Fried Bologna Sandwich

Every week I have to figure it out, what's for dinner? One day folds into a week, then a month, then summer is gone, fall is here, winter is upon us and springtime arrives. I try to mix it up, we've been having a lot of THIS lately. When we get tired of THAT then we try a little SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I really never know what I'm in the mood for until I wake up and say THIS SOUNDS GOOD!

Are you like that too? There's just some things that sound good in the SUMMER when it's too hot to cook. By the time Fall rolls around I'm thinking of FAMILY FAVORITES. Winter is for COMFORT FOODS, stick to my ribs meals. When I can't face another bowl of stew, then SPRING finally arrives with lighter MEALS. When life seems flavorless, look for something you haven't had in awhile. All of a sudden it tastes good again, but it's not the food. It's you that changes!

I'd love to have you join us on Facebook's Granny Mountain Group... it's a great way to pass along recipes, tips and ideas that we're all finding at Pinterest or even better... potlucks and family recipe boxes! 

Nana's Potato Salad

Nana's Potato Salad- a Ricer makes this potato salad light as air!!

Potato Salad is one of those recipes that you make your Mom's, or your Grandma's, or your Mother-in-Law if's she makes the best one... don't tell Mom that though! It's mayo or mustard based, has the cast of characters... pickles/celery/onion/eggs. Being a foodie made me try many recipes and I've come to the conclusion that technique again wins over in this one. I used about 3 recipes to come up with one we really like, even Jerry that always said he could "take it or leave it" loves this one!

Nana's Potato Salad

PRINT

8 Medium Russet potatoes; Peeled and in chunks
1 1/2 Cup Mayo
2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Yellow mustard
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tsp Garlic powder
1/2 Tsp Black pepper
2-3 Tbsp Sweet Pickle, Minced or Chopped (your preference)
1 Cup Onion; Minced or Chopped (your preference)
2 ribs of Celery, Minced or Chopped (your preference)
4-5 Hard boiled eggs, riced or in larger chunks (you might save one to slice on top)
Garnish Paprika; (Optional)

1. Boil peeled and diced potatoes in salted water until done. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper and chopped pickles; stir well and place in fridge.
3. Once potatoes are cooled to room temp, rice them into a large bowl and add the minced onion and celery.
4. Chop the hard boiled eggs to desired size and add to potatoes, celery and onions; toss.
5. Remove cooled dressing from fridge and pour into potato bowl, toss until evenly coated. Garnish with paprika if you desire. Place back in fridge to chill till suppertime and enjoy!!

Orange Rolls from The Crumpet Tea Room

Can you keep a secret? I've got the recipe for the original Crumpet Tea Room's Orange Rolls and I just can't keep it to myself any longer! They foolishly put it in a cookbook called

"Crumpet Tea Room: A Unique Collection of Mealtime Treasures" along with several of their most requested recipes like their heavenly chicken salad... sharing!

Crumpet Tea Room Orange Rolls
2 1/2 c. hot tap water

1/2 c. melted shortening
2 c. flour
2 t. salt
1/2 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. sugar
3 heaping T. fast active dry yeast
6 c. flour
In large mixing bowl, add the first 3 ingredients. Mix for two minutes with dough hook beater. Add next 4 ingredients and continue to blend. Slowly add remaining flour until mixture is blended well and not sticky to the touch. Cover and let double in size. Punch down and roll dough out long and narrow to 1/4 inch thick. Spread thin layer of orange frosting over dough. Roll up and cut in 1 1/2 inch rolls. Place in greased pans. Let rise to top of pans and bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 20 large rolls.

Orange Frosting
1 c. soft margarine
2 c. granulated sugar
1 orange
Cream margarine in mixing bowl until soft and smooth. Add sugar, juice from one orange and grated peel of orange. Blend well.

Crumpet Tea Room Chicken Salad

4 c. cooked chicken, shredded
1 1/2 c. celery, diced
1/2 c. sweet relish
4 eggs, hard boiled and diced
3/4 c. Miracle Whip (or enough to moisten mixture)
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve with tossed salad, fresh fruit or in a sliced croissant.

PRINT RECIPES

Southern Supper

Growing up, I didn't ever think of myself as being Southern. We were Midwesterners living in Missouri, the heartland. My Mother's staple meals were meatloaf, roast and yes, we ate a lot of Jello salads! When I'd visit my Grandma just 100 miles to the south, the table was always filled to capacity at mealtimes. In the middle of the table set an assortment of sweet and sour.. honey and sorghum, preserves and jellies, pickles and vinegar. Suppertime was a long, drawn out event that was prepared for and enjoyed. Long after the dishes were cleared, we'd set at the table and talk. I realize now that those conversations turned me into a Southerner. No matter where you go in the south, it's meat and three, plus a salad, rolls, dessert and sweet tea...

North Louisiana Dutch Oven Fried Chicken

Click HERE to print

from My Southern Food

A Celebration of the Flavors of the South

Devon O'Day

 

1 (2 to 3 pound) whole fryer, cut into pieces

Shortening or vegetable oil, to fill a cast-iron Dutch oven half full

  2 cups all purpose flour

 2 teaspoons salt, divided

 2 teaspoons pepper, divided

Rinse the chicken pieces and set aside. Heat the shortening or oil in the Dutch oven on high or to about 365 degrees. In a large bowl or brown paper bag, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Use the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper to cover each piece of chicken before dredging in flour or shaking to coat in brown paper bag. (Note: Additional salt and pepper, or dry Cajun seasoning, can be used on chicken pieces prior to flouring if a more savory chicken is desired). Make sure each piece of chicken is completely covered in flour. Test the oil to make sure it is hot by dropping a pinch of flour in the skillet. If the flour begins to sizzle, the temperature is right. Gently add all the chicken to the Dutch oven and clamp the lid on, reducing the heat to medium high, which should look like a gentle rolling boil. Check the chicken after about 15 minutes, bringing the bottom pieces to the top, rotating the top pieces to the bottom. At about 25 minutes remove the lid, increase the hit and turn each piece until it becomes a dark golden brown and the juices run clear. Remove each piece with tongs or a large fork and place on a large plate covered with paper towels or brown paper to soak up any excess oil, before moving to a serving platter.



 Lawn Mower Salad

Click HERE to print

from All Recipes makes 6 servings 

 1/2 cup canola oil 

1/2 cup white sugar 

1/4 cup water 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 

2 (3 ounce) packages chicken-flavored ramen noodles, crushed, seasoning packets reserved 

1 (12 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix 

1 bunch green onions, sliced 

1 cup roasted cashews 

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seed kernels 

Whisk canola oil, sugar, water, balsamic vinegar, and seasoning packets from ramen noodles in a bowl until thoroughly combined and sugar and seasoning packets have dissolved. Toss ramen noodles in a large salad bowl with broccoli slaw mix and green onions. Pour dressing over the salad and let stand 1/2 hour to 4 hours - shorter for crunchier noodles, longer for softer ones. Just before serving, toss salad again with cashews and sunflower seeds.



Loaded Cauliflower Casserole from Louanne's Kitchen

Doesn't this look like a great way to get your veges? Three kinds of cheeses and bacon, this is very close to my favorite potato casserole!

 

Grandma's Green Beans and Ham

Click HERE to print

 

 

1/2 cup chopped country ham (I like a good Arkansas ham like Petit Jean)

1 tablespoon oil

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 pounds fresh green beans, snapped

 

Brown the ham in the oil in a 3 quart saucepan. Then add the water, sugar, salt and bring to a boil. Add the beans and stir, then cover the pot and reduce the heat. Simmer covered for 25-30 minutes until beans are tender. Makes enough for 6 servings, 3 if they are green bean lovers!

 

 



Buttery Cooked Carrots

Click HERE to print

 

4 cups carrots, cut in 1/2" slices, or baby carrots

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter

3 1/2 cups water

 

Add all the ingredients to saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low, simmer until carrots are tender about 20-25 minutes.   

Slow Cooker Rolls from Rhodes Bread

Frozen to golden delicious in less than 3 hours. Can you say easy?

 

 Six of One, Plus One of Another Cobbler

Click HERE to print

from My Southern Food

A Celebration of the Flavors of the South

Devon O'Day

1 stick butter
 1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract (almond is especially good with peach cobbler)
1 cup canned fruit, not drained (peaches, cherries, blueberries or blackberries)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a 2 or 3 inch deep 9 inch square baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, all of the sugar except one tablespoon, the egg, milk and flavoring, blending well. Pour the mixture into the baking dish over the melted butter. Dump the fruit in the center  of the mixture and swirl it around the dish. (Don’t blend the fruit in entirely, but leave the “swirls” of fruit). Sprinkle the reserved teaspoon of sugar on top of the entire mix and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cobbler is golden on top.

 

Hot and Dry, repeat.

Look familiar? You can blame the hot weather if your tomato plants aren't setting fruit!

It happens every year and gardeners pull their hair out, watering and watering hoping to correct the problem. There's nothing that can be done, Mother Nature will eventually cool off and you'll get tomatoes off those vines... just be patient and keep them watered! There's no reason to watch the weather forecast, it's going to be a long, hot summer no matter where you are this year. Arkansas is already facing drought conditions statewide. As bad as that sounds, it's nothing like drought plagued states face with ongoing dry conditions and no relief in sight. 

Lantana- heat lover and very drought tolerent!
My favorite way to water is hand watering, as I walk around the yard I can see the areas that need it the most and give them a little extra. We had a really dry spot at the top of the yard... I say top because our hillside is almost vertical and we all know that water runs downhill! The grass up there is sparse and in some places it's brown. A closer look after planting some purple coneflowers showed the dirt was hard as a rock, we were missing watering that area completely. A few days of hand watering and the grass looks much better. Keeping the newly planted perennials alive may be a trick in this heat.


Setcreasea or "Purple Heart" great plant for hot and dry conditions. 
How you water can prevent some common garden problems. For instance watering some plants from the top, especially beans and cucumbers can bring on mildew. Try your best to get the water to the underside of the plants and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches. One of the best ways to do that is a low flow watering wand or even better, soaker hoses that water slow and deep. You can go about your other yard work while they do the job!

Portulaca - flowers all summer and will thrive in dry hot spots along drive way or walkway, often reseeds in garden!

This time of year when it gets hot and dry, you may notice water seems to run off the top of your soil instead of soaking in. You may be shocked to see it's not went much more than a quarter or half inch deep. This is because of salts accumulating at the surface. Watering deeply will correct this problem. Set the sprinklers up for 45 minutes to flush the salts away. A little digging after you water will tell you if it's soaked in. Mulching is the answer for many areas that need the extra moisture and watering twice a day when the temps are hovering near 100 will save your plants. Watering in the morning allows the plants to dry off quickly and keeps mildew at bay but it also keeps the slugs and snails away. Newly planted seeds or transplants will need diligent watering to keep them alive. And one more thing, don't forget to WEED, they will rob your garden of moisture! 


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As hot as it is, it's not too early to start planning for your fall garden. Even if the plants you put in early this spring haven't done so well, the heat won't last forever. If you wait until late summer to plant seeds or transplants, they just might not have enough time before Old Man Winter decides to make his first appearance! 

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The first thing you need to know is the average frost date for your area. From that you can determine when to plant your seeds or plants. Start making your list now and buy your seeds. On the back of the package it gives date to maturity... just count back from the date that frost is expected, add an extra week or two if you live in the Ozarks! The only thing you can count on is that you can't count on the weather!

In the kitchen this week.... a couple of great recipes that will keep you cool! Just click on the recipe to print...

Crockpot Green Beans and New Potatoes

8 red potatoes, scrubbed and halved

1 lb. fresh green beans

1 large onion, cut into wedges

2 cups ham chunks

1 -2 can chicken broth

salt and pepper

Add all the ingredients and cook in the crockpot all day on low, 8-10 hours. Serve with fresh sliced tomatoes and cornbread and you have a delicious summer meal!

Aunt Peggy's Cucumber Tomato Salad 

from Paula Deen's Lady and Son's Cookbook

1 pound cucumbers (about 2 cucumbers), peeled and thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large serving bowl, toss together the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, parsley, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad stand for 10 minutes before serving.

King Corn

We love it fresh, canned or frozen and this time of year we can't get enough of it on the cob. I'm talking about "King" corn, the vegetable that America can't live without. We are corn lovers, but I'd never really thought about HOW much corn is grown until we drove through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio last week. For as far as the eye could see in any direction, there was field after field of corn. Freshly planted just-poking-out of the ground corn, knee-high corn and lots of head-high corn waiting to be picked. Good thing, because we're a nation that runs on corn products. Ethanol use has added a huge demand for farmers and there's hardly a day that families don't have corn in some form on their tables. Sweet corn is big business, in fact it adds up to a whopping $807 million per year industry. The roasting ears that end up beside your steak tonight may have been picked yesterday. Grocery stores do their best to buy local to save on shipping costs, for us it means fresher produce. Fresh corn production peaks in July, it's perishable nature makes it a strictly seasonal vege that we have to wait for and enjoy for a limited time each year. Watch the video and you'll be pretty amazed at the amount of work involved in harvesting the corn. It makes those 33 cent ears of corn a bargain, don't you think?

American farmers simply cannot grow enough to keep up with the world's demands. My husband says the corn used for feed goes through a much longer process with shipping and processing adding to the end cost. Tyson Foods uses 235 million pounds of corn in a week's time to grow out livestock. Corn is a significant factor in the final cost of the meat you choose for tonight's dinner.

Daddy in the "salad garden," 1980

My parents grew three kinds of corn each year, sweet corn, field corn and popcorn. The sweet corn was enjoyed all summer and many ears were put into the freezer for winter meals. The field corn was left to dry in the garden, then shelled and taken up to the mill in Missouri to be ground into cornmeal. Mom stored the cornmeal in the freezer and took out as she needed. The taste was superior and my parents took pride in being able to grow the food they ate. That before organic was a mainstream word! Since we are big popcorn lovers, the job of shelling the ears was shared by the whole family. I'd walk around with sore thumb muscles for weeks!

Mom and Dad's garden-1980

In the Kitchen this week, a couple of favorites...just click on the recipe to print!

Corn, Tomato, Avocado Summer Salad

3 ears of corn (husk and silk removed)

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)

1 avocado (cut in half, remove pit, peel and dice)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Stand corn cob in a large bowl and with a sharp knife slice off the kernels. Add tomatoes, avocado, green onions, lime juice and oil to bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine. Delicious with any meal!

Sweet Corn Pudding

4 cups corn kernels (about 5 ears of fresh)

4 large eggs

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8x8 glass baking dish. Set aside about 1/3 of the corn, then blend the remaining ingredients in a food processor until almost smooth. Stir in reserved corn kernels and pour batter into buttered dish. Bake pudding until brown and the center is set, about 45-55 minutes. Cool and serve. Makes 8 servings, but don't count on it lasting long!
*I just grate my corn off the cob with a stand up box grater and skip separating the kernels and blending in a processor. It's the perfect consistency! Don't let the small amount of flour throw you, that's all it takes to make the pudding set up perfectly.

Pennsylvania Dutch Hot Bacon Salad from Amish Country Cooking

3 slices bacon (crisp and chopped)   Click HERE to PRINT 1 egg (beaten) 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt lettuce from the garden (or a spring mix lettuce from the grocery) mild white onion or fresh spring onions from the garden (chopped) Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel. Stir together flour, milk, vinegar, sugar and salt then stir into hot bacon grease. Pour over lettuce, toss and top with crumbled bacon and onion.

Grandma Food

Somewhere along the way I've lost a recipe. It was one I clipped from the pages of Woman's Day that first year of marriage, 1970. Every week when I'd check out at Safeway, I'd reach for a Woman's Day or a Family Circle. They were our saving grace from a steady diet of spaghetti or tuna casserole! I picked up a Family Circle the other day and was surprised how thin it's got... and it costs $1.99 now. They were 20 cents when I was a newlywed... good thing too, because our budget for the week was $10.

In my neck of the woods, Chicken and Dumplings are one of those old-fashioned favorites that stirs up a lot of controversy-- the fluffy "dropped" versus the flat "rolled" variety. I grew up with the flat kind and never had a love affair with them until I found the recipe for the FLUFFY ones in Woman's Day. I was so enamored that I couldn't wait for my husband to taste them. He was a wise man even when he was young. He bragged about them, ate two bowlfuls and for the next two years I made them often. Then one day as we were finishing dinner, he said he loved his Grandmothers FLAT dumplings. My hackles went up, just for a second, but I definitely took umbrage to the fact that he loved her dumplings. After I got over that bump, I immediately started searching for a good recipe for the flat ones! Count yourself lucky if you've had a recipe passed down to you. Grandmas make the best ones so I went to a pro... my Sister-in-law's Mom!

Southern Chicken Dumplings~PRINT
Pauline Wallace~ she knows a thing or two about dumplings!
Chicken Broth:
1 whole chicken, pick one that's on the smaller side and it will be more tender

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 chopped onion
2 stalks celery, sliced
water
In a large soup pot cover the hen in water seasoned with salt and pepper.Add the celery and onion and stew the chicken covered until the meat is tender, about an hour. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain broth through a colander to remove vegetables, discard veges. Pour broth back into pot and reheat to boiling while you make the dumplings.

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons Crisco
1/2 cup milk
Sift flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening, then add milk and mix. Allow dough to set about 15 minutes to let the baking powder do it's thing, namely a rise that will make the dumplings tender as a Mother's/Grandmother's Love!  Roll dough onto heavily floured surface to 1/8" thick. Cut into inch wide strips and cut into 2" lengths. Drop [floured] strips into boiling chicken broth and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Serves 6.
*Two secrets here, make sure you roll them thin, they will cook faster and you have less chance of them being "doughy." The second one is to dredge the strips again as you place them in the broth, the flour helps to thicken the broth. See why Grandma had the best dumplings???

There are cookbooks out there that are full of "Grandma Food."

One that I love, Being Dead is No Excuse by Gayden Metcalf and Charlotte Hays has  been called the official Southern Ladies guide to hosting the perfect funeral! Inside the covers are the tried and the trues, the dishes that comfort and heal.

Methodist Party Dish~Print

If you refuse to cook with corn flakes, skip this recipe. 
1 2-pound package hash browns
10 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 pint sour cream
1 can (10 3/4-ounces) cheddar cheese soup, not diluted
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Topping:
2 cups corn flakes
1 stick butter
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare the hash browns according to the package directions. Combine the cooked hash browns with the other ingredients and place in a buttered 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. Top the casserole with corn flakes and dot with butter. Bake 40 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and bubbly. After you've eaten your fill, ask your doctor to write a prescrition for Lipitor!

Virginia's Butter Beans~PRINT

This recipe comes from the late Virginia Owens, a St. James' parishioner - and the recipe is a Mississippi Delta funeral favorite.
2 (10 oz) boxes frozen butter beans, cooked and drained
6 slices bacon, crumbled
1/4 to 3/4 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup minced celery
1/3 cup bell pepper, minced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups drained canned tomatoes
2 tbsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fry the bacon and then saute the minced vegetables in the bacon grease. Add the flour, tomatoes, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Add the cooked and drained butter beans. Adjust the seasonings, pour into casserole and top with crumbled bacon. Bake until bubbly. Serves eight to ten and freezes well.

Methodist Fried Chicken~PRINT

1 chicken, cut up.a nice, medium-size yard bird
2 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups flour salt black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
fat for frying (Crisco, vegetable oil, or a combination. Crisco is a nice way of saying "lard.")
Lightly beat the eggs and blend with the milk. Combine the flour, salt, pepper (a generous amount), and baking powder in a doubled brown grocery bag.shake to mix. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg/milk mixture. Shake chicken, one piece at a time, in the bag of flour until well coated (at this point, some cooks prefer the double-dip method where they repeat the egg-wash-and-flour procedure).
Using a preseasoned black-iron skillet, heat enough oil to almost cover the chicken. When you drop the chicken in, the fat sizzles! Frying is an art. The real art involves the grease, which must not burn but cook at an even, medium-hot level. Cooking time will vary according to the size of the piece of chicken. Approximately 20 minutes. Serves three to four.
GRANDMA SECRETS: Do not crowd the chicken when frying. Turn only once, when golden brown on one side. Remove pieces from the skillet and drain them on a brown grocery bag that has been covered with a layer of paper towels.soaks up extra grease better than anything!

The Methodist Ladies' Chicken Lasagna Florentine~PRINT

6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, thawed

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken, about 3 medium breasts

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Butter pecan topping (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. Drain the spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Combine the spinach, chicken, cheddar cheese, onion, nutmeg, salt, pepper, soy sauce, soup, sour cream and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Stir well to blend. Arrange half the noodles in a lightly greased 11-by-7-by-1 1/2-inch baking dish. Spread half the chicken mixture over the noodles. Repeat this procedure with the remaining chicken mixture and noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Butter Pecan Topping. Bake, covered, for 55 to 60 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serves eight.

Butter Pecan Topping:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup chopped pecans

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; add the pecans and cook for 3 minutes. Cool completely.

Martha Jane Howell's Pineapple Casserole~PRINT

2 cans (20 ounces) crushed pineapple

5 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup grated sharp cheese

Ritz crackers

1 stick real butter

Drain the pineapple. Grease a 2-quart oblong casserole dish and put the pineapple in the bottom. Sift the flour and sugar together, blend it with the cheese and then sprinkle on top of the pineapple. Cover with crushed Ritz crackers, a tube or a tube and a half will do nicely. Melt the butter and pour over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serves eight.

"Think of these teas as Methodist chardonnay. Methodists rarely drown their grief in anything stronger than flavored tea. Mint tea and almond tea are refreshing in the Delta summer and won't cause you to say things you regret later. The mint tea is a legacy of a long-gone minister."

Almond Tea~PRINT

4 cups strongly brewed tea

3/4 cup water

1 can (60 ounces) frozen lemonade, thawed

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract, a little goes a long way

Combine all ingredients. Stir it until the sugar is dissolved, and serve over ice. Makes about twelve cups.

Mint Tea~PRINT

16 cups water (1 gallon)

7 tea bags

7 sprigs fresh mint

Rind of 3 lemons

Juice of 7 lemons

2 cups sugar

Bring half the water to a boil. Add the tea bags, mint and lemon rinds. Steep for 12 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the remaining 8 cups of water. Mix with the tea and serve over ice. For funeral purposes, I wouldn't garnish each glass with mint, though that's a nice touch for less-somber occasions. Serve it from a glass pitcher.

Bing Cherry Salad with Coca-Cola~PRINT

You knew there was going to be a Jello salad in here, didn't you?

2 (3-ounce) boxes cherry gelatin

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black cherries, drained

2 cups juice, reserved from pineapple and cherries, heated

2 (8-ounce) bottles Coca-Cola

1 cup pecans

Dissolve the gelatin in the hot juice, then add the Coca-Cola and pour into a dish. When gelatin starts to congeal, stir in the pineapple, quartered cherries, and pecans. Chill until firm. Serves sixteen.

Bing Cherry Salad with Coco-Cola

Bing Cherry Salad with Coca-Cola~PRINT

You knew there was going to be a Jello salad in here, didn't you?

2 (3-ounce) boxes cherry gelatin

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black cherries, drained

2 cups juice, reserved from pineapple and cherries, heated

2 (8-ounce) bottles Coca-Cola

1 cup pecans

Dissolve the gelatin in the hot juice, then add the Coca-Cola and pour into a dish. When gelatin starts to congeal, stir in the pineapple, quartered cherries, and pecans. Chill until firm. Serves sixteen.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Inside this local market is my secret weapon for getting "Grandma Food" on the table in a hurry. Grandma Food is a term coined by Aunt B. that denotes any food that can be attached to good memories. It can be any food group, just as long as it's not low-cal.

Everyday Harps deli is busy frying the best Tyson chicken you ever put in your mouth. Golden brown, crispy and picnic ready.

It would be a sin not to pair the fried chicken with Martha Harp's Secret Recipe Hot Rolls. Fluffy and the tops all shiny with a slather of butter!

In the deli, next to the coleslaw, mustard or mayo potato salads sets a big bowl of their own recipe Loaded Baked Potato Salad. If I stop for bread or milk, and I happen to walk past the deli counter, I can pick up a pint of this delicious side for dinner. It's great cold but it's just as good heated up in the oven and topped with a little more cheese. Great as a side with a steak or grilled chicken. We had dinner at our daughter's over the 4th and she had a very similar casserole that made me want the whole 9X13 dish. They would have seen me if I'd taken it off into a corner with a big spoon, so I was nice and just ate a serving (or two)! I know it's dangerous, that's why I'm sharing with you guys!

Loaded Baked Potato Salad
6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Thinly sliced green onions (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Prick potatoes with a fork and bake 50-60 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes from oven and cool completely.
Combine sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Chop bacon and red onion, add to sour cream mixture with the shredded cheddar. Stir in salt and pepper then cover and refrigerate.
Coarsely chop potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and fold in sour cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. Garnish with sliced green onions and shredded cheddar cheese. Can be served hot or cold, simply reheat in buttered casserole and top with more cheese!

That four letter word...

Yes, it's being said at my house again. We are on a D.I.E.T. My earliest memories involve bread and butter. Mom would carefully butter the slice at the table for me, homemade bread that was still warm. When memories are that good, it's hard to leave them behind. They are a part of all that is good and holy. When you like to cook, I mean really like to cook, it's punishment not to prepare food. I love the whole process... searching for the recipe, shopping for the ingredients, chopping and simmering and stirring. It's not been too bad really, we are eating healthy again and so far no one has died. Low fat, low calorie, whole grains and plenty of veges and fruit... this is the best way for me. This time of year gives me the encouragement I need to stick to a diet. It's warmer and I'm thinking about summer and having to get on the boat with all my blubber showing. Sorry if I've ruined anyones' appetite with such a visual word, but blubber it is. Jiggly, white blubber. Have you ever noticed that Jello doesn't make a white Jello... just wouldn't sell.

We've been having salads for dinner and since it's been nice, Hubby has been grilling the meat. I found a great recipe from one of our favorite hangouts in Recipes From Historic Texas. It's chocked full of famous places like The Mansion on Turtle Creek at Dallas, The Menger Hotel in beautiful San Antonio and from Hill Country The Gristmill River Restaurant.

Friday nights we'd go out to Gruene, a short drive from our house. Down a curvy little road, over a low water "slab" and in no time we'd see the beautiful emerald green water of the Guadalupe River. A crowd would gather in the beer garden outside the 100 year old building that was once a cotton gin. No one was in a rush, the night air was beginning to cool and the breezes would rustle the leaves above us. Evenings in South Texas are pure Heaven with starry skies and a moon up above that you can almost reach up and touch! The Gristmill had such charm that whether you ate inside or out, it was a real treat. From bar food to gourmet, it was all delicious!

The Gristmill's Beef Tenderloin Salad

 

Marinade

1 lb margarine
1/2 c Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c soy sauce
1 c fresh lime juice
1/2 T chopped garlic
1/4 c chopped cilantro, diced fine
1 T black pepper
salt to taste
(This makes 4 cups of marinade, only use 1/4 cup prepared for this recipe)
7 ounces beef tenderloin tips
leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
fresh spinach
4 slices avocado
2 wedges tomato
2 ounces vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Melt margarine over low flame. Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, diced cilantro, salt and pepper. Place garlic in blender with just enough water to cover blades. Blend until smooth and add to marinade. Cook over low flame for another 10 minutes. (Use only 1/4 cup for this recipe) Allow to cool, then dip beef tips in marinade. Grill or saute in hot pan to your preference. Add the tips to a 3 leaf mixture of leaf lettuce, Romaine and spinach. Add 2 ounces of Vinaigrette Dressing along with avocado and mix. Serve in a salad bowl with tomato wedges.

Vinaigrette
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 tablespoon sugar
1/16 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/16 teaspoon chopped basil

In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, buttermilk, white pepper, sugar and salt. Mix together with a wire whisk until smooth. Slowly add salad oil while whisking vigorously. In a food processor blend the garlic and onion, then add the red wine vinegar until the onions are in tiny pieces. Slowly add the onion, garlic and vinegar mixture and basil to the dressing while whisking. Refrigerate. Serves 2.
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