Until you are shown a photo of a driver with one hand on the steering wheel, head tilted to one side cradling a cell phone to her ear, and the other hand wielding a mascara brush up to her eyelashes, you do not fully recognize the fact that a young age does not necessarily immunize one against the possibility of either creating or being involved in an accident.

I applaud the inventor of cell phones, but still relegate them to the position for which I feel they were originally intended, that being to be used by someone involved in being on the move, as opposed to a stationary phone in your home. I cannot believe that our creator wired our brains to normally be accomplishing more than a single higher level task at a time.

This first recipe is one that I many times employ when I am faced with an entire day’s worth of yard work. It is simple, uses ingredients that I normally have on hand and keeps cleanup to a minimum. Enjoy!

Potatoes with Ham
Ingredients:
5 potatoes, sliced
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 lb. ham, diced
1 onion, diced
(1) 10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Layer potatoes, ham, cheese and onions into slow cooker, top with soup. Place lid on and set to low. Cook for six hours.

Timely Trivia: A bit of advice for those about to retire. If you are only 65, never move to a retirement community. Everybody else is in their 70s, 80s and 90s, so whenever something has to be moved, lifted or loaded, they yell, “Get the kid!”

Who among us does not relish a bowl of old-fashioned tapioca? If you relegate the preparation of this tasty dessert with your slow cooker, it frees up your time to complete other chores.

Old-Fashioned Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients:
1 c. small pearl tapioca
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 qt. milk
4 eggs, well-beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine tapioca, milk and sugar in slow cooker and cook on high for three hours. Combine eggs, some milk from slow cooker and extract and add to slow cooker. Cook on high for 20 minutes, then chill. Serve as is or with whipped cream.

Timely Trivia: Today’s requested recipe for good old-fashioned tapioca pudding happened to be my very favorite pudding. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I was corrected and given the correct name, my child’s mind always persisted in calling this dessert “Little Ball Pudding.” Memories of this childhood error followed me well into my adulthood, by which time I too was able to join and appreciate the good-hearted mirth.

With this next recipe, tapioca takes on a very new identity and can be served on crispy lettuce leaves and enjoyed as a salad.

Tapioca Salad
Ingredients:
10 tbsp. large pearl tapioca
4 c. water
1 c. crushed pineapple
1/2 c. or more granulated sugar
1 c. grapes, halved
1 c. whipping cream
Dash salt

Directions:
Combine tapioca, sugar, salt and water in slow cooker. Cook on high for approximately three hours or until the tapioca pearls appear almost translucent. Place in refrigerator to cool, then stir in remainder of ingredients. Serve cold.

A Touch of Levity: A trio of women were enjoying light-hearted conversation while on an afternoon shopping sojurn, and the subject of re-marriage was introduced. One woman lamented, “I know exactly what my husband would do if I died. He would no doubt marry the first woman who came around with a fresh pan of cornbread.” Conversation ceased for a brief moment, then one of the women replied, “Does he like butter on it?”

Homemaker’s Hint: In reply to the question of how real chocolate differs from your artificial chocolate, it is the oil base used. Real milk chocolate is made from the cocoa bean by separating the cocoa butter from the powder, processing them separately and then just recombing them. Your better quality chocolate-flavored coatings, I have been told, just substitute coconut oil for the cocoa butter.

When a reader phoned me recently, it was obvious from the excitement in her voice that she was a rhubarb lover from the word “go.” She related how she every year made this recipe that she served well chilled over generous slices of her homemade angel food cake. Her enthusiasm was so pronounced that it gave me the urge to go right down to the market and purchase some rhubarb, and I am not even a great rhubarb lover.

Crimson Rhubarb Sauce
Ingredients:
2 c. rhubarb
2 c. strawberries
1 c. sugar
1 c. water

Directions:
Thoroughly combine all ingredients, then cook until fruit tests tender. This makes about 3 1/2 cups sauce.

• To help your children turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.

A Touch of Levity: When I was at the grocery store the other day, I passed a display of plastic canes filled with chocolate. While reaching for one, my hand accidentally brushed another one, and a domino effect occurred. Within a few brief moments, only a few canes remained on the shelf. I glanced at the stock boy standing nearby and was ready to offer an apology, but before I could do so he said to me, “Aren’t you going to go for the spare?”

Old-Fashioned Honey Biscuit
Ingredients:
2 c. sifted flour
4 tbsp. butter or Crisco
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. honey
2 tbsp. baking powder
Dash salt

Directions:
Sift flour once, then measure; add baking powder and salt and sift again. Cut in shortening. Add milk gradually, stirring well until soft dough is formed. Immediately turn dough out on slightly floured board and kneed for about 30 seconds or just enough to shape. Roll out into thickness of about one-half inch, then cut with a two-inch, well-floured biscuit cutter. Bake biscuit rounds on ungreased baking sheet for about 12 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Remove biscuits from oven and split in halves. Spread lower halves with butter and upper halves with honey, then press halves together and allow to stand for several minutes so flavor permeates biscuits. Enjoy with hot cup of tea or coffee when they are hot from the oven.