Gigi’s Company Rolls

This recipe comes from my mom’s (hereafter known as Gigi) college notebook. She was a home economics major in college, so all cooking skills that I have and all confidence that I have in the kitchen comes from her.  An aside, eating raw biscuit dough (the buttermilk kind and not this recipe) never gave me worms as some of my mom’s first cousins told me.

 Gigi’s Company Rolls

(Dictated to me over the phone during the COVID-19 quarantine)

Conversations during the dictation will be in red.

Gigi “Hold on I have to find my cookbook. This is called Company Rolls.”

Me “Okay, what cookbook are you taking this from?”

Gigi “My college notebook.”

Me “😳”

Me “Well, we will use butter.”

Gigi “Butter won’t work. Too heavy. Use Crisco. It is pure.”

Me “🙄. Mom, what do you think they used during the Little House on the Prairie days? They didn’t have Crisco.”

Gigi “They used lard.”

Me “Well, Broken Arm kid used butter and they were delish, and they rose two inches.”

1 cup of shortening(we used butter)

1/2 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup of boiling water

2 eggs

2 packages of dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons in one package for those of you who buy in bulk)

1 cup lukewarm water

6 cups flour

Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the first three ingredients (shortening, sugar, salt). Stir until dissolved. Cool. It is very important for the mixture to be cool so that the eggs don’t cook in the next step.

Beat two eggs and add to the cooled first three ingredients.

Dissolve the 2 packages of dry yeast in 1 cup of lukewarm water.  Stir into the first 4 ingredients (shortening, sugar, salt, beaten eggs). Stir all ingredients together.

Stir in 6 cups of flour. You may add more if needed. 

Knead until elastic but not sticky.

Put into a greased bowl. (If you don’t grease the bowl and the top of the mixture, then it won’t rise well as it will stick to the sides of the bowl.)

Let it rest in the freezer until chilled.  My mom likes to do a quick chill. DO NOT FORGET ABOUT IT!

Remove and put in refrigerator.  When ready to use, pull out of refrigerator.

From bowl, pinch out rolls from the bowl mixture.  You don’t need to roll out the dough. Pinch out the amount of rolls you want to make and put the bowl with plastic wrap back in your refrigerator.

Pinch a small portion, about the size of a biscuit. Flatten on your hand. Dip in melted butter. Fold in half. Place in a greased pan(we used an 8” x 8” pan). Let them rise for 1 1/2 hours.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Also, Broken Arm Kid, because you called your Gigi yesterday and asked for help with a recipe, she said you will get all of her cookbooks.

Enjoy!

Christmas 2010 and 2011 letter

It is under construction and coming very soon!  We promise.

Snakes, chickens and children

We've had a large black snake living in the garage since we moved into this house over two years ago.  I have let  him take up residence there figuring he would keep the mice away.  He also keeps my mother out of the garage. A few other females tread softly in there even though I tell them he is more afraid of you and he is a good snake. Well...that was until he moved his residence to the chicken coop and would curl up on top of six or seven eggs in the nest.  The first time I met him I was trying to get well after three days of being sick and had been taking a nap.  Nothing better than to be woken up by, "MOM, THERE'S A SNAKE IN THE COOP!"  "Really?  Really?  I was sleeping so well."  But the duties of a mom living in the country with a daughter raising fowl call for snake wrangling on occasion as I have learned.  I am not into snakes and pulling one out of a coop and having to be in close proximity to the writhing beast was not what the doctored ordered.  I am sure of that.  I tried to wrangle him with a 1x1 that was three feet long (not nearly enough, but hindsight is always 20-20).  He kept slithering off the post and getting back on the eggs.  Now this whole time, Stella, our Black Star who chases our Golden Retriever, Bang, on occasion (a topic for another blog post), is standing in the next nesting box giving this snake what for.  I am sure she was saying by her squawking, "Get out of there.  I HAVE AN EGG TO LAY!"  He didn't move and neither did she.  She kept her front row seat while I extracted the visitor and then she promptly took her place in the nest and attended to her business.  The snake on the other hand didn't want to cooperate and who would when you are sitting on your meals for the next week.  He kept sliding off the stick so I had to grab him by the tail.  Mind you all of this is being done with an audience of five (Anderson and Caleb were off at their classes and Matthew was inside taking a nap).  This is when I discovered that three feet is not nearly enough for a snake that turned out to be five feet long at least.  He kept wanting to slide up the post to my hand which meant I had to keep flipping the post like a circus juggler with one hand as my other hand had his tail.  That day he was deposited in the garden about 50 yards away.  I wanted him to clean out all of the field mice before I started cleaning up the overgrown garden for winter.  Eight days later, he's back.  Tried to teach Rebekah how to do it, but he is longer than she is tall.  She was up for it, but he got a little testy after she tried a couple different handling techniques on him and so we let him go in the woods.
   Yesterday, Kameron Barton, soccer player for my team and friend of Anderson and Caleb, was at my house getting a ride to the game.  I asked him to help Isabel retrieve the eggs from the coop and to "watch out for the snake."  I was kidding of course.  Isabel ran ahead of Kameron out to the coop.  Flew open the back door to check for eggs, stuck her little head in the door and then promptly turned to Kamerson with eyes as big as saucers and said matter-of-factly, "There's a snake in the coop."  She then huffed and returned to the house to  get me.  This is not what I needed to do at 2:57 pm when I need to leave the house by 3 pm to get to my soccer game.  Greta, who helps keep me sane at our home by doing my chores, even followed me out though she is not much on snakes.  I took a rolling cooler this time so I could safely deposit him further from the house.  We flipped the lid of the cooler open to capture him and placed it under the coop door.  Kameron had a front row viewing.  As I lifted him out of the coop though, the cooler lid closed.  Now, I'm yelling, "Open the lid, open the lid!"  Kameron, Greta or Isabel got the lid up only to have it fall again shut.  Now, I am really wishing that I hit the restroom at 2:45 instead of leaving it to the last minute.   Adrenaline rush and full bladder are not totally compatible.  Kameron tried his best with a foot and then a hand to lift the lid, but said snake kept looking at him with eyes and mouth that said, "Put that hand and arm near my head by touching that lid and I just might bite you."  Finally after what seemed like eternity, the lid was open and the snake was deposited though he tried to crawl back out.  Lid closed and now Isabel and I journeyed across the street to release him to the great outdoors once again.  Isabel was very excited to be able to go with me.  Kameron and Greta were happy to stay at home.  Greta and Kameron helped me strap in Matthew for the ride to the game and get all of my gear together and off we went.
     7 pm, game is now over.  I got home after Biff and lo and behold, the snake is back in the coop.  Arrrgh!  Biff captures him and then yells, "What would you like me to do, dear, this time?"  I pondered briefly after thinking about all the plates I am keeping spinning in my life and determined this plate I can do without. At the time, I was also on the phone talking to the dad of one of my former players who now plays for Shenandoah.  "Hold that thought, Bill,...KILL HIM,"  I yelled toward the back of the yard.  Deed done.  Pics taken.  Camcorder shots taken of writhing snake.  Now off to fix dinner.  Rebekah then asks, "Can I cut him open?"  "Whatever you want, just wash your hands well once you come inside."  
     Two days later, we left for the weekend to see family.  I asked a friend to watch our dog and our chickens.  This is the Facebook post that greeted me that weekend, "Okay, so I go over to my friend and neighbor's house (won't tell anyone it was yours, Sonya)to help put up chickens with three of my children and I'm taking the eggs I've collected in to put into the refrigerator in her garage and lo and behold there's the black snake she killed just the other day. Sonya, are we going to have a science lesson or a cook out?"  So Rebekah wasn't done with her dissection.  At least she thought to put it in a garbage bag and put it in the fridge in the garage.

The Pusey Occasional—2009

Christmas 2009 came and went, and it was wonderful. God was faithful to us in more ways than we can recount: He kept his many millennia-old promises to send a Savior to pardon our sins and defeat death, and we know and worship Him; Anderson had surgery to repair a sunken chest (pectus excavatum) and is recovering well; because Anderson was, as the doctors described him, a “superstar” in terms of recovery and pain tolerance, we were able to be home from the hospital in time for Christmas Eve and Day; and the new pool table and puppy (well, dog, as Bang is a 6½ year old Golden) were huge hits as family presents from Mom and Dad. So, on this day after Christmas, we are content, peaceable and grateful.

Here’s a brief recapitulation of 2009 in our annual attempt to inform and amuse you (though it seems to actually frighten some folks):

Anderson and Caleb played basketball for Richmond Spirit in the Winter. Biff helped coach Caleb’s squad. There are entirely too many games during a basketball season, so we had few restful nights at home.

In Spring, Anderson and Rachel appeared in the Christian Youth Theater musical Narnia. Isabel memorized every song and sang aloud during the performances from the balcony reserved for actors’ families. Caleb and Rebekah were inspired to try out for the next show, and four of the children appeared in Willie Wonka with Anderson and Caleb having featured roles as Mr. Salt and Augustus Gloop, respectively. Sonya and Biff, in addition to funding these thespian opportunities, spent every Friday and Saturday making props and building sets for both shows, and working the Green Room, make-up and backstage during show weeks. The productions are highly professional, and our involvement is at once exhilarating and exhausting. Spring 2010 will see the same four on stage: in Cinderella, Anderson is Lionel, the Royal Steward, and Caleb a palace singer, coachman and featured ballroom dancer, while in Jungle Book Rachel and Rebekah are Indian villagers. Cinderella is March 5-14 and Jungle Book is March 18-21. Check out the website www.cytrichmond.org and ask us for discounted tickets. Ya’ll come!

At the same time as Wonka, Sonya coached the Richmond Spirit girls soccer team on which Rachel played. They were undefeated in League play and won the tournament championship. In fact, Sonya’s teams have never lost a League game under her coaching.

A classic underachiever, Sonya worked Wonka props and make-up and coached the Spirit girls squad while being pregnant with bambino numero ocho. Matthew Gunning arrived big and strong in June, 4 days after Wonka wrapped. He is surely the happiest, easiest baby on the planet, content to sit in his big brothers’ laps during school while they read or work on the computer. We can’t imagine life without MattGun, also called “Boulder” by his siblings due to his gi-normous size.

In Summer, we enjoyed a lovely week at Sonya’s parents’ beach homes in Litchfield, SC. Our final day there was spent with Sonya’s brother’s family. The cousins had a blast together, although Biff nearly reduced the headcount by two children when, while dragging Bekah and Caroline through tidal pools on boogie boards at a full sprint, he rammed them head on into one another. They recovered, but are now suspicious of Biff’s offers to play.

Sonya and Biff coached the Spirit Athletics boys soccer team in the Fall. We won the league championship, the first time in 8 years for the boys squad. Anderson was named All Conference, and in the championship game scored 2 of the team’s 3 goals, assisted the other, and was named Tournament MVP. Video and pics are on Facebook. The younger sibs also played soccer, Rachel for the middle school team and Bekah, Josh and Jonathan in ADP. Isabel essentially ran free during practices and games, while other Moms arm-wrestled for the chance to hold baby Matthew.

The whole family, all but Isabel and Matthew, got in some serious Fall dove hunting. During the slow, hot part of the day of our last hunt, the big boys went swimming in the river along the perimeter of the field while the little boys played along the riverbank. All came home with serious cases of poison ivy in, well, unusual places.

Anderson and Biff started college visits. Current order of preference is Wake, Duke, Richmond, William & Mary and UVA. Soccer, English and dentistry are Anderson’s primary goals. These will change as surely as day follows night….

In November, Anderson finally got his driver’s license. His experience at the DMV was illuminating. He neglected to study enough the first time he took the written test, but passed on the second go. The DMV denied his application because they misunderstood their own requirements as relates to home educated students. Finally approved, he went to take the driving test, including waiting in line for seemingly ever, only to be told when his number was called that no tests were being offered due to a camera outage in all the DMVs. Finally, his permanent license seems to be forever temporary until his required court date to hear the judge tell him all about the grisly horrors of unsafe driving. He’s very excited that the government will be making health care decisions for him.

Sonya, Matthew and Caleb went with Biff on a business trip to NY in early December. Biff and Matthew worked in the hotel room while Sonya and Caleb saw Shrek the Musical, and we enjoyed long walks in lovely weather along festive 5th Avenue, Broadway, Central Park and the Upper West Side. Very good and understanding family and friends kept the rest of our brood while we were gone. We think they still like us.

Caleb is once again playing basketball on the Richmond Spirit middle school team. He’s by far the tallest boy and is blossoming into a rebounding and shot-blocking force in the paint. working hard with Mom on back-to-the-basket offense.

We welcomed more members to the family, specifically chickens. Rebekah is our budding vet and loves horses, chickens and other animals more than life. She’s incubating a turkey egg, so our family fowl count may yet rise.

We still haven’t sold our home in Goochland. Someone take pity and buy it. The pool is awesome!

Biff’s financial strategy work at JoycePayne Partners continues to excite and satisfy and pay the bills. His partners and colleagues are truly wonderful folk, and our firm and clients are prospering despite the market and economic challenges of the past year. He still marvels that he gets paid to do what he loves.

And now, a word from our progeny about their favorite events of 2009: Anderson (17) is excited that his dented chest is fixed. Caleb (14) really enjoys playing basketball for Spirit. Rachel (12) loved performing in Narnia and Wonka and can’t wait for Jungle Book. Rebekah (10) loved Christmas as she received 8 toy horses. Joshua (8) loved doing the SEAL Pups workout with Dad during the Summer. Jonathan (6) likes playing with his “mote-controlled” car. Isabel (3) loves to sing and dance, particularly when preparing for auditions for all the CYT musicals; she doesn’t yet “get” that she is too young to try out. And Matthew (6 mos.) prefers not to be bothered with silly questions when he is nursing. We note with interest the time dilation in responses associated with decreasing age—the youngest remembers the events nearest the best-est.

Come and see us, buy our old house, send us your news, and abide these three in 2010: faith, hope and love!

Sonya, Biff, Anderson, Caleb, Rachel, Rebekah, Joshua, Jonathan, Isabel & Matthew