Happy Eats!

Real potato flavor, but far less rich than conventional potato salad. To make this suitable for vegans (people who eat no animal products whatsoever), use Vegenaise, Sour Supreme, and vegan bacon bits.

This recipe makes two generous servings. If you want to make enough for a family barbecue, buy a 5-pound bag of potatoes. Peel and the cook the entire bag. Then increase the rest of the ingredients as follows: 1/4 cup each of lemon juice. mayonnaise, and sour cream; 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; 1 big bunch of green onions; and 4 slices of bacon. Feel free to add an extra tablespoon of mayo or sour cream if you want a creamier dish.

• 1 pound small red potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise or Vegenaise
• 1 tablespoon sour cream or Tofutti Sour Supreme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 green onions, chopped, tender part of green only (optional)
• 1 slice bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled, or 1 tablespoon vegan bacon bits (optional)

Simmer the potatoes in a big pot of boiling water until soft but not mushy. This can take anywhere from 18-30 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and how fresh they are. A fork should pierce them easily, but they shouldn’t fall apart into mush.

While the potatoes cook, measure the lemon juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper in a non-reactive mixing bowl. Whisk with a fork, set aside in the fridge. When the potatoes are done, drain, run some cold water over them, then let them cool until they’re at room temperature.

Mix the potatoes with the dressing, add the chopped green onion and crumbled bacon.

2 servings - easily multiplied.

• 1 can (16 oz.) green beans (drained)
• 1 can (16 oz.) wax beans (drained)
• 1 can (16 oz.) garbanzo beans (drained)
• 1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 8 green onions, sliced (including tops)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the beans, green pepper, and onions in a large bowl. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients until the sugar is well dissolved.

Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and refrigerate overnight, stirring several times.

Be careful to get the vinegar and sugar well dissolved - and no guessing on amounts.

This dish goes well with baked ham as it is a hearty vegetable, and I don’t serve potatoes with it. Any sweet jello salad adds variety to the flavors of the meal, such as strawberry or raspberry gelatin with crushed pineapple and miniature marshmallows added. Make the gelatin according to package directions.

Serve with warm biscuits or corn bread and you don’t need a dessert.

In Memory of Euphrasia McMullen.

This recipe was developed by the late Mrs. McMullen. This salad was a great favorite of her family, and she served it to them for many decades.

Oh, is this ever good. Cherries jubilee was a popular dessert in the 1950s and 1960s, when flaming desserts were all the rage in gourmet circles. That went out of fashion with the rise of nouvelle cuisine, when tiny slices of exotic fruits, arranged on a plate with a few drizzles of sauce, became the “chic” dessert. But that didn’t change the fact that Cherries Jubilee is a gorgeous, impressive, pretty, and scrumptious fruit dessert.

So I urge you to try making Cherries Jubilee just once. It’s just a few ingredients, you can make it from things in your cupboard, it’s ridiculously easy, and it’s an incredibly happy eat! Serve this over the very best vanilla ice cream or vanilla sorbet you can find… or use these cherries as a filling for my Happy Crepes, with a little whipped cream or ice cream on top.

• 1 can pitted dark cherries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cognac, Grand Marnier, amaretto, or kirsch

Drain the cherries over a bowl, so you capture all the juice they were packed in. In a 10-inch skillet, combine the sugar and the cornstarch, then add the cherry juice, mixing with a whisk. Place the liqueur in a small saucepan, and heat over a low flame until it warms up. Don’t boil it or reduce it - you just want it to be warm.

Now turn the heat on under the skillet, adjust it to medium, and cook the juice mizture, stirring constantly, for about 3-4 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Add the cherries, but don’t stir. Turn off the flame.

Now for “the business” - and yes, you can do this at the table if you want to impress your guests! Have a long handled metal spoor or ladle ready. Pour the warmed liqueur over the cherries. Touch a lit fireplace lighter to the sauce - it should ignite immediately, and burn with a blue flame. Grab the metal ladle and spoon the flaming sauce over the cherries. The flame will die down quickly as the alcohol burns off.

Now spoon the cherries over vanilla ice cream, vanilla sorbet, or on top of folded Happy Crepes, and divide any remaining sauce between the plates.

Serves 4-6.

Saint Patricks Day-Drink

Into a warm glass mug pour one jigger of Irish
whiskey, add 6 oz.of strong black coffee, original Starbucks
is ok. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and stir to dissolve.
Pour heavy cream 2 tablespoons of it,over the back of the spoon.
Do not stir the coffee.

Enjoy- Happy St. Patrick Day