Would you do the Lift?

I went with my mother to her doctor appointment yesterday.. She needed some cortisone shots in her fingers. She is having an age related problem with her fingers. As is happens , her MD was also a plastic surgeon . I asked how much to do an eye lift? IT was more affordable than I thought! I just may surprise a few folks when I show up looking 10 years younger! My father had such an amazing "hood" over his lids, that his will probably be covered by insurance. Right On DAD!! Go for it!

Don't You Love a Diner?

My father knows where every single roadside diner is between Salt Lake City and Santa Fe, and Denver and Las Vegas, and probably every other route north bound as well. He can tell you who makes the best biscuits and gravy, pancakes, soup or burger. One of the best meals I ever ate was at a roadside diner somewhere in New Mexico. Fried Eggs and Enchiladas. Any good Mexican-American knows enchiladas are best the next day with fried eggs. Only the menu didn't even say the eggs were coming with enchiladas. It was like this magical, blessed manna from heaven, when my plate was served.

New Mexico/Colorado Mexican food is way different than the California style Mexican food we get at restaraunts here in Utah. I grew up in Denver, so you can guess which style I am partial too. I always have several ziploc bags of roasted Hatch chile's in my freezer, and some sort of tamale, homemade of course. But, that is a subject for another post.

I pulled this book off my library shelves, yesterday and was mightily inspired by some excellent All-American Diner food. I was tempted to make the Onion Rings, the Ruben Sandwich, and of course the Famous Cheesecake. But, when I woke up ravenous after a long evening of election news, I knew I needed food, and I needed it right now!

Western Omelet
4 eggs beaten
1/4 onion, green pepper combined
cubed ham
1/4 cup grated cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil, or bacon fat if you must.

Preheat the oil or fat in a skillet for one minute. The secret is a hot skillet, then add the cold oil.
Swirl the oil around, put the onion and green pepper and ham in, and saute for a few hot seconds.
Add the eggs, and after about 30 seconds, start lifting the sides of the cooked egg and let the uncooked egg make contact with the skillet and let them cook. Repeat around the other edges. Add cheese if desired. Roll the omelet onto a plate.Take a potato and run it through the slicer sides of a box grater. Rinse the slices to remove the excess potato starch and pat dry. In a hot skillet with preheated oil, spread out the potato slices and let them cook about 3 minutes on each side. To get the authentic diner flavor you MUST sprinkle with onion salt. Serve with Tabasco or hot pickled peppers.

I go through about 8 jars of these a year. Me, solo, no one else, and can eat about 5 peppers with any given meal.
I used to pack these to Malaysia, I cannot live without them.

Ummm. Comfort food = diner food.
Especially if served on a vintage plate.

Viva la Huelga (walk-out) or Hail Ceasar!

Having just read a favorite blog c jane enjoy it
posted: Pro Test


I was inspired to post this one. (it was a really good blog). Yes I have lots of protest experience and I would like to just remind myself and tell you about my earliest protest.

It was 1970, and I was nine or ten. Times were good at Casa de Martin. We had just moved into a new house in the "burbs", and food was plentiful at our dinner table. But Ceasar Chavez was just jailed for challenging an injunction on a boycott and was on a hunger strike. Mom (always militant) decided it was time for her suburban Chicano children to be indoctrinated into la Raza! (By the way it is Chicano, not Chicago). The migrant farm workers in California were being horribly treated by their employers and the ever nasty Teamsters Union was doing their dirty work, and Mom said, "enough was enough."

Down to the local SafeWay grocery store we went, posters and all and I watched Mom go to work. We were like, the ONLY Mexican/American family in all of GreenwoodMountain, Colorado. And we made our presence known! I never realized so many people ate lettuce! Mom stopped everyone walking into the store and asked them not to buy lettuce.
"Please support the UFA (United Farm Workers of America!)" Some people were rude, but most were just shocked that there were protesters in front of their peaceful store, and agreed to boycott. The story ends well, Ceasar Chavez was released, and the Teamsters backed off. (check out the links in red).

But, what I really remember is seeing a positive roll model in my Mom. She always made sure we understood the plight of the oppressed, and to get off our butts and do something about it. Even on Mother's Day last Sunday, we were reminded of the Native American injustices still going on today, for instance.

I too have tried to instill this attitude in my own children and look what my daughter Malaina created above. Yes she drew that picture of Ceasar Chavez as a 12 grader while at school in Malaysia. It now hangs in my home and I look at it everyday as I walk out the door, and I remember .....

Grandpa lights the BBQ

This really could have been a disaster!

Grandpa will not let a sleeping dog lie. Instead of reading the clearly marked lighting instructions of the BBQ, (light with the lid closed, hold the ignition button down, only turn on one burner) Grandpa held his face to the grill listening for gas as he pushed the button.

Can you believe this? Thank God his eyes were closed. Grandpa doesn't need his nose hairs trimmed anymore! Look at those eyebrows.

Family Fun

We went to my niece's baby shower today. We had so much fun and she received so many darling baby girl clothes for London,her new baby daughter.


There was a dress/undress the baby doll relay and we had a blast watching my mother scream louder and louder as the baby doll got closer and closer to her. I was laughing so hard I wished I had a second pair of pants!