More Random Moments of High Summer at the Sandwich Life
1. We wimped out and didn't go to the concert at Research Park. Sorry Teri! Lots of friends posted pictures and it looked like fun but we found we were too busy doing nothing at all while we burned pieces of our old fence and outdoor table, read, stared at the sky, sipped drinks, looked at flowers and eventually cooked dinner.
2. Leftover corn....what do do? Corn fritters. A good sized bowl of cooked corn cut off the cob, an egg, salt and pepper, a dash of baking powder and enough flour to coat everything. Heavenly. I was going to add some fresh herbs but was trying to make them less suspicious to Owen.
3. My mother loved red geraniums. For some reason I never buy them. This year however, Owen wanted to buy a flower just for him, and as he was admiring the red geraniums I mentioned that his Grandma had loved him. It makes me happy every time I look at it. Thanks Owen. Thanks Mom.
4. Sometimes on a summer evening when you've sat out in the yard too late to cook dinner and you've fed your children odds and ends so they won't bother you....well then, the perfect dinner is a bowl of popcorn. I make it in a pan with some oil and a lot of salt and pepper so I don't usually add butter....but once in awhile you have to. This night I melted a bit of butter and stirred it together with some sriracha mayonnaise. Delightful.
5. Watching Rascal play and pounce and sleep is one of this summer's great pleasures.
6. Michael requested Ernie's cornbread recipe. It's a simple basic cornbread...but the cast iron skillet does make it.
Corn Bread
1 1/4 c flour
3/4 c corn meal
1/4 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
1/4 vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
Place a 9 inch cast iron skillet in a 425 oven. Combine dry ingredients, stir in wet ingredients until just moistened. Reduce oven to 375 degrees and add 1 tablespoon butter to hot skillet, tipping skillet to coat bottom and sides. Pour in batter and place in oven. Bake about 20-25 minutes and let cook a good 10 minutes before serving.
7. Wishing we could go see our beloved Fats Kaplin play with Jack White in Chicago this week....he's even playing on my BIRTHDAY! We were tempted to try but we've got an appointment on Thursday morning that we can't change. Oh well. Maybe another time...
8. Cooking in summer.....I love it. Today we're thinking smoked ribs and we might try smoking a cabbage...and of course to go with it all you need to do is cook some corn, parcel out some of the perfect cherry tomatoes and cucumbers and squash.....they're so good they need almost nothing at all.
9. As much as I miss going to Maine this summer, this is relaxing....a big trip takes up so much energy....the quiet summer is working nicely for us. Owen got the weekend in St. Louis, we got our overnight in Nashville and soon Leo will have his trip to see the Big Boy in Green Bay. It feels good and the boys are growing so fast that I know I need to savor this time. Happy Summer all.