This is a great craft for kids, especially if grandparents live far away. Spend the evening making custom gift wrap made of your children’s handprints.

Start with a roll of freezer wrap available in grocery stores or use pages from a flip chart presentation tablet. 

Choose a few colors of non-toxic poster paint or finger paint. Place each color on a plate (real or paper). Let kids stamp away their handprints. It’s fun to dip each hand in a separate color for double stamping fun.

Note: Set up near the sink; there will be a lot of hand washing in between colors.

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup whole milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
9 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in blender. Add ice, Blend until ice is fully blended and mixture appears frothy.

By Eileen Majors

Photos: ©Camille Coverdell

Plumas Eureka State Park is a perfect jewel tucked away in the mountains of Northern California. Beautiful scenery and wildlife surround a wealth of history in this 4,500-acre park, located at the foot of Eureka Peak (originally called Gold Mountain). Gold Mountain produced some $25 million in gold from hard rock mining in the late 1800’s. The park is a hiker’s paradise with a network of trails that meander through the Lakes Basin Recreation Area, including the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. Jamison Creek flows through the campground with numerous lakes and streams nearby. Today, the park houses a museum and during the summer months visitors enjoy tours of the buildings and blacksmithing demonstrations conducted by docents and park staff. The park was established in 1959, and allows visitors a glimpse into the fascinating history of the California Gold Rush. The museum, which was originally constructed as the miners’ bunkhouse, now houses a visitors center. Indoor displays explain the natural and cultural history of the park. Outdoors, across the street from the museum, you will find the historic mining area. The Mohawk Stamp Mill, Bushman five-stamp mill, a stable, mine office, blacksmith shop and the Moriarity House (historic miner’s residence) show life during the California gold rush. One can only imagine the excitement that comes with the harvesting of $25 million in gold. Understanding the lifestyle of these miners and their families lends not only excitement to California history, but also shows visitors all the hard work involved for families who rushed for the gold. Nine miners made the original discovery of gold on May 23, 1851. Their discovery eventually led to over 30 miles of mine shafts mined by several individual operators and companies. British mining experts perfected the method of removing gold from within the mountain and at one time, three stamp mills were in operation on the mountainside. Over time, the ore-crushing operation ended up at one mill, the Mohawk. It was built in 1876 and contained 60 stamps, each weighing from 600 to 900 pounds with a drop of 8 ½ inches. Each stamp was able to crush 1 ½ tons of ore every 24 hours. Gold Discovery Days, a special event, is to be held in mid-July. Gold Discovery Days is scheduled for July 21 & 22, 2012 at Plumas-Eureka State Park from 9 am to 3 pm in Johnsville, CA. For more information on this event call (530) 836-0783. For camping information, call (530) 836-2380, or visit their website at http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=507. Geologists agree the area is still rich in gold, and outside the park, opportunities remain for those in search of gold today. Those interested in panning for gold in Plumas County can find more information at http://plumascounty.org/Outdoor%20Recreation/goldpanning.htm.

Shrimp-Smothered Steaks with Parmesan Cheese Sauce

• 4 Steaks grilled to desired doneness (We love Ribeyes!)

• 28 – 32 small to medium deveined shrimp, shell and tail removed

• 2 Tbsp. butter • 1 Tbsp. olive oil • 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp flour

• 1 cup half and half

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 tsp. fresh parsley

15 minutes before steaks are grilled to perfection, on a side burner, heat butter and oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-hot heat. Add garlic then shrimp and saute over medium-hot fire until shrimp are cooked (turn pink). Add flour and mix thouroughly. Add half and half and cook over low heat until mixture thickens. Add cheese and fresh parsley. Cook until melted. As steaks are served, spoon shrimp mixture over each steak on plate.

Honey Grilled Corn on the Cob

• 4 Cobs of Corn

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1/4 cup honey

• Extra butter for spreading

• Kitchen string (grillable)

Soak corn with husks on in cold water for 30 to 60 minutes prior to cooking. Make a cut through the husk lengthwise to carefully pull back the husk to about one inch from the bottom and remove silk. Melt butter. Add honey to butter. Brush honey mixture over the corn. Replace the husk and wrap with kitchen string. Roast corn on the grill in the husks, turning every 5 minutes. Cook covered for 20 – 25 minutes or until tender, over medium hot coals or gas grill. Serve with extra butter.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Greek Yogurt

• 1 basket strawberries, cleaned trimmed and quartered

• 1/2 fresh pineapple cut in small chunks or 1 can pineapple chunks

• 1/2 cantaloupe, cut in 1” cubes (cubed)

• 1 1/2 cups cubed watermelon

• 1/2 cup greek nonfat yogurt.

• 1 cup mini marshmallows – optional (kids will eat it up!)

Mix fruit in large bowl. Fold in yogurt (and marshmallows if desired). Note: You can exchange fruits of your choice but remember, pineapple makes the yogurt taste like whipped cream!

Garlic Cheese Bread

• 1 loaf french bread

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 – 2 teaspoons garlic powder, (or 1 -2 cloves fresh garlic for garlic lovers)

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

• 2 tsp. fresh or dried parsley

Mix softened butter with garlic or garlic powder and parmesan. Cut bread lengthwise, leaving two long halves. Spread buttter mixture across each. Sprinkle with parsley. Slice each half in 2 inch pieces, cutting ALMOST all the way through. Broil until lightly browned.

Fancy Summer Salad

•3/4 cup walnut halves

•1/4 +1/8 cup sugar

•5 cups mixed greens (lettuce/spinach)

•1/2 cup dried cranberries

•1 cup thinly sliced apple or pear

• 3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

• 2 tablespoons raspberry vinaigrette

• 1 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Place sugar and walnuts in a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coat the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a foil-covered cookie sheet to cool. Place the following in your salad bowl: mixed greens, cranberries, cheese, vinaigrette, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss gently; add candied walnuts, and toss again. Top decoratively with a “fan” of sliced apples or pears.

Make-Ahead Homemade Lemonade

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup lemon juice made from 4 to 6 lemons

• 4 cups cold water

Start by making a cup of lemon juice by juicing approximately 4 to 6 lemons. Now make your simple syrup: Heat water and sugar, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher, adding water if needed for desired taste. Serve with ice and garnish each glass with a sliced lemon, and a sprig of mint if desired. Makes 6 glasses.

TRAIN RIDE THROUGH THE FEATHER RIVER CANYON WITH TRAINS & TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL –  For information on their upcoming ride to Portola Railroad Days, see page 8.

Have you ever had a fragrance of a perfume or the smell of biscuits baking in the oven take  you back to another time or place, stirring up fond memories of a time gone by?  Maybe it reminded you of a loved one or a treasured place. Recently I  had one of those  nostalgic moments that sent me back almost 60 years.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, many of my uncles and cousins worked for Southern Pacific and SantaFe Railroads.  They were conductors, porters, mechanics, and held other railroad jobs.  I remember as a kid, going down to the train station to pick up family members coming in from El Paso Texas, standing in the night air just waiting with excitement building… seeing and hearing the passenger train coming into the station. I remember the thunderous sound of the engine slowly pulling in with steam coming out the side like the wheels were on fire.  The enormous connecting arms that connected the drive arms to the other wheels, slowly came to a halt.  My aunt clutched my hand with a death grip, so I couldn’t touch this big black hissing, chugging steam engine.  The bell was clanging to beat the band.  Oh how wonderful it was, down to the smells and the sounds.

Even though most of my family was part of the rail system, I never had the opportunity to ride a train anywhere. So as I grew up, it was amusement park trains that filled the bill.  First Disneyland and later at Knott’s Berry Farm. Chug, Chug, Click Clack, Woo Woo, the bell ding, ding.  My children loved it, but really the big kid loved it more than them, woo woo eeh, haw!

As time went by, I had the chance to ride on dinner trains, small coastal train rides, short gold country rides (riding in a ore carts towed by small steam engines), wherever, whenever I got the opportunity, I would take what I could get.

Now, retired recently, kind of moping about, somewhat overworked (honey-do’s, you know). One day my wife calls me upstairs to the computer and asks me if I would like to go on this train ride called ‘The Northern California Explorer’.  ”Yeah right, When? Are you kidding! We have our son’s wedding that following weekend and the reception is here!  Impossible!!.” She asks, “Do you want to see the video?”  That was all it took.

Ding Ding  WOOO….with a crackling voice I replied,  “Oh heck yes. We can’t miss this. Some how we will get the work done”. I couldn’t make eye contact at that moment. All kinds of emotions had flooded over me, Wow… on this train there was the California Zephyr.  I remember all those times I had seen her as a young man. The enchanting streamline engine, her silver flash, as she went flying by. Now I finally had a chance to ride on such a magnificent beauty. This must be a dream. This was all I could think about for the next two weeks,. Eeee-haw, can’t wait!

Finally Friday comes and we are about to leave for Chico.  Again, much to my surprise before we left, there was a surprise party just for me. A retirement party. Bet you can’t guess what I received. A pocket watch, wow! After a night’s stay and we made our way to the train where I soon found myself in the dining room car seating of the Silver Lariat facing forward. Pinch! How could this be?  It’s her and truly she is beautiful; I couldn’t speak at all.  I could only look about in total amazement.  The whistle blew.  We were moving in a dream come true.

Friendly and sincere, this wasn’t just a train ride to the staff, it is their life and love. The train is spotless from top to bottom. Staff stays onboard many hours after arrival to insure the same quality experience the next day.  Meals were so amazing!  First, that the Chef could even prepare such delightful, delicious beautiful meals in a small space and still be smiling and ready to answer your questions was amazing.  Beverage Service was available all day, whatever you desired.  Even the restrooms had fresh flowers in vases, fine soaps, and towels. We were able to visit all cars with our passes and met many people. Some people from very far away, New Zealand, England, Michigan and much of the East Coast.  Many have taken train trips all around the world, but share with us that this may be the most beautiful area, even with the rain and the clouds we had. We spent our entire day roaming about, enjoying all that we were learning and the wonderful people we were meeting.

It is incredible to see vistas of grandeur, rivers and creeks, unbelievable rock formations, fresh, vibrant greens and blues, canyons valley highs and lows. The Lakes are having a hard time holding the abundance of water, which produce the many waterfalls you are able to see along the way. There are lots of tunnels and stopping for freight trains to go by.  Volcanoes and their lava flows, vast forests that climb the steep canyons, and then to the flat juniper plateaus as far as you can see, fields of alfalfa, horseradish, potatoes, vast irrigation lines, ditches with abundant waterfowl everywhere, sun, rain, shadows, shades and overtones… so much for your senses, all this while being gently rocked from side to side.  She is everything I ever dreamed of and so much more. Where people take time to share with each other about their life and times in the past. A time to just slow down and be in the moment without cells phones ringing or a exact time to arrive.  Just time to enjoy!  The Northern California Explorer.

It is a unique experience to view the scenery of the great place we live, in a way you can never see by car or plane. You truly can see where you have been, from the outside deck of the caboose. Once, when I was outside on the vestibule after the people taking their photos left, I looked around stuck my head out the side a little a yelled…EEEEE—Haw!… at the top of my lungs.  When I went back in and found my wife, she asked where I had been. “Just enjoying the people and oh, by the way, did you hear anything?”  I said.  “No why?” she said.  “Oh nothing, just asking.”

CANDY COATED POPCORN with prize and peanuts too!

6 quarts freshly popped popcorn (3/4 cup uncooked)

1/3 cup cooking oil

8 – 16 oz unsalted, roasted peanuts (1-2 cups)

3 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup karo syrup

1 cup butter

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla extract

(To make popcorn – Use large, heavy 8 qt. pot. with lid. Cover bottom of pan with approximately 1/8″ cooking oil. Throw in one kernel. when it pops, throw the rest in. Cover and shake pot often (to prevent burning) until all the popping stops. Have a large roasting pan ready to dump popcorn in. (You may need to dump some out into roasting pan before all the popping stops.) Add the desired amount of peanuts (about 12 to 16 ounces makes for extra peanuts!).

In a saucepan mix 3/4 cup light Karo® syrup with 3 cups brown sugar and 1 cup butter. Stir frequently with stainless whisk or spoon, (NOT PLASTIC), cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp.,vanilla and 1tsp baking soda. Stir and spread over popcorn/peanut mixture. Mix well quickly until all popcorn has been coated.

Have 2 buttered cookie sheets ready before you start. Divide the popcorn onto the two cookie sheets. Place in preheated oven 275º for 12 minutes. Remove, close oven, stir mixture. Turn oven off. Return to oven for 12 minutes more. Cool and place in mason jars or other festive good grade container. wrap a small prize in foil and place in the center of the jar.

Prize ideas: Refrigerator magnet, decorator sticky notes, tiny trinket box, or other tiny treasure. If you are giving it to a child, miniature skateboards, mini bouncy ball, or bracelet are just a few of the many small gifts you’ll find for kids.