****Being Irish I really enjoyed these little jokes I hope you enjoy them also.In our home we not only pray together but laugh and sometimes cry. *******************

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important
meeting and couldn't find a parking place.
Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a
parking
place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me
Irish Whiskey".
Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."

***********************

Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and says to the first man he
meets, "Do you want to go to heaven?"
The man said, "I do Father."
The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall."
Then the priest asked the second man, "Do you want to got to heaven?"
"Certainly, Father," was the man's reply. "Then stand over there against the
wall," said the priest.
Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to
heaven?
O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father.
The priest said, "I don't believe this. You mean to tell me that when you
die
you don't want to go to heaven?"
O'Toole said, "Oh, when I die, yes. I thought you were getting a group
together to go right now."

***********************

O'Toole worked in the lumber yard for twenty years and all that time he'd
been stealing the wood and selling it. At last his conscience began to
bother
him and he went to confession to repent.
"Father, it's 15 years since my last confession, and I've been stealing wood
from the lumber yard all those years," he told the priest.
"I understand my son," says the priest. "Can you make a Novena?"
O'Toole said, "Father, if you have the plans, I've got the lumber."

***********************

Paddy was in New York.
He was patiently waiting, and watching the traffic cop on a busy street
crossing.
The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, "Okay pedestrians".
Then he'd allow the traffic to pass. He'd done this several times, and Paddy
still stood on the sidewalk.
After the cop had shouted "Pedestrians" for the tenth time, Paddy went over
to him and said, "Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?"

***********************

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the
obituary column that he had died.
He quickly phoned his best friend Finney.
"Did you see the paper?" asked Gallagher. "They say I died!!"
"Yes, I saw it!" replied Finney. "Where are ye callin' from?"

Nothing is better than a slice of homemade cake whether at a party or before bed after a hard day. Kick your feet up and I can assure you that you'll savor each little bite.I've tried all kinds of chocolate cakes and I found one that I really thought was the best. Also a secret to really good chocolate cake is to use really good chocolate.I really like the dutch kind. Saco has a excellent premium cocoa.
Classic Chocolate Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter (softened)
2/3 cpus granulated sugar
1/2 dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk
Directions
1.) Heat oven to 350 degrees f.Butter and flour two 8 inch round pans.
Set aside. Combine the flour,cocoa,baking powder,baking soda,and salt,set aside.
2.)Beat the butter and sugars together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high
speed. Beat the eggs.Reduce speed to medium-low. Stir the sour cream,vanilla,and
milk together and add in thirds,alternating with the flour mixture.Beat until batter is smooth,
about 3 more minutes.
3.)Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake until a wooden toothpick inserted
in the middle comes out clean. For layered cake it should take about 25 mins.Cool on a wire rack.
4.)Frost and decorate as desired.

Fluffy White Frosting
This is a type of frosting that is cooked over the stove,then whipped.This goes good with any type of cake and so pretty.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1.)In a saucepan,stir together the sugar,water and cream of tartar. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved
and the mixture is bubbly.
2.)In a medium mixing bowl,whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks.Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping
constantly until stiff peaks form,about 7-10 minutes.Frost the cake of your choice.

Another favorite of mine is a more earthy type of cake.It,s a moist single -layer vanilla cake that has a delicate texture.The old fashioned brown-butter
glaze that gives it a nutty flavor.This is a good basic cake to use in other recipes.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cups (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cups whole milk
Directions
1.) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch cake pan with butter and dust with all-purpose flour, Sift the cake flour,
baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
2.) Beat in the butter one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer set on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.Beat in the
eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and the milk,and beat on medium-high, just until blended. Do not over beat.
3.) Pour into the prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean.30-35 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack.
4.)Un-mold and cool completely. Ice with Browned-Butter Glaze.

Browned-Butter Glaze
This old-fashioned glaze gives the cake a lovely nutty taste.
Ingredients
1/4 cups unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sifted powder sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
-------- Zest of 1 lemon
Directions
Melt the butter over medium-low heat until golden brown. Whisk the sugar, salt, milk,lemon juice,and zest together.Add the melted butter in a stream while
whisking until smooth. Pour over the cake.

It makes for a perfect end to a long day. It gets even better served with coffee, brewed with a teaspoon of cinnamon in the grounds and topped with a dollop of whipped
cream with sprinkled cinnamon over that.

Grandma's Apron

I read this not too long ago and love to share it with you.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing
hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,
bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees..
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the menfolks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill
to thaw.
They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron

On A Rainy Day Keep Warm On The Inside

Why is it that the sound of the gentle rain hitting the window pane and the feel of a warm old sweater wrapped around me makes me want to make banana bread or zucchini bread? It always seems to bring sweet little smiles on young and old faces that come into the kitchen to see,"what smells so good?"Or how about chicken pot pie to take the chill off? Here are a few recipes that I found very easy and so good.


Banana Nut Bread
1 1/2 cups sugar and 3 tablespoons
3/4 cups butter
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
4-5 bananas
1 1/2 cups nuts
cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time,sift flour, mash bananas,add soda and salt to bananas
add bananas to butter and beat. Add flour and bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Makes 2 big or 3
small loaves.( Be sure dough is quite stiff if not add a little more flour.

Zucchini Nut Bread
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini unpeeled
1/2 cups nuts- 1 cups raisins (opt)
3 cups flour -1 tsp. soda-1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder-3 tsp. cinnamon
Sift dry ingredients, add to rest of mixture grease small loaf pans.let stand
15 min. Bake 1 hr.at 325 degrees approx.

Chicken Pot Pie
5 boneless skinless chick. breast
boil and cubed
1/2 onion-chopped
1 can crm. chicken soup
2 cups chick. broth
1 can of crm. of celery soup
15 oz. can mixed veggies
place chicken in a 13x9 dish set
aside -combine the above and pour over chicken top with crust batter and
bake 400 degrees for 45- min. until golden brown
Crust
1 cup flour
1/2 cup of butter melted
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
Mix well and spread over chicken.

Now when is dinner ready?

A Dinner in Springtime

The grass is still damp with the morning dew. You can feel the sun's warmth on your shoulders.It's a absolute perfect day to open up the windows and air out the house. There's a certain feel of nostalgia in my heart and I like to cook something from my childhood. I'll start with a chicken casserole then for dessert I'll serve a strawberry pie. My favorite chicken casserole recipe of all time is:


Chicken Breast Casserole Supreme
2 cups chicken breast-cooked and cut up
1 cup celery-sliced
3 hard boiled egg-sliced
1 1/2 cups rice-cooked
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 can of cream chicken soup
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 cup of water chestnut sliced (or more if desired)
1 tsp. lemon pepper season
1 tsp. lemon celery season(where available)

Mix all ingredients together and put in 9x12'' pan.400 degree oven for 15 min.Remove from oven and sprinkle with buttered bread cubes (4-5 slices) Return to oven for 15 more min. or until bread has browned good. (you can add a vegetable to this. I usually add broccoli)

One of my favorite pies this time of year:

Fresh Strawberry Pie
1 cup water
3 1/4 tablsp. corn starch
1 cup sugar
1-3 oz. box strawberry gelatin
2 drops red food coloring
1-9" baked crust
Enough fresh sliced strawberries to fill crust
Combine water,cornstarch and sugar
Boil 5-6 min. until thick.Stir in gelatin and food coloring.Cool. Arrange sliced berries in crust. Pour above mixture over berries.
Refrigerate until set.( About 1 hour).Top with whip cream and decorate with fresh berries.

Another beautiful pie to serve is buttermilk pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup biscuit mix like Bisquick
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Grease a 9-inch pie pan
Put all ingredients in a bowl and blend for 1 min. with a hand held electric mixer. Pour mixture in a pan.Bake for about 50 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 5 min.
I like to pour thawed frozen strawberries over it but any fruit will be great. Top with whipped cream.

An afternoon on the deck with friends or a good book

On a sunny day what's better than a sandwich served with crunchy lettuce and a glass of ice tea and of course a lemon bar for dessert?

Chicken Salad Veronique :
ingredients

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
Good olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.
When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Place the chicken in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well.

The ice tea is the classic California style:
I boil 2 quarts or about a tea pot full of cold water and pour over 1 cup of sugar in a 2 quart pitcher. Stir to dissolve the sugar,add 5 tea bags and let steep for about an hour,remove tea bags then add about 4 teaspoons of lemon juice (more if you like it a bit
tarter) pour over a glass of ice and sliced lemons.


Lemon Bars:

1 cup of butter
2 cups of flour
2 cups of powder sugar
crumb and pat into 9x13 pan
325 degrees for 15-20 min.
2 cups of sugar
4tbl spoons of flour or 1/4 cup
6 teaspoons of lemon juice or 1/3 cup
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs beaten
combine and pour over baked crust and bake at 325 degrees for 25-35 min. Check with tester and sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot.

Trust me it'll put a smile on your face and a sweet memory in your heart.

Hello there, come in and sit.

There's a warmth in your heart when you see a warm glow from a window on a cold fall day. Could it get any better when you open the front door and smell the swirl of dinner's fragrance in the air. As the apple pie greets you and the smell of strong tea brewing encourages you to pull your coat off and remove your wet galoshes.This is the netch that God Himself desired to be a part of ,the family. It's more than a group of people but it's the heart of God. It is what He treasured .It was His Mothers joyful time on earth.He sought and formed a home and a family where love could spread to whomever yearned for it.With the cold and impersonal world that we live in I have always embraced the warmth of my family and home. It should be a protected and safe place where young and old can come and enjoy their time. It is not only the place you go to get love and help but it should also nourish your body and soul. It gives me so much joy to cook a good meal and then to be able to kneel and pray the family rosary .It's a tradition that I was raised on and one that I shared with my own family.
Here I will share with you my favorite recipes and tender moments of the day which is such a nice change from the hardness of the world.