Dinner

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Dinner was always ready at 5:30, when Dad got home. The dinner meal was always balanced. Good nutrition was important to Mom. Food wasn't a hobby for Mom, it was her mission in life to make sure her kids were the healthiest they could be, and that meant consistent use of the food pyramid. Nearly every meal was a protein, a carb, and a vegetable, and nearly always a salad. There were a variety of standards, and an occasional new entry, but we never ate the same thing two nights in a row.

Tamale Pie

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 lb ground round
1 large can tomatoes
1 can creamed corn
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder (Mom always used Grandma's Spanish Seasoning)
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 can ripe pitted olives (personally, I like to add lots more)

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute chopped onion in it.
When onion is clear, add ground round and brown through
Add tomatoes, creamed corn, salt and chili
Mix together the eggs and milk in a separate bowl, and before the meat mixture is too warm, stir it in.
Simmer for 15 minutes
Add cornmeal; simmer 5 more minutes.
Add olives and stir.
Pour all into a large baking dish.
Bake 45 minutes at 350.

I always asked for Tamale Pie for my birthday dinner. I like it with lots of olives.

Along with this casserole we'd have a wedge of greenberg lettuce and Mom's thousand island dressing. And for dessert, Angel Food cake with butter cream frosting. Chocolate desserts were much more popular in our household, so this was a rare treat for me.

Zucchini Casserole

4 to 5 medium zucchini squash, sliced
1/2 cup of the liquid from cooking the squash
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
salt, sprinkled in
1/4 tsp nutmeg
soda crackers, crushed (How much???)
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup of milk
a small handful of wheat cereal flakes as garnish

Steam the sliced zucchini until soft but not mushy.
Pour off excess liquid, but reserve the 1/2 cup mentioned.
Use a potato masher to break up squash further so that it is a little lumpy; add back in the 1/2 cup of liquid you reserved.
Add chopped onion, seasonings, and enough of the crushed (lumpy crushed, not finely crushed) soda crackers to absorb the liquid.
Beat egg and milk together in a separate bowl and add to squash mixture. Stir while you're pouring the cold into the hot, so the egg mixture is evenly dispersed.
Pour all into a casserole dish (I use an 8" diameter round pyrex casserole).
Sprinkle with the cereal garnish. Crushing them a bit with your hand camoflages them a bit.
Bake 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until firm. Serve hot.

This zucchini recipe is a great vegetable side dish. I've even used it, with some modification, for brunch. This recipe came from my grandmother to my mother to me; and from me to my sons and their wives. It has frequently been prepared for holiday meals all of these years.

Mandarin Pork Chops

Meat:
4 large pork chops
Salt and pepper
Paprika
1/4 cup water

Sauce:
5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh or frozen
1 small can of mandarin oranges
2 tbsp sliced almonds

Meat:

Mix salt, pepper, and paprika together and coat pork chops with the mixture.
Brown chops in a skillet which has a tight fitting lid.
Add water and cover; simmer on low, covered for about an hour or chops are tender. Keep an eye on it. If the water disappears, add some more. (I like to substitute organic chicken broth for the water, but Mom never had that option.)
Remove from skillet and set aside and use remaining liquid, drippings, and scrapings for the sauce.

Sauce:

Mix sauce ingredients (except oranges and almonds) in a separate bowl and stir out any lumps with your whip. Add to your warm skillet of drippings. Let simmer at barely a boil, stirring a lot, until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat.
At the last minute just before you're ready to serve, add in the mandarin oranges and the almonds. They should warm up in the warm sauce.
Pour sauce over pork chops on a serving platter. You could also put the pork chops back in the warm sauce in the skillet now to keep them warm, and if you're very informal about dinner, serve right out of the skillet.

Potato Salad*

Raised on this potato salad, I never could eat the kinds that are 1 part mayonnaise, to 1 part potato. This potato salad was always leaner and dryer--more potatoey-- with the added benefit of celery and pickles.

1 1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp celery seed
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp salt (might want to add more at the end)
1/2 cup finely chopped chives
1/4 cup dried or fresh parsley
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish and/or dill pickle slices chopped
5 cups of diced cooked potatoes, cooled
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 cup celery, sliced, including celery tops

Soak the mustard seed and celery seed in the vinegar, for several hours, overnight if possible.
Add salt, chives, mayonnaise, and pickles. Mix well. That's your dressing. Set aside.
In another bowl combine chopped potatoes, eggs and celery; mix gently
Pour dressing over your potato mixture and mix thoroughly.
Taste test for salt.

Apple Walnut Salad

2 apples (I like to use an apple like a green gravenstein--a little bit on the sour side.)
2 handfuls of raisins
2 handfuls of slightly chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp of fresh lemon juice

Leave the skin on; cube the apples.
Combine chopped apples, raisins, walnuts and celery. Mix well.
Combine the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Mix into the apple mixture.

For a little variety, use dried cranberries instead of raisins; and pecans instead of walnuts.

Chicken Enchiladas

8 tortillas, I prefer flour
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (turkey works too)
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
1 can green chilies
1 can green chili enchilada sauce
1 can sliced olives
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Spread about 3 tbsp of the enchilada sauce in a 8 x ??? baking dish to help prevent sticking
Using the baking dish as your "plate," place one tortilla on the sauce.
Layer a small amount of each of the ingredients at the center of the tortilla. Top with a couple of tablespoons worth of the enchilada sauce.
Roll tortilla around filling and pull up snug to the edge.
In this way, fill and roll each tortilla.
Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with leftover olives.
Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.

Cliff House Clam Chowder

4 slices of bacon
1/2 tsp butter
1 cup onion, minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Cliff House Spice Blend
1 tbsp flour
1 can clams (6 1/2 ounces) I like to use 2 cans of clams!
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced

In a kettle, saute the bacon, butter, onion, garlic, and the Cliff House Spice over low heat.
Drain clams and set aside, reserve the liquid.
Slowly stir the flour and clam juices in the saute mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Add half-and-half and simmer 20 minutes
Add white pepper, potatoes and clams.
Heat up to serving temperature. Do not allow to boil.
Serve with crackers and warm cornbread.

Cliff House Spice Blend

4 tsp oregano
4 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp dill
4 tsp thyme
4 tsp basil
1 tsp sage
4 tsp rosemary
2 tsp tarragon
1 tbsp flour

Mix together all
Crush in mortar
Store in a tight container in the refrigerator or freezer
Makes a lot! I filled 1 1/2 spice jars with this recipe

I was introduced to this recipe by my husband's family more than 40 years ago. It has become my favorite meal to celebrate New Year's but I use the spices to flavor many chicken, turkey and fish dishes.

Cliff House is a Ogunquit, Maine, restaurant famous for its clam chowder.

Lentil Soup

1 1/2 cups lentils, washed, soaked for a couple of hours
5 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium sized potato, peeled and cubed
1 large bunch of Swiss chard
1 small onion
5 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a large soup pot, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil.
When onions are clear, add water, chicken broth, and lentils. Cover and bring to simmer.
Add potatoes.
Wash chard. Cut off heaviest part of stems. Slice chard into 1/2 inch strips. Stuff into soup pot.
Simmer about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Add salt and pepper.
5 minutes prior to serving, stir in lemon juice.

Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs
2 tsp prepared mustard, stone ground is OK
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper
dried parsley
paprika

Peel hard boiled eggs; cut in half lengthwise; pop out the yolks into a separate bowl.
Mash the yolks with a fork until smooth.
Add mustard, mayonnaise, and pickle relish to yolks. Blend til smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fill each egg half with a spoonful of yolk filling.
Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Makes 16 servings.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

8 hard boiled eggs
1 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup sour cream
2 pieces of bacon
parsley leaves
salt and pepper

Peel hard boiled eggs; cut in half lengthwise; pop out the yolks into a separate bowl.
Cook bacon until crisp. Crumble into inch (or so) pieces.
Mash the yolks with a fork until smooth. Add mustard and sour cream.
Place a spoonful of yolk mixture in each egg half.
Garnish with bacon and parsley

Lasagna--Needs work!

,1 package of lasagna noodles; you'll need 6 whole noodles, so cook a few more, as some will break up during the process.

1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb ground round
1 large can tomato puree
2 small cans diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp basil
1 cup shredded parmesan
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1 pint ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup dried parsley
2 tsp oregano

Saute the sausage and ground round until brown; break up chunks as small as possible.
Add garlic and basil to meat mixture.
Add tomato puree and diced tomatoes to meat mixture.
Bring to simmer; lower heat; cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup shredded parmesan, parsley, and oregano. Set aside.
Cook lasagna according to package instructions. Use a bit of olive oil in the water to keep the lasagna from sticking together. Allow to cool.
Build the lasagna in a 9x12 inch casserole dish as follows:
Place a thin layer of the meat mixture first.
Top with a layer of lasagna, should take 3.
Spoon 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on the lasagna. Use a knife or spatula to spread across whole area.
Follow with a layer of meat mixture.
Sprinkle with parmesan.
Spread 1/3 of the mozzarella across whole.
Repeat layers: lasagna, ricotta, meat, parmesan, mozarella.
End with the mozarella.

Mac and Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups milk
2 tblsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3 cups cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
parsley

Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
In a saucepan, make a rue with the butter and flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook stirring constantly until milk thickens a bit.
Assemble the casserole as follows:
Place a layer of macaroni first. Cover with 1/2 of the onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Pour 1/3 of the milk mixture over the macaroni. Repeat layers. End with cheddar cheese on top with a sprinkle of parsley for garnish.

Beef Stew

1 lb of beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 small onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tsp seasoning
3-4 cups beef broth
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot or dutch oven, brown the meat in the olive oil.
Add garlic and onion for a few minutes, so that onion is soft.
Throw in the remaining vegetables and 2 cups of broth.
Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add more broth to keep the vegetables covered, if needed.
Remove meat/vegetables to your serving dish, leaving the liquid in the pot. Add any remaining broth: there needs to be 2-3 cups of liquid in your pot to make gravy.
In a bowl, or small mason jar, put 1/2 cup of cold water. Add 1 tbsp of flour and whisk to blend, making sure that all lumps are absorbed. Slowly add to hot liquid in your soup pot, stirring constantly. Allow to simmer. If it doesn't seem to be thick enough, prepare another 1/2 cup water/1 tbsp flour to add to the gravy. Do it slowly until it's the consistency you like for your gravy. If you add too much water/flour, then gradually add in some additional water or broth to thin it.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour gravy over your meat/vegetables.