I love this photo. The lighting and setting convey warmth and serenity. The picture is of my grandson, Austin, shown after he cut up several figs for our lunch. It was a spontaneous shot taken with my iPhone camera. The figs are from a tree he planted last year.
I went to the farm for the Labor Day weekend, hoping for an uncomplicated holiday. It had not been a good week for me and the mechanisms I depend upon. Earlier in the week, my computer had succumbed to an age disorder and I’d been painfully transitioning to a new PC with Windows 10. Then the elevator went out at my condo, which sent my Fitbit step counter to heights never before reached. When I arrived at the farm I discovered my 25-year-old refrigerator was on life supports, requiring its contents be shuffled to several ice-filled coolers and a small backup refrig.
Food and Fortitude
Then I took the photo above. It had a soothing effect. Something about it reminded me of what’s important in life—and it wasn’t electronics and appliances. I was blessed to have family and friends around to share the awkwardness of food preparation without the usual conveniences and to even find some humor in the situation.
Undeterred, we slapped several racks of ribs on the grill and I roasted some of those multicolored potatoes I’ve been seeing in the produce section.
The purple potatoes were purple on the inside as well.
Roasted Multicolored Potatoes take on a rustic look when dusted with Parmesan cheese
It was really easy to put together Ina Garten’s Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and Pine Nuts, a recipe that’s gotten rave reviews on line. I could go on about this dish, but let me just say this: my granddaughters asked for seconds!
Ina Garten’s Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and Pine Nuts is quick to make and one that will definitely become a family favorite.
This healthy Summer Salad made with garbanzo beans, edamame, corn, green onions, and plum tomatoes adds tang and taste to any meal.
A good dessert has a way of getting your mind off the mundane and worrisome. I was thrilled when one of my guests—a dessert cook extraordinaire—made these bite-size Blueberry Cheese Cakes. For those preferring something heartier, she baked a Quick and Easy Caramel Cake. Most guests had a sample of each. The next day she pulled out her four-ingredient Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie. Smiles all around.
Mini Blueberry Cheesecakes get a final touch of blueberry preserves and fresh blueberries.
Cake mixing takes many hands.
Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie is made with vanilla ice cream, crunchy peanut butter, and Cool Whip placed in a graham cracker crust. Decorate with berries of your choice.
Wish I had a nickle for every time I’ve done this. Over the weekend, my granddaughters were awakened by coyotes howling in the night, but slept through the bed-rattling earthquake out of Oklahoma. I slept through both.
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Weekend Take Away
From the repose of my deck lounge chair, I looked up to see that my favorite red maples were beginning to get a few colored leaves. When the tree is covered in crimson—as it soon will be—it’s magnificent. While I’d been dealing with repairs, it was good to know there was nothing broken in the universe; all was in order
I’m back in St. Louis now. Walking up and down the stairs of my condo until the elevator is repaired may be just what I need to work off a weekend of overindulgence. And the annoyances of Windows 10 may keep me from sitting too long behind the computer screen. Hopefully, a new thermostat will rally my ol’ refrig for a few more years.
The week is looking brighter already.
