“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.” —Norman Vincent Peale
Whether you are going to be cooking for a graduation party, Father’s Day or readying for a picnic on the beach, you had better be prepared ahead of time.
Doing everything “last minute” simply drives me crazy.
I have learned over the years that if I want to enjoy myself at any of these events, I begin by prepping early!
A couple of weeks ago I sat in the Dream Inn’s Jack O’Neil restaurant with a lovely, chilled glass of Chardonnay in front of me, while watching the “beach goers” coming and going. I laughed while watching the men carrying folding chairs, portable barbecues and a cooler…some trying to tug along a wagon whose wheels were not turning in the deep sand while stopping to readjust their load every few feet.
Wives were carrying a baby and diaper bag, or a picnic hamper, all the time trying to get the other kids to help. The little one sitting down in the sand, refusing to walk.
That day was a little windy and beach umbrellas were tipping over, tablecloths were being picked up by the wind and smoke from their barbecue was blowing into their faces.
Laughing, I took another swallow of wine from my glass, remembering those days when I, along with my little family of five, would tackle Sunset Beach near Watsonville.
I remembered my Croatian in-laws…grandma and grandpa, who always were with us on those beach outings. Grandma, always wearing a dress, hat and carrying her purse, and grandpa, wearing his suit and hat. No beach attire for them!
Our picnic basket was always filled with the same food; potato salad, a carrot/pineapple/raisin salad, deviled eggs, fried chicken and roast beef sandwiches with potato chips. Heaven help me if I forgot the deviled eggs.
Homemade Kool-Aid was for the kids, and homemade red wine from the barrel in grandpa’s garage was in thermos bottles.
We stayed until the sun was sinking below the ocean’s horizon, always looking for that “green light” that was believed to appear just prior to sinking. We never saw the light!
I remember the night we arrived home, tired and shoes full of sand. Our youngest, Randy, crying for his “blankie,” which he had left behind. I remember the smile on his little face when Daddy returned two hours later, with the “blankie,” safely retrieved.
Memorial Day is now behind us, but the memories we all have of loved ones now gone, will remain with us, memories of days spent in the sun on beaches and in parks, high school graduations, and now Father’s Day coming up, we will be making more memories. If you are “the cook” for any of these days ahead, plan your meals early.
The roast beef I used for our picnics in the 1950s came from Star Market in Watsonville. The price was about 29 cents a pound and less on sale.
Last week I purchased a 3.15-lb. beef rump roast ($8.98/lb.) for $28.33.
That roast will easily make five sandwiches if I use a little less than one-quarter of a pound of the meat in each sandwich, or about $5.60 per sandwich. That sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, etc., will make anyone happy.
If the roast is served along with its gravy, mashed potatoes and a vegetable, the cost would be about $6 per person.
The roast in the photo here was first brought to room temperature, which took about three hours resting on the counter. I preheat my oven to 450deg. and cook the roast for 20 minutes. I then turn down the oven to 350deg and cook it for about 45 minutes or until the roast reaches a temperature of 115deg. I immediately take it from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes prior to slicing.
The roast will continue cooking while resting, so that is why I take it from the oven while fairly rare. You may want to take it at 110deg. if you are a “very rare” person. Remember, you can always return the roast to the oven but cannot “undo” an over-cooked roast.
I season my roast when I take it from the refrigerator to rest with an all-over rub consisting of 6-8 mashed cloves of garlic, 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, 2 tsps. salt and 2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper and 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
Whatever you do while planning your picnic menu, do NOT forget the deviled eggs. The men in your group “love them.”
By the way, while having a second glass of Chardonnay and wiping a few tears I shed while remembering how quickly time passes, I thanked the Almighty for those memories that I hold onto so tight.
Deviled Eggs
• 1 dzn. cut hardboiled eggs in half.
In a bowl lightly mash the yolks of the eggs with a fork.
Add:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. dried or freshly diced dill weed.
• 1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 cup diced scallions or white onion
• 2 Tbsp. diced celery
• 2 finely diced radishes
• 1 Tbsp. drained capers for garnish
Mix well and fill egg halves and top with capers.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at cz****@*****st.net.
