Monday, February 14, 2011

Once Upon A Time. And A Lesson In Cheese.

Once upon a time, a shy, sheltered preacher’s daughter met an un-shy, non sheltered, fighter pilot’s son.

He was a 22-year old, recent college graduate and, up to a month before I met him, had been involved in a lifestyle of drug and alcohol abuse and playing rock and roll in bars and clubs.

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As for me? When he first laid eyes on me, I was a 17-year old, socially backward, poet/songwriter who’d never been in a club or bar in my whole life.

Doesn’t sound much like a match made in heaven, does it?

But it was.

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(And if you’re wondering, why yes, those were Ritz crackers on the table, enchantingly enhanced with lovely dollops of Cheese Whiz.  You can probably tell our wedding budget was not unlimited.  But hey, don’t knock it! Cheese Whiz is a tasty, food-like substance!)

Anyway . . .

The years went by.

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Faster . . .

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and faster.

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And the passing years brought us the arrival of two small Smith-ette People.

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The growth of their friendship over the years has been such a delight to Steve and me.

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Aren’t we such a happy looking family?

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Of course, we can’t leave out this little member of the Smith Family Clan.  (Or Smith Clanily Fan.)

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Four years ago, Steve and I celebrated our 25th anniversary.

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And if you’re good at math (unlike me) you have probably deduced that this year we’ve been married 29 years.

That means that I have spent twenty-nine years being married to my favorite valentine and twenty-one years enjoying the precious privileges of motherhood.

And so today, on Valentine’s Day, 2011,  I want to wish my dearest husband, my sweetest kids, and my darlingest dog (not to mention all of you!) a most cheery, chipper and chocked-with-chocolate Valentine’s Day.

Comments

I just had to post this comment in its entirety because it was such a delightful tale.  Who knew that our family would ever be recognized while we were out and about?  Susan, thanks for sharing!

Susan wrote:  A story for you - I was getting gas at the TA Travel Center on I-85 at the Gibsonville exit last Saturday afternoon and happened to glance at the gentleman at the next pump and thought he looked familiar. But after looking again just couldn't place where I knew him from. Then as he drove away from the pump I saw Snowy - it was Snowy's Dad! I contemplated chasing him through the parking lot to introduce myself as a follower of Sarah's site and Becky's blog but decided since the family still had several hours drive ahead maybe being chased through the parking lot wasn't such a good idea:) Have a great weekend!

Q. Debbie Jean said, Your home is so beautiful and so tidy!! Does it always stay that way?

A.  Debbie Jean, I guess I’d have to say that our living room/dining room area is usually pretty clean--most of the time.  The fact that we don’t have young children at home makes a big difference in that regard.  However, we have been known upon occasion to have messes and clutter galore, just usually in other areas of the house.

 

Q.  Anon said, Hmmmm, Lasagna recipe sounds wonderful, but could you use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese?

A.  I actually wasn’t sure of the answer so I did a little research and found out some very interesting Cheese Informational Stuff!  Read and learn and then you can sound uber knowledgeable the next time the subject comes up.  (Well, if it ever does.  If it doesn’t, you can just have the satisfaction of knowing that you know something of great culinary importance.)

Here’s what I found on the Internet:

When a cheese maker separates milk or cream into curds and whey, the curds are used to make cottage cheese and the whey is used to make ricotta. That's why both cheeses, although similarly soft and mild in flavor, have such different textures. Both are considered "fresh" or unripened cheeses. Both are usually sold in the same type of round plastic container.

They can be used in many recipes interchangeably, but there are some distinct differences. Ricotta is a soft cheese that has a fine, moist, grainy texture. Cottage cheese is "lumpier", whether the curds are small or large. Cream is added to the curds to create the rich "creamed cottage cheese" we are all familiar with.

Some savory recipes such as lasagna or stuffed shells will accommodate either cheese. However, because of the extra liquid in cottage cheese, the end result will be runnier than if you use the drier ricotta. On the other hand, substituting one for the other in a dessert in which texture is crucial (such as cheesecake) can be problematic, unless the recipe specifies otherwise.

So now you know! 

 

20 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

MaryH said...

Happy Valentine's Day, Becky and all the Smithes. Hope there was much chocolate - Also, your lasagna recipe is very similar to Pioneer Woman's....just sayin' she is in very good company with her recipes! Happy Day - and Yes, oh, Yes - the SNOW HAS MELTED IN ST. LOUIS - thank you, Lord.

Anonymous said...

Has Steve ever shared his story on your blog from his "wild" period? I'd love to hear about it and what made him change his ways.
Happy Valentines day Smith family!
Jill-FL

Lyndsay said...

That recent black and white picture of you and Steve is GORGEOUS! Hope you had a great Valentine's Day!

Guerrina said...

Happy Valentine's Day to all the Smithies!

Thanks for the breakdown on cottage cheese vs ricotta - I've always used ricotta 'cause in my family using the "other" would be not Italian (all families have their "rules")! Next time I can't afford it, I'm getting the "other" and just not tellin'!

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