Doris Kearns Goodwin

I have a new favorite history author, Doris Kearns Goodwin. I recently read two of her books, Team of Rivals and No Ordinary Time. I enjoyed both immensely!

Team of Rivals is about how Lincoln came to the presidency, who he had to get by to get there and then how they ended up working for him. What I liked about it was it got personal. It told of some of the scandalous, or almost scandalous, things that happened in these men's lives and how they dealt with it. I like hearing about how people cope and how they end up.

No Ordinary Time is set during FDR's presidency, mostly focused on this last two terms. The author lays things out without judging but with feeling and purpose. She doesn't just tell you something happened, if she has evidence as to why it happened then that is laid before the reader as well. She is fair. Many years ago I read Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography. She is frank and seemed a lot of the time to not know how to deal with people that she had relationships, mother, husband, children, etc.. She really slanted things in my eye at the time towards her doing so much to make up for things she didn't do well. In No Ordinary Time the author has evened things out a bit more and makes more sense of what happened without the emotions of the moment.

Doris Kearns Goodwin writes with ease about both time periods and has really done her research well. She made all the people depicted come to life with real life problems and real life escapes. She didn't make it 'matter of fact' but more facts that mattered and how they impacted those around the subjects.

New Jeans for My Birthday

I love a good joke. Heck, I like bad ones too. Growing up with Dad that's what we had. There was one that ended, "... and kicks are for Trids!". I laughed and laughed at that and retold it (wrong I'm sure) a hundred times.

I was lamenting the results of some tests I had this week with my GP. He gives too much information most of the time with no relief in sight. I asked him how I could be doing ALL the right things and still have these results and that I was going to call my father to complain. He said very seriously, "You should ask for new genes for your birthday.". It took me a second but I thought I was going to collapse in my laughing fit. He smiled.

Oo, Oo, Call on Me!

I was at a mid-year Room Parent meeting this morning. Why is it that I have something to say about just about everything? Why can't I just sit back and ignore what is going on. I have to throw out the obvious and the blatant ills of things? Is it genetic? Can I just stop and let others have their turn? Can I turn a blind eye and say, "Well, I'm past that issue so I don't have to comment on it."? No. I can't. I feel a need to point out that simpler is better and that group things aren't necessary a bad thing (don't mention the Egypt thing right now). I am tired of people trying to reinvent the wheel when the wheel works just fine that it's the driver who is the problem.

Spare Rib

A week ago I fell, tripped over a stupid branch in the middle of the road, while running. I had friends teasing me that I should run with night vision goggles or, gasp, run when it's light out (what?!). I thought I had pulled a muscle in my chest when I fell: only my hands and knees hit the ground so I thought as I twisted to a sitting position I had overextended my arms and strained that muscle.

Yesterday I went to our GP, funny guy that is very thorough and makes me smile at his seriousness over the need for more vitamin D in my diet...uh-huh. I asked him how long this strained muscle should take to heal. "It's not a strained muscle", he says seriously, "You broke a rib.". How is this possible? I didn't hit the ground! Here's the part I love ... "Due to your age you may have a considerable loss of bone density which would contribute to a twisting break. We should do a test to check your bone density, add more vitamin D, C and Magnesium. And, you can't run for 8 to 10 days.". The man is a comic, I swear.

I run. I drink milk. I eat cheese. I eat bananas. I don't do weigh training but come on, I have twigs for arms (thanks Grandma Hanna!). I want to know why I got the sucky teeth gene, cholesterol gene and now possibly bone density gene. Where does it end?

I've never been a proponent for genetic engineering but I might be willing to listen ....

Amazing Meatloaf

I grew up eating meatloaf. It is still a big comfort food for me ... not so much for my kids. I drag it out about every other month and try again. Statistically, you need to feed your child a food 18 times before they will like it, yeah, right. I've fed mine meatloaf - let's do the math 6 (every other month) x 12 (avg age of kids) = 72 times! BUT!, I have a new weapon ... bacon. My kids love bacon but I don't break it out often, maybe once a month. I found a recipe that incorporates it nicely. The recipe is forgiving so feel free to tweak as necessary:

Bacon Loaf (Even the name is better Connor says) modified from Fine Cooking Feb 2011 issue

1 small carrot chopped medium fine

1/4 small purple onion chopped medium fine

2 cloves garlic smashed with edge of knife then chopped fine

1 Tbl Olive oil

1 lb Lean Ground Sirloin

2 cups cubed day old crusty bread (I use sourdough or an Italian country loaf)

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Sea salt

Pepper

4 slices of smoked bacon cooked until just crisp, chopped into bite sized pieces

6 - 8 slices of smoked bacon for wrapping

Set the bread in a flat baking dish and pour the milk over it. Turn it after about 3 minutes so the milk is thoroughly soaked through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan heat olive oil to medium heat. Add carrots and cook for about 4 minutes until just slight softened. Add onions and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. By the time the garlic is fragrant the carrots should be soft and onions starting to turn golden. Set aside. Get out a cutting board with a juice slot around the edge. Take the bread and gently squeeze out the excess milk, just so it isn't dripping but it is still moist. Chop it to medium fine crumbs on the cutting board. Place the sirloin in a large bowl. Add the egg and bread crumbs and mix thoroughly but not overly so. Add the bacon and carrot mixture until even throughout sirloin. Add Sea salt and pepper to taste.* Place mixture into non-stick baking pan or use Pam on a regular pan. Shape into a shallow football shape. Place bacon over loaf tucking the ends underneath. Bake at 375' for about 50 minutes until bacon looks crisp.

*I have always wondered about how to do this and Fine Cooking had a great way. Take about a tablespoon of the final meat mixture and cook it in a frying pan. Taste it and modify to fit your taste buds!

I served this over mashed potatoes with candied carrots. Connor and Lauren said I could leave out the cooked carrots and they would have liked it just fine. Tylor still isn't sold. Jim and I loved it. I'm filing this under a 'near' success!