Flipflop or Thong

It's all about words! There's a language barrier in this country! I am convinced that there is something to the lyrics...you say tomato, I say tomahto. Our country is a wide expanse of land and has a wide expanse in the pronunciation of our language. Depending on what part of the country you are from will determine how you might say....pecan, for instance.

I have noticed a difference in our language depending on generation also. In the 20's....it was "the bees knees", in the 40's....it was "cool", in the 60's....it was "groovy", in the 80's....it was "fly", and in the 00's....it is "sweet". All meant the same thing, but each generation had a different word...how confusing that can be. No wonder there's a generation gap.

A few years back just before Valentine's Day, as we sat around the "family table" for supper (that's the evening meal in the south), I began to tell my husband that I had ordered a pair of red thongs for my daughter and me from an independent representative...ahem.... I wish you could have seen my, then, 15 year old son's face. I think he almost choked and was at a loss for words. After an attempted Heimlich maneuver He soon regained composure and exclaimed...MahahahahahM! There's that generation gap. In his mind's eye, I had not ordered a pair of adorable, fuzzy, red, flipflop house shoes, at all. It never occurred to me that he did not know that flipflops in the 60's were called "thongs".

That was not the last time that this son and I had words about words. Not long ago, he asked me what was for supper. That evening I was preparing one of our Sunday Dinner recipes....Baked Beef Stew. He was not a happy camper. He had not ever dined on this wonderful dish, but in no uncertain terms, he let me know that he did not want soup, not for supper....that is a lunch fare...at least he thinks so. I continued on with my preparation and thought that if he didn't want soup stew, then he could just have a PB&J sandwich. Now that is what I call lunch fare...or midnight snack (Can I hear an amen?).

As we sat down for supper that evening, this son of mine asked "Where's the soup?" You all know that we weren't having soup...we were having Baked Beef Stew. Boy, was he surprised! We all enjoyed supper that evening around the "family table" and my thoughts went back to "thongs" but I never said a word.

Just what you have been waiting for.....Sunday Dinner recipes and one of them is...why, of course....

Baked Beef Stew

1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3 T quick cooking tapioca
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs. beef stew meat
4 medium carrots, chunks
3 med. potatoes, chunks
2 celery ribs, chunks
1 medium onion, chunks
1 slice of bread, cubed

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, water, tapioca, sugar, salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9X13 baking dish. Cover and bake at 375 for 2 hours.

Chicken Tetrazzini

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
3 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Saute onion in butter. Add tomatoes and chicken. Stir. Add to prepared spaghetti. Pour into a 9X13 baking dish. Top with velveeta cheese slices or grated cheddar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

As I have been writing this post, I have been nibbling on a handful bowlful bucketful of White Chocolate Popcorn.



It is a great treat for Valentine's Day. You want that recipe, too? I thought you would never ask!

White Chocolate Popcorn

1 bag microwave popcorn, popped
2 1/2 squares of white almond bark, melted (1 1/2 minutes in the microwave)

Drizzle almond bark over popcorn in a microwave bowl. Microwave 2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds. Pour onto waxed paper. Cool. Enjoy!

Now the next time you put on your flipflops, have a little laugh because you have on a pair of thongs.

If the shoe fits, wear it well!