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Two Minus One I cannot help but think of March a year ago— in March 2019 my son Tyler left us. Tyler’s two wonderful daughters, Sarah and Danielle, are doing well. Danielle is in her third year at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has earned the Dr. and Mrs. Tim D. Leon Scholarship through the chemistry department. Last year she held the William and Lillian Campbell Memorial Scholarship through the chemistry department and the Regent’s Scholarship. She teaches dance—ballet, tap, and jazz—as well as choreography for a competition team. She danced for 15 years and competed throughout high school. Her team won first place at several competitions and once a year would travel to Des Moines to compete. During Danielle’s freshman year of high school they danced in the Capitol One Bowl halftime show, and her senior year her team danced in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Danielle also works at Charleston’s Restaurant either bartending or serving. She is a very busy, and also a very smart and pretty, young lady. Sarah’s passion is photography, and she did the photos of the Prime Time models in 60 Plus for the January/February issue. Now, she has taken a year off from school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Sarah and her friend Julius Frederick are following her dad’s proposed itinerary for a trip around the world while raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. Sarah is photographing the trip while Julius is writing articles. Future issues of Omaha Magazine will tell about the adventures. You can follow their journey at takegoodrisks.com. They started by taking the train to Chicago, then flew to New York and on to Casablanca, Morocco, North Africa. They plan to be back in Omaha for Christmas 2020. Tyler would be very proud of his daughters. “Life is 20% what happens to you and 80% what you do about it.” —Tyler William Lemke
Betty Golmanavich MARCH/APRIL 2020 • 60PLUS
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HEALTH // STORY BY JENNA GALLAGHER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
A L Z H E I M E R &
,
S
D E M E N T I A CARING FOR CAREGIVERS
MARCH/APRIL 2020 • 60PLUS
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// HEALTH //
“BEFORE I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER’S, I THOUGHT IT WAS ‘OLDTIMER’S DISEASE,’ SOME THING TH AT SOME PEOPLE IN THEIR 80S GOT AS PART OF THE AGING PROCESS BEFORE THEY DIED.” MIKE HUGHBANKS
T
here are few things
families dread more than a devastating health diagnosis. When that diagnosis is Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia, the fear and uncertainty is often exacerbated by misconceptions about the disease and feelings of isolation. “Before I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I thought it was ‘Old-timer’s Disease,’ something that some people in their 80s got as part of the aging process before they died,” said Mike Hughbanks, who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2015 at age 58 while working as a corporate executive in the finance industry. “The doctor was brutally honest with me. He said there was no pill, and no cure. That was a shock. But I had to do something. I wasn’t going to sit in my living room waiting to die.”
Hughbanks was immediately connected to the Omaha chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, through which he and his wife, Debra, began attending a support group for newly diagnosed patients and their spouses. “It was a turning point for us. It made all the difference,” he said. Bill Myers, who helped care for his wife, Mary, for 14 years from her initial diagnosis in 2004 to her death in 2018, agreed. “I quickly learned I was not alone.” Hughbanks and Myers are among more than 34,000 Nebraskans with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, and their families, that the Alzheimer’s Association serves. Elizabeth Chentland, director of communications for the Nebraska Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said that the early-stage support groups and educational programming offered throughout the Omaha Metro are often a family’s first introduction to the organization and are invaluable for helping them navigate the journey. The Alzheimer’s Association provides resources for people at every stage of progression of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “Our resources go to a lot of platforms,” Chentland said. “But where it relates to public service, our top five areas are our helpline; our online resources and free family and caregiver chat boards online; our free educational programming; our support groups and our safety services, including a medical alert system that first responders can use to access medical information and contact caregivers.”
away, I’ve continued to work closely with the Alzheimer’s Association because I think I have something to offer,” said Myers, who has served on the planning committee for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Hughbanks has traveled throughout Nebraska with the association, speaking to groups in Omaha as well as rural communities about the resources available to them. He has made numerous local television appearances and maintains a blog to share the triumphs and challenges that he and his wife encounter. One of his proudest achievements is working with Art to Remember. This innovative partnership between the Alzheimer’s Association and Joslyn Art Museum was inspired by the MoMA Alzheimer’s Project and helps patients in middle- and-late-stage dementia engage with art from Joslyn’s world-class collection. “Art speaks to people. People in middle-and-late-stage Alzheimer’s, who may be having a hard time engaging with much else that’s going on around them, will see a piece of art and immediately get tears in their eyes.” Recently, Hughbanks was also diagnosed with Lewy body dementia after he started experiencing tremors, and his doctor ordered a PET Scan. While, once again, he acknowledged that this new diagnosis is not good news, he is grateful that he was able to get it, because many insurance companies would not have covered the scan.
Chentland said that the helpline can connect a caller to master’s-level social worker but also addresses basic questions. It is available 24/7 and national, but linked to the local chapter so that someone in Omaha can follow up the next day, if necessary. “We are here for anyone that calls. With Alzheimer’s there are thousands of questions, but we want people to know that the answers are just a phone call away,” Chentland said. “It’s an all-around great place to start a conversation.”
“Our call-to-action is twofold,” said Chentland. “Our goal is to serve more families, both from the services we provide and from a public policy standpoint. We work to help physicians get more time with their patients and ensure that they are doing the appropriate testing because different types of dementia call for different types of medication and treatment. We work diligently to increase public funding and pass Medicare codes and caregiver tax credits to help provide a better reality for people with dementia and their families.”
The Alzheimer’s Association is always seeking ways to support more families, including expanding their support group reach, particularly in underserved communities, and partnering with worksite wellness programs to better provide employer support to caregivers.
As Myers, who was able to care for his wife for 10 years at home, and four years in a facility, said, “Three things got me through this journey: my faith, my family, and the Alzheimer’s Association. They’re a vital tool and a great resource for a little bit—actually, a lot—of everything.”
Alzheimer’s patients and their families are often the best ambassadors for others in their situation. “Even after my wife passed
Visit alzconnected.org to learn more or omalz.com to read Myers’ blog.
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Remember
Taj Mahal
Dr. Wayne Markus’ Exotic Photography ACTIVE LIVING // STORY BY HOUSTON WILTSEY // PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
DR. WAYNE MARKUS almost forgot the Taj Mahal. Midway through a conversation about photography, he casually mentioned that he photographed the famous Indian mausoleum some years back. “It’s a really interesting building because it’s almost translucent,” he said, marveling at the beauty of the structure in his mind. “You can see the light creeping through from the other side when the sun hits it in just the right way. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” The 76-year-old semi-retired pathologist often has moments like this. He will go over the minutia of photography—how he likes to shoot in aperture priority mode to control the depth of field, how many megapixels his Nikon D850 has, or the different types of film he has shot with over the years—and it triggers something. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he throws out a remark about capturing a dinner in Portugal or snapping a picture at sea in some exotic land. After more than 45 years of traveling the globe, Markus is full of anecdotes like this, and photography has given him a way to document them. His love of the art form started early. “My dad was a photographer,” Markus said before correcting himself. “Well, he was a farmer, but he took a lot of pictures, and I remember him constantly photographing family events and things around the house.” In fact, a series of photographs from a family trip to the Pacific Northwest are the first memorable snapshots he recalls seeing. “I don’t remember the trip, but I can vividly remember a photograph that my dad took of the Grand Coulee Dam [located in Northeast Washington] and just being transfixed by it,” he said. “There are other bits and pieces of that set that I can still remember—a person standing here, a tractor there—but what sticks out is this special feeling I got when looking at them.”
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Though he loved the images his dad was taking, it would be almost another two decades before he found himself behind the camera consistently. Starting in medical school, Markus began taking pictures of the same subjects his father had—friends, families, and parties—with a fixed 35mm Exakta camera. At the time, it was a good way to document life and create mementos. Capturing these images also allowed Markus the chance to give his mind a break from his vigorous study schedule. However, the more he became involved in photography, the more parallels he saw between it and what he was experiencing in the world of medicine. “They’re very visual, and attention to detail is important in both,” he said. “Looking at microscopic slides of tumors and tissues gives you a broad perspective of what’s going on and when you’re really good, you don’t think about the details, they come to you automatically. I felt like photography was the same way in those respects.” Once bitten by the travel bug a few years later, photographing his excursions became a great way to further deepen his commitment to the craft. He began trying to compose and capture the finer points of his subjects out of necessity. In some of these exotic locales he only had one chance to get a perfect shot. "I want to create something that people don’t just glance at,” he said. Markus snapped photos of cherry blossoms in Japan and wildlife in the Galapagos. During a stay in Wyoming, he trudged through the snow to capture a buffalo at the break of dawn. Over the last few years, he and his wife, Karen, have taken extended trips to Europe, traversing the Duoro, Danube, and Rhine rivers with other members of the International Food and Wine Society. One of his images, a young lady in Portugal holding up a bottle of port wine, made the
cover of the society’s member publication, Wine, Food, and Friends. Photography has even taken Markus under the sea. “I had this underwater camera and I had no idea how it was going to expose pictures,” said Markus of a trip to the Caribbean. “I took some pictures the first day but I didn’t know if they were any good so I decided I needed to develop them there so I could see what I had. I had brought some powdered chemicals which I mixed in my empty suitcase. I even brought a small space heater so I could control the temperature,” he added with a laugh. “All these trips just allow me to experiment and get better,” Markus said. “Recently, I’ve enjoyed using wideangle lenses in situations you wouldn’t normally use them—like the inside of cathedrals or ornate houses.” When asked if he is happy with any of the shots he said, “not really, but I’m still experimenting. For me, the results aren’t everything. I get as much enjoyment out of taking the picture as I do looking at them.” “Every trip I’m taking between 2,000 and 3,000 pictures and I review everything in [Adobe] Lightroom afterward to see if I can tweak an image to make it special.” He’s not looking to slow down anytime soon either. This coming April, the couple will jet off to France, dining their way through Paris and Bordeaux with the society before taking a guided historical tour of Normandy. He still focuses on composition. “With iPhone pictures, you just flip through them as fast as possible and I like something that makes the viewer think about the subject and how the photo was composed,” Markus said.
“It’s a really interesting building because it’s almost translucent,” he said, marveling at the beauty of the structure in his mind. “You can see the light creeping through from the other side when the sun hits it in just the right way. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
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I’m 700
approaching
donations
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A Lifetime of Giving
Betty Golmanavich Embodies the Spirit of The Red Cross Profile // story by Jeff Lacey // photography By Bill Sitzmann // design by Derek Joy
BETTY GOLMANAVICH began giving
blood in the late 1970s, in a quiet neighborhood in Baltimore, when the Red Cross started setting up bloodmobiles in the parking lot of her church. She was moved by the idea that this simple act could have such a dramatic impact on peoples’ lives. Golmanavich liked the act of donating so much that she never stopped. “I just kind of kept with it,” she said. That was over 40 years ago. The world has changed in countless ways since then. She recalls giving blood during the call for help in the aftermath of 9/11, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, and Hurricane Katrina. Golmanavich herself has changed since then (she turns 73 in February). However, when it comes to donating blood, that initial belief—the idea that a single simple act could impact someone’s life in immeasurable ways—still burns brightly in her. How brightly? “I’m approaching 700 donations,” Golmanavich said.
D ona tions, Ph y sic a l and O the r w is e These days, Golmanavich gives at the Red Cross Donation Center at 38th Street and Dewey Avenue. She likes the fact that she can watch movies while she donates (such as Hallmark movies) or read a book (her favorites are from the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series, which she discovered while volunteering for the Red Cross), but mostly, she likes the people. “As for the Red Cross Staff, everybody is just incredible,” Golmanavich explained. “They’re so friendly, and always looking out for your safety and well-being. If they aren’t busy tending to another patient, they stand and visit with you. They’re so welcoming, and such a nice group of people to work with.” The staff feels the same about Golmanavich, a regular there for over a decade. Samantha Pollard, the Red Cross director at 38th Street and Dewey Avenue, explained that, “Betty is the Red Cross’ dream donor. She knows the importance of donation and she understands the impact donation
can have.” She continued, “If we could clone Betty, that would be incredible. She embodies what the Red Cross is. We are so grateful Betty spends her time with us.”
the body by carrying oxygen, must be used within 42 days. Platelets, critical in allowing the body to form blood clots and stop bleeding, have a shelf life of only five days.
Pollard explained that Golmanavich’s donations to the spirit of the staff are just as important as her blood donations. “You could ask Betty to help you with anything, and she would probably say yes,” Pollard said. “If I ever needed a reminder about the work we do, I would go talk to Betty for a refresher.”
Each means of collection requires a slightly different procedure, and Golmanavich has given them all. “If I got it, you can have it,” she explained. She donated platelets around 18 times in 2019. To let her body keep up with steady donations, the Red Cross recommended in December that she only donate plasma every other month. Golmanavich wasn’t thrilled by this news.
Golmanavich hasn’t only donated blood; she’s donated her time to the Red Cross. At one point, before technology had caught up, individual Red Cross blood banks posted their own donations. Golmanavich often volunteered for this, and remembers posting donations after 9/11. “I posted over 900 donations in a span of a few days,” she recalled. Golmanavich will be the first to say she gets a great return on investment. She loves the way the Red Cross informs donors about the help they are doing. Donors receive emails that describe how their donations are utilized and the work that is being done with them. “Every time I donate, they’ll send me an email and let me know how it was used,” Golmanavich said. “Last time, it was used in Minnesota. I think it’s great that it’s not used just here, locally. I love to learn about that.”
T he Ne e d Re m a in s Donating for 40 years and over 700 times is quite an accomplishment. According to their website, the Red Cross started taking civilian blood donations in the 1940s, and, to this day, provides more than 40% of blood-related products in the U.S. Blood and its elements can be collected from a single donor in several ways: as whole blood, plasma, or platelets. Each kind of donation has different characteristics. Whole blood, for example, can help up to three people in need, if divided into its elements, but is usually used to treat victims of accident or injury experiencing heavy blood loss. Red blood cells, which aid
“I want to donate,” she said. “I feel bad that I can’t help them out for two months.”
A C a ll To D on a te Golmanavich said she can not think of any downsides to giving. “Maybe a bruise or two. But it’s such a great cause. It’s just a rewarding experience knowing you helped these people.” Golmanavich urged those thinking of donating blood to try it, if able. “There’s an urgent need. If you have the time, please do it. It’s a great way to spread the kindness,” she said. Out of the 38% of people in the U.S. who can give, only 3% do. Golmanavich, married 50 years in April to her husband, Jerry, doesn’t see herself ending her pursuit of kindness anytime soon. She will keep the flame of compassion for others lit for as long as she can. Or, in her own words, “as long as I am able and physically fit, I will do it.” Visit redcross.org/local/nebraska or call the Red Cross at 38th Street and Dewey Avenue at 402.343.7700 for more information.
MARCH/APRIL 2020 • 60PLUS
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Swiping Right Back Into the Dating Game SENIORS DISCOVER DATING IS AS EASY AS 10, 2, & 4 FEATURE // STORY BY LISA LUKECART // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY
Allen Regier
, 67, arrived early to pick the perfect booth at Stokes Grill and Bar. Regier recognized his date from photos as she enterd the establishment. Peggy Serefko, 61, dressed in black pants, a white shirt, and a blue blazer. "Oh, my goodness, this lady is pretty," Regier said to himself. It took Regier about a year and a half to start dating after his wife passed away. After 43 years of marriage, the thought of putting himself out there again seemed daunting. “I wasn’t sure how it was done anymore and didn’t want to embarrass myself,” Regier, a tall man with bright blue eyes, admitted. Regier shook her hand, took her coat, and showed her to the booth. As the two sipped diet sodas, they conversed for an hour and a half. “I was hooked,” Regier said. “I was going to ask her on a second date, but she beat me to it.” Regier, like other seniors, is swiping right back into the dating game. Options for seniors to gather have expanded, whether meeting through a friend, class, or club. Popular dating apps are like a virtual bar in people’s pocket, making it that much easier to flirt with someone without leaving home. Online dating has changed the rules for a generation of Baby Boomers looking for love in all the right places in their golden years. The number of 55 to 64 year olds who hit up dating sites doubled from 6% in 2013 to 12% three years later, according to Pew Research. Online sites have noticed. Lumen, an app dedicated solely for single seniors, surpassed 1 million downloads in little over a year since its launch in 2018. According to the website, the oldest user is 97 years old while the average age is 56. Our Time, run by the parent company Match.com, saw 2 million users sign up for its 50-and-over site in 2019. But minutes after setting up accounts with eHarmony and Match, Serefko deleted both profiles. // 84 //
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“I did not want to put myself out there,” Serefko said. “I heard about women being taken advantage of and that scared me.” Serefko still didn’t feel secure in the online world so she signed up for Omaha Love, a matchmaking service, instead. Omaha Love provides background checks, meets loveseekers in person, and offers to set up dates. “Seniors are not super tech-savvy, so having someone to facilitate introductions appeals to them rather than getting on a computer,” Courtney Quinlan, owner of Midwest Matchmaking and Omaha Love, believes. After a second date, which led to a first kiss, Regier and Serefko froze their account with Omaha Love. This is basically the same as telling each other—hey, let’s be exclusive. A few days prior to their sixth-month anniversary, Regier proposed. “She didn’t even let me slip the ring on. She took it and put it on her finger,” Regier said laughing. The wedding will take place in March, almost a full year after the two started dating. The couple plan a small wedding with about 50 people in attendance. “You are never too old to get married,” Serefko said. “Or fall in love. It is just as exciting at our age as when we were younger,” Regier added. Mike Broyles, 65, could not agree more. In fact, the retired financial planner has been on hundreds of dates since his divorce 25 years ago. He chronicled his dating journey in his book, Combat Dating. It offers bits of advice such as “How to Avoid the Gold Digger,” “Money, Sex, and the In-Laws,” and the “Long Goodbye.” Broyles’ approach to dating is from those vintage Dr Pepper ads, “drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4.” He would mass date, meeting up with a different woman for coffee at 10, 2, and 4. Although he utilizes online sites such as Match and Facebook, Broyles believes becoming involved in social activities is a fantastic way of meeting others. This means
thinking outside the comfort zone and doing something entirely new. Metropolitan Community College offers a wide variety of courses such as Beginners Yoga for Seniors, Self-Defense for Seniors, and Seniors Watercolor. The University of Nebraska at Omaha offers senior citizens a chance to audit classes. Another route is to dive into past passions. A book club, tennis league, or gardening master program helps singletons bond over shared common interests. Broyles plans on joining the Cornhusker Corvette Club now that he is an owner. Places of worship are another great resource, since some have singles groups; but don’t take it too far. Broyles switched churches for a woman, only to later find out she wasn’t even a member. Volunteering is another way to not only give back to the community, but it could mean finding companionship. Broyles started helping out at Big Brothers Big Sisters two years ago, which luckily happened to be made up of almost all single women. “There is always someone there that will catch my eye,” he said. “Some will, some won’t, so what?” It isn’t just about love or marriage. Many times, the perks of dating are finding friends. “The older we get, we find just having female companionship is more important than in your 20s and 30s,” Broyles said. He reminds others to be financially, physically, and emotionally prepared for “combat,” since dating can be scary. Mistakes happen. Nonetheless, the fun outweighs staying home, especially for those who are older. “I have never in my life been [as] sexually active than I have this last four years,” Broyles said. Oh, and ladies, Broyles is once again single and ready to mingle.
“I WASN’T SURE HOW IT WAS DONE ANYMORE AND DIDN’T WANT TO EMBARRASS MYSELF.” -ALLEN REGIER MARCH/APRIL 2020 • 60PLUS
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g l a t s o NCuisine Nostalgia //
y a M s e t i r o one v a F a y k r s e a v r N e b B e Fo r e N ot
Story by Tamsen Butler Illustrations & design by Derek Joy
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ig c
Snickers salad confuses people , because it s more dessert than salad, but as many Omaha natives claim, it becomes a salad when it,s placed with the salads at a potluck.
T
hose who have never lived outside of Nebraska may not realize that few people outside the confines of the state know who or what Dorothy Lynch is. Outside of the Midwest, the idea of eating chili and cinnamon rolls together is strange, and most people in the United States have never heard of (or understand what in the world is) a Runza. Every region has its own interesting cuisine that confounds outsiders. A stroll down a culinary memory lane yields an interesting menu of dishes that may have dropped from modern-day menus but haven’t vanished from taste bud memories. Jell-O molds, now enjoying a resurgence despite an otherwise steady decline in popularity for years, were considered a symbol of status and wealth in the early 1950s because refrigerators were expensive, yet necessary for a mold to set. Molded Jell-O creations were either sweet or savory, and at times were topped with mayonnaise. Jell-O molds weren’t exclusive to the Midwest; in fact, Jell-O has been the “official snack food” of Utah since 2002. The powdered gelatin mix is an ingredient in a Nebraska holiday favorite: cranberry salad. Everyone knows Reuben sandwiches originated at the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha in the 1920s. Yet there are some who claim it originated in a New York deli in 1914. Corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing join forces atop marble rye bread for a classic sandwich with probably-Omaha beginnings. Nowadays, Reubens are served throughout the Omaha metro and across the country.
Snickers salad confuses people because it’s more dessert than salad, but as many Omaha natives claim, it becomes a salad when it’s placed with the salads at a potluck. The nutrients in the chunks of Granny Smith apples don’t really offset the whipped cream, vanilla pudding, and pieces of Snickers bars found in this dish but Nebraskans and Iowans alike serve it at communal meals— and then serve a dessert afterward.
No matter what the name, these comfort foods, while they often defy nutritional guidelines, have a way of finding their way back to the buffet table year after year.
A quick trip to Plattsmouth will yield a meal from the history books of Midwestern holiday cuisine. Mom’s Cafe serves chipped beef, and customers love it. Typically made with partially dehydrated beef slivers and a creamy gravy, chipped beef is served over bread or biscuits. It’s a hearty meal, but one that lost popularity over the years.
Cottage Cheese and Jell-O Salad
Puppy chow—not the dog food, but the human treat—has also been known as monkey munch, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggie bag, and almost always features Rice Chex and peanut butter. Served as a dessert or snack, the company that makes Rice Chex makes the claim that the recipe for what they call “Muddy Buddies” didn’t appear until the early 2000s, but many Nebraskans remember eating this treat long before then. Some meals from the past are still quite common, with different names. What was once referred to as a “hot dish” is now a casserole, and what were once called funeral potatoes—frozen hash browns mixed with shredded cheeses, sour cream, and milk, then topped with potato chips or corn flakes—are now known as “cheesy potatoes.”
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*Editor’s Note: The following recipes were cultivated from various cookbooks in the editor’s home.
Ingredients: • 1 can crushed pineapple, well drained • 1 pint cottage cheese • 3 oz package of Jell-O, any flavor (lime was popular) • 10 oz carton of whipped topping Directions: • Sprinkle dry Jell-O over the whipped topping and fold together. • Mix pineapple and cottage cheese together, add to the whipped topping, and chill for at least four hours.
»
s e p i c e R
Funeral Potatoes Ingredients: • 4 T unsalted butter
Cranberry Jello Salad
«
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
Ingredients: • 2 cups water • 6 ounces raspberry Jell-O (2 boxes, 3 ounces each) • 2 envelopes plain gelatin
• 1 30-ounce bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, lightly thawed • 1 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup • 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup cold water • 28 ounces whole berry cranberry sauce (14 ounces each) • 28 ounces crushed pineapple, drained (1 large can, 1 small can) Directions: Snickers Salad
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper • 2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
Ingredients:
• Heat the water in the microwave or on the stovetop until boiling.
• 3.4 ounces (one box) instant vanilla pudding mix
• Dissolve the Jell-O in the boiling water and mix well.
• 1 cup whole milk
• Empty 2 packages of plain gelatin in cold water and whisk together.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle the plain gelatin into the raspberry Jell-O, whisking the entire time.
• Heat 2 T butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, an additional 2 minutes.
• 8 ounces whipped topping • 6 granny smith apples • 1 1/2 cups chopped Snickers bars, equivalent to 6 full size bars Directions: • Whisk together the vanilla pudding and milk and let sit for five minutes before gently folding in whipped topping. • Add in the chopped apples and Snickers bars and refrigerate for at least an hour until ready to serve.
• Whisk the cranberry sauce and drained pineapple until the cranberry sauce is broken up and the mixture is well combined. • Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. • Chill 4 hours or until firm. • Serve with whipped cream and chopped pecans.
• 1 1/2 cups lightly crushed corn flake cereal or potato chips Directions:
• In a bowl, toss together the cooked onions and garlic, hash brown potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, parmesan, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Spread the mixture in a 9-by-13 inch casserole dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Top the casserole with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, corn flakes or chips and melted butter. • Bake in the oven until it bubbles around the sides, about 1 hour.
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Puppy Chow Ingredients: • 9 cups rice cereal squares • 1/2 cup peanut butter • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar Directions: • In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate; add peanut butter and mix until smooth. • Remove from heat, add cereal and stir until coated. • Pour powdered sugar into large plastic bag, add chocolate-coated cereal, and shake until well coated. Store in airtight container.
ENJOY!