Coming Soon to an oven near you!!!

HALLOWEEN 2010

I had to use a wig, as
I am a blonde, you know.

Richard, of course!!

Well, it took a while and quite a bit of make-up, but here are the Haloween pictures of Richard and I in our costumes for this year.  Hope you enjoy.  It was lots of fun...

Look At Me Now!!!

One day I was sort of sad because most of the pictures I have in my files are of my family, friends, etc..  Not that that is bad, but I was looking for some of me and there just aren't many (especially ones that make me look anything like I wished they did!!).  So, I decided to try and do some 'self-portriates'.  I tried to do some poses that I thought would yield an acceptable picture...Did Not Happen...However, here are some of them just so someone someday who might look at this blog will see me as I appear at the current date...Donations may be sent to:   Elaine Hintze Make-Over (Soon) at our current address...Thank You....



Sorta look like I am really doing something important - HUH!!!



The self timer on the camera works quicker than I was ready for.

Jacob and I the summer of 2010 at Fuddrucker's.

I did find a great hair stylist...FINALLY..

OCTOBER 2000 and WHAT?????

As I try desperately to grab on to today, I just can't believe it is October, 2010.  I find it strange to look at our children as adults and wonder, "Where are my babies?"

I am so grateful for each of our children.  They are really some of the greatest of Heavenly Father's children and I am astounded that He would allow me to be their mother.  It is for my benefit, I am sure.

Each is talented fully in so many ways.  My prayer is that they will each strive to see themselves as Heavenly Father does, and develop their gifts and talents daily throughout all time and eternity...

                                                                    Then and Now

Happy 65th Anniversary - Mom and Dad

(Sorry the video is sideways.  I will learn to fix it soon!!!!!!!!!)
Well, we had quite a party tonight up at Bartlesville.  We were gathered to celebrate 65 years of marriage for my precious parents, Carl and Colleen Baker.  We gathered at "Outlaws" (apropos name) and had lots of good food and lots and lots of fun.

Present were: Jim and Trina Hedges (Mom's sister Bonnie's daughter), Tracy-Kim-Jacob&Carli Barnett (my Brother Carl's daughter Kim and her family), Georgie Galanis (Bonnie's son), Pam Clark (Bonnie's daughter), Brad and Ginger Johnson and their son Clint (Mom's sister Deloras's son and family), Deloras Johnson (Mom's sister), Bob Alexander (Dad's best buddy), Sue (Dad's cousin), Mom and Dad, Bill Ruggles (a good friend of the family), Richard-Me-Jeff-Jordan&Sonja.  Charity was ill and did not get to come...

The above video speaks for itself.  Trina got Mom a bright red "nightie" and she was all to compliant when asked to model it...Dad just sort of sat there not knowing what to say!! 

We ended the evening with cake and ice-cream (a yummy marble cake from Wally World and it really really was good) and lots of pictures  of which, most of mine were fuzzy:( ....  I will include a few of the better ones...

Aunt DoDo (Deloras) and Clint

The Fuzzy Family

I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for the wonderful blessing of having Carl and Colleen Baker as my earthly parents...Keep on Keeping on Mom and Dad!!XOXXOX

The Shortest Utah Trip Ever!!

Well, on Tuesday we got to go to one day of Ed. Week, and it was good, but then later that evening we had a call that one of our children may be in medical trouble and so, even though we really didn't have any worry or concern for our child, we felt compelled to terminate our trip and return to OK. 

We decided to venture the drive to Vernal to visit a little with our sweet little friend, Marsha Tiemann.  She has had quite a hard past 3 years with a marriage that was not as she had hoped, but she has been blessed with 2 of the sweetest little children that God has ever sent to this planet.

As it happened, we arrived unexpected for that date and it was the day that she was having her 8 month old little boy, Warren, blessed by her Bishop.  The Bishop had invited the dad, which was to cause Marsha lots of stress.  She was really glad to see us come that day.  Richard got to help bless Warren and we took lots of pictures.  I feel awful that I can't remember his name at this hour.  But I will add it in when it comes back to me.(As you can see, I remembered - or rather Richard remembered, but I agree that he is right!)  His  21/2 yr old sister is named Sarah!!!  They are both so very sweet and cute as bugs.

Anyway, I feel the whole trip to Utah may just have been for Marsha and our visit at the time she really needed, "family"... 

The great time we had with the Nissons, and the fact that Richard got to see the Joseph Smith movie and we got to have several yummy meals together was good enough for me.  Helping out Marsha on a very hard day - priceless...

Back for More Education at BYU!?

Richard and I are back in Utah this week, for our 4th Annual (together at least as I have been out many other times, but it is not as fun as with my sweetie) BYU Education Week.

This is sort of a summer camp for adults, Mormon Style...Also, we get to visit old friends, eat out at great new places, visit relatives, eat out at more great new places, go to Temple Square and walk around the Temple and enjoy the beautiful flowers and the serenity of the Temple Grounds, and of course, EAT OUT AT GREAT NEW PLACES!!!

We left temperatures in Tulsa of 106+ daily for the past 6 weeks or so for the 90's here with the cool shade and cool evenings and nights and dry air...a pretty good trade for a while. 

We had a great drive out together.  We listened to an audio book by Glenn Beck entitiled, "The Overton Window".  Pretty thought provoking stuff.  I plan on getting lots more organic seeds, food storage, and being more political even than I have been in the past!!!  Since I have just been reading the last chapters of Alma in ghe Book of Mormon, the book took on a special significance to me.  Also, how can anyone deny the situation we are in today politically and socially in the USA.  It indeed is time, if ever there was one, to re-raise the Title of Liberty and live it....

We get to go and have dinner with our old friends, Terry and Judy Nisson tonight.  That is a good thing.  We have not seen Terry since they moved from Tulsa about 20+ years ago.  I have seen Judy and keep up with her by emailing her.  Fun is expected and - eating out in a great new place called Madelyn's Steak House.
We only had soup for lunch in preparation for a great dinner.  I say preparation is the key to success, right.

All for this day...Go forth and serve...

To My Bestest Friend (except for Jesus and Richard) Scarlett!

Happy Happy Birthday, Scarlett dear...
I wish you happiness throughout this new year..
If I had a wish then it would be...
A trip to Hawaii for you and me!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOC..
XOXOXXO

OKIE STYLE GRANOLA

Homemade Granola




Ingredients



• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut

• 2 cups sliced almonds

• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup good honey

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

•

Directions



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.



Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and cherries together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.



You can use any nut and any dried fruit…..

Why "Okie" and not "Sissy's!

Back in 1976 I worked in a Girl Scout Camp above Park City, UT.  I was the camp nurse.  If anyone has ever been a councilor or worker in a Girls Scout Camp (or probably any other summer camp) you know that everyone gets a 'camp name' to use instead of their real name.  Well, mine was OKIE...real genuine, huh, since I was the only one there from Oklahoma!!!  Now my nickname in our family forever has been, 'Sissy"...but, that just did not seem to fit.  Also, with my plans for the hot-pepper business I spoke of in an earlier posting, "Sissy's Fire" just didn't seem to be, you know, hot-peppery enough...So, since in the short future I will be a famous hot-pepper product mogul, I though it would sound more secure and strong to use, "OKIE FIRE".  Does that explain anything??? Perhaps not, but it made for a good posting today...
Love and Power to all to Walk the Walk...Elaine

ABOUT MY BLOGGING

I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY TO THE WORLD.  MAYBE THIS WILL BE A VEHICLE FOR ME TO DO SO.  IT WILL TAKE ME A WHILE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THIS CORRECTLY, SO THERE MAY BE SOME WHACKY POSTINGS, PICTURES, AND SPELLING UNTIL I LEARN HOW TO CORRECT THINGS, AND HOW TO PREVIEW THINGS!!!  I HAVE LOTS OF GREAT RECIPES AND INSIGHTS AND STORIES TO TELL.  I JUST DON'T WANT TO USED TOO MUCH OF MY TIME - THE JOURNEY IS SHORT - DOING THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO "GIT'ER DUN!!!  GO COWBOYS...

MY - "JORDAN & SONJA" WEDDING CHEESECAKE..

Creme Brulee Cheesecake


48 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons low fat sour cream

6 eggs

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

6 tablespoons brown sugar

4 teaspoons orange peel

3/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)

Boiling water (for baking)

Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries (for garnish)



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a bowl place the cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of sugar and sour cream and beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, heavy cream and orange peel. Beat till smooth.



In another bowl, mix until well blended the vanilla wafer crumbs, butter and brown sugar. Pat the wafer mixture into a pan; top the wafer mixture with the cheese mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. Remove carefully let cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until serving time.

Cook over hot water if possible. I try to not set the pan in the water, as it always gets into the crust. I usually put a pan with water on the shelf directly under the shelf I cook the cheesecake on. Make sure the water is boiling when you put the cheesecake in the oven so it will start to moisturize the oven immediately when you shut the door…



Google “how to tell if a cheese cake is done” and it will give you lots of information…

This would be day I would add to the "relive" list.

Today I took 6 Youth from my church ward to Arkansas from Broken Arrow, OK for a 3 day youth conference.  Wow, I so easily remember being that young and that free of responsibility...However, I am so very thankful for these valiant young people.  They will bear the Kingdom successfully for Heavenly Father.