Missing Sodus
By Melissa White

mgoodcooke@yahoo.com

With the chill in the air, and the Christmas Traditions paper coming out, I have been lately getting into the Christmas spirit and Halloween isn't even here yet. The stores are filled with all kinds of holidays at once and the kids are all excited about going trick or treating.

I have discovered that having a college student means going to the post office a lot. When the kids are home for a visit, they don't need a thing, but then the phone calls and e-mails come of things they probably should have picked up. Sending soap through the mail does make for a nice smelling package.

We didn't get out to the fun at Alasa farms last weekend. It was just such a cold and rainy day. I hope everyone who did attend had a good time. It would have been my opportunity to smash a pumpkin the first time ever.

The Great Sodus Bay Association meeting has been rescheduled to Tues, Nov. 8 at Papa Joe's at 7 p.m.

Easy Pot Pie

• 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
• 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 package of ready dough biscuits (example: Pillsbury with a count of 8)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, unthawed
• salt and pepper
• 1) Preheat oven to 425.
• 2) Pour peas and carrots into baking pan. (Don't forget the chicken.)
• 3) Mix together broth and flour and add to vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste.
• 4) Place biscuits on top of vegetable broth mixture.
• 5) Bake in oven 10-15 min. or when biscuits are brown. Serve.

Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

A nice hot meal for the cold nights.

News from Ralph Everdyke:

Well, Wilma has come and gone. Fortunately in our area we were very lucky. Sunday night it started to rain about 6 PM and we had a steady rain all night. No heavy downpours though so I didn't see any flooding.

On Monday it rained until about 10 AM and then the sun came out. The winds also began to blow and they got up to about 35 miles per hour I guess.

I had to go uptown to do some things and I didn't see any damage from the winds either. A few small branches etc. was all.

Of course they were pretty much prepared for things. The schools were closed and all government businesses and public parks were also closed.

It did cool done quite a bit. Only got to about 68 and predicting low 70s for the rest of the week. Today [Tuesday] things are pretty much back to normal. Everything is back open again. As I said before we were lucky again.

Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes..from Weight Watchers ..( as healthy as a cupcake can probably get)

• 2 serving cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cup McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 2 cup water
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 medium egg white(s)
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp decorating icing, orange
• Preheat oven to 350F.

Coat two 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray and line with cupcake wrappers. (Note: We use both cooking spray and muffin wrappers to prevent any batter from sticking to the top of the pan. Alternatively, use nonstick pans.)

Combine flour, Splenda, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk egg substitute, 2 cups of water and 1 cup of light corn syrup together in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until completely smooth and incorporated.

Pour batter into muffin tins until each hole is completely full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

While cupcakes cool, make frosting: Heat a medium pot of water to boiling. In a medium metal or glass bowl, using a hand mixer, beat sugar, 1/2 cup of water, egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and vanilla extract at high speed for 1 minute.

Place bowl of frosting over rapidly boiling water (you are creating a double boiler) and beat at high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove frosting from heat and beat until the mixture is thick enough to spread, about 5 minutes. Frost muffins, create a spider web-like design on each with icing and decorate as desired

Tom and Beth Castle sound like they and their family are really enjoying their new lives in Virginia. They are planning to come up for a visit during Thanksgiving which will be nice. They are hoping for some snow, but I told her we are not planning on having snow for quite a while. I told her at the earliest January, February. (That probably won't happen.)

Sodus Chamber News:

Next meeting has been rescheduled to Nick's Family Restaurant in Wallington for November 3, starting at 6 p.m. There will be no program except for a short talk from Deb Najarro from the Wayne County Business Council and our elections. Please call Mary Jane Mumby (483.4067) with your reservation. Separate dinner checks are available.

Saturday, October 29: U-Pick Apples at Alasa Farms and Harvest Fun at Cracker Box Palace. U-pick apples, farm tours, gift shop, fossil trail, hayrides and more on the weekends!

Don't forget the Wayne County Antique Dealers Association is having the Antique Show & Sale this weekend at Williamson High School. It starts at 10 each day.

Kraft Shack news:

ONE STROKE PAINTING: Wed., Nov. 2, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Learn to paint poinsettias, pine foliage, filler flowers and berries on a wooden heart. $25 includes all.

LEARN TO KNIT: Two nights, Thurs., Nov. 10 & Thurs., Nov. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. You will learn how to knit a scarf using the hottest new yarns. You will have homework that needs to be completed before next class. $30 includes all.

The fun just keeps on coming and, before we know it, the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays will be here. (They have a way of sneaking up on us, don't they?) Probably wouldn't hurt to pick up gifts here and there from now until Christmas. Just keep a list so you don't overspend and so you can remember what you bought in October. (Or you'll wonder what you bought cousin Lelah and Aunt Mary and if you have gotten anything yet for your brother.) If you get things a little at a time it isn't such a scramble in December. I don't know about your experiences, bit I've said it many times, 'Christmas shoppers are not happy people.' So, if you can get most things done early, then you can ignore the crabby shoppers and enjoy the decorations and the visit with Santa.

It's fun for the kids to count down the days in December with an advent calendar. (Now who's rushing things?) I saw one in the store the other day. Maybe it's good to get those early, too, since they might not be out in December. (Because they have to make way for the bathing suits and summer things.)

Have a great week and have fun with whatever you are doing. Enjoy each other's company and read lots of Holiday books together.

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