Sixty-Five Long Years Ago
I Was A Little Princess
And This Was My "Six-Party"
PARTY FOR A PRINCESS
Somehow, my mother always made me feel I was the most important little girl in her world. She never went out of her way to spoil me, yet she never missed doing the loving “extras”. I can only hope that I have left the same feeling in my family that she left with me as I remember those early years.
Like any youngster, the prime day of the year for me was my birthday, which fell on April 2. No fool was I, but darn close!! Mom played right along with my feeling of being special and executed a big party for me every birthday for thirteen years. I’m sure there were family celebrations after that, but she produced the traditional ‘invitations/decorations’ type until I was in the seventh grade.
It came to pass that about two months before my sixth birthday, I went into the princess stage of my young life. I would dress up in one of Mom’s old dresses, put a small pie tin on my head for a crown and proceed to reign over all the dolls at my command. One morning in the middle of March, I woke up with the idea that I should have a gown for my upcoming ‘six-party’. I spent the day working over Mom and my aunt, Helen, trying to make them see that this was a great idea for a princess.
Finally Aunt Helen went up to her closet and took down a blue taffeta gown that she had worn in a wedding several years before. “I guess we could cut this down, don’t you think?” she asked my mother.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” I yelled, hopping madly around the both of them.
Mom laughed and threw her hands up in the air. Out came the sewing machine, scissors and pins, and soon the two of them had me standing on a table, all pinned up and wide-eyed, listening to them plan my Princess Party.
I’ll never forget it.
They sent out invitations with a silver crown decoration, which read:
“Your Attendance Is Requested At A Party
For Princess Joanne
On The Occasion of Her Sixth Birthday
To Be Held on April 2, 1942
At
The Royal Castle on 1010 Main Street
A fever of activity (theirs) and expectation (mine) took over for the next two weeks. I was beside myself with anticipation!
On the big day, silver and blue streamers wove their way among what seemed like hundreds of balloons that decorated the rooms of the castle. I greeted my subjects in my lovely blue taffeta gown and ‘silver’ tiara (left over from New Years Eve), from my throne in the living room. It’s amazing what an armchair on an orange crate, all draped with a red quilt, can do for the regal bearing of a six-year-old!
We played London Bridge, Catch the Prince, and Pin the Crown on the Princess--by this time I had descended from the throne to join the masses--until we were all hungry and thirsty. Aunt Helen magically appeared in front of the sliding doors to the dining room and blew three long toots on a toy horn she held in her hand.
“The Royal Banquet is served!” she announced.
Those were the days when a parent or two brought their child to the party and stayed for the fun, therefore many were the “ooohs and ahhhs” when we were ushered into the Royal Banquet Room for refreshments.
That banquet table, Oh My! It wasn’t a bit ‘Italian’! Tiny triangle sandwiches on sliced “American” bread with special sandwich spread fillings; little circles of banana nut bread sandwiched a luscious cream cheese and pineapple spread; bowls of potato chips and pretzels; Royalty Gelatin Salad; and a sparkling bowl of Princess Party Punch surrounded a huge sheet cake that proclaimed
HAPPY SIXTH BIRTHDAY TO PRINCESS JOANNE!
When it came time to blow out the candles, I knew that I already had my wish--A Party For A Princess!
Bologna Spread Triangles
(makes about 1 quart of spread)
½ LB. BOLOGNA - 3 STALKS CELERY - 1 C SWEET PICKLE RELISH
1 TSP PAPRIKA - 1 C MAYONNAISE
Run everything but the mayo through a fine food grinder twice -or- process in food processor until fine but not liquid. Cut Whole Bologna into pieces before use.
Put the fine mixture into a mixing bowl and add the mayo. Mix with a wooden spoon until all is a smooth, moist, spreading consistency.
Trim crusts from fresh bread (wheat and white are nice). Spread one slice of bread thickly with mix, top with another slice, and cut corner to corner into four small triangles. Cover and refrigerate up to three hours. You can use 2 slices white or wheat, or one slice of each per sandwich. A variety is pretty.
Peanut and Jelly Fingers
2 C Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter at room temperature ( or 1 cup of each)
½ C Grape Jelly -- ½ C Mint Jelly
Mix Grape Jelly into one cup of the Peanut Butter, and the Mint Jelly into the other cup, blending well.
Trim crusts from fresh bread (wheat and white are nice). Spread once slice of bread thickly with mix, top with another slice, and cut into three equal ‘fingers’.
You can use 2 slices white or wheat, or one slice of each per sandwich. A variety is pretty. Cover and refrigerate up to two hours.
Creamy Banana Nut Bread Circles
1 loaf of your own Banana Nut Bread (or 1 Cylinder can of commercial brand)
8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese -- 4 oz. Crushed Pineapple, drain well, reserve juice
2 T Mayonnaise -- 2 T Reserved Juice -- 4 drops Yellow Food Coloring
Cream together the Mayo, Pineapple Juice, and softened Cream Cheese, until well blended and creamy.
Mix in the drained Crushed Pineapple.
Add food coloring 1 drop at a time, until desired color. Mixture must be room temperature to be soft enough to spread easily on banana nut bread.
If using your own nut bread, cut thin slices and then use a whiskey glass or other small cutter to cut round circles.
When using cylindar can of bread, just remove the roll of bread from the can and slice thinly.
Spread one circle thickly with filling, top with another circle. Continue until all is used up. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Royal Gelatin Salad
This can be any gelatin salad or dessert that you prefer. It got its name from using Royal Gelatin. I believe it was a simple CHERRY GELATIN with SLICED BANANAS, PINEAPPLE CHUNKS and cut-up MARSHMALLOWS in it. (No mini marshmallows in those days.)
You need to drain the pineapple very well before adding it to the gelatin, but the juice can be measured to replace half of the cold water in the original box recipe, and ginger ale or lemon soda for the rest of the cold water in original recipe. Kool Whip makes a pretty topping for each serving.
Princess Party Punch
Several Large Envelopes of Cherry or Grape Kool-Aid
2 Quarts of Ginger Ale -- 1 Orange Sliced -- I Lemon Sliced
Ice Cubes -- Punch Bowl
Prepare the Kool-Aid according to instructions---Chill overnight.
Chill the unopened Ginger Ale overnight.
To Serve: Put the Chilled Kool-Aid into a punch bowl. Stir in the Chilled Ginger Ale. Add the Ice Cubes. Float the fruit slices on the top.
BLOW OUT THE CANDLES BIRTHDAY CAKE
Sheet Cake was ordered to allow for decoration. It was chocolate, of course!
ENJOY!!
With just a little bit of ingenuity, this can be turned into a delightful party for a little Prince---or has time changed all the sweet memories to be carried, as well as those destined to carry them? 8-)
It's hard to believe, but there are those older than I am who remember Maggie & Jiggs, originally created by George McManus, from the "Bringing Up Father" comic strip--I think the first ones came out around 1913. They were among the first battling married couples to draw the attention of the nation, and were also among the first rags to riches (by a lottery ticket) to put stars in the eyes of the less lucky citizens of our world.
My biggest memory of the couple though was the difference in how they approached their newfound wealth. Maggie was the snooty society climber and Jiggs just wanted to hang with his old friends and eat -- yes, you guessed it -- CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE! 8-)
In the young years of my life in a family of Mediterranean extraction, Dad would sit with me in his big stretch lounge chair on a Sunday morning after church and read me all the comics. His favorite was "Bringing Up Father" or "Maggie and Jiggs" as most folks called it. I remember the strips that showed their 'cook' putting together a big steaming pot of Corned Beef and Cabbage, and I'd always ask, "What IS that, Daddy?" He'd laugh and say, "That's how the Irish people make Spaghetti & Meatballs!" I'd laugh, too, but it didn't make sense to me!
I never did get to know what it was until long after I was married. You see, the only delies in our area were Italian. In fact, it was on our first visit to Las Vegas that Rich and I were introduced to Corned Beef and Pastrami on rye and Kosher dill pickles, or the delicious REUBEN! Just a couple of years before we moved to Las Vegas, corned beef started making its appearance in the meat departments of our stores in the east, and that was when we started to put together our version of the delicacy made by the cook in "Maggie and Jiggs". I've got a pot going in the kitchen for tonight, right now--and I want to share the recipe with you.
There are a lot of ways to put together Corned Beef and Cabbage. Some folks shred the cabbage and cut the veggies in smaller pieces. For years, we always made a boiled beef dinner, which featured chuck roast, whole potatoes, carrots, wedges of onions, celery chunks and wedges of cabbage. We'd serve the beef broth with short and wide noodles that we made ourself as a soup and the rest as a plate dinner.
That was my mom's creation and we still love it today. Of course, that was the basis for my variation on Jiggs's favorite dish. Enjoy!
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
(serves 4 or 5)
COVER 3 TO 5 LB FLAT CUT CORNED BEEF, SPRINKLED WITH SEASONING
PACKET, WITH WATER, BRING TO BOIL, LOWER HEAT
SIMMER COVERED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, MEANWHILE
PREPARE VEGETABLES, COVER WITH COLD WATER AND SET ASIDE
4 MEDIUM POTATOES, PEELED AND HALVED
3 CARROTS, SCRUBBED AND CUT IN FOURTHS
1 LARGE ONION CUT IN 4 OR 5 PIECES
(2 PARSNIPS, CUT IN THIRDS 2 TURNIPS, QUARTERED
OPTIONAL)
CORE 1 WHITE CABBAGE, CUT IN SIXTHS, DON'T SOAK WITH
OTHER VEGETABLES
REMOVE CORNED BEEF FROM POT AND PLACE IN BAKING PAN
POUR 1 C LIQUID FROM POT OVER BEEF
COVER AND BAKE IN 325 OVEN 2 OR 3 HOURS(DEPENDING ON SIZE)
UNTIL BEEF IS VERY TENDER THEN COVER & SET ASIDE
BRING LIQUID IN POT TO A BOIL, ONE HOUR BEFORE SERVING TIME
DRAIN WATER FROM THE VEGETABLES
ADD ALL VEGETABLES EXCEPT CABBAGE TO BOILING LIQUID
SIMMER IN COVERED POT FOR 30 MINUTES
ADD CABBAGE WEDGES AND COOK 30 MINUTES MORE
SLICE BEEF VERY THINLY AGAINST THE GRAIN
ARRANGE BEEF & VEGETABLES ON A LARGE PLATTER
SERVE WITH CATSUP, HORSERADISH, AND THE BROTH ON THE SIDE
We also serve pickled beets--either out of a can or made with fresh small peeled beets, boiled until tender, and pickled with a few garlic cloves, a couple of clove stars, salt and apple cider vinegar. These can be made several days ahead.
THE ROBIN
The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
And hide his head under his wing, poor thing.
Old English Nursery Rhyme
Now that I am in the Winter of my life, I find it necessary to share here this last season of trying to warm the aging bones and comforting the inevitable losses that come to one and all. Some of you may have noticed the prolonged absence I've had from my love of writing and blogging, and believe me it was not a matter of choice. I've spent the last month and a half remembering the winters of my younger years and experiencing the changes and losses that come to us all in the final season of our lives. Like the Robin, we hide our head under a wing and pray to have the opportunity to share another spring with those who have all their seasons still before them.
You probably all remember my memories of the holidays that I've posted up here so far, and when I finished the Valentine sequel, I was having a bit of a time suffering from a cold. Just before Valentine Day I needed to see my doctor because it was growing worse. After some blood tests and a chest X-Ray I found out I had pneumonia and bronchitis and a bit of congestive heart failure---all of which presented themselves with a racking cough, fatigue, weakness--you name it. My medication shelf tripled and I spent February 12 to the 28th sleeping on a recliner, because I could not breathe lying down. That was the first cold I'd had in 8 years--so the force of it was frightening, to say the least.
On February 14th, Valentine Day, we received a call from Florida that my 95 year old mother-in-law had passed away. She had been suffering with Alz for over 10 years and in the end was completely catatonic...extremely sad for a woman who was so full of vigor in her lifetime. She had made sure all her burial plans were made and the family was shipping her remains back to the family plot in PA. Of course, that was when the area was under 24" of snow and it was frigid. There was no way I could make the trip, so Rich and my younger son flew back for the funeral, and then drove down to FL to see my sister-in-law who could not make it to PA because she has a son who is quadriplegic and they couldn't get standby care on such short notice.
Now that left me here fighting my illnesses, but I am fortunate to have caring kids, and my daughter and older son were here almost all the time, caring for me, because I was one step from a hospital. Slowly I began recovering and when the guys came home, I was just starting to be able to sleep in bed again, though the cough lingered until about 4 days ago.
When I went in for a follow-up chest X-Ray, however, the news wasn't good. Though I was clear of the pneumonia, the congestive heart failure had progressed--enough to have my doctor add Digoxin to my line of medications. It is supposed to strengthen the heart muscle so that it can pump out the fluids better--and I'm also on Coreg which is to slow down the heart so it gets more rest. So that is where I am now. Better, but full of the knowledge that I am in the Winter of my years. 8-)
However, now that I can get back to the computer, get out and about into the beautiful sun of our Las Vegas spring and "breathe" again, I have made a plan for wintering life. We never really know when our days will end, no matter how sick or well, young or old we are. The secret is to get everything we can from the time we are fortunate to receive.
I don't plan to make my time the Winter of My Discontent; rather it will be the Winter of My life--to be lived and enjoyed just as much as I did Spring, Summer and Fall. My plan is to store up and share more Memories and Moments, even unto the final day. Like the Robin who bursts forth into spring after the cold wind dies, so shall I forge into whatever lies ahead and beyond.
Many Blogstream members are there
already! Quotes from members: "It's like blog lite!" -- "I like the instant
gratification!" -- "Stop spectating, get in the game!"
If you have not joined in, you are really missing out!
