Today’s Spiritual Woman

A magazine for women who want to

explore their being in a unique way
 Today’s
Spiritual
Woman
A magaletter for women who wish to explore
their inner spirit and share with women all over
the world.

Free from our computer to yours – a magaletter filled

Volume 1, No 6 with stories, features, poetry, and wonderful
information to enrich your life!
Spring 2010
Subscribe to all four 2010 issues for free by email or
$5.99 for S&H via regular mail.
Published Quarterly
Salem, OR Contact us at [email protected]
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Editor/Publisher – Lola Carlile, Ph. D.

IN THIS ISSUE:
Staff: o Easter Egg Ideas
o Easter Dinner Recipes
Advertising: o Romanian History and Traditions
Lola Carlile o Shanghai Sisters Book Review
David Carlile o Mother’s Day Songs for Little Ones
 And lots MORE!
Layout:
Jane Little
Are you an aspiring writer? Have some
Editors/Contributors:
Evelyn Celli - international ideas or experiences you would like to
Diana Rodriguez – education/bilingual share with the Today’s Spiritual Woman
Melisa Lua – alternative
readers? Or do you have a business you

would like to advertise?

The views and ideas presented in this

Email [email protected] for
magaletter do not necessarily reflect the
individual beliefs of the editor or the staff. submission details and requirements!
Fun and unique Easter Egg Ideas!
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/easter/eggs/

=All-Natural Easter Egg Dye Recipes

Use these all-natural dye recipes made from household ingredients to create Easter eggs in
beautifully subdued shades. Leave eggs soaking in the dye in the refrigerator overnight
for the richest colors.

Pink
1 cup pickled beet juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar
Lavender
1 cup grape juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar
Brown
1 cup strong coffee and 1 tablespoon vinegar
Blue
Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks. Add cabbage to 4
cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar. Let cool to
room temperature. Remove cabbage with a slotted spoon.
Bluish-Gray
Mix 1 cup frozen blueberries with 1 cup water. Bring to room temperature. Remove
blueberries.
Dark Pink
Cut 1 medium beet into chunks. Add beet to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons
vinegar. Let cool to room temperature. Remove beets.
Yellow
Remove the peel from 1 orange. Add peel to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons
vinegar. Let cool to room temperature. Remove orange peel.

=Blue-Ribbon Eggs
=
Narrow ribbons and rickrack make instant egg decorations (just
adhere with glue). For even easier decorating, look for self-
adhesive fabric tape in pretty colors and fun patterns -- a
great find from scrapbooking supply stores.
=Candy Dots
Little fingers will love transforming colored eggs into cute-as-
a-button 3-D show-offs for Easter celebrations. All it takes
is colorful candy dots that are attached to the eggshell with
thick frosting. Make your own frosting paste by stirring
together powdered sugar and a little bit of water. Be sure
it's thick enough to stick. Purchased frosting from a can
works, too. Be sure your eggs are cool before applying the
dots.

=Thread Eggs
Decorate a tree with these happy Easter eggs in no time.

Use these eggs as ornaments or put them in Easter

baskets.

What You Need:

+ Small oval balloons
+ Scissors
+ Embroidery floss or sewing thread
+ Liquid starch or fabric stiffener

Instructions:
1. Inflate small oval balloons and tie the necks tightly.

2. Soak 12- to 24-inch lengths of embroidery floss or

regular sewing thread (use one color or a variety of colors) in liquid starch or fabric
stiffener. Soak each piece of floss separately and pull the wet thread between your
thumb and forefinger to remove excess liquid.

3. Wrap the wet threads around the balloon one at a time. The thread will stick to the
balloon without any additional glue or fastener. Cover the balloon by crisscrossing the
threads any way you choose. Use less thread for an open, lacy egg, or wrap additional
thread for an egg that looks more solid.

4. Tie a piece of dry thread around the neck of the thread-wrapped balloon and hang
it until the thread is dry and hard to the touch. Burst the balloon with a pin and pull
the balloon out of the top of the Thread Egg. Place Thread Eggs in a basket or bowl, or
attach loops of floss so you can hang several on a tree branch to create an egg tree.
 Romanian History & Traditions

Easter is the most important celebration of the wood, bring water, butcher the lambs. Women
Romanian people and it is preceded by are the ones that paint and decorate the eggs,
numerous preparations and rituals. do the laundry and generally clean the house.

It’s a must for the people to have a clean house Because it’s a good thing to have a new piece
and have all the ritual foods ready. This is why of clothing on the Easter, girls and young wives
the cleaning starts on Great Thursday. Men, start to sew shirts for them and also for their
who are usually working in the field or at the parents, brothers, husbands or children, about
forest, will remain home starting with this day two weeks in advance.
and will take out the thrash, fix the fence, cut

The eggs are painted starting with Thursday. are colored with a paint obtained from red
Initially the only accepted color was red, but in alder tree bark, cinnamon, oregano or amber.
time other colors were also applied – yellow,
green, blue and even black. The paint for the green eggs, also called
In the villages the paint is still obtained from “verdete” (in Romanian “verde” means
plants. “green”) is obtained from pasque flower,
sunflower seeds or nettles.
The eggs are usually first painted yellow,
because the other colors will look better when The blue eggs, also called “albastrele” (in
applied over it. Blue painted eggs are an Romanian “albastru” means “blue”) are
exception. painted with an extract of sunflower, pasque
flower and woods. These are boiled in borsch,
In Banat, the first painted egg is called a „try”. in which bluestone had been put. These eggs
In the Easter morning it’s shared between the are not first painted yellow, like the others,
children residing in that house. being directly obtained from white, unpainted
eggs.
The yellow eggs, also called „galbineala”,
„galbinare”, „galbinete” sau „galbinele” (in The black eggs are also called “negrele” or
Romanian “galben” means “yellow”) are “negrete” (in Romanian “negru” means
painted with an extract of wild apple tree bark “black”) and remind of the Jesus’ sufferings on
and leaves, different kinds of willow or onion the cross. The paint is obtained from woods,
leaves. black alder and nut tree bark. These eggs are
obtained from eggs first painted yellow and
Red eggs, also called “rosele”, “rusele” or then red.
“rosetele” (in Romanian “rosu” means “red”)
The most interesting traditional eggs are the pasca”. The simple “pasca” is for the family,
decorated eggs (in Romanian they are called while the “cross pasca” is taken to the church,
“oua incondeiate”, “oua impiestrite”, “oua in order to be sanctified. Small “pasca”
inchiestrite”). Special instruments are used for (“pascute”) are baked for the little children.
decorating them. These take the form of very
thin and round sticks and are called “chisita Among the ingredients are pot cheese, egg
(bijara)”, “matuf (motoc)” or “festeleu”. The yolk, raisins and sometimes sugar and
“festeleu” is a sharp stick made of beech cinnamon.
wood. At one end it has linen or cotton little
pieces. The “festeleu” is soaked in melted wax. The shells of the eggs used for the “pasca” are
In contact with the surface of the egg, little thrown in a river. This action has two
dots will appear. explanations. It is believed that the hens are
protected this way of the hawks. The major
The most used decorative motifs for these eggs explanation is, however, the ancient belief that
are: the lost path (on which the souls of the the shells are taken by the river to the country
dead walk toward the judgment), the cross, the of the Good People, announcing them the
fir or oak leaf. In Walachia the saw and the Easter has came.
plough are also drawn and in Moldavia the
lightning and the fork. Various plants, animals The cakes (called “cozonaci”) have a round or
and kinds of crosses are also drawn. rectangular long shape, symbolizing Jesus’
grave.
According to the Romanian tradition, if on
Saturday before the Easter you place an egg The traditional Easter lamb also symbolizes
(on which you have drawn something every Jesus. In Banat region, the remains of the
day, beginning with the middle of the Fast) on sacrificed lamb are buried under an apple or a
a garbage dump, you’ll see an animal (usually a pear tree, in order that the family should be
dog) trying to take that egg. You shouldn’t let healthy.
it take it, as it will return for it and grant you
any wish you have.
Saturday night, when all the cleaning and
preparations in the house are done, the steak,
”Pasca”, a special Easter cake, is baked on the pies and the cakes are put on the table, in
Great Thursday, but especially on Saturday, so the “clean room”.
it wouldn’t alter until Easter. It has a round
shape (reminding little Jesus’ diapers) or a
rectangular one (the shape of His grave). In Before going to the church, people wash
some regions “pasca” is also baked on St. themselves in a bowl with water, where red
George Day. painted eggs and silver and golden coins were
also put. They believe that this way they will
be as glowing and healthy as the eggs and they
A legend from Bucovina goes that the “pasca” will be clean and will have more money, due to
has been done from the times when Jesus was the silver and golden coins.
traveling to the world together with his
apostles. They remained a night at a peasant
house and when they left, he put food in their After they clean and dress the new clothes, the
bags. The apostles asked Jesus when the Easter people take a bowl with “pasca”, eggs and
is and He replied that the Easter would be steak and go to the church, where the aliments
when they would find corn bread in their bags. will be sanctified. Only the ill old men and
Looking in the bags, they noticed the peasant little children remain at home, as it is said that
had given them exactly corn bread, so that who can go to the church on Easter night, but
they knew it was Easter time. he doesn’t do it, will get ill.

The “pasca” can be simple, with jagged A fire is lighted near the church and it will be
margins, or it can have dough braids. The kept for all the three Easter days. In some
middle braid is cross-shaped, reminding of regions, when the roosters announce the
Jesus’ crucifixion. This is called a “cross midnight, the man who watches the fire shuts
with his rifle, calling the people to the church. to heaven, as the skies are believed to be
The bells are also ringed at midnight. opened at this time.

People hold lighted candles during the religious On the Easter day one must not sleep, because
mass and only put them out when they return it is said that he will be sleepy all year long.
home, after they enter the house and make Also touching salt directly is not recommended,
crosses. These Easter candles are kept for the a belief stating that the hands of the one who
times of danger, when they will have a does it will transpire during the summer.
protective function.
It is said that three candles burn in the sky
At home, people first taste the anaphora and during the three days of the Easter.
then sit to the table. They first eat some of the
sanctified aliments and only then the rest. In In some regions (Bucovina, Transylvania), there
some regions, rabbit or fish meat is first eaten, is a tradition called “the wetting”. On Monday
believing that these animals will confer to the morning, the boys take a bucket of water and
people some of their agility. The shepherds and go to the houses of the unmarried girls. If they
the other persons who are away from home on found them sleeping, the boys throw water on
Easter day eat willow or apple tree buds them. As it is believed that those girls will
instead of anaphora. marry soon, they reward the boys who had
wetted them by giving them the most beautiful
There’s the custom of knocking the eggs. It is decorated eggs and “pasca” or cake. In some
believed that those who knock their eggs will places, the boys catch the girls when they go
see each other on the other world, after death. out from the house and take them to the
In the first day of Easter, eggs are only knocked fountain or to the river, where they wet them,
with the top. On Monday they can be knocked even throwing them in the water.
top to the bottom and on the next days they
can be knocked any way. The first ones to According to one of the legends, once upon a
knock their eggs are the parents, one to the time a Christian girl was heading toward the
other, then the children to the parents and market, carrying a basket of eggs, in order to
then the other relatives and friends. According sell them. On her way she met a pagan girl who
to the tradition, the one whose egg cracks first wanted to buy her eggs, but lacked the
is weaker and he will die quicker. He must give appropriate money. The girl asked her to
his egg to the winner; otherwise he will eat its accompany her home, thus being able to pay.
egg rotten on the other world. On their way the Christian girl tried to convert
the pagan to her religion, but she resisted. “I
will believe in Christ only if these eggs here
Eggs are knocked until the third Easter day, will turn red.” To their amazement, that very
until the “Ispas” or until the “Great Sunday”. thing happened and the girls fainted in fear.
Some nearby boys noticed them and tried to
revive them, splashing the girls with water.
The most beautiful painted eggs are emptied of Upon their awakening, the girls offered the red
their content and used as decorations, being eggs to the boys, as a thank you gift.
put on a rope and then hanged near the icons
or in other places. On Monday and Tuesday the married couple go
to their relatives, bringing them “pasca”,
It is supposed that a child born on Easter, at announcing them Christ’s revival. Usually, the
the time when bells ring, will be lucky all his younger people go to the oldert ones.
life.

The man that dies on the Easter day or in the

next week is blessed, his soul heading straight
 Get your wallet out right now! It’s time to treat Mom! Or yourself. Or mom and yourself.
Whatever! Just make sure you get your tickets for May 8 at the Kroc Center’s First Annual
Mother’s Spa Day Out! From 10 am – 4 pm she will be treated like a queen!

10:00 am – 10:30 am Inspirational Speaker

10:30 am – 11:00 am Treat yourself to a dance lesson (core aerobics)! Just for the girls!

11:00 am – 12:30 pm Lunch, fashion show by Christine Alexander

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Art project (forever bowls, plates to keep) & massages

Enjoy, take a trip down to the hot tub, soak a bit, take a shower –
relax!
It’s YOUR day!

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm or High Tea (well, almost high tea!)

so

Call Lola now at 503-798-4791 if you need more information or drop by the Kroc to purchase
your ticket! And while you are at it, why not treat one of The Salvation Army ladies to a day out
as well? Purchase 1 ticket for $50, or 2 for $90 and pay homage to someone who might not be
able to go otherwise! Sister tickets are $90!

Oregonians looking for a clean, but fun evening out?

th
Look no further! May 7 from 6:30 – 9 pm at the Kroc Center you can

join us in a luau at our mystery dinner theater entitled “Pigs, Pineapples,

and Poison”! For only $$

25, you get theater, musical entertainment and a

wonderful meal complete with dessert and non-alcoholic drinks! Call now for

your tickets or pick them up at the Kroc’s front desk!

Mother’s Day is coming up and you’d better do
something to thank that wonderful woman
who is called your mother!

When I look at my amazing granddaughter as

she gazes at her mother, I can feel the love
radiate between the two of them. That love
should never die, but grow and flourish!

God bless all moms this Mother’s Day. What

are you going to do for yours?

Strong, beautiful, and bold

My mother Maria Helene
I miss you more than ever
Thank you for teaching me
To become the woman I am
Mama was born in Stauceni and since this is my first year without her
around, I was looking at her birthplace online. My hubby and I are
planning a whirlwind trip of Eastern Europe sometime this summer or
early fall and when I googled Stauceni, her birthplace, I was amazed
to see her obituary picture pop up in images!

Wow. Mom, you look beautiful. Your picture was taken only two
weeks before you were taken to our Maker. I miss you so
much and when I close my eyes, I can feel your hand
holding mine. Remember when we would go to Mass
and you would hold my hand and squeeze my fingers? I
could feel your love, much the same as I see the love
transmit between my granddaughter and her mama. Yes,
you are so special and you are always with me – daily I
think of you and daily I miss you so much. God bless you,
Mama. I miss you.
 Mother’s Day Songs for Little Ones

On Mother's Day
(Original Author Unknown,
Sung to: "Oh, Christmas tree")

On Mother's Day
On Mother's Day
Oh, how I love you Mommy!
On Mother's Day
On Mother's Day
Oh, how I love you Mommy!
You give me Joy and Happiness
I give you love, a hug and Kiss!
On Mother's Day
On Mother's Day
Oh, how I love you Mommy!

A Mom's a Special Lady

Original Author Unknown:
Sung to "Eensy, Weensy, Spider")

A Mom's a special lady,

So hug her every day.
She gives you lots of food to eat,
And takes you out to play.
Your mother reads you stories,
And buys you sneakers, too.
Aren't you happy that you have
A mom who loves you so?
Wow, it’s been about 35 years since my Father was alive. My hubby’s

father died many years ago as well. I’m trying to figure out whatever I did

for my dad that might have made him happy. Hum. Well, I graduated from

high school and I didn’t get pregnant before I got married. I never did drugs

and I went to college and actually graduated. That made him happy. He

never saw his grandsons nor did he know how much my husband loved him. I

remember him as being kind and grouchy, but he had a great heart. So,

boys, know that your Grandpa was a good guy and you would have liked

him. He would have absolutely loved you! So, daddy, Happy Father’s Day! I

haven’t forgotten about you at all!

Love, Your Daughter

What is a daddy? I remember seeing a t-shirt that said something like “Anybody can be a father.
It takes someone special to be a daddy!” Wow, that is so correct. Good fathers are amazing. My
sons have a good father. He cares so much. He is always there for them and they know it. Dads
like that are like manna from heaven. And we are grateful for them forever!
 RE: Gifts for mothers and fathers

Dear Children,
Most of us moms and dads just want you kids to be happy. That is mostly what
makes us happy. If you are enjoying life and have few heartaches, we are
grateful. Most of us would love small gifts of time or service rather than have
you children spend money you don’t have on us. We are content to be with you,
to enjoy a day of games, laughter, or a trip with you. Even just a little jaunt to
the coast. Or an afternoon at the house. We love you and want life to be easier
for you!

Just love us!

Mom and Dad
% %

From http://www.lisasee.com/shanghaigirls/ we learn that in 1937,

Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, full of great wealth and glamour, home to
millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and
revolutionaries, artists and warlords. Twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin
and her younger sister May are having the time of their lives, thanks to
the financial security and material comforts provided by their father’s
prosperous rickshaw business. Though both wave off authority and
traditions, they couldn’t be more different. Pearl is a Dragon sign,
strong and stubborn, while May is a true Sheep, adorable and placid.
Both are beautiful, modern, and living the carefree life... until the day
their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth, and
that in order to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to
suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides.

As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on
the journey of a lifetime, one that will take them through the villages of south China, in and out of the
clutch of brutal soldiers, and across the Pacific to the foreign shores of America. In Los Angeles, they
begin a fresh chapter, trying to find love with their stranger husbands, brushing against the seduction
of Hollywood, and striving to embrace American life, even as they fight against discrimination, brave
Communist witch hunts, and find themselves hemmed in by Chinatown’s old ways and rules.

At its heart, Shanghai Girls is a story of sisters: Pearl and May are inseparable best friends, who share
hopes, dreams, and a deep connection. But like sisters everywhere, they also harbor petty jealousies
and rivalries. They love each other but they also know exactly where to drive the knife to hurt the
other sister the most. Along the way there are terrible sacrifices, impossible choices and one
devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel by
Lisa See hold fast to who they are – Shanghai girls.

To be sure, this book really intrigued me and held my interest. I was able to complete it in two days –
about six hours total reading! I made my own sister promise to read it. This is a sister must-read! I
bet you won’t be able to put it down! A good accompanying DVD is The Good Earth, which will leave
you in tears and filled with admiration for the common folk who never give up in their struggle for
attaining true happiness and meaning in this life.
 Creamed Spinach
This creamed spinach recipe is made with heavy cream, a dash of nutmeg, a little finely grated onion,
and butter, topped with sliced hard cooked egg.

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped, cooked spinach
2 teaspoons finely minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
dash nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 hard-cooked egg, sliced

Preparation:
Heat spinach in saucepan; add onion, salt, nutmeg, cream, and butter. Mix well and heat through.
Spoon onto serving dish and top with hard-cooked egg slices.
Creamed spinach recipe serves 4. I used to hate spinach any way other than this way!

Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia recipe with coconut is a Southern favorite, but this year we’re just going to forego the
Southern tradition and make the salad without it!

Ingredients:
1 cup orange juice
3 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, undrained
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
Apples, chopped
3 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:
Combine juice, orange sections, pineapple, and grapes, stirring gently to blend. Refrigerate until
serving time. Add the apples and bananas. Fold in coconut and pecans just before serving.
This Ambrosia Recipe serves 6. Deleted the coconut – too many did not like it!
 German Potato Salad
Ingredients
4 large waxy-style potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 strips bacon (about 2 ounces), minced
1/2 medium Spanish onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions
In a large saucepan, place the potatoes and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Stir in 2 tablespoons salt. Bring
to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until just tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, transfer to a large bowl,
and cover with plastic wrap to keep warm.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until
crispy and its fat has been released, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and cook,
stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 45 seconds more. Add the
remaining 2 teaspoons salt, broth, vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
Remove from the heat.

Using your hands, rub the skins off the potatoes. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into
1/4-inch slices. Return the potatoes to the large bowl. Pour over the vinegar mixture and toss to coat the
potatoes. Toss in the parsley and season with pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter and serve
immediately.

Cook's Note: This potato salad is best served immediately or shortly afterwards at room temperature. A
timesaver way is to buy canned small round potatoes and slice them, rather than cook your own. Oh well,
life can get busy at times, eh, girls?

Green Beans with Bacon

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
8 slices bacon, diced
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add bacon. Fry bacon until
crispy; set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add beans. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached.
Drain beans; add them to the skillet with bacon and butter. Toss well and heat until well coated. Add
pepper; serve. Gotta have those veggies, kiddos!
Serves 8.
 Romanian Easter Bread
10 eggs, well beaten
8 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup sugar or 3/4 cup honey
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
2 cups milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
Rind from 1 orange and 1 lemon

Heat milk to lukewarm, and add yeast. Add enough flour to make a spongy dough. Let rise for about 1
1/2 hours. Mix down and add the eggs, sugar or honey, butter and flavoring. Stir well and add enough
additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead well. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in
volume. Knead again. Let it rise again and punch down 2 more times, letting it rise well between
punching.

Shape into loaves. Put in pans and let rise again to double in size. Bake in a 350 F. oven for about an
hour. Watch it carefully, it burns easily.

Bake sweet loaves the day before you need them. They slice better when they have aged for 12 to 24
hours. OMG – my grandmother could cook and bake. No one makes this any more in our family, but I
try every year to find a suitable recipe. We’ll see how this one goes.

Cucumber/Onion Salad
1 sliced cucumber
1/2 c. sliced Bermuda onion
1/2 c. salad oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
Dash of paprika

Combine all ingredients and put in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.I

usually just use tomatoes and cucumber, marinating with
vinegar. The longer it sits in the fridge, the better the cukes
are! Another time saver is to purchase flavored vinegar and
marinate the cucumbers and onion in that. I always add
tomatoes as well.
 CrockPot Maple Ham Recipe
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009

7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup
2 cups pineapple juice

Directions
Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham, and discard flavor packet. Place it into your stoneware,
flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and
cook on low for 6-8 hours. If possible, baste ham with collected juice from the bottom of the crock an
hour or so before serving. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board
for 15-20 minutes before carving.

Beets
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 1/2 pounds beets, cooked and julienned
Lettuce Leaves

DIRECTIONS
1. In a bowl, combine sugar, vinegar and horseradish.
2. Add beets and toss to coat.
3. Cover and chill for 6 hours or overnight.
4. Serve on lettuce.

I usually just grade whole canned beets and add the other ingredients. We used to have this at my
grandmother’s house – a semblance of what was served at the Jewish seder, I heard. But the
Christians kept some of the Jewish traditions.

And don’t forget the wonderful dyed eggs, so reminiscent of my childhood and of my mom’s in
Romania. . . .
Hello from Gladys travelling in New Zealand!