by Alice Currah on April 2, 2012
When my younger sister Eunice joined the ROTC program in college I thought she was nuts, so did my parents. The 9/11 terrorist attack on our country just happened and the next thing we all knew she enrolled in ROTC. Although my parents were not entirely surprised, we all were dealing with the anxiety of future attacks and the idea of a conflict. This did not sit well with my father, but dad also realized that her mind was made up. She never felt the need to ask permission, but instead let her heart guide her. Eunice was born with a servant’s heart; she found purpose in the US Army where her compassion, leadership abilities, and loyalty would be put to good use. Her desire to defend the freedoms of this country had been and still is a primary reason she is dedicated to a career in the military.
Although concerned for her safety, my parents were also very proud of Eunice – especially my dad. He would hang her military photos all over their office and at home. During her 2nd deployment to Iraq, she was promoted to Commander of her brigade – Commander Captain Auntie Eunice (as we like to call her). [click to continue…]
by Alice Currah on March 30, 2012. Updated April 2, 2012
When my older daughter Abigail was born I committed in my heart and mind that that I would raise her (and her siblings too) to be kind, thoughtful, and compassionate. I’ve been trying to influence the way they think of the world by constantly reminding them to be grateful for what they’ve been given in life, especially others who invested in them. Great examples of such people are their school teachers.
Abigail is now in 5th grade and her younger sister is in 3rd. Together, the girls and I decided we wanted to spontaneously show our appreciation for their teachers by baking scones packaged in individual boxes accompanied with a tea bag and a hand written note. Knowing how hard our teachers work each day in the lives of students, we thought it would be a great idea to gift them an afternoon tea break. [click to continue…]
by Alice Currah on March 13, 2012
Yesterday I posted my thoughts about Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman Cooks : Food from My Frontier cookbook. Today I am going to share with you her wonderful recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cake from her new cookbook which is out today!
When it comes to desserts, I am more of a cake than pie person. I love the taste of cake paired with a sweetened buttery frosting. Like a fairytale romance, these two elements of cake are meant to be together happily ever after. The only thing better than cake and frosting is a filled layer cake with frosting.
I find the process of baking cakes from the familiar creaming of the butter and sugar to adding the eggs, followed by adding in all the other ingredients therapeutic. I love the anticipation of knowing ribbons of batter spread evenly across a pan will be magically transformed into a sweet cake. Only limited by my imagination, what transpires after the cake comes out of the oven is where the fun really begins. [click to continue…]
by Alice Currah on March 12, 2012. Updated March 20, 2012
Most days checking my mailbox is very uneventful but a necessary daily routine. Often the only pieces of mail waiting for me are advertisements, utility bills, and shopping catalogs still addressed to the previous owners. But once in awhile I’ll receive a letter, card, or package from a friend, which is always a welcomed surprise.
Two weeks ago when I went to check the mail I was struck with instant curiosity by the large yellow envelope in our mailbox. When I opened the envelope addressed to me I was pleasantly surprised to see a copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier Cookbook authored by Ree Drummond.
If you’ve followed Savory Sweet Life through the years, you know what a special person and friend she is to me. So to receive an unexpected advance copy of her book was indeed very special. Before looking through her book I made myself an afternoon coffee, grabbed a plush throw blanket, and plopped myself on the couch with her new cookbook knowing I was in for a very special treat. [click to continue…]
by Alice Currah on March 9, 2012
One of the nice aspects of moving to our new home has been shopping at our neighborhood grocery store. This particular store is older and has a distinct neighborhood feel about it. I probably shop here at least 3-4 times a week picking up just what I need for 2 nights worth of dinner ingredients. However, what I love most about shopping at this store is how quickly I have become friends with the Jason the seafood manager. He is always quick to tell me what’s fresh in the case and what happens to be on sale. He knows I love a good deal! [click to continue…]
