Memorial Day

This past Monday we observed Memorial Day by enjoying a day off from work and visiting Bill's parents.  We were able to arrive at just the right time for high tide, and they took us out on their boat for a nice ride (lots of dolphins were putting on a show for us) and later we had some burgers, dogs, and delicious sides.  What a nice break!

Remember our fallen servicemen, POWs, and MIAs! 

Tour of Fifty States: New Hampshire's meal

This week’s meal was from New Hampshire.  When I think of New Hampshire, I think of cold winters and maple syrup.  So I found a hearty, rib-sticking meal that would be great on a cold winter’s night.  And it’s May in South Carolina!  LOL!  We liked it anyway.  :)

Menu:  Corned Beef and Cabbage, Maple Orange Glazed Carrots, Apple Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Next day:  Corned Beef Hash for breakfast

Outcome:  Oh my, we just loved the corned beef.  I’m glad that I followed the pre-step of the recipe, which is to boil the meat in clean water twice to remove some of the salt.  It was still a little salty, but not too much.  The star of the show, surprisingly, was the cabbage!  The recipe I used is for sautéing the cabbage in a little oil (maybe a little bacon grease got in the pan, too, just maybe.)  We liked that the cabbage had browned bits and still a little al dente crunch to it.  In fact, Bridget went back for seconds … and at the end of the meal, she asked, “Does anyone mind if I finish the cabbage?”   OF COURSE NOT!  Hey, if kids ask for veggies, by all means, I’m not gonna stand in their way! 

The carrots were good, but the cupcakes were just “eh”.  I may have used the wrong kind of apple, but they weren’t appley or mapley tasting at all…and yes, I did get real maple syrup.  They tasted like they came from a box, really.  The icing was really good, and the little pieces of bacon on top were super.  I think I’ll use Granny Smith apples if I make these again, and dice the apples rather than grating them.  A little maple extract instead of maple syrup would kick these up a notch, too. 

Two weeks ago we had corned beef and cabbage (sauerkraut), when we had Reuben sandwiches…and when Brandi pulled the next slip from the bag, it was for Vermont.  Guess what?  Corned beef and cabbage again!  (New England Boiled Dinner.) So for the first time, we had a re-draw.  Not that we don’t like corned beef!  We just want to mix it up a little.

Also, the next morning I diced up the rest of the corned beef and added it to some fried taters...mmmm Red Flannel Hash!  

Next up:  Brandi’s turn!  She chose New York!

New Hampshire's meal

Tour of Fifty States: Nebraska's meal

This weekend’s meal was from the Great Plains state of Nebraska, a.k.a. the Cornhusker State.   I knew we needed to find something with corn, and the excellent Corn Chowder went very nicely with the Reuben sandwiches we also had. 

Why Reuben sandwiches??  Why, that’s a NY deli favorite!!  It is claimed that Reuben Kulakofsky, a Lithuanian-born grocer in Omaha, Nebraska, was the inventor, perhaps as part of a group effort by members of Kulakofsky's weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel from around 1920 through 1935. The sandwich first gained local fame when the hotel owner put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won a national contest with the recipe.  There you go!   This weekend, in honor of the above-mentioned poker game, we taught the kids how to play poker, blackjack, and Texas Hold 'Em with our jars of loose change.  Wow, they were fast learners and they have already mastered the art of bluffing!  

Since we are in the process of moving, much of our cooking and serving dishes are packed up, so I wasn’t able to make the dessert I’d picked out for Nebraska, Sweet Corn Panna Cotta…I’ll be sure to do a revisit to Nebraska after we get settled into our new home.  Instead, we had “Birthday Cake” ice cream sandwiches…Bill’s birthday is May 5^th! 

Menu:  Reuben Sandwiches, Corn Chowder

Outcome:  The Corn Chowder was really good and everyone had a second bowl.  It was probably one of the best soups we’ve made!  Oh, and the Reuben Sandwiches – Bill said it had been way too long since he’d had one….mmmmm!  Toasty and melty and crispy.  Instead of the standard “sour” sauerkraut, I chose “Bavarian-style” sauerkraut for the Reubens – it’s sweet and sour and reminded us of the wonderful red cabbage we have at Christmas. 

Next up:  Paula’s turn!  She chose New Hampshire!