And worth his weight in gold…

Louis Charles Gadbois arrived on Wednesday 25th October at 11:04 PM, weighing in at a whopping 10lb (our biggest by far) and measuring 21.5″ He was caught by his very proud Papa with the assistance of our three midwives.

Labor was very easy, delivery a little more difficult since he was insisting on waving hello while being born. His arm was across his chest with his hand up near his cheek. Makes for a tight fit when you’re a double digit weight into the bargain! We’re both doing wonderfully well and he’s quite a celebrity in the house. His five brothers and sisters are adoring every chunky roll of him!

He was named for Brian’s cousin Robert Louis Berthiaume, who died in a boating accident at the age of 19 - a very happy, full-of-life young man. I never had the priviledge of meeting him but pray our little one inherits his zest for life. Louis’ middle name is after my darling uncle, Kenneth Charles Robbins who was like a grandfather to me. He was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known and we pray that he’ll be helping us to guide our little man’s footsteps.

We are so blessed to have him - thank you all for your prayers!

Lately I’ve been craving some of those stick-to-your-ribs comfort food recipes that my Nana used to make. You know - the ones made with the bicuit mix in the yellow box? We don’t eat that stuff because it’s basically a science experiment. In fact, we don’t eat anything that is made with shortening or margarine - it’s terrible for you. I went online to see if I could find a substitute recipe. Nothing without shortening.

So I developed a recipe that will work very nicely. It’s made with butter, and you MUST keep it refrigerated. I use all organic ingredients. It yields about 12c. of mix. You could even freeze this if you don’t often use biscuit mix. With a family my size, I have NO trouble using this in short order. Now haul out the ‘yellow box’ cookbook and use your homemade organic mix to whip up some comfort food recipes! ***remember to substitute real food with the funny stuff!

Homemade Biscuit Mix

9 c. organic flour (Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead)
1 T. Kosher salt
2 c. butter
1/3 c. baking powder
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 c. organic sugar (Rapadura will make your mix a little darker)

Nothing brings charm to a kitchen quite as much as copper pans and bowls. They have the unfortunate tendency to become dicolored through use and oxidation. Good cooks everywhere swear by copper mixing bowls for whipping eggs whites into merengue.

So here’s just the thing for getting your copper cleaned:

Lemon Juice
Sea salt (baking soda also works nicely)

Make a slurry from the lemon juice and salt. Using a terry cloth, rub it all over the bowl or pot and you’ll be amazed at how shiny it comes up! Apparently, you should do this on the inside of your copper mixing bowl before making the merengue - every time - the acid kills any residual grease… which will kill your beautiful merengue!

If you have a lot of lemon juice and salt as well as a crowd of bored children on a rainy day - haul out the penny jar and start polishing! Make a game of it - see who finds the oldest pennies! They should be able to read the dates easily after they’re cleaned. It’s a good time to talk about mint marks, too! See whose penny was minted the nearest or furthest away!

Well yes, this is a Gadbois child. Late as usual. Pokey, pokey, pokey. I’m sure God wants me to learn something here. I’m the LEAST patient person I know. Thank goodness those delicious babies are worth the wait!

So… we wait…

Saint Hedwig - Queen of Poland, Widow, Mother… She is the Patroness of the Sisters of St. Hedwig whose mission is to care for and educate orphaned children (no wonder JK Rowling chose Hedwig as the name for Harry’s owl). She was also the Aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Married at 12 years old to Henry of Salesia, they were the parents of seven children. Gertrude alone survived her mother.

She gave aid to colleges and to religious persons dwelling within or outside monasteries, to widows and orphans, to the weak and the feeble, to lepers and those bound in chains or imprisoned, to travelers and needy women nursing infants. She allowed no one who came to her for help to go away uncomforted.

How to celebrate:

Pack up a box of clothing, toys, school supplies, medicines to be shipped or delivered to an orphanage through Catholic Charities. Serve a traditional Polish meal of Kapusta, Kielbasa and Rye Bread. Set an extra place at table symbolizing your willingness to welcome an orphan or traveler to share your meal.

Kapusta

1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 large onion, finely sliced
6-8 c. chicken stock (not broth)
1 jar saurkraut, drained not rinsed
1.5 c. yellow pea puree (or Habitant Canadian Yellow Pea Soup)

Bring stock to the boil and add cabbage and onions. Cook until cabbage is completely translucent and tender. Add saurkraut and yellow pea puree. Heat through. Serve over mashed potatoes. Mmmmm. True comfort food - especially on a cold day!

Kielbasa
**note: do try to find a Polish deli for handmade sausage - they are WORLDS better than the prepackaged kind you find in the supermarket!

2 lb. handmade kielbasa, sliced
4 firm tart apples, cored and sliced
1 med sweet onion
1 tsp. caraway seed
1.5 c. apple cider
oil

Heat oil in skillet and add onions. Cook until translucent, add apples and kielbasa. Cook until sausage is browned. Add cider and caraway, cover and simmer until apples are tender.

Serve with buttered rye bread (pumpernickel rye is particularly yummy!).

What have we to do in order to become saints? Nothing extraordinary; nothing more than we do every day. Only do it for his love. ~ Saint Theodore

This morning, Pope Benedict XVI canonized four new saints. Among them, Mother Guerin - now Saint Theodore, Foundress of the Sisters of Providence. Our eldest daughter was born at a Providence hospital 14 years ago. We felt very blessed to have been there. The first blessing Catherine received was from a Providence Sister. I feel strongly that blessing helped to heal Catherine when she was rushed to a NICU across town for septecaemia.

In 1840, Mother Theodore Guerin left her home in France to establish a religious order in the west-central Indiana wilderness. She faced poor health, rugged living conditions and lack of resources, but she drew strength from her faith and her desire to serve God. While she died in 1856, her legacy remains. More here…

Please visit the Sisters of Providence website!

Dick and Rick Hoyt live right down the road from us. Brian and I grew up watching them in races - ever since Rick was a teenager. We’re so thrilled that the whole world seems to know about them - they are truly inspirational. Rick has cerebral palsy, but Dick (and the rest of the Hoyt family) didn’t see that as an obstacle to Rick making huge achievements. He’s a marathoner, and an Iron Man. Dick (the dad) and Rick (the son) have done it all together. Dick is an example of Jesus’ love - he carries Rick through the hard parts. And Rick trusts unconditionally, and displays courage, faith and enthusiasm. But if you think Dick is the only hero, think again. Recently Dick suffered a heart attack and it was RICK that saved him. But I think the following video says it all so much better. Get the tissues…

TEAM HOYT: CAN

Here’s an overlooked, but wonderful, benefit to offering your children a literature-based education.

When mama is confined to bed rest (whether due to pregnancy, postpartum or illness), or when a child is sick in bed with cold or flu, or other illness, reading aloud from good books while cuddling can still be done with ease and pleasure. School doesn’t have to go on hold, or take a back seat to convalesense. With a literature-based approach to learning, there’s no need to fret over workbook pages not getting done, or text book chapters falling behind… Mama doesn’t have to worry about neglecting education because it just naturally happens. Children’s curiosity is ignited when they are reading a living book. They don’t realize they’re “learning”, and the retention of information is ever better! There’s no need for a schoolroom, stacks of books, papers, pencils or other paraphernalia – just children and a book.

It’s such a joy to chat about what was read when you are quite comfortably ensconced in a fluffy comforter with a warm drink and sugar cookie!

When life gets busy - like when a new baby arrives - household management necessarily gets pared down to the essentials. I thought this would be a good time to focus on formulating a workable daily routine. These are the things we do every single day, at the same time. After a while, they become automatic. However, when you rely on others (as in the case of new babies) to help out with the daily routine, it helps to have everything written down.

** You can purchase your homeschool journal (pictured above) for $16.99 plus shipping by emailing me.

Start with your own personal care routine beginninng with wake-up time. When there is a newborn in the house, you have a built in alarm clock! However, you may have to juggle your schedule to accommodate nursings. Make sure you plan enough time for morning prayer, devotions, and readings. Also allow yourself time to put yourself together - this is an area *I* need to work on. I always feel terribly guilty taking time with hair and face, but somehow on the mornings I’m pulled together, my kids are ‘with it’ too. Hmmmm. For me it helps to have an easy wardrobe - like pretty knit dress and cardigan - pull it on and presto! Add a necklace and earrings and you look like you’re ready for anything - even if you really aren’t!

I’m a morning person. I love getting up and watching the sun brighten the sky. I love my one cup of coffee in peace and quiet. My husband likes to read his Bible over coffee in quiet. Somehow having some time to gather ourselves makes the day run more smoothly. Put every tiny detail into your morning schedule. Don’t laugh - you know you’ve had those mornings when you’ve stood there in the middle of the kitchen wondering what on Earth you have to do next… Those are usually the nights you’ve been up with a sick or teething baby - or worried over one thing and another. Keeping on track helps you get through your day - knowing when to ditch the schedule - and when is also important. Days with unexpected interruptions, however delightful, can be put back together easily when you have a schedule.

Here’s an example of what your morning routine could look like:

6AM Wake, nurse baby
6:30 Change baby, cuddle during morning devotions
7AM Get dressed, fix hair, face - WAKE children
7:30 Fix breakfast (clever mommies I know prepare breakfast the night before in a crockpot!)*
8 AM Breakfast
8:30 Clear up, wash dishes (with children’s help, of course), brush teeth, etc.
9 AM Morning chores (hand the children their chore packs!)
10AM Start lessons (while nursing baby)…

Of course, every house runs differently, but at least you get the idea of the level of detail. Once you’ve worked your schedule out in pencil on a piece of notebook paper, you can transfer it to your schedule on the computer and print it out, laminate it, punch holes and insert into your binder - this will be your front page.

This makes a great lesson for our children as well. Set aside a day, or part of a day, to make your children’s schedules, too. At our house, Saturdays and Sundays work well for this sort of activity since those are our family ‘crafty/fun’ days and doesn’t interfere with schooling and other scheduled activities. Make sure they put down things like hair and teeth brushing as well as picking up chore cards for the day (which you will have prepared the night before). They can put them into their home-school binders to help them remember. An additional copy can be posted in their rooms. In order to keep everyone running on time, someone has to be the town crier - usually Mama. Try to have a clock/timer that you can clip to your waistband, pocket, or apron. Set the next time on the schedule and when the alarm goes off - let the kids know it’s time for the next task. If your kids keep an eye on the clock themselves - you are fortunate indeed - PLEASE tell me how you trained them to do it!

Cheese is such a treat. If our daughter Carrie had her way, EVERYTHING would have cheese. I don’t know that *I’d* go that far, but there is no denying that is certainly adds something special to a dish!


Baked Brie

We all LOVE this recipe. In fact, it was the number one requested recipe when I asked my family! You can zhuzh it up with all sorts of things. You can make it sweet or savoury. Make TWO of these (at least) for a party – and place them where you want your guests to congregate!

1 wheel brie
1 recipe croissant dough (you can use prepared dough)
Butter, melted
Spiced sugar or dried herb mix
Fillings:
- Toasted chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts) and brown sugar
- Chopped praline
- Pie filling (apple, mincemeat, cherry)
- Pesto
- Chopped sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary
- Dijon mustard, flavored mustard (cranberry mustard is great!), etc.

Preheat oven to 400F. Unwrap the brie, leave the rind intact. Roll out croissant dough to about 10” round or square. In the center, place a layer of filling (not too thick!) and place the brie on top and spread with another layer of filling. Bring the dough up the sides to enclose the cheese. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with appropriate topping. Make the remainder of the dough into croissants. Place everything on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until dough is fully baked. If your dough browns quickly on top, you can tent it with foil.
** Hint: use a pizza stone to cook on, if you have one – the results are 100% better!

Macaroni and Cheese

Our daughter Caroline LIVES for macaroni cheese. Again, you can zhuzh this up quite a bit…unless of course you are a purist. This was my weekly Friday luncheon before I was married and still working in an office. There was a diner downstairs that made KILLER mac and cheese. One day I asked for the recipe. Make a double batch and freeze!

1.5 lb cooked macaroni
1 stick butter (PLEASE don’t use margarine)
1/2 c. flour
1.5 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. thyme (optional)
2 tsp salt
1tsp. white pepper
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz.2 tsp salt
1tsp. white pepper
4 c. whole milk, heated
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
8 oz. white cheddar, shredded
½ c. sour cream
½ c. shredded white cheddar or buttered bread crumbs

Preheat oven to Combine flour, salt, pepper and spices. Melt butter in a large electric skillet, add flour mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in warm milk (this will speed thickening and reduce lumping). Cook for several minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce begins to thicken. Add cheeses, stirring constantly until completely melted. Turn off heat and stir in sour cream. Add macaroni and turn out into a well buttered baking dish. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese or bread crumbs. Bake until bubbly and HOT – about 30 minutes.

NOTE: Add chopped tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), tuna and peas, ham cubes or sautéed onions before baking for a something a little different. Serve with a nice tossed salad or mug of tomato soup and fresh crusty bread with plenty of butter. Mmmmmm!

Cheese Souffle
I’m re-running this recipe because it’s so darned good. It also makes quite an impression on guests.

3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
1-1/4 c Milk
dash Nutmeg
dash Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Salt
4 Egg Yolks
¾ c Cheese
4 Egg Whites

Make sauce by mixing the butter, flour, milk and seasonings over medium heat. Add the egg yolks and cheese. Let cool. Beat Eggs Whites until still. Gentlyfold in to cheese mixture. Bake in a soufflé pan at 375* for 35 minutes.

Cheese Omelets

This is a great, cheap meal and great for an invalid. You can, of course, add just about anything to this omelet, but we love it plain. This is my favorite “outing day” breakfast. My kids are better behaved and have more stamina with a high-protein breakfast. This serves 4-6.

12 eggs
¾ c Water
Salt and pepper
2 c. shredded cheddar

Whisk eggs in a pouring bowl, add water, salt and pepper. I use water for my omelets because they tend to be fluffier. You could use milk if you want a richer omelet. Heat your pan and brush with oil or butter. Pour enough egg mixture to cover bottom of the pan to a depth of about ¼ “. As the egg sets, pull them in from the edge of the pan with a spatula, then move the uncooked egg around the pan to the edges. Repeat until all the raw egg mixture is out of the center and omelet is set, but not dry. Sprinkle generous amount of cheese over half the omelet and fold over. Cook for about one minute, flip and cook on the other side for one minute, slide out onto plate. ** NOTE: There seems to be an unwritten rule that the first omelet is always a disaster. Don’t sorry about that, we’re not entertaining the president. Mom usually eats that one!

Cheese Straws

A quintessentially Southern treat. Reminds me of those genteel southern ladies I’ve known.

8 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the cheese, butter, egg, flour, salt and cayenne pepper; process until mixed.
Holding the cookie press at an angle on an un-greased baking sheet, press the trigger twice, dragging the press away to make a 3″ long straw. Space the straws 1″ apart. To make straws the length of the baking sheet, continually press the trigger and drag the press away, spacing straws 1″ apart. Bake until the straws are lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer straws to wire racks to cool. Straws may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Makes about 60 three-inch straws.

Garden Cheese Soup

This recipe is a staple at family parties and can be made in a pinch. Not one of my ‘from scratch’ recipes, but it does nicely with crusty bread and salad or with a nice handful of oyster crackers or croutons.

1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
2 Tbs butter
2/3 c. flour
4 c chicken stock (homemade is best), heated
¼ tsp pepper
2 c. California mixed veggies (frozen)
1 c. hash brown potatoes (diced not patties, frozen)
3 c. whole milk
2 ½ c. shredded cheddar

Saute celery and onion in butter until tender; add flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly add stock, stirring constantly. Add pepper and vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add milk and cheese and stir constantly until cheese is melted. DO NOT BOIL.

Wisconsin Cheese Soup

From Julie H (she’s such a good recipe sharer!): “Oooooooh, here’s Tom’s cheese soup. It’s “delish” (a snitchable from you LOL)”

2 medium Carrots
2 Celery ribs
1 medium Onion
1/2 Green pepper, seeded
5 Mushrooms (or 1 small can)
1 c Cooked ham (optional)
1 stick Butter
1/2 c Flour
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
2 c Chicken broth
4 c Milk
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Cayenne (up to 1/2 t.)
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1-1/2 lb Sharp cheddar or Colby cheese, grated
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Shred or Finely chop Carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and ham(optional). In a large heavy kettle, melt butter over medium heat; add carrots,celery, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and ham (if desired). Cook over mediumheat until vegetables are crisp tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Do not brown. Add flour and cornstarch; cook, stirring constantly, about 3minutes. Add broth and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Add milk,paprika, cayenne and dry mustard. Stir in cheese gradually, stirring untilcheese is melted. To avoid curdling, do not allow soup to boil after cheese isadded. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve piping hot. Makes about 2 1/2quarts soup.

Cheesy Creamed Corn

This was an experiment last Thanksgiving. I made a double batch for my in-laws’ party. It was a HUGE hit! Dry mustard, garlic and ginger really enhance the corn.

1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
½ stick butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
¼ c flour
Salt and pepper (white)
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ c ground ginger
2 c. whole milk, heated
6 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/3 c. sour cream
1lb frozen corn kernels, thawed.

Sauté onion in butter until translucent, add garlic. Combine flour and spices, add to butter/onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and cook until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir constantly until melted. Add sour cream and corn. Heat through, or turn out into a greased baking pan and bake until hot. SO good!

Fried Mozzarella

Fried mozzarella is a retro treat. Still delish!

Olive oil, for frying
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella(wrapped, not packed in water)
1 pound fresh smoked mozzarella
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
8 stems or large sprigs each fresh parsley, sage, thyme
Fine salt

Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes. Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese. Reserve the chopped parsley. Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs. Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley. The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried. Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs. Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with fine salt. Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer. Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface. Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese doesn’t burn the tongue!

Delicious dipped in marinara!

Pecan Caramel Cheesecake

This recipe SCREAMS SuperBowl! It’s always the encore to my dear husband Brian’s Nacho Supreme. This freezes beautifully, too. No need to thaw before eating either – Mmmmm!

Crust:
7 graham crackers
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:

2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, toasted lightly and cooled

In a food processor grind graham crackers and pecans fine and in a bowl stir together with butter. Press mixture into bottom of a 9- by 2 1/2-inch springform pan. Chill crust 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° F. Make filling: In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar gradually, beating until combined well. Beat in flour and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla, and salt, beating until combined well.

Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 1 hour, or until edges are just set but middle trembles slightly. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.)
Turn off oven and cool cheesecake in oven with oven door propped open about 6 inches until cooled completely, about 2 hours. Make topping: In a heavy saucepan cook 1/2 cup sugar over moderately low heat until melted. Cook sugar, swirling pan, until a deep caramel. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until caramel dissolves. Simmer mixture, without stirring, until it registers 225° F. on a candy thermometer and remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla and cool to room temperature. Pour topping over cheesecake, spreading evenly. Arrange pecans decoratively on top and chill cheesecake, covered, overnight. Remove side of pan. Serves 12 - 16.

Had to add another recipe (today is 13th October)

German Cream Cheese Brownies

4 squares semi-sweet bakers chocolate
1/3c Butter
3 oz cream cheese
1 c sugar
3 eggs
½ c flour; plus 1 tablespoon
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ c walnuts or pecans; chopped (opt.)
½ tsp almond extract

Melt chocolate and 3 tbsp butter. Cool and set aside. Cream remaining butter with cream cheese until softened. Gradually add 1/4cup sugar creaming until light and fluffy. Blend in 1 egg, 1 tbsp flour and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Set aside. Beat remaining egg well. Add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating until thickened. Add baking powder,salt and remaining flour. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture, nuts,almond extract and remaining 1 tsp of vanilla. Measure 1 cup ofchocolate mixture and set aside. Spread remaining chocolate batter in 9″ greased pan. Top with cream cheese mixture and swirl to marble. Cover with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to40 min. Cool them cut into 24 squares.

Also, I add about a tablespoon of espresso (ground coffee, notliquid) to the chocolate - REALLY enriches the flavor. Make a double or treble batch - they’ll go like crazy. Besides, you might want to keep some back for yourself! They freeze like a dream. SO good!

Enjoy! Next Tuesday - CRANBERRIES! Please send your favorite cranberry recipe for inclusion!