Country Cousin

Fourth...

Hi Folks!

Summer officially is a week old now, and by this time next week the Fourth of July will have come and gone. Days are gradually getting shorter instead of longer. Before we know it, this summer too will be heading toward history.

Don’t let it go without wringing all the enjoyment possible from every precious day. Smell the roses. Nibble the wintergreen berries. Catch the fireflies. Seek out rainbows. Find a four leaf clover and make a wish. Make a bunch of wishes. There aren’t any written rules about those things! Live largely! Think happy! Laugh a lot. But always be kind. Life is a lot sweeter when taken without a side order of guilt.

FOURTH OF JULY

Marinette County is smack in the middle of a host of summer celebrations, and the main holiday of summer, the Fourth of July, this year falls smack in the middle of the week. Instead of a long holiday weekend, we get a long holiday week.

There are rummage sales, flea markets, runs, walks and bike rides. Businesses and communities all around the area are hosting music, picnics, rides, races and all sorts of fun.

Ski teams will entertain on Lake Noquebay and High Falls Flowage with breathtaking performances and fireworks.

On Wednesday, June 27, Peshtigo’s Bands at Badger concerts in the park series features “Instant Karma,” sponsored by Cellcom. Music is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and the concession stand opens at 5:30 p.m. No charge, just come and enjoy.

On Thursday, June 28, “Cold Hard Cash” will be playing classic rock in the bandshell at Menominee’s historic water front from 7 to 9 p.m. No charge. Bring your own chairs.

On Saturday, June 30 kids in Oconto are invited to join a Kiddies Parade starting on the grounds of the Beyer Home Museum at 11 a.m.

Marinette and Peshtigo are not having fireworks on the Fourth of July, but Crivitz, the ski teams and several other communities are.

Check the ads, read the paper, and watch for posters. There is absolutely too much fun to try to list everything in any one place.

DAIRY MONTH

In honor of June Dairy Month, which of course is almost gone, had to snap up these corny jokes. Please don’t throw things!

Did you know that in real dairy country:

A stockholder is a pen for cattle.

The kids claim Moscow doesn’t give as much milk as Pa’s cow.

Barns are noisy because all the cows have horns.

Laughing stock means cattle with a sense of humor.

*A cowboy who’s lost his herd can’t complain. He’s got no beef, herd it all.

MEMORY MEDICINE

Yours Truly has a reputation for sometimes being a bit “spacey,” absent minded, or whatever you want to call CRS syndrome. So I latched right on to a newly advertised memory boost supplement. Bought it, used it a few days, and then was forced to enlist the family for a search mission. Forgot where I put it, you know.

Maybe it didn’t work all that well?

GROWIN’ THINGS

Everything seems to be growing, blooming and ripening at an alarming pace this summer, what with the early heat and finally an end to the nearly disastrous drought. The afternoon monsoons do tend to spoil some planned outings, and rain would be more appreciated from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. than from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., which we’ve been having, but even with the awkward timing , it’s better than no rain at all.

Don’t forget to snip off the spent blooms from your perennials, and pinch out stem ends once in a while. Both treatments encourage dense growth and help keep those flowers coming all through the summer. Don’t be afraid to pick some of the flowers for indoor arrangements. That is just as beneficial to the plant and you get day and night enjoyment from them.

Stores and garden centers are having end of season sales right now on plants to set out in the garden, and it isn’t too late for many if they already have a good start in their pots.

Herbs in particular are worth buying even this late in the season, since most of them start producing as soon as you can snip a few leaves without stripping the plant. And most of them will keep right on producing through cold weather and beyond, because you can dig them up and bring them indoors in fall, or plant them in containers in the first place so they’re easy to move inside. Some that move quite easily from outdoors to inside are parsley, chives, and rosemary. Basil will last too with a bit of attention and lots of sun.

The flavor of fresh herbs is incomparable, but you use different amounts. The proportion is roughly three parts of fresh herbs to substitute for one part of dried. For example, if your recipe calls for half a teaspoon dried basil, use 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh basil.

BUGGY

Summer is the time for vacation trips, weekend outings, evening drives. Deer aren’t the only hazards on the roads. Some nights, the car becomes a regular execution machine, bringing an abrupt end to the final flights of countless thousands of bugs. Those bugs eventually have to be cleaned off. After you’re done scrubbing and scouring, be smart. Spray the grille and headlights with non stick cooking spray and next time they’ll wash right off.

Don’t forget to brush them out of the radiator grilles occasionally, too. Keeps the car running cooler if the fins aren’t clogged up.

And do wash the headlights every time you fill the gas tank. Makes it a lot easier to see at night.

Incidentally, safety experts say keeping headlights on in the daytime is the best single thing you can do to improve your odds of survival on the highway.

E-MAIL ERROR

Don’t know if this is a true story, but it’s making the rounds. It seems a couple from the frozen wilds of northern Wisconsin decided to go to Florida to thaw out last winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.

Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife to fly down the following day.

Hubby checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an e-mail to his wife to report his safe arrival. However, when typing her e-mail address he accidentally left out one letter. Without realizing his error, sent the e-mail on its way.

His wife didn’t get it, but a widow in Houston, Texas did. She had just returned from the funeral of her husband, a minister who a few days earlier had been called home to glory following a heart attack.

The widow checked her e-mail, expecting condolence messages from relatives and friends. But after reading the first message, she screamed and fainted.

Her son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw on the computer screen:

“To: My Loving Wife - I’ve Arrived

“I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in.

“I’ve seen that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then!

“Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

“P. S. Sure is hot down here!!!!”

COOKIN’ TIME

If you’re not cooking on the grill, summer calls for either very quick recipes that cook without heating up the kitchen (for example, in the microwave), or extremely easy recipes that can simmer in the slo cooker (preferably out in the garage) without heating up the cook. Fresh veggies are becoming more plentiful on the grocers shelves and in area gardens. To keep fresh green vegetables from fading when you blanch or cook them, add a bit of peanut oil to the water, perhaps a tablespoon to 2 or 3 quarts water. I prefer to cook in a small amount of water and do more steaming, but a few drops of peanut oil helps there too, and is good for you besides.

MAKE AHEAD VEGGIES

Perfect for hot summer dining, and for toting along on picnics and camping trips. Keeps several days in the refrigerator. The colors are pretty together.

1 tablespoon wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise (the real thing, not salad dressing)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced chives

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 leaves fresh basil (optional)

3 medium zucchini, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste (we like seasoned salt)

Bring 2 or 3 quarts water to boil in a large deep kettle. Add a bit of salt and the basil leaves. When the water is boiling rapidly add the carrots. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes. Drain and refrigerate. Make dressing by mixing the vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and chives. When the vegetables are cool toss with enough of the dressing to coat nicely. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a vegetable side dish. Experiment with other vegetables, like asparagus, green beans, cauliflower, etc.

VOODOO CHICKEN SALAD

This spicy dish delivers the tastes of sweet, sour, hot, and salty to the table for a refreshingly different summer salad. Next time you grill chicken breasts, make a couple of extra ones so you can serve this salad a day or two later.

Voodoo Dressing:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons chili paste

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/3 cup real mayonnaise

3/4 cup sesame or extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons ginger, peeled

Chicken Salad:

2 halved, grilled chicken breasts, cubed, skin removed

2 tablespoons Feta or Bleu cheese (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

paprika

Place all ingredients for the dressing into the bowl of a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve over cubed just-grilled chicken breast which has been arranged over crisp lettuce. Sprinkle with crumbled Feta or Bleu cheese if you like it. Sprinkle with paprika for color and garnish with halved cherry tomatoes or vine-ripened tomato wedges.

TURKEY AND CHEDDAR BURGERS

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon parsley

1 tablespoon dried chives or 2 of fresh chopped

1 teaspoon dried onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

dash of each salt, pepper, paprika

Form loosely packed burgers. Lightly grease a non-stick pan or grill and heat until quite hot. Add burgers. If you use a pan, reduce heat to medium and cover pan to keep everything moist. Either way, cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning as little as possible, preferably only once. Top with a slice of cheddar cheese and let it melt before placing on the bun if you wish. Very tasty. Great on grill!

GRILLED VEGGIE BOATS

1 zucchini, cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks

1 cup button mushrooms

1 each red and yellow pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch squares

1 cup large cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup Light Zesty Italian Dressing

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Toss together vegetables, tomatoes and dressing in the center of a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, making it long and a bit thin and flat, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Grill 4 minutes or so, turn and then cook another four to six minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packet. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with cheese.

CHUNKY PEACH SALSA

Grill the peaches while you’re grilling something else anyway, and then make up the salsa to have it whenever you want. Particularly good on grilled chicken or ham sandwiches.

3-4 medium ripe peaches, halved and pitted

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, preferably Vidalia

1 small jalape�o pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preheat grill to medium. Brush cut sides of peaches with oil. Grill the peaches until softened and browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let cool. Chop the peaches into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a medium bowl. Add onion, jalape�o, lime zest and juice, cilantro and mint.

BLUEBERRY RICOTTA COFFEE CAKE

Clan gathering at your compound for the Fourth of July festivities? Make up a couple of these coffee cakes for quick and easy snacks, or even breakfasts. Recipe makes 12 servings.

2 1/3 cups flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or shortening

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Buttery flavored cooking spray

FILLING:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, drained

TOPPING

Reserved crumb mixture

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture for topping. To remainder, add baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into prepared pan. Blend ricotta, egg, sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl until smooth. Sprinkle blueberries over batter in pan. Gently spread ricotta mixture over blueberries. Combine reserved crumb mixture, nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of ricotta layer. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly before cutting.

CRANBERRY RICOTTA CHEESE COFFEE CAKE: Follow the recipe above, substituting halved cranberries for blueberries and grated orange peel for lemon peel.

Thought for the Week: Were it not for the brave men who risked their futures, families and fortunes in 1776 to declare our nation’s independence we would have nothing to celebrate today. The framers of our nation’s founding documents were a marvelously brave, intelligent and eloquent group. One of the most forceful was Samuel Adams, who said at the time, “If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”

(The Country Cousin column is written by Shirley Prudhomme, Crivitz. Views expressed are her own and are in no way intended to be an official statement of the opinions of Peshtigo Times editors and publishers. The former Shirley Boivin, Prudhomme grew up in the City of Marinette, attended Merryman Elementary School and graduated from Marinette Catholic Central High School. She has more than 35 years experience reporting local political events, and was a Marinette County Supervisor for 16 years. She may be contacted by phone at 715-927-5034 or by e-mail at shirleyprudhommechickadee@yahoo.com.)

COUNTRY COUSIN

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