Sandy Holthaus
Next week I will have a banner birthday “55.” Everywhere I saw the signs that this was coming, literally. I live very near Highway 55; most speed limit signs are 55 and now I am receiving a number of mailings reminding me that I qualify for AARP and several “senior” discounts at the ripe old age of 55. Did you know you can adopt a “senior” cat from Tri- County Humane Society for FREE if you are 55 and older? Good information to have if I wanted to become a cat lady in my “old age”. I have now celebrated two of my decade birthdays in the Annandale Community which is almost as many as I celebrated on the North Shore! Those first 20 years were filled with experiences and events that shaped me into who I am today.
Seriously I don’t mind being older. I just don’t FEEL 55. (My sweetest friends tell me I don’t look THAT old. I bribe them with treats.) I remember being the child of 8 who told her mom “29” was ancient! (Sweet kid huh?) Turning 30 feels like yesterday. This cute guy from the office came to my birthday party and made such an impression, I married him! I tease him that for my 39th birthday he bought me a house as we just celebrated our 16th year here in “Holthaus Haven”. The night I had my 50th birthday party seems like just yesterday. I blinked and now I’m 55. The next blink will be 60 and so on. I need to start keeping my eyes wide open. I don’t want to miss a thing. I have a dear friend who is 93. She still teaches English three days a week. She work out every day at 5 a.m. and can beat me at cards, sometimes. That’s my goal, to be kicking butt and taking names at 93.
I met a lovely woman in Annandale who told me about the Ten-Year Journal. It’s a beautiful book that you write a few short sentences about what happened each day. The cool thing is that the notes from the years before are all on the same page. When you fill it in you can see exactly what you were doing last year on this day. I am surprised all the time by the thought, oh my goodness, that was a year ago already?? I like to give them to friends and especially graduating students. To think you can start a journal at 18 and have it end at 28, all the life changes that happen in those 10 years are amazing. The next thing they know they will be 55. Peace to you! Sandy
“Gonna write me up a 125, Post my face wanted dead or alive, Take my license, all that jive
I. Can’t. Drive. 55! Oh No!” ~ Sammy Hagar, favorite song this year.
Favorite Recipes from 55 years ago:
Buttery Onion Soup
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded part-skim
mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Croutons, optional
In a large saucepan, cook onions in butter over low heat until tender and transparent, about 20 minutes.
Stir in flour. Gradually add broth and milk; cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute longer; reduce heat to low. Add mozzarella cheese and stir constantly until melted (do not boil). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with croutons if desired.
Olive Stuffed Celery Sticks
1 dill pickle spear plus 1 teaspoon juice
3 sweet pickles plus 1 teaspoon
juice
6 pitted ripe olives plus 1 teaspoon
juice
6 pimiento-stuffed olives plus 1
teaspoon juice
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Miracle Whip (Gives more
flavor than mayo in this recipe)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans,
toasted
6 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Finely chop the pickles and olives; set aside. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, Miracle Whip, juices and salt until blended. Stir in the pickles, olives and pecans.
Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag; pipe or stuff into celery sticks. Store in the refrigerator.
Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 cup sour cream
COFFEE FROSTING:
1/3 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee
granules
2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with bananas and sour cream, beating well after each addition.
Pour into a greased 13×9 in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Dissolve coffee granules in milk; add to butter mixture and beat until smooth. Spread over cake.