August 2008

Delta Dish
Volume 4 Issue 8

*** Random Thoughts

Do you know that my child started back to school today? On the first Wednesday in August? That seems A WEE BIT early to me. We had been back from vacation about two weeks when it was time for back to school shopping.

I thought getting school supplies for this school year when mah baby will be in the first grade would be sad or melancholy. Instead, I looked forward to seeing what kind of lunchbox he would choose (Spiderman, with its very own water bottle. Very important.), the backpack he’d pick out (lime green and black). He chose a Cars folder, bright and shiny and red.

I thought I was excited about the new school but now it has sunk in. He will be SEVEN YEARS OLD in a couple of months. He automatically reaches for my hand when we walk. I wonder how much longer he’ll do that.

Am I making anyone else sad? Let’s talk about happy things. Like, July was a great month! Look at the blog links to read all about it.

Another happy thing: Football starts soon. And you all know what that means: fall leaves, letterman jackets, pumpkins and Indian corn, sweet potato pies – it’s all coming. And also, COOLER TEMPERATURES.

Best,
Keetha


*** Great Quote

Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed. - Robert Gallagher


*** Fun Food Idea

The Crock Pot is my friend. That’s what I discovered last month.

It’s funny because I think of the slow cooker as being a very wintry and fall appliance. I associate it with soups and stews and roasts. It makes me think of getting home from work when it’s already dark inside and walking into warm kitchen filled with the smell of a hearty meal.

Suntan lotion, air conditioning, and eight p.m. sunsets don’t call to mind the slow cooker. BUT. It has been so incredibly, ridiculously hot. A few weekends ago, we cooked out two nights in a row to avoid heating up the kitchen. That was great, by the way, filets and baked potatoes one night, marinated pork tenderloin and proscuitto-wrapped fresh green beans the next. Weeknight grill cooking isn’t always feasible, though.

One Monday morning I put three boneless skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot along with a sprig’s worth of chopped rosemary, what Pinot Grigio was left in the bottle – probably about half a cup or less, a can of Cream of Chicken soup (of course), a white onion, roughly chopped, and seasoned it all liberally with salt and pepper.

It was GOOD. Super good. We cooked some rice and made a salad and we had dinner. It was really tasty and easy.

It has forced me to re-evaluate the relationship I have with my slow cooker. I thought he was a cold weather guy. Apparently, not so much. In fact, he is ideal for hot, humid, miserable summer days. (Can you tell that the heat, it is wearing on me? I’ve weathered the summer pretty well – weathered! Get it? – but it’s getting old. What’s worse is that we have a good two months of this weather to go.)

The slow cooker gets an entrée ready without heating up the kitchen. At this point in the summer, all menu planning starts with this: What can we have dinner that will generate the least amount of heat?

We’ve thought of all kinds of other slow cooker possibilities. Like chicken breasts and pesto sauce. I bet that would be out of this world.

What are you favorite summertime slow cooker recipes? Email me at keetha403 at gmail dot com if you have any recipes you’d like to share.



*** Pass It On

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*** Hit the Highlights

Some bloggy goodness:

Vacation: A Story in Umpteen Parts
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

OH YEAH. I’m getting married!

The Proposal

The Announcement

I may or may not be crazy, probably so. I must be because I’ve started this Couch to 5K fitness program. Yes, I said fitness program. See? Crazy talk. The inaugural post about it went up today.

Check the blog often!


*** Shameless Bid for Commerce

To see what people, who I didn’t pay (really!), say about More Culinary Kudzu, visit here.


*** Recommended Reading

I read some great books last month. A trip to the beach was my excuse for loading up both at the bookstore and the library.

Theft by Peter Carey was one of my favorites, as was The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson.


*** Adorable Thing My Child Said

(Last Sunday at church, during communion. We’re at the altar where he’s just eaten a piece of bread.)

Him (in a loud whisper): Mommy, I like this bread.
Me: Shhhhh.
Him: (slightly louder): I wish you’d make some of that at home for us to have.


*** Mississippi Writers Guild

The annual conference is in Vicksburg on August 15 and 16. The Mississippi Writers Guild sponsors writer workshops, conferences, writer retreats and reputable writing contests. Membership dues are only $40.00 per year. To learn more, visit www.mississippiwritersguild.com

The Mississippi Writers Guild is a non-profit association of writers from all over the state and is a growing part of Mississippi’s literary art landscape.


*** Calendar of Events

Saturday, August 16th – 2nd Annual Miss. Writers Guild conference, Vicksburg, Miss. www.mississippiwritersguild.com

Tuesday, August 19th – my friend, Roxanne’s, birthday

Thursday, August 21st – my sister in law’s birthday

Saturday, August 30th – Miss. State vs. Northeast Louisiana televised on ESPN2. 5:45 p.m. kickoff.


*** Reminders and Unsubscribe Info.

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, simply send an email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line to keethadreed@yahoo.com - we’ll miss you but won’t harass you about staying or coming back.

2008 © Pecan Street Press. All rights reserved.