Happy 28th, My Duplicate Daughters!

If anyone were to make me choose the best thing in life that ever happened to me, it would be Dawn and Valerie, my identical twin daughters. They have brought unmeasured love and joy into my life and continue to do so on a daily basis. I did not expect to be such great friends with them at this stage of our lives, so, BONUS!

I must comment on the Easter outfits they're wearing in this photo, the only ones I ever made for them. It was quite the undertaking to make one dress, but two, well, that was that. They were a bit roomy, but that's okay, they got that much more use out of them.

Call me old-fashioned, but, growing up I wanted to be a wife and mother more than anything. It even trumped wanting to be a secretary, at which my best friend, Lauri, and I played on a regular basis. That, and being scientists (we found out talcum powder and water don't mix), airline stewardesses and piloting rockets (made in the sand from rocks, ice plant and anything else we could find to create a dashboard).

I am a wife and mother, which may sound like an everyday, ho-hum thing to many. But it was my dream, and I'm still living it!

Onions

The other day I chopped up 4 onions for one meal. I think that's some kind of record.

I cut one chunky for the kielbasa, which I sautéd in a bit of olive oil. I needed two smaller chopped onions for the potatoes I cut up into bite-sized pieces which I put in foil with olive oil and butter and baked in the oven (oops, no picture).

The last one I chopped up very small to make fried corn, something I used to make only around the holidays. I don't know why I didn't make it any other time, but I found myself making it several times this year. Go me.

The corn must drain for a bit before trying to fry it or it takes way too long to start that yummy carmelization. I put a bit of olive oil and butter in the pan, let it melt and add the onions. After they get going really well I toss in the corn. I've never timed it, but I would say it takes about 15 minutes to start seeing that nice brown color that lets you know it's ready.

The sweet Vidalias weren't overpowering, believe it or not, they just sort of melted into the food, especially the potatoes and corn. My daughters aren't crazy about onions, but they sure are crazy about that corn.

Gosh, I'm getting to be quite the foodie, aren't I?! I was feeling kinda bummed, so...I baked a cake. I tried out a recipe for a banana cake only I added nuts. The icing wasn't creamy at all, was one big lump, so I added milk and saved the day. (I'm thinking this ingredient was inadvertently left out of the written recipe.) It turned out quite moist and I liked it, but I've had better. I think it needed another banana for a punch of flavor. Oh, well, everything I cook can't be fantastic. Like my biscuits and gravy I made the other day.

Even though I cheated and used canned biscuits, it was still a hit. Now I want them again.

The sample lady at Costco was passing out little cups of salad made of cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese. That’s it, no salt, pepper, salad dressing, nothing but those three ingredients. I bought this wonderful trio, brought them home and made it right away. You know how you hear people call something “refreshing”? This.

I wasn’t sure if my family would like it, but I was asked to make another batch of it today. A new dish everybody likes, yay!