Good morning, All!

It has been raining here off and on for the last few days. We will get moments of pristine skies and beautiful sunshine only to have it quickly fade into storm clouds and pouring rain. This is good, though! We are behind on our needed precipitation for the last few months. This is needed.

Well, my grandfather has been doing so well after his pacemaker surgery. He isn't allowed to drive, yet, so I get to have fun running him and Grandma around on errands they want to get done. We went to Wal-Mart, yesterday. They needed to buy groceries for the house since the last time he stocked up was before his stay in the hospital. It worked out well since I had to pickup milk ($1.99 a gallon!!! Whoohooo!! got three) and peirogies, dry cereal and all the fixin's for Ham and Broccoli Bake. I will post my recipe at the end.

While we were walking around the store we noticed a great many men who walked and held themselves in a similar fashion. After watching them for a few moments, I realized they held themselves like my husband, our boys' friend Tom, my grandfather, my cousin...hmmm...all are some form of military. Why are they--AH! MOCK RIOT at the old Penitentiary!

The Penitentiary hosts international mock riots that bring military and police personnel from all over the world.

So, Mr. Chef's last day of school is coming in a few weeks. He reminds his dad and I every weekday how many he has left. All I think about is how many days I have left until I have to leave him in Pittsburgh...

Mom is still in NY with my brother and his family. His knee is healing nicely from what I learned during a quick phone call to Mom, yesterday. She is losing so much weight and sounds so happy! Being up there has not only been good for them, since she is able to help with the boys, but it has been fabulous for Mom. I wonder if my brother knows how wonderful it is to hear her so happy and relaxed.

Aunt Martha still hasn't completely backed up her computer files and reinstalled her system programs. She told me that she and Uncle have been enjoying the lack of Internet access (thank you, Mr. Virus!) and have been spending a great bit of time just sitting in the living room with the many new kittens (yes, THERE'S MORE!). She, Mom, and myself are trying to build up our handcrafts to take to a craft show at Uncle Sonny's nursing home this fall. So, she has been working on that as well. I have become quite competent at crocheting shopping bags! I have a pattern for a beautiful delicate reticule with a satin lining and seed pearls. Hopefully, I will be able to work on it soon. It's still a bit intimidating when i read the pattern, as I have never really worked from one. It's all been by sight and feel. One day, though, I will get it done.

So, it's time for the recipe!!! This is by no means a secret family recipe. I personally feel that food is food and everyone should be able to cook a basic meal, so NO SECRETS! This is my maternal grandmother's recipe. My mom wrote it in a family cookbook and gave one to me and my two SILs. Mine has stains and creases all over! It has been well-loved! Oh, and this recipe has been doubled for my family, so you are getting those measurements. If, after you make it the first time, just divide everything in half. Although, this does reheat quite well and tastes even better the next day! I am going to try and give conversion temps and measures, too, so Miss Linda!- it should work for you, too!

Ham and Broccoli Bake

Preheat oven: 350 degrees F/180 degrees C

Baking Time: Cast Iron - 50 minutes; Glass - 40 minutes; Metal - 35 minutes. These are all estimations so watch your food!

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16 oz/500 g - cooked chopped or diced ham (size of ham pieces is your choice)

2 cups/500 ml - Instant Rice

1 cup/250 g - Shredded Cheese (I've used cheddar, mozzarella/provolone combo, etc.)

1 cup/250 ml (liquid measure) - Milk

26oz/Family Size can - Cream of Chicken/Cream of Mushroom

1 small to medium - Onion, puree'd

12 oz-16oz/375-500 g - Frozen, chopped Broccoli

1 cup / 250 g - Corn Flake crumbs

3-6 tbsp/60-120 ml - Butter, melted (this all depends on how many crunchies you want on top!)

1/2 cup/125ml - water

3-quart/3 liter baking dish (the one above is a 3-quart cast iron braiser), Buttered and set aside. Medium sauce pan

Large Mixing bowl

Salt and Pepper

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Cook Broccoli, Cream of Chicken/Mushroom soup and water in medium sauce pan until hot and slightly done. In large mixing bowl, combine ham, instant rice, cheese, milk, and onion puree. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add broccoli and soup mixture to large bowl and mix together. Put mixture in baking dish. Combine corn flake crumbs and melted butter; spoon or sprinkle over top of dish.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake. For final FIVE MINUTES (5 min), remove foil and place back in oven. When done, let rest on counter or stove top for at least 5 minutes.

Hope you like it. I have made my own changes to Grandma's recipe over the years. My husband has to be told every - single - time, NO, you cannot have the whole thing! Anyway, I hope I got the measurements right. I grew up learning to cook by just looking at it and I still eye-ball recipes, so don't be afraid to adjust this one!