Friday, July 13, 2007

And the final tally is: 14 half pints of relish, 39 ½ pints pickles, five broken jars. (I must be losing my touch.) Can’t “beet” that for a good stash for winter! Additionally, Jack made 2 quarts of Borscht for supper one evening and we had roasted beets with our supper on another evening. I still have a handful to cook, but I’ve run out of pint & half pint jars, so we will just cook them up and munch with butter until they’re gone.

Now, on to the cucumbers. I found a “new to me” recipe in one of Grandma Anderson’s old cookbooks. It’s for making sweet pickles out of those really large, old and sometimes useless cucumbers that didn’t get picked in time for the 14 day or dill batches.

We will be having Emily’s birthday dinner this Sunday. She has to work at the Hut on her actual birthday. Her requests have challenged my culinary skills, but she had the courtesy to provide recipes. We’ll be having stuffed grape leaves, creamy crab-stuffed portobellos, bleu cheese tomato soup, French bread and chocolate cake. I have her permission to use a mix for the cake, thank goodness! She’ll be 23.

As for the weekend, when I’m done grocery shopping (for grape leaves, etc.) I might go check out the festivities at the John C. Fremont Days in Fremont. They have a nice Chautauqua Presentation and a Living History encampment, which both appeal to the historian in me. A couple years ago they had an eight horse hitch of the Budweiser Clydesdales in town. They were SO AWESOME to stand next to. I also learned there are 5 such teams that travel the country making personal appearances. Unfortunately, they weren’t hiring grooms, handlers, drivers or even stall muckers at that time. Darn.

I got invited to ride in the Chicken Days Parade in Wayne, (see www.chickenshow.com for more info) but that’s a long drive and I’d have to get there by 9 AM. I’m pleading guilty of laziness to get out of that one and of course, the pickling must go on!

I see that today is Friday the 13th. Since last week’s 7/7/7 didn’t prove to be especially lucky, I expect this day won’t be especially unlucky. Anyway, I don’t believe in luck – only blessings.

So blessings to you for this weekend!

9 comments:

Mary Connealy said...

Stuffed grape leaves?
Seafood stuffed portabellas?
I'm a little weepy just from how wonderful that sounds.
I'm more of a...do I dip the corn chips is a jar of Pace or Cheese Con Queso...girl.
Have I ever told you that Ivan now does almost ALL of the cooking at home now...since I started working full time three years ago. I'm serious, like 90%.
He gardens, too.
Sweet.
Tell Emily Happy Birthday. And congratulations on her imagination of what food can be.

Mary Connealy said...

Oh, and...whenever someone says, "Look out, it's Friday the Thirteenth." I always say, "One of my children was born on Friday the Thirteens (Josie). It's one of the luckiest days of my life."

Janell said...

I remember Josie being born on Fri the 13th - and wasn't it also Good Friday that year?

Sue said...

I don't think Janell has had any real bad luck when her birthday falls on Friday.
By the way, What do you drink to get "pickled". lol.
Wish I could come for Emily's birthday. I dont even know what grape leaves are. Most of my cooking comes out of the freezer with Healty Choice labels on it. It isn't much fun to cook for one.
Sue

Myrnagj said...

I knew little Emily had grown up by looking at her but I did not know her taste in food had become so sophisticated. Happy Birthday Emily.

cdroses said...

Gasp! You're turning down ChickenDays!? lol j/k I thought it was last weekend...silly me. If I drive really fast, I could make it to the World's Biggest Chicken Dance at 7, tonight. NOT!
I'm with you on the blessings. "Countered" the 13th stuff with my gratitudes blog.
Happy b-day Em!
TGIF for the rest of us!
CD

Mary Connealy said...

Every time I hear of exotic food, I think, "wow where do you get grape leaves." Health food store? Greek specialty foods store? Online?
The the truth comes out. They've probably got 'em at Wal-Mart.

Anonymous said...

Haven't seen them @ wal-mart, but sounds good. Easier to find in South Florida. There's a Greek place near my house.

LaDawn said...

Just about everything would be easier find in FL than in NE! Except for corn & beets!

Friday the 13th passed unnoticed over here. Hope you had similar luck!