Month: February 2026

Cooking Without Photos – Lemon Squares

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We head to Connecticut this week and talk postal history.

Now a historical landmark, the East Windsor Hill Post Office holds the crown for America’s longest continually operating post office.

In 1757, David Bissell Jr. sold a portion of his property to a well-known barber, Jeremiah Ballard, who constructed a shop on Old Main Street. In 1759, Bissell Jr. gifted the rest of his land to his son, David Bissell III, who attached a storehouse to Ballard’s shop. This building would soon become the first operating trading post in America.

The East Windsor Hill received its first government post rider in 1783. Today, the elementary schools within South Windsor each take a field trip to the East Windsor Hill Post office, educating the youth of South Windsor on the rich history of their town.

When I saw the cookbook, “Postal Platters: Connecticut Branch National League Of Postmasters” I knew it was going to be great!

I have so many memories writing letters to pen pals, family and friends. I used to trade stickers and bookmarks. We would send photos back and forth. We need to do that again, y’all. It just feels good to get something in the mail that’s not a bill or junk mail.

On to the recipe! This week I chose Lemon Squares.

Couple of things:

  1. It didn’t say what kind of flour so I used self rising. After I mixed the crust ingredients and baked it for the allotted time, I don’t think it would matter what kind you used. It isn’t going to rise.
  2. That’s really it. Baking time was perfect. You really don’t have to grease the pan. I almost panicked because I didn’t. Pops right out. No problem.
  3. I guess I should also point out that it didn’t say to dust in powdered sugar. I did though ❤️

Perfect sweet treat! Would be great with coffee too!

Cooking Without Photos – Hot Bacon Bean Dip

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This week we travel out west to Wellington, Colorado!

Wellington was founded in 1902, incorporated in 1905, and named for C. L. Wellington. Mr. Wellington was an employee of the Colorado and Southern Railroad. Even before incorporation, Wellington was a popular stopping location for wagon trains, travelers and military movement between Cheyenne, WY, and Fort Collins, CO.

In 2000, woolly mammoth remains were discovered by a construction crew while digging home foundations. Colorado State University sent a team to carefully excavate and preserve the bones of the extinct animals. Unfortunately ly, upon hoisting the remains out of the excavation site, the tusks crumbled inside of the protective forms that were previously built around them. The skull of the mammoth is housed at CSU. The subdivision where the bones were found named one of its streets in remembrance of the excitement.

I didn’t get far when I opened the cookbook, “Home Cookin’ Wellington Assembly Of God”. Page one held my attention with Hot Bacon Bean Dip and it didn’t disappoint!

Couple of things:

  1. It didn’t say what to serve this dip with so I decided on pita crackers. I wasn’t wrong. Fab!
  2. This dip is also good leftover cold.

Try this! You won’t regret it!

Cooking Without Photos – Spicy Orange Pecan Muffins

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This week we travel all the way to the west coast and Santa Ana, California. Santa Ana first started out as a parcel of land that was given to Jose Antonio Yorba. The land changed hands a few times. In 1869, William H. Spurgeon purchased the land and founded Santa Ana.

In 1871, Santa Ana’s First Baptist Church was built. During a time when the country was still in uproar, the First Baptist Church began building a community of hope. Governed by California’s own set of Jim Crow laws, folks weren’t allowed to worship together and were made to stay seperated whites and blacks.

By 1923, members of First Baptist worked with members of Santa Ana’s black community to found the Second Baptist church. Today, the Second Baptist Church is the oldest black church in Orange County

Church Historian Milana Oyunga described:

“They helped them get started with the down payment of $150, a Bible, and the first pew, which we still have on our premises. … With that initial help they had given us, they have been a friend and support to us all these years, that culminated to today.”

During the Jim Crow era, First and Second Baptist often collaborated, fundraised together, and welcomed each other’s congregations.

With attendance declining in its later years, First Baptist found refuge in the home it helped found for others, spending its last three years of operation worshiping at Second Baptist. After 148 years of serving the community, First Baptist ceased operations in 2019.

When I discovered, “Cook Book” from First Baptist Church of Santa Ana, I knew it was special. Written in 1974, this book had been around the block a few times The cover was coming off, there were notes written throughout, and pages were stained with wear. It didn’t disappoint.

Flipping thru, I found the recipe for Spiced Orange Pecan Muffins. I picked this recipe even before I found out that Santa Ana was in Orange County. It was obviously meant to be.

Couple of things:

  1. Actually just one…to me, there is enough sugar in the muffin because there is so much sweet in the topping. You may decide you like a bit more sugar in yours.

That’s really all I would change. They bake up pretty. My crew liked them and went back for more.