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DECEMBER 2023
HOLIDAY BONDING AT A DISTANCE HOW TO STAY CONNECTED DURING THE HOLIDAYS
I would love to share some of my family’s Christmas traditions with you, but the problem is we don’t exactly have any! In all honestly, our family has gone through so many changes and life transitions that we’ve had some trouble sticking to any one holiday celebration. My kids are all over the place now, doing their own thing! To make things even more of a doozy, COVID-19 has made these past few Christmas celebrations even more of a challenge. It feels more and more impossible to bring the whole family together, and just last Christmas, my family was unable to spend the holidays with my sister’s family. We thought this would be just a quiet Christmas with each of us spread throughout the U.S., but my mom came up with a genius idea that brought us all together ( remotely ). My mom put together two graham cracker house kits for my sister’s family and mine. She even included the candies, icing, and whatever else we’d need to make our cookie creation. She instructed that, if we wanted to, we could build
and decorate a graham cracker house and take a few pictures. We would then send these pictures to my oldest daughter, and she would judge which creation was the best without knowing which house belonged to what family. Despite my daughter being in New York, we were able to come together with this simple activity!
should. The plan is to share a single simple recipe; over time, we’ll advance to more complicated meals. Hopefully, over Zoom, we’ll soon have our first recipe club get-together and make enchiladas with one another! With one in Cincinnati and the other in Texas, I’ll be over the moon if we can pull off these recipe club meetings! Children these days aren’t exactly the best at calling their loved ones. They’re texters, and that’s just how the younger generations are! It can be easy to feel like they don’t want to reach out, but often, we just need to communicate in a more effective and fun way. Even if you’re far away from family or friends, there are still so many activities you can do together, whether it’s remote book clubs, recipe clubs, or graham cracker house competitions! It’s certainly a challenge, but it’s not impossible. I wish you and your family a happy holiday season filled with time well spent together!
I’ve been trying to discover new ways to stay connected with my family throughout the year, even though we may be apart during the holidays. At first, I thought a book club would be perfect, and some of my kids were more than ready to participate. Then, I remembered that we are all busy people! My daughter just passed her bar exam, and my son is studying in college full-time. Clearly, they don’t have all the time in the world. I needed to change it up, but I wasn’t sure how. Then, I remembered that everybody needs to eat! We decided on a recipe club instead, and this is perfect for me to get some peace of mind that these two are actually eating as well as they
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FROM MIRACLE CURE TO TASTY DELIGHT
THE UNBELIEVABLE HISTORY OF KETCHUP Ketchup, the popular tasty and tangy condiment found on tables and in refrigerators worldwide, has a surprising and somewhat peculiar history. In the 1830s, it was not just a topping for hamburgers and hot dogs; it was actually sold as medicine — yes, medicine! A Unique Origin Ketchup’s roots can be traced back to Asia, where it was called ke-
The Medicinal Claim and Tomato Connection In the 1830s, an Ohio physician named Dr. John Cook Bennett began marketing a tomato-based concoction as a medicinal elixir. Dr. Bennett claimed his tomato extract had incredible healing properties and promoted it as a cure for a wide range of ailments, including diarrhea, indigestion, jaundice, and rheumatism. During this time, tomatoes were still relatively new in American cuisine, and many people were skeptical about their edibility and safety. In fact, some believed tomatoes were poisonous, but Dr. Bennett aimed to market them as a safe and healthy miracle ingredient. His tomato preparation was a precursor to modern ketchup.
The Transition to the Table Over time, the medicinal claims surrounding tomato-based ketchup faded, and people began enjoying its taste. A tomato-based ketchup started to appear in cookbooks as an ingredient in recipes and was commonly paired with eggs, meat, and fish. By the late 19th century, ketchup had become a staple in American households, and companies like Heinz began mass-producing it. Today, it’s tough to imagine ketchup as anything other than a delicious topping for our favorite foods, and while tomatoes do contain antioxidants and vitamin C, we know ketchup won’t cure a sickness. However, its transformation from fish sauce to tomato medicine to a beloved topping is a remarkable twist in culinary history!
tsiap (Xiamen), a sauce made from fermented fish sauce. It made its way
to Europe in the 17th century, but it looked and tasted different from the ketchup we know today, as it included ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, and oysters — no tomatoes.
WHY WE CHOSE MOM'S SPECIAL SUGAR COOKIES OVER CAKE NOT YOUR AVERAGE SUGAR COOKIE
Ingredients: •
I have to admit that one of my favorite things about Christmas is my mom’s not-so-traditional sugar cookies. Honestly, these cookies are so delicious that we eat them for most holidays and celebrations! The taste is just incredibly addicting, with rich buttery and sugary flavors. With National Cookie Day on Dec. 4, I knew that I needed to share this family-favorite recipe! I’ll make multiple batches of these cookies during Christmas, and sometimes we even have family who would rather have these sugar cookies instead of birthday cake! Surprisingly, my mom found this recipe in a church cookbook she bought decades ago. You might be picturing a regular sugar cookie, but these are not the same. Flat and delicate, these crumbly cookies don’t travel too well (or else we’d ship these all over).
1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 1 cup vegetable oil
• • • • • • • • •
4 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
Directions: With an electric mixer, mix butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until combined before adding the remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.
I remember I had never tried a conventional sugar cookie until I was in college. When I finally did, all I could think was that they were nowhere near as good as my mom’s. Here, you’ll find this simple cookie recipe, and I hope your family loves it just as much as ours! I’d also love to try your favorite holiday recipes, so be sure to share them on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/EmeryLawOffice. I’ll be trying all of the new recipes I get! Happy holidays!
In another bowl, drop dough from a teaspoon onto granulated sugar and roll until covered in
sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and use a small glass dipped in sugar to flatten each cookie. Bake at 350 F for 8–10 minutes; take out when slightly brown around the edges and remember to let them cool for 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet!
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HOW I RECHARGE DURING FAMILY GATHERINGS Quiet Spaces Amidst the Holiday Hustle While it’s undoubtedly a blessing to be with your entire family during the holidays, it can also be overwhelming. Whether you’re staying with extended family or they’re staying with you, it can feel impossible to find your own alone time, and this time of year can be especially draining for introverts who need time to themselves just to recharge! Just because you need time alone doesn’t mean you love or value your family any less. It’s okay to need some space to recharge. This holiday season, make sure you create these quiet spaces for yourself when you need to! Get Your Sleep In A full night’s sleep is one of the best ways to stay energized throughout the day, not just physically. However, I know all too well how challenging it can be to get those hours of sleep while staying at a family member’s home. I don’t sleep well in other people’s houses, but I can combat this by bringing some pieces of home with me. Bring your own pillow or blanket to trick your brain into resting! I’ve noticed that this trick and generally staying as much in my routine as possible are some of the most effective ways to get the rest I need. A quick nap is also a lifesaver! Make Room for Downtime If you still feel guilty searching for alone time, try to get downtime with the family. One of the ways I do this is by making it a tradition to watch a Hallmark movie together! Not only does my mom love these movies, but it also gives me time to unwind with the family without the need for conversation or entertainment. During those long weekends, a Hallmark movie can save my tired brain!
HAVE A LAUGH!
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There are also plenty of other ways you can squeeze in some quiet time during the festivities, including:
• Go for morning walks on your own or with a small group • Volunteer to run to the store for last-minute errands • Find your other family introverts and create some downtime together Don’t Feel Guilty for Needing Alone Time Whatever you decide to do, don’t feel down just because you need to recharge on your own. Not everyone is extroverted! Just know that if you bring up the idea of some quiet time, there will likely be a few other family members who will really appreciate it. Good luck, fellow introverts!
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INSIDE
DISTANCE CAN'T BREAK OUR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! 1 HOW KETCHUP TRANSFORMED FROM CURE TO CONDIMENT IRRESISTIBLE, NOT-SO-TRADITIONAL SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE 2 AN INTROVERT'S SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
TAKE A BREAK 3
GUARD SQUIRREL ON DUTY: THE RODENT WHO SENT A BURGLAR RUNNING 4
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.
know, a 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.
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. 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
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.
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