Baked Cabbage Wedges

Most people probably don't get too excited over cabbage but my husband and I happen to love it. You can make them on the grill or in the oven. These are loaded with bacon and buttery deliciousness.

Cut one small cabbage into four wedges or if your cabbage is larger cut in six or eight. Remove the outer layers and the core. Place each wedge in a Pyrex baking pan, the size to accommodate the cabbage nicely.

Add 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce to about 3/4 cup chicken broth. More or less broth depending on how many you are making. Spoon a few tablespoons of this mixture over the cabbage getting it in all the nooks and crannies.

Add a few pats of butter and thin sliced onion. You could also add a little garlic if you like (I don't).

Add some small diced fried bacon, and season with kosher or sea salt and pepper.

Cover with foil and bake at 400º for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cabbage is tender.

Traditional Irish-American Soda Bread

This bread is so moist and tender. Be careful not to over-bake it.

3 cups flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

1 Tbs caraway seeds

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

4 Tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 375º. Grease a 10” springform pan and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl whisk egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Transfer batter to prepared springform pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before serving

Lentil Soup

This soup gives Tim nightmares. He says I fed it to them ALL THE TIME, when they were kids growing up. Well, I guess it would seem like that when it's something you don't like. But for those of us who like lentil soup it's a nutritios meal, and another good way to use that ham bone . . .  Just don't fix it if Tim's coming for dinner.

2 cups dried lentils
1 meaty ham bone
1 cup diced celery, with tops
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Fresh chopped green onions

Cover lentils with water. Swish around to wash them; drain. Cover with water again and let soak overnight. Drain and save liquid.

Put lentils in a large kettle. Add enough water to saved liquid to equal 9 cups. Add lentils and ham bone. Cover and simmer for 3 hours.

Add celery, onion, carrots, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove ham bone. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, remove the meat. Chop up and return to soup pot.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour, and a small amount of the soup. Mix well. Stir this back into the soup pot. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

When serving, sprinkle each serving bowl with chopped green onions.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

A nutritious way to use that left-over ham bone.

1 lb dried green split peas
2 qts water
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery, with tops
2 cups diced onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
2 tsp oregano
1 Tbs salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 meaty smoked ham bone

Combine all ingredients and heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat ans simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the ham bone from the soup pot. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, cut off all the meat and add to the soup pot.

Freezes well.

Sauerkraut Relish

Avoid canned sauerkraut. The kind in glass jars, or the refrigeraated variety are far better. This is a great side when serving pork dishes.

2 lbs sauerkraut, drained and rinsed well
1 med onion, chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil (anything but olive oil)
1/3 cup vinegar

In a saucepan, combine sugar, oil and vinegar. Heat until dissolved. Pour over remaining ingredients. Chill overnight. Keeps very well.

Merrill's Moving Day Salad

This one comes from my sister-in-law, Carol Merrill. She made it to serve on one of their many moving days when Ollie was in the Air Force.

1 (4 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding mix
1 envelope Dream Whip topping mix
2 cups milk
1 lg can fruit cocktail, drained
1 cup rice, cooked
1/2 cup coconut
Apples, oranges, and bananas*
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Blend a little milk into the softened cream cheese. Gradually add a little more milk, and then add the pudding mix, Dream Whip, and remaining milk. Beat until thick.

Add rice, coconut, fruit cocktail and stir. Add additional sugar if using oranges, or if your apples are tart. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill until serving. Mix the nuts into the fruit before serving.

*You can use whatever kind of fruit you want, but these are the general fruits used.

Macaroni Salad

I try other macaroni salads, but I always come back to this one. Make it at least one day in advance for the best flavor.

1 sm box elbow macaroni
1 med onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
1-2 sm cans tuna fish, drained*
1 dash celery salt
1 dash onion salt
Salt and pepper, to taste
Miracle Whip (not mayonnaise)

Cook macaroni al dente (tender crisp). Drain and rinse well.

Add remaining ingredients, using just enough Miracle Whip to coat well. (You will have to add more dressing before you serve it, as the macaroni absorbs the dressing, and it will be dry). You just don't want to overload the dressing in these kinds of salads.

Chill overnight (or longer), to blend flavors.  Add additional Miracle Whip to make a moist salad. Sometimes I sprinkle paprika over the top just for color.

*You can use oil packed or water packed tuna, which ever you prefer. The oil packed tuna will deliver more flavor, but I usually use water packed because that's what I keep on hand.

Also, don't use mayonnaise. The lighter Miracle Whip just tastes better on some salads, and this would be one of them.