This past week has been one of those weeks that has been quieter than most; only one meeting, on Tuesday, and then on to lunch and the afternoon shift at the gift shop. For some reason, probably because the week began on a Tuesday, I’ve had a problem with keeping my days straight. I went to Shiner Saturday for a quilt show that isn’t until next week, I dated a check several days ahead, and the list will probably continue!
The weather today is one of those that half the time you need your shades and the rest of the time it’s cloudy and you don’t need them.
Were you aware that each month the full moon has a different name? I had seen this on occasion when there was a calendar around that listed the names; however, I was never aware of the story behind it.
According to an article that was in the Victoria Advocate USA Today section a few years ago, and according to an old copy of Farmers’ Almanac, names of full moons date back to the Native Americans in the northern and eastern U.S. and each full moon has its own name.
According to an old almanac, the tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon.” The names were applied to the entire month in which the full moon occurred.
Calling February’s full moon, the “snow” moon is right on target: on average, February is the United States snowiest month according to data from the National Weather Service.
The Farmer’s Almanac says some tribes referred to February’s moon as the “hunger” moon because harsh weather conditions made hunting difficult.
According to the calendar that I have from a local company, and also from a recent article that I received in the mail, the January 17th full moon was a “Full Wolf Moon”, and as we’ve already stated, February was the “Full Snow Moon”, followed by March 18th, which will be the “Full Worm Moon”. April 16th is called “Full Pink Moon”; May 16th is “Full Flower Moon”, (do you think this has anything to do with the old adage “April showers bring May flowers?); June 14th is “Full Strawberry Moon”; July 13th is “Full Buck Moon”, (I would expect a name like this to be during hunting season, of course when the Native Americans named these, deer season probably didn’t have limits or a true season); August 11th is “Full Sturgeon Moon”, (obviously fishing season); September 10th is listed as “Harvest Moon”; October 9th is “Full Blood Moon” (no clue on this one); November 8th is “Full Beaver Moon”; and, last but by no means least, December 7th is “Full Cold Moon”. This would make more sense if “Full Snow Moon” followed it, but that is not the case! (And, in another article, November 8th is called “Frost Moon”!). Another discrepancy that I discovered is that in some places, the September moon is called Harvest Moon and in others, it is listed as being in October.
Now, we’re ready to get back to Lenten dishes. Lent is just beginning, and I know that y’all can just go online and find recipes to use that are meatless, but these are really good. They’re delicious made this way, but if you’re able to get the fresh peppers, and find a recipe, the extra work is well worth your time.
Chiles Rellenos
1 large can whole California green chiles
2 eggs, beaten well
Monterey Jack cheese, cut into pieces ½ inch square, and 1-inch shorter than the peppers you are going to stuff
Drain canned chilies and pat dry. If they have any seeds and pith, remove them. Stuff each chili with a piece of the cheese. Lap one side of the pepper over the other to close. Roll very generously in flour, dip into the beaten egg and then back into the flour, repeating twice. (You want to coat them just as if you were frying chicken). Deep fry in heavy skillet until brown on one side turn over gently and brown the other side. Serve either plain or topped with enchilada sauce, or a ranchero sauce and sprinkled with cheese.
The following dish is delicious and works well with the easy-peel shrimp that you can purchase at most HEB stores. Over time, I have found their seafood to be really fresh and good in most recipes. The good thing about this dish is that you can use the small to medium shrimp that are not as pricey as the large or jumbo shrimp are.
Shrimp Pasta Primavera
½ cup chopped green onion
½ cup green or red bell pepper cut into strips
½ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
½ cup margarine
1 package (8-oz) cream cheese, cut into cubes, and at room temperature
¾ cup milk
2 cups, small to medium, peeled, de-veined shrimp (tails also removed)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package spiral macaroni (7-oz or 8-oz), cooked according to package directions and drained well
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Sauté onions and bell pepper in ½ cup margarine, add cream cheese cubes to pan, along with milk; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in shrimp and Parmesan cheese and cook until shrimp are pink and done. Cook and drain macaroni, toss with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, add to cream cheese/shrimp mixture and stir together. Serve hot, along with salad and hot rolls or bread.
Now, to get ahead of the game, here is a dessert, if you would like to try something you haven’t made in a while for your Easter dinner.
Lemon Meringue Pie
(1 baked 9-inch pie shell)
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups water
3 eggs separated
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
6 tablespoons sugar
Combine sugar, salt, flour and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water with a wire whisk and cook over moderate heat until mixture becomes thick and clear, stirring frequently. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl; add a little of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks. Stir yolks into the hot mixture, and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. (If you want this filling to be a prettier yellow color, add a few drops of yellow food coloring). Remove from heat and blend in butter, lemon juice, zest (if used), and extract. Pour into baked pastry shell. Cool slightly, and top with meringue made by beating egg whites with 6 tablespoons sugar until stiff enough to hold in peaks. Begin beating the egg whites, and add sugar one tablespoon at a time until you have your stiff peaks. Brown in hot oven 425ºF about 5 minutes, cool thoroughly before serving.