Camping and Retirement Blog - Page 5 of 16

Winter in Florida, Two Weeks Early in 2021

Winter in Florida

Winter in Florida, what could be better? Early last year, I booked five weeks at three of our favorite Florida State Parks. At the time, we did not have to consider a pandemic or a puppy in our plans. However, because of the pandemic and the puppy, we completely cancelled two weeks at Topsail and the first week at Tomoka State Park. Our puppy was very new to us and we did not think such a long trip was a good idea.

We had a one-night stopover at Eastbank COE, just over the Florida state line and four stops at Florida campgrounds. The campgrounds were predictable because each stop was at a campground we have previously visited and loved.

Tomoka State Park

Our longest stop was eight nights at Tomoka State Park and a couple of friends were there with us for several days. We loved seeing them, but it was bitter cold and windy for most of their stay. The pandemic made it a problem for inside visiting, so we did not get to socialize in a normal manner. However, it was wonderful to see them.

The gorgeous natural canopy at Tomoka protected us from the high winds and our awning was a great space to escape the rain.

Because of the weather, puppy, and pandemic, we spent a lot of time walking through the campground. Fortunately, it is a beautiful place with live oak trees and Spanish Moss. The beauty of it made the challenges somewhat easier.

Our puppy loved seeing all the people and their dogs. It was a great opportunity for socialization for her.

We did have a few days with warmer weather, but rain was a frequent visitor. This was very different from our visit last year to Tomoka.

Fort Clinch State Park

Fort Clinch is an awesome park, but our site was not the best. Just dirt with no gravel. It had been raining and there were muddy areas. The dirt proved to be a challenge, but we did have some good weather during our four-night stay.

There is a fabulous beach in the park. It was so peaceful and satisfying to walk on it with the gentle sea breeze blowing.

There were nesting birds on a section of the beach. I have never seen so many congregated at a single spot. Evidently, this is a normal occurrence because there was a sign asking that they not be disturbed.

The photo below is a path that leads to a lookout over marshland with a lighthouse in the distance. It was a nice little walk through some lovely vegetation.

Our only real sightseeing we did outside out of the campgrounds was a visit to Kingsley Plantation. It is Florida’s oldest standing plantation. An audio tour could be accessed via a smartphone for loads of details about life on the plantation and circumstances experienced by its inhabitants. The plantation is part of the National Park Service.

Coastline RV

Sadly, I did not get very many photos at Coastline RV. That is a shame because it is a wonderful campground. Check out our previous post, Camping in Relative Luxury if you would like to see lots of photos showing how nice it is.

We met our friends there for a couple of days on our way home. They were there for a month, but we were only there a couple of nights. It was great seeing them and the weather was not bad during this stop.

Winter in Florida Food

We had most meals in our camper, but did get to enjoy some local cuisine. At Tomoka, we had takeout from Hulls Seafood and Alfie’s Restaurant. Both were excellent. We also had carry out pizza with our friends while they were at Tomoka. The pizza was good and the company was great.

While at Fort Clinch, we had a wonderful outdoor lunch at The Sandollar. On the way to our campground, we picked up a delicious lunch at Fancy Sushi.

Lastly, when visiting our friends at Coastline, we had two nice meals at restaurants with outside seating . That was really special, food I didn’t cook and conversation with good friends. There has not been much of that in the last year. That drink below was mine—a margarita with strawberries and jalapeño peppers. It was awesome!

This was not one of our best trips because of the challenges of COVID-19, bad weather, and new puppy accommodations. Even so, it was better than staying at home and we made some progress at camping with a pet. Looking forward to getting out again soon!

Happy camping!

New Puppy and Her First Camping Trip

New Puppy

We took a camping trip with a brand new puppy after traveling for four years without any pet and after having no dog for decades. We have a precious goldendoodle, Sophie, who was three months old when we begin our two-week trip. This major change will certainly have a big impact on how we experience camping.

Sophie is such a smart girl. She is progressing well on potty training and has learned basic commands such as sit, down, stay, and leave it. But, she can be quite a handful. Biting and nipping, standard puppy behavior, is a challenge every day. So, it will be interesting how she adapts to a camping environment.

Paraphernalia and Limited Space

Our T@B 400 is a wonderful camper, but space is definitely limited. We chose a doodle predicted to top out between 35-45 pounds. She will not require a lot of room in the camper, but when you add all her stuff, it will have an impact.

Undoubtedly, the biggest use of space is her crate. We have an interim crate that is smaller than what she would need if fully grown, but it certainly takes up our dining space.

We also brought a variety of items including toys, bully sticks, a brush and comb, harnesses and leashes. I packed those in a covered box. Lastly, we needed food for the two weeks and her bowls. Whew, camping has become much more complicated!

Riding in the Car

Sophie has previously taken a couple of short trips (45 minutes one way), so we believed she would be okay riding in the car. However, we didn’t know how she would do on a much longer trip. I am delighted to say that she was a real trooper. Mostly, she slept in her crate. We made frequent stops to stretch her legs and for potty breaks. She was such a good girl in the car!

Puppy and First Night Camping

Out trip consisted of three different campgrounds with a one night stopover at a Corps of Engineers campground. This would let us know how she would adapt to new surroundings and sleeping in the camper.

Puppy in camper — Sophie’s First Night in the Camper

She slept wonderfully well in our camper, just like at home. I think she was a bit tired from the long drive, but she was a good little camper.

Three Campgrounds

We stayed at three campgrounds, Tomoka State Park for eight nights, Fort Clinch State Park for four, and Coastline for two. The awning and rug helped with the sandy site at Tomoka and the dirt site at Fort Clinch.

Hanging out on the rug at Tomoka State Park

I wish I could say that she stayed on the rug most of the time and played, but she did not. She discovered digging! So it was sand at Tomoka and dirt at Fort Clinch and it made quite the mess!

She was so sweet to have as a campsite buddy though. The potty training continued to go well and she was mostly a nice companion.

However, she would not leave sticks and Spanish Moss alone. We were constantly taking them away from her.

Campground Environments

It rained a lot at Fort Clinch and because the sites were dirt only, we had a horrible, muddy mess.

We have dealt with wet campsites before, but kept our trekking in and out to a minimum. But, that was not an option with a puppy who had to go out often.

Our last campsite was a dream for puppy camping though. Coastline RV was all bricks, concrete, and gravel.

Walking with Sophie

Sometimes, it was easy to walk Sophie. She would stay close and not pull. I began working with her to heel. At times, she did an amazing job. At other times, she became a crazy puppy. She would bite on her leash, jump upon us, and nip at our hand and clothes. It was like a switch was flipped. That part was not fun!

One thing she really loved about walking was encountering other dogs and people. She loved them and tried to go see everyone near her. That tail would be wagging like crazy! It was a joy to see all that puppy happy.

First Visit to a Restaurant

We had a very delicious lunch at Sandollar, a restaurant with outside seating on the water. It is a very dog-friendly establishment. Our server was very responsive to Sophie and gave her a big bowl of water. You can’t really tell by the picture below, but Sophie was really good. She just didn’t want to pose for a picture.

Puppy’s first restaurant visit — First Restaurant Visit

Puppy Camping Conclusion

So, our new puppy is a great little traveler. The issues we had with her, such as the biting and not behaving on the leash are issues we had at home as well. I hope she will outgrow those tendencies with proper training. The downside is that our small camper is much tighter with the three of us. We may have to get a bigger camper at some point in the future.

Lastly, if you would like to see more of our posts, check out our page, Retirement and teardrop camping!

Happy Camping from the three of us!

Mushrooms and Pasta, Fancy Camping Food

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are the vegetable for this weeks’s Good Friends Good Food cooking group. My husband and I are on a two-week camping trip, so my dish was prepared in our small teardrop camper. The only real concession was that I used my Instant Pot for its sauté function because I didn’t have a large skillet.

This is a very simple recipe for Portabella Mushrooms and Pasta that is easy to make and more delicious than you would expect. The recipe was obtained many years ago from a friend. This version has goat cheese, but the original was for feta. However, both work well in the dish.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 c. Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves
6 oz (2 large) Portabella Mushrooms, sliced
1 jar Roasted Red Pepper, cut into slices
8 oz. Fettuccine or Spaghetti, cooked
6 oz. Goat or Feta Cheese

Directions

Bring 3/4 c. broth, garlic, and butter in a large skillet. Next, add mushrooms and cook on high heat until tender and liquid is reduced by half.

Add red pepper to mushroom mixture and heat through. Next, add pasta and remaining broth and toss until coated.

Lastly, serve with cheese evenly placed over top.

Mushrooms and Pasta cooked in Instant Pot

This Version

This was my first time to serve this dish with goat cheese. We were shopping for ingredients in a small, gourmet market that did not have feta cheese, so I substituted the goat. It was delicious! Though there is no meat in this dish, my husband, a serious carnivore, loved it. It was also quite fancy camping food.

I always use Barilla Protein Plus for all my pasta dishes. It tastes much like regular pasta, but has more protein and fiber. I especially like it for a vegetarian dish such as this.

Good Friends Good Food Posts

Peggy’s Stuffed Mushrooms

Ulrike’s Royal Mushrooms with Cashew Nut Sauce

Lastly, my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food, has a listing of all the vegetables our group has prepared.

Pinto Beans, Baja’s Best with Modifications

Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are the focus of my dish for this week’s Good Friends Good Food offering. The category is fresh shelled beans. I needed a way to use ingredients on hand and this dish served that function.

My search for a new way to prepare shelled beans found this recipe, which hails from Epicurious, Baja’s Best Pinto Beans.

I made a few modifications, many based on recipe comments.

Recipe

The recipe that follows includes my modifications which were soaking the beans overnight, reducing the brown sugar, and adding a bay leaf.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Medium Onion, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
Large Jalapeño Pepper with Seeds, cut in half lengthwise
1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Ground Cumin
5 c. Water (9 1/2 cups if not presoaked)
1 lb. Dried Pinto Beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
Large Bay Leaf
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Directions

Firstly, heat oil in large pot over medium-high hear. Next sauté onion till translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño pepper, oregano, and cumin. Cook for one more minute.

Add water, beans, and bay leaf. Stir, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Remove jalapeño and bay leaf. Add the salt and sugar. Cook uncovered on medium-low heat for approximately 30 minutes or until beans are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and coarsely mash most of the beans using a potato masher. Season with additional salt if desired.

Cool slightly and refrigerate until cold. Rewarm in nonstick saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Results

The beans were slightly spicy and flavorful. I served them on a tostada shell with cheese, avocado, and chunks of browned andouille sausage. It was quite tasty.

Pinto Beans and avocado on tostadas — Pinto Beans on a tostada

I plan to serve leftovers as a dip, topped by cheese, sour cream, green onions, tomatoes, and peppers.

Good Friends Good Food Posts

Be sure to check out other ways to prepare shelled beans prepared by members of the group. My page, Vegetables with Good Friends,Good Food, has links to other vegetables.

Ellen’s Shell Beans

Kayte’s Carrots and Fava Beans Salad

Margaret’s Red Beans and Rice

Nancy

Peggy’s Lima Bean Salad

Ulrike’s Lentil Edamame Ragout

Happy Cooking!

Turnip Greens, Not Just for Luck in The New Year

Turnip Greens

Greens are the vegetable for this week’s Good Friends Good Food and I prepared turnip greens. It was my choice and I actually cooked them on New Year’s Day.

I really enjoy greens, turnip and collard greens in particular. However, I really don’t prepare them very often. They are like the forgotten vegetable at our house. They always pop into my memory around New Year’s Day. According to tradition, they represent paper money. It is very important to eat all the right foods for luck in the new year, especially if you are from the South.

Because they are so easy and nutritious, I plan to serve them more this year. Who knows, maybe the luck can extend to other days.

This rendition is just a random concoction of mine. Every time I prepare greens, I just add ingredients intuitively and have never documented quantities. I liked this version, but my husband wanted more sugar added. Pepper sauce added to individual servings and cornbread to accompany are a must!

Recipe

Ingredients

4 Tbsp Butter
I Medium Onion, diced
2 c. Water
3 Medium Turnips, peeled and diced
Large Bag Turnip Greens, Washed
1 Tbsp Horseradish
1 Tbsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

Directions

Firstly, combine all ingredients in a large pan. Next, bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Lastly, serve with pepper sauce and cornbread.

Good Friends Good Food Links

Ellen

Kayte’s Roasted Butternut Squash with Sautéed Chard

Margaret

Nancy

Peggy’s Collard Greens

Ulrike’s Mustard Green Omlet

Lastly, my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food, contains a listing of all the vegetables we have cooked.

The next vegetable to be cooked by the group is fresh shell beans. I’m sure there will be some creative dishes prepared.

Happy Cooking Everyone!

Carrots and Caramelized Onions

Carrots

Carrots are this week’s Good Friends Good Food vegetable. I love them because they are so versatile. This recipe is a favorite way to prepare them for me. Though this is certainly a carrot dish, the caramelized onions are what makes it special.

It does take some time to prepare this side dish because the onions have to cook slowly to caramelize. However, it is quick and easy to assemble. While it has to cook close to an hour, it just requires stirring occasionally.

Carrots with Caramelized Onions Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds
3 Tbsp Butter
2 Large Onions, peeled, cut into six pieces with stem end intact (approx 2 c.)
Carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces, 16 oz.
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Firstly, combine salt, pepper, and seeds in a small bowl. In large, non-stick skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add onions and half of salt mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 30-35 minutes. Add carrots and remaining butter and salt mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are softened and golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Lastly, stir in parsley and serve.

Good Friends Good Food

Be sure to also check out what other members of our cooking group have prepared this week. Below are links to their blogs.

Ellen

Kayte

Margaret’s Carrot Cake

Nancy

Peggy’s Candied Carrots and Yams

Ulrike’s Carrot Risotto

In Conclusion

If you are interested in other vegetables cooked by our group, see my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food.

It so happens that this recipe rolls out on the first day of 2021, a brand new year! Because 2020 was very challenging, I think just about everyone hopes that the new year brings a reset to better times. Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Year Four of Retirement During the 2020 Pandemic

Year Four of Retirement

Winter Travel

Our year four of retirement began better than most of my adult life. In January and February we took two distinctly different trips, both of which were wonderful.

Phoenix

We were fortunate in January to spend several days in Phoenix, Phoenix, A Winter Getaway in the Desert. It was a outstanding winter trip! The weather was dry and warm and we were well entertained by local sights including the Arizona Capital Museum, Desert Botanical Garden, Japanese Friendship Garden, and Phoenix Art Museum. Our hotel, The Hilton, was in the heart of downtown and near some incredible restaurants. Our meals on this trip were outstanding, better than most of our travels.

However, we did not exclusively stay in the city. One day, we took the Metro to Scottsdale and on another an Uber to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home. I highly recommended both.

Year Four of Retirement Scottsdale — Downtown Scottsdale

Camping in Florida

For almost a year, we’ve had a winter trip planned along Florida’s coastline, with most stops at state parks. We met friends at several of the campgrounds, which greatly enhanced our trip. Highlights of our trip were Topsail State Park, the Florida Keys, and Everglades National Park. This was truly a dream trip!

Enjoying the beach at Topsail State Park

COVID-19

Just after our winter travel, it became known that COVID-19 was a serious thing. Undoubtedly, 2020 will go down in infamy for its devastating impacts. It was horrific for many families with loss of life and livelihood. Some survived, but with lasting impacts to health. We actively strived to avoid exposure to the virus and it appears we have succeeded. The promise of a vaccine in a few months does much to brighten our hopes for next year.

Quarantine Activities

We spent much more time at home this year than our other retirement years. So, there was the search for things to keep me entertained and engaged. My husband is more comfortable than I just puttering around.

Sewing

I entertained myself by dusting off my limited 40 year-old sewing skills on a used machine I bought from a friend. I made many masks and altered a few of my clothes. It is good to have a working sewing machine again.

Year four of retirement, masks are the norm — Masks are the new normal

Painting

Paint by Number kits helped me while away many hours and I found the painting to be quite relaxing. After completing one kit, I ordered a custom one using a personal photo. I think we are recognizable in the painting below.

My husband actually painted a kit too, but he was far more freestyle than I. I believe he has more actual talent.

Exercise

Lastly, as a person who had a regular routine at our local gym, I needed a way to continue my exercise. We had purchased a stationary bike before the pandemic and it helped immensely. However, a major part of my exercise regimen was Body Pump classes with weights. Just using hand weights was not doing it for me. I learned that Les Mills classes, including Body Pump, was available by subscription. So, I ordered weights and a bench and could do those classes I loved at home. I do miss seeing my friends at the gym though.

Pandemic Camping

When the pandemic lessened during the summer, we took several camping trips. The breaks really made it easier getting through the isolation. We felt that camping was relatively safe because we were social distancing.

The Midwest

We took an amazing five-week trip to the Midwest in the summer, Midwest Camping in a Pandemic. It was different camping for us however. We like to eat out a lot while camping. This trip we had a few outdoor meals that were great, but so many were in our car or camper. Museums and libraries that we would normally visit were closed, but we did get to visit the Lincoln Library. Masks and a reservation were required to limit the number of people. We also visited parks and gardens, which greatly enhanced our trip.

Our amazing lunch at Jack Stack in Kansas City

Camping With Friends

We met some friends at Myrtle Beach, Pandemic Camping with Friends .
It was a wonderful time, but the weather could have been better. A couple of days were sunny, but there was a lot of wind and rain.

We also met our SE T@B group for a couple of short trips, one at Vogel State Park and the other at Fort Mountain. While we made these two trips, we cancelled three others because the weather was colder and virus cases increased dramatically.

Family During Year Four of Retirement

Sadly, our time with family suffered during the pandemic. We were fortunate to spend several weeks with our son and his wife who stayed with us, but didn’t see the rest of the family very much. The photo below is our granddaughters and one of their friends who visited us once. Our visits with family members were mostly outdoors or limited time inside with masks. There were no birthday parties nor holidays gatherings. A very strange year indeed!

We ventured out to a local restaurant for my husband’s birthday. It was a bit hot, but felt luxurious.

Health

My lung issues escalated this year. This meant many rounds of antibiotics and steroids, plus a cough has not gone away. At one point, my doctor was recommending a hospital visit. I managed to stay home though. Using a nebulizer daily has become a part of my routine. I am happy that it has not prevented me from doing most things I enjoy and am grateful for that.

Retirement Year Four means using a nebulizer — Using a nebulizer daily

I am delighted to say that my husband’s health has been good! The knee replacement is all healed and he is doing better than when we first retired.

Year Four Retirement and a New Family Member

We have considered getting a puppy for awhile, but were concerned it would limit our travel. It is still a concern, but we took the plunge. We picked up Sophie a week before Christmas. She is such a sweet pup, but despite our research, far more work than we realized. We are committed though to getting through the puppy stage.

Year four of retirement, a new puppy — Sophie, Our New Goldendoodle

In Conclusion

We were truly blessed this year, especially knowing that so many have died or suffered greatly with the virus. The economic toll that has been experienced by a large portion of our population is also heartbreaking. I hope that we can come together in 2021— physically and emotionally. Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!

Broccoli Salad, a Crunchy Holiday Side Dish

Broccoli Salad

We are well into the Christmas season and Good Friends Good Food is cooking anything from the category of holiday green vegetables this week. So, I chose broccoli salad.

I have been making various versions of this broccoli salad during the holidays for many years. It is chocked full of vegetables and is not super rich. I like it because it offsets some of the very rich food that I typically serve during the holidays. However, it doesn’t appear often in our house. Therefore, it is usually a special occasion when we have it.

The recipe’s origin goes back to a popular restaurant in Birmingham many years ago, The Wild Root. The recipe appeared in the newspaper along with a picture of a friend who worked there. This version is different because I have been progressively changing it to reduce calories. If interested in something closer to the original recipe, simply increase the ratio of the dressing to the vegetables.

This is a super easy and quick dish to prepare. The vegetables are chopped and combined in one bowl. Similarly, the remaining ingredients are combined as a dressing. After that, the contents to both bowls are combined.

Recipe

Ingredients

4 c. Fresh Broccoli, chopped
1/2 c. Crasins
1 c. Water Chestnuts, chopped
1/2 c. Red Onion, chopped
3/4 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3/4 c. Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Garlic Clove, minced

Directions

Firstly, combine broccoli, crasins, water chestnuts, and onion in a bowl. Secondly, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make a dressing. Lastly, combine the dressing mixture with broccoli mixture.

This Version

Because I am making this dish for the cooking group, we had it for a regular weekday dinner. It was crispy and delicious! However, I am sad to say that we both ate too much. Perhaps it is because the dish is a holiday tradition where overeating is the norm.

Above all, please check out other delicious recipes from Good Friends Good Food. Also, see my page Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food and you will see links to other vegetables.

Ulrike’s Mince Meat Stew with Chard and Black Eyed Peas

In conclusion, the next vegetable Good Friends Good Food is cooking is carrots. I’m sure there will be some creative offerings by those outstanding cooks.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and the happiest New Year!

So looking forward to 2021!

Stuffed Cabbage, Baked Goodness

Cabbage

Cabbage is the vegetable Good Friends Good Food cooked this past week. Lately, the only thing I do with cabbage is coleslaw. But, that would not do for this post. So, I pulled out a blast from the past, Stuffed Cabbage. It is a dish that I made when my children were young and I did a lot of cooking. My husband and I have been married over thirty years and I don’t think I have ever cooked the dish for him.

Preparing Stuffed Cabbage

Most importantly, this dish doesn’t require special ingredients. For instance, I have everything except the cabbage on hand most of the time.

Stuffed Cabbage Roll Ingredients — Ingredients for Stuffed Cabbage

This is really a simple and easy dish to prepare. However, two things prevent it from being in my typical rotation. Firstly, while quick to assemble, it has to bake for a long time. However, this can be overcome by planning. Secondly, I am not crazy about pulling apart the cabbage leaves. I am not a fan. Despite the aggravation of the leaves, this is a good dish.

Recipe for Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Chuck
Large Head of Cabbage
1/2 c. Rice
Small Onion, Grated
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
Large Onion, sliced
Large Can Tomatoes, 29 oz (I prefer whole Tomatoes)
Tomato Sauce, 8 oz.
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 c. Brown Sugar

Directions

Firstly, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large pan of water to boiling. Core cabbage and separate 12 of the leaves. Cook leaves in boiling water until barely tender. (Trim thick part from leaves.)

Meanwhile, combine in a medium bowl the meat, rice, grated onion, eggs, and first salt and pepper that is listed. Divide mixture among the leaves so that each leaf has mixture that is slightly larger than a large egg. After that, wrap each leaf around the mixture and place in a large baking pan or Dutch Oven with seam side down.

Pour tomatoes over all. After that, add tomato sauce, lemon juice, and onions. Lastly, sprinkle second salt and pepper and the brown sugar evenly over all.

Bake, covered, for 2 hours.

My Stuffed Cabbage Result

We certainly enjoyed this dish. My husband really loved it and said that I can feed it to him any old time. The long baking time gives a full, rich flavor to the onions and tomatoes. Also, it makes a lot and the leftovers are every bit as good as they were the first day.

Good Friends Good Food

Most importantly, if you like cabbage and are looking for other recipes, click on the links below. Also, check out my page, Vegetables with Good Friends, Good Food to see links to other vegetables the group has cooked.

Ellen

Kayte’s Stuffed Cabbage with Guyere and Jalapeños

Margaret’s Southern Fried Cabbage and Sausage

Nancy

Peggy’s Cabbage Casserole

Ulrike’s Pointed Cabbage Salad with Smoked Almonds and Bacon Dressing

In conclusion, holiday green vegetables will be up next for Good Friends Good Food. I certainly can’t wait to see what these talented ladies do with that option.

Happy Cooking Y’all

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce, My Go-To Dish

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

Cauliflower is the latest featured vegetable in the Good Friends Good Food group. I made my dish with cheese sauce because it is a favorite of my husband’s. It is also a real comfort food that requires just a few ingredients.

My recipe includes instructions for cooking in an Instant Pot, but it can easily be cooked on the stove top as well. Just cook until tender crisp in salted water and drain well.

Recipe In My Recipe Book

I mentioned that this is a frequent dish in our home. This recipe and all of my favorite recipes are loaded in Family Cookbook Project.

A couple of years ago, I entered all of my favorite recipes into the web application and had several copies of my cookbook printed. Then, I gave one of the books to each of our daughters and older granddaughters. Our daughters have requested a cookbook over the years and retirement afforded the time to make it happen.

Most importantly, I have loved having electronic versions of my favorite recipes all in one spot. Also, as new favored recipes have emerged, I added them to the book. Nowadays, if I decide to make a specific dish while grocery shopping, I can pull it up on line to see my list of ingredients. Our daughters have also used the electronic version to look up recipes. Lastly, the cookbook has a nice feature that allows you can search for a specific recipe on a keyword. Below is a screenshot of my cauliflower recipe.