“Must remember Best Friend Birthday”

Happy Birthday Sister Mary Emeline!

Almost twenty years ago, one of my very best friends went to her “Heavenly” reward,  Sister Mary Emeline Gander of the order   –  Sisters of Christian Charity  –  in Wilmette, Illinois. 

  Sister Emeline’s   whole life was  a continual prayer.  Everything she did…  was  with  “LOVE!”

I first met  Sister Emeline, while  living at the “Orphan’s Home”  and was assigned to work for her… in the  “BOY’s” dining room.

This was in the mid 1940’s…  and each of our job assignments lasted six months. And, maybe  again a year or two before I was to graduate from the 8th grade…  I worked for Sister Emeline, another six (6)  months.

Sister Emeline became a very  good friend right away, because she was so nice to talk  with,   and seem to understand what ever I wanted to say and do…   more important … to  talk with me… as if I was a friend  and  also… that which I had to say,  made some kind of sense?  

She was more friendly  than most of the “Nuns”  and that is what  I needed,   since I missed my own family!

Also, Sister Emeline was one of four (4) sisters and two brothers, who were placed in the same “Orphan Hone ” when her mother died and she was only three (3) years old. 

All four sisters  –   joined the  Sisters of Christian Charity, her youngest sister, Sister   Mary Alvira, was my  5th and 6th grade teacher and also became another very good friend  –  that I kept in touch with until she also went to Heaven.

I miss not having such a good friend, as we were always writing and sending stuff back and forth  – always the best of communications  and up-lifting words  –  still have each and  every card and letter.

So hard to forget your really  “good friends”  – no matter how long they  are gone…  but, they will never ever be… forgotten!

Sister Mary Emeline  –  Happy Birthday!

   You will always be  “Family”  to me!


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“Remembering my Friend Kelly and her Birthday”

“Some Friends are never forgotten”

***JUNE 23rd,  “KELLY UZZETTA”   she was just like …  my other extra special   FRIENDS, once you meet  “KELLY”  you were immediately a good friend! 

 There must be something  special in the “STARS”  for this period of  TIME in “JUNE”   something about making a good friend, and once you do,  you are  “GOOD FRIENDS” for ever!

Sometime in the 1970’s,  as  I  was working in the “REAL ESTATE”  office in the “FENTON” area, a whole new  world of selling homes!

And that is where I met “KELLY”  and two of her small children.

They had a large home in the Saint Louis area,  but for her husband, Al’s business… they were needing a home with  additional land  or property, for  the extra large equipment, that her  husband  would need to work on and  with, and the need to have home and business on the same piece of property.

Well,  that  would  just be  the best thing in the world!

And … that is exactly, what I found for them!

Just as if the “STARS”  were all in the right place, I had just listed  the perfect place,  this was one of those “DEALS” that were made in HEAVEN!

  Every thing worked out just fine, and ever since that date,  we were very “GOOD FRIENDS”  something that just clicked  for KELLY and  her husband, AL  with  their seven children!  

Some TIMES in LIFE,  so much seems to be accomplished, and every thing just seems to fall into the right place, but…  there  are things that happen to all of us, and for the wrong reasons, things that some others cause.

   Serious tragedy happens… so, this is where you will find the “rest of the story”   as I  posted some  time ago, check the “search bar”  for KELLY,  let me know if you can not find,  and I will write more.    D.V.

***We regret to say that Kelly Uzzetta passed away on 09/14/1995 and was 58 at the time.


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“3 No Bake Cookies”

 

Hi Bold Bakers!

 

Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are an absolute staple in my house. The base of my Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies is made of only three ingredients that I bet you already have in your cupboard. They’re beyond delicious and chewy and look impressive when dipped in chocolate. Get my Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies recipe.

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

My Chocolate No Bake Cookies are like a chocolate macaroon and fudge brownie hybrid. Think chewy, chocolatey and rich with sweet coconut. These no bake cookies come together in under 10 minutes so your chocolate cravings can be satisfied at any time! Get my Chocolate No Bake Cookie recipe!

Chocolate Chip N0 Bake Cookies

Sometimes you just need a classic chocolate chip cookie. Using just 4 wholesome ingredients, my no-bake chocolate chip cookie recipe is nothing short of magic. It’s flour-free, gluten-free, and egg-free but loaded with rich cookie goodness. Get my Chocolate Chip No Bake Cookies recipe!


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“15 Minute Banana Cream Pie Recipe”

Hi Bold Bakers!

As you all know, I’m all about making things that seem complicated… simple. I have a whole series based on taking my favorite classics and making them in a matter of minutes! We’ve done 10 Minute Tiramisu10 Minute Key Lime Pie and now we created a 15 Minute Banana Cream Pie! This no-bake wonder features a vanilla cookie crust, freshly sliced banana, and a rich homemade pudding! Even I’m surprised we didn’t come up with this recipe sooner because this pie is going to blow you away!

How Do You Thicken Banana Cream Pie?

Instead of using a store-bought pudding mix, also known as custard, I make my own from scratch. All-purpose flour combined with egg yolks, cooked gently in the homemade pudding mix will thicken it right up! If you are gluten-free and cannot have wheat-based flour you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour or cornstarch if you prefer.

Tips and Tricks to Making 15-Minute Banana Cream pie:

  • Feel free to use any vanilla or plain cookie
  • To make the cookie crumbs without a machine use a large plastic bag and a rolling pin or heavy bottle to crush them
  • Make the crust up to 2 days in advance
  • Make pudding up to 2 days in advance
  • Top the pie right before serving to ensure the bananas do not begin to turn brown

*NOTE: I updated this recipe 1/27/2020 add increased the flour from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup as some people were finding their pudding to be runny.

Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
15 minutes is all you need to make my Banana Cream Pie recipe — with fresh bananas, light-as-air whipped cream, and a vanilla cookie crust. You certainly don’t need an oven!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

For the pudding filling:

  • 3 cups (24floz/675ml) whole milk
  • 3/4 cup (6 oz/170g) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./71g) flour*
  • 3 egg yolks*, lightly whisked
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz./28g) butter
  • 2 bananas, medium, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
  • 1 cup (8fl oz./225ml) cream, whipped

For the vanilla cookie crust:

  • ½ cup (4 oz./115g) butter, melted
  • 2 cups (6 oz./170g) vanilla cookie crumbs (Nila Wafers)

Instructions

To make the pudding filling:

  • In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat combine the flour and the sugar. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking constantly to ensure the sugar and flour dissolve into the milk.
  • Continue to whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. 
  • Once the mixture has thickened, take a bit of the hot milk mixture and slowly stream it into the egg yolks while whisking vigorously. This is called” tempering” the eggs and will help bring them up to temperature so they do not scramble when being added into the hot milk. Temper the eggs a few more time with the hot milk mixture then add the egg yolks into the milk.
  • Continue to cook the pudding mixture until it is very thick, another 4-5 minutes, whisking as you go. 
  • Remove the pudding from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, salt, and butter. Set aside to cool down. 

To make the vanilla cookie crust:

  • First prepare a 9-inch cake or pie pan by generously buttering it and lining with 2-3 layers of cling wrap, leaving some excess hanging over the sides of the tin. This will help you lift the finished pie out of the tin once ready to serve. 
  • To make your crust, combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter in a large bowl. Mix until you’ve reached the texture of wet sand.
  • Transfer the crust mixture into the prepared tin. Using your fingers, press the crust mixture into one even layer along the bottom and sides of the tin. Place the crust in the fridge to set while you make the filling. 

To assemble the pie:

  • Remove the crust from the fridge and cover the bottom of the crust with two layers of freshly sliced banana.
  • Pour the pudding mixture on top of the layer of bananas, filling the pie to the top. Smooth the top with a spatula. 
  • Chill the pie for a minimum of 4-5 hours for the pudding to set firm. 
  • When ready to serve, pipe some whipped cream and lay a few additional fresh sliced bananas on top.
  • Cover and store the pie in the fridge. This pie is best enjoyed within 24 hours so the banana’s don’t brown. 

Recipe Notes

Replace the eggs: Dilute 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water and whisk in after the milk is added. 

*Flour- I updated this recipe 1/27/2020 add increased the flour from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup as some people were finding their pudding to be runny. 


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“Reminder to Remember FATHERs from the Beginning”

Just lucky that I was able to find  the following two Photos of  the parents of my Mother… and then they became my Grandparents…Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Brady.

002

The above  Photos of my Grandparents  are in good shape considering that they are going on to the beginning of the two hundred year mark.

I have to say that because… my Mother was the thirteenth child … and…  how in the world do you save and keep in half way good condition,  some old PHOTOS of your parents… when all of the older children would have had their hands on and maybe not such good care was given to these old Photos?

Also… this is the “fourgrandmas.com” blog… and “Anne Smart Brady” is  “A #1” as she was the  “Grand” beginning  source of this creation!

So… from all of us… “Best Wishes to Anne and Happy Father’s Day to Tom”… with many Blessings from our Almighty Creator”      D.V.


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‘NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY”

NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY - Last Thursday in June

On the last Thursday of June each year, people across the nation observe National Handshake Day.

Of all the various forms of greeting, the handshake is perhaps one of the most ancient.

The origin of the handshake is hard to pinpoint. As it is a non-verbal mode of communication, it may have existed before written records. Theories suggest it was a way for medieval knights, Roman soldiers, and other weapon-carrying men to check for hidden daggers by grasping each other’s forearms in greeting.

Archaeological ruins in ancient Greece support this theory. The funerary stele depicts two soldiers shaking hands and dates back to the 5th century BC.

An even older record in Egypt suggests the handshake held a different sort of power – the power of giving. According to Babylonian custom, kings would grasp the hand of the statue of the god Marduk before taking the throne. This act was repeated annually during the festival of Zagmuk to carry his power over into the next year. Even conquering Assyria continued the tradition.

As during ancient times, modern-day handshakes have different customs around the world. Women didn’t usually carry weapons and therefore didn’t shake hands as a form of greeting. In the United States, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom handshakes tend to be firm, but even those with firm greetings have lingering differences. However, in most Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, the grip is light, and there should be no direct eye contact. However, in the Philippines, they make eye contact while keeping the hold light.

Then there are the secret handshakes, those elaborate greetings signaling membership in a group, club, or society. One of the more famous societies known to use secret handshakes is the Freemasons.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY

Shake the hand of at least one person that you would not have on any other day. You may just want to wish them a good day while doing so. It’s also a day to perfect your handshake. A grip that’s too firm may come off as aggressive, and one too weak may seem insincere. What impression are you trying to make? 

Are you looking for alternative ways to offer greetings? Check out what our Ambassador, Priscilla  Subrmaniyam of Positivity Pass it On shared with us:

Or you can try a silly approach.

Use #NationalHandshakeDay on social media.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL HANDSHAKE DAY

Miryam Roddy, on behalf of BRODY Professional Development, founded National Handshake Day. “This gesture is key to 1st impressions & relationships,” says Roddy regarding handshakes. The day has been observed since at least 2005.


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