Family Menu: A Patio Supper from 1969

I was trying to decide on a menu to share that could be used for Labor Day, and happened to run across my beat up copy of a Pillsbury magazine from 1969. This menu is for use when "the temperature soars and cooking's out of the question". The notes, if I have any, are after each recipe.

Walking Sandwich

12 slices rye bread, buttered

6 slices Swiss cheese

12 thin slices cooked corned beef, chilled

Summer Slaw dressing(below)

For each sandwich, fill between slices of rye with Swiss cheese, 2 slices corned beef, and Summer Slaw dressing. Makes 6 servings.

Summer Slaw

1 tablespoon mustard

1/2 salad dressing

3 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/4 tsp. caraway seed

3 cups finely shredded cabbage

Stir mustard into salad dressing. Add cream and vinegar. Toss onion and caraway seed with chilled cabbage; add only enough of the dressing to moisten, then toss. Pass the remaining dressing with the sandwich in the above recipe.

Notes: I like using the cabbage mix with carrots included.

Saucy Baked Beans

6 slices bacon, cut in one inch pieces

3 1-pound cans (6 cups) baked beans in sauce

1 8 ounce can seasoned tomato sauce

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

4 drops hot pepper sauce

Cook the bacon until almost crisp; drain. Combine the bacon and beans; add tomato sauce, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper sauce. Baked beans, uncovered, in 2-quart casserole at 300 degrees F. for 3-5 hours. 6 servings.

Notes: This could easily be made in the crock pot on high.

Ginger Peachy

4 cups sliced fresh peaches

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tbsp. honey

dash salt

2 tbsp. finely chopped candied ginger

vanilla ice cream

Combine peaches, juice, honey, ginger and salt; mix gently. Cover; chill thoroughly. To serve, spoon over vanilla ice cream. Makes 5-6 servings.

On OFL we have another menu for Labor Day here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/entertaining2.html

Natural Cleaning Tips

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest; Home-keeping hearts are happiest. ~Henry W. Longfellow

I haven't shared cleaning tips in awhile, so I thought I'd go over a few of them today. I really try to avoid toxic chemicals whenever possible, both in the house and garden. Sure, I have more weeds than some gardeners, and I learn things by trial and error, but I think it's worth it.

Homemade Scouring Powder: Use equal amounts of borax, baking powder and dry table salt on a damp sponge. Scrub and rinse. Use this on surfaces that don't have special coatings or ones that tend to scratch.

Freshen the Garbage Disposal: Grind up a lemon or an orange after using it for juice or recipes.

Mildew Remover: Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup borax in warm water. Mix this right before using. Use this paste with a brush to remove mildew on showers and other surfaces.

Easy Copper Cleaner: Make a paste of white vinegar and salt. Apply to copper surfaces with a rag, then rub clean.

Non Toxic Drain Opener: Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1 cup vinegar and and a few cups of boiling water. Pour immediately down the drain. Continue to run hot water from the faucet until the sink is draining better.

Stain Remover: 1/4 cup borax mixed with 2 cups cold water. Use a sponge to apply the borax mixture to stains made by blood, coffee, mildew, urine, mud or chocolate. Allow the mixture to dry, then scrub the spot with a brush or rag. You can also soak fabric in the same mixture before throwing it in the washer.

Odors: A simple bowl of baking soda left in a small area such as a car trunk, a closet, a suitcase etc. will help remove smells. Another simple thing to try with musty refrigerators, freezers or trunks is to stuff them with crumpled newspaper and close the door. I have done this, and it does help remove the smell. It does take a few days to a week though.

Carpet Freshener: Combine baking soda with a few drops of essential oil. Once it's mixed well, and dry, sprinkle this on your carpet, allow it to sit for a half hour to an hour, then vacuum. If you haven't done this before, do try a small area first to test. I've never had a problem, but it's better to be safe then sorry.

On OFL we have a great article on stain removal at http://oldfashionedliving.com/stains2.html.

~Brenda

Catching Up With Readers

The summer has been so busy that I missed a few comments and questions along the way. I thought today I would catch up with readers:)

I live in northern Ohio, Huron and we are finally cooling off a little bit today. We have had some rain and everything is perking up. The sky has the fall look to it today. The prairie grass in the back is starting to bloom. The Indian Grass is starting to look beautiful and the Little Blue Stem on the front hill is starting to look beautiful too, it has not turned its bronze color yet but it is near. My ornamental grasses are starting to bloom too. I do love this time of year. But there is something nice about every season. ~Marlene

I agree with Marlene, my grasses are looking pretty too. One of my favorite things this year though were the gladiolas that I forgot to dig up last year. They came back beautifully despite my forgetfulness. I think we had enough snow that they had good insulation and I had planted them deep enough that they weren't killed off by the cold. Volunteer blooms are always the loveliest:) This is one of the gladiolas below in front of my Maiden Grass.


Salmon Burgers ~ My mom used to make these when we were kids. I asked her for the recipe and attempted to make it myself, but picking out the bones took forever! When you say to "pick out the bones," do you mean just the larger bones or every single bone there? ~topiaryrose

I should have put a note in about the bones. Sorry about that! I only pick out the round hard bones that are the vertebrae of the fish. The others are so tiny and soft that they just mix in with the salmon and the breadcrumbs. I've also read that those teeny bones add to the nutrients of the recipe.

As a retired teacher, I thank you for raising, caring children. They will be successful adults you can continue to be proud of NOW, what is a 'Johnny-Jump-Up? ~Elizabeth

You are welcome Elizabeth. I hope they grow up to teach their children about the nature around them just like I did. Below is a picture of a Johnny-Jump-Up:

The proper name is Viola cornuta (Violaceae). It looks like a cross between a pansy and a violet, and the petals are always a mixture of purple and yellow. It's much tinier than a pansy, about half the size.

Thanks everyone! Remember, you can email me with questions and comments, and even if I don't respond immediately, I will when time allows.

~Brenda

Sunday Summer Recipes

The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer. ~Henry Clay

I'm still in denial about the summer coming to an end. Although it's so dry and hot here that I feel like fall is a very long way off. That might be part of the problem. I was cleaning over the weekend and ran across some of my clipped recipes from at least ten years ago. I sorted through them, and found some good end of summer meal ideas. As I mentioned before, I'm really trying not to use the oven until things cool off, but I have the grill and stovetop, which is what I've been using.

Pork Chop Marinade

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing

1/2 cup salsa or tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic pepper (or garlic powder)

4 fairly thick pork chops *see note

Combine the ingredients (except the chops) into a small bowl to mix. Place the pork into a plastic or ceramic dish, and pour over the marinade. Turn to coat them on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more (over night is fine). Remove the chops from the marinade and grill until they are no longer pink, turning often. If you want to baste the chops while grilling, hold out some of marinade when you make it, and put it in a small container, NOT on the pork with the remainder of the marinade.

Note: You can use any type of chops-- boneless pork works really well, and you can use the same amount of marinade with more of those since they are thin.

Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Skillet

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage, cut up into smaller pieces

4 large potatoes, cut into chunks

1 pound Polish sausage, Brats or Italian sausage, cut into thick slices

1 cup chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon spicy mustard

Optional: ground black pepper

In a large skillet or pan, mix the broth and the mustard. Add the cabbage and potatoes, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the sausage, cover again, and cook until the sausage is done.

Note: I like using the sausage that is made at the store, so it's not cooked. This recipe can use leftover grilled sausage, or you can cook it on the stove in a little water while the cabbage and potatoes are cooking. If you use smoked sausage then you just slice and add to the pan without cooking ahead.

Sauteed Mushrooms

These are so easy to fix on the stove while burgers or steak are cooking. Serve them at the table to top the burgers, or they can be eaten with steak.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. minced fresh garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. spicy steak sauce

Melt the butter, add the mushrooms and other ingredients. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat as low as you can, and simmer the mushrooms for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced fine

1/2 tsp. hot pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Combine the ingredients and add shrimp of any size that has been cleaned, peeled and deveined. Let the shrimp marinate for about 15-30 minutes. The shrimp can be cooked in a large skillet for a couple of minutes on each side until they are no longer pink, or they can be grilled. We use a grill pan, stirring them while they cook. They only take a few minutes to cook. Sprinkle them with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.

I always serve salad, fresh tomatoes, and baked potatoes or bread with the grilled meat. We also eat a lot of fruit instead of dessert, except when we splurge on ice cream as we did tonight. My husband and daughter picked up "Death by Chocolate" ice cream:)

~Brenda

Vintage Garden Advice from 1940

My dad gave me a copy of Madison Cooper's Gardening Magazine from 1940, and I wanted to share some of things from this down to earth magazine.

A gardener from Massachusetts shared an experience she had with a winter window garden.

Just as the ground was freezing last fall, I filled three window boxes with young Johnny-Jumps-Ups just coming into bloom. These I placed on the rail next to the glass on a glassed-in, but unheated porch. Of course they froze cold nights and remained frozen several days at a time. Every sunny day all winter some of the blooms would show. Sometimes while the garden is covered with snow we have 30-40 blooms in each box.

Oh my, wouldn't that be awesome? I would love one of you to try this, since I don't have a closed in porch. Let me know if you do.

There is a section entitled Junior Garden Club Lesson which has some neat information
for young gardeners.

When the world was created, there were not any plows, but nature had created a worm that made a very good plow. They are called earthworms. They loosen the soil and bring the bottom to the top, and they eat the soil as they burrow through the ground. They come out at night to eat, or after a heavy rain they can be seen on top of the ground. This is because there is too much water in the little tunnels they have made. These worms are useful in the garden, and are also useful to the fishermen because they are considered good bait.

Reading this reminded me of a little girl my daughter and I talked with at a rainy spring track meet. She was 2 or 3 years old, and was gathering up the earthworms that were on the soil and the sidewalk. She was being very gentle with them and had been doing this for close to an hour. I asked her what she was going to with the worms, and she told me she was going to take them home with her:) I had snapped a picture of her in her little rain poncho to remind me of what she said.


When my kids were little I always talked with them about the worms, insects, spiders and wildlife. I tried to teach them to be respectful, and to never be cruel to the living things around them. Of course I also taught them to be cautious because wildlife and insects aren't our "play things". This may sound trivial but I really believe it made them respect the differences in people too. They are 10, 16 and 17 now. I can honestly say that they all stick up for kids that are being picked on, and they are helpful to those who need it. Teachers have commented on this a lot through out the years. Sometimes it's the little life lessons that kids remember the most.

~Brenda Jean

A Sunday Dinner Menu

While we try to teach our children all about life,Our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

I always loved Sunday dinners as a kid, so I try to make sure my kids are home with us so we can have our family together. During the summer it's nice to grill, and get everyone involved in the meal, then afterwards play a game of horseshoes, swim or take a walk. Today I have a nice menu for a relaxing Sunday summer meal. I've used lemon thyme in the recipes, but if you don't grow it, you can use dried thyme instead. I've also crushed dried thyme and dried lemon rind together for a nice alternative. I have included an easy fruit dip instead of a dessert.

Salmon Burgers

Ingredients:

1 can (14.75 ounces) salmon

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon minced chives or green onion

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp. minced fresh lemon thyme (1/2 tsp. dried thyme)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Hamburger Buns

Drain the salmon and pick out the bones. Combine all the ingredients, except for the buns. Chill the mixture for 1/2 hour or longer. It will form into patties much easier. After chilling, form this into 4-6 patties, depending on the size you make them. The recipe easily doubles. Place a piece of foil over the grill grate and spray it with cooking spray, or melt butter/margarine on the foil. Place the patties on the foil and cook until the patties are browned on each side, and cooked through. You can also pan fry these.

Lemon and Herb Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium red potatoes

2 tsp. lemon thyme, minced

1/2 tsp. dried, crunch rosemary

4 tsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Scrub the potatoes and cut into cubes. Place in a pan, cover with water and boil until they are just tender. Drain. In a large skillet place the oil and heat on medium. When the oil is heated, add the potatoes and brown lightly. Sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the lemon juice over that, and toss/mix everything in to the potatoes with a spatula. Serves 4-6

Green Beans and Onions

1 lb. fresh or frozen green beans
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 large sweet onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Wash, and snip the ends of the beans, then cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Cook the beans in boiling water for 10-12 minutes until just tender. Drain. Heat oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion until . Stir in green beans, salt and pepper. Heat through.

Note: You can use frozen green beans if you thaw them first.

Summer Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 small jar marshmallow cream

Place marshmallow cream and cream cheese into a bowl and combine with a mixer til smooth and creamy. Use as a dip for strawberries, apples or other firm fruit.

Note: You can add a little vanilla extract, milk or fruit juice to this to thin it and add a slightly different flavor.

On OFL we have another great summer grilling menu.

Garden Tips for August

It's hard for me to believe it's August already. The summer just flew by didn't it? The garden season isn't over with yet though. We can still get a lot done this year. You can sow some vegetables for fall if you are quick. Spinach, greens and lettuce and radishes can be direct sown now because they like cool weather. Do be prepared later to cover them as we get into the fall. If you are in warmer zones you can start seeds of cucumbers, squash, carrots and many other vegetables because your weather will be cooling off but you won't have frost like those of us in the northern climates.

Watering: Remember that if you don't receive an inch of rain a week, then water your garden. Windy days can really dry beds and containers out as well, so watch the soil if you've had dry, hot and windy days. If you mulched in the spring you might need to add more to your trees and shrubs, especially if they were just planted this year. A mulching of 3-4 inches can make a big difference on keeping the soil from drying out completely. Water in the morning when possible because it's the best time, before it's too hot.

Herbs: Oregano, mints and lemon balm should never be left to go to seed. They will spread like mad all over your garden and yard. Harvest or at least trim the blooms off BEFORE they go to seed. Some other herbs like nasturtiums, calendula and dill also reseed, but it's a good thing. They won't get out of control, and will come back nicely next year.

Peony Care: I wanted to mention a little bit about peony care this time of year. The dead blooms, and the heads left after the blooms fell off should be removed if you didn't do this previously. Leave the foliage UNLESS it looks diseased. If the plant looks browned, blackened or has white on the leaves then prune those areas and discard them. Remember, don't compost any plant that looks diseased. If the plants look normal, then leave the foliage until after your first frost, then cut them back.

On OFL I have an article on planting and caring for peonies, if you need more information.