8/11/11

How could 18 years pass so quickly? It seems such a short time ago that he came into our lives. Yesterday we experienced a mixture of emotions as we sent my youngest grandson out into the world where he is entering his years long desire to enter the military forces. There was joy in seeing him accomplishing his dreams and a heaviness in our hearts, both from separation of his presence and the unknown factors of his decision. When I asked him if he were going to miss us, he looked at me with his special smile and held his thumb and index finger a nice small space apart and said, “Just enough!” I got a smile from him as I told him I just came over to inquire about the sign in his parents front window “Room for Rent!” There was a question in his mind how I would acclimate myself to his bunk beds.

Yesterday brought back so many vivid memories of the time approximately 45 years ago when we sent our oldest son, at the same age, out into the world to a transportation school in Minnesota, then to O’Hare field in Chicago. We took him to Baer Field to catch a plane. At that time we had to walk outside the terminal to the plane and the passengers ascended a metal ramp into the plane. As we stood on the ground with heavy hearts and tears falling on my shoulders, his face appeared in a plane window with a mile wide grin and his hand waving us a cheery good bye!

I have been talking to myself the past 24 hours and have convinced, ( I think) myself that I will have to adapt the scripture and the homily from Sunday’s services about our need to plug in our faith, as Christ taught Peter when he tried to walk across the water to him and he reprimanded him with “Oh, ye of little faith”. We have been given our kids for only a few years to love, teach, mold, guide and prepare them for their independence, similar to the wildlife birds who eventually shove their young from the nest. Then we have to be supportive from a distance with much love and many prayers. May God keep him in His hands and lead him to a great future, with all of his family cheering him on with love close by on the sidelines.

It is too difficult to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, as I had originally planned. So I will save those thoughts for next week, if I can remember where I put them.

I had picked two recipes before I decided what I would base this column around. They are both a little different from my usual choices, but I think they might complement each other to give you a change in your meal planning. I resorted to an old Taste of Home annual cookbook. Maybe some of you have already tried them.

DIJON GFREEN BEANS
1 ½ pounds fresh green beans
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
½ small red onion ,sliced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Cover beans with water. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered,
for 10 minutes or until crisp tender. For dressing, whisk
the vinegar, oil, mustard salt and pepper. Drain beans. Add
tomatoes and onion. Drizzle beans with dressing and toss to
coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

ALMOND CHICKEN CASSEROLE
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 can( 10 ¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 hard cooked eggs
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup crushed cornflakes
2 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup sliced almonds
Combine all ingredients except cornflakes, butter and almonds.
Spread into 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Toss cornflakes
with butter, sprinkle over cheese. Top with almonds. Bake uncovered
at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.