Sunday June 20th is a very special day this year. Not only is it the first day of summer, but it is also Father’s Day, which falls on the third Sunday of June every year.
The idea for Father’s Day came from Sonora Smart Dodd who thought it was only fair that, since mothers were honored on their special day, fathers deserved the same. Her own father, a Civil War veteran and a single parent who raised his six children, was especially deserving of the honor, she said.
So, Dodd made it her mission to gather the support of local businesses in and around her hometown to honor all fathers and was successful in doing so. On June 19, 1910, the first-ever Father’s Day was celebrated in the state of Washington at the Spokane YMCA, and it’s been observed ever since.
This is always another of those bittersweet occasions we observe each year. For those who have fathers in their lives, it’s usually a pleasant experience. For those of us who have lost fathers, it can be tough in more ways than one. And for those fathers who have lost their children, it can be almost unbearable.
If you are a father, know that you have been granted one of the greatest opportunities and privileges ever. It’s a heavy responsibility, but one with great rewards. Make it count.
(Just in case you didn’t know, Mother’s Day, always the second Sunday of May, was started by Ann Jarvis in memory of her mother in 1908, following her death three years earlier, but wasn’t made official until 1914.)
Appetizer Ham Rolls
1 small pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. prepared horseradish
8 slices sandwich ham
In small bowl, combine cream cheese and horseradish. Spread mixture evenly over one side of each ham slice. Roll and fasten with a toothpick. Slice into smaller pieces if desired.
Just Like Alice Springs Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ½-inch thickness
Lowry’s Seasoning Salt
6 bacon slices
1/4 cup regular mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. dried onion flakes
1 cup sliced fresh mushroom
2 cup shredded Colby/Jack cheese
Sprinkle and rub chicken breasts with seasoning salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, cook bacon until crisp and set aside. Saute chicken in the bacon grease for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned, and then put in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish or pan.
In a small bowl, mix mustard, honey, mayonnaise and dried onion flakes. Spread some of the honey mustard mixture over each piece of chicken, then layer with mushrooms, crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is done.
Serve with the left over honey mustard sauce.
Marinated Cucumbers, Onions, and Tomatoes
3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh coarse ground black pepper
¼ cup oil
Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving
Quick And Easy Chewy Bars
1 yellow cake mix
1½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
¾ cup butter, melted
Topping:
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup firmly packaged brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an oblong pan or baking dish. Combine cake mix, ¾ cup pecans/walnuts and melted butter in large bowl, stirring until well blended. Press mixture in bottom of pan.
Combine cream cheese and brown sugar. Mix well. Spread evenly over base, sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until edges are browned and cheese topping is set. Cool completely. Refrigerate leftovers.
No Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake
Large box of instant vanilla or cheese cake pudding, prepared as directed
Graham crackers or vanilla wafers
Large whipped topping, thawed
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Chocolate chip morsels
Prepare pudding ahead of time and refrigerate for a little while.
When pudding is set and dessert is ready to assemble, place one layer of graham crackers or vanilla wafers in a 9×13-inch baking dish or pan. Top with a thin layer of pudding and whipped topping. Cover with a thin layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat three times.
Place milk chocolate chip morsels in a plastic bag. Microwave in 10 second intervals until melted. Snip the end of the plastic bag and drizzle chocolate over top of cake. (This step is optional, but makes for a pretty dessert.)
Refrigerate covered for at least four hours, or until the crackers/wafers have softened completely.