In one closet of this house, I have too many pairs of shoes.

With very long, very narrow feet, shoes have always been an expensive problem and, when I pay what I must to get them, I tend to keep them around far too long.

But, there is one pair in the closet I just can’t eliminate, even though they don’t fit as well as they should and, when I wear them longer than a few hours, they sometimes leave me with a blister. I can’t put my finger on any specific reason, but I love them, and I keep them.

When I had just turned 7, my father woke me in the very early hours of a January morning. “Come see your new sister, Margy; she’s a late Christmas present.”

I trailed him into their bedroom and there was my mother, holding a swathed bundle in her arms. She peeled back a layer of the wrapping and there, inside, was a tiny prune-like face.

I don’t recall having even the slightest idea, at that time of the morning, that my life was about to change forever.

That prune-faced mite, my sister, has been visiting us for the past 10 days, and now you’ll understand the bit about the shoes. She is like that pair of shoes; I love her, couldn’t even think of not having her in my life, but when we’re together for more than a day or two, she gives me blisters.

She’s a strong-minded woman, a product of the earliest days of women’s lib. She’s a controller, a manager, a writer, a great cook, too generous for her own good; she’s brash, in-your-face and confrontational. She has lived in the heart of New York City, in Manhattan, ever since she left tiny, unexciting Shelton, bounced briefly through Chicago, landed for a bit at the University of Michigan and was virtually thrown out because of the pamphlets she was handing out, left there to head for the Big Apple and Columbia University. She never looked back. She was, and still is, a much braver woman than

I ever was.

That, however, doesn’t mean she can march into my kitchen and start telling me how to cook the pot roast I’m preparing, or how she would serve the salmon fillet we’re having one night.

Nor does it allow her to march in to our TV room, grab the remote and make comments such as “You mean to tell me you’ve never even watched one episode of _______?!!” (I can’t even remember which show she was yapping about.) The tone of voice implies that we’re some sort of sub species that doesn’t even know how to turn on the TV, let alone what to watch.

We are, in short, two very different women born of the same set of parents, and when we’re together, hubby John says he feels as though he’s on the front line of artillery fire. I’m not sure what that means, but I don’t think it’s complimentary.

But, we’ve been together for more than a week now, and we’ve had a great, if scratchy, time. She shakes me up, makes me think, forces me to have a different point of view about one thing or another, and irritates me a good deal.

She is my sister blister.

RECIPES

As I said, my sister Shirley (aka “Toots” since babyhood) is a very good cook, creative and adventuresome, and we had a good time in the kitchen together.

Here is one of Toots’ very own recipes. We had spirited discussions over barbecue sauce while we were preparing this.

TOOTS’ BARBECUED BABY RIBS

3 racks baby back pork ribs (about 5 lbs.), each cut into 4-rib sections

1 t. salt

For the Sauce:

2 T. butter

2 onions, chopped

3 cups ketchup

1 bottle (12 oz.) chili sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup dark molasses

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 T. each, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice and fresh orange juice

1 t. cayenne pepper

1½ t. liquid smoke

Melt butter in a large saucepan over med. high heat. Add onions; sauté until softened.

Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thick and reduced to about 5 cups, stirring the bottom and scraping down pan sides occasionally. It will take about 1½ hrs.

Place ribs in a large pot. Cover with cold water and add the 1 t. salt.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 45 min. Drain. Divide ribs between 2 large rimmed baking sheets and spread about half the sauce over both sides of the ribs.

Let stand at room temp. at least 1 hr. (up to 2 hrs.)

Prepare the barbecue; heat to med. Grill the ribs until lightly charred, turning occasionally, about 10 min. Transfer to plates and serve, passing remaining sauce. Serves 6.

Note: If you don’t want to or can’t do these on the grill, brush with the sauce as indicated and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for ½ hr.

We all have minestrone recipes, each one slightly different. Toots’ minestrone has the double virtue of being quick to make and very tasty.

LIGHT, QUICK MINESTRONE

1 t. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (I use more)

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 lb. banana squash (or other squash, as available or preferred)

3/4 lb. Swiss chard (or baby spinach, or kale)

1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning

2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

In a 6 qt. pan, combine oil, onion and garlic. Stir over high heat until onion begins to brown, about 5 min.

Add broth and bay leaf; bring to a boil over high heat. Peel squash and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to pan, cover and simmer over med. heat until squash is tender when pierced, about 6 min. (If you’re using zucchini, there is no need to peel first).

Trim chard or spinach stems or whatever greens you’re using; rinse and shake off moisture. Stack and cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. Add greens, tomatoes and beans to the soup pot, bring back to a boil over high to med.-high heat, stirring often, and boil until greens are tender, 3-4 min. Season soup with salt and pepper; ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste. Serves 4-6, depending upon size of serving.

Living in New York as long as she has, my sister has picked up many unusual recipes from friends of many varied nationalities. She has a meat loaf recipe different from any of mine; I reluctantly admit it’s excellent, and different. I believe it’s origin is Lebanese.

KIBBEH MEAT LOAF

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups coarsely chopped onions

1 lb. very lean ground beef or lamb

1/2 cup water

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. salt, or to taste

1/3 cup chopped parsley

Black peppercorns

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt (I prefer Greek style)

Place bulgur in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with cool water.

In a food processor, finely chop the onions. Add beef, 1/2 cup water, pepper, cumin, cinnamon and sat. Whirl until mixture is a smooth paste.

Add bulgur and 1/4 cup of the parsley; whirl just to mix. Pat meat mixture evenly into a shallow 1 to 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Cut through mixture to make diamonds about 2-3 inches wide. Place a peppercorn in the center of each diamond.

Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 425-degree oven until meat is no longer pink in center, about 25 min. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and additional salt, if necessary, to taste. To serve, cut the diamonds apart and serve with yogurt accompaniment. Serves 4.