THE GUARD SQUIRREL WHO WENT NUTS ON A BURGLAR Anyone robbing a house must know they’re getting into a dangerous situation. But the teenager who burgled Adam Pearl’s Meridian, Idaho, home had no idea what consequences were in store. Many homeowners have a guard dog, but Pearl got his home security from Joey, his pet squirrel. One day in 2017, Pearl came home and saw that something seemed amiss. Joey was excited, and the doors he’d left closed were now open. After finding scratches on the lock of his gun safe, Pearl knew there’d been a robbery and called the police. Officer Ashley Turner couldn’t help but notice Joey’s presence in the house but didn’t believe he was connected with the case — at first. A few hours later, Turner returned to Pearl’s house with his missing belongings and a story to tell. She’d partially identified the perpetrator by the suspicious scratches on his hands.
MARGIE’S KITCHEN: CRUNCHY SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE FOR THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS
by Darlene Parman
In this edition, I share a recipe that smacks of tastiness, thankfulness, and holiday spirit! Like many families, Thanksgiving and Christmas were a big deal in our family. My mom, Margie — who is the inspiration for this column — cooked for days preparing all our favorites. She set her beautiful table with linens and her best china and crystal for the formal event. She rose early in the morning to start the turkey. I remember my mom, grandmother, and aunt scurrying around the kitchen, putting on the finishing touches for a perfect presentation. With everyone gathered around our big dining room table dressed in our Sunday best, we would take some family pictures, say a prayer for our many blessings, and dig in. We hope you enjoy this perfect complement to your turkey and dressing!
During questioning, Turner said the burglar confessed to the home invasion and explained why he’d left sooner than intended: Joey attacked while he was attempting to break into the gun safe. Unsurprisingly, the rodent’s violence was frightening. “He wasn’t expecting to have, you know, a
Ingredients
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 6 medium yams or sweet potatoes
Crunch/Topping:
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups pecans, chopped
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
• 2/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup milk
squirrel come flying out of nowhere at him,” Officer Turner said. The thief reported that leaving was the only way to stop Joey’s aggression. After learning of his bravery, Pearl rewarded Joey with his favorite candy, Whoppers. But he then had a difficult choice ahead. When Joey was still a tiny baby, Pearl and his wife had taken in the abandoned squirrel. They had intended to release Joey back into the wild when spring came, but they were no longer sure. Ultimately, they let Joey decide. After he started playing with other squirrels through the home’s sliding glass door, the Pearls installed a cat door so he could come and go as he pleased. Joey spent several weeks outdoors with other squirrels by day and returned to the Pearls by night. Eventually, he requested one final scratch behind the ears before disappearing into an apple tree and leaving the Pearls’ house behind forever. Though Joey returned to the great outdoors to live with his kind, his legend is a warning to humans. When you break into someone’s home, you never know what you might find.
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Test with a knife inserted in a potato; it should offer no resistance. 2. Once potatoes are done, peel the potatoes and place in a medium bowl. Mash potatoes and add the remaining ingredients except topping. Blend until well incorporated. Pour into a large baking dish. 3. In a medium bowl, mix topping ingredients and spread mixture evenly over top of the yam mixture. Bake at 350 F for 35–45 minutes until bubbling.
May you have a bountiful and joyous holiday season!
If you have a recipe you’d like us to share in Margie’s Kitchen, please mail it to us or email it to Info@parmanlaw.com. We’ll feature it in our newsletter or on our website!
ParmanLaw.com | 3
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator