Life Changes

It's difficult to deny the many small ways our lives have changed over the past year. Some of these will remain with us forever, I suspect. Others, I hope, will disappear the minute our vaccines free up our lives a little more.

I was reminded of these changes while recently trying to FaceTime with my six-year old granddaughter. We were experiencing some connection issues and I thought it was hilarious when she said "You're glitching - I'll call you back." This is an example of one change that is here to stay. The very youngest amongst us has become far too familiar with technology and the terminology to describe its inherent frustrations.

During our next FaceTime date, this same granddaughter said, "I have a new friend. Would you like to meet her?" She waltzed the phone outside to introduce me to this newest friend. Kneeling down to grass level, she pointed the camera at a single dandelion in full bloom and said, "Meet Jamie". As you can imagine, I was surprised but I've learned not to react with this creative girl. My immediate response was "Dandelions tend to have larger families." She then marched over to show me a stack of dandelions inside a bucket explaining she had rescued Jamie from the same fate as all of her brothers and sisters. 

While I welcome this granddaughter's creative thinking, I'm praying this change (creating friends from plants) will disappear the minute real children are once again routinely welcomed over to play.

Today, I realized when glancing at my shopping list that changes have happened in my own household as well.

Pinning down exactly when whipping cream crept onto my shopping list as a staple would be difficult. Yet, as I glance at the current list on the fridge, there it is - top of the dairy list. Since I have no pending recipes planned needing whipping cream (and no memory of writing it), it seems to have just taken its place naturally amongst the other staples.

I'm sure it began innocently enough. One recipe called for 1 cup so I sent Hubby out for a small package. The next time I needed more than one cup so asked for the larger size but, in the end, needed less than the 2 cups it contained.

None of us likes to waste food. Knowing that a container with 1/2 cup of whipping cream sat idly in the fridge would have increased my anxiety to mitigate wastage. I don't remember that first fateful step to use up the excess; I may have used it in making a cream soup when short on the half and half variety.

It's a slippery slope once you begin to look for ways to use whipping cream. I discovered a recipe for scones made with whipping cream in the mix and then using it to brush on top after baking. 

There really is no doubt that mashed potatoes are truly delectable with whipping cream rather than boring old milk.

No cream fraiche! No problem. Whisk a little whipping cream with a bit of buttermilk and - voila.

Goes without saying that cream sauces are superior when whipping cream is used. Tarragon sauce over chicken is raised up many levels with the natural thickening whipping cream brings to the dish. Move over plain old white sauce - your days are numbered.

I could go on and on envisioning each and every dish I've enhanced with the magic of whipping cream. But I won't. This is definitely one change that will soon disappear from our household. I'm going to show inner strength and suggest it might even occur before our vaccines take hold. That gives me four months to think this through ...