A few weeks ago, County Extension Agent Gowin had an article in the Leader about army worms. At that time I didn’t know what they looked like. I googled army worms, and still didn’t really know. Last week, I found out after a hair-raising encounter with those beasts! Talk about creepy crawlers – they are super scary. I noticed them first as hundreds were crawling up the side of my house. Then I stepped out into the yard. I did not immediately see them. I believe they froze as I approached. However, after standing motionless for a few seconds, the whole ground began to move. No, it was not an earthquake, but thousands and thousands of army worms.
My husband sprayed Malathion around the house and that certainly slowed them down. However, at the chicken coop, I noticed that there weren’t any worms in that yard. That’s when I realized that perhaps the most effective way to eradicate the creepy-crawling pests was to unleash the girls. Using a bucket of scratch, I lured them to other parts of the property where I found more army worms. They ate greedily, and I received huge satisfaction while watching those feathery eating-machines gobble up the crawlers. The girls certainly put a dent in the worm population. I hope they didn’t get tummy aches, but I bet their egg yolks will be extra-dark orange. Life on the farm is always interesting.
I meet a lot of interesting folks each Saturday at the winery. It seems that people who enjoy wine also enjoy food. Two things we have in common.
The next two recipes came from some of the friends I have made at the winery. We often share gardening stories and discuss what to do with too much okra and too much squash.
Barbara’s Memaw’s Squash Dressing
1 stick of butter
1 c. milk
5 c. cooked squash, chopped
2 eggs
1 tsp. sage
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pan cooked cornbread, crumbled
salt and pepper, to taste
grated cheese for topping
* optional – add 2 cups cooked chicken, sausage or hamburger to make it a meal
Melt butter in a 9×13″ casserole dish. Cook squash and onions until tender. Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl with the ingredients of milk through cornbread. The butter that remains in the dish will keep the dressing from sticking while baking.
Add meat, if you have chosen that option. Mix everything together. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Pour into the casserole dish. Spread the mixture out evenly. Top with grated cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 minutes. The copy of Barbara’s recipe card ends with “Enjoy!” Yes, we did. I took the option of adding a pound of cooked Italian sausage.
Okra and Rice Casserole
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 can Rotel tomatoes (mild or hot)
3 c. chicken broth
2 lbs. fresh okra, chopped
1 c. corn kernels
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 slices French bread
3 c. cooked rice
Cook oil and flour in a skillet until golden brown. Add onion, celery, green peppers and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add Rotel tomatoes, broth, okra, corn, Cajun seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, and stir occasionally.
Combine melted butter and minced garlic, and slather over the French bread slices. Bake in a 350-degree oven until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Using a food processor, pulse until coarsely crumbled.
Spread rice in a greased 9×13″ casserole dish. Spoon okra mixture over the rice, and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and after 10 minutes of rest, serve and of course – enjoy.
I hope that you’ll find the recipes to be fun to make and yummy to eat.