Tell Me A Story: January 2018

Friday, January 26, 2018

SOME OF MY FAVORITE RECIPES

Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Permalink:
https://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2018/01/some-of-my-favorite-recipes.html

RECIPE

Peach Fritters

My friend, Janice, made Peach and Apple Fritters at one of her dinner parties. Janice got the recipe from Stephenson's Apple Orchard in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

RECIPE

Apple Fritters

1st Mixture

MIX together:

1 Cup Flour
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Each: Ginger, Nutmeg, All-Spice

2nd Mixture

Mix together:

1 Egg
1/3 Cup Canned Pumpkin
2 Tablespoons Each: Milk, Melted Butter, Molasses and Apple Butter

ADD 1st and 2nd Mixture together...and then

FOLD IN

1/4 Cup Raisins
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Apples

DROP from teaspoon into HOT OIL about 2 minutes (until brown).

DRAIN on paper towels.

ROLL immediately in Powdered Sugar.

RECIPE

Festival Cheese Soup

Here's a great recipe for CHEESE SOUP.

I had to have this recipe for Cheese Soup,
when I first tasted it

at a monthly staff meeting

at Timothy Lutheran School.
One of the teachers brought it to our meeting.

RECIPE

Crockpot (Slow Cooker) Chili

This recipe for Crockpot Chili

is from my daughter, Kristin.

Kristin is now a wife, mother and teacher.
She likes this recipe because it's
easy to throw it in the crockpot in the morning,
and a chili supper is ready when she and her family get home.

Kristin's Recipe for

Crockpot (Slow Cooker) Chili

Cook Hamburger Meat (1 pound), drain and store in refrigerator overnight or until needed.

ADD all ingredients to the crockpot and STIR:
Cooked Hamburber Meat (already in fridge)
4 cans Chili Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Tomato Paste
1 Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
1 Packet Chili Seasoning
Brown Sugar (Kristin didn't say how much - so I add about 1-2 Tablespoons).

Cook on LOW.
Note:
(Kristin usually starts cooking this about 9 AM, and cooks it on low about 6 hours. My crockpot heats up faster, and gets hotter than Kristin's - so mine takes less time to cook. The people I feed can't always wait six hours for their chili.)

CLICK on the links below
for more of my favorite recipes!

Tell Me A Story: CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX IN A MUG RECIPE

Feb 03, 2014

Here's a recipe for a "Chocolate-Cake-Mix-In-A-Mug" - - individual cakes that are cooked in the microwave!!! Gather Supplies. Chocolate Flavor Cake Mix; Peanut Butter Cups (Miniature or Regular) Candies; Small Ziploc Bags ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Recipe for Sweet ...

Mar 08, 2012

RECIPE: Sweet GREEN Pretzels Marcia Norwood, AMERICA'S STORYTELLER Most American's can't resist "wearin' the green" on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day. Even if you've never kissed the Blarney stone or visited Ireland, ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story

Mar 01, 2012

HEIRLOOM RECIPES are those handed down from generation to generation. My mother and grandmother gave me Bess Truman's recipe for Ozark Pudding. I have a connection to President Truman's family - even though I ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: RECIPE: CUTIE SMOOTHIE

Mar 13, 2012

RECIPE: CUTIE SMOOTHIE. Marcia Norwood, AMERICA'S STORYTELLER My granddaughters, Emily Grace and Megan Jewell, asked me to make them a "fruit smoothie." How could I refuse when they added: "Your ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: ONCE IN YOUR LIFE: Love Letter & Shortbread ...

Feb 07, 2014

BHG wants to know which blogs you look to for delicious recipes, inspiring decor and creative projects! Nominate the bloggers you love for BHG first-annual blogger awards now - February 7th by noon CST. BHG editors will ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: REAL MEN EAT QUICHE

Feb 17, 2012

Marcia Norwood, America's STORYTELLER RECIPES: Quiche Lorraine Confetti Quiche Quiche is great to serve for breakfast or brunch. These are two recipes from an old KRAFT recipe book that I've used for many years.

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

PEACH FRITTERS (Fried) Recipe from - Tell Me A Story - Blogger

Mar 05, 2012

The original old southern recipe came from our local Stephenson's Orchards, and was served at the Stephenson's Restaurant when it was open. Stephenson's Orchards is a fourth-generation, family owned and operated fruit ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: PRESERVING AMERICA

Feb 25, 2012

A wartime edition of the American Woman's Cook Book contained revised recipes and gave advice on dealing with food shortages. My Granny Lucille canned her home grown fruits and vegetables before, during and after ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: CANDIED CARROTS AND WALNUTS

Feb 24, 2012

CANDIED CARROTS AND WALNUTS. Marcia Norwood, AMERICA'S STORYTELLER Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Recipe for... CANDIED CARROTS AND WALNUTS Ingredients: 2 (16-Ounce) Packages Frozen Sliced Carrots

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: HOLIDAY BRUNCH EGGS AND BREAKFAST ...

Feb 13, 2012

Here are two recipes that will make a. wonderful breakfast for your Valentine! HOLIDAY BRUNCH EGGS. Ingredients: 3 Cans (14 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, well-drained. 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Basil. 8 Eggs.

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: S'MORE BARS

Nov 13, 2013

R E C I P E. S'MORE BARS Do you like to roast marshmallows on the campfire and make S'MORES with Hershey bars and graham crackers? Americans like S'MORES so much - it has it's own holiday: August 10th! National ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

RECIPES - Tell Me A Story - Blogger

Feb 09, 2014

RECIPES: BAKED POTATO BAR and SPECIAL BAKED CHICKEN. Marcia Norwood America's STORYTELLER Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking. TELL ME A STORY.

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: TWO RECIPES: ALMOST INSTANT PIZZA DOUGH ...

Mar 12, 2012

Some of our favorite recipes for the grills are: Veggie and Cheese Omelet, Tortilla and Eggs, Paninis, Frittatas, Homemade Pizza Dough and Pizzas, Mini-Cakes, and Mini-Chocolate-Chip Pancakes. Cathy Mitchell says: "It's ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: RECIPE: CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARK

Feb 12, 2014

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARK. Marcia Norwood America's STORYTELLER Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking. RECIPE. VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN: 2 Days.

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Tell Me A Story: RECIPE: MEMA'S SUGAR COOKIES

Jan 24, 2014

RECIPE: MEMA'S SUGAR COOKIES. Marcia Norwood America's STORYTELLER Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking BLOGGER NEWS Blogger Piracy Any ads from Linksicle or Keep Now ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Banana Praline Sundaes

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2012/03/recipe-banana-praline-sundaes.html

PEANUT BUTTER JUMBO COOKIES

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2012/04/recipe-peanut-butter-jumbos-cookies.html

PEACH FRITTERS

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2012/03/peach-fritters-fried-recipe-from.html

FLAMING BUTTERBRICKLE CAKE

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2012/03/flaming-butterbrickle-cake.html

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Monday, January 22, 2018

RECIPE: CUPCAKE BROWNIES

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Permalink:
https://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2018/01/recipe-cupcake-brownies.html

RECIPE

CUPCAKE BROWNIES

Have you EVER made cupcake brownies?

Use your favorite brownie mix or recipe,

and bake in muffin/cupcake pans!

I made these delicious treats with...

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix

With Hershey's Cocoa Frosting

and

Edible Decorations:

M&M Easter Speck-tackular Eggs.

My friend says, "Mrs. Crocker" instead of Betty Crocker!

He says it's to show respect.

ME: "You know she's not a real person, right?!"

Betty Crocker is a cultural icon, a brand name,

and trademark of American Fortune 500 corporation

General Mills.

Betty got her name (in 1921), a signature, a voice (in 1924),

and a face (in 1926) for an official portrait.

Betty Crocker had her own radio show in 1924,

the debut of America's first cooking show.

One public opinion poll rated her as the

second most famous person in America

after Eleanor Roosevelt.

Who Was Betty Crocker?

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser.

http://chnm.gmu.edu/sidelights/who-was-betty-crocker/

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Crocker

Beautiful & Delicious! I always like the sides of the brownies when baked in a 13 x 9 inch pan - so you get plenty of "edges/sides" when baking brownies in muffin/cupcake tins! Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Presentation

I shopped Hobby Lobby, Deals, Dollar General,

Target and Hy-Vee for baggies and boxes to create

a beautiful, fun and safe presentation for gifts.

I love paper.

I love paper, and boxes, and bags.


My Handmade Paper Easter Baskets. Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser.

Tell Me A Story: EASTER BASKETS

Apr 16, 2014

EASTER BASKETS. Marcia Norwood America's STORYTELLER Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking. http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/. DIY EASTER BASKETS. (Do It Yourself) ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

I love paper, and boxes, and bags, and cards, and tags.

Adorable Boxes!

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Marcia Norwood

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "PRESENTATION" ...

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser.

Tell Me A Story: BALANCED

Nov 19, 2013

"Cooking is more than preparation. It's presentation, too." Granny used cloth napkins and cloth tablecloths that she carefully starched and ironed. Of course she wore an apron, and had aprons for each woman who served with ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

AMERICA'S STORYTELLER, Marcia Norwood - Tell Me A ...

Jan 11, 2014

Presentation is important. I love paper. I love all things paper: the tags, the boxes, the TAGS, the business cards, the TAGS. I love paper. I create my personal tags, signs and displays in Microsoft Publisher, and print them on ...

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

Saturday, January 20, 2018

THE CRYING CHAIR

Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

THE CRYING CHAIR

Permalink:

https://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-crying-chair.html

The Crying Chair....page 16

I wrote a story about my family called The Crying Chair.

My story was published in 2001, by Adams Media Corporation in the flagship book of their series, A CUP OF COMFORT.

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.abebooks.com/CUP-COMFORT-Lady-Blue-Dress-Wish/4644404504/bd

I maintain the copyright for the story, so I am able to share it with you today. I made some minor corrections to the story that the editors didn't get quite right in the book. It happens.

Both my parents, Natalie and Jewell Bush, were alive when our story was published. Mom carried the book, A CUP OF COMFORT, with her to the hospital for her cancer treatments. She proudly showed the story to the doctors and nurses at the hospital and her wonderful hospice nurses who cared for her at home for over one year.

Mom (Mema) went to Heaven in February 2003. She left each of our family members Crying Towels that she hand embroidered. After all - there was only one Crying Chair, and there were many more tears to come. Dad went to Heaven in July 2003.

Are you in the midst of a storm?

Are you overwhelmed?

Are you grieving the loss of a loved one, family pet, job or house?

Please give yourself permission to cry.

Psalm 56:8
You (God) keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.

It's good to cry.
It's healthy to cry.

The Health Benefits of Tears
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-orloff-md/emotional-wellness_b_653754.html

Here's our story: The Crying Chair.

The Crying Chair....page 16

The Crying Chair

By Mary Marcia Lee Norwood

Each chair at Mom and Dad's kitchen table was spoken for. As the oldest of four -- I had first pick. I picked the one directly across from Dad. Everybody knew it was "Marcia's chair." My sister, Gloria, chose her chair next -- followed by my brothers Bret and Terry. Selections were made in birth order: first come . . . first served . . . you might say. Mom didn't sit much. She was usually up waiting on one of us.

Sometimes I gave up my chair for guests, and it was known by another name: "The Crying Chair." Family, friends and neighbors sat in that chair when they needed a good cry, and someone to share their burdens. To this day folks still come to sit in The Crying Chair at my parents' house, in Liberty, Missouri. Folks like Fran and Bob, who once lived across the street , , , shared coffee, stories and tears at our kitchen table. They moved from our old neighborhood, but when Bob died, Fran returned to The Crying Chair.

We're a family of natural-born weepers, from my parents, Natalie and Jewell Bush, right on down the line to all four of their children, now grown with little weepers of our own. Not that our lives have been filled with extraordinary tragedy or that our hearts are filled with sorrow, it's just that crying is comfort for the soul.

Mom said that it was only natural for "Marcia's Chair" to become the official Crying Chair, since I was the most tenderhearted crier in the family. I put The Crying Chair to good use throughout my life: when my dog, Midnight, died; when Dad was injured in a terrible car accident; when Dad sang us a song about a little crippled girl; when I watched Superman take a crippled boy on a Super flight on our black-and-white TV; and when my two-year-old brother, Terry, tried to be Superman and jumped from the neighbor's tall slide - which required brain surgery. Of course, I took to The Crying Chair when a boyfriend broke up with me.

Yet, I was not an unhappy child. In fact, quite the opposite: I was very happy.
The Crying Chair gave me a place to park my emotional baggage, so I could get on with my life. There were also times when I took to The Crying Chair with tears of joy: each time my sister, Gloria and I were chosen for the cheerleading squads; when I was crowned Sweetheart Queen; when I left for college; when I came home from college; when I became engaged, and when I became pregnant with each child.

The Crying Chair worked so well throughout the years -- I decided to borrow the idea for my Kindergarten classroom at a private Christian school where I taught for seven years. The idea came to me when I was trying to find ways to console one of my Kindergarten students. He cried uncontrollably each morning when he arrived at school, and several times throughout the day. His parents were going through a divorce. This little guy was shifted from one parent to the next, and he never knew who would bring him to school or pick him up.

With great pomp and circumstance I announced the arrival of The Crying Chair in our Kindergarten classroom. It was just a regular chair that I "named" and moved to an isolated part of our room. I placed a box of tissues within arm's reach of The Crying Chair. The students listened with wide -eyed wonder as I proclaimed the rules for The Crying Chair. They even added a few of their own.

Rules For The Crying Chair

1. Teacher: The Crying Chair is NOT a punishment or time out.

Student: We won't get in trouble.

2. Teacher: Raise your hand and state your need for The Crying Chair.

Permission will be granted.

Student: Ask the teacher first.

3. Teacher: All outbursts made while in The Crying Chair

shall be uttered at a moderate level,

so as not to bother the other students, and

NOT to draw attention to oneself.

Student: No screaming.

4. Teacher: Length of stay in The Crying Chair is up to the individual;

however, five-minute intervals are suggested,

which may be extended if necessary.

Student: Hurry up. Get it over with.

5. Teacher: The Crying Chair is available to both students and teachers.

Student: Teachers cry, too?

6. Teacher: Other students will not be permitted

to harass or make-fun-of anyone in The Crying Chair

Student: Don't start a fight.

7. Teacher: Other students are encouraged to pray for and

show special kindness to the person in The Crying Chair .

Student: Be nice. Be kind. Pray.

The Crying Chair was a special chair. The students almost had a reverence for it. The precious student who cried uncontrollably would raise his little hand for permission to sit in The Crying Chair. Then he would bury his head in his hands, and sob. My heart ached for him, but I rejoiced as I watched other students (of their own choice) bow their heads in prayer for their classmate. Some asked for permission to walk over to The Crying Chair and give him a pat on the back -- or a hug. Other times a classmate would quietly place a piece of candy for him on the table beside The Crying Chair.

After a brief time in the chair he would dry his eyes, ask for permission to get a drink of water and go to the bathroom before returning to his regular seat in class. Not one student teased him about sitting in The Crying Chair. As his life took on some semblance of order, his trips to the chair became less frequent.

The Crying Chair worked so well the two years it was in my classroom, that I wished I had thought to use it the previous five years of my teaching career. Many students sat in The Crying Chair for different reasons. It provided a safe place to cry. It was never used for everyday trials and tribulations of being a child. It was never used for skinned knees and playground scrapes, or embarrassment over spilled milk or juice, or frustration of a lost field-trip slip...not even for hurt feelings from name-calling.

The source of tears was always traumatic when a child came to The Crying Chair: like the loss of a pet or a grandparent. For three children who had been abandoned by their mothers, and were being raised by other family members, it provided a soft place to fall, and cry. One student strived so hard for perfection in printing letters his entire body shook. He discovered a little cry in The Crying Chair relaxed him enough to try again. After being molested by a neighbor, one child sat and sobbed until I thought all our hearts would break.

One particular day, I felt overwhelmed with the duties of teaching and motherhood and marriage. I announced to the class that I needed to spend some time in The Crying Chair. I laid my head in my hands and cried. As the tears flowed down my cheeks I felt the touch of many tiny hands as my students walked by and gently patted me on the back.

The teacher learned compassion from her students.

The students learned a teacher hurts just like they hurt, and cries just like they cry.