No Game-On Weather

  • By Daphne Ross
  • May 18, 2011
  • 292
                        
I hear, I read; the sun will be shining again real soon, I have no doubt this is what the weatherman will report again some day. The rain will stop, the farmer’s will plant, and then it will rain again; we just have no say when it comes to the weather schedule. Not even the Farmer’s Almanac has the inside scoop. Our dampened spirits will just have to pray and accept the way it all comes down; be it by ray or rain. Anxious kids, anxious fans, anxious parents the ballgames have been so washed out lately that other activities have become more commonplace. The umbrella Olympics is a challenging event, especially when the wind whips and rips, when the door way is too narrow for entrance, and when the draining canopy lacks wide open space for drying time. These days springtime sports of competition are often times unplanned events; mud sliding, puddle hopping, drain jumping, boot stomping, and drive or dare; thru the water or turn it around, better take the high road on this one most players come out losers nearly every time. The laundry game is a game of rotating relay; from floor to hamper, from washer to dryer, skip a space for no clothesline drying. Ball uniforms have been clean for almost as long as they are when out of season; they hang and wait. They want the green to stretch down the leg of their pants when going in for the slide, not so much the brown of mud to the base. The field caretakers have been busy, busy shaking their heads in disbelief. The playing fields need attention even when the games aren’t being played; cleats and slides are not doing the damage. Vendors are getting hit by hard rain, too. No popcorn gets popped, no dogs are rolled roasted, no sodas are fizzing, and no napkins are wiping sticky faces because no ketchup is getting squirted, no ice cream bars are dripping, no candy bars are melting in little hands. This all means there are less photo ops, fewer funniest videos, less scrapbooking pages, clearer refrigerator doors, fewer cone stops, and fewer U-Tube opportunities. Now, who can’t wait to hear, “Play ball!” It’s time to gather up all your dipping recipes and share them with Country Cupboard. What is a party, reunion or picnic without those appetizing dips? Mail recipes to: 5973 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, OH, 44691. Emails are always welcome: thewritecook@sssnet.com My Favorite Rhubarb Cake (Carolyn Warren, Oak Grove) 1/2 cup shortening 1 1/3 cups brown sugar 1 egg 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup sour milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups chopped rhubarb Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup coconut 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Cream sugar, shortening and egg. Beat. Sift dry ingredients together. Add alternately with sour milk to creamed mixture. Add vanilla, stir well. Stir in rhubarb. Bake in 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix topping ingredients together. Pour over cake; press lightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Potato Pizza Hot Dish (Pat Hohman, Milan) 4 cups sliced raw potatoes 1 pound hamburger 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1/2 cup milk 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 cup mozzarella cheese Place potatoes in 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Brown hamburger, onion and celery; drain. Mix soup and milk; add to hamburger. Pour this mixture over potatoes. Mix tomato sauce, oregano and sugar together. Pour this over everything. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are done. Remove from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes more. Serves 6 to 8. Rhubarb Torte (Pete Amstutz, Cassopolis, Michigan) 4 cups rhubarb cut fine 3 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Mix and in buttered casserole dish. Top with the following: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar Bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Whole Grain Pancakes (A reader from Coshocton County) Pancake Mix: 3 cups whole wheat flour 2 1/2 cups buckwheat flour 1 cup wheat germ 1 cup cornmeal 5 tablespoons baking powder 1 tablespoon salt Mix well and store in a cool place. For Pancakes: 2 cups water or milk 2 eggs 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil 2 cups pancake mix Combine eggs, milk and oil. Add mix and stir just until combined. Bake on a hot, greased griddle. Variation: For ginger cakes, add to batter 1 teaspoon each of ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Granola Cereal (A reader from Coshocton County) 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter 1 cup sugar more or less or 3/4 cup honey 8 cups quick rolled oats OR 4 cups quick oats and 4 cups regular oats 2 cups coconut 1 cups nuts 1 cup sunflower seeds (optional) 1/2 cup oat bran (optional) 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup sesame seeds (optional) Melt butter and add sugar. Add oats, coconut, nuts, sunflower seeds, oat and wheat bran. Pour onto 2 cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool and add wheat germ and sesame sees. You can also add raisins, chocolate chips, graham crackers or whatever suits your taste. Sloppy Joe Bake (Portia Amstutz, Cassopolis, Michigan) Brown 1 pound ground beef and 1 cup chopped onions; drain. Stir in 15 ounce can or tomato sauce, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/3 cup brown sugar (or less) and 2 teaspoons mustard. Heat to boiling. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch ungreased baking dish. Blend 1 1/2 cups Bisquick, 1 cup milk and 2 eggs. Stir until blended. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top. Range Cake Texas-Style (Helena Griffin) 1 cup of soft butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon flavoring of your choice Cream butter and sugar until real fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, creaming each in real good. Sift in flour. Add flavoring. If desired, pecans or walnuts may be added. Have a pan greased and floured. Pour in batter and bake in a 530 degree oven until cake will spring back when touched. Banana Split Cake (Marion Goodrich) Bottom: 1 package crushed graham crackers or graham cracker crumbs 1 stick butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons sugar Combine above ingredients, and press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Chill. Filling: On high speed beat exactly 15 minutes, no more, no less: 2 cups powdered sugar 2 eggs 2 sticks butter Spoon onto graham crumbs and chill. Topping: Layer of sliced bananas Layer of 1 can crushed pineapple, drained 2 packages of Dream Whip; Mix and put on top of pineapple. Then decorate Dream Whip with 1/2 jar cherries and chopped walnuts. Chill one whole day. (NOTE: The Ohio State Extension office does not recommend consuming raw egg product.) Nutty Chocolate Pie (Portia Amstutz, Cassopolis, Michigan) 3 eggs 1 cup Karo 1 cup chopped walnuts 6 ounces chocolate chips 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 (9 inch) pie shell In bowl, beat eggs. Add other ingredients; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.


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