Freaky Fridays ~ One Weird Movie! The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T

I had forgotton about this movie and probably for a good reason...it creeped me out when I saw it in the early 1960's as a kid! I remember it was on the early show one afternoon after school and since it was a Dr. Seuss title, I decided to watch it (being a kid and all!)

Now if you're 8 years old, taking piano lessons that you dread go to every week, this movie is the story of a nightmare that might really happen. Here is the premise (courtesy Wikipedia) of the movie:

"Young Bart Collins lives with his widowed mother Heloise. The major blight on Bart's existence is the hated piano lessons he is forced to endure under the tutelage of the autocratic Dr. Terwilliker. Bart feels that his mother has fallen under Terwilliker's ominous influence, and gripes to visiting plumber August Zabladowski, without much result. While grimly hammering away at his lessons, Bart dozes off and enters a fantastical musical dream, in much the same fashion as Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.

In the dream, Bart is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where the piano teacher is now a madman dictator who has imprisoned non-piano-playing musicians. He also built a piano so large that it requires Bart and 499 other boys (the 5,000 fingers) in order to play it. Bart's mother has been turned into Terwilliker's hypnotized assistant and bride-to-be, and Bart must dodge the Institute's guards as he scrambles to save both his mother and himself. He tries to recruit Mr. Zabladowski, who has been hired to install all of the Institute's sinks ahead of a vital inspection, but only after much skepticism and foot-dragging is the plumber finally convinced to help. The two of them empty their pockets and construct a noise-sucking contraption which ruins the mega-piano's opening concert. The enslaved boys cheerfully run riot, and the "VERY atomic" noise-sucker explodes in spectacular fashion, bringing Bart out of his dream.

The movie ends on a hopeful note for Bart, when the real-life Mr. Zabladowski finally notices Heloise, and offers to drive her into town in his jeep. Bart escapes from the piano, and triumphantly runs off to play."

Yes, it finally ends in a good way, but the majority of the movie dealt with being enslaved to play the piano all day...a nightmare for any 8 year old!
So if any of you have small children and have thought about buying this movie, take heed....DON'T! Your children will be happier and better human beings if you don't subject them to this film.

Tantalizing Tuna Salad Pie???

Just in time to beat the heat of August... How about a delicious Summer Jello and Tuna Salad Pie for dinner?

According to the recipe, you fill a cheese crust with the conglomeration mixture of lemon jello, tomato juice, celery, olives and onion and after this "gels", you top it off with - what else... tuna salad! I don't know about you, but this sounds simply horrifying wonderful to me. Just looking at it makes me nauseous hungry. If you are a brave soul that likes to try new tastes, have at it. Serve up a slice to your friends and family and let me know how it goes!

A New Year Begins....

Most people think of the Month of January as the beginning of a new year, right? Not me. After going to school for 50 years, either as a student or an Educator, my year begins in August. Teachers and students think differently than the average, mainstreamed public, you see. Most people get their 2 to 4 weeks of vacation a year, which they can take at any time they wish. Our vacation time is limited to summers only and that's what we LIVE for each year! The 2.5 months of "freedom" to do as we please without answering to anyone. Sadly, the freedom of summer is over for me as of tomorrow morning... Farewell, Summer.

SaTuRdAy SuRpRiSe - Cloud Sandwiches

Hello Blogland!
So sorry I have been remiss in my blogging, but things have been busy here in the Midwest! I have been smack-dab in the middle of a kitchen re-do and progress has been very time consuming. I hope to be better at making regular posts in the near future...

As I was taking a break from painting, I picked up my copy of "The Farmer's Cookbook" (1981)and decided to just post the first recipe that I opened to. So here for your taste buds' delight, I am posting "Cloud Sandwiches". This looks to be basically a huge omelet and in my estimation, would serve 2 - 4 people. (Depending on how hungry the people are!)

Cloud Sandwiches:

4 slices bread
butter, as needed
2 slices Swiss or Cheddar cheese
2 slices cooked ham
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
dash of pepper
(I'd add a dash of salt for good measure!)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Trim crust from bread. Butter bread on one side. Place the 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, in a small loaf pan. Top each with cheese, ham and top with the remaining slices of bread. Beat together eggs, milk, mustard and pepper. (Salt, too?) Pour over sandwiches. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

I think this sounds great for breakfast, brunch or even for a mid-week supper...

Enjoy!

sAtUrDaY sURpRiSe - Grandma's All Purpose Cream Pie Recipe

I was lucky to inherit some of my Grandma's recipes when she passed away. Most are hand written by her in the 1930's, when she was the young mother of seven children during the Great Depression. Today I thought I'd share a versatile recipe for Cream Pies. Its basically the pudding base and can be flavored in a variety of ways, depending on the type of pie that is desired.

All of the pies require a pre-baked pie shell. For convenience you can purchase ready made ones at the store, but if you want to go the "old fashioned way", you can make your own. I like this "No Fail Pie Crust Recipe"... Follow the directions (don't forget to pierce with a fork before baking) and bake unfilled pie crust for approximately 15- 20 minutes and let cool.

Now for my Grandma's Filling Recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons fat (use shortening, like Crisco)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients with a little of the milk, the add rest of milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until thick. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolk (to temper the eggs). Pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot mix and cook a few more minutes. Stir in fat and vanilla. (This is basic vanilla pudding, which you can use just like this for your pie!) Pour filling into baked pie shell, cool and top with meringue or whipped cream.

For variety:

Banana Cream Pie - Slice two peeled bananas into pie shell before adding filling.
Coconut Cream Pie - Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut to filling; sprinkle topping with coconut.
Chocolate Cream Pie - Make filling, adding 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar and two and 1/2 squares baker's chocolate.

Enjoy!

Hello, Dolly!

This woman is amazing! She just came out with yet another album entitled, "Better Day" and is planning to go out on a world tour on July 17. At age 65, that is an accomplishment in itself. I am not a big fan of Country Music, but who can't help but love Dolly with her Tammy Faye makeup, over-done hair and a boob job to match? You go, Sister Dolly... :>D

Westward HO!

Its been awhile since I've posted... went on a much needed vacation in Texas! It was so good to have a wonderful and relaxing time with very good friends... What did we do? Whatever we wanted. What did we talk about? Everything. :>D The climate is much different there, than here in the Mid-West, but who cares? Hawt is hot!