Cold, rainy, stay-at-home day

Jacob definitely knows how to spend a cold, rainy day. If he watched his new Star Trek DVD once, he watched it six times. When I told him it would snow, he begged to go out with Scooby and play in the snow--I had to expain it wouldn't be enough to play in, and it wasn't. As daughter-in-law Melanie said, it was a non-event. Big pretty flakes that didn't stick to the ground. Scooby has also spent the day in his bed and is getting spoiled, I fear.

A boastful moment: for years I have taken bad pictures. Even my late good friend Bobbie used to say, "You look much better in reality than you do in pictures." But I liked the cooking picture on last night's blog, and it occurred to me that I take a better picture these days because I'm more relaxed and at ease. I loved my twenty-eight years at TCU Press and would have told you I wasn't stressed, but the difference is amazing to me. I do think it's taken me since June but I may finally be settling in to retirement--and loving it. Polly, if you're reading this, please take a new picture of me:-)

Like the entire nation, I am heartsick about the shootings in Tucson. Tonight I saw an interview with the parents of the nine-year-old girl who died. So painful I couldn't bear to watch and listen. Who thinks of sending their child to a grocery store and having them shot? May God be with the victims and their families. The furor that incident is raising nationally is intersting--and maybe healthy and healing. One can only hope.

A young couple knocked on my door tonight, and I was wary even though they looked most friendly and nice. But I had Scooby by the collar, and they said they were new neighbors, as indeed they turned out to be. I know which house they bought. They were calling on neighbors to introduce themselves and deliver gifts of popcorn, which I thought was enterprising of them. Pleasant young people, and I look forward to getting to know them.

I know I've posted the recipe for Norwegian hamburgers before, but this is for Jason, who read last night's post and said he's always interested in new recipes. Tonight he was on Facebook saying he'd fixed vegetable soup with dumplings--obviously he's become a cook since the days I knew him. Happy cooking, Jason!

Norwegian hamburgers

3-4 slices of onion

3 Tbsp. butter (do not use oil)

1½ lbs. extra-lean hamburger (extra-lean is important)

2 eggs

3 Tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch

½ tsp. pepper

Milk as needed

4-5 envelopes instant gravy mix, prepared as directed

2 beef bullion cubes

Sauté onion in butter. Mix hamburger, eggs, cornstarch and pepper. Add milk as needed; start with ¼ c. and add ¼ c. at a time, but DON’T let the meat mixture get soggy. The last time I made a double batch of these, they tended to fall apart while I was browning them. I bet my mom’s trick of throwing a little tapioca into meatloaf would work here, too. Shape into patties and brown in same skillet as onions. Remove.

Make gravy in skillet, according to package directions. Add 2 bouillon cubes. When gravy thickens, return burgers and onions to pan and simmer 45 to 60 minutes.

Serve with white rice, egg noodles, or boiled potatoes. Peas, beets, or green beans are nice with this.

PS: The recipe is in Cooking My Way Through Life with Kids and Books.

A slow and easy day, followed by a cooking disaster and a porch party

Cool weather, really cool today. Jacob and I sort of wiled away the morning--we sat on the porch and looked for rolypolys--at one point he was intently watching one crawl up his arm, and I went for my camera. When I came back the rolypoly fell off and he stomped on it. When I protested, he said, "It was a bad rolypoly." I tried to explain about insects being our friends but it fell on deaf ears--he stepped on two more. We had an early lunch and "body rest"--his name for resting but not napping. I was napping, and I told him to come get me only if it was something important. The first time it was: the cat somehow made it up to the kitchen counter (and he makes me believe he's too old to jump!). The second time, Jacob said urgently, "Come on, Juju, come on." Led me into the kitchen and asked, "Doesn't dinner smell good?" I was cooking a pot of beans on the stove and a brisket in the oven.

The brisket was my disaster--my roasting pan was too shallow, and yesterday everytime I moved the darn thing anywhere, I dripped marinade. Tonight when I took it out of the oven, cooked to a faretheewell, it dripped greast and made a slippery mess of the kitchen floor. Fortunately I had the foresight to roll the kilim rug back out of the way. I mopped, I dried, I took the jell-foam thing out to the porch and hosed it down. I dry mopped the kitchen floor. Jacob, whose body rest apparently hadn't been enough, slept through the whole thing. And when his mother arrived she said, "We have to clean this up." I seriously considered throwing the mop at her, but good sense overcame me.

Sixteen people to welcome the new neighbors, who are really nice young people. We all vary in age, so it was a neat mixture. I fixed brisket and beans; others brought rolls, cole slaw, potato salad, salsa, queso, and dessert--chocolate chip cookies with Reese peanut butter cups baked into them--a huge hit. Dealing with the brisket was a huge problem, but Greg managed it, got it out of the juice, let it sit, and carved it masterfully after protesting he was no good at that.

Cleanup tonight took me longer than usual even if Jordan and Sue started on it while I lounged on the porch visiting and Susan stayed to help. This morning, when Jacob and I sat out it was chilly enough I thought it might be too cool for a porch supper, but it was just perfect. Fun listening to all the chatter.  I didn't get the pictures isn the right place and am not sure how to fix them but the first is Jacob in a contemplative mood, studying a rolypoly and the second is him searching for a new one.