Sunday, May 02, 2010

Sunday dinner....

In the country, most folks call the noon meal "dinner."  It used to be the biggest meal of the day, and might consist of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, a veggie, jello and always a dessert -- probably pie.  But traditions have changed some.  We are an on-the-go culture even in the country where one would think life to have a slow trot, but not so.  Cowboys and cattlemen want to keep moving and get their work done before sundown and so now the noon meal  is a quick meal consisting of left-overs or a sandwich, a taco or a hamburger and chips.  No more the sit-down meal with a 10 minute nap in the easy chair like I remember my grandpa doing back on the farm.

In the good ol' days "lunch" was a snack.  I remember going to Ladies Aid with my mother-in-love  when I was a young bride.  The hostesses reminded us that after Bible study they'd serve lunch.  There might be tea-sized sandwiches and always a sweet dessert and iced tea or coffee.  Today, we'd call it a snack.  The 70's-and-over country folks still call a mid-day bite "lunch."  I like it.

I call the Sunday noon meal "Sunday Dinner" because it's the main meal of the day.  The rest of the day we snack or make popcorn or have dessert and coffee instead of a meal.  It has been this way at our house for a long time and I like it.  It gives this country cook a little breather in her three-square-meals-a-day routine.

Today we had A & J and lil Hazel Peach over for Sunday Dinner.  I made some typical things and a couple  new-to-me things.

The Menu 

Romain & Olive salad with mock Olive Garden Dressing
Grilled Sirloin Tips
Ravioli Alfredo
made with the Shepherd Bread from Joyce

And for dessert
from Pioneer Woman's collection

HP decided she liked the bread best and ate mostly bread.  I would have been happy with just bread and salad, but I ate the other things too, of course.
When we were done and cleared the dishes, we sat down for a bit and listened to HP's  new word collection.  She turns two in July and she's yakking up a storm.  Some of her newest releases are:  star, moon, side (outside), bubbles (while doing dishes), flies (flowers), wing (swing), ush (push), JoJo (uncle Joseph).  It's so much fun to hear all the new words she comes up with day by day.  

Next it was time to crank up the stereo and dance.  "Dance" is another favorite word Hazel Peach likes to say and do.  I turned on one of our favorite CD's, You are My Sunshine by Elizabeth Mitchell.  It's simple, sweet, and I never grow tired of it.  She danced whilst we all nodded our heads and tapped our feet to the beat.   I'm So Glad I'm Here is the first song, and it is one that I love more and more every time I hear it.  It reminds me to be glad right where God has me.  Click the playlist below if you'd like to hear some of HP's and my favorites.


Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones
After the dancing, HP requested that I read a couple of her favorite books:  Good Night Moon and We're Going on a Bear Hunt.  She read Time For Bed to Grandpa and told him mostly about the stars and moons she found in the pictures.  

Then it was time for them to leave so I hurried outside to pick a few tulips and daffodil "flies" (flowers) for my lil Hazel Peach to take home with her.  She tried to lick the red and yellow striped tulip as if it was a Popsicle.  Cute.


It's gray, windy, drippy and cold here today.  The lamps are on and I think I'll go build a small fire in the stove and read a book this afternoon.  It's a perfect day for resting.  Happy Sunday!

11 comments:

  1. Thats the song I chose to listen to here..then, here you were talking about it! My Dad used to sing this to my Mom while playing his ukulele..oh gosh, that just went right through my heart to think of that, especially since they are both gone now. Sorry, but you got me started! LOl Come say hi :D

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  2. Your description of dinner is perfect. Reminds me of growing up in Iowa. Of course as a child I never understood why my grandfather wanted to take a nap after dinner, now I long for it.

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  3. HI sweet Jody,
    We had Sunday "dinner" at lunch time when I was growing up. Then, popcorn or sandwiches later. I talked to my mom on the phone today and she said, "We are having a delicious rolled roast just like we used to have every Sunday when we were first married!" So cute. Your menu is lovely and little HP is a riot! What a bug! Oh, and no the fairy doors are hobbit doors from the Internet. I have one fairy door and I can't wait for a flower spot to place it!

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  4. Sounds like a wonderful Sunday and I hope you got that rest...

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  5. Wow, it sounds like you had a perfect Sunday Jody. Little Hazel Peach sounds adorable. Your day sounded like the nice relaxing kind of Sunday afternoon we used to have when I was growing up. I'd sure like things to slow down and get back to that. Maybe just for Sunday's it could be doable!

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful day. I think you have a nice life.

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  7. It was a very yummy dinner! Thank you for having us over. I think Hazel Peach really missed her Grandma and Grandpa and was happy to make you smile!

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  8. Your post is making me hungry!

    That's what we do on Sundays as well. And there is no "snakc" after meetings around here - it's definitely a lunch and it usually is fairly hearty. :)

    I can just imagine your little grandgirlie dancing - fun fun fun! I can hardly wait :)

    Hoping for some sunshine for you soon!

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  9. Those rolls are so lovely I can hardly stand it!

    Here in the south, the noonday meal is still sometimes called dinner, especially on Sundays.

    frances

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  10. I'm just browsing through your recipes, and thought I'd add that in our neck of the woods "lunch" is a late night sandwich/cheese plate/pickle plate/ squares and cookies buffet usually served at a dance or wedding reception...

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