Super Bowl Sunday came and went. I'm sure many people had a good time. There were also a couple of Mardis Gras parties; one was at the Boyle Center, and it was a fun party.

Last week there were six different live shows featured. A nice way to spend a winter evening. As I've said before, I like live shows better than movies. I guess because my mom loved theater and made sure she took us to as many shows as she could. Going to New York to see a good show was our treat twice a year, and of course my sister and her daughter direct and choreograph shows to this day in Washington, Virginia and New Mexico.

Does it seem winter is lasting longer than usual this year? It does to me. No matter where you are and conversing with people, the weather always seems to be part of the conversation. I know we are very lucky not to be having the terrible storms happening around the country and other countries, but most of us like to complain about the cold at least a little bit.

Our soup kitchen at SS.Peter and John is very well attended this winter. It is good it is available. I would like to personally thank the volunteers who come every week to take care of the preparations and serving of the food. They are wonderful to do it. I also want to especially thank our local restaurants who are good enough to make the soup and donate it. That is also wonderful. If anyone has the time to help us any Saturday, please call the office at SS. Peter and John to offer to volunteer.

I love the calendar of special events in The Citizen. It is nice to know what's going on in our community and makes it easy to plan a whole week in advance. I saw yoga classes offered at Floors & Walls. I took yoga many many years ago when it was first offered at the YMCA and nowhere else. It wasn't a big class because not many people knew how great it would be. I've taken it a couple of times since then and I just may do it again. Any exercise classes are good for us.

I don't know if any of you happened to be watching the news on Monday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. They showed a beautiful ice castle on Owasco Lake. It was right down Holland Drive in the water. That, of course, is my drive and one of my neighbors had built it. It was beautiful. At night he had it lit with lights. One night it was yellow lights, one night red. We enjoyed it, and I'm glad they had it on TV so others could enjoy it. It's nice to see someone share their talent.

Tomorrow, Feb. 7, there is an event scheduled I look forward to attending. It's Amateur Chefs Night at Sacred Heart Church. There are so many different foods offered and all are delicious. Whoever thought of having this event had a great idea. It's always well attended. It's a fundraiser for the Community Preservation Committee to benefit Willard Chapel. The doors at Sacred Heart will be opened at 6:15 p.m. for Chefs Night.

I hope you get to do a lot of enjoyable things. Enjoy this winter no matter what the weather is, and, of course, have a happy Valentine's Day.

My blooper for today.

I can just picture it happening and glad it wasn't to me.

Someone stopped to tell me that she was making a Jell-O mold salad. She prepared the fruit and all the other ingredients then she mixed the Jell-O and poured the mixture into a mold pan to refrigerate.

That would be fine except it wasn't a mold pan it was a sieve that looked like a mold pan and all the liquid poured out all over. I said I'm glad it wasn't me.

My ethnic recipe today is Cajun Meat Loaf.

Diane Sobus, of Auburn, specializes in making ethnic foods.

Pork Chops with Potato Casserole

Makes 4 servings

10 and 3/4 ounce cream of celery soup

3 heaping tablespoons sour cream

4 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

4 1-inch thick pork chops

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter 9 by 13-inch oven-safe glass baking dish.

Combine soup and sour cream in bowl.

Arrange half of potatoes in dish.

Season.

Pour half of soup mixture over potatoes.

Top with remaining potatoes.

Pour remaining soup mixture over potatoes.

Season to taste.

Bake until golden brown, about 90 minutes.

Season chops and heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chops and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side.

Place chops on top of potatoes.

Cover and bake until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Cajun Meat Loaf

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 bay leaf

Combine first six ingredients in small bowl, set aside

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup ketchup

1 egg

1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add bell pepper and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and pepper softens, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in bowl of seasoning mix, add Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, cook 1 minute.

Mix in milk and ketchup and heat through.

Remove onion mixture from heat and cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove bay leaf from onion mixture.

Combine ground beef, egg, and onion mixture in large bowl.

Shape into loaf and place on baking sheet.

Cover and bake 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes.

Delicious served with sour cream on the side.