9/1/11

Look what happened when I wasn’t looking. Where did the summer go? Seems as if it were just a short time ago that I was so tired of snow, snow, snow. Here already it is time to put my white shoes and white slacks, back into storage. At least we can give many thanks for the diminished amount of damage from what was forecast from the hurricane that hit the East coast. No matter how our lives are disrupted there are always things to be thankful for.

My busy schedule for the weekend included 2 funerals, a baby shower, my weekly visit to the nursing home, and we won’t mention a couple of garage sales. I am always comforted by my visits to see my sister at the nursing home by her uncomplaining acceptance of her controlled existence brought on by her extended illness. In her “other life” she was always going somewhere and doing something. When I went in her room she smiled from ear to ear and said, ”I was just thinking about you”. Even though I went to cheer her, she sent good feelings my way, thanking me for coming and making a good spot in her day. I have added her name to the list of people I want to be like when I get old. We always find something to laugh about. My visit was indeed a magic moment for both of us.

I was searching for recipes last evening and then closed the book without marking the ones I wanted to use. By now I should realize that it was a dangerous thing to do,. I did remember what book I had used. So today we will venture into a couple that I have not tried to make nor heard about before. I use the theory that if you put good ingredients into a project you should get a good product. Let’s see if that works this week. They both sound good to me.

SCALLOPED EGGS, HAM AND MUSHROOMS
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup dry breadcrumbs (Think we could substitute crackers?)
¼ cup butter
6 hard cooked eggs, sliced crosswise1 cup cubed, cooked ham
½ cup sliced mushrooms
Make a white sauce of 3 tablespoons butter flour, salt and milk. In a
casserole dish alternate 1 cup of the dry crumbs moistened with the butter, hard
cooked eggs, ham and mushrooms. Over this pour the white sauce.
Top with buttered crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

EAGLE BRAND COOKIES
30 graham crackers, crushed
1 cup English walnuts, chopped
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
Mix ingredients well and drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. These freeze well.

I forgot to mention that we old cooks can learn from the younger generation. I was a supper guest at my son and daughter-in-law’s home. She made a creamed chicken mixture over biscuits. I tried to copy the idea. It is a long story, so we will save it for next week.