President, Paul Edwards
20330 N.E. 20th Ct., Miami, FL 33179
edwards.paul955@gmail.com
(305) 692-9206
1st Vice-President, Debbie Drylie
1544 Walnut Creek Dr., Flemming Island, FL 32003
debbiedrylie@gmail.com
(904) 264-5095
2nd Vice President, Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Avenue, Palm Harbor, FL 34684
sky11@tampabay.rr.com
(727) 937-8631
Treasurer, Linda Jacobson
2915 Circle Ridge Dr., Orange Park, FL 32065
lfjacobson@gmail.com
(904) 272-8405
Membership Secretary, Sally Benjamin
1531 Dempsey Mayo Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308
floridacouncil@comcast.net
(800) 267-4448
Recording Secretary, Sila Miller
2201 Limerick Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32309
silam@earthlink.net
(850) 894-9203
Immediate Past President, Debbie Grubb
4215 17th Ave. W., Bradenton, FL 34205-1418
debbiecg@verizon.net
(941) 749-6178
Editor of White Cane Bulletin, Sharon Youngs
237 Maple Avenue, Palm Harbor, FL 34684
sky11@tampabay.rr.com
(727) 937-8631
Articles for the White Cane Bulletin must be submitted to Sally Benjamin no later than the 20th of the month before it is published. Sally’s email is: floridacouncil@comcast.net
If you do not have access to a computer and email please find someone in your chapter to help send it. We would like to hear from anyone who wants to contribute to our newsletter. If you don’t have a way to write an article you can call Sharon Youngs at the number above and she will be glad to write it for you.
Articles published in The White Cane Bulletin are in compliance with Public Law No. 104197, Copyright Law Amendment of 1996. This law allows authorized entities to distribute copies of previously published non-dramatic literary works in specialized formats, including Braille, audio or digital text that are exclusively for use by Blind people or those with disabilities. Any further distributing of such articles in another than a specialized format is an infringement of copyright.
Those much-needed contributions, which are TAX-deductible, can be sent to the Florida Council of the Blind treasurer, Linda Jacobson, at 2915Circle Ridge Drive, Orange Park, FL 32065.
To remember the Florida Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose in your Will or Trust. If your wishes are complex, please contact the FCB at 800-267-4448.
The FCB is a 501(c)(3) organization.
For other ways to support the Florida Council of the Blind, visit our Fundraising page found at www.fcb.org.
ARE YOU MOVING? - Sally Benjamin
If you are moving please notify me of your new address so you will continue to receive your White Cane Bulletin. Also if you know of anyone interested in joining FCB and who would like to receive the White Cane Bulletin and the Braille Forum please contact me at: (800) 267-4448 or E-mail: floridacouncil@comcast.net
FCB Officers 2010 - 2012
President’s Message: by Paul Edwards
Being raised by a blind parent: by Tricia Kiser
(Rosanna) Sophisticated Lady: by Sila Miller
Orlando Fundraiser: by Sheila Young
Chapter News
Greater Orlando council of the Blind: by Jay Bader
Pinellas Council of the Blind: by Sharon Youngs
Recipe Corner
Handy Telephone References
As we come to the end of an old year and start a new one, we are tempted to look at where we are and where we ought to go. At least I am. I think that one of the responsibilities of an organization of blind people is to look at what we are for. There are lots of answers to a question like that one and I could fill lots of messages with answers to it. For now, in my next two messages, I want to focus on two areas. I want us to ask ourselves what kind of treatment we want blind adults to receive from the Division of Blind Services and I want to devote my next message to looking at the kind of education blind children must have.
Services to adults have to be divided into two segments. We are forced by funding issues and reality to think in terms of services to adults who eventually expect to go to work and we must look, as well, at services to elder adults and younger adults who are not looking to go to work. Their needs are not as different as we might think. Resources, however, are very different.
Those clients wishing to go to work, at least potentially, have access to many services, some equipment and lots of employment options. The question that I think has to be asked however, is how well are those resources being allocated? The truth is that, in spite of the ADA, unemployment for people who are blind remains at an appalling rate of seventy percent. While there are those who say that the Federal Department of Labor statistics that have been released for the past two years suggest a much lower rate, I don’t buy it for a moment. The figures that are used actually focus on a subset of blind people who are actually seeking employment and leave the vast majority of blind people out of consideration altogether. I grant that in tough economic times it is even more difficult to place people with disabilities because there is far more competition for scarcer and scarcer jobs. It seems to me, however, that it is precisely at these times that we need to be taking a far more proactive look at what we are doing to make blind people more competitive. I also think we have to do a better job of promoting jobs we can control. I would like to see the Division of Blind Services convene a group to develop a plan that looks five years into the future at what kinds of jobs there are likely to be. It should choose from among those specific jobs for which blind people can compete and then it should promote these jobs and develop specific training programs to make blind applicants more ready than their competition might be. I understand the idea of “choice”. However, I also understand that it is reasonable for the Division’s counselors to ask a blind person to defend whether training in an area where there is little likelihood of employment constitutes a reasonable expenditure of scarce resources. We have a role to play in the rehabilitation process. We are not doing a good job of getting to people who are blind before they are placed. We are also not doing enough to persuade blind people to expect a lot of themselves. How many of the failed placements in our state are due to poor training and how many are due to a lack of commitment and motivation on the part of blind people?
I have written before about my feeling that we need to rethink the whole rehabilitation process. I suppose it is arguable that what I am seeking is a pipe dream. I don’t think it is but I do not control the purse strings of the Division. I believe that we must evaluate each client more fully. It is not good enough to provide a blind person with the job training he or she needs. We live 24 hours a day. If a blind person is to be successful, he or she must be able to succeed all day every day. That means that we must look beyond employment and be sure that the individual we are going to place is living in an environment where he or she can succeed. That means that training must look at being sure a blind person can live comfortably on his or her own. Training must also concern itself with what blind people do outside of work. If a blind person is isolated and lonely, he or she is not likely to succeed on the job. More training on what it means to be blind is essential and more follow-ups training at home after leaving the center must be mandatory. Again, I think it is time that consumer organizations and the Division developed partnerships where involvement in local chapters of consumer groups becomes a part of every individual’s rehabilitation plan. I am convinced that many of the failures in the rehab process are due to the lack of support from other blind people in the community where the blind person is to go to work. I am equally sure that we can help if given the chance.
I think I will not be popular when I say that far too many people take repeated rehab plans as a right and don’t try hard enough to succeed. When the going gets tough, many just decide to try something else. I think that the FCB has the responsibility to help blind people to be better employees than they sometimes are. I know of many employers who say they will not try hiring a blind person again after a bad experience with a blind person who expected too much help and did not come close to performing at the same level of efficiency as his or her sighted counterpart. So, then, I am suggesting that we have the opportunity to make things better if we are minded to develop and implement plans of cooperation with the Division. This cannot be done at the state level. It must be done at the local level. I think that each of our local chapters ought to meet with the local office of DBS at least twice a year to see how we can build more cooperation. We have to find ways of reaching out to local lighthouses as well.
We are not doing well at recruiting older people who are losing their vision either. Nor are we doing enough to assure that the training received by this population meets their needs. We know, as does the Division, that there are simply not enough dollars available to provide anything like the level of support needed by older blind people. We know that more than fifty percent of the people who are blind in Florida are over the age of sixty. We know that there is probably no more than ten percent as much money for training older people who are blind and that most of those dollars must come directly out of state coffers. We know that local lighthouses are doing their best to raise funds to supplement these sources. But we must accept that, as things stand now, there is a huge gap between what is needed and what is there. The net result is that the training that can be offered to older blind people is limited by the resources that are available. This is not a Florida problem. It is a reality in every state of the union. However, we must do more at the local, state and Federal level to draw attention to this important issue. We must also find ways to make more training available to this population. It doesn’t matter when you lose your vision. You have to learn the same skills. Daily living, mobility, communications and adjustment to vision loss must all be taught and must all be learned if a blind person of whatever age is to succeed. Everyone has accepted that given the state of resources, we must do less for older blind people. This has to change and we must be at the forefront of making it happen. There is a lot of money that is going to provide services to older people. Agencies on Aging at the county level are spending virtually nothing to serve blind people. Few Medicare dollars are being used to provide support to blind people. Perhaps we can work to create legislation that requires those with these dollars to allocate some of their resources to serving people who are blind. We are not working closely enough with lighthouses. We are not working closely enough with local support groups that get formed. We are not reaching out to older blind people, as we should. Again, we at the state can do some things but it is at the local level that the rubber meets the road.
At the center of the training that is made available to all blind adults must be the computer. For too many older people who are blind, the computer training is minimal. For too many rehab clients, the training is insufficiently central. We must recognize that the computer is a tool that blind people cannot be allowed to ignore.
As we look ahead to 2012, I hope that each of us will think about the issues raised in this first of two messages. There is a lot that must be done. Unless we commit to being a part of the solution, we are a part of the problem. At its heart, the purpose of the Florida Council of the Blind is to make things better for the blind people of Florida. We can only do this if we are prepared to become proactive so we can make our state a model of seamless cooperation between those who provide services and those who are blind!
As I was growing up, I had a sighted mother and a visually impaired father. It never occurred to me that my family was any different than my other classmates’ families. However, it seemed to be a source of endless fascination to my childhood friends when they found out my dad was blind. Right away, they would want to know what it’s like having a blind father. Honestly, I didn’t know how to respond. I could have just as easily asked them what it’s like having two sighted parents since that was outside my experience.
My dad was still the head of the household, even if he couldn’t drive. He was an active part of our family, always there to help my sister and me with our homework, telling corny jokes, making us laugh, giving us emotional support, drying our tears when we were hurt, and encouraging us to do well in school.
My mom attended vocational school when my sister and I were little and I remember my dad making supper for us on the nights she had classes. He only knew how to make scrambled eggs but he did them well and kept my sister and me laughing while we helped set the table.
When I learned to ride a bike, it was my dad out in the front yard with me, holding the back of the bike when I got on and shouting out instructions. “Look toward the point you want to go to instead of down at your feet. Make sure you stay balanced on the seat. Keep pedaling steady even if it feels like the bike is falling over”. He got me started and then went in the house and by nightfall, I was riding the bike by myself for the first time.
Maybe some things were a bit different for our family than for my friends’ families. When we went to movies, my mom usually narrated what was happening on the screen and sometimes my dad would ask what was happening when there was a lot of action going on but no dialogue. It didn’t bother me that he asked questions and we tried to keep our voices down so as not to bother other people in the theater.
My sister and I used to enjoy not telling our friends my dad was blind until after they had met him. They’d come over to our house, we’d introduce them, he’d shake their hand and have a conversation with them, and then after we left the room, we’d casually mention that he was blind and it floored them every time! I guess they expected a blind person to have strange looking eyes or to look away while talking to them, or exhibit other telltale signs of being blind.
One thing I really admired about my dad was that he wasn’t bothered by what people thought of him. I tend to watch people’s faces when I’m talking to them and if they appear uninterested in what I’m saying or roll their eyes at me, it makes me afraid to go on speaking. My dad couldn’t see their facial expressions but even if he could, knowing the type of person he is, it wouldn’t have mattered to him. I always wished I could have as much self-confidence as he did.
If I missed anything in childhood because one of my parents was blind, I couldn’t tell you what it was. I had a complete family, a loving mother, a supportive father, and two great role models who shaped me into the person I am today. I’m gaining more confidence all the time and learning not to let my fear of other people’s reactions get in my way of doing what I want to do. I learned that from my dad—my blind dad.
Rosanna Marie Lippen was born in the Bronx on March 13, 1963. “Yep, I’m a true Pisces,” she says, with a chuckle in her sultry New York accented voice. “I am an emotional mess! My emotions rule my life.” Rosanna is the oldest daughter of Rose Anne and Alan Lippen. Alan worked as a mechanic for the phone company in New York and then transferred to Florida in August, 1977 where he continued his career in telecommunications. Rose Ann worked for 33 years at Bamberger’s which later became Macy’s after many corporate buyouts.
Rosanna grew up fully sighted with two younger sisters, Dawn and Alison in Monsey, a bedroom community about an hour outside of New York City. “We lived close enough to go in on some weekends with the family to go to museums and shows, but now I actually am more of a tourist and have seen more of the City since I left New York and moved to Florida than when we lived there,” Rosanna says.
“It was perfect timing to move from New York. I was just starting high school. My parents really did consider a lot of things when they took the transfer,” Rosanna thoughtfully says. “Thanks to Mom's position with the corporation when she retired, we have an annual retreat to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Each year we try to include someone who has not had the opportunity to see it with us. It's a real once in a lifetime opportunity that I am lucky enough to do each year and have been for almost a decade now. Additionally, until last year, my grandmother was still alive, so New York trips were very frequent...and, like Ms. Gabor of Green Acres,” "New York is where I'd rather stay. I get allergic smelling hay. I just adore a penthouse view.”
Subsequent to the Lippen family’s move to Florida, Rosanna began attending Coral Springs High School. She was involved in the National Honor Society as well as the career-building program for business management, specializing in fashion merchandizing. “I was very involved in theatre in High School, but on the backstage technical aspects,” Rosanna explains.
Following high school graduation in 1981, Rosanna enrolled at Nova Southeastern University, located in Ft. Lauderdale where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Professional Management. Throughout high school and college, she worked fulltime, first in retail. It was while working at JCPenney that she met her first husband, William Wesolowski. They were married when she was only 20 in an elaborate Coral Springs wedding, but the couple realized after five years, the match wasn’t correct and each went their separate ways.
In 1983, while still attending university, Rosanna began working for American Express, doing a variety of jobs from Customer Relations to authorizing credit card charges to Credit Card Approvals. “April 21, 1989 was the last day I worked for American Express,” says Rosanna. “That was pre-ADA, and they offered me a job stuffing envelopes but that did not seem to be any challenge to me, especially holding a BS in Professional Management and working on my MBA. I chose to be "retired" at age 27,” she declares.
In the early 90s, Rosanna met George Kemp, a native of Switzerland who was working for her father in his mechanical shop at the time. “George and I had a small wedding in where else, but Las Vegas. We flew our families out there—14 of us, including his parents from Switzerland. We were married by a minister who did the service in English and High German, as George is Swiss German. Only in Vegas can you request such a thing and they find it for you,” Rosanna marvels. Though George and Rosanna divorced, they remain friends and have met and traveled together to places from Berlin to Beverly Hills. “We share the “travel bug” and George now works for the airline industry!” says Rosanna.
Rosanna was traveling when she first discovered her visual difficulties. “I was in England at the time and I was a lot more vain then. And, I was putting on makeup. And, I realized while doing that, that I had no central vision in one of my eyes,” she haltingly shares. When she returned home, Rosanna went to her ophthalmologist and was referred to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, part of the University of Miami School Of Medicine, recognized as one of the world's finest and most progressive centers for ophthalmic care, research and education. There she was diagnosed with Recurrent Multifocal Chroditis with sub retina fibrosis. “It caused me to lose central vision in both my eyes—basically I have scar tissue covering parts of my retinas,” Rosanna clarifies. “There were fewer than 30 known cases of this across the United States. It is an orphaned disease—very rare—too few cases to do any real investigation on.”
Rosanna uses her residual vision astoundingly well. She is able to do almost everything she could prior to the loss of her central vision, aside from driving. “I am very nearsighted and I don’t do well in limited lighting,” Rosanna explains. “I have glasses for distance viewing. If I look straight on at something, it’s basically white. I see little pieces of the puzzle but the whole thing’s not there. They’re afraid to do any type of surgical procedure because I could lose what I have and it’s too much of a gamble,” she admits. “Few people understand low vision,” writes Rosanna. “They feel; if you can not see, get glasses and all will be fixed.”
After “retirement”, Rosanna struggled to adjust to her significant vision loss which included a lot of crying, she freely admits. “Following extensive medical treatment including chemo therapy, my first venture into the “WORLD OF BLINDNESS” was at the Lighthouse of Broward County. I took a daily living skills course and computer technology. Rather than learning large print screen reading software, because nobody knew where my vision was going, we chose to use voice, which I’m very happy about. I need to see it and hear it. Even though I don’t see the whole thing, I can get by if I see what I can and also hear it. I need to look at things closely and look out of my peripheral vision and then it is kind of like a puzzle, with my brain adding in the missing parts...and not always doing it correctly,” explains this resilient and determined lady. When I made understanding noises, she quipped, “You make do with what you have, as it is better than nothing at all.”
“Jesus Garcia was responsible for first bringing me into FCB, he was my computer instructor at the Lighthouse,” Rosanna reflects. “Jim and Kathy Warth played a big part, as did Sharon Youngs in my low vision involvement. Together with Jim, Kathy and Sharon, we grew FCCLV to be larger than FCB itself, but a few people and meeting once a year can not hold on to membership,” sighs Rosanna. “Sharon Youngs taught me to be thick skinned, as I am not a political figure and take too many things to heart,” she concludes.
Rosanna came into FCB ready to work and help. She was immediately assigned to the Convention committee and soon became the Hotel Coordinator where she served for well over a decade because of her keen negotiation and relationship building skills. “I’m a negotiator and a schmoozer and I’m good at that sort of thing,” Rosanna frankly states. She has chaired the Project Insight committee and served on the Awards committee, not to mention holding every office in the Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision (FCCLV), an affiliate of FCB which focuses on the needs of people with low or partial vision. She has written for the Florida and national publications, The White Cane Bulletin and Braille Forum respectively, as well as for Vision Access and the Viewpoint.
Rosanna loves music, live concerts, reading and of course, traveling. “I want to continue to travel and learn from my adventures,” says Rosanna. “I’d like to go to Australia and New Zealand eventually. Rome, the eternal city is my favorite place—it has so much culture, so much history,” she clarifies. “China is my international destination this year, along with seeing some of the National Parks of the United States. 2012 is going to be a very busy year! I have met a new life partner, Scott Kerniss, and we are looking at a small spring wedding. That is, if we can fit it in among all our planned trips! We both love travel and are fortunate enough to be able to do it now,” she writes.
Ro-Ro, as she is affectionately known by some of her friends, has no less than three dogs, “Jasmine, Newman and Button, all “little fluff balls.” “Yep, I’m a foo-foo dog person,” she laughs. “They double as my children. However, I now have two brand new great Nieces. I truly enjoy these little girls, Riley, eight months old and MaKenzie, only a month old. I can’t wait to take them places!”
“My mother is my role model, as was my grandmother Rose,” Rosanna contemplatively says. “My mom’s always there for everyone. Family values and traditions are really important to me. I’m half Italian and half Jewish. The Italian part has big family dinners most every Sunday around 4 in the afternoon that always include pasta. The Jewish part is more about being together to do good things for no specific occasion.”
“Remember, the glass is half full. Use what ya have as long as you can,” advises Rosanna. One of her favorite quotes comes from Margaret Atwood, poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. The quote says; “An eye for an eye only leads to more blindness.”
"I think Rosanna is probably one of the hardest working, brightest people I’ve ever known. And what Rosanna does, she does better than anybody I’ve ever known," says Jesus Garcia. "I am privileged to know her and call her my friend."
Wow, what a lady, what a friend! She’s resilient, outspoken, loves loyally, helps freely and is successful despite not seeing 20/20 or holding a valid driver’s license. You go Girl! You give true meaning to getting on with the business of living. Thank you for teaching me about bargain shopping and “the other side!”
The Greater Orlando Council of the Blind has had a wonderful year in fundraising. One of our many projects was in conjunction with Paul Odham’s Opals and Gems. You may remember them from our last few conventions. They helped us to host a jewelry party that enhanced our treasury and allowed us to send over $100 to the FCB coffers. The people from Opals and Gems have committed to exhibiting at our next convention. They truly love our organization and what we do for the blindness community.
GOCB wishes all a very Happy New Year as we begin 2012. Here are some events of our chapter before the end of 2011:
Our officers that were first elected in 2011 received a vote of confidence and were reelected to another year term. Congratulations and thank you to all officers for another year of service for ACB, FCB and the Greater Orlando Council of the Blind.
GOCB now has a total of 61 Members for 2012. This is an increase over the past year. Thanks so much to all who have either joined our organization or continued to support our efforts. GOCB has aggressive plans for 2012, and more information about this will be shared in future issues of the White Cane Bulletin.
To wrap up the year, our chapter held an Annual Holiday luncheon on December 3rd. During the luncheon, the GOCB Auction was held. The auction proved to be another success. Items auctioned off ranged from wind chimes and scented perfumes, to an Epson scanner and George Foreman grill. A fun time was had by all, with Dan Spoone, 2nd Vice President Leslie Spoone and Membership Secretary Jay Bader keeping the event running smoothly, and all proceeds went to GOCB.
The Telephone Committee will be notifying Members in a timely manner about the upcoming General Meetings, and information will also be available on the GOCB Facebook page as well as the new GOCB Information Line. There will be more to come, especially about the new Greater Orlando Council of the Blind T-shirts, in the next Chapter News
Our Chapter has had some tragedies and some triumphs in the last year. One of our previous tragedies has turned into a triumph! We established a new award within our chapter in the memory of our long-time member, Barbara Pusey. Our president, Florence Pincus had the idea. Our awards committee established the criteria based on the very positive attitude of our beloved Barbara. We were able to formally present this award at our Christmas party. The first recipient of the Barbara Pusey Memorial Award was Jeanne Sanders.
We had a great party this year at the home of our treasurer, Sharon Youngs. Our Vice President, Kathy Millican catered the entire luncheon. The G-Men, a professional Barbershop Quartet entertained us. Y’all may get to hear them at the convention. The drawing for the sightseeing flight over the area beaches was won by one of our para-transit drivers. As the saying goes, a great time was had by all.
We are looking forward to another year of success and humor.
Nancy’s Tuna Moose
1 (10 ¾ oz) can of Mushroom Soup, undiluted
1 envelope unflavored Gelatin
3 Tbsps cold Water
¾ cup Mayonnaise
1 (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 (6 ½ oz) Tuna, drained
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 cup Celery finely chopped
Parsley sprigs
Heat soup in saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Incorporate cream cheese and set aside. Dissolve gelatin in cold water; add to soup mixture, stirring well. Add remaining ingredients again mixing well. Spoon into an oiled 4-cup mold or small loaf pan. Chill over night. Un-mold and garnish with parsley. Serve with party rye or your favorite crackers and veggies. Hint: I lined the pan with waxed paper rather than grease.
Luscious Lemon Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups + tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2 lemons juiced
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and ½ cup sugar. Press this crumble mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9"x13" pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1½ cups sugar and ¼ cup flour. Whisk together the eggs and slowly add the lemon juice (remember to keep whisking, so the eggs won't curdle). Combine wet mixture with dry ingredients then pour over the baked crust. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. Dust with powdered sugar. This is a great one for doing most of the prep ahead. It smells up the house and is delicious.
French Toast Casserole
Ingredients:
5 cups bread cubes (or enough bread of your choice to make two layers in dish)
4 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cup white sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Lightly butter a 9"x 13" baking pan. Line bottom of pan with bread (make sure to fill in any spaces with cubes or pieces of bread—all of the way to the edge). In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over bread. (You can refrigerate the casserole overnight at this point.) When you are ready to cook, dot the casserole with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 30 to 40 minutes, until top is golden
Stand Out Squash Casserole
Ingredients:
4 cups sliced yellow squash
½ cup chopped onion
35 buttery round crackers (like Ritz), crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup milk
¼ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large skillet place squash and onion over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in ¼ cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread this into a 9"x13" inch baking dish. (If freezing, omit the cracker step until ready to bake and serve.) Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cranberry Jell-O Salad
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 small package red Jell-O
1/2 cup chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts)
3/4 cup chopped celery
Heat cranberries in water until they start to pop. Add sugar and cook about 5 minutes longer. Pour boiling mixture over Jell-O (preferably raspberry). After this mixture cools, add the final ingredients together and refrigerate.
Monkey Bread
24 Frozen Rhodes Rolls (dinner rolls)
1 cup brown sugar
1 box butterscotch cook & serve dry pudding mix (not instant)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 stick butter, (not margarine)
pecans or walnuts, chopped, optional
Right before going to bed, or 10 pm, sprinkle nuts into a greased Bundt pan, then put 24 frozen Rhodes Rolls into pan. Mix brown sugar and dry pudding mix together and sprinkle over frozen rolls. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of that. Melt butter and slowly pour over rolls in Bundt pan, trying to cover all of the sugar. Leave the pan on the counter loosely covered overnight and when you get up, the rolls should have risen nicely. Place Bundt pan on a cookie sheet in a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour rolls upside down onto a large platter. Serve warm. These are extremely easy to make and very delicious.
Project Insight: 800-267-4448
Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library: 800-226-6075
Division of Blind Services: (Tallahassee) 800-342-1828
American Council of The Blind: 800-424-8666 (available only 3:00 to 5:30 PM EST Monday-Friday)
ACB Legislative Hotline: 800-424-8666 (Evenings 8:00 PM - 12:00 Midnight EST Weekends 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM only)
AT&T Disability Services: 800-872-3883 Press 00 and speak with your long distance carrier or, Florida only 800-982-2891
BellSouth Disability Services: 800-982-2891 from anywhere
Social Security: 800-772-1213 24-hour voice and touch tone accessible
- THE END -
FLORIDA COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
1531 Dempsey Mayo Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308