Bena Mae’s Kitchen: It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood

These words of Mr. Rogers could not be truer than they are today. Mother Nature has put on a pretty face by giving us a beautiful sunny day after a week of frigid temperatures. And high time, too. The poet who said “April is the cruelest month” did not live through a February such as we’ve just had.

The buds have not yet begun to show, but I expect after a few days of sun they will be popping open. I read where tomatoes will be sky high due to the frigid weather in Florida. This is no problem for me because I do not buy winter tomatoes.  No taste, no juice. I can wait until June or July.

I have had bad Karma all week. First, I chipped a front tooth which means a dreaded trip to the dentist. I look on a trip to the dentist in the same way that I look on flying. Either one puts me in a position of turning over control of my life to someone else. Dr. Witt, I miss you. Think of me when you’re teeing off on the golf course down there in Florida.

Second, I put a scratch on the side of my car by driving too close to the retaining wall next to my driveway. I know it’s no big deal but everyone hates it when that happens. You know when you’ve done it when you hear that scraping sound and your heart literally stops for a beat or two.  Guess I’ll have to get one of those crayons to cover the scratch that the late Billy Mays still keeps yammering about.

On the coldest night of the week (27 degrees) my furnace went out and I was without heat for 24 hours. Too late to call the furnace man, I improvised every way I could think of to stay warm. An electric throw I got for Christmas saved my life. It kept me warm throughout the night but waking up to a bitter cold house the next morning was no picnic. It recalled years of my mother and father getting up before daylight and having to build fires in the living room and kitchen before Daddy went to work. Suddenly thoughts of the ‘good old days’ didn’t seem that good.   

When the furnace man came and fixed the problem, I could have given him the deed to my  house, I was that grateful.  Now I genuflect every time I pass the temperature control of my heating system. 

I have always been one to worry about things that never happened. But this past week I didn’t worry beforehand about any of these things that actually did happen.  Now what does that tell you?

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To all the ladies who live at Ashland Terrace in Lexington, I would like to send a big hello. And to one of the residents, Lois McKeehan Jones, a big thank you for writing. I remember the McKeehan family from my younger days of growing up in Corbin.  The McKeehan family were our next-door neighbors, if I recall correctly. Many times your family has been mentioned when we would talk about things of the past. It’s always good to hear from old friends like this, especially since so many of them are gone today. Have a good day, ladies.

If you’re Irish all the way or Irish for a day, You will love this traditional Irish meal.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 (5 1/2 pound) corned beef brisket

2 tablespoons pickling spice

1 large orange, sliced in rounds

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 cup cold water

6 tablespoons margarine, divided

1 large head cabbage, cored and sliced

1 cup Golden Delicious apples, cored and quartered with peel

1/4 cup cold water

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a 9×13 inch roasting pan with aluminum foil, leaving enough extra extending over the sides to cover and seal in the roast.

Rinse the brisket, and pat dry. Rub with pickling spice, and place in the prepared roasting pan. Arrange celery, orange and onion slices on and around the roast. Pour in 1/2 cup of water, and wrap aluminum foil up over the roast tightly, making sure the ends are sealed.

Bake for about 4 hours in the preheated oven, or until meat is tender.

About 45 minutes before the roasts time is up, heat 3 tablespoons of margarine and 1/4 cup of water in a large pot. Add cabbage and apples, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Occasionally shake the pot so that nothing sticks to the bottom. Serve with remaining margarine and sliced corned beef.

You can add small whole Irish potatoes and carrots if you prefer.