Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life in rural Mississippi

Recipe: He Man Casserole

Published on February 25, 2021 by Marica

Marica Cooks… Thursday?

It is so. And it’s a Big Food Classic!

“I’ve never found an explanation for its name. It’s a classic: ham, peas, cheesy potatoes. I’ve always liked the white color of the mixture when the milk gets added. This makes a lot—you might need two casserole dishes to fit it all comfortably.” –Mr. Big Food

HE-MAN CASSEROLE

(About 30 grams carbs/serving, 8 servings per batch)

1 bunch green onions, chopped
½ bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 Tbsp butter or margarine
6 Tbsp flour
Dash black pepper
1 C chicken broth
1 ½ C milk
4 C (about 1 lb) cooked ham, cubed
1 10 oz package frozen peas, thawed
4 C hot, cooked stiff mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1 C (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375o. Sauté green onions, green pepper, and celery in butter in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium flame. Stir in flour and pepper, mixing well and stirring constantly. Gradually add broth and milk, stirring until mixture is thick and smooth. Mix in ham and peas. Spoon into a 3 quart casserole. Combine potatoes, egg, and cheese. Spoon on top of casserole, starting around the edges and leaving a vent opening in the middle. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until mixture is bubbly.

Tiger!

Published on February 25, 2021 by Marica

What a day!

Published on February 24, 2021 by Marica

Mr. Big Food and I ran down to the outskirts of Jackson today. We had Japanese for lunch in the parking lot of a Lowes. We managed rather well especially considering that there was soup involved. Didn’t spill a drop!

I have not had a chance to study the weather today, but the pressure is 1005hPa and steady. Mr. Big Food reported that our local weather guy, Joel, said this morning that we can expect between two and seven inches of rain in the coming days. If you live where it rains, you know that’s a pretty large range. Joel said he just didn’t know yet, which I thought was refreshingly honest– especially for a weather guy.

Change of plans for this evening. We picked up a nice tuna steak and will enjoy that tonight.

Carry on!

Flashlights & Batteries!

Published on February 23, 2021 by Marica

I was too busy during last week’s official Mississippi Spring Severe Weather Preparedness Week dealing with actual Mississippi Winter Severe Weather, so this week I am surveying our preps for thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Yesterday and today I checked the batteries in the flashlights, NOAA weather radio, cheap walkie-talkies, and such and replaced as needed. Inventoried the spare battery tubs. Compared on-hand to set-point and ordered from Home Depot what I needed.

I’m moving to replace some A² and A³ with lithium ion rechargeables in the weather station sensor, weather radio and the like. Not all! Department of Redundancy Department policy is to never ever convert 100% to the new fangled thing. ~~Crappy~~ old disposables still have a place in my preps.

The water heater fiasco two weeks ago occasioned a rearrangement of the Tornado Room. Needed to be done. Ha! I have three glass gallon jugs of water for the dogs in the water heater closet (part of laundry/tornado room). When the guy opened up the door he saw them and asked if that was what he thought it was b/c if it was it should not be that close to the water heater. I assured him it was just water.

Don’t remember what prompted me to do this, but last– oh, yes I do now– I pulled the giant Emergency Supplies tub from the shelf and gave it a good once over. This the tub with the OTC medical stuff, personal hygiene, enough fishing food* & drinks to last a couple of days if we’re holed-up in the Tornado Room.

Ah ha! I need to move some pillows and blankets in there. Thanks for reminding me.

Here’s hoping for a quiet Spring.

What a Difference!

Published on February 23, 2021 by Marica

Sing it with me…

What a difference a week makes… se-ven little days… .

Pages Past

Published on February 23, 2021 by Marica

Mending day

Published on February 29, 2020

Today I patched a pair of Mr. Big Food’s School Pants.

I also hemmed my new Mac. It was 4″ too long. I am a SM WOman and the smallest size available was a SM Man.

I cogitated over this and then let the Southern RedNeck in me direct me.

I marked off 4″. I folded it over. And I duck taped it. Fits perfectly.

This is absurd

Published on February 22, 2021 by Marica

I had reason to see if there were a bunch of these out there new. There are but they are not as cool looking as the original, though they are less expensive. I could not believe my eyes. There are some in “excellent” condition priced at over $200. Do people not wander around junk stores any more?

Craziest thing I’ve seen since last week. Then again, it is only Monday.

“… all I can promise…”

Published on February 22, 2021 by Marica

Originally published on February 22, 2017

In commemoration of George Washington’s birthday, here’s the exchange wherein he is informed that’s he’s been elected to the office of President of the United States of America.

PROCEEDINGS INITIATORY TO THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION.

[From the Washington Papers (Executive Proceedings, vol. 17), Department
of State.]

Charles Thomson, esq., Secretary of the late Congress, being appointed
by the Senate of the United States to carry to General Washington the
official information of his unanimous election to the office of
President of the United States of America, arrived at Mount Vernon on
the 14th day of April, A.D. 1789, when he communicated to General
Washington the purport of his mission in the following words:

Sir: The President of the Senate chosen for the special purpose, having
opened and counted the votes of the electors in presence of the Senate
and House of Representatives, I was honored with the commands of the
Senate to wait upon Your Excellency with the information of your being
elected to the office of President of the United States of America. This
commission was intrusted to me on account of my having been long in the
confidence of the late Congress, and charged with the duties of one of
the principal civil departments of Government.

I have now, sir, to inform you that the proofs you have given of your
patriotism, and of your readiness to sacrifice domestic ease and private
enjoyments to preserve the happiness of your country, did not permit the
two Houses to harbor a doubt of your undertaking this great and
important office, to which you are called, not only by the unanimous
vote of the electors, but by the voice of America.

I have it, therefore, in command to accompany you to New York, where the
Senate and House of Representatives are convened for the dispatch of
public business.

To which General Washington replied:

SIR: I have been accustomed to pay so much respect to the opinion of my
fellow-citizens that the knowledge of their having given their unanimous
suffrages in my favor scarcely leaves me the alternative for an option.
I can not, I believe, give a greater evidence of my sensibility of the
honor which they have done me than by accepting the appointment.

I am so much affected by this fresh proof of my country’s esteem and
confidence that silence can best explain my gratitude. While I realize
the arduous nature of the task which is imposed upon me, and feel my own
inability to perform it, I wish, however, that there may not be reason
for regretting the choice, for, indeed, all I can promise is only to
accomplish that which can be done by an honest zeal.

From A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume I (1897)

Roof Failure

Published on February 22, 2021 by Marica

Chatting with our pest control guy a bit ago. They lost power and water for a time. Moving forward… .

Header Image

Published on February 21, 2021 by Marica

I’ve always liked the Winter Sunshine image but after last week, I’m ready for some Spring. I am planting lettuce this week come hell or high water.

What a Difference 63°F Makes!

Published on February 21, 2021 by Marica

This was 11:30am. Still couldn’t see the gravel part of the driveway. The pavement part is now completely clear. Gravel is visible. At about 2pm we went to the village.

I am not seeing any watches or warnings about flash flooding except for areas immediately adjacent to water ways. This is surprising. Overnight temperatures are forecast to be in the high 40s to low 50s. So I guess we survived!

Today the functioning generator returned home. Just in time for Severe Spring Weather!

Hope you have a relaxing evening.

Glasses were a nice touch

Published on February 21, 2021 by Marica

AoSHQ Sunday Morning Book Thread

Cincinnati

Published on February 21, 2021 by Marica

“I have featured the magnificant old Cincinnati Public Library in previous book threads (see here and here) but never knew much about it, other than it was just an old building that is no longer standing. But wait, there’s more:

First constructed in 1874, Old Cincinnati Library was built on a site intended for an opera house…
From the gorgeous chequered marble flooring to the massive arched skylight ceiling, the library was a feat of architectural beauty. Cast iron shelves teeming with books spread across the four-story main hall, creating a labyrinth of literature that was a sight to behold for patrons.
The huge glass ceiling flooded the library with natural light, providing ample illumination for those searching through the endless catalogue of books -it’s though the total capacity was an incredible 300,000!

“This is from Photographs of the Enchanting Old Cincinnati Library from 1847-1955, which, as the title suggests, includes more great photos.”

Ace of Spades Sunday Morning Book Thread

Waiting

Published on February 21, 2021 by Marica

for the Sunday Morning Book Thread

Big Food | The Count

Published on February 20, 2021 by Marica

As I mentioned earlier, I set about to document the structure of The Big Food Manual and Survivalist Flourishing Guide in a document. This is the summary of that document down to the third level. The main folder is “Big Food.” The Roman Numeral folders are subfolders. Alphabet folders are sub-sub folders, and so on. I think the finest grain is lower case Roman Numerals– or five levels deep.

It’s as of February 14 because Mr. Big Food backs it up on every Monday morning.

The bracketed numbers in black are the number of individual files in a given folder, subfolder. There can be both files and subfolders in a folder. The bracketed numbers in red are sums.

There are 73 files in the folder “Bean Salads.” There is one file in “Egg and Cheese Salads,” and there are 47 files in its subfolders. The sum of 1-11, plus 37 equals 2837 “Salads.”

The one that’s truly impressive is VIII. Desserts. See for yourselves!

(Don’t ask me why the outline spacing is messed up b/c I do not know.)

One thing to make clear: There are no duplicate recipes.* When Mr. Big Food is going through a cookbook and comes upon a recipe named, e.g., “Cheese Cake,” he looks at all others named “Cheese Cake.” The current one has to be different from all others on at least three different dimensions (there are rules) to be included as Cheese Cake VIII.

Do not be alarmed that III and VI are missing. They are probably in the “Desserts” subfolder in Tex-Czech or somewhere.

*There could be recipes which have different names, but are the same recipe. “Mom’s Cheese Cake” could be Cheese Cake II.

Wishing you a good evening. I’m off to have

with Zatarain’s rice with sauteed green onions, red pepper– which Mr. Big Food just made up.

You can’t have a 1 without a 2

Published on February 20, 2021 by Marica

Everyone knows this.

This is our latest highly important trivial project here on The Farm. As you may recall, for years and years Mr. Big Food has been collecting crappy old cookbooks and culling recipes from them. He types each out as an individual Word doc and then files them according to his organizational scheme. The results is The Big Food Manual and Survivalist Flourishing Guide (commonly called, Big Food).

The problem is, only he really knows the structure of Big Food. And so, I took it upon myself to outline the underlying structure. Mr. Big Food is positively giddy about this! But naturally, neither of us could let well enough alone and so now I am doing some summarization of total number of files (recipes, etc.) down to the third level.

That’s when I saw I had a 1 without a 2, and a 3!