Hello, All ! I haven't forgotten y'all, but have been busy. I'm writing more recipe related articles and have/will be adding them to a website of Associated Content rather than here. The reason being that I doubt all of you will want my old fashioned recipes and the memories surrounding them. If you care to see those articles, they are at http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/96569/patt_barrington.html At least I think that's the correct site to find them. In a little bit I will catch you up on my 'doings' around southeast Texas. We did have our Mardi Gras flavored Birthday Babi [View Full Entry]

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I think I landed in Texas when I was about three years old. Don't remember much about that time. My family used to tell me the stories though. My mother says I was conceived in Hawaii. My father was a Marine pilot from Ohio or thereabouts. My mother was from good old southeast Texas. I never paid attention to where or how they met. Before I was born, my mother and father moved to Miami Beach, Florida. My father was a Sullivan from Irish decent. Nothing doing but that the first born was to be a Patrick or Patricia. A girl, [View Full Entry]

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Do you need cookies for school or work? Chances are that you will need more than a dozen. Luckily my son is grown and out of school. With so many little ones with allergies, I'd hate to worry about that. At least my coworkers are adults and will ask the ingredients if they may have an allergy. These are some of my favorites to please my work crowd. This first one is my top favorite. I first found it in a Southern Living cookbook and copied it to an index card. By doubling this recipe, making several batches and having a [View Full Entry]

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Easter has always been a special holiday in my family. As children, we awoke very early with my mother telling us that she knew that the Easter Bunny had come. The dining room table would hold a large basket of chocolates and gifts for each of the four of us. This is one day that Mother relaxed her rule about absolutely having to consume breakfast before you left the house. Soon after, as a team, we would commence to look for Easter eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny! We had always boiled, cooled and colored eggs as a family the night [View Full Entry]

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Do you remember where we use to go to dance that slow and that close? Do you remember the songs? For this read, you'll have to realize that I live in southeast Texas. I'm in the Golden Triangle area of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange to be exact. The good ol' songs come back as snippets of song on commercials and I'll get one in my head when I hear that soundbite and hum it for days. Several years ago, my son was amazed that I knew the words to a 'new' song. I tried to explain that the song was [View Full Entry]

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As the new year begins, I think of all the things that need to be done. No, not all the little things, but the bigger things for security and peace of mind in our lives. If I should die before I wake..... Texas law mandates that should you die without a properly executed will, the state could direct whatever you have to whomever or wherever the state decides, including the state's own coffer. Hearsay advice leads you to believe that you can leave behind a handwritten will or that everything will automatically go to your spouse. Nay, nay, good friend, not [View Full Entry]

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Listen to me as well. Dear Ms. or Mr. Candidate: I take the election process seriously, be they local, state or national. If I have questions during the process, I will ask. I expect answers, at least to the best of your ability. I realize that some answers will not be to my liking or thoroughly satisfy my curiosity. When I cast my vote, I want to know that I am as informed as I can be. My vote is my opinion of how I feel someone should handle my business, that of my neighborhood, community, county, state and government. I [View Full Entry]

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I am not overly fond of the month of January. Holidays are over, holiday decorations must be dismantled and stored, bleak and dreary weather, endless sports games and fashions that you don't care for. There's nothing to do. I sound like a bored teenager!!! There's plenty to do in southeast Texas and especially in my Golden Triangle area of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont! The elections, local, state and federal are shouting at us! Our local primary will be held March 4th. Please exercise your right to voice your opinion on how you want your personal, community, county, state an [View Full Entry]

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Mardi Gras in Southeast Texas! Yes, southeast Texas 'does' Mardi Gras too! We're right on the border of Louisiana (at least my Golden Triangle of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont are). Sure, Crystal Beach, Galveston and Houston 'do' Mardi Gras too, but it's all right here so why travel and miss any time away from a party? Mardi Gras 2008 planning began right after the 2007 Mardi Gras and the parties, balls and 'doings' began well before the end of the year. This year, our area's Mardi Gras main public festivities will be held a week before and up until Fat [View Full Entry]

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Christmas activities and obligations are now complete. You'll either participate in the after Christmas sales madness or you won't. You're probably thinking of New Year's Eve/ Day in one way or another. Probable areas of thoughts could include: * you've taken the week between Christmas and New Year's as vacation from work and only have X number of days until you hit the grindstone again * you haven't taken any vacation from work but will only have to work X number of days until you have another day (or more) of a holiday * the New Year's Eve party(ies) * the [View Full Entry]

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