(“Too Damn Hot,” photo by nancy ellen row rawley)

Speaking of my late, great grannies and their genius… 

It’s been hot hot hot here this week in the Willamette Valley, where it usually rains throughout the month of June. In Portland, we always knew when Rose Festival was kicking off, with the ships arriving, the blooms and the princesses and the carnival on the waterfront, because the nice weather would go boom! buh-bye! and the rains would start.

i mean, not just any rain — dismal, grey, muddy muddy carnival grounds, depressing and you would think it would never stop. But on the day the sailors packed up, leaving pregnant girls behind in the port and sailing away out of town — the sun would reappear. Then disappear again and the rain would come back.

June used to be a lot more fun, is my point.

But not now. Last year’s fire season was bad, as well as the previous years before that — i think it’s going on our fifth summer of horrible fires up and down the west coast and throughout the West. We’re still (again) in a drought. It’s scary stuff.

So I go to what comforts me — doing what I can do. Packing a quick bag and the truck in case we need to leave. Praying. Meditating. Keeping the trees cut back, the debris (leaves, branches) picked up. Watering and keeping things as damp and green as possible. Watching the news and the internet to see where the fires are.

And I go grocery shopping and cooking.

Watermelon, blueberries, ice cream, popsicles, sorbet and cookies, of course. We had a ham in the freezer, purchased on sale, so I defrosted that and heated it in the oven, then sliced. I never bake my own hams anymore, I use pre-cooked.

My grandmothers would wake up early when the weather was hot, or they would cook things overnight on low on the stove, or in the slow cooker. Hams, turkey soup, beans and more beans. Ribs, meatloaves, all of the comfort foods. Homemade mac and cheese.

Sometimes they’d give, and we’d get KFC takeout and have a picnic. Lol.

They prepped salads ahead of time to keep in the fridge (potato or macaroni, with lots of mayo or “salad dressing,” black pepper and sweet pickles) or made up quick green salads (with fresh butter lettuce from the garden, picked in the morning before the heat started) with homemade buttermilk dressing, sliced onions, sliced Beefsteak tomatoes. Another favorite was cuke, tomato and onion salad, dressed simply with vegetable oil and vinegar. My maternal grandmother used to put a drinking glass on the table, containing a bouquet of freshly washed green onions in ice water. (My grandpa and sister loved onions. Too much. Ha.)

After I had my own family, I switched the salads up a bit with fresh mozzarella, herbs, and basil, sliced Romas and lemon cucumbers. We also discovered Panzanella made with (slightly stale, but good and hearty) bread, tomatoes, cucumbers and whatever else sounded good. I love Gabriele’s and Debi’s version. I’ve posted so many good summertime recipes over the years, go check them out under the my “Recipe Club” category. Cornbread Salad and Fried Rice, from my cousins; Black Bean Salad, Corn Casserole; Three-Bean Salad… there are just a ton of tasty dishes you can do up ahead of time, then eat at your leisure.  

I baked the ham, and for sides, heated up some corn, and made mashed potatoes with spinach stirred in. We’re good! Also found these two old faves:

AUNT HELEN’S BAKED BEANS

1 can butter beans

1 can light kidney beans

1 can B&M baked beans

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and spoon into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until done.

And… here’s a yummy one, too, to serve with polenta, cornbread or breadsticks.

FIVE-BEAN CHILI

One can each black-eyed peas, Great Northern beans, black beans, and kidney beans (cook your own, freeze in batches and use what you need, or use canned)

One onion, chopped

Spices and extras: Chili powder, garlic (fresh or powdered), pink salt, cumin, black pepper, spoonful of sugar, jalapenos, big spoonful of cocoa, turmeric

A can or two of Mexican stewed tomatoes or Rotel

A can or two of tomato sauce and paste

I love this recipe because you can have fun with it, cook it in the slow cooker, make it as mild or spicy as you like… serve with sour cream or plain yogurt… grated cheese or more chopped onions, chopped fresh cilantro, okay now I’m hungry.

Bon appetit, babies! Enjoy your weekend and avoid the heat.

WM

(“Best Blue Heeler,” 2021 photo by Nancy Ellen Row Rawley)

Kid books — new and old favorites ahead for review, get ready. There may be a holiday book included that I’m sneaking in because I overlooked it a few months ago. OK, people. If you’re not doing this already, do like my smart grandmothers — buy those birthday, holiday, wedding and baby gifts year round. (The key is to remember where you stashed them, otherwise, alas…)

So I’m not even going to feel guilty that I forgot to review “The Wheels on the Bus At Christmas” (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2020, illustrated by Sarah Kieley, $10.99). It’s not too early/late to buy a copy, aight?

“Let’s ride the bus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve/ let’s ride the bus on Christmas Eve/ who will we find inside?”

Sweet little kids is who! Plus reindeer, presents, singing cookies, a snowman and lots of other fun. Darling singalong with bright pops of color. The front cover opens with cut-outs of the windows on the bus… and that looks like Santa driving?

As long as we’re on the subject of winter… here’s another overlooked (whoops) book.  “Small Walt Spots Dot,” written by Elizabeth Verdick, with pictures by Marc Rosenthal, pays homage to both Mike Mulligan (Virginia Lee Burton) and our busy friend Curious George. (Did you know that Hans and Margret Rey escaped from the Nazis? They fled Paris on bicycle in 1940, reportedly carrying the manuscript for the first “Curious George.”) I am a sucker for the illustrations and children’s books of the 1930s-1950s. “Small Walt Spots Dot,” with this vintage style, does not disappoint. (Paula Wiseman, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020, $17.99.)

Gus and his snowplow, Walt, hit the streets, save the snowy day, and find a lost pup along the way. (See? Rhymes rule.) Another one to tuck away for next winter. Or, you may like reading books about snow when the weather is hot and miserable, “Chicken Soup with Rice”-style.

Next up:

Like his millions of other fans, I was saddened to hear of the recent death of Eric Carle. The World of Eric Carle recently published a perfect little board book, “You’re My Little Baby” (Little Simon, 2020, ages 2-4, $7.99). If you haven’t already, now is the time to start collecting Carle books for the kids in your life. Or for yourself. The art is extraordinary, and his work really is for all ages. My favorites include “Animals Animals,” “The Very Busy Spider” (of course), “‘Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,’ Said the Sloth,” and “Dragons Dragons.” You cannot go wrong with any of Carle’s books, these are just my top picks. 

“God Gave Us Prayer” is the latest release in the “God Gave Us” series by author Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrator David Hohn (Waterbrook Multnomah, 2021, ages 3-8, 56 pages, $14.99). The power of prayer is illustrated through pup and his parents, possum, otter, skunk and other friends, with space for little readers to reflect.

Anna Dewdny’s “Llama Llama” books have been delighting young readers for years. The newest on the shelves is “Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter” (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2021, by Anna Dewdny, Reed Duncan and J.T. Morrow, ages babies and up, $18.99). Llama Llama has never had a sitter before, what will this be like? Good way to prepare the young ones for meeting new caregivers. 

Bon appetit, babies!

WM