Feeling Better

Good morning, dear friends! It has been a bit since I posted anything here and I wanted to take a minute to write a little "blog letter" to you and let you know how we are and what has been happening here at our Cozy Home Cottage. After our sweet week-end with the little grandson a couple of week-ends ago, we (all three of us, hubby, son and myself) ended up with a most horrible case of a summer cold or flu-bug or something of that sort. All I know for sure is that it was really bad and has left us feeling "shaken-not stirred"-to paraphrase James Bond. I am still waking up mornings with a cough and we are just now starting to feel "human" again. I HATE summer colds! Well, I have been drinking plenty of tea and hot chicken soup and we have done real well to keep up our regular housework and such. I will just be glad to get back to feeling good and not coughing when I take a deep breath. Hubby and son are feeling much better, as well.

On Sunday I fixed one of our favorite summer-time lunches; Imitation Crab Salad. My mother-in-law taught me how to make this and I have made several variations through the years. It is a versitile little recipe and one of those simple little pasta salads that you can throw together and then heap up a big serving in a bowl or on a salad plate and enjoy as a casual little lunch or snack with your favorite salad crackers. The recipe makes a ton of salad and it keeps for 3-5 days covered in the refrigerator, so you can snack on it for a couple of days or so. Here is the recipe:

Imitation Crab Salad

16 oz box of Shell Macaroni
2 cups imitation crab meat chopped
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup green/yellow/red pepper (mixed)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small can sliced black olives
8 oz shredded colby-jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Miracle Whip
Seasonings to taste:
1 teaspoon or more Cajun Seasoning mix
1 teaspoon or more Seasoned Salt
1 teaspoon or more Garlic and Onion Seasoning mix

Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for about 8-9 minutes)
Pour the cooked pasta into a collander to drain and rinse with cold water. Finish draining
and then pour the pasta into a large (3 quart or larger) covered serving dish.
Add all the other ingredients and stir well to mix them together.
Cover and chill the salad in your refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
This salad is even better the next day!!! Easy and just yummy!!!

I hope to post more later this week. I did want to ask you all to do me a big favor and remember me in your prayers as this is June and it will be a bit of a challenge for me this year. Father's Day was always such a big deal to me and my dad~I used to always call him early and wish him a "Happy Pappy's Day" and I am still crying sporadically whenever I get to missing him too bad. Also, June 27th was his Birthday and I know that day will be a HUGE challenge. I know that memories get  sweeter with time, but right now I am still really missing our visits and just picking up the phone to talk to him. He was so very dear to me. Sorry, I just had it on my mind and wanted to ask you to remember me. You are all very dear to me, too and I appreciate your prayers and concern for me. I will talk to you all again, soon.

Until next time, Stay Cool and Cozy ;-)
Charlotte