Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 or 2 packages dry split peas
Ham bone or ham cut into bite-size pieces
2 stalks celery, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder or 1/2 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp savory

Place all ingredients into a covered Dutch oven or Crockpot, cover with water and allow to simmer until peas are done and vegetables are tender. Serve with warm bread. This is wonderful on a cold, wet day.

Variation:
You can substitute dry lentils and cooked skinless chicken for the split peas and ham if desired

Egg Drop Soup

One of my favorite light soups! This recipe is from Cheap Cooking (link above).

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

6 c chicken stock
3 lg slices fresh ginger
3 lg cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water
1/8 tsp pepper
2 lg egg
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 scallions, diagonally sliced

Directions:

Combine stock, ginger and garlic in pot and simmer partially covered for
15 minutes. Discard ginger and garlic.

Stir cornstarch and water together in a small bowl.

Bring soup to a low simmer and add cornstarch mixture. Stir until soup
is slightly thickened. Stir in pepper.

Whisk together egg and oil thoroughly in a small bowl. Bring soup to a
very low simmer and pour egg mixture in large circle on surface of
soup. Once egg is set, gently stir. Stir in scallions and serve.

My mother's Perfect Potato Salad

ay 4, 2005
Mother's Perfect Potato Salad
Ingredients:

6 to 8 large, whole unpeeled potatoes, well-scrubbed

4 to 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and diced
chopped dill pickle or sweet pickle relish, to taste (usually 1 medium or 1 large dill pickle)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2 dill pickles, chopped fine, or 1/4 to 1/2 C sweet pickle relish
1 psckage fresh mushrooms, cleaned,sliced and lightly sauteed in butter
1 large jar pimiento, drained
1 can pitted black olives, drained and sliced

Mustard and Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Optional:6 to 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
and cubed ham or diced cooked skinless chicken

salt, pepper (paprika if desired)

Instructions:

Place the scrubbed potatoes in a large dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender over medium heat. Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool until they can be easily handled. Remove the skin from the potatoes with your fingers or by using a clean towel to rub the skin away. Cut into bite size chunks, and place in a large bowl that has a tight-fitting cover. Add the eggs and chopped vegetables, and stir to combine. Add the ham or chicken, if desired. Combine, in a smaller bowl, the mustard and Miracle Whip, using more mustard if a tart flavor is preferred, or more Miracle Whip for a less tart flavor. Use enough of the dressing to thoroughly moisten the potato mixture. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Cover tightly; chill at least one hour before serving. Store unused portion tightly covered and use within 2 or 3 days.

Note: This recipe makes a huge bowl of potato salad, so adjust the quantities of ingredients used if making this for a small number of people.

History:

This recipe is one that my mother makes to perfection for family get togethers. I've tinkered with it by adding the celery, mushrooms, black olives, bell pepper and the chicken or ham. When my son was young, he wouldn't eat vegetables unless they were in this potato salad. One day he asked if I "HAD" to include all those vegetables in the salad. I replied, "no, I don't have to include them, if you don't want it to taste right." He never complained about the vegetables again.

Emeril's Essence

(Recipe Courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Foodtv.com)

2 1/2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Tablespoon Celery Salt
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pour into a tightly capped shaker bottle to store.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
12 ounces 1/4 inch sliced baked ham
2 cups grated cheddar cheese or 1 pound Velveeta
sliced jalpeno peppers (optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking dish. In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in milk. Return pan to heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. When sauce has thickened remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a skillet, cook onions in melted butter until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1/3 of the white sauce in bottom of baking dish and top with half of the potatoes. Spread out half of the onions, ham, cheese And another third of the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Continue layering ingredients, ending with the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Springtime Green Pea Salad

This is easy, cool and refreshing on a hot summer day.

1 large can english peas, well drained (or 1 package frozen peas, cooked according to package directions, and drained)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 small to medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a bow; add enough of the Miracle Whip to thoroughly moisten. Serve chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Banana Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons white creme de cacao
2 tablespoons dark rum
1-1/2 cups flaked coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. For crust, in a medium bowl combine graham
crackers, pecans, and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press crumb
mixture onto the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside. For
filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and
vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Add eggs all at once,
beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in mashed bananas. Pour
filling into crust-lined pan. Bake for 30 mins or until center is set.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the sour cream, creme de cacao,
and rum. Spoon sour cream mixture over filling, spreading evenly; bake
for 5 mins more. (Sour cream layer may crack slightly). Cool in pan on a
wire rack. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hrs. To serve, sprinkle with
toasted coconut. Makes 20 servings.

This cheesecake is extremely rich. The slices should be relatively thin. Store it covered in the refrigerator. The first time I made this was last Christmas; it is a good recipe for a holiday dessert.

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The difficult I do immediately. The impossible takes until after lunch...