Just like this month, another great experience that I have been looking forward to for many weeks is now past history. When August arrives, to me that means that summer is in its final stages and I should start trying to remember which box and which room I stored my sweaters and light weight jackets. This past weekend was another one of my family’s annual camping weekends. Just like always it was much warmer than we had ordered. We also had our nearly annual thunderstorm, which failed to dampen our spirits as it did our camp sites during the night.
This year, after a long series of Harrison Lake adventures we ventured into a new county. My daughter who had planned the activities and fine details of the weekend for years, decided she was “burned out” and wanted to be relieved of her duties. A granddaughter and her husband graciously stepped up to the plate and invited us to their favorite campground in Paulding County, also accepting the heavy duty of being responsible for the meals. (Jeremy is a fabulous cook!) As grandkids are establishing their own families and scattering country wide, our attendance was drastically diminished, but not the forever present family connection. All of my kids were present except one, and the young attendees consisted of great grandkids, attending with their grandparents.
Other than the nocturnal thunderstorm and heavy rainfall, a few skinned knees and fingers caught in camper doors, some thoroughly worn out wee ones, it was a great weekend. The campground was celebrating Christmas in July and many campsites were decorated for Christmas, some quite elaborately. On Saturday afternoon it was announced that Santa would be arriving at a definite hour. Would you believe he arrived on water skis, passing under a bridge over a waterway? After he did several sashays under the bridge and got out of his wet suit he appeared in the campground center and passed treats and gifts out to the kids who had assembled on the floor. The final surprise of the weekend was a hayride, tractor , wagon and driver supplied by the campground, for nearly thirty of us. I was graciously supplied with a chair and did not have to balance myself on a bale of hay. Thanks to Amy, Jeremy, Bob and Deb for another great family celebration.
After more food than anyone needed for several days, I find it difficult to be too exuberant in finding new recipes for you to try. So let’s try to get back on a more healthy agenda than just what satisfies our taste buds. I picked out recipes last evening, but succumbed to the nagging desire to get some sleep. So here I am in the wee hours of the morning, trying to meet my deadline. After yummy desserts my mind usually turns to something new to do with vegetables.
MUSHROOOM CORN CASSEROLE
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 can (14 ¾ oz.) cream style corn
Salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 can (15 ¼ oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom pieces. drained
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 ½ cups buttered crumbs, bread or cracker
Saute green pepper and onion in a tablespoon of butter. Stir in flour, cream corn, salt and pepper. Add cream cheese, stir until blended. Stir in whole kernel corn, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Transfer to a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish. Melt remaining butter, add crumbs. Sprinkle over the corn mixture. Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
CABBAGE WITH HERB BUTTER
1 medium head of cabbage, (about two pounds)
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup minced chives
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cut cabbage into wedges, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Combine butter, cheese, onions. Parsley, lemon juice and thyme. Drain cabbage, transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with herb butter. Sprinkle with cheese.
I just noticed a suggestion for any vegetable. Cook to your degree of tenderness, drain, add butter. Then sprinkle with dry Italian salad dressing mix. Stir and serve for a tasty side dish. A new idea found in an old book.
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