MACARONI SALAD

While I am getting soaked in Tampa, Florida this week, I am sending you this yummy recipe for Macaroni Salad--sooo good!

Our family doesn't usually go for macaroni salad.  But on a hot day this sounded just right to serve with grilled sliders.   I adapted this recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks and everyone loved it. Not too mayonnaisey (which is my usual complaint about macaroni salads) and the sweetness from the pickles is magic.  I use Bubbies Bread and Butter Chips (found at Sprouts in the refrigerated deli section) which is our favorite sweet pickle.

Ingredients

• 4 cups Elbow Macaroni
• 3 whole Roasted Red Peppers, Chopped
• ½ cups Black Olives, Chopped
• 6 whole Sweet/spicy Pickle Slices, Diced (about 1/2 Cup Diced)
• 1 cup diced Celery
• 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced (white and dark green parts)
• ½ cup Mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• Plenty Of Black Pepper
• ¼ cups Milk (more if needed)
• Splash Of Pickle Juice (spicy Sweet Pickles)

Preparation Instructions

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Mix together mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Splash in enough milk to make it pourable. Splash in pickle juice for extra flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Place cooled macaroni in a large bowl and pour 3/4 of the dressing. Toss and add more dressing if you’d like. (Dressing will seem a little thin, but it will thicken up as salad chills.)

Stir in olives, roasted red peppers, pickles, celery, and green onions.  At the end, splash in a little more pickle juice and stir.

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle with sliced green onion to serve.

CHERRY ALMOND CRISP - Pioneer Woman Cooks

HAPPY MAY 1ST!  This Cherry Almond Crisp would be the perfect dessert to celebrate May--although, really, isn't this year flying just a bit too fast?!

My family and friends loved this crisp.  But there is a lot of liquid at the bottom of the dish that could be avoided (I think) if the cherries were first thawed.  Although the syrupy sauce is yummy over ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Dash Or Two Of Nutmeg (I used freshly grated)
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds (I used sliced, not slivered, and toasted them first)
• 1-1/2 stick Cold (salted) Butter, Cut Into Pieces
• 4 bags (12 Ounces) Frozen Tart Cherries (I bought a 64 ounce bag at Costco, not tart, but good enough)
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract

Preparation Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Cut the cold butter into pieces. Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork or pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse crumbs. Add the slivered (or sliced) almonds and stir them in.

Place the still-frozen cherries in a bowl, and add sugar, cornstarch and almond extract. Gently stir the cherries to combine.

Put the cherry mixture in a large baking dish. Top generously with the crumb mixture, evening out the surface.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown. If the topping appears underdone, continue baking in 10 minute increments until it’s done.

Serve the crisps warm or room temperature with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

EASTER DINNER: STEAK, CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD, SPICY CHEESE GRITS, ROSEMARY DINNER ROLLS

Easter Dinner, usually pork tenderloin on the grill.  But we've had a lot of pork this year so filet mignon took its place.  First a dousing of salt on both sides of meat until brought to room temperature.  Then a little more salt and lots of pepper.  Pan fry in olive oil and a little butter--8-10 minutes each side.  Then remove, add a tiny bit of butter to each steak, let rest for 5 minutes to reabsorb the juices.  Perfect.

I had forgotten about the bag of freshly ground grits sitting in my pantry.  My friend, Darcey, and I each bought a bag while traveling from Savannah, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina in a little town called Round O.  Grits are great sweet or savory. Sweet for breakfast with a little butter, sugar, and cream (always cream). And at night, with butter, cream, and salt and pepper. This recipe fancied them up a bit.  I loved them, as did the adults in my family.  But the kids scrunched up their noses not quite loving the texture.

Spicy Grits - Pioneer Woman Cooks

• 1/2 Onion, Diced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
• 2 whole Chilies (any Variety, Hot Or Mild)
• 2 cups Stone Ground Grits
• 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken (or Beef) Broth
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1 cup Half-and-half
• 1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

Picture taken before the cheese was added

Heat 1 tablespoon of both oil and butter. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and chilies and cook for five minutes or so. Pour in grits, then add broth and water. Stir, then bring to a boil . Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, add half-and-half. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until grits are tender. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese.

Classic Caesar Salad

I won't bother with the recipe.  I made the dressing with anchovies and everything was going along swimmingly when my niece noticed the tin of anchovies was missing from my pantry.  Really?  I have a million items in my pantry.  She noticed they were sitting on the shelf one minute and then they were gone.  A brouhaha erupted and my classic Caesar salad became your run of the mill Caesar salad.  Oh, well.  The good news is they all can say they've had anchovies....cue the sinister laugh soundtrack.

This is super simple.  One bag of frozen pre-cooked dinner rolls, butter, fresh rosemary, and sea salt.  That's it.  Follow instructions for whatever frozen rolls you bought. Everyone thought they were homemade.  Wish I had one right now.

SPICY BEANS & CORNBREAD

Had two leftover ham hocks in the freezer and lots of pinto beans.  I found this recipe on Pioneer Woman Cooks and boy, was it good.  I used one ham hock with plenty of meat still attached.  And I know how many of you like to tweak recipes and this one can be tweaked away and it won't hurt a thing.  Mark Bittman supplied the sweet cornbread recipe, amen to that.

Also, I soaked the beans for 20 hours and changed the water several times.  This made the beans well-mannered beans if you know what I mean.

Ingredients - Pioneer Woman Cooks

• 4 cups Dry Pinto Beans
• 1 whole Ham Hock
• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 whole Jalapenos, Sliced
• 2 teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, More To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Rinse beans under cold water, sorting out any rocks/particles.

Place beans in a stock pot with the ham hock and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the water level is fine. Add more water as needed.

Toss in diced onion, red bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Cover and continue cooking for another hour or two, remembering to check the water level.

Add salt, chili powder (if desired) and pepper, then cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until beans are lovely and tender. Serve with cornbread as a meal..

CORNBREAD - Mark Bittman

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, olive oil, lard or bacon drippings (I used butter)
• 1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk, more if needed

Method

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or in an 8-inch square baking pan. Place pan in oven.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix eggs into milk, then stir this mixture into dry ingredients, combining with a few swift strokes. If mixture seems dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk.
• 3. When fat and oven are hot, remove skillet or pan from oven, pour batter into it and smooth out top. Return pan to oven. Bake about 30 minutes, until top is lightly browned and sides have pulled away from pan; a toothpick inserted into center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.
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