Country Cousin

Irish...

Hi Folks!

As everyone in the nation knows by now, last week, with Spring just three weeks away, Winter arrived. With luggage! Lots and lots of heavy, wet luggage, 18 inches of it in some northern parts of Marinette county. Ole Man Winter paid TIMESland quite a visit, causing downed trees, clogged streets and highways, and widespread power outages. Making up for lost time, I guess. Snow continued to fall in spurts through Monday night.

Now he seems to have packed up and gone away again. Weathermen are talking rain for Wednesday and Thursday, and sunny with temps into the 60s on Saturday! Wonderful news.

Anyway, did March come in like a lamb by covering the countryside with white, wooly mounds of snow? It was just snow, not a full blown blizzard, so there was no similarity to a lion. And if the March 1 snowstorm was a lamb, and the month departs like a lion, what sort of lion can we expect?

SET CLOCKS

A reminder. Daylight Savings time starts Sunday, March 11, so clocks need to be set ahead one hour before bed time on Saturday night. We lose that extra hour of sleep saved up from last fall.

MOONLIGHT

On the night of Thursday, March 8, the moon will be full. The past several nights have been bright with moonlight on new fallen snow, but most of the snow cover will be gone by Thursday, and rain is predicted so we may not get to see this month’s full moon at all.

LENTEN PRETZELS

A food that symbolizes prayer and fasting is the pretzel (The name comes from the Latin word, “bracell�,” which means “arms”.) It is a traditional Lenten bread of very ancient origin. Early Christians made the bread from flour, salt and water only, which is a version of unleavened bread. They shaped it to represent arms folded in prayer, just as they are made to this day. The German tribes who invaded Rome called the bracell� “brazel” or “prezel.” Pretzels are traditionally eaten throughout Lent, especially in central Europe, and in some places are especially associated with Saint Joseph’s Day on March 19, which usually falls within Lent, as it does this year.

To make a chewy soft pretzel, like those hot pretzel vendors sell, combine in a mixing bowl:

1 cup warm water

1 package (1 1/2 T) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

Add and beat at least 3 minutes:

1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 tablespoon soft butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Stir in 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour and knead until the dough loses its stickiness. Let the dough rise in a covered greased bowl until it is doubled in bulk (this is called “proofing” the dough). Punch down and divide it into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope and form it into a pretzel shape. Place the pretzels on a greased baking sheet and let them rise until almost doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a large kettle (one not made of aluminum), prepare a boiling solution of 4 cups water and 5 teaspoons baking soda. With a slotted spoon, carefully lower each pretzel into the water and boil about 1 minute or until it floats to the top. Return to the greased sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt, like sea salt or Kosher salt. Bake the pretzels until they are nicely browned, about 10-12 minutes. Pretzels are best when eaten while still warm, but they may be stored in an air tight container for up to a week, or frozen. This recipe makes 12 six-inch pretzels.

TURKEY TALK

Read in the national press about an elderly lady in lower Michigan who’s afraid to leave her home because she’s being stalked by a wild attack turkey. The bird, she calls him Godzilla, goes after her whenever she tries to go from house to car or vice versa.

A neighbor told DNR officials Godzilla has also attacked him, even tried to get into his van when the door was open, and in the process bit him in the elbow.

Nice friendly future meal, I’d say.

The sad thing is apparently the lady called the Michigan DNR. Instead of dispatching the threat to the woman’s health and sanity, or at least trapping him and moving him to a location filled with wolves and coyotes instead of people, the DNR agent who responded told her by running she is reinforcing his anti-social behavior, and instead of letting Godzilla be the victor she should carry an open umbrella to drive him off with when she goes outdoors.

The lady was not impressed. Said turkey season opens April 1, and she can’t wait. “Every time I eat turkey I smile,” she says. “I’d like to do that to him.”

Can thoroughly sympathize with the victim here, having myself been terrorized for an entire summer by an attack rooster. The men in my family thought it was hilarious, but finally agreed to butcher him for the family table. I personally have never eaten anything so good!

The guys, on the other hand, had informed me in advance they could not dine on my enemy the rooster, because he was their friend. I had to cook a store chicken for them for the same meal, and did just that. It was well worth it.

IRISH HUMOR

It’s not politically correct any more to tell ethnic jokes, but one of the things I’ve always loved best about those of Irish descent is that they tell such good jokes on themselves.

One of the best Irish humorists in the business, locally, was the late longtime Marinette County Corporation Counsel James Murphy. The approach of St. Patrick’s Day on Saturday, March 17 brings him to mind, and the state of politics these days brings to mind one of his favorite stories. Particularly appropriate for him to tell, since he was both a politician and a lawyer.

It went like this: Reilly is walking through a graveyard when he comes across a headstone with the inscription “Here lies a politician and an honest man.”

“Faith now,” exclaims Reilly, “How’d they iver get the two of them into one grave?”

Here’s another: Finnegan sells Michael a donkey. Some weeks later they meet in a pub in Killarney and Michael says, “Hey, Finnegan, that donkey you sold me went and died.”

Finnegan just sips his Guinness slowly and retorts, ‘Bejabbers, Michael, it never done that on me.”

Here’s a new one, to me at least. Don’t think Murph ever told it, but he would have enjoyed it.

“Gallagher is in Boston and he is waiting patiently, also, he is watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing.

“The officer stops the flow of traffic and shouts, ‘Okay pedestrians’. Then he stops the people walking and allows the traffic to pass. He did this several times, and Gallagher still stood on the sidewalk, waiting.

“After the cop has shouted ‘Pedestrians’ for the 10th time, Gallagher approaches him and says, ‘Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?’”

We’re told that President Franklin D. Roosevelt once asked New York Mayor Al Smith, “Why do you Irish always answer a question with a question?”

“Do we now?” came Smith’s reply.

To all Irishmen and their wannabe friends: Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

FIRST AID

Cut yourself shaving? If this happens, on face, underarms, legs, or wherever else you may choose to shave, just wet a tea bag with cold water and apply it firmly to the nick.

Incidentally, to make the unwanted whiskers stand up so you get a nice, clean shave, smooth on a good quality shaving cream against the direction of hair growth. Then leave the later on for two minutes before you start shaving.

STICKING FURNITURE

Are you finding it hard to move some of your tables and chairs? The glides may be gone, or maybe they never had any. Anyway, if you’re needing to move them regularly on a hard-surfaced floor, like tile, hardwood or linoleum, stick bunion pads to the bottoms of the legs. That’s a cheap, easy fix and they’ll stay on at least for a while.

Also, before moving heavy furniture for housecleaning purposes on smooth floors or carpeted ones, slip heavy socks onto each leg. Or, especially when you’re planning to scrub the rugs, save plastic bottles, rinse thoroughly and cut off to make a “shoe” into which you put each leg before moving the furniture. Don’t forget to take the shoes off when you’re finished, though, or folks will look at you funny. They’ll probably be too polite to say anything, though.

COOKIN’ TIME

Seems like even at slow times of the year, there’s never enough hours in a given day for all the things we want to do. One way to gain time is by using a crock pot. On the other hand, what with the price of gas and diesel fuel these days, most of us need to save wherever we can, and sometimes making favorites from scratch is worth the time and effort involved.

CROCKPOT BREAKFAST

Put this on the night before, and enjoy a fine breakfast after church on Sunday,or before going off to work or school on week days. Either way, enjoy!

1 32 ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes

1 pound of diced ham, or bacon, cooked and drained

1 medium diced onion

1 green bell pepper diced

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1 dozen eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper (more or less to taste)

Place a layer of frozen potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker, followed by a layer of bacon then onions, green pepper and cheese. Repeat the layering process two or three more times, ending with a layer of cheese. Beat the eggs, milk and salt and pepper together. Pour over the Crockpot mixture, cover and turn on low. Cook for 10-12 hours.

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

Just a little twist adds a new dimension to this traditional favorite. They tell me there’s a lot more corned beef eaten per capita in America on St. Patrick’s Day than there is in Ireland. They’re probably right.

1 corned beef brisket (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

10 (about 1 lb.) small whole white onions

4 medium potatoes

4 cups rutabaga, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 small head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

Place beef brisket in roaster. Add juices and spices from brisket package. Combine apple juice or cider with peppercorns and bay leaves and pour over the brisket. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Peel and quarter potatoes. Peel and cut rutabaga into bite-sized chunks. Cut cabbage head into 8 wedges. Add vegetables to the brisket, cover, and continue baking for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves. Transfer brisket and vegetables to serving platter.

LO CARB CORNED BEEF HASH

Wonderful in its own right, or a real treat for those following low carb diets for one reason or another. Top each serving with a freshly poached egg or two before adding the sauce, and decorate with a bright sprig of parsley. Make in advance, and cook when you’re ready.

Hash:

1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion

1 cup diced green cabbage

1 1/2 pounds lean cooked corned beef, diced small

1 1/4 cup low-carb beer

1-2 tablespoons English dry mustard, such as Coleman’s

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped flat parsley

1 slice dried low-carb bread ground into crumbs

Salt, black pepper and Tabasco to taste (optional)

Sauce:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup low-carb beer

2 tablespoons sour cream

Preparing the hash: In large, nonstick skillet with a few drops of oil over medium-high heat, saut� onion until tender, about 8 minutes. Add diced cabbage and corned beef, cooking until just warm, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the beer to moisten, cooking until liquids are reduced to coat the corned beef, about 10 minutes. The corned beef and onions should be quite tender while the cabbage still a little crunchy. Transfer to large bowl. In small bowl, combine remaining beer and dry mustard, mixing until smooth. Add mustard mixture to large bowl along with Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley and bread crumbs, mixing well to reach a consistency that sticks together when slight pressure is applied. Add salt, pepper and Tabasco to your taste as necessary. Form into 4 balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Cooking the hash: Warm a 6-inch nonstick skillet with just a few drops of oil over medium heat. Add 1 corned beef hash ball and press into a pancake with back of cooking spoon (this allows the proper shape to be formed). Cook until well browned on bottom, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn over by placing plate over the skillet and inverting hash onto the plate. Slide hash back into skillet and cook until the bottom is browned, about 5 minutes. Keep warm while cooking remaining balls (or transfer shaped balls into large skillet and cook together).

Slide hash onto warmed serving plate. For the sauce: In small skillet over medium heat, stir together the 2 tablespoons mustard, beer and sour cream just until warm. Remove from heat and keep warm. To serve, position the poached egg atop center of hash, garnish with sprig of parsley, and serve with the Mustard Sauce spooned over or on the side. Makes four servings with only about 8 grams carbs each, including the eggs.

LEMON OR LIME MERINGUE PIE

Remember good old lemon pie, the kind you can’t find in a restaurant or deli? Make it the same way, but with lime juice instead of lemon, add a few drops of green food coloring and you have a delightful (if not authentic) St. Patrick’s Day treat. Taste filling to adjust sugar, because lemons and limes vary greatly in terms of sweetness.

Start by baking a 9-inch pie shell.

Filling:

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

dash of salt

3 egg yolks (save the whites)

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup lemon juice

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 tablespoons sugar

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make filling: In saucepan mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in egg yolks, then gradually add water, stirring till smooth. Add butter. Bring to boil over medium heat until thick. Add lemon juice, stir till smooth and bring just back to boil. Pour into baked crust.

Make meringue: In smaller glass or stainless bowl (not plastic) beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and sugar until soft peaks form. Be sure all the sugar is dissolved. The mixture will not feel grainy. Spread on filling, being sure to get all the way onto the edges of the pie shell so the filling is sealed in and the meringue doesn’t shrink. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until peaks of meringue are golden brown.

Thought for the week: Dear Lord, as we try to clean our spiritual houses during this Holy lenten season, help us clean our spiritual ears as well, so we can hear You, and so we can hear the cries for help from those we do not know, and also the often silent cries for help and understanding that often come silently from those who are near and dear to us. Fill our hearts with love and charity, that we may treat all with kindness, compassion and generously share the blessings You have showered on us. Amen.

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