Tommie Lu's Spinach Casserole

I love spinach!  What's great about this simple recipe is that you taste the delicious spinach - you don't taste a bunch of other things overpowering and covering up the taste of the main ingredient.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning or dried thyme
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 pieces diced bread (we use keto bread and lightly toast it before dicing)
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1. Stir everything together in a large bowl.
2. Grease a 9x13" casserole dish with olive oil and pour the spinach mixture into it.
3. Bake 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
4. Top with more parmesan cheese.

Siobhan's Salmon Teriyaki

Marinating is magic.

Fish ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon filet
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 TBL vegetable oil

Marinade ingredients

• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. dry white wine
• 1 tsp rice wine or sherry
• 2 TBL soy sauce

On the side, you will want some pickled ginger, and maybe some grated or juilienned jicama for a crunchy garnish.

1. Mix the teriyaki ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
2. Remove the skin from the salmon.  You can sprinkle the salt over the cutting board to keep the fish from slipping around as you take off the skin.
3. Cut the filet into thin strips and put them in a glass (or non-metallic) dish.  Pour the teriyaki sauce over the fish and let it marinate for about 15 minutes.
4.  Drain the fish.  Heat the oil in a hot pan or wok.  When the oil is hot, add the salmon and stir fry gently in small batches for 3-4 minutes each, until cooked.
5. Garnish with the pickled ginger and jicama before serving.

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce

Put it on spring rolls, salads, or use as a topping for chicken, shrimp, etc.  It will make about 3/4 cup and it is tasty!

Ingredients

• 1/4 Hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less, however spicy you like your sauces)

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the hoisin, peanut butter, tomato paste, sugar and water.  Mix until smooth.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over high heat and add the garlic and red pepper - ***IMPORTANT:  Once the oil is hot, only cook the garlic and pepper for about 5 seconds.  You don't want to burn the garlic.
3. Stir in the peanut mixture and cook for just 3-4 minutes more.
4. Remove from heat and let the sauce get to room temperature before serving.

Tasty Fresh Salad

This is a great salad.  Don't use fancy flavored oil or vinegar for the dressing.  Keep it simple and clean-tasting so that you can taste the salad ingredients.

This is also a BIG salad.  It's a good one to bring to a party or potluck dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped or torn up
• Spinach to taste (a lot or a little)
• 1 purple onion, chopped fine
• 2 cans Mandarin oranges
• 3 avocadoes, chopped
• 4 oz. sliced almonds
• Mushrooms - a big handful or 2, sliced
• Crunchy chow mein noodles to taste
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries or cherries

Ingredients for dressing

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried mustard
• a few drops Tabasco
• 1/2 tsp. super finely chopped onion

Toss all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix all of the dressing ingredients, and then pour on top of the salad and gently toss it all together.

Strawberry Pasta

This recipe was in a book given to me by my best friend.  I initially thought that strawberries in pasta would be weird.  Turns out, it was delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Mint for garnish

1. Puree strawberries in a blender.  Strain to remove the seeds.
2. Cook the spaghetti according to the directions.  Drain.  Toss with the cheese.
3. Heat the butter and the cream in a small saucepan.
4. Move the pasta to a serving bowl.  Cover with the strawberry puree.
5. Pour the creamy butter mixture over that.
6. Toss gently and top with additional parmesan cheese.
7. Garnish with mint.

Watergate Cake

This is an old timey recipe from the 1970's.  Can't you tell by the name?  Still, it's tasty!  My mom used to make this for parties.

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake
• 2 boxes pistachio pudding
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Sprite
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 8 oz. Cool Whip
• a touch of milk

1. In a large bowl, add pudding and cake mix - then add oil, Sprite, & eggs.  It will sizzle, but that's okay.  Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish.
2. Add coconut and pecans on top.
3. Bake for 30-45 minutes.  Monitor to make sure it's not under or overdone.  Remove from oven and let cool.

FROSTING
1. Mix Cool Whip and the other box of pudding.  Add a little milk to soften.
2. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate.

Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce

This is one of my "fancy" recipes for a dinner party or Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. asparagus
• 1 cup light cream
• 2 tbl butter
• at least 1 tsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1.  Trim asparagus and put in large pan with enough water to barely cover.  Cook for 20 minutes or so, or until asparagus is tender.
2. In saucepan, combine cream, butter, mint, and pinch of salt.  Bring to boil and reduce until thickened.  Turn heat to low.
3. Mix a little of the cream mix with the beaten egg separately to temper.
4. Add creamed egg to sauce and DO NOT BOIL.
5. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt & pepper to taste.
6. Pour cream sauce on asparagus at last minute before serving.

Sour Cream Sauce

Use this simple sour cream sauce for anything!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped green chiles
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Cilantro Cream Sauce

Blend everything in a food processor or blender. This recipe is drippingly good!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 TBL sour cream
• 7 oz. tomatillo salsa
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp garlic, fresh
• 1 bunch cilantro (stems removed)
• 1 TBL lime juice

You can use this as a topping for fish or a dip.

Colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes with cabbage)

Oh my, I love potatoes.  Here is a traditional Irish recipe that I have been making annually for Thanksgiving for about 20 years now.  It has also become my kids’ favorite comfort food during difficult days, cold weather, heartbreaks, and whatever else ails them sometimes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups thinly sliced and chopped green cabbage (pieces should be just under an inch long and 1/4 inch wide)
• butter (about a stick)
• 6 cups boiling potatoes, such as russet, (about 9), quartered
• about 1 cup of milk, tepid to very warm (not cold)
• 6 scallions, sliced tiny
• salt/pepper
• 1 TBL fresh parsley (optional)

1. Sauté the chopped cabbage and scallions in butter and a little bit of water.  Let the cabbage get wilty and fully cooked.  Add a little salt and pepper if you like.  Set aside.
2. Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.  Then drain, and return to pot.  Stir until they're dry.  Remove from heat.
3. Mash or puree with mixer.
4. Add some butter and salt to taste.
5. Gradually add the warm milk as you continue to mash/purée.  The potatoes should hold their shape in a spoon.
6. Fold in the cooked cabbage and scallions.
7. Put in a serving bowl and top with the parsley.

Baked Squash Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs. yellow squash
• 3 tsp. melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 bread crumbs
• 2 TBL sugar
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• black pepper to taste

1. Slice squash and put into boiling water in a large pot.
2. Boil for about 5 minutes.
3. Drain and mash together in a large bowl with everything else.
4. Bake in a large casserole dish at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.

Tasty Easy Baklava

Pictured above:  I made this baklava for my daughter's class last week, when they were finishing up on studying a unit on Greece.
Follow this recipe and your baklava will taste just like the kind you get at a Greek restaurant.  I happened to use crushed walnuts and almonds, because they were on sale, but you could use any sort of crushed nuts.

I also topped the baklava with nuts at the end, but you can leave the last layer plain if you like.

***The part about covering the phyllo dough with a damp cloth as you assemble the layers is really, really important!  The layers of phyllo are thin and will crumble the second they dry out.  So beware!

Ingredients

• 1 pound chopped mixed nuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
3. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
4. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.  

Gingered Carrots

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. carrots
• 6 TBL butter
• 1 tsp. ground or fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• pepper

In large saucepan, cook carrots with about 2 cups water.  Boil. then simmer 15 minutes - until soft.
Drain and then mash ro use food processor.
Return carrots to pan, then add butter, ginger, salt, and pepper.
Cook low, until nice and hot.

YUM.

Baked Squash

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds yellow crookneck squash
• 3 tsp. melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 TBL sugar
• 1/2 onion, chopped fine
• black pepper

Slice squash and put into boiling water in large pot.
Boil 5 minutes or so.
Drain and mash with all other ingredients.
Bake at 350 degress F for 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4

Super Secret Vloedman Spaghetti Sauce

A favorite recipe from my late, ex mother-in-law...

Ingredients

• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 6 oz. water
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 clove (or more) garlic
• 1 cup canned tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 TBL Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TBL chili powder
• 1 TBL brown sugar
• 1 TBL lemon juice
• 1 TBL oregano
• 1 can mushrooms
• 2 TBL parmesan cheese 

Simmer all ingredients.
You can double the recipe and freeze some for later. Freezing may intensify the flavor.

Fruit Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 20 oz. package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• bananas, strawberries, kiwis, or whatever fruit is in season and looks good at the market
• water

Slice dough into 1/8" slices and press into pizza pan or cookie sheet to form the crust.
Bake 12 minutes at the temperature on the package of the cookies (probably 375 F), and then cool.
Blend cream cheese with vanilla and spread over crust.
Arrange sliced fruit over the cream cheese layer.
In a bowl, water down the marmalade so that it can be brushed over the fruit.  Put a thin layer over the fruit pizza.
Chill for a few hours, then slice and serve.

Tasty Vegan Chocolate CRAZY CAKE

I am told that this was one of the recipes from the Great Depression, when many cooking ingredients were hard to find, such as eggs.

My ex-mother-in-law taught me this recipe.  She glazes the cake with a powdered sugar and milk mixture.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup cooking oil
• 2 cups cold water

You will need a very large bowl.  Mix all of the ingredients together and quickly pour into a 9x13" pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Do not overbake, or it will taste disgusting. 

***VERY IMPORTANT:  Be sure that your baking soda is fresh for this recipe.***

Crazy Good Artichoke Dip

Every time I make this and bring it to a party or pot luck, it's devoured until the dish is empty.
Every time.  Really.  So, make this for your next pot luck.  It is also the dish that makes people come to me and ask for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. can diced green chiles
• 8 oz. (or more) canned artichoke hearts: drained, quartered, and mashed up.  (*Don't use the marinated artichokes in a jar.)
• 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• Party bread, crackers, or chips

1. Mix everything in a large bowl.
2. Pour into an oven proof container, like a casserole dish or baking pan.  It can be any shape, as long as it holds the mixture.  (This will be your serving container.)
3. Bake uncovered at 350° F for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.
4. Serve with thinly sliced party bread, crackers, or chips.

***I often double the artichokes, because I love them and in my world, you can't have too many of those.  But the recipe is just fine with the one portion, as is.***

Aunt Eleanor's Potato Salad

My Aunt Eleanor was an excellent cook!  She taught me how to make potato salad when I was about 15.  This is a basic recipe, which can be tweaked however you like.  It's an oldie but a goodie.  My husband begs me to make this whenever we have fresh potatoes, but I make it whenever I want to remember my feisty Aunt Eleanor.  Everything she cooked was delicious and she was the hostess with the mostess.

Ingredients

• 10 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• Mayonnaise  - about 2-2 1/2 cups - you'll add to your taste
• 2-3 TBL yellow mustard
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped fine
• 1-2 stalks celery, chopped fine
• 1 yellow or white onion, chopped fine
• 1 jar pimentos
• Dill pickle relish to taste 
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Season salt to taste, if you like season salt
• Pinch or 2 of herb, such as basil or oregano, to taste

1. Boil the potatoes in a large soup pot, until tender - about 15-20 minutes.  Drain and move to very large mixing bowl.
2. One by one, add the chopped vegetable ingredients and the jar of pimentos.  Add the yellow mustard at this point, too.
3. Gently toss the mixture - you want to keep the potatoes chunky.  (You do NOT want mashed potatoes.)
4. Gradually add mayonnaise to your taste.  Fold it in.  Do not stir.
4. Add herbs to your taste, followed by salt and pepper.

You can also sprinkle a little paprika on top at the end, for decoration.  (I am a big paprika fan.)  I have also added tiny bits of homegrown fresh chopped basil and oregano to sprinkle on top.  Yum.

Vegan Coconut Potato Curry

Ingredients

• About 6-7 medium-sized potatoes, cubed (I like to leave skins on, but you can peel them if you like.)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced, or 1 teaspoon powdered ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

Directions

1. Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
2. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, curry powder, garam masala, ginger, and salt; cook for 2-4 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, and potatoes. Pour in the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

***You can add more of any ingredient - do you love tomatoes?  Add another 1/2 can.  Do you love peas?  Add more.  This is a very forgiving recipe, so adjust it as you like.  You can also add cayenne pepper, if you like things really spicy.***

Happy Yammies

Ingredients:

Yams - canned or fresh, baked at 400 F for 45-60 minutes.  Enough for 10 people

Oranges - enough for each person to have a half orange (*the half-rind of the orange will ultimately serve as a bowl for the yams.)

pinch ginger

Pinch salt

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Mini-marshmallows

Brown or white sugar, if needed

1. Cut the cleaned oranges in half.  Scoop out carefully and save insides for juice.

2. In large bowl, mash yams with with enough orange juice to feel like mashed potatoes.

3. Season with ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar to taste.  If you are especially decadent, add some melted butter for extra richness.

4. Stuff oranges with yam mixture, leaving a little room at the top to hold marshmallows.

5. Top all of the orange-yam halves with marshmallows.

6. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, or until marshmallows toast and yam filling is hot.

I want to say one more thing about this tasty recipe.  I use canned sweet potatoes (usually 2 large cans).  I realize that yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing!  But the can says "sweet potatoes" and lists the ingredients as yams.  There's a reason for this:  The difference between yams and sweet potatoes, and USDA labeling requirements

I make this for Thanksgiving every year.
Here is this year's batch before the oven: