Good as my Momma's Potato Salad!

One of these days I'll get into the habit of MEASURING stuff... 

Very finely chopped celery (about a stalk and a half), onion(about 1/2 cup) and pimento (about 2 Tbls) ...

 Boiled red potatoes, boiled eggs 

(these are small/med potatoes...about 20 and 5 eggs)

 Drain liquid from sweet relish (1 15 oz jar)

 Peel potatoes/leaving some skin, chop w/egg

 Add celery, onion, pimento and drained relish

 Add salt, pepper and a pinch of dill

 .... and mustard powder (also use regular mustard)

 Mix with mayo and Miracle Whip 

(about 1cup mayo, 3/4 cup MW) more or less to your liking) ...

The Kitchen is Open!

Thanksgiving 2011

Turkey/oyster dressing/gravy, mashed potatoes, candied yams, roast beef gravey, fresh green beans with tomato and garlic, greens and cabbage, mac-n-cheese!

Fish (perch) and eggs w/sweet and red potato home fries!!

 Burger with avocado, sweet yellow peppers!

 Collards, kale and cabbage w/chorizo!

 Corney cornbread!!

 Black-eyed peas w/garlic, tomato, onions and smoked turkey sausage

 New Year's Day 2012!!

The Mac Daddy of Mac-N-Cheese!!

   

1½ cups macaroni (cooked/drained)
1+ cup each shredded:

Colby/jack
American (add to white sauce)
Muenster cheese (needs to be chilled to shred)
Asiago
Mild cheddar brick (I usually chop this one into real little cubes)

White Sauce
2 Tbls butter
2 Tbls flour
3 Tbls  butter (added at end)
5-7 cups whole milk
1 egg yolk (added to milk)
¼ tsp. minced garlic
Salt/white pepper to taste

In large pot melt butter, add flour stirring constantly til bubbly (don’t let brown).
Add about 4 cups of milk (with egg yolk), stir on med/low heat til warm, add the rest of the milk til warm, stirring constantly. Add American cheese, garlic, salt/white pepper. The cheese will thicken sauce slightly, but don’t sauce should remain somewhat thin, don't boil.

Turn off heat, add 3 Tbls. butter.

 Egg yolk added to cold milk to temper

  Add to sauce

 Add minced garlic

 Add American cheese and muenster cheeses to sauce

 Turn off heat add butter

 Pour sauce over drained macaroni, added all other cheeses

 Back at 350 til golden but still loose.

Oyster Dressing

 I've got to do a better job at measuring things!  Approximating here: 

  About 4 stalks celery/1 medium onion chopped

 Saute in 3 Tbls butter.  Prepare cornbread a day ahead (preferably)

Add to crumbled cornbread and dried bread crumbs (about 5 cups) w/1 egg

and chicken stock (about 3-4 cups), sage, rosemary, thyme, spicy paprika, salt/pepper (I add to taste)

Add sage sausage or sausage of choice (chorizo pictured) about a cup

Add oysters (3 large added here) I break them up, but you can use whole

 Transfer to baking dish/bake @ 350 for 30 minutes.

 

 

USNS MEGAR EVERS CHRISTENING CEREMONY 11-12-2011

I had the honor of speaking with Myrlie Evers-Williams--the wife of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers--as she reflected on the high honor bestowed upon her late husband.