Summary of Spring Days with the Moodys

[docmom]

kpmom wrote:socalrules wrote:I understand spending days cooking for Christmas, Thanksgiving, a wedding or other special occasion. I just don't understand that much time on bean burritos. I understand that it makes enough to last awhile but it just seems like such a waste of time for such a boring food. I bet they don't even add the good stuff like sour cream, sauce and extra cheese. Why not soups, or stews or casseroles? A little variety is ok in the normal world. Everything they put out is always so bland. It is though they may sure to beat or puree the flavor out of all facets of life.

Exactly. There are all kinds of make ahead recipes they could freeze and eat on Sundays. Why only, ever burritos?

Because they, like the Maxwells, are beige.

[Hane]

Miss Hane, will you share your sweet, precious recipe with us as an encouragement?

Passover is done with and I don't feel like making matzah-meal rum balls.

Blessings,

AuntCloud

Please tell me the Maxwells don't make their own tortillas - but with this family, it's never good to assume any path of logic is being followed.

Dear AuntCloud, the Lord has laid it on my heart to share this recipe with you, even though neither of us is a Christian[tm][/tm]:

Better Than Sex (sometimes known as Death By Chocolate):

Please note that quantities need not be exact.

• A chocolate cake layer (about half a recipe's worth), busted up into chunks (can be store-bought, made from a mix, or made with your favorite recipe)
  
• About two cups of chocolate pudding (can be store-bought, made from a mix, or made with your favorite recipe)
  
• Half a pint of cream, whipped
  
• About 2 oz. of amaretto, Kahlua, or your favorite liqueur (optional, but what the hell)
  
• A few ounces each of any or all of the following: Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, brickle bits, coconut

Find a really pretty glass bowl--this looks amazing in a footed trifle bowl.

Sprinkle the cake with the liqueur.

Toss some of the cake hunks into the bowl. Spoon on some pudding, then some chips/nuts/etc., then some whipped cream. Repeat, ending with whipped cream and a sprinkle of the chips/nuts/etc.

Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee and thanksgiving that you don't live in Maxhell.

Re the tortillas: A very WASPY-looking blonde friend of mine is married to a Mexican guy. During a visit to his hometown, his mom and female relatives had a tortilla-making assembly line going on. My friend wanted to help, but was told, "You couldn't possibly do it the right way--you're too white!" Imagine what they'd think of Maxwellian tortillas.

[PennySycamore]

Hane, I have a similar recipe in a cookbook from an Episcopal day school. I think yours looks better, though. Btw, I opened the cookbook to just that page when I was looking it up.

[Hane]

Hane, I have a similar recipe in a cookbook from an Episcopal day school. I think yours looks better, though. Btw, I opened the cookbook to just that page when I was looking it up.

Thanks! Those ebil Episcopalians and their yumtastic liquor-including recipes!

[salex]

Exactly. There are all kinds of make ahead recipes they could freeze and eat on Sundays. Why only, ever burritos?

I am of the school of thought that Steve is concerned about his funds running out/dwindling.

Bean Burritos home made tortillas are both filling and cheap, and time consuming. Thus, the many adults in this family can be kept busy and fed for a relatively low cost. I am surprised they don't do some kinds of once a month cooking with other recipes than this. Perhaps they do, but don't post it?

[AuntCloud]

Miss Hane, your ministry of chocolate, alcohol and more chocolate has given me encouragement - I already feel His sweet, sweet presence.

Mix cakes are an abomination to the Lord at the Clouds', I'll go with good store bought. Luckily, my precious blessing has such a servant heart - she is already eager to demonstrate her womanly baking skills, with the help of Tish Boyle's "The Cake Book" and whatever she has learned at evil, heathen public junior high, so she will bake a cake when her ChorePak instructs her to do so. I most certainly have a trifle bowl, now I need to think of a festive occasion so I can have an excuse to make this.

Here's an immodest chocolate pudding recipe - NIKE!! (a girl wearing shorts, oh my).

http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2011/09/ho ... m-scratch/

I'm already thinking about a spin-off with white cake soaked with rum, banana pudding, lots of pineapple and coconut and a cherry on top.

[Hane]

Miss Hane, your ministry of chocolate, alcohol and more chocolate has given me encouragement - I already feel His sweet, sweet presence.

Mix cakes are an abomination to the Lord at the Clouds', I'll go with good store bought. Luckily, my precious blessing has such a servant heart - she is already eager to demonstrate her womanly baking skills, with the help of Tish Boyle's "The Cake Book" and whatever she has learned at evil, heathen public junior high, so she will bake a cake when her ChorePak instructs her to do so. I most certainly have a trifle bowl, now I need to think of a festive occasion so I can have an excuse to make this.

Here's an immodest chocolate pudding recipe - NIKE!! (a girl wearing shorts, oh my).

http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2011/09/ho ... m-scratch/

I'm already thinking about a spin-off with white cake soaked with rum, banana pudding, lots of pineapple and coconut and a cherry on top.

AuntCloud, the Lord laid it on my heart not to exult in pridefulness by bragging about how I'm a scratch-only cook/baker, and to offer encouragement to those who still stray from the path of righteousness by using box mixes and pre-made ingredients.

I'll pray for you.

[Mango]

Speaking of editing and daily life, there was a kinda-sorta relevant post on Salon today - not breaking because seriously, ti's Salon.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/20 ... ation.html

It's Rose Wilder Lane writing back to Laura Ingalls Wilder regarding the edits on one of the books (I think By The Shores Of Silver Lake but I'm not totally clear).

[knitwit]

Come to think of it how does Steve treat dissent in the ranks? There must be some slight disagreements sometime, some tiny rebellions when his family is not 100% behind his ideas. I'm sure he squashes that sort of thing instantly but how?

I'd assume that most of the kids' urge to disagree has probably been squashed out of them (Papa Maxwell is the godly leader of their home, after all, and he knows everything, so why would they disagree) or at least given them the habit of thinking things but never saying them, but I'd assume there's some godly guilt-tripping in there. Probably to the tune of BS about their not demonstrating a "servant's heart" or asking if they've really prayed on something, triggering the indoctrinated fear of doing something that displeases Jesus.

[Loveday]

Speaking of editing and daily life, there was a kinda-sorta relevant post on Salon today - not breaking because seriously, ti's Salon.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/20 ... ation.html

It's Rose Wilder Lane writing back to Laura Ingalls Wilder regarding the edits on one of the books (I think By The Shores Of Silver Lake but I'm not totally clear).

I saw this, it showed up on my FB feed today! I was kind of stunned to find out what episodes in Laura's life Rose talked her into editing or removing altogether. Now I want to read the original rough draft! :shock: (and yes, you're right, it was Silver Lake :) )

[AuntCloud]

Hane - can I re-name your dessert "Sweet Fellowship"?

[tehfanglyfish]

I saw this, it showed up on my FB feed today! I was kind of stunned to find out what episodes in Laura's life Rose talked her into editing or removing altogether. Now I want to read the original rough draft! :shock: (and yes, you're right, it was Silver Lake :) )

I sooooooo want to read it, too! Supposedly the South Dakota State Historical Society is going to publish Laura's autobiography soon. Maybe this summer - there have been some setbacks. You can read more about it here. http://pioneergirlproject.org (Not breaking the link since it's not a fundie site.)

[Loveday]

I sooooooo want to read it, too! Supposedly the South Dakota State Historical Society is going to publish Laura's autobiography soon. Maybe this summer - there have been some setbacks. You can read more about it here. http://pioneergirlproject.org (Not breaking the link since it's not a fundie site.)

:o Her autobiography?? This is the first I've heard of it! Excuse me while I sit here and squee awhile! :cracking-up:

On a related note, I came across a YouTube clip last night of a woman playing Pa's actual fiddle at Laura's home in the Ozarks. Seems that once a year, they bring it out and play it during 'Laura Ingalls Wilder Days.' I couldn't believe I was listening to the fiddle that Laura listened to when she was a little girl. Made me cry. :cry:

ETA: thanks for that link to the pioneergirlproject! :)

[Rosie]

This recipe is way overly complicated. It sounds like something that someone who doesn't know how to cook would make up. For example, "Friday night, after the beans have cooked, the onions and jalapenos as blended up to a fine puree, and then that mixture is cooked all night." So, they cook and puree the beans, then puree the peppers and onions separately, then put them all together too cook? It would be much easier to cook the beans, onions and peppers together, then drain the water and puree them all together. And the onions and peppers don't need to cook all night--they would get soft and start to break down while they're cooking with the beans. They also leave the pureed beans out over night before cooking them. "The mashed beans are put into a container and go in the fridge over night. We didn’t have room for all the beans to go in the fridge, so some had to go in pots in the oven." Why? Whywhywhy?????!!!!

Because I am apparently angrily obsessed with this, and because I have nothing to do on Sunday afternoon, I have revised the Maxwell Burrito Recipe to make some damn sense:

Ingredients:

28-30 cups uncooked pinto beans

2 1/2 c. chili powder

1 1/2 cup CUMIN

1/2 c. salt

1/4 c. pepper

14 lbs. onions

22 large jalapeños for fairly spicey

1. Sort and Rinse the beans. Soak the beans overnight.

2. Chop the onions and jalapenos.

3. Saute onions in vegetable oil with salt, pepper, chili powder, and CUMIN until onions are translucent and begin to soften.

4. Add jalapenos, beans, and fresh water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until the beans are fully cooked.

5. Drain water, then transfer the bean mixture to the blender in small batches, processing until smooth.

Aside from the soaking, this should take no more than 4 hours (at most), leaving the rest of your weekend free to dust ceiling fans and thank Jebus for your new cell phone case.

You're welcome.

edited for words

I will be laughing about this post for DAYS!

[danvillebelle]

:o Her autobiography?? This is the first I've heard of it! Excuse me while I sit here and squee awhile! :cracking-up:

On a related note, I came across a YouTube clip last night of a woman playing Pa's actual fiddle at Laura's home in the Ozarks. Seems that once a year, they bring it out and play it during 'Laura Ingalls Wilder Days.' I couldn't believe I was listening to the fiddle that Laura listened to when she was a little girl. Made me cry. :cry:

ETA: thanks for that link to the pioneergirlproject! :)

Loveday. LOVEDAY! You don't know about the CD that her home in MO sells? It has 2-3 songs of someone playing Pa's fiddle, and THE ONLY KNOWN RECORDING OF LAURA'S VOICE. It's an interview she did with the Mansfield librarian about some dolls of the family that someone made for her and donated to the library. She talks for about 10 minutes. The first time I listened to it I wept like a baby, I completely admit it. I just couldn't believe I was listening to her. It's so precious. You have to get it!

Sorry, didn't mean to Ingalls hijack the thread. :D

[Loveday]

Loveday. LOVEDAY! You don't know about the CD that her home in MO sells? It has 2-3 songs of someone playing Pa's fiddle, and THE ONLY KNOWN RECORDING OF LAURA'S VOICE. It's an interview she did with the Mansfield librarian about some dolls of the family that someone made for her and donated to the library. She talks for about 10 minutes. The first time I listened to it I wept like a baby, I completely admit it. I just couldn't believe I was listening to her. It's so precious. You have to get it!

Sorry, didn't mean to Ingalls hijack the thread. :D

OMG, I can't believe you mentioned this! :shock: Would you believe I found out about this CD last night shortly after I found the clip of Pa's fiddle? I came across a page on a museum site--must have been the MO one, I suppose--and there it was! :o I started frantically searching YouTube to see if maybe someone had uploaded even a snippet of it, but no luck. I almost ordered the CD right then and there, but wasn't sure, not knowing the quality of the recording or for how long she spoke. But...TEN MINUTES?? That's like a whole speech!! :cracking-up:

Thank you so much. I know I'll be an absolute mess before I'm halfway through listening to it, but I don't care, I have to order it right now. :)

[danvillebelle]

OMG, I can't believe you mentioned this! :shock: Would you believe I found out about this CD last night shortly after I found the clip of Pa's fiddle? I came across a page on a museum site--must have been the MO one, I suppose--and there it was! :o I started frantically searching YouTube to see if maybe someone had uploaded even a snippet of it, but no luck. I almost ordered the CD right then and there, but wasn't sure, not knowing the quality of the recording or for how long she spoke. But...TEN MINUTES?? That's like a whole speech!! :cracking-up:

Thank you so much. I know I'll be an absolute mess before I'm halfway through listening to it, but I don't care, I have to order it right now. :)

It's a back and forth with the librarian, so she isn't talking the whole time, but it's so worth it. You won't be sorry. Honestly, I'd have bought it if it was her saying 3 sentences. It just cements the REALNESS of it to hear her, KWIM? :::::sigh::::: She doesn't sound like you'd expect...a little Southern actually, from all those decades in southern MO. And I remember that she pronounces Almanzo "Al-MAN-zo" (like, there is a MAN on the street), not Al-MAHN-zo like I'd always thought and how they said it on the show.

[Loveday]

It's a back and forth with the librarian, so she isn't talking the whole time, but it's so worth it. You won't be sorry. Honestly, I'd have bought it if it was her saying 3 sentences. It just cements the REALNESS of it to hear her, KWIM? :::::sigh::::: She doesn't sound like you'd expect...a little Southern actually, from all those decades in southern MO. And I remember that she pronounces Almanzo "Al-MAN-zo" (like, there is a MAN on the street), not Al-MAHN-zo like I'd always thought and how they said it on the show.

Well, I ordered it. :) And a bookmark cross stitch kit, and a copy of the newspaper reminiscence, and a bookmark with pictures of Laura and her family and homes. :lol: I stopped myself before ordering the blanket with pictures of all the Laura sites, or any one of a dozen other items I wanted. I can be dangerous late at night with a credit card. :naughty:

I always thought it was A-MAHN-zo, too. Can't WAIT to hear her say it! :cracking-up:

Oh, look, it's Pa's fiddle: :violin: Hee hee!

I guess we should turn this thread back over to discussion of beigeness and burritos now. :embarrassed:

[WonderingInWA]

Well, I ordered it. :) And a bookmark cross stitch kit, and a copy of the newspaper reminiscence, and a bookmark with pictures of Laura and her family and homes. :lol: I stopped myself before ordering the blanket with pictures of all the Laura sites, or any one of a dozen other items I wanted. I can be dangerous late at night with a credit card. :naughty:

I always thought it was A-MAHN-zo, too. Can't WAIT to hear her say it! :cracking-up:

Oh, look, it's Pa's fiddle: :violin: Hee hee!

I guess we should turn this thread back over to discussion of beigeness and burritos now. :embarrassed:

Crap, you guys! Now I'M going to go order this bloody thing! I still have my original boxed set of Laura's books from the early 70s and have tried to get my sons to read them, but of course they have no interest. And I just. can't. part. with. them. Melissa Gilbert is my age and I always wanted to be her when the series was on TV. Sigh. Hopeless LHOP fan, here.

[danvillebelle]

Crap, you guys! Now I'M going to go order this bloody thing! I still have my original boxed set of Laura's books from the early 70s and have tried to get my sons to read them, but of course they have no interest. And I just. can't. part. with. them. Melissa Gilbert is my age and I always wanted to be her when the series was on TV. Sigh. Hopeless LHOP fan, here.

The MO museum gift shop sells a poster of a photo of Laura when she was 17, right about the time of These Happy Golden Years. It hung on my wall for years but got accidentally crushed when I stored it in the back of my closet. I need to get another one. And I need that blanket too! :D

ETA: If y'all haven't read "The Wilder Life" by Wendy McClure, you must. She is one of us. :violin:

[RandomTrivia]

I saw this, it showed up on my FB feed today! I was kind of stunned to find out what episodes in Laura's life Rose talked her into editing or removing altogether. Now I want to read the original rough draft! :shock: (and yes, you're right, it was Silver Lake :) )

You might also be interested in reading A Wilder Rose, by Susan Wittig Albert. It's fictionalized, but it's based on some of Rose's unpublished journals, and there's a lot about how Rose & Laura worked together editing the books. I read it not long after it came out, it was very interesting; I didn't realize how much work Rose put into the books.

I also have started (but not finished, and I've misplaced the book) West from Home, a book of the letters Laura wrote on a trip in 1915, and I came across a copy of the Woman's Day Book of American Needlework, which was written by Rose. Still has all the patterns, but it's in dire need of deodorizing, because it was in someone's basement a little too long.

[tehfanglyfish]

The MO museum gift shop sells a poster of a photo of Laura when she was 17, right about the time of These Happy Golden Years. It hung on my wall for years but got accidentally crushed when I stored it in the back of my closet. I need to get another one. And I need that blanket too! :D

ETA: If y'all haven't read "The Wilder Life" by Wendy McClure, you must. She is one of us. :violin:

I loved McClure's book. One day I am going to pack up my east coast self and go on my own Laura pilgrimage. But that will have to wait until my special needs dogs have crossed the rainbow bridge. For now I am off to spend money I should be saving on the CD of Laura's voice.

[PennySycamore]

I think I know what I'll get my fiddle-playing, Laura-loving daughter for her birthday in June.

[Talitha Cumi]

I'd assume that most of the kids' urge to disagree has probably been squashed out of them (Papa Maxwell is the godly leader of their home, after all, and he knows everything, so why would they disagree) or at least given them the habit of thinking things but never saying them, but I'd assume there's some godly guilt-tripping in there. Probably to the tune of BS about their not demonstrating a "servant's heart" or asking if they've really prayed on something, triggering the indoctrinated fear of doing something that displeases Jesus.

I read that as Pope Maxwell, and it made sense. :lol:

This book is so boring I don't really want to read the thread. Yet here I am.

[Naga Viper]

You think that's bad, I'm actually tempted to track down secondhand copies of the entire set just so I can dissect them on my own time. :whistle:

Home stretch, Miggy—you can do it!