Tomato Cucumber Salad

The farmhouse in Barker, New York

Our dog Toby

Mom and Dad bought a farm in upstate New York in the town of Barker. Dad was the Superintendent of Schools there and Mom was a substitute teacher. She eventually went on and got her teaching degree while they lived there. Barker was a small farming town. The largest industry aside from the school was a vegetable/fruit packing plan. I used to visit with my kids over the summers. It never stopped Dad from assigning chores even after having the kids! I spent a couple of hours a day in their vegetable garden pulling weeds or hoeing. But at the end of the day, there was nothing that tasted better than fresh vegetables from their garden.

This is a simple salad that Dave always likes. I especially enjoy making this when I can get both red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes. No only does it taste delicious but it looks fantastic!

Tomato Cucumber Salad:

Dad enjoying the pool!

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes - washed, dried and halved (or
get a pint of both yellow and red and use half of each)
2 long English cucumbers or tender regular cucumbers
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup pitted olives - halved (if small ones, no need to cut them)
1/4 cup feta cheese - crumbled
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp of a zesty Italian salad dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a salad serving bowl add salad dressing, basil and red onion whisk for a few seconds. Taste for need of salt and pepper. Now add olives, cucumbers and tomatoes gently toss. Sprinkle on top with feta cheese.
Refrigerate covered for at least an hour before serving.

My Carrot Cake



Dave the "Carrot Cake Critic"

I never needed to make carrot cake. I had a friend that would always make it for our festivities. But alas, we are no longer friends so I had to try and come up a terrific alternative to her hearty, tasty recipe. I played with several online recipes only to be told by the "critic"....my husband, that it did not have enough stuff in it or it was not moist enough. I then began combining a couple of recipes with what I thought was the best of them. And this is what I came up with. I made this for a Bible Study Dinner Party and it was a hit so I remade it again as cupcakes at this year's Easter Dinner. It was a hit!!!

My Carrot Cake Recipe:
6 cups shredded carrots (I bought 3 packets of shredded carrots from the store)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla
1 cup crushed pineapple (squeeze out most of the liquid)
3 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups raisins (dark or golden or combination)
OPTION: 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

The Family @ Thanksgiving 2011!

In large mixing bowl combine eggs, brown sugar, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla until well mixed. Fold in shredded carrots and crushed pineapple. In separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Slowly mix the dry mixture into the wet. Once completely mixed turn off mixer. Add raisins by folding into the mixture.

Oven 350*
Grease and flour 2 round 10" cake pans or 9" x 13" rectangular pan or set large cupcake papers into muffin tin. (No need to grease and four). Use ice cream scooper to evenly distribute the mixture into the cupcake papers. Bake 45 - 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out completely clean. Ice when completely cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package cream cheese
1 package of confectioners sugar
1 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla

Soften butter and cream cheese to room temperature. Place into deep bowl and using mixer beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and beat again. Slowly add the confectioners sugar (if too quickly it will blow-up all over you!). Use an entire package of confectioners sugar. If the icing becomes too thick, add a tsp of milk at a time until it is smooth but firm. Pipe into bag and decorate cupcakes. Keep cupcakes cool or refrigerated until serving.

Liz's Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries

Nana & Memo with Liz at one week old!

Most people do not like brussel sprouts but we have quite a few in this family that really like them especially if done with different flavors. My daughter, Liz, inspired this recipe. She found one similar and told me how good it was. So I used the family to try out her recipe this Easter. It was quite a hit!

Liz - 1995

Liz's Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries:
2 lbs brussel sprouts - roasted
1/4 cup plive oil
Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
Optional: bacon bits

Wash and half the brussel sprouts. Place on a cookie sheet with olive oil. Roast about 375* for about 10 mins then toss and roast another 10 mins.

I a small saucepan add balsamic vinegar and sugar, bring to a boil. Add cranberries and (bacon bits if desired) simmer until the brussel sprouts are done. Place brussel sprouts in a serving dish and drizzle the cranberries and bacon bits sauce over the brussel sprouts. Toss and serve immediately.

Nana's Reinvented Scalloped Potatoes

As Easter approached this 2012, I got a lot of inquiries about my blog. Mostly, why I had not posted in a while. Quite frankly, live got in the way. Work, my husband's illness, family, dogs and puppies but mostly and undesire to just sit down and enter the recipies. I knew my blog would be a huge undertaking but I really thought I could do a recipe a day!!!! LOLOLOLOL I would like to be more realistic and get maybe one a week for the remainder of the year. So let me start with this one!

Our Nana loved scalloped potatoes. Unfortunately, hers were always a bit dry. I took her recipe and added a lot more liquid to make this a triump this past Easter 2012.

Nana & Daba cerca 1940

Nana's Reinvented Scalloped Potatoes:
 6 cups of thinly sliced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped/minced onion (dice finely with chopped)
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup of flour
6 cups of milk

Peel almost 5 lbs of idaho potatoes (minus 2). Using a mandalyn or knife, slice potatoes almost paper thin. Place in a bowl and cover with water until you are ready to assemble the dish. Drain and pat before assemly.

In a large saucepan melt butter on low heat and add finely minced onion (dried minced onion will work too but you need to hydrated them, so add 1/2 more milk to the mixture.) Stir in the salt, pepper and then the flour to make a roux. Add milk to saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer until ready to prepare dish.

Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour an ample laddle of cream mixture on the bottom of the dish. Now take the sliced, drained potatoes and layer them across the entire bottom of the baking dish on top of the cream mixture. Pour another 2 laddles on top of that. Repeat the potatoes and cream mixture until all is used.

Bake at 350*, uncovered for about 60-70 minutes. Potatoes should be tender and top bubbly and lightly browned. Serve immediately. If you need to wait to serve, cover in foil completely (top and bottom) and then cover in a heavy towel to maintain the heat. This can perserve it for about 3hrs.

Serve with ham or any other meat and vegetable dish.