with chicken, pork, or turkey.

Serves 6 to 8:

For Cornbread Dressing.

I usually put it in the refrigerator overnight. Save some stale bread with this for your Turkey dressing. The recipe for that will be in the next posting.