Naomi’s Oatmeal-Raisin-Carrot Cookies

And for dessert, she serves cookies so delicious no one will guess they’re good for you!

Ingredients:
• 1-1/4 C butter or margarine
• 1 C brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C white flour
• 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 2-1/2 C uncooked oatmeal
• 1 C raisins
• 1/2 C shredded carrots from the garden
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until blended and smooth.
3. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Add white flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and oatmeal. Stir until blended.
5. Fold in the raisins and carrots.
6. Drop heaping tablespoon-size portions onto a cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes until chewy in the center and crisp on the edges.
8. Cool before removing from the cookie sheet.



Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com.

Naomi's Lumpy Smashed Taters

Once again, Naomi wows us with her kid-pleasing mashed potato recipe.
Take note of the secret ingredient.

Ingredients:
• 4 large peeled and diced potatoes
• 2 C chopped cauliflower from the garden
• 2 T butter or margarine
• 1 C milk
• Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender.
2. In a separate pot, steam the cauliflower until tender.
3. Drain the potatoes and mash them.
4. Add the butter and mix well.
5. Slowly blend the milk into the potatoes, mashing as you go.
6. Drain the steamed cauliflower and mash it as much as you can. It’s hard to get all the lumps out with the potato masher, so if you want it smooth, you’ll need to run them through the food processor or blender with 1/4 C of milk.
7. Add salt to taste.


Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com.

Tips for Beginning Herb Gardeners

One of the most satisfying ways for a new gardener to get started is to grow herbs. Not only are they easy to maintain, you will wow your family and friends with the rich flavors from fresh herbs.

• Start out with herbs you use the most frequently, such as basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley.
• Most herbs need at least five hours of sunlight, so choose a sunny window or patio location that gets full sun.
• Make sure your containers have holes in the bottom for drainage.
• Potting mix is ideal for container-grown herbs.
• Water frequently. Once the soil is dry below the surface, it’s time to add more water.
• Most potting mixes have some fertilizer, so read the label. Fertilize with about half the strength recommended for houseplant fertilizer. Since the flavor of herbs comes from their leaves, don’t use a fertilizer designed to promote the growth of flowers.
• If you add more than one type of herb to a pot, make sure they all require the same growing conditions.


Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com.

Naomi's Delicious but Nutritious Meatloaf

Naomi is known for cooking delicious meals and hiding extra vegetables that can’t easily be detected. Her motto: No one has to know they’re eatin’ healthy food as long as they enjoy it.

Here is one of her favorites:

Naomi’s Company-Favorite Lasagna

Ingredients:
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 16-oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 T. fresh oregano
• 2 T. fresh basil
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 steamed zucchinis from the garden
• 15 dry lasagna noodles
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray or coat with oil to prevent sticking.
3. Reserve ½ cup of the tomato sauce and set it aside.
4. Pour the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into a medium bowl.
5. Brown the ground beef. Add it to the tomato sauce.
6. Slice and steam the zucchini until tender. Pulverize it in the food processor so it can’t be detected. Add it to the tomato sauce.
7. Chop the fresh oregano and basil finely. Add it to the tomato sauce. Mix well.
8. Cover the bottom of the dish with the reserved tomato sauce and place the first layer of 3 noodles over that.
9. Cover the noodles with 1/2 cup of the tomato-beef-zucchini mixture.
10. Layer with 3 noodles.
11. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cheese over the noodles.
12. Layer with 3 noodles.
13. Cover the noodles with 1/2 the remainder of the tomato-beef-zucchini mixture.
14. Layer with 3 noodles.
15. Spread the remaining half of the ricotta cheese over the noodles.
16. Layer with 3 noodles.
17. Pour the remainder of the tomato-beef-zucchini mixture on top.
18. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
19. Remove foil and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
20. Place the dish back in the oven for approximately 2 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
21. Allow it to stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.


Photo courtesy of Seeman at Morguefile.com.

Bloomfield – Butterfly Gardening Tips

Naomi is delighted to show off the Lake Bliss Retirement Village butterfly garden to anyone who wants to see it. She has some tips to you be successful with drawing these beautiful winged creatures to your garden.

• In order to attract a variety of butterflies, choose flowers that bloom at different times.
• Select flowers that are bright and have potent, sweet scents. Most varieties of butterflies are attracted to reds, oranges, deep pinks, purples, and yellows.
• Plant as much of your garden as you can in full sun because butterflies need warmth.
• Cluster the flowers to make it easier for butterflies to find because they are nearsighted.
• Have an assortment of perennials and annuals so you can change the flowers according to what you discover the butterflies prefer.
• Plant some herbs in your garden so the butterflies have plants for all their life stages.
• Provide plants that have nectar, such as alfalfa or milkweed, to feed the caterpillars.
• Butterflies need shelter, so have tall trees or commercial butterfly houses that can be found in garden centers.
• Do no use pesticides anywhere in your garden. Plant petunias, marigolds, and mint to repel unwanted insects without creating danger to the butterflies. Ladybugs and dragonflies also help with pest control.


Butterfly favorite plants and flowers:
• Azalea
• Black-eyed Susan
• Butterfly bush
• Ironweed
• Lantana
• Marigold
• Hibiscus
• Daylilies
• Lavender
• Verbena
• Rosemary
• Aster
• Starflower
• Coneflower
• Lilac
• Milkweed
• Zinnia
• Willow
• Fennel
• Pawpaw



Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com.

Discussion Questions Waiting for a View (part 3)

1. Naomi has always enjoyed being an integral part of young people’s lives. During the course of the story, she started transferring some of her helpfulness from Sherry to Lacy. Why do you think she does this? Is she missing something important in her own life?

2. When Sherry acknowledges all that Gina and Jeremy have overcome, her perspective in her own life changes. Have you ever experienced learning through observing other people’s hardships?
3. How does the contrast between the fresh, new apartment and the house Sherry grew up in compare to what is going on internally?
4. Did you notice that Naomi and Pamela schemed together, even though they normally didn’t get along? Have you ever had to work with someone you didn’t want to, only to discover you had more in common than you thought?

Wynn-Wynn Winner!

Here's a picture of me with Jeane Wynn who is doing the publicity for the B&H Publishing Bloomfield series.

Bloomfield Series Introduction

I’ve been working with Gail Sattler, Kathi Macias, Martha Rogers, Trish Perry, Miralee Ferrell, Jenness Walker, and Tracy Bowen on a new series set in our fictional town of Bloomfield. Our dedicated (and gorgeous) agent Tamela Hancock Murray took this project to B&H where our editor Julie Gwinn caught the vision. Now we’re starting to roll out the stories, with my straight-to-digital Waiting for a View launching the series.

Join us on Facebook: Bloomfield Club
To purchase: Waiting for a View by Debby Mayne
To order: Take the Trophy and Run by Gail Sattler