Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current, May 11, 2022, Image 6

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Dawson County news., May 11, 2022, Image 6

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Newspaper Page Text6A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com Wednesday, May 11,2022 Life’s best friends On the first day of P.E. class in seventh grade, I met Lisa who was to become my best friend through the school years that followed. Seventh grade was a big deal. Country kids from five elementary schools - where most of us were in classes of around 30 - con gregated into a junior high that was attached to a high school. We had gone from simple grade schools with six or seven rooms, one principal and an assistant to a place with five offices packed with administration. Now, we had lockers. Before we had stored our books under our desks and stayed in one room from morning until school was out. We were required, in a sudden grown-up way, to find our classes, flowing down a hallway filled with other students. Our elementary class had been tightly knit. Over six years, we shared see-saws, played softball on the field behind the school and often sat on the steps leading into the 1937-stoutly built brick building while we nibbled on Lance crackers or an afternoon ice cream bar. Yet, when we stepped up to the big leagues, we scat tered. My best friend since first grade - a friendship formed when I became enthralled with her yellow and green dress that resem bled a Sprite bottle - became someone I passed fleetingly in the hall and called out a “hello.” The day I stepped off the school bus at the front entrance of the new school as other scared kids walked, heads down, to their new destiny, was one of the biggest days of my life. I swallowed hard and started down the journey of life to adulthood. I came from one of the two most country schools. There was a light shadow cast on us kids who lived on farms and, in a few cases, trailers. The ones from the more citified schools lived in neighbor hoods or new-fangled sub divisions filled with eye pleasing split-level houses. One of the most horrify ing days of my life occurred when the school bus pulled to a stop in front of our house. Daddy, facing a lack of pasture grass due to a drought, had fenced in our front yard and filled it with Hereford cattle. There, scattered throughout our yard, were a dozen cattle doing what cows do mostly - eat and relief themselves. To add to my embarrass ment, my sweet, simple- minded aunt, wearing white Keds and bobby socks, was chasing my toddler niece around the cow patties, spit ting out tobacco juice. I dropped my head and slumped around the front of the bus, near tears. I real ized that it was a major set back in my being accepted RONDARICH Columnist as anything other than a farm girl. Lisa helped to shine up my image. She came from a subdivision and lived in a tri-level, more impressive than a split level. Her father was a respected teacher in a technical school. Though she was slicker than me, we shared common values. Her mother, like mine, took joy in being a homemaker. Suppers were home cooked and, importantly, both of our families were deeply involved in our little Baptist churches. Hers, of course, was bigger than mine. Lisa continues to be a close friend in heart though she lives hundreds of miles away. In an instant, we can pick up the phone and reconnect like the young girls who spent the night at each other’s houses and learned to knit in Mrs. Trotter’s Home Ec class. Last year, Lisa and her husband, Dan, came for a leisurely lunch. When we were still young, our fathers had died three days apart. Mama had joined the Lord and Lisa’s mother had decided to leave the tri-level for a condo. “I brought you some thing,” she said, smiling. She handed me one of her mother’s crystal cake plates trimmed in gold. It was a meaningful gift. Every day I see it and remember the power of life long friends and humble childhoods. Ronda Rich is a best-selling Southern author. Visit www. rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter. Get your grill on Warm weather signifies lots of things—flowers, green grass, butter flies, gardening, and of course, grill ing outdoors. I love those nights when every aspect of din ner is grilled—no hot oven or hot stovetop in the kitchen is necessary. Here are some super sim ple, but delicious grilling recipes to try. Enjoy! I love grilled vegetables. They make a great side dish, but there are many other ways you can use them. Try chopping them up and tossing them with pasta. You can also add them to a frittata or a quiche, even an omelet. Grilled Vegetables • 3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved • 3 yellow squash, cut into y 2 ” planks • 3 zucchini, cut into 1/2” planks • 3 Japanese eggplant, cut into y 2 ” planks • 12 mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed • 12 green onions, roots removed • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons • 1 teaspoon salt • y 2 teaspoon pepper • 3 tablespoons bal samic vinegar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tablespoon Italian parsley leaves, minced • 14 cup fresh basil leaves, minced • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced Brush vegetables with the 1/3 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat grill over medium-high heat and grill vegetables until they have grill marks before flipping them. You can also use a grill basket, but you won’t get the grill marks. When vegetables are done, remove to a platter and tent with foil. In a bowl, whisk remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil and rosemary. Pour dressing over the grilled vegetables. Grilled chicken might sound boring, but this lem ony one is anything but. Do marinate overnight for the best lemon flavor. Enjoy the chicken alongside some grilled vege tables, and then use the leftovers for tossing into a salad or making it into chicken salad. Lemony Chicken • 1/3 cup olive oil • 4 lemons, juiced • 1 tablespoon Dijon • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 teaspoon salt • y 2 teaspoon pepper • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound lightly. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts in a plastic zipper bag and pour marinade over all, massaging to distribute. Refrigerate for 24 hours. When ready to grill, heat grill to medium-high heat and grill chicken about 5-8 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove to a platter and tent with alumi num foil for a few minutes. Portobello Burgers • 2/3 cup whole milk Greek yogurt • 3 tablespoons pre pared horseradish • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 3 large red onions, thinly sliced • 2 sprigs thyme • 1 teaspoon salt • y 2 teaspoon pepper • 1 cup dry red wine • 'A cup honey • 14 cup red wine vine gar • 1 clove garlic, minced • 2 tablespoons bal samic vinegar • 4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and some of the gills scraped and discarded • 5 hamburger buns • Lettuce leaves Whisk together the Greek yogurt with the horseradish and set aside. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onions, 1 thyme sprig, y 2 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper. Cook until onions are very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring often. Add red wine and raise ADLEN ROBINSON Columnist heat. Cook until onions have absorbed most of the red wine. Add honey, red wine vinegar, remaining salt and pepper. Cook another 15-20 minutes until onions are “jammy.” In a bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Brush mushroom caps with the balsamic mixture and grill until mushrooms are cooked through, about 5 minutes, turning once. Top hamburger buns with cooked mushrooms, onion jam, a dollop of the horse radish yogurt, and lettuce. Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette • 7 red potatoes, quar tered • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed • 14 cup mayonnaise • 1 tablespoon Dijon • 2 teaspoons onion powder • 2 teaspoons garlic powder • 14 teaspoon cayenne • 1 teaspoon salt • y 2 teaspoon pepper • Bacon Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Place red potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes. Add sweet potato cubes and more water if needed. Boil until all are tender, about 10 more minutes. Drain and cool potatoes. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Toss the cooled potatoes with the mayon naise mixture. Heat grill over medium-high heat. Grill until there are grill marks on all sides, 1-2 min utes per side. Remove to a bowl and toss with the bacon vinaigrette. Bacon Vinaigrette • 1 slice bacon, chopped • 14 cup olive oil • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 1 teaspoon Dijon • 2 tablespoons pars ley leaves, minced • 2 green onions, chopped • y 2 teaspoon salt • 14 teaspoon pepper Cook bacon in skillet until crispy. Whisk bacon grease, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, parsley, green onions, salt and pep per. Pour over potatoes. WORLD’S BEST # VENTURES OW RUNNING 3-DAY, ^ 2-NIGHT^ TRIPS '202; 2 ,202; 2 VISIT WORLD'S BEST ADVENTURES AT W0RLDSBESTADVENTURES.COM or call 770-535-6323 FOR MORE INFO AND BOOKING DETAILS.