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POTATO SALADS THAT LOVE SUMMER’S HEAT

Memorial Day Weekend almost seems to be a double purpose event. Since 9/11, The Day, itself, has become increasingly more revered as a commemoration of those who died in the service of this country but the weekend also marks the official start of summer. To one growing up in a seaside resort town, it was full of excited anticipation and hopes for the season ahead. For those involved in the tourist trade, it offered a last chance to spend time relaxing with family and friends before the busiest time of year.

This welcoming, celebratory attitude isn’t restricted to resorts. All over the U.S., patios, decks, outdoor furniture and grills are cleaned and ready for us to begin spending more time outside enjoying the warm weather and longer days. That means it’s time to break out the summer menus, most of which usually include a potato salad. For years, this opened the door to concerns about keeping it stable in the heat, but that isn’t the case anymore. There are lots of options for potato salads that will stay safe on hot days and, better still, most of the dressings can be used in Cole Slaw and pasta salads as well.

In fact some of these alternative potato salad recipes might be more in sinc with the rest of the menu than the traditional one with mayonnaise dressing. The sweet potato salads are great with chicken, the Tex-Mex version just fits barbequed meats and the German salad is goes well with burgers. The other dressings compliment seafood, cold meats and egg dishes. So why not have some fun and explore all your choices? Below are some general tips on making potato salads, some ideas for alternative ingredients to personalize your creations and two recipes which can be adjusted to any menu.

Suggestions for Making Traditional Potato Salad ‘Summer’ Safe:
Choose flavorful potatoes like red skins, Yukon Gold and/or fingerlings, not Idaho or Russet potatoes which bake but don’t boil well. In fact mixing different type can add taste. To keep all the flavor and nutrition as well as to add color to the salad, don’t peel them.
The options for additional ingredients are endless. A few of the most frequent, sliced or chopped, are olives, celery, onions (red ones add color), scallions, cucumber, radishes, peppers( fresh, cooked or jarred), mushrooms, corn, cut green beans, broccoli, peas, green as well as sugar snap and snow peas, baby spinach leaves, zucchini, yellow squash, jicama, a variety of beans and of pasta shapes. Exploring other cuisines opens even more options.

The nutritional values can be changed by substituting a portion of the potatoes for beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrots or cauliflower. The first two vegetables should be quickly blanched and the last two cooked to crisp-tender to render their texture compatible with the potatoes.

The options for the dressings are equally open. They are generally oil based using one of the nut or seed oils such as walnut or olive, and include a vinegar or citrus juice. The flavor is built through adding other condiments like mustard, and/or seasonings such as smoked paprika or curry and seeds like fennel, celery, or poppy. Herbs play a major role too. The favorites are basil, rosemary, oregano and dill. I also like lemon balm. The usual proportion for 4 cups of salad is:
1/3 cup oil
3 Tbs. vinegar of choice or citrus juice or a combination
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs or 1Tbs. dried
If using:
2 tsp. of a condiment
1 tsp. of a seasoning
2 tsp. of a seed

Cheese can also be an option; Feta, Blue and Parmesan are favorites. A chef I knew created an “Italian” potato salad served on red leaf lettuce, with Parmesan blended into the dressing and leaves of oregano and basil tossed in. The colors of the Italian flag with a taste to match, it was a big success with her clients. The important thing to remember when making the dressing is to blend the ingredients, except fresh herbs and seeds, adding the oil in a stream to create an emulsion. This sets the taste and gives the dressing a creamy smoothness that won’t ‘break’ or separate. Then toss with the potatoes adding the herbs or seeds and allow at least 30 min for the flavors to meld.

Potato Salad with Summer Coleslaw Dressing: Makes 2/3 cup vinaigrette covers 5-6 cups salad Serves 6-8
½ cup oil
2 Tbs. white or white wine vinegar.
3 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. Dijon or brown mustard
1 ½ tsp. celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ tsp. paprika for garnish
Whisk first 5 ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and allow flavors to meld for at least 30 min. Stir again and pour over cabbage in a bowl. Toss well. Garnish with paprika before serving.

Sweet Potato Salad with Lime: 4 servings
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno minced
2Tbs. brown sugar
¼ cup oil
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. lime zest
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup toasted cashew pieces—OR wasabi coated peanuts roughly chopped
Cut the potatoes in half if necessary to fit in a single layer in a deep skillet with a lid. Add water to depth of ½ inch. Cover and simmer about 15 mins. or until crisp tender—not mushy—check by pricking them. Peel skins off while warm. Blend the next 4 ingredients adding oil in a stream to make a vinaigrette; season with salt to taste. Pour 1/3 of the vinaigrette in a shallow bowl. Diagonally slice potatoes in ½ inch rounds. Put into the serving bowl and drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette. Toss gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and marinate for 2 hrs. Mix mint and lime zest and gently toss with potatoes just before serving. Garnish with about 1 Tbs. of nuts, and pass the rest on the side.

A simpler rendition of this salad is:
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Island Sweet Potato Salad: Serves 6
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, unpeeled
3 Tbs. oil
½ tsp. lime zest
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup cashew pieces
Boil potatoes until crisp tender, then cut in half and into thick slices. Alternatively, slice, toss in 1 Tbs. oil and roast at 400 deg. for 20 min, turning once. Whisk remaining oil, lime zest, juice and cilantro. Gently toss with potatoes. Chill until ready to serve. Serve at room temperature garnished with nuts.

German Potato Salad: Serves 6 *
2 lbs. small potatoes- cut in bite sized pieces and boiled to crisp tender with skins on
1 medium onion – thinly sliced
2 Tbs. oil
4 slices turkey bacon
1 Tbs. cider vinegar or to taste
½ Tbs. sugar or to taste
Drain potatoes. Gently sauté bacon until crisp, remove, drain, crumble and reserve 1 Tbs. Cook onion in oil until soft, then add vinegar and sugar until taste is pleasantly sweet-sour. Add potatoes, non-reserved bacon and toss. Allow to marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hrs. Serve warm in winter or at room temperature during summer, garnished with reserved bacon.

*NOTE: Traditionally this salad is made with regular bacon, preferably a thicker, fattier slicing and the grease is used in place of the oil. This is a healthier, less caloric version which I think works well, but the original is always a tasty choice.

Tex-Mex Potato Salad: Serves 6*
2 lb. red skinned potatoes- cooked to crisp-tender and cut in ½ inch round slices
6 green onions-white and light green parts sliced on an angle
1 small jicama peeled and in small dice
(1) 15 oz. can golden hominy-drained
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro-divided
½ cup olive oil
6 Tbs. lime juice
3 ½ tsp. dried cumin
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. chopped jalapenos- jarred is fine
1 tsp. dried oregano
Puree the last 6 ingredients taste for salt and pepper and marinate the jicama, hominy, green onion and ½ cup cilantro for 30 min.at room temperature. Gently add and toss in the potatoes and remaining cilantro. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 2 hrs. before serving.
* Recipe adapted from one by Bon Appetit.

French Potato Salad: Serves 4
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes- cooked to crisp-tender, in large dice, well drained and chilled
2 lemons—juiced
2 bunches of Arugula- washed and tough stems removed, spun dry and chilled
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. crumbled blue cheese
Chopped or dried parsley flakes for garnish
Whisk the lemon juice and oil until well mixed. Optionally add the cheese and whisk until dissolved*, or save it for garnish. Toss the arugula with ½ the dressing, and line 4 plates. Divide the potatoes among the plates and drizzle with the remainder of the dressing. Garnish with the cheese, if separate from the dressing, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve cold or room temperature.
*The lemon juice and olive oil with the blue cheese whisked in is the recipe for French Blue Cheese Dressing, and can be used on any salad that suits a blue cheese dressing.

ENJOY SPRING STRAWBERRRIES ALL YEAR

Fresh spring greens make us happy because we see them as signs that winter is over, but it’s the arrival of strawberries that really gets us going. They tell us that warm weather is here to stay and summer is near. This message is especially clear if you buy locally grown berries. Their taste is wonderful! Strawberries thrive in almost all climates and freshly picked are so different than the ‘plastic’ transported ones market-available all year. If you can’t get to a farm or farm market, most food stores run specials on ‘local’ ones at this time.

I was lucky when my children were young, because we lived close enough to the country to have farms with ‘Pick your own’ policies a short drive away. Taking the kids out to the fields gave them a way to use that end-of-school-year energy and desire to ‘be free’ as well as safely satisfy the annual summer urge to explore and forage, with the added bonus of tasty rewards.

We would bring ‘our bounty’ home, often a couple of pails full, hulling and eating our fill that day but the problem was keeping the rest edible and for how long? This is a problem whether you have access to farm produce or simply want to take advantage of seasonal sales.

As I’ve often said, my Mother was expert at freezing all kinds of berries. I’m not! I’m all about avoiding waste by finding ways to use the berries, especially those of ‘lesser’ quality by discovering recipes to preserve them for future enjoyment or by making them quickly ready for future preparations.

I learned that the simplest, least space consuming way to preserve berries is to puree and freeze them, for me, in 1 cup freezer containers or bags. I cover the puree in containers with plastic wrap and press the air out of the bags to prevent ice crystals from forming and liquefying the contents. Later, I can thaw it and add it directly to recipes like soufflés, or make a sauce for a tart by cooking it with cornstarch and covering transported, available off-season berries, thus giving them the special taste of ‘Fresh Spring ‘strawberries ‘. There are lots of options for desserts all year, and trust me, they’re show stoppers for every dinner from New Year’s on.

Of the recipes below, only the first, Strawberries Romanoff, requires fresh berries, and truly shines with the fresh field-picked ones. But hey, it’s the season! The tart is also better with fresh berries, but, as explained, can be made later in the year. The Strawberry Preserves, which will last for many months, are an easy way to use up excess or damaged berries. The Soufflé and Mousse recipes are great with fresh berries, but do equally well with thawed, pureed ones. The ice is a done deal, but don’t try to substitute it for the puree. It contains far too much water!

All these recipes seem impressive, but are really easy to make. Give them a try and really enjoy strawberries this year—all year!

Strawberries Romanoff: Serves 6-8 A traditional, elegant dessert, but so easy it seems like cheating.
2 pts. Ripe strawberries
2 cups + 2 Tbs. sugar
1/3cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Peel of 1 orange- with no pith attached, in thin 1 inch long strips
¾ cup heavy cream
Wash, hull and dry the berries; place in a bowl with 2 cups sugar, orange peel and liqueur. Stir gently and refrigerate for several hours. Whip the cream with the 2 Tbs. sugar and chill. Serve berries in individual dessert dishes and pass the cream on the side.

Glazed Strawberry Tart: (1) 9 inch cooked tart shell or (6) 2 ½ inch tart shells
6 cups washed and hulled strawberries—divided in 2 parts= 3cups of the best berries and 3 cups regular
1/3 cup sugar
1Tbs. lemon juice
1Tbs.cornstarch
Drop+ red food coloring—as needed to give a rich color
Arrange the 3 cups of the best berries in the pastry shells and mash the others well. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing down to release juice. Cook the juice with the other ingredients over low heat until they form a thick, clear sauce. When slightly cool, pour the sauce over the berries in the shells. Serve chilled, optionally with whipped cream.
NOTE: See tip above for using this recipe all year

6 Minute Preserves: Yields 5-6 cups preserves- A simple colonial recipe that still works
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6 cups sugar
4-6 Tbs. lemon juice
Wash the berries by placing in a colander and dunking up and down in a large pot of water. Do not let water run over the berries. Place the colander in a large container and cover with boiling water and let stand 1 min. then drain well. This allows the berries to absorb the sugar. Place the berries in a 6-8 quart kettle with half the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil, one that can’t be stirred down and cook 3 min. Remove pot and skim. Add the rest of the sugar, repeat the process. Remove from the heat and allow to stand overnight, occasionally pushing the berries down into the syrup. If the growing season was rainy, or the syrup seems too thin, boil again for 1-2 min. When completely cool, seal in sterilized jars or paraffin covered jelly jars. Keeps for months in a cupboard

Strawberry Souffle: Serves 6 -This is really a cinch, but very impressive.
1 pt. berries
8 eggs separated
½ cup + 1/3 cup sugar
½ lemon –juiced
1 Tbs. Cointreau – optional
Butter to grease the soufflé dishes
Powdered sugar for garnish
Wash, hull and drain the berries and process to a fine puree. Scrape the puree into a bowl. Add the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, liqueur and beat thoroughly until light and fluffy. With clean, dry beaters whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the yolk mixture. Spoon mix into 6 well-greased soufflé dishes and place on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 450 deg.oven Bake 7 min. reduce heat to 425 deg. and bake 7 min. more. Serve hot garnished with powdered sugar.

Strawberry Mousse: Serves 6-8 Better than ice cream because it’s all natural
1 quart strawberries-washed and hulled
1 pt. heavy cream – whipped
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
Add sugar to the berries, let stand 1 hr. and mash well. Whip cream with vanilla and gently stir into berries along with salt. Pour into freezer containers or into a mold and cover bottoms with a piece of lightly oiled waxed paper. The cream tends to form a dry crust when frozen. If using a mold, rinse with water firs, but don’t dry it out. This makes unmolding easier. Freeze at least 4-6 hr. preferably longer. Will keep for weeks.

Strawberry Ice: Serves 6-8 Great to have on hand for a quick ‘dessert fix’
2 quarts strawberries- washed and hulled
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Puree the berries. The yield should be about 2 cups. Boil the water with the sugar until it dissolves, then cool. Mix all the ingredients, beat well and pour into a covered freezer container. Freeze until slushy, a few hours, turn out into a bowl and beat again. Return to container and freeze until firm. Keeps as long as commercial ice cream. Very good with meringues or a whipped topping.

START MOTHER’S DAY RIGHT FOR EMPTY NESTERS

Last week’s posting was about Mother’s Day meals for young, active families. This week is about pleasing my group of mothers, those with older children; children in their late teens or out of the house, perhaps with families of their own. After a busy week, these moms like to sleep-in a bit and many are looking forward to dinner in a restaurant or with family. Planning three meals doesn’t really do for them, but a late morning brunch is perfect. It removes morning hunger and keeps it at bay until dinner.

The brunch doesn’t have to be elaborate, just something a bit different. The day’s honoree will usually pitch in and help, so long as the meal can be enjoyed in a leisurely way with good companionship and conversation. The following recipes are for dishes that can be dressed up with pastries, fruit and salads or simply served with coffee and toast. They require little effort, both to make and better still, to clean up. In short, they’re perfect for the occasion.

The first five recipes are from my book SOME RECIPES FOR MOTHER’S DAY. The last two are my favorites. One is my own Mother’s take on a classic, Creamed Chipped Beef. The Creamed Mushrooms on Toast is my own invention. Recipes for 2 can be doubled and those serving 4 easily halved.

Eggs Florentine: Serves 4
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
1tsp. salt OR 1 envelope bouillon powder-beef or chicken
Pinch nutmeg
Grated Parmesan cheese
Thaw and drain the spinach in a sieve until it is moist but not wet. Mix in the bouillon or salt and nutmeg then divide it between 4 greased custard cups or ramekins. Top with a raw egg and sprinkle with cheese. Place cups in a pan with ½ inch water and bake at 350 deg. 15 min. or until eggs are set.

Frittata; Serves 4
Count on using about 1 cup vegetables, leftovers or canned are perfect. If using frozen or raw, they must be sautéed or blanched first. Frittatas are also forgiving. If one sticks and won’t slide onto a plate, slice it in wedges and serve it in the pan.
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetables*
2 Tbs. oil
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount

Pinch salt
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. paprika
Ground pepper to taste
Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or 1 cup tomato sauce.
Cut vegetables to ½ inch size or thin slice In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in an 8-9 inch skillet over medium. Turn on the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and the sauce as serving. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.

* If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination.

* ½ cup diced meat can replace ½ cup of the vegetables

Baked Eggs in a Cloud— Recipe for 4
4 large eggs separated
4 thin slices of ham or smoked turkey
2 drops of cider vinegar
Butter for the [an
Salt and pepper
Optional seasonings
Lightly butter a 7X7x1 ½ inch square ovenproof pan. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan, and line the bottom and sides with a single layer of ham leaving a slight overhang all around. Whip the egg whites until they stand up in peaks, incorporating the vinegar half way through. Add seasonings. Spoon them over the ham. Using a spoon, make 4 dents in the whites, evenly spaced for portions. Put a yoke in each depression. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until whites are slightly brown and yokes are just set. Serve at once. I like a bit of curry powder or dry mustard in the whites. Alternately serve with Worcestershire sauce to top.

Eggs Adeline: Serves 2
2 eggs
2 slices Canadian bacon- cooked
2 Deli slices Swiss or Cheddar cheese
2 thick center slices of beefsteak or other large tomato
1 English muffin
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Split and toast the muffin. Layer equally on each half in order the bacon the tomato and then
cheese. Run under a hot broiler until the cheese just melts Meanwhile, poach the eggs. Top each muffin half with an egg and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce.
Note: Substitute toasted slices of Italian bread for the muffin and put the topped slices in the microwave for 30 sec. instead of heating the broiler.

Classic Quiche Lorraine: Serves 4
Quiche is a dish that allows a lot of room for variety, yet is quite simple to prepare. If one of these won’t be enough for your family, make two and use different ingredients. Think of it as if you were making pizzas with different toppings.-but here it’s bottoms!
(1) 9 inch deep dish pie shell-store bought is fine—baked
1 Tbs. butter
4 oz. sliced mushrooms—(1/2) 8 oz. can will do
1 small onion diced
4 eggs
1 cup light cream or whole milk
½ tsp. dried mustard OR prepared Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheese -Swiss usually preferred
Salt and pepper.
8-10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled OR ¼ lb. sliced Deli smoked turkey
Dash of ground nutmeg
Paprika and dried parsley
Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook bacon until crisp or frizzle smoked turkey and dice. Melt butter in skillet add mushrooms and onion and cook until they render their juice.-about 3 min. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the crust. Put mushrooms, onion and bacon in the bottom of the pie shell and cover with the cheese. Then pour over the eggs beaten until frothy with the milk, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, garnish with the paprika and parsley and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 min .Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 min. more. Allow to stand 5 min. before cutting.

Creamed Chipped Beef: Serves 4
(1) pkg. dried beef—about 6-8 oz.*
2 cups milk or 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
¾ cup peas or cut green beans cooked to crisp tender
Salt and pepper
¼ tsp. curry powder – optional
Parsley
Pull off any strands of fat and cut the meat into 1 inch squares. Prepare the cream sauce by heating the butter until it foams and stirring in the flour to form a roux or paste. Add the milk quickly and return to the heat, stirring constantly until a smooth, creamy sauce develops. Add the other ingredients and cook over warm, stirring until the mixture is heated through.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley over toast, in patty shells or in baked potatoes.
*Substitute and equal amount of Deli sliced ham or 2 cups cubed leftover ham.

Creamed Mushrooms on Toast: Serves 2
8 oz. button mushrooms-try to get large ones
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup half and half
¼ tsp. marjoram
Salt and pepper—optional-taste before adding
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley-for garnish
4 slices of toast—I like rye bread
Clean the mushrooms and coarsely chop the stems.
Briefly broil the caps on a foil covered sheet, turning once and reserving any juice that appears. Melt the butter in a skillet and gently toss the stem pieces until slightly wilted. Add the wine and flour and make a roux. Add the liquid, marjoram and any reserved mushroom juice; stir over medium heat until sauce thickens. Taste for salt and pepper. Divide the toast between the plates and arrange the caps on top, then spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

LET KIDS HELP COOK ON MOTHER’S DAY

I love cooking with children. It can be such fun. I learned this one spring, years ago, when I agreed to bake cakes for three events scheduled on three successive weeks. The first Saturday, I saw I had an audience of my daughter and friends, eager to lick the batter. The second Saturday, they were waiting for me and by the third, were perched on the counters asking questions. I realized I had a cake fan club when they showed up the fourth Saturday, though I had no cake to bake. I simply reached for a box of mix and got started cooking, thus beginning what was dubbed ‘Cake Saturdays’ that summer.

Our weekly project soon evolved from layer cakes into sheet cakes that were consumed at the pool over the weekend. By September, I had a rather accomplished crew of sous chefs who participated in the baking process. In fact, over the coming years, they anticipated when I would be contributing food to certain events, school fairs, community gatherings, bazaars and club occasions, and showed up to help. We baked many a cake or pie, made doughnuts, meatballs, and quantities of side and main dish salads and casseroles together. It’s interesting to note that each of these kids, at some point during their school years, worked in a restaurant.

Today they are all food knowledgeable, nutrition conscious adults. One is a professional in the food industry, holding two degrees from The Culinary Institute of America. Perhaps it was a trend of the times, and I’m sure a lot of family influence was involved, but I like to believe that early positive kitchen experience was partially responsible for their healthy attitude toward and appreciation of food.

The key phrase is ‘early positive kitchen experience’. Children are different in the kitchen. They’re curious, interested, perhaps because they’re reward oriented, and so enthusiastic it’s contagious. Their eagerness to learn lowers their defenses. They look to you to teach them tasks for which they will be responsible, and recognized as such. In doing so, you gain their trust and they begin to open up to you. It’s the best bonding opportunity ever, but only if you give them a skill or responsibility they can take away with them. Chastise them, or relegate them to being spectators and the door shuts.

So what can children safely do in the kitchen, especially those in the first years of grade school? Actually plenty! They can spread bread and fill sandwiches, stir and mix, particularly if it involves squishing things with their hands, like meat balls, rinse and drain, or strain and sieve. They can spray oil on pans, shake items in bags to flour coat them, sprinkle herbs for flavor or garnish and they love forming patties, cutting dough shapes, chopping nuts with the bottom of a can and stringing skewers. Older children can measure ingredients, even combine them in to a recipe, open cans, use a grater or chopper, with supervision run a blender or processer and many other tasks.

The trick is to give a child a job that requires they pay attention and then more difficult jobs as they progress. Keep an eye on them but don’t hover. Play up their pride in accomplishment but don’t overly praise, especially the older ones and treat them as colleagues achieving peer status in the kitchen.

The person in charge of cooking for the family on a regular basis usually does these things instinctively, because they welcome help on a regular basis. However, for other family members, they are tips to help get to know a child and what better time to try them out than Mother’s Day, when the object is to keep Mother out of the kitchen?

To help achieve both goals, I’ve written a book, RECIPE SUGGESTIONS FOR MOTHER’S DAY. It contains lots of delicious recipes for all three meals, plus desserts, which can easily be made with the help of children. Also included are two full days of menus, which I worked out for neighbors. In the first, the father was away and the children wanted to make Mother’s Day special. In the second, the family was packing to move and only had limited equipment to work with. They may offer some suggestions or pointers. In addition, I’m including recipes from each meal category, showing how simple it is to involve children in your kitchen plans.

Yogurt with Bananas and Nuts: Serves 4
3 large, ripe bananas –or 3 very ripe bananas (the brown won’t show when they’re mashed)
16 oz. Greek yogurt
4 Tbs. toasted chopped nuts, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
Using a fork, mash the ripe bananas or peel the fresh bananas, wrap separately in plastic wrap and microwave 1 min. on high. Cool, unwrap and mash. Gently mix with the yogurt and spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Chill briefly to cool and sprinkle nuts equally over the tops as garnish. Serve chilled with baked goods, buns, biscuits, muffins or croissants. To chop nuts, put them in a plastic bag and pound with the bottom of a tin can. Children can mash, mix and chop.

Tuna and Bean Salad: Serves 4
6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained
16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans
4 plum tomatoes quartered OR 16 grape tomatoes (optionally,the tomatoes can be diced and mixed in)
2 tsp. dried basil
Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. oil
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Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 5 ingredients, then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on lettuce lined plates garnished with a sprinkle of basil and the tomatoes fanned on top. Excellent with a loaf of artesian bread. Children can prepare almost if not all of this dish.

Beef Kabobs This is calculated for 5 skewers but 4 servings, so that the excess can be shared.
A crowd pleaser! Marinate the meat the night before or early in the day and the meal comes together quickly.
2 lbs. Top round London broil 20 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 2 large green bell peppers
1/3 cup oil 2 large onions
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce 25 button mushroom caps
2 tsp. dried thyme – divided
2 tsp. dried oregano – divided 1 box long grain and wild rice mix
1 tsp. paprika – divided
2 tsp. dried rosemary – divided 5 skewers 12” long
2 tsp. garlic powder – divided
2 tsp. dry mustard powder – divided
Trim any fat off the meat. Place in an oblong glass dish; pour on the vinegar, oil and Worcestershire Sauce. Sprinkle half the given quantity of each of the herbs over it.
Allow to marinate for 2 hours, turn it over and sprinkle the rest of the herbs on the other side .Keep turning the meat every few hours for about 6 hours, or overnight. This is to give both sides of the meat equal time in the marinade. When ready to cook, cut meat into 25 large pieces. Reserve marinade.
Cut the peppers into 20 large pieces, and cut each onion in 8ths, then separate those pieces to make a total of 20 segments. Wash the mushrooms, saving the caps and slicing the stems. Thread 5 skewers, alternating meat and vegetables, starting and ending with meat. I find the vegetables hold better during cooking if the natural curved shape of the pepper and onion pieces is used to form parentheses enclosing the tomato and mushroom caps. Use a mushroom cap as a ‘stopper ‘ on the end of each skewer. Grill as per your usual routine but don’t overcook. If broiling, I like to do it on a lower shelf, for 8-10 min. That way the vegetables have a chance to cook through without burned skins. Do not cook kabobs until rice is ready.

Cook the rice according to package directions, substituting the marinade for an equal amount of the water required, and adding the sliced mushroom stems. Hold on warm while meat cooks.
This only needs a simple green salad

Children can mix and marinate the meat. Once the items are prepared, they love stringing the skewers.

Easy Berry Angel Cake
(1) 1lb. purchased pound cake
(2) 8 oz. tubs of Whipped Topping
1 pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest a
few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3^rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2^nd layer. Finish with 3^rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.

Children can sort and marinate the berries and assemble the cake.