Summer Vegetable Dishes

When I came home from a weekend away I had three green peppers and 6 cucumbers. It didn't take us long to eat those, but we picked more cucumbers this afternoon. I grew three plants up a wire fence piece, and they are doing wonderfully. I thought I'd share fresh vegetable recipes today. I'm only growing tomatoes, green peppers and cumcumbers this year, but we have three farmer's markets within a half hour of our house that I can visit to buy fresh produce.

Green Beans With Tomato

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh green beans

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. minced green pepper

1 cup diced tomato

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook the beans in salted water until just tender. Drain. Heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add tomato, salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add beans and heat through. 6 servings.

Tomato Cabbage Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

5 cups finely cut cabbage, chopped or cut into strips

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet; saute the onion for a minute or so. Add the other ingredients and cook covered for 8-10 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid uncover and cook for a few minutes to reduce.

Cucumbers with Sour Cream

Ingredients:

5-6 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

2 tbsp. vinegar, lemon juice or juice from pickles

1 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

3 tbsp. grated or finely minced onion

Combine the salt, sour cream, onion and vinegar. Stir in the sliced cucumbers. Chill for at least 2 hours.

Marinated Tomatoes

Ingredients:

5 large tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. or so of chopped fresh oregano

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Slice the tomatoes. Combine the other ingredients and drizzle over the tomatoes.

You can chill them, or serve room temperature.

Sweet Corn Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

3 cups fresh corn, cut from cob

1/2 cup light cream

2 tbsp. fresh chives, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Optional: Parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a skillet. Add the other ingredients. Cover and simmer until the corn is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the top before servings. 6 servings.

On OFL we have harvesting and cooking tips from Green Bell Peppers:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/bellpeppers.html

~Brenda

Vegetable Relish, Pickling & "Catchup"

Most of us tend to think of relish and ketchup as something you put on hotdogs, but there are many variations on these favorites, especially is you make your own. I got out my copy of the American Women's Cook Book, which has a taped binding and a missing title page, but I'm guessing it's from the 40's. There were so many great recipes to share, but as far as the processing and canning I'm going to send you to a site from the experts.

You can download the Complete Guide to Home Canning for free at the National Center for Home Food Preservation: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html

Everything you need to know about processing your harvest is in these documents. It's important to be up to date on the correct temperatures and times. Food poisoning is no fun, and can be very serious, especially for children and the elderly.

Beet Relish

4 cups chopped cooked beets

4 cups chopped cabbage

1/2 cup grated horseradish

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 cups vinegar

1 cup sugar

Combine the vegetables, horseradish, salt and pepper. Boil the vinegar, dissolve the sugar in it and add to the vegetables. Cook until tender, then process in jars. Makes 5 pints.

Cranberry Catchup

1 pound onions

4 pounds cranberries

2 cups water

4 cups sugar

2 cups vinegar

1 tbsp. ground cloves

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. allspice

1 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Peel onions and chop very fine. Add cranberries and water; cook until tender. Rub through a sieve. Add remaining ingredients and boil until thick, stirring occasionally. Pour into hot jars and seal according to recommendations. Makes about 3 pints. Serve with poultry or meat.

Corn Relish

18 ears sweet corn

2 large green peppers

2 sweet red peppers

1 small cabbage

4 onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 quart vinegar

2 cups brown sugar

2 tbsp. salt

3 tbsp. mustard powder

Cut corn from cobs. Seed peppers and chop with cabbage and onions. Mix vegetables together, add remaining ingredients and cook until corn in tender, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pack in hot jars and process according to USDA directions.

Tomato Catchup

1 peck ripe tomatoes

3 onions

1 small clove garlic

2 red peppers, seeded

1 1/2 bay leaves

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. whole allspice

1 tbsp. celery seed

1 tsp. cayenne

2 inches cinnamon stick

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups vinegar

Boil first 6 ingredients until soft. Strain through sieve. Add spices (tied in a cloth bag) and sugar to tomato pulp and boil rapidly, stirring occasionally until thick or quantity is reduced one half. Remove spices, add vinegar and boil 10 minutes longer. Pour into hot sterilized jars according to USDA instructions.

On OFL we have a forum members recipe for freezer pickles:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/pickles.html

~Brenda

Edible Calendula for Color and Taste

I sow calendula seeds almost every summer because they are easy to grow, edible and last until a hard frost in the fall. This year I planted the seeds in July, and they'll be blooming in August through at least early October. I use the petals in herb vinegar, and salads, plus I cut some blooms to bring inside, but I leave most of them in my flower garden for their pretty colors. What I don't cut or harvest for using, I deadhead until late in the fall, then I allow the seeds to form. There are always plenty of seeds to dry and save for next year. I store them in envelopes and keep them in a basket with my other seeds.

I've found calendula grows best in full sun, with regular soil, and watering when it's extra dry. I don't fertilize, and they always do well. If you do add anything to the soil make sure it's organic, and don't use sprays if you plan on using the petals in recipes.

This is one of the salads I've made with calendula petals. It's delicious and especially pretty if you are having a tea or luncheon.


I used a mix of organic greens and lettuce plus:

tomato

cucumber

carrots

cilantro and basil leaves, stems removed

First, I tossed the basil and cilantro with the greens. You could use other herbs as well, but I like these two together. I topped the greens with the sliced cucumber and tomato and put the carrots off the the side. I picked two large calendula blooms and carefully pulled the petals off, leaving the center because it's bitter. After the salads were on the plates I sprinkled them with the petals. I used a raspberry vinaigrette, but Italian dressing is good too.

On OFL we have tips and recipes for nasturtiums, which are also easy to grow:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/nasturtiums.html

Summer Desserts for Hot Days

This week and last week has been hot and humid in Michigan. I broke down and made homemade pizza one of the days because everyone was tired of eating hamburgers, brats and hotdogs. We overbought for my son's graduation open house last weekend, and ended up with a lot leftover in the freezer. I'd much rather grill in the summer, but some days the heat has even made that uncomfortable. I have great respect for those of you who live in states where it's hot like this all the time.

I'm rambling a bit to get to the recipes for today. I was looking through my recipes for refrigerated desserts to make this week, and thought I would share a few of them.

Frozen Mint Dessert

Ingredients:
25 Oreo cookies, or store brand
1/3 cup melted margarine
1/2 gallon mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp. butter
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate or 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crush the cookies and add melted margarine. Press into a 13x19 pan and cool. Add the ice cream to the crust and place it in the freezer. Bring the sugar, evaporated milk, butter and chocolate to a boil in a saucepan. Set aside to cool completely. When cool pour it over the ice cream layer and put back in freezer until frozen. Serve.

Mandarin Dessert Salad

Ingredients:
60 butter crackers, crushed
(Save out 1/4 cup for top)
1 stick margarine or butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 (6 ounce)can frozen orange juice, thawed
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 ounce tub frozen whipped topping
2 small cans, mandarin oranges, drained

Mix the sugar and melted butter with the crushed crackers. Press into a 9x13 inch pan. Blend the milk with the orange juice, stir in whipped topping, then fold in oranges. Pour over the crust, sprinkle with the 1/4 cup crumbs. Chill until ready to serve (at least a few hours).

Frozen Lemon Mousse Cups

Ingredients:
1 quart frozen vanilla yogurt, softened slightly
22 ounce can lemon pie filling
12 (2 1/2 inch) Foil cupcake liners

Spoon the yogurt into a large bowl; add the lemon filling. Beat until well blended. Spray the liners with no stick pan or baking spray. Spoon the dessert into the liners, and place in the freezer until firm (about 60 minutes). Garnish with whipped cream and a small slice of lemon. Makes 12.

Raspberry Dessert

Ingredients:
1 purchased or baked pound cake
2 packages (10-12 ounces) frozen raspberries
2 tbsp. sugar
2 1/2 cup milk
2 small packages vanilla instant pudding
8 ounce thawed frozen whipped topping

Place slices of pound cake on the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Top with frozen berries, separating them as needed. Sprinkle with the sugar evenly. Whip together the pudding and the milk until smooth. Fold in one cup whipped topping. Mix gently. Spoon mixture over the raspberries. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill until ready to serve.

On OFL we also have recipes for watermelon treats:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/watermelon.html

~Brenda

Sauces for Summer Desserts

Summer is a time of family gatherings, whether it's a wedding, family reunion, open house, or birthday. Many times a dish to pass is requested, and other times of year I often bring bread for casseroles. I love to bake desserts, but when it's 90 degrees and humid, heating up the oven is the last thing I want to do. Sauces are a great way to add a homemade touch to purchased pound cake, angel food cake, or ice cream. The recipes below are from an odd little cookbook I've had for many years- The Wine Cook Book by The Browns, Cora, Rose and Bob- published in 1960.

Almond Cream Sauce

4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups blanched and shredded almonds
1/4 cup brandy or rum

Beat egg yolks with sugar until very light and gradually mix into hot milk in a double boiler. Stir until mixture begins to thicken, then remove from fire, beat in almonds and vanilla, and slowly add liquor. Fine for rice and bread puddings.

Cherry Sauce

1 pint pitted ripe cherries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup port

Pound cherries to a mash, put in a pan with sugar, cinnamon and wine; cook until the cherries are tender, then press through a sieve and return to pan. Thicken with flour diluted with lemon juice, cook 5 minutes, remove from fire, stir in butter and serve.

Cream Sauce

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons brandy, or sherry
few gratings of nutmeg

Mix sugar, wine and cream, place bowl in a pan of ice water, whip to a stiff froth, grate in a little nutmeg. Keep in cool place until wanted.

Kentucky Sauce

2 cups dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons whisky

Cream butter, add sugar gradually, and beat in egg. Add cream, put in double boiler, continue beating, and cook over fire until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from fire and add whisky slowly.

Marmalade Sauce

1 cup marmalade
1 cup white wine

Heat marmalade with wine in a small saucepan over a gentle fire. Stir constantly until heated, then strain, and serve hot or cold.

On OFL I have an article with fruit salad recipes that are also great for potlucks:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/fruitsalads.html

~Brenda

Summer Food on the Fire

I love food cooked over an open fire, especially when we are camping. My copy of the Home Comfort Cookbook, published in 1948, gives tips for "Cooking Picnics". I'm guessing this would be our version of campfire food. If you have a firepit in your backyard like we do, you can do this on a nice summer afternoon when it's not too hot, and not too windy. We've always had rules for the kids whenever they were near any type of fire, and I can happily say no one was ever burnt or injured so they seemed to have worked.

1. No running when the fire is lit. Stand still or walk slowly.

2. No touching-- not with a stick, a hotdog fork or your finger.

3. No throwing things in the fire. Nothing. Not water, not stones, not your brother.

4. Never put anything in the fire unless mom or dad tells you to (such as trash at the end etc.)

5. No jumping. Not over the fire, near the fire, or in the fire. Jumping is bad.

The Conclusion: STAY AWAY FROM THE FIRE.

As the kids got older we allowed them to help us build the fire, and cook. This may seem overly cautious, but burns are nasty and I always believe it's better to be safe than sorry. My two oldest are now teens and have wood fires in our firepit for their friends without our help. (Yes, I do still peek out to see if they are doing okay.)

The following is from the Home Comfort Cookbook. ( I suggest using long, wooden handled hotdog forks. They are inexpensive and can be cleaned afterwards in hot, soapy water, then rinsed. )

A small hot fire of twigs will cook some food like the Cheese Bobs below, but for corn or potatoes you will need good hot coals. Always be sure your fire is cold before leaving it. (Cold water can be slowly poured on the fire if you need to leave before it's cool.) Below is a picture of one of our fires. The "coals" are where the wood is whitened and red-- but not falling apart into ash yet:


Cheese Bobs: Cut cheese in one inch cubes. Wrap each cube in a strip of bacon and fasten it with a toothpick. Cook them until the bacon has cooked and the cheese has just started to melt. Have rolls or bread ready for the Cheese Bobs will be very hot.

Roasted Potatoes: Cover medium-sized potatoes with a coating of firm mud. Place them on a bed of hot coals. Turn them carefully at least once while they are cooking. They will need to be cooked for one hour.

(Notes: my husband remembers this from Boy Scouts, and he told me that the mud hard hardens and breaks off fairly easily. Remove carefully from the fire with tongs and allow to cool slightly.)

Roasted Corn: Dampen ears of corn (do not remove the husks) with salted water. Lay the corn on the hot coals (there should be no flames). Turn them often with a fork or stick (tongs) so that the husks do not burn. Young, tender corn will cook in about ten minutes. Serve with salt and plenty of butter.

On OFL we have a neat article from Mary Emma on Fried Chicken traditions:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/kitchen52.html

~Brenda

The Whirlwind of June & Recipes

Since Memorial Day we've had two birthdays, a week of graduation festivities and a cousin's wedding. It's been a whirlwind of activity. I'm not sure how I feel about having an 18 year old who's heading off to college in the fall. The time has flown by since he and his brother were toddlers running around the house. We're planning a July open house for him, and I think that's when it will really hit home for me. I thought today I would share some recipes I used during the last couple of weeks.

Graduation Day Menu
My son picked a menu for the dinner we had before graduation which was at 7 p.m. My parents and my husband's parents plus his girlfriend joined us, and we ate outside. There were 10 of us for dinner.

Ground Chuck for burgers
Seasoning Salt, pepper to season
Two 12 ounce packages of bacon, cooked and drained
Cheese slices
Tomato, Vidalia Onion-- both sliced
Ketchup, Mustard and Mayonnaise
Hamburger Buns
Hotdogs plus Buns
Two bags of chips
1 pound coleslaw
2 pounds potato salad
1 large watermelon

We never buy bacon, especially for burgers, at our house so that was a big treat for the kids. My 17 year old fried that up while my husband grilled the burgers. I sliced the vegetables and set the table. Everyone had a chance to visit before the graduation and helped me clean up when it was time to start getting ready for graduation.

Summer Birthday Menu
The next day was my son's 18th birthday. Yes, the day after graduation and his Senior All Night Party. He asked for steak sandwiches with provolone cheese, French fries and an ice cream cake. It's nice to know that just because he turned 18 doesn't mean he's too grown up for cake:) We only had two extra people for dinner since everyone was so tired from the graduation festivities.

Steak Sandwiches

3 pounds of steak sizzlers or sandwich steak like Steak-umm
1 green pepper. sliced thin
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
mushrooms (fresh or canned), sliced
Submarine sandwich buns
1 pound Provolone cheese
seasoning salt
Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's)

I lay the steak flat on a heated griddle pan, season on one side with the seasoning salt and the other side with the Creole seasoning. I flip the steak and only cook until it's no longer pink. Don't over cook. While these are cooking, I also saute the green pepper and onions in one pan with a tiny bit of oil. In another pan I saute the onions. How many you use depends on how many people like them- 1/2 pound to a pound.

When everything is cooked it's time to assemble the sandwiches. Halve a piece of Provolone, place the two pieces on the bun lengthwise. Place one or two pieces of steak on each bun, on top of the cheese, then top this with onion, green pepper and onion. Serve immediately, or you could wrap in foil until they are all assembled. You can also lay it all out on the table and let everyone assemble their own.

~Brenda

It's Potluck Season: Dishes to Share

I always think of this month as the start of Potluck Season. First we have Memorial Day, then graduations, Fourth of July, family reunions and weddings, then lastly Labor Day. A person can never have too many potluck recipes. Today I was looking through a copy of the charity cookbook from the Ladies Auxiliary in Flint, Michigan. I've had this cookbook around 20 years or so. I've made small changes to the recipes to reflect my family's tastes.

Big Bean Pot

12 ounce package bacon

3 medium onions, diced or sliced very thinly

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 (15 ounce) can kidney or red beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can butter beans, drained

2 (16 ounce) can maple baked beans

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the bacon until crispy, drain on paper towel, and when cook enough, crumble. Drain most of the bacon grease out of the skillet and saute the onions until lightly browned. Add all of the other ingredients to a Dutch oven, roaster, or large casserole dish, and stir til combined. Bake, uncovered for 60-70 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Hash Brown Casserole

(this is quite different from the one I usually make.)

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup finely diced green and/or red pepper

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 32 ounce frozen, shredded hash browns, thawed partially

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1 tbsp. butter

Grease 9x13 baking dish. In large bowl combine cheese, soup, sour cream, onion, peppers, 1/4 cup butter, pepper and mix well. Fold in potatoes. Turn the mixture into the pan. Toss together the corn flakes and 1 tbsp. butter. Sprinkle over potato mixture. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for one hour or until the casserole is browned and the potatoes are tender. Serves 8-10

Sauerkraut Casserole

Ingredients:

2 pound kielbasa links, cut into 1 inch sliced

1 large sweet onion, sliced very thinly

1 27 ounce can sauerkraut, undrained (or a bag)

1 cup water

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. caraway seed

In a skillet cook sausage and onion until sausage is lightly browned and onion is tender; drain off any grease. Stir in sauerkraut, water, brown sugar and caraway. Transfer to a casserole, cover and bake at 350 degrees F. for an hour. Makes 6-8 servings.

Rotini Pasta Salad

1 8 ounce bottle Italian dressing, any type

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 cups rotini, cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water

1 cup broccoli flowerets

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, or tiny cubes

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/2 sliced or shredded carrots

1/2 c. thinly sliced and halved red onion rings

Optional: 1/4 cup sliced olives

Mix dressings and seasonings in large bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix gently. Chill. Makes 12 servings.

Coconut Cake

1 package butter/yellow cake mix

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cups flaked coconut

8 ounce container whipped topping

Prepare the cake as directed in a 13 x 9 inch pan. Cool 15 minutes then poke holes in the cake with a fork. Meanwhile combine the milk, sugar and 1/2 cup of the coconut in a pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Spoon this mixture over the warm cake. Cool. When cool fold 1/2 cup of the coconut into the whipped topping. Spread over the cake evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Chill overnight or all day if made in the morning. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Triple Treat Torte

2/3 cup chopped peanuts, dry roasted

1 cup flour

1 stick butter, cut in pieces

1/3 cup peanut butter

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup frozen whipped topping

1 (4 1/2 ounces) instant vanilla pudding

1 (4 1/2 ounces) instant chocolate pudding

2 3/4 cup cold milk

Mix peanuts, flour and butter till it resembles crumbs. Press into a greased 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Blend peanuts, cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipped topping. Pour over cooled crust. Mix the puddings with the milk til smooth and spread over the peanut layer. Top the cake with more whipped topping and garnish with shaved chocolate.

On OFL we have a nice Memorial Day menu:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Memorial-Day-Menu.html

Cool Beverages from 1949

Warm weather seems to be here to stay, so I thought I'd share some beverage recipes from Meta Given's The Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking.

Cider Cooler

Put 1 cup chilled cider, 1 tsp. sugar, pinch salt and 1 large scoop vanilla ice cream into mixing bowl and beat until ice cream is half melted. Serve at once. Makes 1 serving.

Coffee Cooler

Put 1 cup fresh strong coffee into mixing bowl. Add pinch of salt, 3 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream and 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon sugar. Beat until ice cream is half melted. Serve at once. Makes 1 serving.

Lemon Shake

Put 3 cups chilled buttermilk , 1/2 cup cold lemon juice, pinch of salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. lemon rind, 2 small scoops ice cream into mixer. Shake or beat thoroughly. Serve at once with a dash of ginger. Makes about 1 quart.

Fruit Buttermilk

1 1/2 cups canned fruit juice or juice from canned fruit

3 tablespoons sugar, or suit to taste

3 cups chilled buttermilk

Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Serve well chilled. Will not curdle on standing. 4 to 5 servings.

Red cherry, apricot, pineapple, peach, and grape juice all combine well with buttermilk; or mixed juices may be used. The addition of a little lemon juice is often desirable to pep up the flavor of bland fruit juices.

Grape Lemonade

1/2 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup sugar or sweeten to taste

1 1/4 cups chilled grape juice

1 3/4 cups ice water

1/4 tsp. grated lemon rind

Remove seeds from lemon and orange juices, but do not strain. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add remainder of the ingredients. Place 2 tablespoons of crushed ice in each 8 ounce glass and fill with lemonade. Garnish with a lemon slice over the rim of each glass and add a marachino cherry. 5 servings.

Try this warm weather menu we have on OFL:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/grill.html

~Brenda

Sunday Summer Recipes

The time will come when winter will ask you what you were doing all summer. ~Henry Clay

I'm still in denial about the summer coming to an end. Although it's so dry and hot here that I feel like fall is a very long way off. That might be part of the problem. I was cleaning over the weekend and ran across some of my clipped recipes from at least ten years ago. I sorted through them, and found some good end of summer meal ideas. As I mentioned before, I'm really trying not to use the oven until things cool off, but I have the grill and stovetop, which is what I've been using.

Pork Chop Marinade

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing

1/2 cup salsa or tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic pepper (or garlic powder)

4 fairly thick pork chops *see note

Combine the ingredients (except the chops) into a small bowl to mix. Place the pork into a plastic or ceramic dish, and pour over the marinade. Turn to coat them on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more (over night is fine). Remove the chops from the marinade and grill until they are no longer pink, turning often. If you want to baste the chops while grilling, hold out some of marinade when you make it, and put it in a small container, NOT on the pork with the remainder of the marinade.

Note: You can use any type of chops-- boneless pork works really well, and you can use the same amount of marinade with more of those since they are thin.

Sausage, Cabbage and Potato Skillet

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage, cut up into smaller pieces

4 large potatoes, cut into chunks

1 pound Polish sausage, Brats or Italian sausage, cut into thick slices

1 cup chicken broth or water

1 tablespoon spicy mustard

Optional: ground black pepper

In a large skillet or pan, mix the broth and the mustard. Add the cabbage and potatoes, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the sausage, cover again, and cook until the sausage is done.

Note: I like using the sausage that is made at the store, so it's not cooked. This recipe can use leftover grilled sausage, or you can cook it on the stove in a little water while the cabbage and potatoes are cooking. If you use smoked sausage then you just slice and add to the pan without cooking ahead.

Sauteed Mushrooms

These are so easy to fix on the stove while burgers or steak are cooking. Serve them at the table to top the burgers, or they can be eaten with steak.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tbsp. minced fresh garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. spicy steak sauce

Melt the butter, add the mushrooms and other ingredients. Cook for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat as low as you can, and simmer the mushrooms for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced fine

1/2 tsp. hot pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Combine the ingredients and add shrimp of any size that has been cleaned, peeled and deveined. Let the shrimp marinate for about 15-30 minutes. The shrimp can be cooked in a large skillet for a couple of minutes on each side until they are no longer pink, or they can be grilled. We use a grill pan, stirring them while they cook. They only take a few minutes to cook. Sprinkle them with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.

I always serve salad, fresh tomatoes, and baked potatoes or bread with the grilled meat. We also eat a lot of fruit instead of dessert, except when we splurge on ice cream as we did tonight. My husband and daughter picked up "Death by Chocolate" ice cream:)

~Brenda