What a busy week!! I can hear my kids say you are the only one that can change that. I certainly don’t understand people who say they are bored as there is always plenty to do, places to go and people to see. If nothing else the library is full of books about any subject you could wish for. You can’t erase yesterday but tomorrow is a blank page, fill it up with good thoughts and deeds.
I have a new great-grand-daughter. No name yet as they were sort of hoping for a boy as she has a sister who will be two in July. It is Mark and Lori’s third grandchild. She was a bit early, about three weeks and had her first helicopter ride shortly after birth from Orange City to Sioux Falls for extra care for a few days. As of this writing everything is going well.
There is surely an improvement in the weather although it is still winter. Last evening when I talked to Ruth she said it was 86 degrees in Houston and wondered if that will be an indication of what to expect this summer. I’m not ready to put away the winter togs yet as March sometimes is quite snowy but then it doesn’t last too long compared to when the snow comes in November and stays until the end of March. Complain, complain and we can’t do a thing about it. Like I said earlier, have a book or handwork to do when the weather is inclement and you need to stay home. I keep a scrapbook of this column and others that I write and I was way behind in getting it up to date. It’s one of those jobs that can easily be put aside. Well, it was accomplished last evening and now that the scrapbook is almost full I have to start searching for another. Apparently there isn’t much call for a scrapbook as they are hard to find. Technology is great for the right things but I still like to hold a book or paper or picture in my hands. As I so often did when just learning to use the computer everything was wiped our with a click of the wrong key and all was lost.
Wild Rice Soup
1 cup uncooked wild rice
3 cups boiling water
2 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 soup cans milk
1 can mushrooms plus liquid
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Pepper to taste
Combine rice and boiling water in large saucepan. Simmer covered, 50-60 minutes. Drain off excess liquid, set aside. Fry bacon till crisp, remove bacon and saute’ onion, celery and carrots in a small amount of bacon fat. Combine broth, soups, milk, mushrooms, salt and pepper, reserved crumbled bacon, sauted vegetables and wild rice. Simmer covered. 1 hour. Serves 8
Potato Frittata
4 medium potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup diced fully cooked ham or cooked bulk pork sausage
10 eggs
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
3 slices process American cheese, cut diagonally
In a large skillet, saute the potatoes, onion and green pepper in oil until potatoes are tender. Add the meat and heat through. In a bowl, beat eggs, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour over potato mixture. Do not stir. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes or until eggs are nearly set.
Broil 6 inches from the heat for 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Arrange cheese slices on top; let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings
Chicken and Broccoli Roll-ups
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves, pounded thin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 to 12 spears fresh broccoli, blanched
Sauce:
1 cup chopped onion dried
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
basil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Brown chicken breast in oil on one side. On each unbrowned side, place 1 piece of Swiss cheese and 1 to 2 spears broccoli, Roll up (secure with a toothpick if desired). Set aside.
In a saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add broth and milk; add the basil, celery salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Place half of sauce in the bottom of greased 11” x 7” baking dish. Place chicken rolls over sauce. Cover with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink. Yield: 6 servings.
