Yes. I'm Still Here

Yes. I'm still here. I just can't seem to get anything posted. Can't seem to get anything cooked either. Ever have days like that? I've had "cook's block." That's like writers block but it's happening in the kitchen. But I'd better get myself together. Next week we will have the whole family together for the July 4th week. And I'm pretty sure they expect to eat. And expect me to cook—at least some of the meals. I know there will be help. But I need a plan. 

I know I need to stop using "we had a wedding..." as an excuse. But it did consume much of our thought and planning and doing for weeks and weeks and weeks. Then I think I just stopped. We planted nothing in the garden this year. But in God's infinite grace, a few things came back anyway. We have no fresh tomatoes this year. But one cucumber vine appeared and that single vine is producing plenty of fresh cucumbers for us. 

The zinnias and sunflowers are in bloom. Those are the zinnias that were actually pulled up and that bed cleared at the end of last summer. But enough seeds had fallen into the ground that they grew again and bloomed one more time. And now they are blooming again for the third time. Leftover flowers. Stubborn flowers. Happy flowers. 

In the very weedy herb bed, I still have sage. LOTS of sage. There is plenty of lemon balm. And some leggy chives. I THINK there is a little dill growing. And I need fresh dill for one of the cucumber recipes. Thinking I will buy some...just in case the dill in the bed of weeds is really a look-alike weed. 

Family, if you are reading this, know that I am making a plan. A week of menus (that are totally flexible) and I'm printing out recipes and working on a grocery list right now. 

Where did I find inspiration to get going again? Right here on my own blog. This morning I looked through the recipe index. There are recipes there that I know we love because they are recipes I've made myself. (Bowties w/Tomatoes, Grapes & Feta anyone?) But I promise I had totally forgotten about them. It's like someone hit the reset button on my brain and wiped out all previous data. But I'm ready to get going again.

Here's what's on this weekend's cucumber agenda:

These pickles are a breeze to make. You can read the original post and the follow-up post for more tips. But I know they can be refrigerator ready in minutes. GoodnightGram uses this recipe and only pickles onions. That's something to try if you don't have cucumbers.

MICROWAVE BREAD & BUTTER PICKLES

1 cup sugar 

1 cup white vinegar 

2 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon dry minced garlic 

1 teaspoon mustard seeds 

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds 

1/2 teaspoon tumeric 

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin 

2-3/4 to 3 lbs pickling cucumbers, sliced

Mix everything except onion and cukes in a large microwave safe bowl. Stir in onions and cukes. Microwave 9 minutes on high, stopping to stir at 6 1/2 and at 4 minutes to go (as the microwave timer counts down.) 

Remove and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight before placing in jars. Store in fridge. NOTE: SPICES WILL STAIN A PLASTIC BOWL OR SPOON OR KITCHEN COUNTER!

Yield: 6 to 7 half pint jars 

Once you find the right size dish, this gets even easier. I used my postal scale to weigh cucumbers. I learned that three cucumbers from the garden weighed roughly one pound. So I sliced nine cucumbers and measured them---just about 8 cups. I used a 2-1/2 quart Corningware casserole for the cooking part. It looked like it was nearly too small when I added cucumbers and the onion (had to leave out a few cukes.) But as they cooked in the microwave, they started to cook down.

And we LOVED this cool, creamy salad. How did I forget ever making it? I will remedy that quickly. 

CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD

2-3 cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/4 Vidalia onion (a sweet white onion,) thinly sliced 

1/3 cup sour cream

juice of half a lemon

1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh dill

salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mix cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix remaining ingredients and stir until blended. Pour over cucumbers and stir to combine. Garnish with more dill and serve.

I didn't measure a thing, but I'm giving you an actual "recipe" as a starting place. After I mixed mine, I tasted and adjusted the seasonings. Mine needed a little more salt and dill. Do it that way and you won't have to go find the "recipe" when you want to make this.

And this one is classic. And it's fast. Just a matter of slicing up a cucumber or two. And an onion. 

CUCUMBER SALAD

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

3 slightly-rounded tablespoons sugar

sprinkle of salt 

cucumbers, peeled & thinly sliced

sweet onion, thinly sliced & separated into rings

Mix vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour over cucumbers and onion. Place in refrigerator for an hour or longer before serving.

I like to use a glass bowl for this because of all the vinegar. Does that really make a difference? I don't know but that's how I do it. You can adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to suit your family if you want it sweeter or less sweet, or not quite as tart. But these measurements are a good starting place.

Lake Days

If you've noticed there aren't quite as many posts happening right now, you are right.

We've been spending more time at the lake. "Gee, you're so lucky to have a lake house!" people say. And they are right.

But remember a lake house doesn't come with hotel amenities you might enjoy on vacation. No daily maid service to make the beds and clean the bathrooms. No call to housekeeping if you run out of clean towels. No restaurant downstairs when you're hungry.

No. When the lake house belongs to you, all of these things are your responsibility. Maintenance. Yard work. Plumbing problems. Dying refrigerator. Anything that needs to be done. And when it's an old house, something always needs work. So be careful what you wish for.

The other side of that coin is that you can spend time (after you've done your chores) on the water. Exploring the lake and watching the changes that happen from season to season. From year to year.

It's where we watch the cloud show in the sky. There is a spectacular fireworks display that will happen down the lake in a couple of weeks. But I'll take Mother Nature's brilliant cloud display over that. And there are stars at night. Take a blanket down to the pier. Lay back. Look up. 

The lake house gives us a place to gather. Over and over. Year after year. Family and friends. To make memories. To teach a child, and then a grandchild, how to fish, how to drive the boat. To sit under the porch fan and read a book or work a jigsaw puzzle. It's fun bound together with tradition.

It's a place to tell stories that begin with, "Do you remember when...?" Or, depending on the visitors (like those who hung out here during high school or college years,) "It's a good thing these walls can't talk!" There are so many memories bound up with this piece of property.

This lake house is the place where I met Daddy-O when we were in high school, back when there were only trees across the lake from us. (It was years later before we had our first date.) Now, after almost 40 years of marriage, it's where we sit together on the porch with morning coffee and watch the first fisherman float by.

So. Lots of work? Yes. A whole lot of work. I'm dressing in my oldest jeans and my least favorite T-shirt and heading out this morning, armed with a mop and Swiffers and a bucket and Pine-Sol. It's time to get things ready for our family week there in July. Would I want it any other way? No.

Friends, Porch Knitting, & Cold Soup

Cold Curried Squash Soup

I am determined to get this posted before the week is over. And it's Friday already! I'm behind. Our seemingly endless rain has finally stopped, so we've been busy with other things. Now it's hot and muggy. Not complaining. It is what it is. But that means you might need a cold recipe to make for lunch or a light dinner this weekend. You need to make this soup.

As much as I enjoy knitting, the best part of the Mason-Dixon knitting retreat was the people part. The time spent with friends I've made at other retreats in previous years. One of these sweet ladies invited us to stay at her mountain house that was just down the road from the retreat location. (A campus dorm room isn't that bad, but I didn't hesitate to say yes when the offer was extended.)

Her house there reminded me of our lake house. Not in how it looked. Certainly not the size! But I could tell there were years and years or memories seeped into the walls. Lots of charm and character everywhere you looked. It was a "make-yourself-at-home" house that begged you to relax. Most of our time (when we weren't at the retreat) was spent on the porch where we knitted and nibbled and chatted. White wicker. Blue cushions. Picture perfect.

My favorite part of each day was the quiet early morning when I would tiptoe downstairs, push the button on the coffee pot, sneak out on the porch still in my pajamas, and knit while I listened to the birds and waited for the coffee to drip. Actually, my MOST favorite part of the day was when the others would wander down one by one and join me.

Our gracious hostess made sure that we saw the sights in this tiny town. Such gorgeous buildings on the nearby college campus.

I was in awe of the chapel interior and the dining hall.

Now, before you think that we had a quiet meditative few days on that blue and white porch...ummm, no. We had a few ukulele lessons out there, and talked a mile a minute, told stories, and laughed a lot. Thankfully, it is totally possible to knit and talk at the same time. That's one reason it's a great social hobby We all came home with a list of books to read, movies to see, and TV shows to binge watch. There were knitting patterns recommended, yarns suggested and a lot of discussion of quilting (which I don't do.) I know which shoes are super comfortable and where to find bargain jeans. I should have been taking notes. Fortunately, there are text messages and emails to keep us connected even though we all live in different states. I can ask if I can't remember!

Our friend had easy lunch fixings ready for us to help ourselves the day we arrived last week. This soup was one of the choices. It's perfect for hot summer days. And because it's a make-ahead recipe, it's a good choice for entertaining and help-yourself lunches at home. This knitter is a fabulous cook, so we all thank her for sharing the recipe. Here it is, along with her notes:

COLD CURRIED SQUASH SOUP
(nothing has to be exact)

2 lbs squash (yellow or zucchini), cut into chunks
1 large or 2 smallish onions, cut into chunks
3 cups water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
8 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks (I have tried reduced-fat and it is fine but usually use regular)
curry powder* to taste
salt & pepper

• Put the squash, onions, water and bouillon cubes in a big pot and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
• Allow to cool a little bit, then add the chunks of cream cheese and curry powder and purée in batches.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Good cold or hot.

*(Our family likes heat, so I use a good teaspoon, but I would start with 1/2 teaspoon and add according to what you like.)

I did ask what kind of curry powder she used. And she said that she likes Penzy's Hot Curry powder, but this time was out of it, so she used McCormick Organic Curry Powder. That's what I just bought because I want mine to taste like the bowl I enjoyed.

As much fun as that weekend was and as wonderful as every minute was, I am also happy to be back home. Dorothy was right..."There's no place like home."


Just as I was about to hit "post," I got an email from another knitter, who stayed at the mountain house with us, saying she had stumbled across this TED Talk by Kate Davies. It's about creativity and limitations. If you keep a list of interesting books, movies, shows, etc, add this to the list. When there isn't time for a movie or even a television show, TED Talks last about 15 minutes.

MDK Knitting Getaway

I've always considered myself lucky to have a good circle of knitting friends. But I just got home from a weekend knitting event and realized that I've been mistaken for years. I don't have a circle of knitting friends.

Don't be sad. 

This weekend I figured out I have a SPIRAL of knitting friends. A spiral that is ever expanding, growing wider with each event. Or, maybe it's more like a ripple in a pond that keeps getting larger. This past weekend I spent a few days in middle Tennessee in a beautiful location, meeting people who love doing what I love to do. Doesn't get much better than that.

I took a single session photography class that was focused on learning to make better pictures of knitwear. But mostly I knitted and chatted. 

The conversations here certainly included talk about yarn (Where did you get that?) and patterns (What's the name of that one? Did you make modifications?) but there was more chat about family and what's it like in other parts of the country and ordinary concerns of life.

I heard conversations about which variety of hydrangea is easiest to grow. And there was "I love those shoes! Where did you find them?" Thanks to online shopping, I can buy the same shoes as the lady who lives in New England. And I might. They were cute. We discussed the differences of being a mother of boys versus being a mother of girls. Someone opened a can of worms when she asked, "Does your husband load the dishwasher when you're gone?"

And goodness, grandchildren stories are always fun. We also had a few laughs at the regional differences in our words. As in the classic Southern phrase "fixin' to go" that confuses folks who live somewhere else. (That simply means I'm leaving now...as soon as I finish talking...unless I sit back down to visit a little longer.)

There was hiking and bike riding and swimming on this spectacularly beautiful campus if you were so inclined. And the buffet meals served in this impressive dining hall were farm-to-table gourmet delicious. Every single meal. I have never starved to death at a retreat. But I have never been to one where the food was this good.

If you don't understand this whole knitting retreat thing, you are not alone. I spent one pleasant morning sitting beside a knitter from Canada who had arranged respite care for her husband so that she could come to this knitting weekend.

She told me that when she approached the customs officer at the airport to enter this country, he asked her to state her destination and her reason for going. She told him she was headed to Tennessee for a knitting retreat. He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.

"A knitting retreat? What is that?"
"It's where knitters come to sit and knit. And visit."
"Seriously?" 

She nodded. He let out a big sigh, shook his head and stamped her passport.

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Check out Mason-Dixon Knitting (MDK) to learn more about the amazing ladies who put this weekend together. If you aren't a knitter, you will find other things of interest here—recommendations for old movies and TV shows to binge watch and books to read and music to listen to and places to visit. Their guest contributors have quite a way with words. You will read about technical knitting tips and you'll read about how to be kinder to yourself and how to be a good human. Take time to poke around their website. It's kind of awesome. 

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If you think this sounds like fun—except for the knitting, Shakerag Workshops offer week long courses in a variety of other art endeavors during the summer. You might find one that interests you.


PS....Here is the MDK girls blog about this weekend. They made better photos than I did. Take a look!

Lake House Cooking

Blackberry Cobbler

When you hear the words "lake house," what comes to mind? A huge lodge on a hillside overlooking the lake? A small fishing cabin tucked in the pines close to the shore? A permanent residence with a double garage? A weekend get-away place with no TV? A lake house can be any of these. And they are all good.

We always like to take the boat out to see what has changed since last summer. There is plenty of new construction to see. There are massive new homes with soaring roof lines going up everywhere. Some are the size of a boutique hotel. I imagine they have state-of-the-art kitchens with granite countertops, large stone fireplaces and many bathrooms. And they are beautiful.

But I love seeing the old places. Well worn and comfortable. Some have passed "comfortable" and look like a good wind could blow them over. In a few lakeside spots, there are clusters of campers and small trailers, some with a permanent roof on poles over the top. They are squeezed together, usually next to a landing. They would have to be good neighbors! There are campers in tents at the state park way down the lake from us, who love the rustic approach to lake life. And there is a new RV park for campers who don't love rustic. There is a lake style for everyone.

One of my favorite homes looks like two original cabins were connected, and then added on to. And it is a masterful combination of old and new. As our family grows, I appreciate the need for more space. 

Our lake house is more of the small cabin variety, built over 60 years ago when all those big houses didn't exist. Back then, this cabin was considered "good sized." The photo above flatters the space. But trust me, it's small. We added a huge porch several years ago and that is where we stay. But even though the cabin is not very large, I love it. I love the old cedar walls and pine floors. And the postage stamp size kitchen has managed to feed us many meals. I love the memories that have seeped into the walls.

Memories aside, we have to be practical down there and get food on the table. One trick has helped me manage cooking in this tiny kitchen. I learned it from Becky, a faithful blog reader. She does this for vacation trips. And a few days at the lake falls in that "not cooking in my own kitchen" category. 

Becky pre-measures ingredients for seasonings and spices for her recipes so there is no need to take or buy several bottles of that things you use by the teaspoon. I've done this for several recipes, like the slow cooker Balsamic Chicken and the Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin. Becky mixes the marinade for the pork tenderloin with soy, mustard and maple syrup and freezes the tenderloin in the marinade, then packs it frozen in a cooler. Let it thaw at your destination, and then it's ready to go into a slow cooker, which she takes with her. This is a great tip to keep in mind for your summer travels.

When it was obvious I was not going to get a pound cake baked for the weekend, I opted to make a blackberry cobbler when we got to the lake. In my own kitchen at home, I measured and bagged the dry ingredients for the filling and the topping. Then at the lake, I only had to stir in the frozen berries and pop that into the oven while I cut a stick of butter into the topping mix. 

BLACKBERRY COBBLER

Filling:

5 cups frozen blackberries ( two 12-oz bags)

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2-qt. baking oblong baking dish with PAM. Mix all the ingredients together and pour into the baking dish. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir the berry sugar mixture. Add topping.

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 stick butter

cinnamon & sugar, mixed

Mix together sugar, flour and baking powder. Cut the butter into dry ingredients until it is thoroughly blended. Spread topping evenly over the filling mixture. Sprinkle the top with a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Return to oven for an additional 20 minutes. 

If it's not lightly brown (and mine never is,)  I'll turn the oven to BROIL for a few more minutes. Watch closely for this part.

I didn't have any cinnamon sugar with me. It was fine to leave it off.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Recipe tips:

• The frozen berries are in 10 ounces bags, we use 2-1/2 bags.

• If the berry mixture looks dry when you take it out of the oven the first time, stir in a couple tablespoons of hot water before you add the topping. It should be "juicy." Some berries just aren't as juicy as others, so you may have to "help" them.

• The juicy filling will cook up around the edges of the topping. That is normal. You're going to scoop it up into dishes anyway.

Here is our porch that is the center of our lake days. We had one dinner with newlyweds, who were the first to arrive. Then, every seat was full for the rest of the weekend. The porch is the best place for shared meals and shared conversations. Summer is just beginning. I'm hoping there is lots more porch time ahead. Maybe some of it will be rain free.


PS...This weekend I'm back home in my nice big, well equipped kitchen and I find that I've cooked less here than I did in the tiny make-do kind of kitchen at the lake. 😊