The Corn

Did I really just forget THE CORN? No mention of Nebraska sweet corn, the best corn in the nation? I suppose the corn really deserves a post of its own anyway.

We had plenty of it, that's for certain! After a small miscommunication one evening, Mom showed up with two dozen ears to add to Grandma's two dozen! But an overabundance of corn is never a bad thing and Mom ended up shucking her corn and freezing it for later.



The table was set especially for corn . .



And it was the perfect side to our summer meal of grilled burgers, napa cabbage salad*, fresh watermelon, and Grandma's famous baked beans.



The cousins and I savored every last bite of that corn . .



And I mean, we really cleaned it off . .



Even my little niece Sophia went to town . .



Just one more thing I miss about Nebraska. And if you've never tasted it, I wish I could share!

*What I can share is a recipe for the napa cabbage salad. It's another big hit at our family gatherings, and this year, my cousin handed out adorable recipe cards so now we can make it on our own.

Napa Cabbage Salad
1 head napa cabbage (chopped)
6-8 green onions (chopped)
Melt 1 stick margarine
Add two packages unseasoned ramen noodles
1 pkg sliced almonds and 1 1/2 oz. sesame seeds browned
Cool.
Add dressing 15 minutes prior to serving.
Dressing: 1 c. oil, 1/2 c. white vinegar, 2/3 c. sugar 2 TB soy sauce.

It's no sweet corn, but you're gonna love it!

Food on the 4th

So yes, Nebraska was wonderful. All ten days of it . . although I think eleven would have been pushing it. I was beginning to miss the place that has become my home these past three years. I will always love the place I came from, but for now and who knows how long, I belong in D.C. and Virginia.



The thing that takes me away from the nation's capital over the 4th of July is the family I'll see at Grandma's home on the lake. Nebraska family. Texas family. Indiana family. Cousins, aunts, uncles, family friends I love.



Sand volleyball, delicious dinners, boat rides, hands held around a circle for pre-dinner prayers, games, laughter, and much more. The 4th is my favorite holiday.



With 14 house guests at Grandma's, every night that week is a feast with the 4th being the ultimate meal.

Each holiday has its traditional main dish, and on the 4th of July it's fried chicken, along with Grandma's famous baked beans and famous potato salad.





Others bring their usual sides, as well. {I still miss my late great aunt's waldorf salad.} A family friend is known for bringing the best Rice Krispie treats you'll ever eat.



My sister makes a flag cake every year. It always looks perfect and tastes as good as it looks.





Dessert is just as good as dinner. This year Mom and Grandma got stuck making the homemade ice cream in the rain!



It was much appreciated, I can assure you! I couldn't decide between chocolate marshmallow or vanilla, nor could I choose just one cake.



A friend's homemade hot fudge is equally as crucial to our Independence Day sweets. My brother-in-law feels strongly about this, as well.



Are you as hungry as I am right now? I think I'll grab an after-midnight snack and come back soon to talk about something 4th-related other than food.

Enchilada Dinner

If you weren't already convinced in reading the below recipe for those enchiladas, I'll give you a little visual encouragement.



They're awful tasty! Which is why the four of us almost finished the entire pan!



In addition to tortilla chips {natch}, we also fixed up some simple spinach and strawberry salads with raspberry vinaigrette.



And we finished off our meal with a summery dessert of peach fro yo.



Yummmmm.

Happy Weekend!

My life is full of a lot of unknowns right now, but one thing I’m almost sure of: this weekend is going to be a fun one.

I hope yours is, too!

You should make these enchiladas muy deliciosas like I'm about to . .

Darrin's Chicken Enchiladas

1- 4 1/2 oz can of chopped green chilis
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 t cumin
2 c shredded rotisserie chicken
8- 7 inch flour tortillas

Top: 1- 11 oz jar salsa
1- 15 oz can chili--no beans
1 c finely shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
Garnish w/ black olives and/or green onion

Microwave tortillas on high for 1 minute
2 T of mixture on each tortilla
Spray cooking dish
Pour salsa and chili over top
top w/ cheese
350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Too Busy

Well, between line dancing and Peruvian chicken dinners (followed by ice cream cones) and hitting the gym this week, I've had no time to really blog about my fantastic vacation. All I can do is leave another picture and hope I'll be back soon with more to say!

Post-Trip

I'm back! But I'm tired, too. There are many pictures and stories to share, but for now I'll leave you with this. My favorite place to spend the 4th of July.

Vacation

Last night, THE BLOG came up in conversation - the fact that I have one and I've actually made friends online. And just talking about it made me miss it a little. I haven't been online as much since I'm here in Nebraska, but I wanted to just pop in and say hello. I'm having a wonderful time with my family, and I'm so thankful that this vacay is only half over! In some ways life is more complex here, but in others much simpler. Definitely slower. I've been trying to not rush around as much this visit, just go with the flow and enjoy people without looking at the clock. I hope the rest of the week creeps by. I'm off to snuggle my sister again and spend tomorrow with my niece and nephew and cousins!

Patriotic Treats

I walk past Dunkin' Donuts every morning, but today I couldn't resist. I bought a dozen treats with red, white, and blue sprinkles for the office. Happy almost-Independence Day!

Potomac Boating

Rather than the usual boating on Lake Anna, this weekend found me on the dirty Potomac, a body of water you couldn't pay me to dip my toe in, but a fun place to boat nonetheless.



With cold beers in hand, and a cool breeze on our faces, we headed into the harbor, driving past several houseboats on our way.

One gentleman was enjoying his beer too, as well as a nice nap on his back deck, mouth wide open as he dozed. What a life!



Not every boat looked like a home, but I'm guessing this old ship was occupied based on the little umbrella and table set-up in the back.



We drove by the marina and restaurant at which I spent my birthday two years ago. It made me remember the delicious food, and now I want to go back!



And then we sailed past yet another waterfront restaurant I've visited. And come to think of it, I want to go back there, too!



We sat for awhile watching planes land overhead, and it made me so excited for my upcoming flight. Though not always a perfectly pleasant experience, I love to fly, love the feeling of racing down the runway, wheels up and into the sky. I've flown 12 times in the past year, but it's been nearly four months since I was last in the air. I'm ready!

Getting Ready to Go!

I’ve been busy running errands this week in preparation for my upcoming trip to Nebraska. On Monday, it was ZIPS dry cleaners and a Peruvian chicken dinner for me. An eight-mile drive is totally worth it when you can have your clothes dry-cleaned for only $1.99 per item. I would pay over twice that much if I had it done anywhere else. I also made a run to Target for a new top, a Nationals cap for my nephew, and . . the book Twilight. Am I really caving and reading about vampires? Yes, I absolutely am. I’ve been wanting to get back into reading, if only as a way to slow down every once in awhile. But if I’m going to get hooked on this pastime again, it will need to be a very good book. And according to millions of women out there, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Last night I made a trip to the fabric store, also quite a distance from my house. One of my plans while home is to learn how to sew with my grandma, and thanks to an online tutorial I found, I plan to make something I spotted back at the Old Lucketts Store in May. Fingers crossed it goes well, and I don’t hate every minute of it. I’m not much of a sit-still person, but I do love my grandma. :)

And I love so many other people I’m about to see.

I’ll get to see my wonderful parents and sleep in my old room, which is in need of some serious redecoration. Let’s just say I was one of those teenage girls obsessed with periwinkle.

I’ll hopefully find my cat, if she ever comes out of hiding, and I’ll snuggle her little body (I like smaller cats) as long as she’ll let me (which probably won’t be long).

My sister will pick me up from the airport, and I hope her husband will take the couch one night, so I can snuggle with her, too. He’s actually done this before, if you can believe it.

Speaking of sacrifices, my best friend’s husband has done the same before! although she and I won’t be having any sleepovers this time. We will be having a Scrabble night and a baby shower, though! And after this trip, I’ll always be able to see BF on visits to Nebraska, because she and her husband are moving back at the end of the month!

I’ll get to see almost all my cousins on my dad’s side, coming to town from Texas and Indiana, for the big 4th of July celebration at Grandma’s lakehouse. They’re all younger, most of them quite a bit, but I enjoy them probably more than I would cousins my own age. And I’m really looking forward to talks with my aunts and uncles, too.

My niece and nephew and my brother will be around, and I’m hoping to spend some quality play time with them, as well.

Add to that a handful of good friends I’ll be catching up with and you have a very full ten days! Fortunately I’ve blocked out some FREE time on my itinerary. Yes, I have an itinerary, on some days marked down to the hour. Hopefully this trip will still be relaxing, busy as it may be.

All Day Party

I hope y'all had a great weekend! I'm not from the south, but sometimes I like to pretend. Especially when I'm in such a country mood after another great concert. This weekend I saw Darius Rucker (from Hootie and the Blowfish) and Rascal Flatts. Not only did we tailgate, we had a pre-tailgating party with lots of MJ tunes and delicious food. What could be better than a night under the stars dancing to "Summer Nights" and other great songs? Nothing.

Al Fresco Friday Evening

D.C. is full of summer attractions and entertainment, and Jazz in the Sculpture Garden is a perfect example. On Friday evenings, hundreds of locals bring their blankets, pack their picnics, and park themselves on the grass or near the fountain as the sounds of a jazz band fill the air. Crackers, cheese, and wine are found on most blankets, including ours. It's the perfect way to wind down after a long week.

This Friday, we headed to a new restaurant after the Garden, and the ambiance was perfect. Sequoia has fantastic views of the Potomac as you sit amongst lit trees on the upper level terraces, enjoying the breeze on a warm summer night. What a wonderful Friday!

Rooftop Dinner

Whenever Lyn announces she’s cooking, all other plans go right out the window – and that includes the gym. Last night she wowed us with some yummy tilapia tacos, homemade pico de gallo and chipotle sauce. Her friend brought homemade guac and blue tortilla chips, and I promptly stuffed my face, finishing before everyone else did.

Not only was it the perfect light summer dinner, we ate it in the perfect summer setting – our patio rooftop overlooking the city.

I haven’t yet shared that I’m moving soon, but I can tell you that nights like last night make that reality pretty painful.

(In case you can't tell, the view includes - well, a panoramic of the entire city - the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. You can't see it in this picture, but we also see the Kennedy Center, Georgetown, the National Cathedral, and the Pentagon. Amazing.)