Friday, February 28, 2014

Cream Puff Dessert served at Crafts last Monday


Cream Puff Dessert- Pat Leber and Rosemary Wingert
½ C Butter
1 C flour
1 C water
4 eggs
3 small pkgs Vanilla Instant pudding
3 C milk
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
8 or 9 oz carton whipped topping
¼ C Hershey’s chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour. Add eggs, one at a time; beat as each one is added. Mixture will form a ball. Pat in a lightly greased 9 x 15” pan. Bake 35 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly press down with a spatula and cool. Mix pudding and milk (2 ¾ Cups); add cream cheese that has been mixed well with ¼ cup milk. Spread pudding/cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. Spread whipped topping over pudding and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Refrigerate.

February 2014 Steak Fry

Butch brings in one roaster full of steaks

Myron, Leroy and guest wait for the next batch

The main feature

Ready for Drinks

In for a treat. The steaks were super good and I could not believe the generous size.

Norma Cooklin sent us snow!

Son Larry came for the Winter Olympics and had to stay 3 days

Sunny day? Yes, blowing snow off lake

Driveway full-Can't leave home

Had to be dug out

Winter Olympics-Fishing on Okoboji

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Iowa Maid Rites

CROCK POT IOWA MAID-RITES

Loose Meat Sandwich.
If you know what this is, you must be from the Midwest.  Here in Iowa there is nothing quite like a loose meat sandwich, or Maid-Rite, as many of us grew up calling them.  This delicious sandwich with meat messily spilling over the edges of the bun is a staple for many Iowan meals.
The Maid-Rite sandwich was popularized back in 1926 by a man named Fred Angell.  He began franchising the idea and a chain of restaurants called Maid-Rite began to spread throughout Iowa.  Today one of the few original shops remains in Marshalltown, Iowa – Taylor’s Maid-Rite.  Several new shops have emerged over the years and have been grandfathered in through the franchise, but Taylor’s is one of the originals and a favorite of many long time Maid-Rite fans.
I have vivid memories of Taylor’s in Marshalltown.  I played softball in high school and our coach was a huge fan of Taylor’s Maid-Rites.   Every time we went to Marshalltown to play a game, we would drop off the freshman and JV teams and our coach and the varsity players would head over to Taylor’s to enjoy a yummy, mouth-watering loose meat sandwich.  That tells you how much he, along with many others, love these sandwiches!
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I have a little bit of an obsession with ketchup and eat it on way more things than I should.  Much to my surprise, whenever we would go into Taylor’s there would be no ketchup on the counters.  The only way you could get ketchup was by asking and usually I would be given a hard time by the workers for asking for a bottle.  The traditional, Iowan way to eat a Maid-Rite is with onions, pickles, and mustard.  The story goes that back when the Maid-Rite restaurants first opened, hobos would come in and steal the ketchup bottles that were on the counters to make tomato soup.  The ketchup bottles were quickly nixed from the restaurants.  Most long time Maid-Rite consumers turn their noses up to ketchup saying it ruins the consistency of the meat and makes the Maid-Rite more like a sloppy joe.  I’ve heard that Taylor’s now has ketchup on their counters but many long time patrons are sometimes known to ask the servers to remove the bottles from the location where they are sitting :)
Growing up we ate Maid-Rites all the time, whether it was at the actual sandwich shop (we were lucky enough to have one in Mason City), my mom making her own version, or at the local fairgrounds during our county fair.  Everyone seemed to have loose meat sandwiches.  Anytime I catch the scent of a Maid-Rite it instantly transports me back to my childhood.
Here is an easy Crock Pot Maid-Rite recipe we have enjoyed in our house.  I’ve even learned to enjoy them without ketchup, using the traditional condiments of mustard, onions, and pickles :) It’s easy to throw together and the crock pot takes care of the rest.  You’ll feel like you’ve taken a trip to an authentic Maid-Rite shop here in Iowa!
Here is what you’ll need on your grocery list:
**This recipe makes enough to serve 6-8 people.  I give quite a generous portion on large, freshly made bakery buns so we only get about 6 servings out of it, but if you used smaller buns you could serve quite a few more people**
3 lbs Ground Beef
1 small Onion, chopped
1 Beef Bouillon Cube
1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
1  1/2 cups Water
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Large Hamburger Buns
Pickles
Mustard
Add the first nine ingredients to the crock pot.  Stir together to combine ingredients and break up the ground beef.
Cook on High for 4 hours. Stir occasionally to combine ingredients as they cook and to keep the beef from clumping together.  The smell that emerges from the crock pot each time you stir it is to die for!
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Serve on hamburger buns…dont’ be shy, the messier it is the more authentic the sandwich!  Serve with condiments of your choice but remember the traditional condiments are pickles and mustard which I highly recommend.
Enjoy!!!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Edna Pauline Skuza (1922 - 2014) Obituary

Edna came to Magnolia Park from 1988 to 2005

Edna Pauline Skuza (1922 - 2014)

Obituary


Edna Pauline Skuza, 91

St. Cloud

Nov. 18, 1922 - Feb. 18, 2014

Edna Pauline (Talbert) Skuza, age 91, St. Cloud, MN, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at Country Manor Health Care Center, Sartell, MN.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 11:00 AM at Salem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, MN. Visitation will be Tuesday, February 25, 2014 from 4:00 - 7:00 pm at the Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Burial will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Sauk Rapids, MN.

Edna Pauline (Talbert) Skuza was born to George and Lisa (Gifford) Talbert on November 18, 1922 in Minden Township, Benton County, Minnesota. She began her education in a rural school, later attending Riverview Lab School at St. Cloud State College. She graduated from Tech High School in 1940, and then completed a two-year program at the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture, St. Paul campus. On February 6, 1943 she married Lawrence Skuza. The couple resided in Popple Creek for two years before moving to St. Cloud. While raising their three daughters, Edna was an active member of the PTA, serving as president, secretary, and treasurer, as well as a member of the PTA council. She was also a dedicated Girl Scout leader, Campfire leader, and also served on the local board of each.

Edna worked for 17 years as the Food Service Supervisor for the St. Cloud School District 742, retiring in 1984. During her tenure, she was also a member of the Minnesota State Food Service Board. Upon retiring, Edna and Lawrence moved to a lake home on Cotton Lake near Detroit Lakes, MN. They enjoyed summers by the lake while spending each winter in southern Texas. Edna returned to live in St. Cloud after the death of her husband in 1999.

Over the years Edna remained an active member of Holy Cross, Our Saviors, and Salem Lutheran churches. She was a member of the choir, served as an officer in various women's organizations, as a member of the church council, and as a church office volunteer.

She is survived by three daughters - Je Layne (Ron) Hernandez of Rome, GA; Susan (George) Logan of Marietta, GA; Nancy (Bruce) Livingood of Ham Lake, MN; seven grandchildren - Larry (Cara) Schwichtenberg, Robert (Nicole) Schwichtenberg, Kurt (Chrissy) Schwichtenberg, Donna (Kenneth) Vaughn, Kate (Ben) Pearson, Aaron (Amanda) Livingood, Laura Livingood; ten great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Lawrence on April 17, 1999, siblings Nola Neeser, Don Talbert, Glen Talbert, Stella Johnson, and many other loved ones.

Donna's Ramblings...

My friend Mickey has a sister who lives at Rio Valley Estates. Her name is Donna Gabbert and I have known her since she was a very small girl. She has a blog titled Donna's Ramblings at R.V.E. You can find a link to her blog on this page by looking to the left under "LINKS". Her latest entry I found very interesting about the Market Days at South Padre Island. Many people from our park follow Donna year round because she is a link to what is happening in the Rio Grand Valley during the summer months.
I thought you would like to know...

Mountain Laurel Tree in Bloom

The Mountain Laurel tree on Willow Street has decided to bloom this year. That does not happen every year. The scent is overwhelming. So make your way to the east side of the park to take in this beauty.



Sunday, February 23, 2014

Sunday Service at Magnolia

At last the weather is staying very nice for the visitors that have come down to the valley to visit their families to escape the north cold and snow...We had a nice crowd this morning for the service..

Today Pastor Stacey continued with the study of the Book of John, Chapter 8, starting with Verse 1 with the theme of "Cast the first Stone"....This study tells of when Jesus was in the temple courts teaching the people and the Pharisees brought in a woman that had been caught in adultery....They made her stand before the group and ask Jesus what he had to say...They said in the law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman....Jesus didn't say a word but bent down and started to write on the ground, but they kept questioning him.....You must read this teaching in the bible for yourself to grasp the whole meaning of the study and it's outcome...What do you think Jesus was writing on the ground???...I wish I knew I'm sure it was a revelation for someone or maybe many....Please study and let the Spirit speak to your heart and soul....

Remember to continue to pray for all the sick that you may hear of and for all those on the road that are visiting coming and going back soon...You never know when some one needs prayer so if someone comes to mind, say a prayer for them as we all need prayer at some  time or other....God Bless All.....See you in Church next week.....

In-Park Scotch Doubles Winners

Photographer-Butch Brooker

First place winner for the men-Tuffy Wolfrom
First place winner for the women-Char Wolfrom
 2nd place winner for the men-Gilles Letarte
 3rd place winner for the men-Karl Kapke
First place-Char
2nd place-Dorral Guzman 
The women who help the event run smoothly are-L to R
May Gehman, Charlotte Nigh and Vera Salmon

Friday, February 21, 2014

Restaurant Review of El Dorado in Alamo/Weslaco

The El Dorado in Alamo used to be our favorite restaurant and we visited it frequently and were  never disappointed. It is a bit of a jaunt over to Alamo so when we heard that they would also have a restaurant in Weslaco we thought that was a very good option and would save us some miles. So for the past couple of years we have tried to like the Weslaco El Dorado and have given them many opportunities  to please us. And to be honest there have been times when they have. It seemed on many occasions there was a language barrier. One of my favorite things to order is Chicken Taco salad but I want the chicken to be fajita chicken. I gave up on that request at the Weslaco El Dorado because they would nod their head reassuringly and bring me a taco salad but it was never like the one I would get in Alamo. So tonight I suggested to Butch that we revisit our favorite El Dorado in Alamo and we felt like we had gone home! It was just as good as ever and we received exactly what we ordered in the way we expected it to be. When we want  an El Dorado dining experience we will make the trip to Alamo without a second thought.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Patriotic Program Shines.

The parade of flags with the U.S. Flag leading the way...followed by the Canadian Flag.

 Many patriotic songs were sung by the Choraliers as well as the song representing each of the branches of the services.


 All of the people who served our country were asked to stand. I was able to get most of them in a picture but not all.


 A slide show presentation was shown depicting the history of our flag. Followed by "Taps" played by Ken Pavelka.
Deon Spangler, director of the Choraliers put together a very fine patriotic program. We thank her and all who played a part in making it great.

Senior Olympic Champions bring home the bronze.

Pictured above L to R, Bruce Scott,Don Harper, 3rd place bowling, Margaret Schmaltz and Lili Demers,3rd place cribbage and Leo Tschetter, Kyle Wickware, 3rd place Darts

We are very proud of Olympic winners.

Women's In-Park Pool Champions for 2014

Char Wolfrom, pictured on the right, was the first place champion and Deon Spangler, pictured on the left was 2nd place champion in the In-Park women's pool competition.

Bluegrass jam on Mondays 4-6



Joyce received flowers while listening to the music. Jay Kelley who was playing violin has recently been released from the hospital so I am guessing the flowers were for him. Beautiful arrangement of flowers and music.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Annual Patriotic Program Tomorrow

Smileycons!The annual patriotic program will be tomorrow (Tuesday, February 18th) during coffee hour featuring a slide show about the flag. See You There!!!

Valentine/ Anniversary Party 2014

Greeters Elaine and LeRoy give some punch to Neil.

Susan caught with her hand in the candy dish.

The ladies in the kitchen Marlene, Noreen and Carol.

Having a good time; Vera and Eula

The guests of honor Elaine and Ron Wingert chatting with their friends.

Jan Brom Stinchfield -Jan was the chairperson for this event and she knows how to do it up with a great deal of style.



The Chroraliers led by Deon Spangler entertained us


Wingert's celebrate 60 years married

Ron (Spike) and Elaine Wingert were married August 24th 1954. Ron says we had all boys (3) except for the girls (9)! From this union there are 30 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren. The grandchildren remember grandpa's sayings; "Okay,fine" and "If you have coffee you gotta have sweets."
   They lived in Sioux Falls South Dakota after Ron's army stint and have resided in the same house for over 50 years. Ron retired from the Post Office after 30 years as a carrier and ended up as as an electronic technician on the new letter sorting machine. Elaine was pretty much a stay-at-home Mom. (household technician)
 They came to Magnolia Park 13 years ago to visit relatives and with the exception of one year have come every year since.
   They thank God for the strength he has given them through the many blessings, joys and hardships of all the years.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sunday Service at Magnolia

What a beautiful day in deep south Texas to come and attend church at Magnolia...We had a great attendance today as there were several visitors that have come to see their families getaway from the cold up NORTH...I am glad that the weather has blessed all of us with normal tempertures again...

Pastor Stacey brought the message today continuing with the lesson in the Book of John, Chapter 7 , starting with Verse 25 thu 53 with the theme of "Division Over Who Jesus Is"....This is continuing the study of when Jesus was at Jerusalem teaching in the temple courts and there was much confusion among the people as to just who he was....Many said that he was the Messiah and others who didn't believe him at all....Jesus told the people where he came from and who sent him but many didn't believe him and many wanted to kill him....This is a study that we all should read for ourselves and really study for it shows the differences in people and how many perceive Christ today....We need to heed the Words of God for us to learn to have faith and trust in God for without faith and trust we all will fail...Please study the Word of God for yourselves to let God come close to you and touch all of our hearts and souls...

Remember to pray for any sick that you hear of and for those on the road as there is a number of young people on the road coming down here to see their families....God Bless All....See you in church next week....

Bread Pudding-by Sharon Hvam

Smileycons!

Sharon said she has had many requests for this bread pudding recipe so I asked her to send it to me to be posted on the Magnolia Blog.
So here it is. I have also placed it on the recipe page so it may ease finding it in the future. We always enjoy sharing the tried and true, many times shared recipes.
Bread  Pudding

3 cups (4-5) slices bread
3 eggs
3 cups warm water
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
2 Tblsp. butter melted
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Beat eggs and add warm water and bread.Stir until bread falls part,then add remaining ingredients and pour into lightly sprayed  8x8 pan and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Double for 9x13 pan. May cook lemon pudding, thinning with a little more water and drizzle on top of pudding.