For the Birds

Geese try to take over our dock! They did skedaddle when I opened the door and stepped out on the deck.

The birds are flocking through these days. I've seen the usual

ICE OUT!!! Warm Day and Summer Salads from the Winter Pantry

April 5, 1919 Ice Out.  Ice In was November 13, 2018

Well, it seemed as though I just turned my back and Bingo!  The ice was gone. Seemingly all at once, the lake was back. Last year the dock crews were pounding posts on the on the south shore near town while our shore was trapped behind tens of feet of still-thick ice.

I've heard that dock guys are looking for their season's supply of dock posts and boards. I saw one barge out and three fishing boats passed by while I was raking yesterday afternoon. Amazing!

So the stew I had planned for supper seems just plain wrong.

Time for summer salad. I scanned the pantry and fridge and discovered ingredients to be seasonally repurposed. Harvested a few fresh chives from the herb planter at the edge of the garden. Thawed some already grilled burgers and we were ready to sit down to a summer supper, even though it is just April.

Harvested a few just emerged chives from the herb pot.

Black Bean Salad, Quick Corn Relish, and Pickled Carrots
share the salad dish with a few corn chips. 

Black Bean Salad
Instead of going into the taco or chili, these beans combine with the chives to make a delicious salad.

1 can black beans
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1 tablespoon diced chives
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Drain the beans and rinse. Combine with rest of ingredients and chill for an hour before serving. Salad will keep in the refrigerator for two or three days.


Quick Corn Relish
What could be easier that this?

1 small can corn
3 tablespoons salsa

Drain and rinse the corn. Mix and chill. Salad will keep for two or three days in the refrigerator.

Pickled Carrots
A long-time family favorite.

1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried dill weed

Cook the carrots until just tender. Drain. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Add the cumin and dill weed to the carrots. Pour the boiling sugar vinegar mixture over the carrots, stir, and set aside until cool. Salad may be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days.


Copyright 2019 Rae Katherine Eighmey. All rights reserved.

It's a Lake Again and Sour Milk Biscuits that Delight in a Variety of Meals

Gentle ripples against the south shore 

Tuesday there was a small crack along our shore--about 4 inches wide. By Wednesday evening it looked like a small creek had come along, winding its way through the ice. Thursday mid-morning, we had our lake back. Well, at least in front of about five houses. To the east and the west, we still have a grey slush.  The center looks slushy, too.

Spring is almost here. Yet, variable is the name of the game. Temperature is predicted to be near 70 over the weekend. Thunderstorms and then cold again. So tempting to work in the garden. Probably too soon to plant the peas... but I might take the risk.  After all the crocus are ready to bloom

The first of the spring blooms... almost. The daffodils and tulips have
broken through the soil. I even noticed the tip of a peony.

Variety is the name of the game in my kitchen as well.  With temperatures bouncing up and down, dinner menus are flexible, too. I like to serve meals that fit the weather. Soups and stews to take the chill off dreary evenings. While barbeque and even simple salads or sandwiches fit family appetites on warm afternoons. With these Sour Milk Biscuits I have a basis for all kinds of meals.

Sour Milk Biscuits with grated cheddar cheese mixed in shown
here in as rolled out and cut with 1 1/4 inch cutter.

These are quickly mixed and baked. Split them for a leftover sandwich. Or leave them open faced with a dollop of egg salad, or ham, or cheese and jam for a tasty two-bite appetizer.

These biscuits can even stand in for dessert. Here the drop biscuit version
is shown topped with a quickly made
apple pie filling, or strawberry compote. Serve
with a small scoop of ice cream or swirl of whipped cream
for a two-bite fruit pie.  Yum!  

Sour Milk Biscuits 
based on a 19th century recipe popular when homemakers had lots of sour milk.

2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine the milk and vinegar and set aside for the milk to sour, about five minutes. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and mix together. Stir in the cheese, if desired. Add the butter to the boiling water.  Stir the soured milk and water melted butter mixture into the flour mixture.

FOR DROPPED BISCUITS: Drop mounds of biscuit dough, about 2 tablespoons in size, on the baking sheet and bake until lightly brown, about 20 minutes.

FOR ROLLED BISCUITS:  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 15 by 10 inches. Fold the dough like a letter, turn in one quarter turn and roll again. Repeat the rolling and folding twice more. Then roll out to about 1 inch thick. Cut with 1 1/4-inch cutter. And bake until golden, about 20 minutes.



Copyright 2019 Rae Katherine Eighmey, all rights reserved