Kicking Back in Marble Falls

At Sunset Point RV Resort, Marble Falls, Texas...

After an uneventful 336-mile trip from Mercedes, we settled into our spot at Sunset Point, one of the nicest RV parks anywhere, for the monthly Tiffin Bluebonnet Allegro Club rally. We usually limit our daily legs to 300 miles or less, but the weather was nice, and traffic was fairly light, so it really wasn't an issue. Russ, our crack electronics guy in the DFW area, had finally fixed the antenna problem with my new Sirius/XM radio, so we had tunes available whenever we wanted. Here are some photos of Sunset Point on Lake LBJ that will show what a prime location it is:

These rallies afford us a chance to relax in a nice setting and visit with friends connected by a similar interest--our Tiffin motorhomes. The rally agendas are hardly rigorous, but there is usually plenty of food (potlucks are popular), side activities and games. Then there is a business meeting and a tech talk session, both of which are popular and entertaining. For the potlucks, Sandy usually makes a dessert and, for the last couple of times, I have done sausage-stuffed jalapenos, 40 at a time, that are gobbled up almost immediately. I must admit, they are really good. The recipe follows the photo:

Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients:
1 lb ground sausage, hot or mild, depending on your bravery
20 fairly large jalapeños (large ones are usually less firey)
1- 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 or 2 green onions, finely chopped (I use two)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. (Note: If you're not using a convection oven, you may need to set the oven temp to 425.) Meanwhile, cook crumbled sausage in a pan until browned. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. Mix cream cheese with parmesan cheese. Add cooked sausage and chopped onions and mix well. Cut the stem end off each jalapeno, then slice each lengthwise, removing the seeds and membranes from each half. (I use a small measuring spoon to do this in a single swipe down each half.) Stuff the jalapeños generously with the sausage mixture. (The jalapenos should be completely dry inside when you do this.) Bake uncovered in a pan for 20 minutes or until the tops of the cheese mixture are golden brown. 

Since you'll notice the paper plate in the photo, I'll talk about that for a minute. The throwaway quality of the paper plate is God's gift to RVers. We use them almost exclusively, because dishwashing is really not something retired people should be doing very often; it's just way too strenuous. We do keep a few sets of regular plates around in case we are eating something that needs to served on a warm plate or cut with a knife. We don't use plastic utensils, however, unless we're eating outside. We just like the metal ones better. Besides, it doesn't strike me as too much trouble for Sandy to wash a couple of forks, spoons and knives. Why don't I wash these myself, you may ask? Well, since I do much of the cooking (other than baking, which she does solely), I've convinced her that such a magnanimous gesture on my part warrants my being absolved of dishwashing responsibilities. (I hope she doesn't read this; her memory of this agreement may differ from mine.)

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful life; please forgive me if I don't appreciate it enough each day.