Noodle Casserole for Your Sinful Cake to Sit on 9/13/12

I didn’t really think it was possible for it to rain more than 15 minutes at a time until Friday evening.  My youngest granddaughter was a member of the Homecoming Queen Court at Adams Central High School, at  Decatur. Of course it would have been impossible to not have a Sanders cheering section. According to family tradition we were a few minutes late leaving Edgerton. This made us a few minutes late arriving at my son’s home where his wife had prepared a chili and snacks buffet. You know what happens to the best laid plans of mice and men!  We were more minutes late getting started to the football field.  But our guardian angels were on duty and we had a full five minutes after we were seated before the festivities began.

We tried to not notice a few heavy dark clouds to our right.  Our pick of the six senior girls who were court delegates was not chosen as the queen, but we took consolation in the fact that her escort was chosen as king!  As the football game began, we were more interested in chatting with relatives, but near the end of the second quarter it began to rain. A large number of people scampered down the bleachers seeking shelter as it began to rain harder.  My daughter-in-law shared her umbrella with me as my son scampered to his truck, which he drove as close to us as he could get in order to transport me to where we had parked.  In the meantime, my daughter came back to be certain that someone was looking after “mom”.

Aubrie

Did you ever see an 88 year old grandmother try to get in a pickup truck in the rain?  It wasn’t pretty but I made it. We had agreed to just go back to Keith and Mari’s home and finish off the chili. Rather than get me out of the truck and into another vehicle we just went back to their home in the truck. After indulging in an array of food, we decided to play cards. Our exchange student went with us and she had never played cards, but I was amazed at how quickly she followed our less than expert directions. Good job, Elsie. During our card game, I noticed a few lightning flashes. It apparently had not stopped raining all of that time.  We arrived home after midnight and it rained all the way home.  Too bad that we couldn’t have been in line for some earlier in the summer.   I talked to one of my farmer friends recently and he said, ”We will make it though.  Next year we will be right back out there planning another crop”.

On Thursday I tested my stamina and went to an all day meeting in Lagrange County followed by the DeKalb County Annual Farm Bureau Meeting. This included two catered meals. This was easier than me getting into that truck! The speaker was the Indiana State President. He made two comments that stuck with me. He stated that in Knox County (that is in the south western part of the state along the Wabash river and includes Vincennes) the average yield of corn this fall is between 4 and 25 bushels per acre! He pointed out a bright spot in all of this. A lot of our urban and city friends will learn where their food comes from, since the problem is nearly nationwide. That reminds me of my youthful days when our city cousins visited our home and one of them told me she did not like our milk from our cows. She wanted hers from the grocery store!

That makes a good entry into the food area. I was scanning a box of cook books that I had decided to part with.  I took one last look, as if I were deserting an old friend, and selected today’s recipes.
Hope these find some interested cooks.  I received comments from a reader about the ham and cabbage recipe (her husband approved and he likes very few vegetables).  One made the Rosy Apple Cobbler for a finicky friend’s birthday and it was a success. I have a delicious sounding chocolate cake recipe, but as I try to convince my grandkids that you have to have something healthy for the desserts to sit on, I will start with a healthy casserole.
                  
HAMBURGER NOODLE CASSEROLE
1 ½ pounds of hamburger
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small can creamed corn
1 can mushrooms
1 can tomato sauce
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 package noodles
There is no size mentioned of the size of the cans nor the bag of noodles. If you use a big bag of noodles. I would use a larger can of tomato sauce. Likewise, if you like a lot of mushrooms in a casserole, choose a larger size.

Brown hamburger, green pepper, and celery. (I would probably put in some onion, too.) Add corn, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Simmer for a few minutes. Cook noodles according to package Directions. Add noodles and cheese to hamburger mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
                              
SINFUL CAKE
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 package (14 oz.) Kraft caramels
½ cup evaporated milk
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour ½ of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Set remaining batter aside. Bake batter in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18 minutes. Meanwhile, melt caramels, milk and butter. Stir pecans into caramel mixture. Pour over cake.  Sprinkle with chocolate bits and pour remaining batter over top. Bake for 20 minutes until cake springs back when pressed with finger tips. Cool on a wire rack.  (Do not think about the number of calories, just think how fantastic this will taste).Do you think that would need a dip of ice cream or maybe whipped topping?

Oh yes, I should mention my two new great grandsons! The oldest, about 6-7 weeks, Juda Leo Sanders in South Bend and brand new, Luke Michael Digan in Ft. Wayne. They happen to be cousins. Don’t think I am to thirty greats yet but am over 25.  Need to “recalculate”.

Juda Leo at 6 weeks

Welcome to our country and town! 9/6/12

 Ribbon Crispies

Since we are into the Fall months, it seems that I have a few regrets.  I find that even though we endured some really harsh hot, dry weather this summer, I am not ready to box up my white slacks, and summer clothes. In the past, if you were really fashionably hip, you would not be caught in white clothes or shoes after Labor Day.  I think perhaps that rule has been modified.  At least I plan to wear mine a few more times.

Sunday was a day with many magic moments crowded into it.  My daughter and son-in-law have opened their home to a 16 year old exchange student from Africa.  They held an open house Sunday afternoon for their close relatives to meet Elsie.  It was a rare and very pleasant afternoon.  I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be that far from home, living with complete strangers, committed to stay for the entire school year.  For myself, when I have been gone from  home, even with people that I know, after only a few days all I want to do is go home. The Sleesman and Sanders families have committed themselves to make her visit with us as pleasant as possible. So we have an indefinite date as soon as she is comfortable in her new surroundings to make cut out sugar cookies.  She told me that she has never made cookies before. I sincerely hope that it does more than make her realize that she never wants to bake any again!!  A very precious moment to me was when she was sitting near me she leaned over and quietly said to me, “I really like your hair!”  I told her the only way you can get hair like mine is to get really, really OLD! She just flashed her very pleasant broad grin at me.  Elsie, welcome to the Sleesman and Sanders family, our country, and our Edgerton, where you will be attending classes at Edgerton High School this school year.  May your visit be filled with many, many magic moments and days.

Would you believe that I still know where the book and the recipe that I saved from last week is?  I had a pleasant surprise again from a friend who unselfishly donated lovely heads of cabbage from her garden.  I made last week’s cabbage casserole from my cookbook that I had never made.  Thanks to another friend’s recommendation, I made it and would label it very successful. If you like cooked cabbage, I hope you saved the recipe.   Now back to my favorites—desserts!
                      
BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM DESSERT
74 (approximately two sleeves) butter flavored crackers, crushed
¾ cup butter, melted
3 small packages instant butter pecan pudding mix
2 cups milk
½ gallon butter pecan ice cream, softened
1 carton (8 oz.) whipped topping
Halved or chopped pecans
Mix cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press into 9 x 13-inch pan. Whip pudding according to package directions, but reduce milk to 2 cups, fold in softened ice cream. Pour over crust. Cover with whipped topping and garnish with pecans. Refrigerate until serving time. (I think I would try at least part of the pudding just vanilla.  Use your own preference.)
                                  
RIBBON CRISPIES
This recipe was taken from an annual Taste of Home Cook Book and is
recommended for all children from “1 to 101”.
½ cup butter, cubed
2 jars (7 oz. each) marshmallow crème
11 cups crisp rice cereal
1 to 1 ½  cups peanut butter
1 to 1 ½  cps hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in marshmallow creme until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in cereal until blended. Press half of the cereal mixture into a greased 15 x 10 by 1 inch pan. Spread with the peanut butter. Carefully spread with the warmed hot fudge topping. Press remaining cereal mixture over the fudge layer. (pan will be full) Cool for ten minutes before cutting into squares.

Again, WELCOME to our country and town, Elsie!

Summer is leaving but good food is here to stay! 8/30/12

I was amazed when I wrote the date that anything you intended to do this summer had better already be accomplished.  Scarier  than that is that 2012 is already two thirds gone!  Time is whizzing by.  No wonder my hair is getting so white.

This last week was a rather quiet one, which was nice but it left me with a search for a magic moment.  I had more quiet time to relax in my recliner and just think about what I ought to be doing instead of scrambling to accomplish what had to be done before the next social obligation.  This afternoon did furnish some magic moments for me, built on the heartbreak of some of my extended family. I attended the calling hours for the death of an in-law in my paternal  grandmother’s extended family. We are distant enough  that they don’t have to claim me if they do not want to. As I was inquiring about the oldest son who lives in Atlanta. He was pointed out to me and as I made myself known to him, he responded with “Oh, you have to meet my wife. She has your cookbook”! A very pleasant interlude followed after she told me she has made everything in it, and it is a bit ragged and messy from so much use. They use the sausage casserole dish for Christmas that we have used for years. Flattery will get you places at times. So I volunteered to go home and get her a left over reprint which I autographed for them, so it will be worth more money after I get noticed as the author!  It was very nice touching base with the younger generation who have scattered across the continent.  Guess there is a silver lining to a lot of sad moments in our lives. I also renewed friendships with some of my farmer friends of the days when I worked at the elevator.  Duane was also a farmer in the area whom many of them also knew.

I imagine most of you are having withdrawal symptoms from the lack of dessert recipes this past week.  Let’s take care of that right now.  A friend told me that she had just recently used my recipe for ham and cabbage casserole.   I had to admit that I did not remember it. That seems odd because I can remember things that long ago, but am not certain that I ate my breakfast and took my medications this morning. Since it has been over 21 years since the book was printed, I am certain that we have some younger cooks who have not seen it.  Since it is a very simple casserole and seasonal, because many in an ordinary year  would have an ample supply of fresh cabbage in their garden.  I intend to try it this week, since I enjoy cooked cabbage.
           
HAM AND CABBAGE CASSEROLE
I quart shredded cabbage, (my friend said that she
 used more cabbage because it is a favorite of theirs)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 pound cooked ham, cubed
¼ cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup bread or crushed cracker crumbs
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, slowly stir in flour until smooth. Add milk stirring until thickened. Add cheese, ham and green pepper. In a buttered casserole, place a layer of cabbage that has been boiled five minutes, then a layer of ham and cheese sauce. Repeat, using sauce last. Sprinkle buttered crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Now , let’s get to the dessert.  I will save a good one for next week. I promise to remember which one and where I put it! I found this unusual apple cobbler recipe.  Hope it is as successful as the peach cobbler. Apple harvest time is just around the corner. Hope there is a successful harvest of them because I keep apples in my home nearly all of the time.
                       
RUBY APPLE COBBLER
4 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup red cinnamon candies
4 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 can (10 oz.) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
¼ cup chopped nuts
Mix together apple slices and lemon juice. Set aside. Combine marshmallows, cinnamon candies and cornstarch. Stir in water and butter. Cover low heat, stirring constantly, until candies are melted. Stir in apples. Heat until bubbly and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Pour into an ungreased 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Separate each biscuit into two layers Dip one side of each in melted butter, then in cinnamon sugar. Overlap, sugared side up, in rows over hot apple mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve warm.

Fine Arts, Good Food, Long Lives, Lasting Marriages, GOD IS GOOD 8/23/12

This past week has been a rather quiet one with a good number of days with very few social obligations.  Now wouldn’t you think that would be a great opportunity to get some deep but ignored cleaning done?  I had great plans, even wrote down a few, but do you know what happened?  I forgot to start them!  Oh, well this is another week, maybe I will activate those plans. (Please note that I slipped a “maybe” into that statement. That is enough to make me more relaxed.)

Last Monday was a great day for me.  Due to  a desire from a casual friend of mine who wanted to see a musical stage play in Shipshewana, Indiana, a group of seven friends made her suggestion a reality. I left home at 3:00 P.M. to join a car pool near Auburn.  We arrived at our destination to indulge in a family style dinner at the Blue Gate Restaurant, featuring chicken and ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green beans, freshly home baked bread, topped off with our choice of pie.  I chose a new experience of vanilla cream pudding over crushed red raspberries with whipped topping. To be great pie for me, it has to have above average crust.  It met all of this criteria.  It was a real treat that slipped down by itself after over eating of the fabulous home cooked meal.  I kept watching and I saw no calories nor sugar, so I enjoyed every bite.

We made a hasty exit from the dining hall upstairs to the Blue Gate Theater where we were mesmerized by the performance of The Confession, a story of an Amish family who had raised their adopted daughter without her ever knowing of her origin. The cast included all professional actors and trained musicians which made the next nearly three hours go by rapidly. Many thanks to several of my friends who made it possible for me to be a part of such an evening. It was a rather expensive evening, but I decided it would cost each of my kids only $5.75!  It rained harder than I have seen it rain all summer most of the way home, which made it later than I had thought I would be and it was past midnight when I quietly slipped into the house, turning only the minimum of lights on and crawled into bed hoping no neighbors saw this little old lady in such circumstances. There is another play scheduled with an  Amish background for September through November. Do not be surprised if we go back again.  I will have to fudge my time sheet for extra funds, but I think I can make it if I stay out of the grocery stores.

My week ended with a very full schedule for Sunday.  I had declined one invitation for a celebration for two special friends who  have been married for over 65 years, and were celebrating both of their advanced birthdays. I have known them since I was a sophomore in high school and was disappointed that I had already accepted an invitation for a baby shower for a first child of one of my granddaughters.  I could not possibly honor both invitations since one was in Kendallville. When my daughter picked me up for the shower she said she intended to get me back to Edgerton in time to get to the birthday party!  We made it at the last moment and were graciously received by Bob and Marcella Koerner and their family. May they have many good memories of the day. We hurried from there to the church basement for a 40th wedding anniversary celebration. Again we were the last guests to arrive but, were glad we made the extra effort to help them celebrate. Congratulations to you, Larry and Viv Welch.

We ate at only two of the parties, but I came home with no intentions of having anymore food. It was even difficult to think of any food that I thought you might be interested in.  It will surprise you that for a change I ignored all of the desserts that usually attract my first thoughts. I have eaten, and made occasionally, poppy seed chicken but this is a bit different as this uses diced chicken instead of whole pieces. It makes a large amount so maybe you can divide it in half or maybe freeze some of it before you bake it.   It suggests chicken breasts, but I am going to use a mixture of both white and dark meat, because that is what I like best.  The salad recipe is one that I have never tried but has possibilities.  The title fascinated me, too.
                                  
POPPY SEED CHICKEN
About 7 to 8 pounds of chicken, cooked and diced
1 ½  cups sour cream
2 tablespoons poppy seed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
½ cup chicken broth
1 ½ sleeves butter flavored crackers, crushed
1 stick butter
Place cooked and diced or shredded chicken in a 9 x 13 pan. Mix chicken soup, sour cream, poppy seed and broth. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle crushed crackers on top. Drizzle butter over all. ( I usually just mix the butter and crackers.  The recipe called for “2 cream cheese” but did not mention it when giving directions.)  Maybe some little old white haired lady turned in this recipe!  I am going to try it with at least 1 (8 ounce) package and then make a final decision.

Why don’t you live dangerously?
                      
HILLBILLY PINEAPPLE SLAW
I head shredded cabbage
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small onion, shredded
½ cup mayonnaise, more if needed
Salt and pepper if desired
1 package mini marshmallows (Use your own discretion as to size.)
Combine cabbage and onion. Stir in pineapple. Add mayonnaise. Stir in marshmallows. Enjoy.

Healthy, Happy, Better Educated School Kids 8/16/12

 Whole grain, apple and ham breakfast casserole

Oh, dear.  Can you believe that the last month of summer is half gone?  That means that school is starting already. It seems that the main thing I accomplished this summer is trying to keep cool, complaining about the extreme heat and the corresponding extreme electric bill from the air conditioner running constantly, and begging for the high percentage of forecast showers to please send a few drops to our town.  We are extremely grateful for the recent relief in both areas, plus lower temperatures and enough rain to revive the lawns from the ugly brown that they had all acquired to a semblance of green.

With school starting this week, have you noticed the articles in the press and magazines about the importance of a healthy breakfast for our kids before leaving home for a day of learning? This takes me back to my childhood, we won’t mention how many years.  We did not just crawl out of bed and run out the door to school.  My brothers had to go to the barn and milk cows, feed all of the animals and be back in the house for breakfast, cleaned up and ready for an 8:00 a.m. school bus. Skipping breakfast was not an option.  Sometimes it was fried potatoes and eggs, but more often it was a healthy cereal made from cracked wheat that we prepared in an antique coffee grinder. It was often prepared like cream of wheat.

That brings back another memory at the time of our little brother’s birth. We were all born at home  and at that time new mothers were bedfast for nearly three weeks and we had hired help with the household duties. An older lady whom we as kids did not know filled this need in our home.  She could not cook for sour apples!  She made a travesty of our usually welcome hot breakfast.  My dad with an authority sounding voice said to all six of us, “Just keep your mouth shut and eat it.”  Guess what, that is just what we did, but were overjoyed when her three weeks were over and our mother took over the cooking. We also had a cereal made from this same ground wheat that we made into a cake like breakfast food that we all enjoyed. I brought the idea to my own family and all but one daughter liked it. One daughter still makes it and brings some to our annual family camping weekend.  Her older sister still cringes at the thought.

As I look back, with no fast foods available and no cash available, we ate very healthy from products available from our farm life.  Maybe that has something to do with our longevity since 6 out of 7 of us lived beyond our eightieth birthdays.

As usual I have veered from the original idea of the importance of eating a healthy breakfast for school kids.  Reports have been published about the improved ability to learn when a healthy breakfast is supplied to school kids.  This does not mean a bowl of sugar coated cereal accompanied by a glass of too sugar laden so called fruit juice. I saved a recipe from the Journal Gazette just to try for myself, but it should fill the criteria of a healthy breakfast and can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning.

Here is to healthier breakfasts and smarter kids.  Maybe I should change that to “more readily  prepared to absorb learning”. (I say kids today are not smarter than we were, they are just exposed to more facts!)           
      
WHOLE-GRAIN, APPLE and HAM BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
4 ounces of deli-sliced ham, sliced
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
6 slices whole grain bread, cubed
8 egg whites
½ cup fat free half-and-half
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a medium sized casserole dish, toss together the ham, apples, bread cubes and cheese.  Beat together the egg whites and half and half.  (I think I would use the whole egg.) Pour the egg mixture over the bread and meat. Use a fork to gently press the bread to absorb the liquid. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the casserole. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate until morning.  Bake at 375 degrees, covered for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

The next one, I think I gave it to you once before, I bake often for myself. My daughter served it at a brunch several years ago and I think you will like it, too.  I have the recipe taped to the inside of my cupboard door where my nosey little old friend does not see it and hide it from me.

OATMEAL BAKE
3 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup peeled,  sliced apples
½ cup diced fresh peaches
½ cup blue berries, optional
1 cup English walnuts, coarsely chopped
Combine oats, brown sugar, (I use ½ cup Splenda brown sugar) baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Combine beaten eggs milk and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit and nuts.  I omitted the peaches and blueberries. I do not care for blueberries and did not have any peaches, so I used two cups of chopped apples. Place in an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, Do not over bake.
I like it best when I zap it in the microwave for a few seconds before adding milk. It works well to add the blueberries at this point.

May this help to create a healthier, happier and better educated group of future leaders in our community, state and nation.

Friends, aren't they great? 8/9/12

Friends, aren’t they great?  Several of mine filled my life with magic last week.  Really, now, how could a garage sale be so exciting?  You have probably heard of the power garage sales have over me in particular, with my sister being close behind.  I noticed an ad for one last week, but hadn’t made a decision about it when my sister called and mentioned something they had that she would like to see.  Friday morning found us merrily on our way, but neither of us had memorized the house number. We passed by twice and decided we would just go to Dollar General and then go home. As she was taking me home she asked quietly, “Should we drive down that street again?” I told her we might as well since we were using her gas!  On our second attempt, we located the garage at the back of a house between two closely located houses. We were very pleasantly surprised and equally joyfully received by two almost lifetime friends who were back home from Florida visiting family.  We shopped very little, bought nothing but stayed a good 45 minutes just chatting. She is a shirt tail relative, her grandfather was my dad’s first cousin.  That makes us distant enough that she does not have to claim me. Her husband was my “go to guy” when I had a technical problem beyond my comprehension that a hardware owner could solve without thinking. Since she told me she faithfully reads Magic Moments each week, I hope she is surprised to see our special time mentioned in this week’s paper. Thanks, Verg and John for a very pleasant time.

One evening I received a phone call from a friend who said she had left a bag on my back step.  I had been at home, but the catastrophic bolt of lightning in our neighborhood destroyed my wireless doorbell at my back door. I can seldom hear any one knock.  I was in for the evening and would not have gone outside again but she had brought some ready to eat peaches from her parent’s home. If I wanted anymore, I could just go down behind the house and pick what I could reach from the ground. Tree ripened Red Haven peaches! You can bet that the next morning I walked to the post office with a canvas grocery bag on my shoulder and then went to the peach tree. I thought I was being modest in the amount I took but by the time I got home with them, I wished I had taken a few less, or at least smart enough to drive my car. I froze several containers and baked three pies, which will provide a story for me for another week’s column. Each time I use them I will again relive the joy supplied from the generosity and kindness from friends. Thanks to Shirley and Darwin.  A daughter’s friend had more peaches than she wanted to can, so she shared with my daughter who shared a few with me. So, you can never tell how many people can benefit from your small act of kindness to others.

Now I have a connection to using these peach stories. Do any of you remember the peach cobbler recipe I gave  you last year?  I received public admonishment for putting a recipe that good in the paper! Several mentioned how good it was. (I had never made it!)  Last week someone mentioned me running it again.  I thought that was a good idea since it is Red Haven time. (They can’t be beaten in my estimation, and I had just seen a copy of the recipe the week before.) Now for the rest of the story. Would you believe that I cannot find my copy? The only explanation I can perceive is that “Nosey Rosey” was here again messing up my organized things! I do not know what book I found it in originally and searching through my computer folder was unproductive and endless. Yesterday we had a surprise dinner at The Barn for the 25th Anniversary of a son and his wife.  As we were leaving the restaurant, I saw a friend who had talked to me about the cobbler recipe at the Festival of Flags.  I ashamedly asked her if she had a copy of the recipe. Above and beyond the call of duty, a few minutes after I returned home my front door bell rang and there she was with a copy. Friends, aren’t they great?  Major thanks to another Shirley.

PEACH COBBLER IN A PINCH
5 large or 4 small peaches, peeled and sliced
½ cup butter, melted
5 slices white bread,  crusts removed
2 tablespoons  flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten
Place peaches in an 8 x 8 greased glass baking dish. Cut each  slice of bread into 5 strips. Arrange over the peaches. Mix sugar, butter, flour and egg and pour evenly over layer.   Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature. I will be having some for my lunch today!

I always told my kids and grandkids they have to have something healthy in their stomachs for the desserts to sit on.  So I will add a recipe for a simple casserole to prepare while you have the oven heated for the cobbler.

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1 ½ pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom sop
1 package (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom pieces
1 can cream of celery soup
1 package (2 lb.) Tater Tots
Spread cooked ground beef in bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle soup mixture over beef, next mushroom pieces, then mixed vegetables. Spread both soups overall. Place Tater Tots in rows on top of vegetables.  Bake at 325 for 1 ½ hours, or until vegetables are done.

Remember to do something unexpected for a friend. You never know how much joy or uplift it can mean in their life.

8/2/12

Another milestone in the schedule of our town has just been past.  This year’s Festival of Flags is now just a memory. Hope you were able  to participate in at least some of the festivities.  I do not cover as many activities  as I used to when it was only a block away and I could see some of the action from my front door.   Age and  convenience play a big part of the change in my participation.  I did attend the Thursday evening program and was very pleased with the performances.

Our congratulations  and appreciation for his commitment to Edgerton are heartily sent to our new Citizen of the Year, Dave Casebere.   The posthumous presentation to Bill Siebenaler’s family was well deserved and very appropriate. The community choir presented a fine performance under the direction of Kevin Riehle in a tribute to his dad who started the choir years ago.  It is amazing to me how a group of townspeople who just love to sing under the direction of someone who loves music can be so professionally sounding.  Good job, all of you who used your  God given talents for our listening pleasure.

The acknowledgement of each branch of the service was also very memorable.   Thanks to all of those present and the others in our lives who served.  Since the parade was near my back door, I had a front row seat and enjoyed every entry. Thanks to all of you who spent the time and effort it takes to make floats.  They are my favorite entries.  Thanks also go to the neighboring school bands as well as our own Edgerton band because you cannot have a real parade without bands.  My biggest regret and unfulfilled intention was that I did not get to the K of C fish tent! I am looking forward to next year’s celebration.

Thanks are in order for the few showers that we were fortunate to receive and the drop in 100 degree temperature.  I was so sure God was going to bless us with another shower when It got  so dark the other evening. Only a  few sprinkles came our way, but we will hope we are in line for the lighter promise of showers for this week.

I had a recipe in mind, (I even knew where it was.) but when I was looking for another one an idea crossed my mind and I hope I will remember what that one was for next week.  There was a section of recipes for kids in my cook book. So here are a couple you can use when you are entertaining grandkids.  They will be much more popular than a broccoli casserole or spinach salad!
          
WIENER CASSEROLE
¼ cup butter
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
6 wieners, sliced
1 egg,  beaten
1 can (12 oz.) cream style corn
1 can (10 oz.) tomato soup
½ cup buttered bread or cracker crumbs
Saute onions, celery and wieners in butter. Mix beaten egg with corn. Put wiener mixture in 1 ¼ quart casserole.  Cover with corn mixture and add tomato soup on top. Cover with butter crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes six servings.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
I carton of your favorite ice cream
1 box of graham crackers
Snap graham crackers in half. Slice ice cream into slabs a little smaller than the cracker. Put each slab of ice cream between two crackers. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and put in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Think I will make a few for myself with “no sugar added ice cream”.  Guess I am still a kid at heart. Maybe the wiener casserole would be a way to use up the ones I have in my freezer since a hot dog sandwich is not really appealing to me.