Everyday Experiences - October 4 2010

Today is Monday, October 4, 2010. The sun is shining here in Nauvoo and the grass in our back yard is beautiful and green. There are no geese in the yard this morning but the sky overhead is filled with jet streams. They go every which direction over the city. Is there an air show somewhere? I wonder.
We need to go grocery shopping before too many days pass. And shopping at Duck's is a favorite experience. Duck's is a small, locally owned grocery up on Mulholland Street. One unique thing about the store is that they sell sandwiches - hot barbequed beef or pork, taco salads, and sloppy joes. Oh, let's see, I think they sell hot dogs, too. Of course, we always buy the barbequed pork. It is such a good sandwich. We recommend it to everyone we talk,too. (It was recommended to us when we first got here by our neighbors across Parley Street.)
"Where's a good place to eat in Nauvoo?" someone will ask. Our reply "There's Grandpa John's, Dottie's Red Front Dining and the Hotel Nauvoo. (During the summer there are several other places open. Oh. yes, I forgot to mention Nauvoo Mill and Bakery.) We think the best thing in town is the Barbequed Pork sandwiches at Duck's Grocery Store." Then we explain how to get to the place. We plan on trying a taco salad sometime but for now just give us that yummy sandwich.
I decided several years ago that I like shopping in a small store. Of course, while we were on our mission in Pakistan and on our mission in Greece, we only had small stores. Let's see, I guess I need to clarify about Greece. There was a big store, Carrfours, but we had a little store just up on the corner. We shopped there most of the time. Anyway, I can walk through a small store with no pain. That's not true if we go to a big store.
And for the things we buy, the price is not much higher, maybe a few pennies on some things but if we travel somewhere then there is the cost of gas to figure in. Mostly we buy the same things every week anyway.
Our main staples are milk, eggs, butter, cheese, V-8 juice, some meat once in awhile and of course, ice cream and graham crackers. We add to that some canned veggies, or frozen, and fruit, fresh or canned. I also pick up potatoes, onions, lettuce, celery and carrots. Then we add cottage cheese which is my nighttime protein snack. Each week we add some variety to the staples list. As you can see, we use many milk products.
Well, last week we volunteered to feed the Young Sister missionaries. We said we could fix dinner for 4. I planned the menu - crockpot enchiladas, lettuce salad, and ice cream and cookies. Then I found out that one of the sisters was lactose intolerant. That made me totally aware of how much I cook that has milk and cheese in it. I went into high gear to figure out a meal not using any milk products.
Here's what I did and I think it turned out to be a tasty meal. My rice and chicken casserole calls for Cream of Mushroom Soup. That's out. I tried it using chicken broth instead. Glen and I liked it and I thought they would, too. Green beans always seem to be a bit. Lettuce salad would have been okay but I decided to do jello and fruit instead. Then I started thinking about dessert. I wanted to do strawberry shortcake. Strawberries were okay but what about the shortcake. Well, I went to work. I substituted apple sauce for the butter and used water instead of milk to make the sweet bisquit that I always use for shortcake. It worked beautifully. Then I made gravy. That's easy without milk. We did buy some whipped cream, you know, in the squirt can, just in case the other sisters wanted it on their strawberry shortcake.
I think the day was a success. And who knows, maybe I will need to make other meals for someone who is lactose intolerant. At least, I have one meal under my belt. (In more ways than one.) Well, two meals, since I did an experimental meal with the two of us before I made it for the sisters. I know somewhere there is a cook book with lots of recipes for lactose intolerance. That's just what I need!! Another cook book!!
That's all for today.