Fudgecicles

I’m sitting here eating a fudgecicle.  Okay, well I’m not eating it this moment, I was eating it and it got me thinking.

Most people think of fudgecicles as fantastic chocolate popcicles that you enjoyed as a child on a hot summer day.  Fudgecicles (and orangecicles for that matter) mean that to me, and so much more.

You see, my grandmother had a milk man.  A bone-fide brings milk-and-eggs-to-the-door-every-Tuesday milkman.  He worked for Cream-o-Weber in Orem, and every Tuesday like clockwork he came to her door and delivered her order.  During the summer he always delivered special treats for one of the two ginormous freezers that she kept outside on her porch.  Inside one of these two freezers (the one on the left, closer to the door) there was a shelf for us grandkids.  On that shelf - - - fudgecicles.  There were other things too, mind you – orangecicles, push-pops, choco-diles, strawberry crunch bars, chocolate crunch bars, ice cream sandwiches…you name it, she ordered it, and it was there for us kids to take (and we didn’t even have to ask).

Fudgecicles to me mean:

Hot summer days playing in the orchard.

Irrigation flooding and getting wet.

The giant walnut tree and picking up shells while Grandpa pulled the meat out of the nut.

Cousins, my sister and I walking to the school to play on the slides and swings.

Climbing the cherry tree, eating all the cherries, and then trying to explain to grandma why we were all sick (and not at all wanting dinner).

The mint patches behind the shed.

Drawing on the chalkboard, or painting on it with water and a paintbrush then watching our artwork dry and fade.

The button jar.

Grandpa “playing” solitaire at that old Formica kitchen table – and listening to the clickity clack of the cards on the top.

Home made fiddle-faddle.

Searching for “treasures” in Grandpa’s yard – which was oh-so-full of treasures.

Late night “parties” in the fifth wheel – eating the pink and blue candies and playing poker – thinking all the while we were getting away with something.

Grandma and Grandpa’s leather chairs.

That strange velvet painting over the couch.

Green and blue Christmas lights.

Windchimes

The doorbell that played 22 songs, but always seemed to be set on “Be it ever so humble….”

Aqua Velva.

The Willow Tree (strange how that one became a fond memory…)

Head Kerchiefs and driving pillows.

Fudgecicles to me, mean Grandma and Grandpa Hegarty, happiness and family.

How To Make “Taco Salad”

This is a family recipe, and by our family standards it’s the ONLY thing that passes for Taco Salad around here.  Here’s how I make it.  (seriously, this is really how it’s done…)

Ingredients:
 
1 lb ground beef
1 cut up onion (I use purple)
2 Medium tomatoes (your favorite kind)
1 can of red kidney beans
1 bag of “salad” (you know, the cut up lettuce with one or two pieces of shredded carrot in it)
1 bag of shredded cheese (yes, I said “bag” – no I don’t know how big.  Depends on how much you like cheese I guess)
1 avocado
1 bag Cool Ranch Doritos
Ranch Dressing
Catalina Dressing

Brown the ground beef in the pan.  Make sure to remove the soaker pad from under the meat, this salad has it’s own sources of fiber, you don’t need any additional.

If you don’t like raw onions, throw them in with the meat and cook them – if you do like raw onions, then skip this step.

While cooking the beef, open the can of kidney beans and rinse and drain them.  While doing this, explain to the kids that not all kidney beans are for Chili.  Yes, it’s okay to use them in other recipes. Really.

Dump the beans into a salad bowl.  Make sure it’s big enough to hold all the ingredients listed above.

Drain the beef and rinse it.  Use cold water.  Add the beef to the kidney beans in the salad bowl.  Explain to the kids that you are still not making chili.  Yes, I do know that is what it looks like.

Add the onions to the beef.  Explain to Jesse he can pick them out if he wants to.  Thank Elizabeth for telling you she’ll eat them because they are purple, and purple is her favorite color.

Go outside to see the “pyramid” the kids created in the back yard in the mud.

Come back inside.  Open the bag of lettuce and rinse it.  Add this to the bowl of beef and beans.

Explain to the kids that you know that there is no lettuce in Chili.

Open the bag of cheese and pour desired amount into the bowl.  Begin chopping the tomato while the husband pours the rest of the cheese into the bowl while you aren’t looking.

Put chopped up tomato into the bowl.  Discover that there isn’t enough room in the bowl and switch to a larger bowl that will surely hold the entire salad.

Cut up the avocado and toss with a little lemon juice to keep it from browning.  Tell the baby that lemon juice isn’t for drinking.  After arguing with her for five minutes give her a tiny bit to taste.  Realize that this was a bad idea – she actually likes lemon juice, and it didn’t teach her the lesson intended.

Toss the salad to combine all the ingredients in the bowl.

Crush the entire bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.  Be sure to open the bag before commencing crushing, if you forgot this step – take a few minutes to clean up all the doritios that spread themselves all over the floor.  Also, it is important to crush the entire bag.  This is important for leftovers.  I’ve found if you don’t crush the entire bag – kids and husbands tend to steal chips through out the night (after dinner) leaving you with none for your leftover salad tomorrow.

To Serve:
 
Give each person about a fist sized portion of the salad mixture.  Top with a handful of the crushed Doritos.  Top with equal parts Catalina (also known as Russian French dressing – but in our house, only Catalina will do) and Ranch dressing.

Explain to Jesse he can’t just have chips, he has to have salad too.

Watch Elizabeth eat the “purple” onions and then decide she doesn’t really like “purple” foods.

Give a prize to whatever family member finds the one piece of shredded carrot from the salad mix.

Enjoy!

This IS the Way That A Mommy Does things…

First – you are totally NOT allowed to make fun of the singing.

Second – enjoy (or not, just don’t tell me if you don’t – I have feelings too you know…)

The Way A Mommy Does Things

Wake up, make breakfast and then pack the lunches
Wake kids and find both their tooth and hair brushes.
Check twice to make sure their clothing is clean.
This is the way that a mommy does things.

Find socks and shoes and put lunches in backpacks
Find a permission slip due back last Monday.
Hurry and sign it and then off to school.
This is the way that a mommy does things.

Go home, do laundry then cheerios are swept up.
Emails and phone calls are done without makeup.
The baby starts crying, there's one more screaming.
This is the way that a mommy does things.

Missing Busses.  Dodging traffic.  Arriving ten minutes late.
It's amazing at this rate they learn anything!
I know mom did not  do things this way.

Pick up the kiddos and help them with homework
No baby ooooh put that down, please don't eat that!
Football and tball and dance and swimming -
This is the way that a mommy does things.

Get home take showers and then read a story
Oh by the way mom the bake sale is tomorrow
Please mommy can't I have just one more drink?
This is the way that a mommy does things.

The cookies are finished the muffins are cooling.
Check in on kiddos who are sweetly sleeping.
Kisses on foreheads and tucked tightly in.
This is the way that a mommy does things.

It may be work.  It might be hard.  But that's all okay.
Being a mommy is one of those things
That I would NEVER change!