Squirrel Stew

 

Unable to find a chicken dish I ate years ago; I looked through an old cookbook. I mean really old. This tome existed in the 60’s, but recipes dated before that era.

I found instructions for “Squirrel Stew.”  Yep, you read that correctly. Squirrel, as in the backyard variety. I doubt city people in the 60’s created this questionable cuisine, but I know people in the early 1900’s did.

In fact, people ate this common source of protein during the Great Depression.

My dad’s siblings ate it regularly. As a sergeant in the USA Army, he earned medals as a sharpshooter and netted a reputation for his marksmanship. He may have gained this skill by providing food for the family table.

His mom, my grandmother, was an accomplished cook and could make anything taste gourmet.

As a wee child, I recall eating a piece of fried squirrel she had prepared. My dad enjoyed it, but then he liked dark, fatty, meat.

The housewives of yesteryear possessed numerous abilities with food preparation. Can you imagine dressing a squirrel to fry, bake or roast?

Yuk. Me either.

I didn’t see my grandmother prepare the delicacy, for which I’m grateful.

I prefer selecting protein in a shrink-wrapped package at the grocery store. I don’t find squirrel as an option there, and I hope I never need it as a future staple. However, squirrels abound in plentiful supply in our backyard.

I suppose, if need be, my hubby could provide a dressed squirrel, and I would fry it, but if I had to dress the thing, we’d go hungry.

Would you believe squirrel protein is experiencing a comeback?  

Yep!

Some among us (about 1.8 million Americans according to the Internet) enjoy squirrel. They appreciate the taste and nutritional benefit of this “new” food. A few compare it to the taste of rabbit.

Squirel Popular Today

How many of you eat rabbits these days? Do you want to try it or squirrel? If you don’t have squirrel, you can substitute rabbit in the following recipe.

Here’s a way people cooked it years ago. I’m sure today’s measurements are updated. This recipe calls for quarts, but a lot of people are canning foods again, so quarts may be in their pantry.

Squirrel Stew

Ingredients

3 plump dressed squirrels

Seasoned flour

Salt and pepper

6 onions sliced thin

3 cups of water

6 tomatoes, peeled and diced

3 red peppers, seeded and chopped

Pinch of thyme

1 qt of lima beans

Kernels from 6 ears of corn

1 qt of okra

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Butter

Directions

Cut meat into serving pieces. Dip into flour and seasonings. Brown in fat with onions. Transfer to a casserole dish. Add water, tomatoes, peppers, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add lima beans, corn, okra, and parsley. Cook until tender. If desired, thicken with flour and butter kneaded to a paste.

If you try this, let me know how you like it.

While it simmers on the stove, read one of my books.

Gay's Author Page

The Hot Brown

I flew into CVG Airport a week ago. This airport services Ohio and northern Kentucky, and it is a lovely, small destination, especially compared to IAH, the one I left in Houston.

My daughter and son-in-law were to meet me, but they got caught in traffic. Some dude decided to cross a line of travelers. His act cost him his life. A sad day for many.

While I waited, I explored the airport. I’m a big Astros fan, but they weren’t fairing well when I left, so I decided to have a chat with the Cincinnati Red’s mascot, Mr. Red. He was nice, but he didn’t say much. He merely smiled a lot. If he's married, I hope his wife doesn't mind my hand on his knee... er...thigh.

One of my goals was to have a Hot Brown. This sandwich was made famous in the early 1920s in Louisville, KY at the Brown Hotel. Hotel guests often danced into the wee morning. Well, it seems the chef, Fred Schmidt, grew tired of feeding people breakfast foods, so he created a new open-face sandwich with turkey, bacon, tomatoes, and mornay sauce.  Patrons loved it. It became famous and was soon a Louisville tradition.

The server recommended the buffet, but she also said The Hot Brown is always served.

I was there for The Hot Brown.

Eating The Hot Brown.

I confess…I wasn’t impressed.  The Derby had been held the week before, and perhaps the hotel kitchen had run short of ingredients. 

Who knows?  Maybe it was just me. You know, after all the hype about something, our dreams don’t always match the situation.

You will find the recipe here. The Hot Brown. The sandwich pictured in the photo looks nothing like the one they served me. Perhaps the guy or gal who made it in the kitchen had not seen this beautiful presentation. They forgot to toast the bread, and the sauce was too thick and tasteless.

The Brown Hotel in Louisville is a traditional guest house with a dramatic history.  Here's a picture of my daughter standing with me on one of the staircases.

Lanissa and Gay

Crossing this sandwich off my bucket list, I moved on to the next adventure.

Want to know what that was?  I had many!

Stay tuned!

Gay's Books

Happy Cookies and High Tea

 My maternal grandmother used to make tea cakes. They looked a lot like the ones in the picture, but she didn't draw a happy face on them.

The tea cakes were a cross between a cake and a cookie. I loved them. She kept them in a tin on top of the refrigerator. 

I suppose our English ancenstors ate these little cakes at tea time in the afternoon. That was such a nice respite. When our foremothers came to America, they brought the recipe with them.

This day and time, a formal tea time doesn't exist. I've looked into fancy restaurants who offer a High Tea in Houston. Most are expensive, but they sure look elegant. Here's a link to some of the best in Houston. High Tea in Houston

I gave a tea party last May and invited a few friends. I ask everyone to wear a hat, and I gave prizes to ladies who did. The prize was an English tea cup.  Sort of like the one picture below.

I had a lot of fun. Here's a picture of me with one of my guests. She really dressed for the party. My outfit was more informal, but I wore my hat!

Do you have a snack time? If so, what do you like?

Here's the recipe for my grandmother's tea cakes. Let me know if you make them!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1.5 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 baking soda

Mix all ingredients together. Chill mixture for at least 2 hours. Roll dough into 1/8 inch thickness. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into small cakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes.

Gay's Author Page

Coconut Cake. Yum! One of my Favorites

 

Let's Have a Party!

Do you have a favorite cake?

I have several, but Mrs. Evans’ Coconut Cake remains at the top of the list.

Mrs. Evans resides in heaven now, but while she lived on earth, she was known for delights she produced in her kitchen. She was a member of our church and at potlucks, the people always looked forward to her coconut cake.

She gave the recipe to her daughter-in-law, and the young lady made the cake, but it didn’t turn out quite the same. The younger Mrs. Evans said to the senior Mrs. Evans, “What went wrong?”  Mrs. Evans shrugged and replied, “Some can and some can’t.” 

I’m one of those who can’t. Even though I meticulously follow directions, something always the results aren’t quite right.

Our daughter, Lanissa, is a wonderful cook. I asked her to make Mrs. Evans’ cake for my birthday, and she did. Wow! It was delicious. It tasted like the one I remember.

Mrs. Evans always made the cake into a three-layer beauty, but Lanissa traveled to bring the cake to me, so she made it in a sheet pan. It was easier to bring that way.

Here’s the recipe. Try it.

Coconut Butter Cake

 

CAKE

2 c. sugar

1 c butter, room temperature

4 eggs

2 c flour

1 tsp soda

½ tsp salt

1 c buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Separate eggs whites from yolks. Beat yolks and add to sugar mixture. Mix flour, soda and salt. Add alternately, butter, mild and vanilla which have been mixed. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into cake mixture. Evenly divide into two or three 9 inch pans. Bake 35-40 minutes.

ICING

¼ c butter

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese

1 tbsp vanilla

1 lb box of powdered sugar

1 tbsp cream

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, mix well. Spread on top and sides. Put coconut of top and sides.

Gay's Author Page

Favorite Cook Book

 

 

I cook a lot, but I'm not good at it. I don't like the chore. Did I tell you I hate chopping veggies? No? Well, I do. 

I once cut a deep gash in my finger and the doctor had to sew it up. I did that on a can opener, but I also cut myself when I chop stuff.

Multiple cookbooks adorn a large cabinet in my kitchen. I love to read the recipes. I'll examine one and think, "that sounds good, but I don't have all the ingredients."

Why do all these journals call for odd things?

Here are a few examples:

Fresh minced oregano.

Ground turmeric.

Grated fresh ginger.

Fresh dill.

Fresh thyme.

One bunch of arugula.

Frozen artichoke hearts.

My organic farmer daughter has all the above mentioned herbs growing fresh. I do not. Every now and then, I will purchase a can of artichoke hearts. I don't like arugula, so it can't be found here in my refrigerator. On to the next recipe.

 

My go-to cookbook is this green one. It was published by the Houston Junior Forum, first printing in 1980, second one in 1981.  We once had a secretary who belonged to the Houston Junior Forum, and she gave me this handy little ditty.

I use it often and write a date on the recipe when I try it. I also give the dish a review. (I am an author, you know, and writers like reviews, although the cooks will never see them in this book. If you read my books, please leave a reiew.)

Some of the dishes are repeaters, others, not so much. The best banana nut bread of all time is in this volume, and I've made it too many times to count.

I'll share a recipe I amended from this versatile little tome. If I change a recipe, it's my own, right? After trying it various ways, including the way it was written, I think my amended way is better.

Gay's Easy Bake Chicken

Ingredients

Thick bacon slices. Don't use thin sliced.

Sliced potato rounds from two potatoes (about ¼ inch thick)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 large cans of condensed milk

6 to 8 Chicken tenders

Salt and pepper.

In a medium Pyrex baking dish, place the bacon strips to cover the bottom. Place potato rounds on top of the bacon. (I use two medium sized russets) Mix soup and milk together. Pour over bacon and potatoes. Save a portion. Place chicken trips on top and add remaining mixture. Cover tight and bake at 325 degrees. It takes about 3 hours. I pull the pan from the oven, hold it up, and check the bottom to make sure the bacon is done.

Most of the recipes in my green book have normal stuff.  Yay! Did you see the date? Early 80's. Food was more normal back then. Our organic farmer, Lanissa, will inherit this green cookbook. She loves kitchen duties and uses all fresh ingredients from her garden. She won't need the one pictured below.

 

Authors write books for dummies. You'll find dozens of them at booksellers. I bought a diabetes cookbook for dummies years ago. I also bought one for computers. I haven't read or used either one.

I thought the cookbook for dummies would be easy and healthy. It probably is healthy, but it isn't easy. Every recipe calls for fresh herbs and a dedicated amount of time. 

Herbs are expensive, and if you buy a bunch and use a teaspoon, you've lost money. I suppose you can substitute dried herbs, but you must keep a lot of bottles on hand.

I decided to sub one herb in a recipe. I checked the date on my dried thyme—1995. Well, so much for that.

I need to clean out that spice rack.

What are you planning for dinner tonight? Uber Eats? Door Dash? That sounds like a plan.

Gay's Author Page

A New Recipe?

 I dreamed I was eating a screetch.  What is that, you ask?

It was a mashed sweet potato mixed with crushed pineapple. This mixture was encased in a flaky pastry and was tasty.

In my dream, I ask the cook what it was, and she replied, "A screetch."

I've never had that combination before, and now that I am awake, I'm not sure about it, either. I liked it in my dream.

Why did the cook title the dish screetch? 

She didn't say.

I have a theory as to why I dreamed a strange name. I'm trying to think of a pseudonym for me. I'm writing a new book, and I will use a different name other than my own.

I think I told you how Amazon gets my books mixed up with gay literature.  When someone typed in my name, they got the gay genre, and nothing from me. I was lost.

After all the phone calls from  my publishers and me, they still do somewhat. Currently, when you type in Gay N. Lewis in the Amazon search bar, you will see some of my books, but not all of them. Mixed in with my books is the gay genre.

I want people to find me and all my books! I'm on other booksellers, and they haven't mixed me up. But Amazon is the largest bookseller.

What should I call myself?

I know what name I won't use. "Screetch."

I'm not much of a cook, but I might try mixing sweet potato and pineapple. What kind of pastry to use?  

It kinda sounds good.

If any of my readers try this mixture, let me know.

Gay N. Lewis on Amazon

Too Much Fat.

 

Don’t you just hate the word fat? Obesity is the word I detest even more than fat.  If I’m 10 pounds over a graph weight, then the chart says I’m obese. I’d rather be fat than obese. Thank you very much, Mr. Know-it-all Chart. I don't need for you to tell me I'm going up.

Too much fat is common, but it is dangerous and costly.  I think of it as unsightly, but health is a big issue, and getting healthy is expensive. Health, money, and sight are the reasons I want it gone.

I’m not alone. In 2017-2018, 42.4% of us are obese. In 2008, the cost for us fat people in the US was $147 billion dollars. Wow! That’s a lot. What would you do with $147 billion dollars? Mind boggling, isn’t it?

If I had that kind of money, I’d buy houses for three people I know who need one, and  I’d still have a lot of money to give away.

Okay, okay already. Back to the fat issue. Many of us know we need to lose a few. What’s that you say? Maybe we need to lose more than a few?  So true.  During the pandemic, the average weight gain for Americans was fifteen pounds. Whoa Nellie! That’s a lot in a short period of time.

So how do we do it?  Lose that extra fat?

Americans spend billions of dollars on diets, gyms, and trainers. These helps are a big benefit, but what if you can’t afford a gym or trainer? And fresh produce isn’t always easy either, Besides, aren’t chips and salsa tastier?  And how about those cheese enchiladas?

Whatever you decide to do to have a healthier body, make a commitment to persevere. And that’s my downfall. I start out good each morning, but by bedtime, I’m saying to myself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

I once asked a lady how she’d achieved her weight goal. She said, “One bite at a time.”  Another friend said, “I leave food on my plate.” One more offered, “I never go back for seconds.”

Let’s try their examples.  Leave a bite of each food item on the plate, If you have three items, leave three bites and never go back for seconds. Let me know if it works.

In the meantime, read how Angel Sarah helps a chubby Valerie become healthy. This book will make you laugh. You'll find this book on any online bookseller.

 Amazon

 

 

Winter 2020 Newsletter

Gay’s Winter Newsletter 2019/2020

Since the winter season begins before Christmas and extends after the first of the year, sometime in March, the cold, barren period has a calendar date of two years—2019 and 2020. As I write this, we have about 50 days left before the robins begin their song.

Down here in Houston, we seldom endure extreme temperatures. I’ve worn a coat only one time this winter. I needed it when hubby took me to the Houston Galleria to see an outside program. We parked our car in a parking garage and walked up and down Post Oak Street. We missed the outdoor dramatic presentation, but we enjoyed the scenery.

I’m sure you can tell that by the dated look that my jacket is ancient. In the 1990’s I worked in Alberta, Canada and needed a coat. I bought this one, and it came in handy in Canada. Not so much here in Houston, but it was cold the night we were out, so this standby garment felt good.

      

The lighting was beautiful, and we walked about three miles as enjoyed the scenery and brisk air.  The trees and decorations changed color. If you are ever in Houston at Christmas, you must see this display.

Healthy and Unhealthy recipes.

I’ve come up with a recipe for a Winter Wonderland Drink. This drink contains a zero-calorie sweetener called Monk Fruit.  I read about Monk Fruit recently. It’s supposed to be a dynamic, healthy fruit that helps control diabetes, weight, and hunger. Most markets don’t carry it. Perhaps I can find it at Whole Foods. Hubby found the granulated bag at Kroger’s and brought it home for me.  The granules look like sugar, and it is sweet.

         

Wonderland Warmer

Ingredients:

8 oz of Apple Juice. (I used Simply Apple. It looks more like cider)

8 oz brewed cup of Sleepytime Vanilla Herbal tea

2 tsp of Monk fruit granules.

2 tsp of vanilla extract.

Directions.

Heat apple juice in a mug in microwave until almost bubbly.

In separate cup, heat water and one tea bag of tea until hot.

When the cup of juice is hot, and the tea is made, combine the liquids into a separate container. Add the vanilla extract and Monk fruit granules. Stir. Pour into two mugs, serve and enjoy.  It’s about 60 calories per serving.

I love sitting in my chair with this hot drink and a good book. If the day is cold enough, I’ll turn on the fireplace. If I’m not careful, the fireplace will make the house to warm, and by bedtime, I’ll activate the air conditioner.

Speaking of good books, have you read any lately?

I enjoyed David Badacci’s book, Redemption.    

The lead character, Amos Decker forgets nothing. His memory is a blessing and a curse. His former partner, Mary Lancaster, reveals she is diagnosed with early onset Dementia.  The nuances in this book are palpable. He remembers everything, and she remembers nothing. I won’t be reading future books in the Memory Man Series, and that’s a shame. I loved the series. Our daughter suffers from early onset Dementia. It’s a cruel, evil disease. I don’t need to read about someone going through this sadness, even if it’s in a fictional novel. I live with it. I talk about it on my blog. You’ll find it under Dementia.

Barbara M. Britton’s book, Lioness, is about five orphaned women who wandered in the wilderness with Moses and the Twelve Tribes of Israel was interesting. They are the only women to inherit property in the Promised Land. I reviewed it on Amazon.

The five orphaned daughters of Zelophehad are mentioned four times in the Old Testament. Three times in the Book of Numbers, and once in the Book of Joshua. Mahlah is the eldest of the five, and in this fictional story, takes on the job of leadership for the family. 

 http://amzn.to/2hwc6nB

I read my Family Secrets again. Well, they aren’t my secrets. They’re Rebecca’s. I love this book, even if I’m the one who wrote it. The hero, Marshall Donavan, is so handsome, smart, and confident, he’s real to me. Rebecca Davis has secrets and those skeletons in her closet prevent love, marriage and family. I researched a great deal with this book. It’s set in 1975 when cultural issues were hot and nasty. I suppose they still are. When do we learn? Why can’t we accept people who have different backgrounds or skin color? Why can’t we remain civil to those who hold opposing political views?  Does society have to be unkind and impolite?  The two men in this book, Marshall and Sam, are willing to fight society if someone tries to hurt Rebecca.

Family Secrets is available on Amazon in KU, print and eBook. If you’re a member of KU, read for free.

https://amzn.to/2tRVY1H

Like most people, I decided to diet this year. In my book, Sarah and the Angelic, Magical Makeover, Sarah can change her looks in the blink-of-an-eye.  Wouldn’t it be great to do that? No work? Just blink? Be thin and beautiful? Go from blonde hair and blue eyes to black hair and brown eyes?

You’ll laugh out loud at Sarah in this book.

More Odds and Ends.

I’m not only a writer, but I’m a phone caller too.  The LDC Gas Forums allow me to call the most delightful people. I remind them of an upcoming Forum. The first LDC Gas Forum for 2020 is in April, and it will be held in Atlanta. I’m looking forward to visiting by phone with these interesting folks.

In the meantime, I’ll be writing, and I hope you’ll be reading!  Let me know if you like my winter-warmer drink. Send a comment if you’ve tried Monk Fruit. I hear its good stuff.

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes

This recipe is from the 19th Century.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

4 cups flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking soda.

Mix all ingredients together and throroughly chill for at least 2 hours. Roll dough 1/8 inch think. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into small cakes. Bake at 375 for 7 to 8 minutes.

My grandmother made these cakes when I was a child, and I recall their goodness to this day. Do I make them? No, but I remember them, and I wish I could find a baker who made them. I'd buy them.

Cooking and baking is an art. I have a friend who defines creating delicious concoctions as her passion. It relaxes her. Can you believe it?  A few other friends enjoy quilting. Fancy dishes and sewing are two activites I seldom try.

I wonder how many arts we've lost?  Anyone remember tatting?

The border on the above banner resembles tatting. Ladies once made this "lace" out of sewing thread into designs. A senior friend once gave me a tea towel she'd embroidered and then tatted the four edges. I kept it in a special place. I didn't want to use it or ruin it. Hubby didn't realize the value of the piece, and while looking for towels to use as he changed oil, he chose that beautiful piece of art.

What arts of today will be gone in one hundred years?

Perhaps we should learn some of the old ones. Bring them back. There's one I never want to learn. Making art object from hair. Can you imagine? That tedious art began in the 15th century. People collected hair and then twined them into neclaces, bracelets, or wall art. Yuk. 

Let's have a tea cake and a cup of coffee. Maybe we'll color in a coloring book. It was once enjoyed in days gone by, but it's the rage now. Things do come back. But no hair necklaces for me.

Writing Faith and Humor

Cooking Is Not A Good Idea

I set the smoke alarm off again.  No, thank goodness, I didn't cause a fire, just smoke.

Cooking is not my natural talent.

Hubby eats a lot of burnt offerings.  So much for the steak. It was too burnt to eat.

When the smoke cleared, I opened up a can of greens, added bacon, and baked cornbread from a mix.

It was quite good and tasty. My Alabama mom used to cook greens from scratch. Canned greens work for me.

I have a new book coming out on Friday. It's not a cookbook. I know, you're surprised, right? You thought I'd bring you tried and true recipes from my kitchen.

Look for Family Secrets on Amazon tomorrow. Rebecca, the heroine, knows how to cook. Alabama style. She learned nothing from me.

Amazon

Flour Cake or Flower Cake

See this beautiful cake?

I didn't bake it, but I'd love to eat a slice and share it with all of you. A fresh cup of coffee to go along with it.

The one I made last night is headed for the trash.

It didn't look like this one.

It didn't taste like this one, either.  Ugh. Not good.

Gay's Glorious Goodness was more like Gay's Gritty Garbage.

And get this....it was a box cake!!!!!!

How can one go wrong with a box cake? I even telephoned Pillsbury this morning to tell them this is the worst mix that ever came in a box. They advertised on the box that the mix was free of artificial intgredients.

It's also free of taste. Like flavorless.

The box said "customize your cake with flavoring." They suggested several. Almond Extract was one.

My word!  

They knew a lot was missing, so they told us up front. I can't accuse them of false advertising.

They need to add sugar, too.

And maybe go back to stuffing the box with artificial stuff.

This cake was not worth the calories.

Here's a picture. It even had peaks and valleys. I followed directions. I promise.  The flavorless cake was so bad, I poked holes in it and added a sugary glaze.  Didn't help.

I have a lot of kitchen catastrophes. I'll chalk this up as another.

Sarah can't cook either. Have you read any of my books where this little angel tries her hand in the kitchen?  She gets her cooking skills from me.

Here's one of my favorties.  This is a laugh-out-loud funny book.

On Amazon

Print or Ebook.

Another Burnt Offering

Smoke filled my kitchen again last night. I didn't realize how bad it was because I was too busy searing the steak.

Pinterest

I'd read the Internet directions for my offering. Take a black, cast iron skillet  and get it smoking hot. Season meat, toss in skillet and turn the steak every thirty seconds. I was doing that when hubby made his way though the smokey fog in the kitchen. "We need to open some doors and windows!"

I looked around and was amazed. Why didn't the smoke alarms sound off? I'm surprised neighbors didn't summon a firetruck. 

The steak turned out well, but that skillet will never be the same.

Sarah, my fictional angel, can't cook worth a flip either. She doesn't need to prepare food in The Heavenlies. Chef Andrew is in charge, but on earth? Well, now, that's a different story. Her escapades in restaurants and kitchens is downright funny.

By the way,  One good thing came from the smoke. I need new smoke alarms. The ones I have don't work. Obviously!

Faith and Humor

Natural Ingredients

I've been reading about natural ingredients. 

Do they work?

Cocunut Oil is supposed to be a magical, 

normal, unharmful element.

I decided to try it on my hair this morning,

 so I'm sitting here talking to you 

with a head full of cocunut oil.

It smells good.

It may not do a thing, but it's supposed to make hair healther, thicker, and silkier.

Did I say it smells good?

Here's what it looks like in the jar.

Here's what it looks from the tree.

Here's what it looks like on my hair.

 Sticky. Glued in places

It can be good to eat.

We make candy and cake out of coconut.

Yum. Two of my faves.

We ladies want to make ourselves over. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes not. Some beauty products are expensive. Natural ingredients, like coconut oil, cost less, and if they work, well, hey! Good for us.

Alas! Some naturals work. Some don't. 

When my sister and I were young girls, we asked our dad if we could wash his hair. He agreed.

Big mistake.

We decided powdered, laundry detergent would make a good shampoo.

As soon as we applied it, he began screaming, "Get it off!  Get it off!"

It burned his scalp big time.

He never let us "help" him again.

I'm not sure what coconut oil will do for me, 

but I hope for better results than the 

laundry detergent had on dad's hair and scalp.

Have you read Sarah and the Angelic, Magical Makeover? No, she doesn't use laundry detergent, but she makes mistakes in a haphazard fashion. She's funny, 

but you also might learn a few beauty secrets.

You'll like it.

Amazon