Food For Thought

I hate football. Oops. Did I say that out loud?

Ok. Maybe hate is a strong word. I just really don't get a lot of enjoyment out of watching football.

It's like the instructions on a bottle of shampoo...wash, rinse, repeat but throw, catch, score. It's repetitive and can be a little boring especially that one play where the guy runs into a wall of other guys and actually gets negative yardage. Wait, did I just use football words?

I grew up in a home where sports were very important. We were equal opportunity really. Fall/winter = football, spring = basketball, summer = baseball and golf. The only thing my dad and brother did not get into was hockey. But they have made up for lost time since my brother-in-law joined the fold and taught them all the ways of the puck.

When I was little, my parents would host Steelers parties when my dad wasn't actually at the game. Back in the 70's, when tickets were around 5 bucks, it was probably cheaper to go to a game than cater an event for a house full of people.

Even though I didn't like watching the game or understand the game I did like the variety of party snacks that were on hand for sampling. My mom's shrimp dip, spinach dip, Chicken In a Biskit crackers, Gibbles potato chips and Tom Tucker ginger ale were just some of the items I remember. There were probably really yummy foods my mom made that were not snacks, but I never made it that far. My belly was full from all the dips and the chips.

It would only make sense, based on my childhood experience, that food brings me to football. Because I am a good wife and hold my wedding vows true (I took my husband for richer or poorer, in preseason and post season and all the Steelers Sundays till death do us part) I do sit in the room when the game is on, but multiple times he'll say, "Hon, check out the replay" or "Did you see that" or "Watch this" because I am really not paying close attention.

Everyone has their passion and football is not mine but I will happily be around when an important game is on if....there is food. And I have made some good dips to keep my fingers busy including, spinach, hot crab and my mom's shrimp dip. I bring back those Chicken In A Biskit crackers for the crab dip just for old times sake but only sparingly because I can and have eaten a whole box.

We watch the Super Bowl each year as a family and play Super Bowl bingo which makes it fun for two of my kids who like me, are also just in it for the food and the commercials. They have a playing card and have to watch for things like famous person in the stands, player crying during the National Anthem and talking animals. 

We eat multiple courses and just last year we started making foods special to the cities represented. For the AFC playoff game last year, I made a complete English meal in honor of the Pats with Welsh Rarebit, fish n' chips and scones. This year, since most of us are rooting for Philly, except my 7-year-old who happens to like the colors silver and blue, our meal will consist of cheese steaks and soft pretzels. I even have some New England recipes for Joe Froggers (a colonial times cookie) and fluffernutters - a grilled sandwich with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

Yes, I've already done my food homework for the Super Bowl because like I said, for me it is all about the food. Unfortunately, now I have two weeks to think about all the food and yes, I'm hungry. Sounds like I need a box of Chicken In A Biskit crackers to tide me over.

2017 AFC Championship Game Food

Temporarily 43

Sometimes the truth hurts. I was made aware of that this past weekend.

I had taken my oldest and his friend to the mall to do some serious shopping. The deals now, as teens these days would say, are off the chain as stores are getting rid of fall/winter merchandise to make room for spring and the hot new items for 2018. It truly is a great time to go shopping, if you don't think about the fact that a few weeks ago you spend $49.00 on a pair of boots that are now going for $9.00.


I had packed up my laptop hoping to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi in a quiet corner of the mall to get some work done. I also had visions of sipping hot tea and being alone to deal with my cabin fever after the weekend snow storm kept me holed up in the house with my brood. My plans came to a screeching halt when we remembered the Youth Escort Policy at the mall on weekends. Teens are unable to walk around without an adult after 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Ok. Change of plans. No big deal. I escorted them to Forever 21, a store that was having a crazy sale. Racks of clothes priced between $5 and $7.  Buy one get one. Shoes 75% off. A young lady could get a whole new wardrobe if she was savvy and had a eye for a bargain.

I kept my distance from my teens, letting them do their thing while I checked out possible deals for this Over 21 consumer. I checked out the shoes - finding a pair of black Beatle boots that caught my eye and actually fit my narrow, podiatry challenged feet. But then I got a little cocky. I branched out. I made it to the million percent off racks. I started to look at the clothes.  l forgot my age and let my guard down.

I am well aware of items that are appropriate for a 21 year old verses someone 2 times 21. I did recognize the see through material, short skirts, and shirts that would not make it past my belly button and I kept my distance.

 But there were some nice coats I tried on, and actually almost bought. One of the coats caught the attention of another shopper who told me she just bought the same one and loved it. She seemed a little older than me, her lovely dreadlocks were mostly gray, so I got a boost of confidence - maybe I could shop in here.

Then I made it over to the dresses. There were some as cheap as $5!!! Again I let my guard down and was blinded by the sale. I had two events to attend the next day and was thinking a new dress would be just the ticket to boost my blah winter mood.

I selected a few off the rack and made it to the dressing room. I steered clear of my teens because I didn't want them to see I was actually trying things on. I wanted to make sure something fit before I announced this forty-something found something on the fountain of youth racks.

The dressing room attendant was polite. He did not make me feel like I didn't belong. He showed me to my room and I could not wait to see how these dresses looked.

Now, don't get me wrong. The items I picked out were age appropriate. One was a wrap dress and the other was a long sleeve straight A- line dress with a scoop neck. I chose two mediums because they looked like they would fit me, but boy was I wrong.

Sometimes I forget about what happened to my body after giving birth to three kids.  How parts like my hips, chest and thighs will never be the same. Plus, there is a lipoma (benign fatty tumor) on my right side that, according to my doctor, could be surgically removed but since I'm not wearing a bikini anymore, why bother.

When an interior button on the wrap dress I tried on went flying across the dressing room, and the curved slit up the middle revealed more than I show my husband, reality came tumbling back.  I am a former 21 year-old who has evolved into more conservative, less form fitting attire.

I actually had fun browsing at the mall this past weekend. I got some ideas of how I can spruce up my wardrobe and did get complements from my kids when I wore my new black boots with an old dress that kicked it up a notch.  My figure might not be Forever 21, but apparently my feet are! So to borrow words from Nancy Sinatra, "Are you ready boots? Start walking."

                     



You Say You Wanna A Resolution

Resolutions smezalutions. I did not make any resolutions this year. I normally do, but within a few weeks I always give up. Last year I started a happiness journal. By day 5, I was done. Either I had a year's worth of happiness in 5 days or I got lazy. What do you think?


So this year I am weighing my options. I do get invigorated with the start of a new year and wanting to make positive changes but sometimes it is overwhelming because I set out to change everything. I wanna get organized, eat better, be happy, enjoy life, pet a zebra, take it slower, visit a foreign land...see what I mean? A monumental set up to fail. Big time.


A friend of mine does a resolution a day - one thing each day that she works on. I kind of like that idea. Manageable and practical - plus you get to work on many things throughout the year instead of just one. Maybe I can find a few good ones that I can rotate throughout the months? Put more emphasis on chocolate, revisit naptime, make wine a priority today - good start, right?


Last year, my cousin made an accountability chart for his fitness regimen.  He completed 200 workouts in 2017. He was able to post his completed sheet a few days before New Year's Eve. I think that is a nice idea. Have something tangible so you see your progress and then reflect on your accomplishments at the end of the year. Whatever I choose, I need motivation, so having something to measure my progress would be helpful.


Facebook has been awash with motivational phrases since 2018 rolled in...

Every year is a new beginning.

You don't need a new year to make changes - you only need a day.

Everything is better with hot tea!

That last one is in honor of Mariah Carey who on New Year's Eve only wanted a cup of tea while performing half naked in subzero temps in Times Square.  (Ok, she wasn't really half naked, but some parts were more visible than others.)   I don't want to be cliche but I think girlfriend is onto something. We should adopt the English way in 2018 and have tea time each day whether it's cold or not and whether we have to sing or not. Although when you have tea you have to have scones and a scone each day will make that girlish figure go astray, especially if you are using the traditional clotted cream.


I do want to improve my life so maybe I can start simple. I would like to make the things I have to do each day a little better. Like when I get up in the morning, having a Keurig by my bed so I can enjoy my coffee first thing before escaping the sheets. Especially on these cold mornings, a hot Cup of Joe on my nightstand would be a decadent pleasure for sure. I can imagine I am waking up in a royal palace like Queen Elizabeth, but 50 years younger, with kitchen staff waiting to meet my every whim. Geez, I need to stop watching The Crown on Netflix.


When I have to take my son to school, I would like to listen to something fun (not news) on the drive that gets us moving and feeling good.  I am thinking his new Aquabats ( a rock band geared toward kids) CD will be perfect to kick this resolution off. With song titles like "Worms Make Dirt" and  "I Fell Asleep on My Arm" - we are bound to let out a few chuckles while barreling down Route 30 trying not to hit every traffic light.


In rooms of my house, like the kitchen and laundry room, where I spend a great deal of time doing thankless tasks, I need to infuse some sort of beauty to enjoy while I carry out particular chores. I think I will hang some art, like a Campbell's Soup can, by the washer and dryer or even make something creative with the lint from the trap or empty dryer sheet boxes that can boost the aesthetics of the space.  Filling the room with ambiance will boost my mood when I find pieces of kids' clothing that were thrown in the hamper, that I know are clean, but were never hung up from a previous wash.


And finally, when I check off a block of boxes on my 'Make the Little Things I Do Each Day A  Little Better' accountablitiy chart, I need to have a reward like - celebrate your birthday even though its not and eat some cake. I already know the kind I want and where to get it. Resolution motivation secure - 2018 is going to be so sweet.

An A++ Holiday Theme

"You'll shoot your eye out!"

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing loud for all to hear!"

"I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January. "

If movies are a part of your holiday celebration, you might recognize the above quotes from "A Christmas Story", "Elf" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas". As a family, those are a few of our favorites that we watch each year, As a couple, my husband and I try to take in "Love Actually" and then for myself, a little "White Christmas" or "The Bells of St. Mary's". Everyone seems to have their own treasured flicks and no list is the end all be all, but if "A Christmas Story" is one you enjoy, then making a trip to Cleveland is a must.

My family 'fleed to the Cleve' this past July for a Tamburitzan festival. It is a three-day weekend held in a different city each year with performances and rehearsals, but there is some down time to take in a few sights. Not far from our hotel was "A Christmas Story" house, the century old home on West 11th Street used in the film back in 1983. A die-hard fan restored the home to look like the actual set in the holiday classic and it has become a popular tourist attraction.

We decided to make this the one thing we had to see during our visit. We did not know what to expect because while pulling into the neighborhood, it didn't seem like we were in the right place. You can park on the street but some people who live there try to make a few bucks by offering their driveway or side yard for parking. Plus, the street itself looks a lot different without snow and the Bumpus' dogs running outside.

The large gift shop is the first stop you make to buy your tickets for the tour. Luckily, we had some time to kill before ours began so we had plenty of time to browse. This shop is a Christmas collector's dream with lots of non-movie items for purchase, but as you can imagine, there is lots of movie memorabilia to stock up on too.

The Aunt Clara bunny costume, bars of Lifebuoy soap and of course, the fragile leg lamp are all available for purchase. It is tempting not to plunk down some cold hard cash just so you too can experience Mr. Parker's joy when he witnessed "the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window."


Our tour guide provided some interesting facts about the movie and the house, but it is the "stuff" that most of us couldn't wait to check out for ourselves including: the Red Ryder BB Gun propped up by the tree, the Leg Lamp in its crate and the Little Orphan Annie decoder ring set up on the hamper in the bathroom.

The kitchen was equipped with the under the sink cupboard where Randy hid when he thought "Daddy's going to kill Ralphie" after the big fight with Scut Farkus. I am glad Brian Jones made his dream a reality and made the house something every fan can enjoy. There is even a flag pole out front, which many people have been tempted to put their tongue on, but on an 85 degree day in July, it is just not the same.


You really get to know a film when it is on repeat for a whole day - which is how I got to know it so well during the TBS Christmas marathons. I would pick up the movie in different parts, but eventually it didn't matter what I had missed, I could get drawn in instantly. A few years ago I bought the movie on DVD and can watch it whatever day we choose during December and it has become one my kids truly enjoy watching.


I remember the Christmas when, like Ralphie, I really wanted something. For me, it was the year of the Cabbage Patch Kid. My sister and I both wanted our own so badly even though 6 years separated us. That Christmas morning we spotted two big boxes and ripped the paper with wild abandon. But the boxes did not contain authentic Cabbage Patch Kids,  they contained homemade dolls, with soft faces and painted on eyes.

I tried so hard to be happy with my doll. I am not sure what my sister had going on, but I was busy with my struggle and it was real. I did not want to upset Santa by being an ungrateful kid but it seemed to me, the North Pole elves got something wrong.


My mom says there was just no way to get the dolls that year and so she had a friend of a friend made the ones we ended up getting. I am not sure what happened to them, heck I don't even remember the names we gave them, but a mere seven months later, my sister got her for real cabbage kid for her 4th birthday. I got mine a month later for my 10th.


So, the moral of the story is - dreams do come true just for some of us, they take a little longer. For my sister and I, we are no worse off because we did not get our Cabbage Patch Kids the first time around.  In fact, the story of that Christmas is a family favorite which brings tears of laughter to our eyes. Our 'Christmas Story' might be a little more real, which makes it all the more endearing.


It is the memories of being a kid at Christmas -  the excitement, the traditions, the possibilities that all come streaming back as I watch my kids. I hope when they are adults they look back on their Christmases past as fondly as I do mine. With only a few days until Santa's sleigh takes to the sky, there is magic in the air.  No matter our age, if we are young at heart, maybe, just maybe, we can experience the childlike wonder once again.

Nick, be careful. It's Frag-il-ay!

Nolan and Ol' Blue

Nora, make sure to drink your Ovaltine.

Give Christmas A Chance

Christmas is hard. There is so much to do between the shopping and the baking and the cards and the shopping and the baking...yes, I think you get it.

Each year I say, ' Things are going to be different.' I have always had the Donna Reed vision of Christmas where I am wearing a lovely holiday dress with two-inch heels, singing Christmas carols as I take cookies out of the oven, pausing ever so briefly to kiss my husband under the mistletoe. The kids are sitting at the table, smiling at each other, gazing around at the beautifully decorated tree with wrapped presents underneath.

But the reality is, I still have some decorations stacked in a corner not placed. I bake my cookies between dinner and kids' extracurricular activities.  Shopping, luckily, has been made easy though the wonders of the internet so I feel good in that department, but there isn't much magical about what I do.

Here is the problem - my childhood. My mom always did her best to make Christmas special. She made cookies, sent out cards, did the decorating. I remember her with the electric cookie gun making the tasty bite-sized morsels. I remember my special monogrammed ornaments hanging from the tree and oh, the tinsel!

Most of our family decorations from 40 years ago are gone, but just recently, while browsing in a specialty store, I saw an elf statue exactly like the ones that use to sit on our mantle. He had a buddy and each of them were playing an instrument. Back then they looked a little creepy and even now they still look a little creepy, but it filled me with such joy to see Elfin again.

I really wanted to enjoy more of the season this year so, I got started a little early. In the past, I have been a staunch supporter of Thanksgiving. I wanted the holiday to have its due without being overshadowed by Feliz Navidad. My little protest involved barring all things Christmas until December 1. That is when the decorations would come out, the carols would come on and the celebration would begin.

I have since realized that my little protest was not doing the Pilgrims any favors and I was not going to force Walmart out of business by not going out on Black Friday. This year, I went along with the herd and moooove over bacon, I have seen the light!

I had a present plan before Black Friday and with a click, click, click, I was 75% done with my shopping in an hour. I took my Christmas card photo the day before Thanksgiving and had cards designed and ordered before I digested my turkey. My tree went up on November 25, to take advantage of my husband's couple of days off, achieving a world record for earliest tree debut in the Keleschenyi home.

I am happy about the strides I made this year. It did make me a little sad to jump right into Christmas before Tom Turkey officially made a comfortable exit, but in reality, the extra days were just what I needed. It gave me the option to use the limited weekend time we have as a family to do fun things like see a Live Nativity, visit McKeesport's Festival of Trees and browse the Lincoln Highway Hub's Christmas Open House.

I even visited the PPG Wintergarden with my youngest the weekend before Thanksgiving, just because we were downtown and we could. (This would have been a no-no for my old self.) I did have reservations about walking through the doors with the voice in my head saying, 'It's too early! It's too early!', but I powered through and had one of the most lovely experiences ever. It was early morning, hardly anyone was there, and my little guy and I were able to actually look at all the gingerbread houses. We even made a stop at each Santa from around the world and he slowly read the descriptions aloud.

It is difficult to keep the focus on what Christmas is really all about with all the details that come with it. If Christmas was tomorrow, which thank God it isn't, I would still have a few cards that didn't go out and one batch of cookies that didn't get made and nothing is wrapped yet. I would have one child who would not get much because I just got his list yesterday. But on the plus side, there are already some great memories that I have stored away from this holiday season.

I am very pleased with my experiment this year. I have learned that like it or not, in today's society, you have to adapt. I can no longer be the poster child for trying to save Thanksgiving. That is a lost cause. It was a valiant effort, but no more activism for me, only peace.  My new mindset has made December more enjoyable and it looks like I may have started a new holiday tradition, one that will continue to make room for the joy that the season brings.

Creepy Elfins Circa 1970 somethin'

For Everyone Except You

This is the time of year when sweets are front and center stage. Christmas cookies, gingerbread houses, candy canes - it is like December is an all access pass to Sugar Town. I will not lie to you. I am pretty much the mayor of that town and I do indulge myself, within reason. Just last week, I took a photo of a chocolate cake and made it the lock screen on my phone. Yes, I've got it bad.

But something happened to me recently that made me think about the others. Those who cannot indulge because of a food allergy. The nut allergy has become something so common that there are special sections in some school cafeterias where kids with the allergy have to sit. It has also become an issue, at least in my school district, that prohibits homemade or store bought treats from being brought to school for birthdays or holiday parties. Everything is handled by the food service company to ensure the utmost safety during special occasions.

I remember when my son was in preschool and the teachers passed out a list of recommended treats to be brought in for snack day. We were told to check labels and look for the mention of nuts or items made in a facility that processes nuts. I remember hearing some parents complain about having to take these extra steps. You don't really think about it unless your kid is affected and since my children do not have food allergies, I never really understood what some families go through.

For the past decade or so, my repertoire of homemade Christmas delights has included chocolate covered pretzels. I have always loved them, especially the red bag of Sarris pretzels. Prior to me making them myself, I thought they were time consuming and difficult. But a couple relatives, who made them and passed them out as tasty parting gifts after a holiday visit, convinced me they were easy and I should give it a go.  One year I did and I never looked back.

They are nice to give out to teachers, friends, and co-workers. In fact, I started making them for the other students in my kids' dance group. We pass out treat bags each year at our Christmas party and my pretzels always got a compliment or two - some of those came from my own kids who get to enjoy the leftover melted chocolate and broken pieces.

We have a little girl in our group who has a dairy allergy. For the past couple years, she has not been able to eat the pretzels in her bag because of the milk in chocolate. (I was not aware of this until recently.) Her mother is really good about trying to provide treats her daughter can eat whenever there is food involved at any of our practices and gatherings since unlike nuts - milk is in a lot of stuff.

At our November parent meeting, we talked about the items we would be putting in the treat bags. Someone asked if I could make my pretzels again, which I was happy to do, until the mom pointed out that her daughter couldn't eat them. I didn't think it was such a big deal at first. There are other items in the bag. But then I thought about this sweet little girl having to be told, 'No, honey. You cannot eat those,' while watching her other friends, and possibly her sister, chomping like crazy. If I was going to make them I knew I would have to actively check the ingredients and try to find some sort of dairy free chocolate to use. Was there even such a thing?

I made a call to the store where I buy my chocolate and they told me they did not have anything I could use. I went to another store and found a couple baking bars that contained milk powder, wondering if that would be ok but after contacting the mom, I found out they were not. She did provide me with two items I could try - a dark chocolate bar at Aldi and special chocolate chip morsels sold at Giant Eagle.

I was a little apprehensive about using the morsels since they were different from what I normally use. But they melted really well and the only difference I noticed working with it, is that it took a little longer for the chocolate to set. As for the taste, my daughter and my husband cleaned out the left over chocolate bowl and said they could not taste a difference.

The night of our Christmas party I was distracted when Santa came to pass out the presents. It was a bowling party so many of us parents were trying to save face and knock some pins down. But before the party was over, I was caught off guard when the arms of a seven year old suddenly wrapped around my waist. With eyes twinkling and a wide smile she said, " Thank you for the pretzels, Kristen." Her mom explained how happy her daughter was when she asked if she could eat them and was told yes. (Which probably does not happen as often as her parents would like.)

That moment has been replayed so many times in my mind since that night. Her hug made me feel really good. For parents of kids who do not have food allergies we might not always think to ask the right questions when food is being provided to a group. This can cause hurt feelings and force parents to pick up the pieces when their kid is upset because they cannot eat what everyone else is eating.

This experience helped me to realize there are alternative ingredients and recipes out there to consider. A little modification on my part avoided any unintended exclusion. I am thankful to this mom for being a great advocate for her kid and also for bringing awareness to a condition that affects more people than we realize. Chocolate covered pretzels should only cause tears when there aren't any left not because someone cannot eat them.

A recent batch of pretzels with dairy free chocolate

A Truly Black Friday

The decline has been happening for years. Empty store fronts multiplying, huge vacant parking lots, non-existent crowds, but as of last year Century III Mall was still somewhere you could get some decent Black Friday shopping in.

Besides the only two anchor stores, JCPenny and Dick’s, there was still a Claire’s, Bath and Body Works, Bradley’s Books, FYE, Things Remembered and Victoria’s Secret. In addition, there was Cash In Culture - a vintage video game and toy store.

Yes, the throngs of people from Black Friday circa 1986 were no longer the norm, but younger shoppers weren’t around for that and didn’t know better. Older shoppers like myself, were happy to get some of the great deals and still be able to breathe.

But this year it was different. The anchor stores were open, but the mall didn’t open until 8 a.m. That wasn’t too bad. My family and I were able to do a couple laps around Penny’s, check out the sale items and get into the holiday spirit. But once the Red Sea parted and the steel doors opened, a sad reality was revealed.

First, the sounds of the seasons slipped into soft rock hits. While I love America every now and then, I was not in the mood to hear about a horse with no name. I wanted to hear about a reindeer called Rudolph. Then I noticed FYE was gone – empty – closed up. Claire’s also gone. Cash In Culture a thing of the past. Yes, Things Remembered was still there, which in my opinion is appropriate. Century III is a thing I remember and oh, what great memories.


I am pretty sure my first recollection of going to that spectacular mall was with my mom and my best friend, Amy, who was visiting from New Jersey. I was probably 9 maybe 10 and I remember the sights, the sounds - the excitement. It was like something out of this world and I loved being there.

The mall was so big! The multiple levels meant you couldn’t possibly take everything in, but we tried. One store that stood out for me was called Heaven.  The one image I took away from that place was naked Barbie type dolls that you could dress yourself. Again, appropriate the store was called Heaven because the mall was a celestial experience.

I also remember going Christmas shopping there as a teen. I had a wallet full of paper route tips and I was able to buy gifts for each of my family members on my own. My Catholic school chum, Melissa, and I spent the day at the mall, which appeared to have been decorated by one of Santa’s elves. We bought lots of gifts and I probably got my usual hot fudge sundae at the Dairy Queen. The only item I remember taking home that day was Billy Joel’s USSR concert album for my brother, purchased at National Record Mart. This album is currently in my possession. I wonder if he wants it back now that it could be worth a few dollars more than I paid for it?

Going to Century III Mall this past Black Friday was sad. I know that was it for us. It was nice that for the past couple of years my family and I took advantage of this withered gem and made some memories of our own. My two oldest children truly enjoyed going there and were able to appreciate what existed without having any idea of the majesty it once contained.

Who knows what is in store for the mall. I have heard different things from possible hotel to hospital space to entertainment complex. My only hope is that it becomes something that attracts people from all over like Century III Mall did. It was an amazing place and I am glad it was part of my childhood. Now for some reason I am hungry for a Cinnabon.