SHOOTIN' FROM THE HIP

I don’t often venture into my kid’s bedrooms. For one thing, I don’t have any reason to but also, it is a painful reminder of how fast they fled the premises and how vacated those rooms feel. Just the other day, I was looking for a book in Haakon’s room, when my eye landed on the arrow he split with another arrow on one of his earliest target shoots. He sliced it right down the middle and the arrows remain stuck together. We kept it for its William Tell bragging rights.

But why wouldn’t he be a great shot? I chuckled as I recalled all the practice he got. When he was probably in junior high, he and I were home alone a lot. The girls were off in college and Walt was working out of state. I would make dinner (always Haakon’s favorites or I’d be eating alone!), then we’d watch the outdoor channel and then he would do some shooting.

Here is where I get “Mom of the Decade” award. He would stand at the far west wall of our house and shoot through the entire length of our house, through the family room, kitchen, entryway and garage. At least 75 feet. This target practice could go on for an hour or two, as he shot at a target affixed to the trash dumpster. I really couldn’t sit still so I would do chores around the house, mostly in the kitchen or laundry room but would have to be absolutely alert for the archer at the other end of the house. Every time he was about to let an arrow fly, he’d holler out, “SHOOTING!” That was my cue to hunker down until I heard the “whizz” and then the “thunk” as he hit the target. He only missed once, and there was an arrow-sized hole in the garage drywall until we finally decided to repair it.

I am glad, for both of our sakes, that he never hit me. That I remained alert enough to listen for the verbal warning call and lie low each time.  All that practice paid off, Haak became an expert hunter, we bonded like Krazy Glue to human skin and I have great memories of our years together, as I hope he has.

HUNTER’S MEAL IN A PAN

8 venison steaks or pork chops

1/4 cup flour

1 onion, chopped

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can water

6 large potatoes, sliced

4 carrots, sliced (peels on)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, brown meat with onion. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan and spread half the potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour. Add carrots. Put meat on top of carrots and cover with remaining potatoes. Pour soup and water over top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1hour. Uncover and bake 1/2 hour longer.

STRAIGHT SHOOTER’S SPUD SOUP

6 to 8 potatoes

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

1 large can evaporated milk

2 cups water

2 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

Fresh parsley, chopped

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Green onions, diced

Bake potatoes. Skin and set aside. In a large stockpot, brown mushrooms, celery and onion in butter. Add broth. Whisk flour and evaporated milk together to make a roux. Stir in to broth and vegetables. Then add water. Dice potatoes and add to pot. Stir in bacon and parsley. Heat all together and serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and diced green onions on top of each serving.

BULL’S EYE COOKIE STIX

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugars, egg and vanilla. Mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Divide dough in half. On a greased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 15 by 3 inch rectangle, about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over dough, pressing them in lightly. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and cut into 1 inch strips with a pizza cutter. Remove to rack to cool. Yield: 3 dozen.