journey of life

3 cups of cooked macaroni (1 small box)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of vinegar (optional)
salt, pepper and celery seed to taste (optional)

Cook macaroni until tender. Drain and run cold water over noodles. Combine macaroni with mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, celery salt and pepper.  Add green pepper and cucumber.  Finally, add the tomato, folding in lightly.

Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.

First layer – iceberg lettuce torn into pieces
Second layer – chopped onions
Third layer – chopped sweet peppers
Fourth layer – frozen peas
Fifth layer – shredded cheddar cheese
Sixth layer  - 1 cup of mayonnaise, mixed with two tablespoons of sugar
Seventh layer – bacon bits

Place the lettuce in the bottom of a clear salad bowl. On top of the lettuce, layer the onions, peppers and peas in that order. Spoon the mayonnaise mixture over the top to cover and seal the vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon bits on top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.

Wash and cut broccoli and cauliflower.  Top with dressing:
¼ cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of vinegar
1/3 cup of sugar
1 large red onion
1 cup of mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.

1 small can french green beans
1 small cal green peas
1 small can whole kernel corn
2 or three stalks celery (chopped)
1 diced onion
1 small can pimentos
green pepper to taste
1/4 head cabbage (shredded)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 cup vinegar

Drain canned vegetables, combine with celery, onion, pimentos, green pepper and cabbage - combine sugar, vinegar and oil - pour over salad - toss

Note: The longer this is made the better it tastes - let stand in refrigerator at least overnight before eating.

Recipe courtesy of Matt’s mom, Margie.

3 medium potatoes, cubed
2 green onions, sliced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 cup of water
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk
¼ cup of butter or margarine
1 teaspoon of parsley flakes
freshly ground pepper to taste.

Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and cook for ten minutes or until potatoes are tender. Do not drain. Mash vegetables slightly. Stir in milk, butter, parsley and if desired, pepper. Heat thoroughly. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Yields 3 ½ cups.

Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.

4 tablespoons of Wesson oil
1 pound of hamburger
4 potatoes
1 can of corn
2 cups of pinto beans
2 cups of stewed tomatoes
1 onion
2 or three tablespoons of salt
1 or two tablespoons of flour

Put oil in large stock pot. Add meat and cook until brown, add salt, stir in flour. Add two cups of water. If you like, use stew beef instead of hamburger. Add onions and potatoes and cook. Add corn, pinto beans, and tomatoes. Add additional seasoning if needed. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and saltine crackers.

Recipe courtesy of Laura’s maternal grandmother, Nana.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-oz.) can Cannellini Beans, drained, rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can Black Beans, drained, rinsed
1 (14.5-oz.) can ready-to-serve chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add carrot, onions, celery and garlic; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 10 to 12 minutes.

4 (1-cup) servings.

Recipe courtesy of Progresso Cannellini Bean can.

Skin and cut up a whole chicken. Place parts in about 2 quarts of water with:
1 medium to large onion, chopped
4 large celery stalks, washed and chopped

Simmer ’til done (30 minutes or so)

Remove chicken and allow to cool. Remove meat from bones and cut into pieces. Meanwhile, add about 1 cup rice and 1 T of dill and salt (DON’T OVERDO HERE) to taste and sprinkle of pepper.

Simmer another 20 minutes or so, ’til rice is done. OOPS! Also, when you add the rice, add about 1 1/2 cups of carrot slices (scrape and slice fairly thin). Towards the end, add chicken back in and “correct” the seasoning.

Can substitute thin egg noodles for rice.

Recipe courtesy of Matt’s mom, Margie.

1/4 pound cubed salt pork (or bacon)
4 cups of diced potatoes
3 pounds of white fish
3 onions, sliced
2 cups whole milk, scalded
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of butter
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Fry salt pork, remove pork, add onions, potatoes and half the salt.
Cover with hot water, cook until potatoes are tender. Cut fish into
three pieces and simmer in boiling water in seperate dish (salt water).
Put fish and strained fish stock into heated chowder dish. Add milk,
butter and pepper. Season to taste. Serves 5.

“Quoddy Fish Chowder.” Recipe. Maine Cooking and the Accomplished Cook, or, The Whole Art and Mystery of Cookery, fitted for all Degrees and Qualities. Down East recipes dating from 1664. Ninth Edition - June 1, 1965. Rockland, Maine: Courier-Gazette, Inc., 1965. 19.

4 cans of chicken stock (vegetable, beef or seafood stock would probably work just as well, bouillon cubes in a pinch)
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup baby lima beans, fresh or frozen
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup green beans, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 cups cabbage, chopped finely
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (stewed tomatoes in a pinch)
parsley
16 ounces lump crab meat
salt and pepper to taste
old bay to taste

Add vegetables to chicken stock and simmer until vegetable start to soften. Add tomatoes and parsley. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Add lump crab meat right before serving.

Notes: I pulled this together tonight and was pleasantly surprised at how good it came out and how easy it was. Feel free to adjust (or omit) vegetables to your liking.