Family Time

Family get togethers. Here's what ours look like.

A cousin of my parents moved away and came back for a visit.

Thus the reason for the family gathering.

Most of the time we sit around talking.

And talking.

and talking.

And horseshoes?

Yep. Gotta play horseshoes.

Three generations. That's what family gatherings are all about.

Everyone talking, catching up on everything going on in each other's lives.

Oh, and food. What happened to the food? Oh yeah, I was eating, I put the camera down.

Aww, the newlyweds.

The youngest generations is all about playing.

Some wise parent brought balloons and an air pump.

A balloon got stuck on the roof.

Here's a good example of the cousins all playing together.

(The little one was either pretending to sleep, playing dead or throwing a tantrum, I don't remember which).

Also notice youngest DD's reliance on the sling for her broken arm. It's nice to be young.

Then we lit sparklers for all the young ones.

Youngest DD immediately realized she could make shapes.

Mesmerized.

Okay, this is fun. But I wanna catch more lightening bugs.

Small circles. Lets not catch that grass on fire.
(Good thing most of the relatives were firemen.)

Wow! (Scribble, scribble, scribble,) Wow!

Okay, lets hold this thing as far away from my body as possible.

Hmm, I think I could write something with this!

Ohh! How did he make that spark jump like that? Supremely cool!

Love ya!

Yet more from the garden

I thought that perhaps I would let you see that I also make disasters in the kitchen. Here's the latest, an attempt at a zucchini casserole.

The zucchini and the yellow squash are doing really well in the garden right now. I've been seeking new recipes via the Internet in which to use my bounty. Of course Chocolate Zucchini Cake is always a hit, but I really want to get my DC to learn to eat this as a vegetable - not hidden in lots of sugar and flour. I've found recipes for using the blossoms. They sound interesting, but I'm not sure that I'm ready to go there yet. So I decided to use a recipe that I haven't made in a year or two. I remember liking it.

First you wash and slice up the squash. (My main problem was that I had too much squash for the recipe). Then you brown some ground beef, adding garlic and onion if desired. Melt some butter, whip that with some eggs, salt, pepper and spices, like basil. Mix that with the ground beef and pour all that over the cut squash. Top with cheddar cheese.

This actually looked pretty good before baking. Then toss it in the oven and . . .

Hmm, dry, brown crusty thing. I think all of us agreed with my youngest for this dinner - "I hate pickles." (Note: I haven't actually given you the recipe, no point in passing on disasters).

Fortunately, my middle DD helped me bake something else that was a much bigger hit. Cranberry Crisps. The original recipe is from Best of Country Cookies, but I've modified it, so I can share it with you.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups oats

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/3 cups Craisins

1 cup white chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli)

Cream butter, shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Mix in vanilla. Combine next 6 ingredients, gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the Craisins and chips. Spread on large, greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm.

Mmmm, doesn't that look good :o)

Yep. It is good!

Another 8th Grade Advancement

My boy graduated from 8th grade 8 days ago. Only we weren't there. Neither was he. We were out of state, with the relatives, a death in the family. So we missed the whole gown, processional, receiving the certificate thing. I don't think my son really cared. But I'm sad. Mostly because I now have no pictures. So, I made sure to bring my camera along when we took him out for dinner to celebrate his advancement. Like his older sister, he had already opted to skip the big dance they hold for 8th grade, and simply go out to dinner with his parents and grandparents. So we scheduled the dinner shortly after returning home.

Smile for the camera, son. These are my cherished memories! Oh wait, that actually is a bit of a smile as he peeks out from under his hair. He wants me to cut it. He doesn't like it that long. His cousins were somewhat jealous of how straight it is. They want his hair.

Here he is, inside of Cheeburger-Cheeburger. We've had the cheeseburgers and fries here without any problems. Sometimes we'll even get a shake (although I can only recommend vanilla as a safe option). This was his choice for dinner. He's flanked by Grandpa and Dad, smiling as only he can when he knows a cameras pointed at him.

He received a watch from Grandma and Grandpa. He seemed impressed that this used to be a traditional high school graduation gift. He tried it on. He switched to wearing it on his left arm the following day. We, his parents, gave him, well, dinner.

And here he is. My newest High Schooler. Am I ready for this?!?

Way too fussy for me

Today I prepared Salmon Pomodoro and Rice with Strawberry Spinach Salad. And no, I do not know what got into me. DH and I were at Sam's Club this past weekend. They had samples of the salmon and salad along with recipe cards. We tried the samples (by the way - don't serve them on the same plate, the juices from the salmon and the dressing from the salad really shouldn't mix). I took the recipe card and glanced at it, a few ingredients I would never buy, but not too bad.

So today salmon was on sale at the grocery store. (Alaskan wild salmon, not that farm-raised stuff). So were strawberries and spinach. Hmm, maybe I need to look over that recipe card again.

So here it is: Salmon Pomodoro with rice. (I searched Sam's Club online for the recipe and it's not there, so I'm posting it for you with my substitutes.)

6 (4oz) salmon fillets
1 T salt
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 tsp dried basil
1 T rice vinegar

Sprinkle salmon with salt (the actual recipe called for a mixed seasoning which I don't use on FG, so I simply used salt). Heat half the oil in a large skillet on high, add peppers, onions and garlic. Saute until onions are tender, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, vinegar and basil, stir. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes until heated through.

In another skillet, heat the rest of the oil over high. Sear salmon for 3 - 4 minutes on each side or until it flakes easily with a fork. Top each fillet with 1/2 cup of sauce and serve with a spoonful of rice (which you have to remember to cook, because I didn't include it in the recipe).

And I also served Strawberry Spinach Salad on the side. Again, no recipe available online, so here's my version.

1 lb fresh spinach, washed and dried (thick stems removed)

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 kiwi, peeled and diced

1/4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup Farmer's Cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1/2 cup Strawberry-Kiwi Green tea

1/4 cup Rice vinegar

1 T Honey

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

Since the called for tea is a mix of artificial flavors I had to make my own. First I boiled water to make the tea. In a glass measuring cup I sliced some strawberries and kiwi, added a bag of green tea and poured on the hot water, then let it seep. After several minutes I strained out all the solids and proceeded with the recipe. (The leftover tea was surprisingly good).

In a small bowl, mix tea, honey, vinegar, garlic salt, pepper and mustard. While stirring add in the olive oil. In a large bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, kiwi, cheese and pecans. Add dressing and toss gently. Serve.

Although good, this meal was way too fussy and involved for me. Maybe I could make one dish, but both together was too much. The leftover salad dressing lasted a few more days and was good on regular lettuce salads as well. (Or did I use it up as a marinade? I don't remember). Oh well, it's not like I'm trying to write a food blog.

Father's Day

I have to admit. It's really nice to have kids that are capable of cooking when it comes to days like this.

For Father's Day we asked DH what he would like to eat for his breakfast in bed. I requested strawberry filled crepes for my day back in May, and DH was good enough to come through, so I wanted to return the favor.


DH said we could make crepes, or french toast, or scrambled eggs. Anything would be okay. So we made crepes, and french toast and scrambled eggs and coffee (that's something I really do not do). He was a little overwhelmed.

Oldest DD made the french toast and scrambled eggs while DS tried his hand at pouring and flipping crepes. I took over later and the rest of us had crepes for breakfast.

This is just a nice picture of all of them gathered around their father. It also shows youngest DD's sling with all the signatures of her classmates. (Just what good is a broken arm if there's no cast to sign?)

Garden Produce

I've been busily taking pictures thinking that perhaps you all would like to know what I'm cooking with the abundance from my garden. (I know, I delude myself).

Actually, abundance is hardly the word. Today we picked our first squash :o) Two yellow and one zucchini. So tonight, we are having them for dinner. Tonight I'm just going with the really simple, tried and true, Sauteed Squash.



You start with ripe garden squash. The size shown in the picture is perfect. This really isn't something you can do with those mammoth squashes that come later in the summer. Clean it, slice off the ends and cut the squash into coins.




In a skillet heat a tablespoon or two of oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil). Gently flip the squash while sauteing. (I'm not a professional, I use wooden spoons to do this, I'm not skilled at just flipping things in the pan). Saute until the squash is tender, add salt, then serve.

Our sauteed squash got served with steak and Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes. And of course the youngest did complain, "I hate pickles!"

In Remembrance of Nana

Beatrice Mary

- Marie -

November 23, 1932 - June 12, 2009

Nana

Nice loving Nana,

Sweet as can be everyday,

believes in the Lord.

By,

Rachel

A broken funny bone.

It's a saying I've heard reference to throughout my life. Someone has no sense of humor, or they simply didn't get whatever joke, or perhaps they were offended by a joke and someone else will comment,"I guess you've got a broken funny bone." Or (more commonly, I think) you bang you're elbow and feel a shooting pain up you're upper arm and someone will say "Careful, don't break your funny bone." Well, youngest DD broke her funny bone. No, I'm not joking.

She was playing on the swings with friends and they started pushing her a little too vigorously and she fell off. She came home crying. So I did what I always do, hugged her, visually looked her over for obvious injuries and plopped her in front of the TV. A half an hour of Sponge Bob, and she was still intermittently sobbing that it hurt so I figured something is probably really wrong.



I called DH and we were soon on our way to the Emergency Room. (And let me tell you FG friends, there were absolutely no FG friendly snacks in the hospital's vending machine! Everything was loaded with artificial garbage. All we could give the kid was some Coke and Glee Gum that I had in my purse.) Three hours later she was acting quite perky and we were ready to give up and go home when they finally called us back into the examination room. Our jaws just about hit the floor when they told us she had a fracture in her humerus bone. The nurse even commented that DD was the happiest kid with a broken bone that she had ever seen. Apparently DD has a very high pain tolerance.



The break is about an inch from her shoulder, so it can't be cast. They gave her an immobilizing sling. Of course they only had an adult size, so I could probably wind the straps about her twice if I wanted to. She's to wear it 24/7, even sleep with it. Obviously it needs to be removed whenever she's changing clothes, so lucky me, I get to dress my 7yo.



The next afternoon we went to the orthopaedic specialist. He showed me the x-rays. The bone is not broken the whole way through. The fracture is not in the growth plate. And that area of the bone is surrounded by a thick membrane which will help to hold the bone in place while it heals.
Just about the best possible kind of break a child can have. He gave her a child's size sling. Just a normal sling - not even an immobilizing sling. He assured me that she'll be fine with that. The biggest problem right now? No cartwheels, no biking, no scooters, no running - basically nothing active because there's no protection if she should happen to fall.


The neighbors were going around telling everyone that their friend broke her collar bone. I had to correct them. "No, no. She broke her funny bone. . . Seriously."