Category Archives: Gathering With Friends

Little Socks Declares Her Freedom

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Yesterday, we had pretend fireworks and thought patriotic thoughts. We had traditional Fourth of July food: hot dogs, baked beans and potato salad, strawberry shortcake and homemade lemonade. We celebrated the birth of our country and our freedom from Great Britain.

Freedom

I’m not sure what they were declaring freedom from, except taxes. They didn’t like taxes. But they made taxes of their own. And I hear people argue about taxes all the time. Maybe we need to have another tea party, like they had in this town called Boston. They had it on a boat in a harbor – that’s water, for those of you that don’t know. Apparently they needed a lot of water to make that tea. That was a long time ago, nearly 250 years. I don’t think Mom was born yet.

A lot has changed since that tea party – it’s a really good story but I forget the punch line – like the hot dogs. I don’t think they had hot dogs back then. At least, not in Boston. They didn’t even have baked beans in Boston, and that’s pretty strange, because there is this dish called Boston Baked Beans. You use bacon and onions and molasses and ketchup and dry mustard and this stuff called Worcestershire sauce. And beans. Don’t forget the beans.

Anyway, if we had a tea party, maybe we would all get along. Mom just laughed out loud when I said that. I don’t know why.

Back To The Food

Mom said they had some versions of potato salad then. Some Spanish explorers boiled potatoes in wine or vinegar and spices (ick), and then the Germans brought their version over here, maybe to that harbor in Boston.

Believe it or not, they already had strawberry shortcake and lemonade, too. It was the hot dogs and baked beans that they lacked.

So we had hot dogs, grilled outside, then put inside a bun, with ketchup and mustard and pickle relish and chopped onions. And I’m pretty sure the beans we had were the Boston kind. The potato salad was Mom’s favorite. It had boiled – or deviled – eggs and celery and dill pickles and dill. And something Mom calls mayo. She always says don’t use Miracle Whip. Whatever that means.

And the strawberries were the best in the world, with a biscuit called shortbread and whipped cream. That’s my favorite. I could care less about the rest of it, but I wanted the whipped cream.

So Back To The Freedom

Apparently after that tea party, they had a war. That wasn’t very nice. But then we were free. Free to do what? Work hard at putting everything back together again, I guess. But that brings me to my point. The point of all of this.

I, Little Socks Kitty Kat, Declare My Freedom From Everything.

I declare my freedom to stay away from people who don’t care to keep other people safe.

I declare my freedom to say that I like cats of every size and shape and color and gender. I even declare my freedom to say I like dogs.

I declare my freedom to say that I will not be mean to anyone. Well, unless they deserve it, and sometimes Mr. Bean deserves it.

I declare my freedom to have food and water whenever I want it. And not just any food and water. Healthy food and clean water.

I declare my freedom to have clean air.

I declare my freedom to have enough money to have a roof, walls, a floor, windows with sunshine, and boxes. Lots of boxes. And soft beds.

And I declare freedom from taxes! (But Mom can’t. She has to pay hers.)

Anyway, Mom says that’s why we celebrate the 4th of July, so we can be free to be decent human beings. Or kitty kats.

In Closing

I just hope that everyone, everywhere, can declare the same freedoms as me some day. Happy Fourth!

This is a Tiger Lily Approved Declaration

Trick Or Treats That Are Good To Eat

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Trick Or Treating has gotten more complicated as the years go by. We announce the night, and typically, at least in my home town area, it happens during daylight hours. Parents or older siblings supervise the activity. Costumes need to be fun for the kids and safe as well, with nothing that blocks their eyesight, limits their range of motion, and allows them to stay warm and dry.

Because of some really bad things that have happened, treats need to be pre-packaged (rather than some really good homemade treats). You have to take care that children with diabetes don’t get sugar and kids with peanut allergies don’t get peanuts. And remember, you can’t break the bank!

The important words: Safety. Security. Healthy treats. Economical treats. Oh. And Fun.

Hosting Your Own Party

Why not host a party on your own? That way, you can do treats the way you want. In my hometown, this kind of happens at our church. We do a “Trunk or Treat,” inviting everyone from the neighborhood. It’s easy to do. Gather friends, get a commitment for them to pull into the parking lot (or wherever) and put treats into their trunks. You can dress up, too, to welcome your guests. If it’s a private party, you don’t have to worry so much about “pre-packaged” treats. You can make your own!

Or host the party in a home.

Here’s a website that provides several recipes for fun treats for kids. A few of them are even healthy. Kind of. All of them are creative.

More Halloween Treats

I liked this website for homemade treats. The spooky candy-coated apples caught my eye, as did the bat cupcakes. And the white chocolate pumpkin pie caramel apples. And the flying brooms. The ghostly pizza looked pretty good, too. Gingerbread mummies. Yum. Or, if you like jalapeno poppers, try the stuffed pepper mummies.

Trunk Or Treat

I’m all about keeping it simple. (For me, keeping it simple means coming with candy in the trunk. Period.) Some folks, though, like to go all out. If you have run out of ideas of how to decorate, take a look at this website. Wowzer. Dress your vehicle as your favorite restaurant, or movie, or fantasy castle, or hayride. They even have an idea for making your vehicle look like a gumball machine.

In Closing

Halloween can be all about fun. Enjoy the day!

This is a Tiger Lily Approved Way To Play!!!

Thanksgiving for Omnivores, Vegetarians, Vegans & Gluten-Intolerant Family Members

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I found an online article about throwing away the rules for setting a table at Thanksgiving. Setting a table? You have to throw away the rules for everything!

Spoiler alert: my family broke these rules years ago. Partially, they were broken because all of our elders were gone. Partially, they were broken while the elders were still around. Mom would say, “Use paper plates,” or Aunt Mary would say, “Do we really want to eat that again?” I think they were giving us permission to do our own thing. And now, we do.

The Rules

For families who have broken no rules but want to consider doing Thanksgiving Light, these are suggested by the writer of the article.

  1. Forget the place cards. (Really? Do families really use place cards?) The article suggests giving general seating directions and allowing Uncle Percy to find a seat away from Cousin Sally who has such left-wing views he can’t swallow. Or not. Part of family life is family debate. Right?
  2. Forget formal flowers, or any flowers….bring outside elements to the dinner table, like branches, acorns, squash, and cabbages. Alongside a few votives, you will have a dramatic — and dramatically simple — centerpiece. I have to say that we gave up decorating the table at all for this meal. But it’s a nice touch.
  3. Forget the tablecloth. Show off the natural wood of your table, or use simple placemats to create a clean, elegant place setting. Great idea. If I think the wood might be damaged, I use a vinyl cloth.
  4. Forget the crystal. This can be an all-hands-on-deck meal, with everyone cooking, everyone going inside and outside, everyone doing everything but taking care not to shatter the crystal. Everyday glasses are just fine. Perfect, in fact.
  5. Forget covering the table with food. Everyone passing the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Spilling here and there. Having to help little ones and older ones. Is my family the only one that went to buffet serving ten to fifteen years ago?

And Now For Those Recipes

My family has come up with favorites over the years, combining meat eaters with I’ll-eat-fish eaters with no-meat-or-fish-for-me-please eaters to nothing-that-comes-from-an-animal eaters, with a few gluten-free omnivores and gluten-free vegans thrown in for good measure.

Rather than bore you with our recipes, I’m sharing suggestions from a great article in HuffingtonPost Online. Click on the link for full recipes.

  1. Lablabi (Middle Eastern Spicy Chickpea Stew). This works for everyone, including persons with a need to eat gluten-free. Those folks will just have to forgo the baguettes that are suggested for serving.
  2. Thanksgiving Root Vegetable Pie. This will work for vegetarians. For vegan or gluten-free diets, you can work around items (olive oil instead of butter, crustless or crust made with vegan ingredients).
  3. Jeweled Millet. This is packed with flavor and texture. Ingredients include millet, chickpeas, sautéed almonds, caramelized onions and a variety of spices.
  4. Vegan Lentil Shepard’s Pie. Think root vegetables, lentils, mushrooms, rosemary and thyme. Yum.
  5. Creamy Carrot Ginger Bisque With Cashew Cream. To die for. Serve to everyone, vegan and gluten-free included.
  6. Wintry Cornbread Pudding. This is a vegetarian dish. If you have access to replacement ingredients for the eggs and cheese, and if you use a vegan-friendly bread, it can be made into a vegan dish.
  7. Hearty Kale Salad With Kabocha Squash, Pomegranate Seeds And Toasted Hazelnuts. There is nothing to add in explanation except the dressing. This recipe uses olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and maple syrup. If you haven’t discovered the magic of kale, now is the time.
  8. Radish And Pecan Grain Salad. Oh, my. Mixed grains (they suggest farro, freekeh, wheat berries, wild rice, quinoa, pearl barley or any combination), with arugula, parsley, tarragon, mint, pecans, walnut oil, sherry vinegar, radishes, shallot, raisins and dried cranberries. What is not to love?
  9. Leek And Greens Tart With Cornmeal Crust. They kind of lost me on this one.
  10. Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, And Bread Stuffing With Apples. Again, use a vegan-friendly and hopefully a gluten-free – bread, and this can be served to everyone. Everyone.
  11. Quinoa Salad With Hazelnuts, Apple, And Dried Cranberries. This includes cooked-to-crisp onions and celery and is finished with hazelnut oil. Sigh.
  12. Leek Risotto. Any risotto. Good for Thanksgiving.

Desserts

Make your favorites, but don’t forget your changing family! The recipes found in this link are good for vegans, so good for everyone.

  • Vegan Pumpkin Pie With Rustic Crust
  • The Best Vegan Apple Crisp
  • Raw Cranberry Walnut Tort
  • Pecan Pumpkin Pastries With Maple Glaze
  • Blackberry And Apple Almond Loaf Cake
  • Maple Pecan Cookies
  • Pumpkin Pie Parfaits (say this fast five times)
  • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (not for me, thanks)

In Closing

For omnivores who must, absolutely must, have turkey, don’t forget it! Instead of a full bird, you can use a fun recipe for turkey breast. We have so many vegetarians and vegans in the family that, anymore, having a whole turkey is a waste of everything. We’ve seen enough beautifully-cooked birds to last a lifetime, anyway.

I think, this year, I’m going to try some new recipes. Maybe some of these!!!

These are Tiger Lily Approved recipes.

Fun In The Fall

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Fall is my favorite season. Crisp, cold air; golden, orange and red leaves; harvest; pumpkins; spooks and witches.

I’m going to give you some suggestions for having fun in the fall, but you have to do this first. Clear your calendar so you can spend time with your family and friends!

Suggestions, In No Particular Order

Here’s A Tip

If you have cats or dogs, include them in the fun!

In Closing

Fall comes only once a year. Take time out to enjoy!

This is a Tiger Lily Approved Fun Fall Plan

Afternoon Tea

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This is not a political tea party! This is pure, sophisticated fun! Get out your china tea cups and prepare to drink with your pinky extended!

This is very easy to plan. Here are two links, one British and one American.

The Menu

  • Several kinds of tea, both loose leaf and bagged.
  • Finger sandwiches.
  • Baked goods. (The link to the British website will lead you to excellent recipes.)
  • Finger sandwiches.
  • Jams and jellies.
  • I almost forgot: finger sandwiches.
  • Whatever your imagination can devise!

These can all be made in advance and if you set up a buffet, it allows your guests to easily serve themselves. If your house will allow it, have several smaller conversation tables.

The Tea

Each table should have one or more teapots steaming with a couple of teas, honey, lemon slices, sugar, fake sugar (if you must), spoons, small plates for tea bags, and…well, you probably know how to set a table. The gist is that you can have the food items at a buffet table, but for a proper tea, keep the teapots and accompaniments on the dining tables.

As a conversation starter, put a flyer on each table with the names and properties of each of the teas being served. For example, did you know that Bergamot tea is used to treat mild depression and digestion problems?

Ginger tea can help with nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, cramping, circulation, stress and anxiety.

Raspberry leaf tea can be beneficial for pregnant women.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Tips

To help with finances and the work, ask one or two friends to co-host with you. They can help with the baking, and they can provide pretty tea sets, china, serving dishes, tablecloths. (Nothing has to match.)

Decorate to the nines! Find fancy tiered servers, cupcake trees, a variety of china tea sets…put a request out to everyone you plan to invite. They’ll offer their items.

Don’t limit your invitations to women! Men will enjoy it also.

Make as much as you can in advance, so you can enjoy the afternoon.

In your invitation, you might want to specify “Sunday” dress. Or not. Your choice.

In Closing

This is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours with friends.

This is a Tiger Lily Approved Event.