This is a wonderful dish to serve on a cold winter’s day, made even better if followed up with a chair nap.

Ingredients

Chuck roast, whole or cubed

Potatoes, quartered or diced

Carrots, sliced or chunked

Celery, sliced

Onion, diced

Tomatoes, sliced

Layer all of the above in the order listed around the roast in a dutch oven. Add a couple of cups of water then the following on top:

Mushrooms

Salt and Pepper

Basil

Tapioca (4 tsp)

Bake at 250 degrees for four hours. Serve with warm buttered bread.

While doing some quick research before typing up our recipe for goulash I was somewhat surprised about how many variations there are of this dish and how it has changed over the hundreds of years it has been prepared and eaten. The following is very much an American version of the dish.

Ingredients:

One pound meat (we use kielbasa or ground beef)

One onion, diced

Garlic clove, crushed

Green pepper, diced

Paprika, caraway seed, salt and pepper, chili powder to taste

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Squeeze of mustard

Add all of the above to a skillet and cook until done

Boil one package of elbow or shell noodles until done, drain, then add the above ingredients to the pot along with:

One can diced tomatoes

One can mushrooms

Pinch of parsley

One can of corn

And finally add tomato sauce, the amount of which will determine if you are making more of a casserole type dish or a soup.

Heat until warm and top with sour cream and shredded cheese.

A few years ago I created a project blog I titled An Old Recipe Box. To quote from the introduction: “While cleaning out a house in Villisca, Iowa I found an old, rusty green recipe box. I decided to scan each recipe, from the front of the box to the back, in the order that the box was found. I also decided I would not go through the box ahead of time but rather explore it with the reader, week by week, until finished.” Not too surprisingly the blog generated little traffic and today it receives about 500 pageviews a month. There are dozens of scanned recipes and other ephemera on the blog that give a glimpse at Midwestern life during the mid-twentieth century.

Since we finished moving to the country last winter this is our first garden out here. We planted in a freshly tilled section of the yard and the results have been almost unbelievable. We have put up 12 quarts of tomatoes so far and we should easily be able to at least double that while also making stews, soups, spaghetti, chili and salsa. All that from seven plants. I am going to make my third batch of salsa this weekend and thought I would share the recipe. As usual, I don’t measure the ingredients, so flavor to your taste.

Ingredients:

Celery, diced

Green onions, sliced

Tomatoes, diced

Garlic cloves (I use a hand held garlic press)

Green peppers, diced

Jalapeno peppers, diced

In a mixing bowl stir together all the above ingredients then add:

Basil, salt and pepper, cilantro, parsley, paprika, oregano, Tabasco, cayenne pepper and cumin. Stir well then chill or serve at room temperature with tortilla chips.

This version is chunky. If you prefer more juice, puree some tomatoes and a scoop or two of the salsa together, and add back to the bowl.

I discovered this little culinary gem several years ago and will continue to use it until I can cook no more. Whenever you cut up vegetables get in the habit of putting the leavings in a baggie in the freezer. Onion ends, cucumber ends, carrot ends, end chunks from broccoli or cauliflower, tomato parts, peppers, you get the idea. Anything you would normally throw in the trash from your veggies take 10 seconds and put them in that designated baggie in the freezer. Once it is full, fill up a pan with water, add the contents of your freezer stash, and boil for at least 20 minutes, or until it smells so good you want to sample it. Add whatever spices you most enjoy then let the broth cool. I pour mine into various sized empty butter, cottage cheese and dip containers and freeze. Then comes the best part; add the thawed broth instead to a recipe that calls for plain water, to some fried foods (including ground beef, chicken or pork) instead of oil, to casseroles, soups, to boil noodles, or even use as a marinade. When using a slow cooker, use the broth. I have even added the broth when making chili and it seems to me to contribute another layer of flavor. I also boil chicken and beef bones for specific broths, but the veggie broth is more versatile.

Some meals are thought of as seasonal, and for most people potato salad is a summertime side dish. I can eat it anytime, so that is the title I came up with for our version. I rarely use measurements when I cook anything, so you will need to season to taste. It’s better to start with a little, then add more if desired.

Potatoes, cubed (boiled but not overdone, unless you want mashed potato salad)

Eggs (boiled and shelled and diced. Usually one egg per pound of potatoes)

Onion (diced, one for a medium size batch, two for a large)

Mayonnaise (we prefer the real stuff)

Ranch Salad Dressing (the secret ingredient, just add a dollop. That means just a bit, not too much)

Mustard (Spicy Brown!)

Ground Thyme, Dill weed, Paprika, Caraway Seed, Celery Seed, Parsley, Salt and Pepper

Mix it all together then eat it warm right out of the bowl. If there is any left chill it and serve as a side dish for your Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day picnics. It’s also great for your Thanksgiving, Christmas and Groundhog Day get togethers. Bon Apetit!

Recently Shelly went to a small family reunion of sorts. It’s called an Aunt Party. These gatherings started when some of the aunts in her family would hold a potluck to visit and play parlor games. All of those aunts are gone now, but the tradition is revisited every few years by other ladies in the family, mostly cousins. By custom they are still called Aunt Parties. She made this recipe found on the internet and it was a big hit. The main difference between this recipe and the one for egg salad we usually use is a lack of mustard.

Ingredients:

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper, optional

1/4 cup finely chopped onion, optional

2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

8 large eggs, hard-boiled, chopped

6 croissants

Instructions:

1) In large bowl, beat together cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth and creamy. Stir in salt, pepper, celery, and pickle relish. Add bell pepper and onion, if using. Stir in dill and chopped eggs.

2) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

3) Serve on croissants.

This recipe will put to great use the fresh green beans from your garden or farmers market.

Ingredients:

One large handful of fresh green beans, cut to 2 inch lengths

Half a package of bacon, cut to two inch lengths

Four red potatoes, diced

One Vidalia onion, diced

Salt and pepper and Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning to taste

Instructions: Add all ingredients to an electric skillet or a cast iron skillet, top off with water and cook on medium until green beans and potatoes are tender. You might need to add more water during the cooking process. Instead of bacon we have used sliced kielbasa. Add during the last ten minutes of cooking.