Author name: Ann and Andy

Looking Back – and Looking Forward

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It’s Ann here today. Andy is in OurLittleCorner revisiting one of his favorite BigLittleMeals videos.

So the world is about to welcome in 2026. What a ride 2025 has been.

Andy and I are taking a little break this holiday week but will be back on January 13, 2026, with two new blogs and a new recipe.

For today Andy is over in OurLittleCorner looking back with a very fond and very funny memory, sharing one of our favorite early videos (we started BigLittleMeals.com back in 2017).

OnoMoore, our older cat, on our front walkway in 2017; see today’s OurLittleCorner for a glimpse of nightlife on our front walkway.

And I’m looking forward with crossed fingers to 2026 – and beyond.

As always, music is often what keeps me going and keeps me thinking, so I want to share two versions of a Civil Rights era song, which I recently discovered. The first version is an inspiring and lively 2010 White House performance by The Freedom Singers (you can listen to Obama’s moving introduction here). The second version has slightly different lyrics and was released 50 years ago – a 1976 Joan Baez rendition. Interestingly, Wikipedia says, “The song’s lyrics are adaptable to situations and locations.” The song? “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.”

Sing along with me.

What a lovely, casual, intimate setting for a performance in the East Wing.

Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me ’round
Turn me round, turn me ’round
Ain’t gonna let nobody, turn me ’round
I’m gonna keep on a walkin’, keep on a talkin’
Walkin’ into freedom land

To put the lyrics of Joan Baez into perspective (be sure to listen to the entire 3 minutes) consider that in 1976 Gerald Ford was President. Henry Kissinger, Ford’s Secretary of State, was pushing for aggressive plans against Cuba and Castro, including possible invasion and airstrikes. Later that year Ford lost the Presidential election to the Democrat, Jimmy Carter.

Ain’t gonna let the administration turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain’t gonna let the administration turn me around
Keep on a-walkin’, keep on a-talkin’
Gonna build a brand new world…

Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around
Turn me around, turn me around
Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around
Keep on a-singin,’ Keep on a-swingin
Gonna build a brand new world

And so it goes. Here’s our new favorite emoji-free forward-looking closing: “Sending Love and Light <3“

Our Amazing Dog

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It’s Ann here today. Andy is in OurLittleCorner touting a holiday shrub.

“Our Amazing Dog” – from the Australian Michael Leunig – echoes our wishes for 2026.

Be at peace.
Be kind.
Forgive.

From the 1976 Raggedy Ann: A Thank You, Please, and I Love You Book by Norah Smaridge

In 2016 Dorie Greenspan, a favorite cookbook author of mine, released her book Dorie’s Cookies. And she suggested we needed a “cookies and kindness” effort based on her belief that “you give a cookie and you get joy.” What could be better to include in this blog than one of her cookie recipes – with the thought that you make them to give as holiday gifts.

Dorie’s Pfefferneusse Cookies

To quote a new young UCSC friend of ours, “Sending love and light <3<3<3.”

Happy Holidays from BigLittleMeals and Ann and Andy – and Choco and Ono and Wynn

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It’s D-lightful; It’s D-licious; It’s D-lovely

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It’s Ann here today. Andy is in OurLittleCorner with milk and crackers.

Fran’s Chocolates Smoked Salt Caramels – recommended by Ina Garten

We all need a touch of something sweet now and then, especially during the holiday season. Fran’s Caramels look fantastic – even D-lectable, but I have a sweet that’s even better than Fran’s that I’d like to recommend. Why is it better? Because it’s actually good for you! And only one a day is recommended, so you won’t overindulge!

A 2-week supply of Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 Gummies – Wild Berry flavor – recommended by Ann of BigLittleMeals.com

As many of you know, I was an English teacher/social studies teacher/gardener – but not a nutritionist/doctor/dietition, so I don’t pretend to be an authority on supplements, but I do read a lot and try to use reputable sources.

According to the NIH.gov, “Vitamin D is found naturally in a few foods, such as the flesh of fatty fish, fish liver oils, beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese. In American diets, fortified foods (e.g., milk, breakfast cereals) provide most of the vitamin D.”

People can get some of their daily vitamin D through exposure to sunlight, although the season, time of day, length of day, cloud cover, melanin content of the skin, and other factors can affect ultraviolet radiation exposure and vitamin D synthesis.

According to Yale Medicine.org, “Just being outdoors, you get a fair amount of sun exposure and some sun-related generation of vitamin D. Because skin cancer, particularly melanoma, can be such a devastating disease, it’s best to use sunblock when outdoors in strong sunlight for any prolonged length of time. Because this may limit the amount of vitamin D you get from sun exposure, make sure your diet includes sources of vitamin D from foods or supplements.” 

Harvard Health Online has an excellent explanation of what exactly Vitamin D is – and how we get it and why we need it.

A 2025 article in Prevention.com lists the following possible health benefits of D3:

  • Strong bones
  • Improved immunity
  • Better heart health
  • Boosted mood
  • Strong muscles

Who can’t use all of those? But the real reason I’m all in is because I’m slightly addicted to the gumdrop-like berry flavor of these gummies. How many times do you actually look forward to taking your supplements? How many times do you have to stop yourself from enjoying just one more? It’s kind of like “have your cake and eat it too”or having two good things at the same time.

One gummy provides all of the recommended daily amount of D3

BUT – in case you aren’t really into healthy berry-flavored gumdrops – AND in case eating the flesh of fatty fish or taking fish liver oils or eating beef liver doesn’t appeal – AND if you’re not getting much sun exposure this winter, here’s a holiday-ish recipe that’s got a ton of egg yolks AND evaporated milk which is fortified with Vitamin D.

May the dessert boost your mood, if nothing else.

2 T of the evaporated milk supplies about 6% of the daily Vitamin D requirement.
One egg yolk supplies about 5% of the daily Vitamin D requirement

Our wish (among many) for the New Year: Don’t Be D-ficient!

And we (roughly) calculate you may get 23% of your daily Vitamin D requirement from just one nice-sized piece of this flan. Go for it!

Easy Mexican Flan
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