Cancer, Cooking and Klique-ing!

Where have I been? That has been a question I have been hearing a lot lately. All I can say is I have been living! Living with my kids homework, with my dirty house, with carpooling, with my menu planning - and loving every minute of it! 3 years ago today - January 25, 2007 - my sweet little doctor called me and told me I had 5 cm of invasive cancer. 3 years ago today - I had to call my parents and tell them that their baby was taking an unexpected journey. 3 years ago I had to call my hubby while he was on a business trip and tell him he was taking this journey with me. 3 years ago today - I sat my 1st grader and 3rd grader down and told them their mommy had cancer - but just like their Gumma - I was going to kick "cancers" butt!



3 years ago, about a million thoughts were passing through my brain. One of which was that I needed to document some memories for my girls. I had done some scrapbooks for them - but I wasn't current - and those were mostly photos. I wanted them to have something tangible with my thoughts and memories. My good friend Robin of Big Red Kitchen had started her blog - and I determined - that was how I would share my recipes and memories of those recipes with my girls.



I have done that my friends. I have documented most of the recipes I cook on a regular basis. My mother has shared her memories of dishes she has made for me. I have connected with old friends, new friends, and made many blog friends along the way. Thanks to thecutestlittleblogontheblock.com I was able to give each of my daughters a hard bound Kitchen Klique cookbook. They now are the proud owner of a 210 page book of recipes and memories.



They are 12 and almost 10 today and I am sure they do not appreciate what that book means - but someday - when I'm not here to give them that recipe for their Gumma's potato souffle or Aunt Ruthie's Blueberry Buckle - they will only need to turn to the index of the book to know that their mommy loved them so much.



Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for leaving comments. Your company was the unexpected benefit for giving this gift to my daughters. You are in my Kitchen Klique!



So, for now, I am busy living life, I am busy loving my girls, and I am busy clowning around in my kitchen. I might stop by from time to time to say hello, share a recipe or tell you about my latest kitchen disaster, but for now - enjoy my older posts - and frankly - JUST ENJOY LIFE!



This was our Christmas photo this year. I've come a long way since that picture at the top. Thank you God - Your love is EXTRAVAGANT!



Last but not least - a big thanks to my mom and dad, Curt and Bobi Benton. Thank you for telling me I can do anything - and believing it! You are part of that Extravagant love God shows me every day!

Washing Sea Creatures?

Ok - not really, but doesn't it look like I'm whipping up some mysterious octopus pie? They are really shirts for the "Global Race for the Cure" I am walking in this Saturday June 6th, 2009!



This is my third year to walk in this wonderful race. The first year all my girlfriends (plus some lovely hubby's) walked for me, last year we walked for our daughters and Mothers, and this year we are dedicating our walk to a sweet little teacher at my daughter's school - Ms. Chanel! Each year I throw a "Tie Dye" party. By coloring our shirts - it helps us locate our team at the race. The above picture shows our shirts right after we rubber banded them. The below picture shows them in the "Sea Water" for a 45 minute soak.



Here is the table - all ready for our marathon rubber banding! I put out baskets of rubber bands so everyone can reach them easily. The color of our shirts this year is blue - so I put out those little umbrellas they put in drinks - to show everyone the completed color.



Since only about 1/2 the team could make it - we all rubber banded at least 2 shirts a piece. We threatened those who couldn't make it. We told them we would tie dye targets on their chest area! In the end we ended up being very nice!



I just had the ladies do the rubber banding that night - and I tie dyed them the next day. No one really wants to mess up their nice clothes anyway. I returned the completed shirts the next school day. Didn't they turn out great?


Check back Monday for pictures from the big day! Susan G. Komen - Here we come!!!!!

Cancer with a side of Egg Salad

If you have read my profile on blogger you know that I am a cancer survivor. When I was 36 years old, and on my way to tennis one day - my doctor called and told me that I carrying around two types of cancer. I totally held it together for that phone call, went and played my doubles tennis match (kick booty) and then proceeded to fall apart as I was leaving the court.
Since I didn't know the other two ladies my partner and I were playing that day - I'm sure I gave them a game they will never forget! Now that I think back on that - those poor ladies I lost it on. I'm sure they didn't know what to do! Let's face it - I didn't know what to do!



I immediately went out and bought books like the ones pictured above. I hunkered down and cried behind my closed doors as I mourned the loss of my boob, my hair and my mayo! That's right...I said MAYO! I love mayo. I love chocolate. I love chips. I love pretty much anything that has an ingredient list a mile long and is a color that is not normally found in nature!
The books I was reading were telling me that breast cancer cells need certain fatty acids to grow and a low fat diet is best.
This couldn't be. Mayo and I go way back. We're buds. He (Hellmann's) had gotten me out of many sticky stiuations. Not really but I was definitely in love with him! I thought I would never be able to love on my little man with the blue bowtie ever again.



I do still love him - DEARLY, but I have decided to start seeing less of him! I broke it to him gently and I think he took it pretty well. This egg salad is a wonderful rendezvous with my favorite bow-tied "Mann"



Rindy's Egg Salad
6 Hard boiled eggs, cooled
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp prepared Mustard
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp onion powder

Smash eggs. Add the rest of the ingredients! Enjoy on roll or toast!