This past weekend Dave and I watched Julie & Julia, the story of Julia Child and modern-day Julie who decides to cook and blog her way through Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I am fairly certain Dave fell asleep. My mother-in-law is here while Dave is in Chicago so we watched it again last night.
The movie made me want to get up off this couch and cook! Back in September I got the following recipe and picture ready to post on the blog but never got around to it. Enjoy!
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I’m a terrible baker. And I cannot cook a roast or steak. But, I can make salads! This cucumber and tomato salad is easy as can be and I could eat gallon-sized quantities of it!
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Cucumbers, cut up (Persian cucumbers if you can find them. Our local Trader Joe’s carries them)
Tomatoes, cut up (baby romas or cherry tomatoes are my favorite)
Red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
I mix 2 T. vinegar and 2 T. olive oil and then add a splash more of the vinegar. I also add a bit of salt. I use about 1/3 of the dressing and then save the rest for later.
Our former neighbor made something similar with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, lime, salt, cilantro and olive oil. I LOVE her salad.
Here is the sweet potato casserole recipe. I have made it with and without pecans and it is totally delicious either way. If you don’t care for marshmallows, you can leave those out too.
I need to give credit to my Aunt Sandy for this recipe. She is my aunt on my mom’s side. She was married to my mom’s brother who passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease a number of years ago. Aunt Sandy can cook!
Aunt Sandy’s Sweet Potato Casserole
Mix and put in 2 quart baking dish:
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pecans
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Make crumb crust and spread on top:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 stick butter, melted
Put 1 package of mini marshmallows on top of casserole.
Bake at 350 degree for 35 minutes.
I haven’t cooked anything in three whole months but last night I suddenly decided it was time. Dave was very surprised to find dinner ready when he got home from work! Let’s just say that we have been eating cereal and sandwiches or eating out for the past three months. I still feel nauseous but I can look at food again so I am HAPPY!
I love this very simple vegetable soup. You can substitute all fresh veggies but I was going for easy!
Vegetable Soup
- 1 package frozen mixed vegetables (corn, green beans, carrots, peas, etc.)
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 extra can of whatever veggie you would like (I put an extra can of green beans)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 6 beef buillion cubes
- 6 cups water
Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
I love this soup but I adore it with cornbread. I like salty, dry, not sweet cornbread.
Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- 2 cups corn meal (white or yellow – doesn’t affect taste)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1-1/2 cups buttermilk (I always buy low fat)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, for skillet
Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together all of the ingredients except for the butter. Put the butter in a cast iron skillet and melt on top of the stove. Pour the cornbread mixture on top of the butter while the burner is still on and leave on top of the stove for a couple of minutes. (I have this theory that this will make the bottom of the cornbread crunchy but I don’t actually know if that is the case!) Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes. Cornbread will be done when golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the skillet.
Carmen update: I took Carmen to a new pulmonologist recently and was pleased that he agreed with the medications and therapies that Hospice ordered for Carmen. He did say that we can try taking Carmen off oxygen and see how she does. She has been on oxygen for so long that we would have to get used to seeing her without a nasal cannula! Carmen is very congested this week and we’ve been suctioning out a ton of thick stuff. I had a cold (or allergies) earlier this week so my guess is that Carmen is suffering from whatever I had.
Monica the Magnificent brought us some carrot soup recently. It was so, so good! Last week I asked Monica for the recipe and the soup turned out wonderfully. It is so easy and healthy and tastes like a garden! If we look a little orange next time you see us, you will know why! 
Carrot Soup
3-4 lbs. carrots (I used baby carrots)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
water to just cover veggies
1/2 cup orange juice
one large fresh rosemary sprig, leaves stripped from main stem and then chopped
Cook carrots and sweet potatoes until soft. (ETA: Make sure lid is on!) Add orange juice and chopped rosemary. Puree. I used a stick immersion blender. I agree with Monica that it is nice to leave some chunks! This is wonderful plain but also really good with sour cream or sharp cheese and crusty French bread.
According to Monica, if you have extra, this freezes very well.
Last week a friend of mine came over to show me how to make her Russian Potato Salad. Sometimes you just need the expert to give you an in-person lesson! Thanks Tatiana!
We didn’t use any measurements but I googled Russian Potato Salad and came up with some measurments. However, you can adjust the amount of every ingredient to taste.
Russian Potato Salad
6 potatoes, peeled, boiled and chopped
6 eggs, hardboiled, peeled and chopped
6 dill pickles, chopped (we used a bunch of petite dill pickles)
Chicken thighs, boiled and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 (14 oz.) can peas, drained
3 large carrots, peeled, boiled and chopped (we used a bunch of baby carrots so we didn’t have to peel)
Fresh dill, chopped (Maybe 1/2 of a bunch?)
Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper to taste
We added corn and next time I will add onion. You can go light on the mayo or heavy. I think you can go fairly light on the mayo because of the moist dark chicken meat, peas and corn. Much less mayo than a regular potato salad or chicken salad. You want everything chopped up really small. This is delicious!
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