First Week in June

Monday:
Sliced ham
Potato salad
Cole slaw
Rhubarb crisp

Tuesday:
Ham
Cole slaw
Parsley potatoes
Peas
Chocolate cake

Wednesday:
Pork chops
Baked potato
Green beans
Cherry jello

Thursday:
Stuffed green peppers
Tomato salad
Green vegetable

Friday:
Broiled fish
Mashed potatoes
Buttered carrots
Cole slaw
Cream puffs

Saturday:
Lasagna
Bread and butter
Fruit salad

Sunday:
Chicken
Mashed potatoes
Peas
Jello salad with pineapple

Fourth Week in May

Monday:
Ham slices
Au gratin potatoes
Green beans
Jello salad

Tuesday:
Tuna salad
Hot biscuits
Jello salad
Asparagus
Rhubarb crisp

Wednesday:
Beef pot roast
Potatoes and carrots
Lettuce salad
Roll & butter

Thursday:
Sliced beef in gravy
Mashed potatoes
Green vegetable
Apricot bars

Friday:
Spaghetti
Garlic bread
Lettuce salad
Asparagus

Saturday:
Pork chops
Baked Potato
Carrots
Cole slaw salad
Strawberry shortcake

Sunday:
Chicken and cream gravy
Lettuce salad
Potatoes
Peas
Strawberry jello

Memorial Day

Americans celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday in May.  Originally called "Decoration Day," the holiday first appeared after the American Civil War.  Often on the last Monday in May, the graves of thousands who lost their lives in the war were decorated with flowers and flags.  In more recent years, this has expanded to include all who lost their lives while in military service.
(Veteran's Day on November 11th honors all who served in the military.)

It marks the start of summer and is frequently celebrated with parades, memorial services, family gatherings and picnics.

Picnic Menu:
Lemonade and iced tea
Grilled hamburgers & hot dogs
Buns
Ketchup, mustard, relish
Potato chips or potato salad
Baked beans
Carrot & celery sticks
Fruit salad or sliced watermelon
Brownies and cookies

A "picnic" is also the name of a cut of pork, which is often cured as a ham.  Ham sandwiches would be a great menu substitute if a grill is not available.

Third Week in May

Monday:
Roast beef
Potatoes
Asparagus
Melon salad

Tuesday:
Cold sliced beef
Hash brown potatoes
Tomato salad
Rhubarb crisp

Wednesday:
Pork chops with barbecue sauce
Buttered egg noodles
Peas
Jello salad

Thursday:
Scalloped potatoes and ham
Cabbage salad with pineapple
Green vegetable
Chocolate cake

Friday:
Baked fish
Boiled new potatoes
Green beans
Cucumbers and radishes
Strawberry shortcake

Saturday:
Meat loaf
Potato salad
Slice tomatoes
Cheesecake

Sunday:
Roast chicken
Potatoes
Green beans
Cucumber & lettuce salad
Lemon sherbet & cookies

Second Week in May

Monday:
Chicken breast
Mashed potatoes
Glazed carrots
Lettuce salad

Tuesday:
Hamburger & gravy
Rice
Green beans
Cucumber salad

Wednesday:
Fried ham slices
Baked potato
Green beans
Lemon pie

Thursday:
Pork chops
Creamed potatoes
Sunshine salad (pineapple & grated carrot in lemon jello)
Asparagus

Friday:
Broiled fish
Parsley buttered potatoes
Beets or carrots
Cottage cheese & strawberries

Saturday:
Grilled hamburgers
French fries or potato chips
Slice tomatoes
Cole slaw salad

Sunday:
Chicken casserole
Green beans
Jello salad
Pineapple upside down cake

Mother's Day

For Mother's Day I'd like to share one of my Mother's go-to menus for Sunday dinner.  She always would use her good wedding china and a white tablecloth on the dining room table when we had guests for Sunday dinner.

Baked chicken breasts
Stuffing
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Fruit salad
Carrots or green beans
Cloverleaf dinner rolls
Strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream


Mom's Baked Chicken
(amounts are my best guess - she didn't use a recipe.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make stuffing first.   (Yes, you can cheat with Stovetop Stuffing, but Mom made her own.)  Saute' one chopped onion and a rib or two of chopped celery in a little butter.   Add 1 cup water, 1 chicken bouillon cube, 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Pour water mixture over 3 cups cubed dried bread a bit at a time until it is soft, but not mushy.   Stir with a fork to moisten thoroughly.  Mound in the center of a greased round casserole. Mom had a clear Pyrex casserole with a lid, and a basket that it fit into for serving at the table. 
Brown 4 skinless chicken breasts in the frying pan with a little butter.  Remove and place in the casserole around and overlapping the stuffing a bit.
Add 1 cup water to the frying pan to deglaze the pan.  Shake 2 Tbsp flour and 1/4 cup water in a jar to mix, then pour into the chicken drippings in the frying pan.  Whisk over medium heat until thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over chicken and stuffing.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  (Chicken should be 160 degrees when done.)

Mom's home made Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon Crisco shortening
1-3/4 cups flour (divided)
1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Tablespoon dry yeast
1 egg
Combine water and shortening and heat just until shortening melts.  In a large bowl dissolve sugar and salt with warm water mixture.  Cool down to warm or tepid.  Dissolve yeast in warm liquid.  Let yeast activate for a few minutes.  Beat in egg.  Gradually mix in 1-1/2 cups flour and place remaining flour on a board or pastry cloth.  Turn dough on to floured board/cloth and knead about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.  Divide into 8 sections.  Then further divide each section into three.  Roll small pieces into balls and dip into melted butter. Arrange 3 balls in each of 8 greased medium-sized muffin cups.  Let rise about 30 minutes until doubled.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 rolls.

Rhubarb picking time

The first produce from Dad's garden has always been rhubarb.  We couldn't wait for that first picking and Mom would search through her recipe books for great rhubarb dessert recipes.  Here is one I made recently adapted from a recipe in the Farm Journal's Meal & Menu Planner Cookbook by Elsie W. Manning 1980.

Sugar-Crusted Rhubarb Cake

2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups finely diced rhubarb*
1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Put vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup liquid.  Let stand to sour the milk while preparing the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
In a small bowl combine egg, oil, vanilla and sour milk with a wire whisk.
Add to dry ingredients and blend well.  Stir in rhubarb and nuts.
Spread batter in a greased 8x12  glass or non-reactive pan.
(Do not use aluminum as it reacts with the rhubarb and ruins the pan.)
Combine sugar, melted butter and cinnamon.  Mix well and sprinkle over the top of the batter.
Bake in 325 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until done.
Serve warm or cold.  Serving options include topping with whipped cream, ice cream or vanilla pudding.

* If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw completely.   Thaw just enough to separate the pieces.

(The original recipe used a 9-inch pan, baked 55 minutes, and the pan was very full.)

Cinco de Mayo

An unlikely victory by the Mexican army over the French forces in Puebla, Mexico on May 5th, 1862 is the reason Mexicans and Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo.  It has become a day to celebrate the Mexican culture and heritage with music, dancing and food.

No need to give you recipes for Tacos....  or Margaritas...
How about Spanish Rice as a nice side dish?

Spanish Rice

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup raw rice
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 green pepper, diced

Brown the ground beef and onion in a deep frying pan that has a lid.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Optional: you can add a drained can of corn if you want a little more color, and an all-in-one dish.
(Check a few times and give it a stir to make sure the water is being absorbed by the rice.  If it seems too dry, add a little more water so it doesn't scorch.)

First Week in May

Monday:
Chicken noodle casserole
Green vegetable
Orange jello

Tuesday:
Ham
Baked potatoes
Green beans
Strawberries

Wednesday:
Sliced ham
Boiled potatoes
Buttered cabbage
Rhubarb crisp

Thursday:
Swiss steak
Rice
Asparagus
Vegetable salad

Friday:
Baked fish
Scalloped potatoes
Carrots
Asparagus salad
Strawberry shortcake

Saturday:
Tacos

Sunday:
Baked Chicken
Mashed potatoes
Peas
Jello salad with fruit