Apple Pie

Hmmmm...I have been thinking about Apple Pie. It is the only pie I really know how to make. Well, I can make a pumpkin pie with rice milk. Ick. My father taught me how to make apple pies. Using the old Betty Crocker cookbook. there were a few rules he told me I MUST abide by to have the perfect pie. The #1 rule is : Only use Granny Smith apples. They stay firm and are a little tart. #2...Do not use store bought crusts. That is really the most tempting part, buying those blasted crusts. But he is right, the store bought ones have a taste to them that will ruin your whole pie. SO this Saturday I am suppose to bake pumpikin pies made with rice milk for Ashley, so I just might have to bake an apple pie for myself!


Grandpa's Apple Pie
Grandpa Mallon says "Only use Granny Smiths!"


Ingredients
Pastry for 9" 2 crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, pared, and sliced

Instructions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in apples. Let sit while you prepare your pastry. This is important because the juice from the apples will dissolve your sugar.
Turn into a pastry lined pan, then dot with butter. Top with crust, seal and flute. Add slits, sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges of crust with foil and bake 45 minutes. (Remove foil last 10 minutes to brown edges).

Scriptures

More scriptures to cling to:

I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
~ Psalm 120:1, NLT

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
~ Proverbs 22:1, NLT

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:7, NLT

...Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.
~ Isaiah 30:15, NLT

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
~ Psalm 91:4, NLT

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.
~ Romans 5:20, NLT

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.
~ 2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
~ Romans 12:16, NLT

So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
~ Matthew 10:31, NLT

God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
~ 2 Corinthians 1:3, NLT

They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
~ Titus 3:2, NLT

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
~ Proverbs 31:30, NLT

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.
~ Philippians 3:9, NLT

Let me hear of your unfailing love in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer.
~ Psalm 143:8, NLT

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.
~ Lamentations 3:23, NLT

I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.
~ Isaiah 57:15, NLT

Catching up

Wow...I can't believe it has been so long since I have written in my blog! So much has been happening in my life, some more important than others. Some more confusing than others. Some irritating, some happy, some exhausting, some peaceful...I have a mix of everything, which I am sure must keep me well balanced...on the edge. As the little sign next to my desk says "I'll have a Cafe-Mocha-Vodka-Valium Latte to go please...!
I have a new grandsonI Babies are such miracles from God. They are so precious and Elijah Justice is perfect in every way. I am quite certain of that. I need to go visit him! Seems like all I do is work and grandma is neglecting to get over there and spoil him!

Everything else in my life is still being thought out with little accomplished in the "done" department. I find each day that I am such a different person than I was even a year ago. I was surprised to discover a vengeful part of myself last week. A "you hurt me and I will get even" part of me. And indeed I did get even a little...I believe more to re-build my own self esteem after having it shattered than to hurt them, but a little to both I guess. Yet I was shocked as I self analyzed (with a brownie and a diet coke..such an oxymoron) to discover what kind of person I was becoming and to what ends I would stoop to just to build myself up. I am glad I caught it and the reasoning behind it before I truly hurt someone I care about. However, I am not certain that I have anything mastered, so no applause yet. I will probably at least kick someone in the shins.

I find the busy summer months keep me from doing the things I enjoy most and so I long for the peaceful days of autumn. I am most happy during the autumn months. I refect a lot during autumn and seem to find peace I am unable to find at any other time of the year. So as I suffer through the heat of summer, my longing is for September and the inner joy that comes naturally with it. I have always felt closer to God during that time. Maybe it is because everything is dying. Hmmmmm.....well enough about that.

Eric and Ashley are keeping themselves busy. Eric is moving in a couple of weeks to attend a culinary school. How did I ever get a child that loves to cook? I do not like cooking at all. Actually I like to bake, but do that very seldom anymore. Ashley is busy with her band, Wake Up Jane. They are in process of recording their first cd so every Monday they go to a professional studio and work on it. They also have several gigs lined up including 2 youth conferences, a jazz concert with a professional jazz band from New York, and Octoberfest in Athena. They have also ordered t-shirts. As long as she is having a good time, I can roll like this. All of my kids have made me so proud!

The house still has not sold and I hope it will soon. I feel that restlessness, the need to move away from Wallowa county, often. Something to pray about and think about I guess. Life feels very uncertain right now, so many changes that could happen in the blink of an eye. Perhaps too many options. But for now I will just set my rear down and do what I do every day.

TAMMY!!!

My co-worker, Anne Melville, went to visit her granddaughters in Hermiston last week,. The kids had this sidewalk chalk with 3D glasses. It really looks 3D! So I thought I would make sure you know about it! The kids had a great time with it! They got it at Walmart.

Isaiah Buck and the girls

The girls, Leanna, Joella and Ashley got to go see Isaiah Saturday. They had a great time with him, many laughs and hugs. Ashley said he was like the old Isaiah with his humor and sarcasm (fun sarcasm). He seemed tired a lot, but they really had much fun! He should be hom June 20th so the Bucks are busy remodeling their house to prepare. Isaiah does walk, but his balance is sometimes off. Pray that he eats better so they can take out his feeding tube. He is eating pudding and mashed tators. His throat needs some healing. He is truly a walking miracle. He regained his emotions so has had some tears and much laughter. God is good.
Wake Up Jane (Ashley, Leanna, Joella and Elliot) played for the Wallowa county Talent Show yesterday. They are just so cool!

Ahhh......coffee, coffee, coffee.......how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Lets see.....with caramel or hazelnut flavoring is always good, sugar free, fat free, with one of those nice little coffee beans on top of the cup. Yes, that is the best way. I admit it. My name is Jackie and I am a coffee-a-holic. I drink at least one pot a day and Tuesdays and Thursdays are especially special because my friend Marty delivers to my office a very special latte every week. So I am totally overdosed on those days. There is always a pot of coffee in the office. This last time I broke down and bought Duncan Donuts ground up coffee. It is really good and I resent having to go back to cheap coffee. But it is just coffee after all. At least with the cheap stuff I can add flavored creamer to satisfy. mmmmm..I love coffee. I think it must be a Mallon trait.
Good news came last night at a school meeting that Isaiah is suppose to be home by mid June. Tammy: one of the teachers here, Mrs. Vernum, plays in an orchestra and was in Hermiston doing a concert. She was visiting with other orchestra members. Some of the Hermiston orchestra told her their church had been praying for Isaiah! I wondered if it was someone from your church.
I really don't even have anything to say today. Just felt like babbling. Probably because I am alone at work and have no one to talk to.

The Ball

I know when you read this you are going to think "Jackie, what were you
thinking!" That is the whole problem! I wasn't thinking!!!

Tonight is Ashley's school ball. At 6:30. Today I remembered the following
things:
1. Her dress needs hemmed, it is way too long. Like several feet. So I
have to do that when I get home at 5:15
2. She also has to take 1 liter of 7-up and a container of apple juice.
Ok, I can go grab that at the store at lunchtime and drop it off at the
school on the way home (it is 2 blockes from my house)
3. There is a cake walk and silent auction to help with the expenses of
her classmate that was in the accident and coma. Well, sorry, I can't do
this. I feel guilty, but i just don't have the time
4. She needs to bring a finger foods dessert. Someone shoot me now.

I would have Ashley take care of this, but she is at the school decorating
all day, then will come home and hurry to get ready. I am so stupid! I
have known these things for weeks and today it just became reality in my
brain!

So, at my lunchtime I suddenly remember that once I went to Dollarstrecher
and bought a bucket of frozen cream puffs. And then I took them to a
wedding rehearsal and sprinkled powdered sugar on them and then drizzled
them in chocolate. Wa la!! So off I went to Dollarstrecher to get the
bounty. Quite proud of myself at this point....

THEN......my brain was quite good to me. I thought about how I hate
sewing and what a pain it is going to be to hem this beautiful dress. And
a friend I did see in Safeway and she suggested: Duct Tape...............when you live in the country you memorize the manual "10,000 Things You Can Do With Baling Twine and Duct Tape". Well, why didn't I think of Duct tape before??? Do not laugh at my redneck ways......and this bears no further comment from
you either......
I mean really! Duct tape like...saves the world! Whether you are putting
it across someone's mouth, waxing with it, or hemming a ball gown.....and
it comes in Martha Stewart colors! But alas Safeway only had it in white,
but IT WAS ON SALE!!!! Everyone knows I love a good bargain! Now, my sister in law is the expert on Baling twine and I know she could have done something beautiful to the dress in baling twine, but I didn't have her here to help.

So tonight I will flee from work, go home, throw together the dessert and
tape up Ashleys gown and everyone will think I am supermom. And at 6:30
the girls will leave for the ball looking dazzling and giggling and I will
throw myself on the couch, put my feet up on the coffee table, and let out
a huge sigh...............and smile.