Archive for July, 2006
Coming up later this week:
fruit-topped coffee cake
southern fried okra
Sprite floats
crispy crunchy peppers
My wonderful husband, who loves sauerkraut, was nice enough to actually put some down himself this year. I’ve done it in the past, but not for several years now, since it is something of a pain.
But to him, buying kraut in the store is just not the same and he’s been wanting some homemade sauerkraut for a long time. So, four weeks ago, on his long Fourth-of-July weekend, we bought 10 cabbages and he shredded it, salted it down, and set it in a crock on my countertop to ferment. Two days ago, it was done and I canned it, so now we have 18 pints of sauerkraut at our disposal. Correction — we ate one and are giving a couple away — make that 15 pints. Oh, how quickly it can disappear!
(If anyone actually wants to try this, leave a comment and I will post or send you the directions.)
The wonderful thing about sauerkraut is that it is VERY low in calories but HIGH in flavor! A whole cup of sauerkraut has a whopping 27 calories. However, it’s pretty high in sodium, so if you’re watching that, sauerkraut is not the best thing for you.
In case you like sauerkraut and are not sure what to do with it, I will offer some suggestions:
1. Put it on grilled hot dogs.
2. Top your grilled bratwurst or other sausage with it.
3. Make a slow-cooked pork roast and put the sauerkraut right in there with it.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes.
5. Buy frozen pierogies and serve them with sauerkraut and sausage.
6. Buy some corned beef and swiss cheese and make Reuben sandwiches.
7. Make a ‘pizza’ with kraut, sausage, and swiss cheese.
8. Ever hear of sauerkraut balls?
9. Fry up some hashbrowns, add sauerkraut and maybe sausage or ham.
10. Use it as a tangy, crunchy topping for any sandwich.
Enjoy!
July 31st, 2006
Recently, we took the whole family to the neighborhood swimming pool on a Saturday. We were all splashing and having a good ole time when suddenly, the smell of fire-grilled hamburgers drifted through the area.
My husband and I took immediate notice and were at once very hungry and tired of playing at the pool. About fifteen minutes later, we had all the kids in the van and a plan to stop at the grocery for supplies in place.
Man, when you smell grilling burgers, sometimes absolutely nothing else will do. Occasionally we take an after-supper walk through our neighborhood and I am always disappointed if we walk through the aroma of grilling meat after having had a casserole for dinner.
That day we’d been at the pool, I let hubby take charge of the burgers while I made sure the kids got their swimsuits and towels into the washer, the sunblock and snacks put away, and so on.
Here’s how Pat made the burgers:
Grilled Hamburgers
makes about 8 patties
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
4 T. wheat germ
In a large bowl, dump all of the ingredients. With your bare hands (Wash them first and take off any rings!) squash it all together until it seems to be combined well. You may have to wash your hands again, if they are getting too sticky to work with. Form into patties — make a ball, then begin to flatten it while keeping the edges together. Make them thin and much larger than you want the finished product to be. They will shrink up quite a bit.
Working with raw meat is not for overly squeamish people. I once saw an acquaintance forming (well, attempting to form) hamburger patties with two forks, so she wouldn’t have to touch the meat. Needless to say, we ended up eating hamburger “balls” stuffed between two buns. If you can’t handle touching raw meat, buy pre-formed patties.
Good condiments for grilled burgers can be basic:
ketchup
mustard
pickles
onions
mayonnaise
American cheese
Or a little more complex:
coleslaw
sauerkraut
bacon
bleu cheese
jalapenos
barbeque sauce
Serve with some chips and soda (or pop) and you have a great after-swimming dinner!
July 27th, 2006
I have a confession to make.
I’ve been taking my refrigerator for granted. I wasn’t paying attention to it, I wasn’t grateful for the 13 years of service it gave me. In fact, I was paying so little attention to it, that when my milk began souring regularly, I blamed the grocery store.
We tend to do that, don’t we? We take for granted something (or, sadly, someONE) who is steadfast and faithful. My fridge was always there, always cool, never complained or made strange noises. I unthinkingly assumed it was happily doing its job for me like it always has.
How wrong I was! When I finally considered it, I put a thermometer in my faithful friend, to find out it was unable to cool properly.
I have three lessons for my readers today:
1. Your fridge should be able to stay under 40 degrees F without difficulty. Mine could almost get down to 40, overnight when no one was opening it for long periods of time. In order to prevent the growth of bacteria, a refrigerator should be able to stay between 32 and 40, even when 7 people are opening it regularly. Check the temp in your fridge every so often to be sure.
2. Don’t take your appliances for granted. Clean the coils of your fridge. Clean out your oven. Defrost your freezer. Blow the dust out of your computer. Do the little maintenance jobs, even if they seem like a pain. Put it on your calendar and do it every month or so. If you do it often, it won’t seem so bad.
3. And this is the biggie — Don’t take people for granted.
Are there people in your life that you rely on who never complain, yet they are always there for you? They have needs, too, even if they don’t voice them. Don’t let the squeaky wheels get all the oil. Pay attention to your loved ones. Maintaining a relationship is a heck of a lot easier than trying to repair a broken one. If I treated my husband like I was treating my old refrigerator, we would be in trouble.
I like the latest Klondike Ice Cream Bar commercials. In one, a wife comes home and the husband, who is sitting on the couch, notices that she got her hair cut while she was out. He makes a small comment. The narrator breaks in and says, “Mr. So and So noticed his wife’s hair. Give that guy a Klondike bar.” It’s true that these little things are the ones that we must do to maintain a great relationship with the people around us. Notice them. Pay a little attention.
Our nature is to be selfish on many different levels. It’s all about me. Now, it’s good to have a good self-image, self-esteem, etc. But we also have to be aware of, thankful for, and giving towards those around us.
I challenge myself and my readers today to take a minute and notice someone around you. Listen to them. Pay attention. Say something kind. Appreciate them. For just a minute, make the world a kind place for them. If you do, I promise you that you will…
Have a Great Day!
July 26th, 2006
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