...

SIMPLY SPLENDID SUMMER SUPPER:

1. Rapidly say that title five times in a row. Now have another glass of wine.

2. If you, yourself, don't have a garden, look around for someone who does, preferably a family member who has planted it right on your property, so that you are able to have your kitchen well-stocked with all the necessary ingredients ahead of time and you've gotten them washed and spiffed up for cooking. Otherwise, it might take you longer than the five minutes it took me to prepare this dish tonight.

2. Put a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet, get a tissue and prepare to cry.


3. Slice an onion--or two. Or three. Depends how big your skillet, your supper crowd, your desired ratio of onion to other splendid ingredients, your appetite, your imagination, your ego (oops, sorry, I'm getting carried away).



4. Even if you don't know beans about cooking, believe me, you can still serve up this splendid supper. Did I say beans? That would be GREEN ones. Pile them on!





5. Chop up some freshly-dug potatoes. And then, (I feel a bit foolish saying this, I mean, I know you're not a complete nincompoop; I highly suspect each one of you, dear readers, knows exactly what comes next, if not, in fact, all that came before as well, but I'll just say it anyway to be sure all is clear)---add them.




6. If you have it, top the whole pile with a piece of pork--preferably ham or pre-cooked bacon (only if you have it, of course. Don't run around looking for someone with a pig)



7. Add some water and a tight lid. Turn the heat to low.

8. G0 back to the hammock*.





9. Twenty minutes or a half-hour later when everything is tender, you can tenderly serve it to yourself and those you love.









10. OPTIONAL (but highly recommended)-- Have this for dessert:

















*Final note: I couldn't bear to say this while you were lolling in the hammock, but you really should check the water level in the skillet several times...it's disaster if you let it simmer dry. Just a few times--add at least a half-inch of water and turn it low. Okay, that's all. You can relax.


...