I'm Here to Help...No, Really

Sometimes when the real help is not around, I have to be the Cowboy’s farm hand….which is problematic since I really don’t know much and what I do know is theoretical. A couple days ago I “helped” the Cowboy and the Rancher find out why the trailer lights weren’t working. I listened to them discuss the colors of wires and debate what wire goes to what; turning on turn signals, pushing the brake pedal. That was the extent of my helping. “Green is ground the world around” unless it isn’t. Get it? Me neither.

I was getting hungry and was sure I wasn’t the only one. So I went inside and called for Hilda to rustle us up some grub. I called and called then I remembered, “Oh yeah, she doesn’t exist……I’M the cook!!!” I’m gonna need to get some structure back into my life. When the kids were little, I was on top of everything…I could do like 10 things at once. Now?….well, I can probably handle a couple th-- ……oh hang on, the pot’s boiling over… …maybe just one thing at a time.

One thing I’m really looking forward to is being more “hands on” on the farm. I think I’ll start a course on diesel mechanics…..NOT!! I’m gonna come up with some yummy menus from one of my FAVORITE cookbooks of ALL TIME….Marcia Adams’ Cooking from Quilt Country. It’s the first cookbook that I ventured into after Betty Crocker when I was cutting my culinary teeth. Good ol’ Midwestern cooking –that’s what I’m about.

So over the next few days, weeks, months…..name a time frame..., I’ll share my triumphant meals…kinda like Julie and Julia only farmer’s daughter style. I’ll throw in some groovy Cowboy quotes, too. He has some really good ones. No, you don’t understand…some really good ones. (That’s for our kids….inside joke).

He’s at the Western Edge today so I’ll tell you what I made for me from my Amish Cookbook:

Cucumbers with sour cream (page 53…no 55 – I need reading glasses)…It calls for

Sour cream…got that. I had to peek under the lid—yep, still good.
Sugar...check.
Vinegar…check.
Fresh dill…nope—dried dill, how old is it? Eh, It’s probably still good…
White pepper…uh, no…black’ll work.
Salt...who doesn’t have salt?
Celery seed…check.
2 long slender, cucumbers…no, just 1 really fat sunburnt one. Ok.
A small onion...yep, Vidalia -- well it’s more medium really.

Mmmmmm!! As good as ever….well, no, the cucumber was kinda bitter… Cowboy would’ve complained. I looked and looked all through the foxtail for some smaller cucumbers…no luck. My garden is a fright…..The Cowboy will throw a fit when he sees it….gotta keep him away from it till –ummmm-October, November…….

Before I go any further, I should tell you what the folks 'round here call the meals:
Morning meal: Breakfast…ok, universal
Noon meal: Dinner
Night time meal: Supper

Don’t ask me, I didn’t make the rules. That was on the farm: but…at school, at friends’ houses, and at college..it was breakfast, lunch, dinner.

I don’t know….just go with it.