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By Marge Petts Spring – a refreshing rain shower, a bright sunny day, the first flowers in your garden.

A season of new beginnings, not only outdoors but also in our lives.

It may be a friendship we feel a need to renew, or begin again to nurture the relationship we have, maybe a new career path or just to rethink the life and lifework we now have – what better time to make changes.

I remember years ago, admiring people who had a business of their own. I always thought these people were able to start a business because they were smarter or more educated or just had opportunities other people didn’t have, until one day I realized that those things were probably not the case. The main attribute they possessed was the lack of fear of failing or not being afraid to “take a chance”.

I see those attributes in my granddaughter Christine. Although she isn’t aspiring to have her own business, she is moving herself in the right direction to continue to be successful.

She has lived on her own and supported herself for the last three years, while continuing her education, and working in her

| SPRING 2020 26 An easy to make birdseed wreath. Sprinkle dried fruit in the pan before layering with the seed mixture.

Makes (1) 8- inch wreath 1 packet unflavored gelatin (Knox Gelatin) ½ cup warm water 3/4 cup flour 3 tablespoons light corn syrup 4 cups birdseed mix ½ cup dried red fruit such as dried cherries or cranberries

In a large bowl, mix gelatin and water. Add flour and corn syrup. Stir with rubber spatula to form a thick paste. Add birdseed

and mix to coat all seeds.

Coat top and side of a 12 cup Bundt pan, fluted tube pan or round aluminum Jello mold with hole in center. Distribute dried fruit on bottom of pan. Press seed mixture firmly into pan.

Place pan in cool area. Let dry for 24 hours. Carefully flip pan and remove wreath. Tie ribbon on top of wreath. Hang on a tree branch for birds to enjoy.

chosen field. She is just a handful of women working in the field she is pursuing, and the only female at the company she works for in this field.

She could stop at this point, graduate in Spring, relinquish the stress of working and going to school but instead she recently made the decision to continue and get a more advanced degree, which will take another one and a half years.

She is one of the fortunate people who knew what she wanted to do and went after it. We never stop learning and growing. Every person has some ability or skill, even if they think they don’t. Many people are using those skills to make a living and many others haven’t tapped the potential they have penned up inside. Take the path of most resistance.

Another one of my granddaughters is gifted. She has exceptional artistic skills. She is in accelerated classes in high school. I told her that whatever she decided to do was fine, as long as she didn’t waste the gifts she was given at birth.

I write this column, because I love to write, but I didn’t realize until I was older that this was what I was meant to do.

Make sure that framed piece of paper on the wall with your name on it, reflects who you are and what you’ve become.

Finish well – no regrets. See Meals with Marge weekly in the Tri-County News.

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Makes about thirty-five 2-inch squares

Bake white cake mix in a jelly roll pan, 15-1/2”x10- 1/2”x1”, as directed on package. Cool. Cut cake into small squares, rounds, diamonds, hearts or other shapes.

Place cake pieces upside down, a few at a time, on wire rack over large bowl. Pour Petit Fours Icing (see recipe at right) over top so entire cake piece is covered at one time. Icing that drips off cake into bowl can be reheated and used again.

Decorate tops of cakes with silver dragees or decorators icing. For decorating, mix 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and enough hot water for consistency to be used in decorators’ tube. Tint with a few drops of food color.

Petit Fours icing 9 cups confectioners’ sugar (about 2 pounds) ½ cup water ½ cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon almond extract

In top of double boiler, mix all ingredients. Heat over boiling water just to lukewarm. Remove from heat. Leave icing over hot water to keep it thin. Tint with food color if you wish. If necessary, add hot water, a few drops at a time, until of spreading consistency.

Makes 4 to 6 servings 4 cups cubed cooked potatoes 12 ounce can corned beef, cubed ½ cup diced dill pickle ½ cup chopped celery ¼ cup salad oil 2 tablespoons wine vinegar ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2/3 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons horseradish Crisp greens Cherry tomatoes

In a large bowl, toss potatoes, meat, pickles, celery and onion. In covered jar, shake oil, vinegar, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Pour over potatoes and meat mixture and toss. Cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, mix sour cream and horseradish. Pour over meat mixture and toss. Season to taste.

Makes 4 servings

Truly Southern Fried Chicken is served with Creamy Gravy

2-1/2 to 3 lb. broilerfryer chicken, cut up 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup flour ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ teaspoon pepper Salad oil

Wash chicken and pat dry. Mix flour, paprika and pepper. Heat oil (1/4 inch) in large skillet. Coat chicken with flour mixture.

Cook chicken in oil over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until thickest pieces are tender. If skillet cannot be tightly covered, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Turn chicken to assure even cooking. Remove cover for last 5 minutes to crisp chicken.

Creamy Gravy 1-1/2 cups

Place chicken on warm platter. Pour fat from pan into bowl, leaving brown particles in pan. Return 3 tablespoons fat to pan. Blend in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly.

Remove from heat. Stir in ¾ cup milk and ¾ cup water. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add a few drops bottled brown bouquet sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8 to 10 7 cups water 2 cups sugar 2 cups prepared tea 12 -ounce can frozen lemonade 6- ounce can frozen orange juice 1-1/2 cups gin or vodka 1 liter 7-up Combine water and sugar in large pan. Bring to boil, remove from stove and allow to cool. Add all remaining ingredients to sugar water and freeze. When ready to serve, scoop into individual glasses and add 7-up to taste. Top off with a fresh mint sprig (optional).

Submit your recipes to Marge by eMail aT: owl.mcp@gmail.com or Mail To: Marge c/o Delta Publications P.o. box 237, Kiel, Wi 53042