Ghost of ’78 blizzard haunts this winter
Published 5:27 am Wednesday, February 13, 2008
By Staff
When that sudden onslaught of blustery winds; accompanied by another covering of snow occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 29; I experienced a few brief moments of d/ja vu. It made me vividly recall that memorable snow storm that Niles experienced on almost the same date in the year of 1978; when we were given that surprise of 41 inches of snow. In all my 62 years of residency in this community, never before, or since, has Niles come close to topping that record. As I recall, not just our area, but the surrounding area fell victim to snow clogged streets and roads with numerous abandoned vehicles and 10 foot snow drifts. National Guard four-wheeled drive units were able to cut paths on some snow-packed roads and almost all of our secondary roads became inaccessible. The storm was so severe that, at times, even the rescue vehicles had to be rescued. I've (many times) since thought that there should have been a "poll" taken, and a grading done on how communities coped with sudden emergencies.
Niles would have hands down taken first place! I am certain that it must have instilled a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety in the hearts of many … especially the aged and infirm. But the resilience of the majority prevailed when the community pulled together! Since I operated a day care service in my home, during these years, that meant that my tiny charges were all snowed in together with me, in addition to five of my own children.
Weather conditions took its toll on the bus that transported my sixth child, but a neighboring resident opened their home to my son, for which I shall always remain grateful. My seventh child was away at college and blissfully unaware that we were almost up to our roofs in snow. As the stormy weather also prevented some of the childcare parents from getting through to my home, I agreed to keep their children here indefinitely and simply keep contact by phone. Since children are many times much more resilient than we give them credit for being, they adapted to it with 'nary a tear' and the fun began! I admit to being a bit apprehensive as nightfall approached, for I thought perhaps I would see a few lower lips quivering, but instead it took on the aura of a long anticipated "pajama party." Since bed space was soon exhausted, some of the children chose to bed down on the carpeting in front of the upstairs and downstairs fireplaces. All of my quilts, comforters and pillows put in a lot of overtime those next few days, and I spent the majority of the nights roaming the house with my trusty flashlight to make certain all of the children were covered snuggly! During the days, the pantry and refrigerator took a beating, the oven put in overtime and the milk supply depleted rapidly. Since the drifting snow pretty well cut us off from the grocers, the rapidly drained bottles of milk were replaced by the many bottles of grape juice I had made for the freezer. I really lucked out here for some of my little visitors would have refused to let a drop of fruit juice pass between their lips, thought they were drinking grape Kook-Aid and drank it with relish! Although to this day, I feel a bit guilty about the deceit involved; but console myself with the fact that I never told them it was Kool-Aid … they simply assumed that it was, and I failed to tell them anything different! Thirty years have passed now, but if I close my eyes, I can almost hear their laughter as they "teased" the child who drew the Old Maid card, and the giggles that erupted when one of their building block castles collapsed to the floor. Many years have passed and now these "little ones" have grown up and are parents themselves … so I am certain that this "legend" of Niles Snowstorm of 1978 might even surface for another generation or two … or at least until another one of greater proportion occurs.
Zesty Barbecue Sauce
2 teaspoons chili sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 sour pickle, chopped fine
6 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 slices lemon
1 1/4 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 fresh green pepper, chopped fine
Combine all nine of the ingredients, mix thoroughly. Put in a saucepan and simmer until the butter is melted. Stir continually, then use when warm.
Timely trivia: Did you know that monkeys actually don't have feet? Inasmuch as they have opposable thumbs in place of big toes, they are classified as being four-handed.
Are you trying to duplicate hot feathery dumplings Mom used to make? Try …
Old-Fashioned Dumplings
2 cups sifted flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
healthy dash pepper
1 well beaten egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup milk
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and pepper together. Add to egg, melted butter and enough milk to make a moist, stiff batter. Drop this mixture by the spoonfuls, into your meat broth. Cover tightly and cook for approximately 18 minutes.
Timely trivia: Did you know that extensive studies have proven that, on average, women have been known to utter 7,000 words per day, as compared to men's 2,000?
CornFritters
2 cups drained can corn
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon melted fat
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
dash pepper
Chop the corn up quite fine, then season it with the salt, egg, fat, flour, milk, baking powder and pepper. Form into patties and fry for 2-3 minutes in hot oil.
Timely trivia: Would you believe that stannous fluoride, which is the cavity fighter found in toothpaste, is actually made from recycled tin?
Stuffed Squash
1 acorn squash
1 cup soft bread crumbs
4 teaspoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup grated cheese
salt as needed
pepper as needed
Bake squash for 35 minutes in a 400 degree oven until tender. Cut lengthwise into halves. Discard seeds, then scoop out the center, which should leave a 1/4 inch shell. Mash the pulp and combine it with the remaining ingredients. Pile it back into the empty squash shells, then brown the tops in a 350 degree oven.
Homemaker's Hint: As you iron your husband's handkerchiefs, try slipping a folded one into the pocket of his trousers.
This next recipe pretty well became a Saturday evening special when my children were just tiny
Creamed Eggs on Toast
6 hard boiled eggs
6 slices hot buttered toast
2 tablespoons shortening
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt as needed
pepper as needed
After peeling, cut eggs into a half-dozen pieces. Cook the onion in the shortening until just yellowy, but not browned, then remove it from the pan and make a sauce out of the shortening, flour, liquid and seasonings. Once thickened add the eggs. Dab generous portions of this mixture onto hot buttered toast and serve.
Potato Pancakes
3 cups grated potatoes
2 well beaten eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fresh onion juice
1 teaspoon salt
Pare potatoes, then cover completely with cold water and allow to remain for 12 hours. Drain off water and grate potatoes. Be sure to drain well. Add eggs and mix together just lightly before stirring in the remaining ingredients. When ready to cook, drop by spoonfuls onto a well greased skillet until lightly golden brown on each side.
Homemaker's Hint: If you want cut glass to sparkle, try cleaning it with a mixture of hot water and lemon juice.
I was first introduced to this next dish when it was served at a German restaurant in Chicago … many, many years ago; and since that time it has become an all time favorite.
Creamed Spinach
3 pounds fresh spinach
2 hard boiled egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper as desired
Remove roots, and wilted leaves of spinach, then wash until all traces of sand have disappeared. Place into a large kettle without additional water, cover and cook over a low heat until the spinach is tender. Chop fine, then return to the burner, add butter, salt and pepper and stir until the butter is melted. Add the cream and chopped egg yolks and mix together well. Enjoy!!
Graham Cracker Cream Cake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together three times. Add crumbs and add this alternately with the milk and extract to the creamed mixture. Pour into two 8-inch cake pans lined with wax paper. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Once baked, assemble with the following cream filling, then frost the top and sides with a butter frosting of your choice.
Cream filling
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk, scalded
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine, then beat the sugar, cornstarch, yolks, and salt. Add butter and just enough milk to make a smooth paste. Then add this paste to the remaining hot milk and cook it in the top of a double boiler over boiling water while stirring constantly. When thickened, cool, then add extract. Add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts if desired.
Timely trivia: The reason they made bubble gum pink is because they only had pink coloring left when they mixed up their first successful batch! "Now that you have been made aware of this fact, I am sure you will get a good night's sleep!"
Walnut Cake Filling
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon walnut extract
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Cook together the brown sugar with the water, stirring from time to time until the sugar has dissolved completely. Boil, without stirring, until the syrup will form a thread when dropped from the tip of a spoon. (234¡ F) Remove pan from the burner, cool while beating the egg whites very stiff, then pour the syrup in a thin stream onto the egg whites, beating the mixture constantly until it becomes thick enough to spread. Add the extract and nuts and cool before spreading on your cake.