Recipes from Ollie J/Roa S -- Seven Layer Salad

I don't know if this recipe is southern, Mormon, or if it truly transcends cultural, religious, and/or regional boundaries. I've seen it appear at gatherings of good church women around the country. Most recently it made an appearance during the events surrounding my father's mother's services (Grandma Roa) -- out in the heartland of Utah. It was as good as I remembered, or maybe the Miracle Whip, the cheese and peas, and the bacony goodness added to the gratitude we all had for the services of the good Relief Society sisters to the family of one of their most stubborn lost lambs.

If you eat this with funeral potatoes, you don't feel quite so guilty, or so sad. Add a chaser of lime Jell-o salad, or ambrosia, and you've had a very cliched Utah/Mormon meal.

Seven Layer Salad

1 head lettuce (iceberg), chopped fine
1 cup celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped *
1 small onion, chopped
1 package (10 oz.) cooked (baby) frozen peas
2 cup (16 oz.) Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, with 2 tablespoons sugar (white) **
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (used 2 packages pre-cooked Oscar Meyer, heated and crumbled, so not as much bacon)
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
(topped with slivered blanched almonds)

In a large bowl, layer above ingredients in order.
Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Seal well with salad dressing before refrigerating. (used Saran wrap)

* I used 1/2 a green bell pepper from another recipe and added a cup of shredded carrots for more veggies and to add some color.

** When assembling my shopping list, I didn't pay enough attention to the cups and ounces needed for the Miracle Whip. It's not a standard pantry item for me any more, so I grabbed a tiny jar in the store. Turns out, that's only a 8 oz./1 cupper, so I was seriously short for the recipe. A mid-day run to the local CVS and 711 didn't yield any Miracle Whip, so I trudged home to improvise. What I did have in the fridge was a container with a bit of horseradish sandwich dressing in it (about 3 tablespoons), and some olive oil. So into a container when the Whip and horseradish sandwich dressing, and then I started whipping in olive oil. About 6 tablespoons or more of oil later, the dressing thinned out enough to yield about 2 cups of topping. The horseradish dressing actually complimented the Whip, and added a tang to the salad that I enjoyed.

I made two salads out of the ingredients. The larger bowl, I layered as you normally would. In the smaller of the two bowls, I added a final layer of slivered almonds.

Just about as good as I remembered. I could have added a LOT more bacon to get to the culinary delights of my childhood, but I'm more aware now of what I'm eating.

Quote of the Day

"If you show someone something you've written, you give them a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, 'When you're ready.'"

~David Mitchell in Black Swan Green

Sign of the Day

If you keep your friends close and your enemies closer, what are you supposed to do about this?

What a difference a consonant makes!

What Dreams may come

I need to go to the library and check out a book on dream interpretations. Two of my friends report that I've been making cameos during their REM cycles. I'm not quite sure what my cameos mean.

Most recently Auntie's "oldest*" friend Jenn reported the following:

"I had a dream last night with you and D.N.[high school classmate's name changed to protect the innocent] and Max Medina from G[ilmore] G[irls] in it, very odd!"

My first reaction? I hope he was more into me than D.N.. Ridiculous, I know. She's a perfectly nice woman, but suffice it to say, high school baggage never completely goes away. Plus, Mr. Medina was/is MY type. Tall, dark, educated, snarky, but nice.

I wondered, though, in the dream ... were we on our way to Chilton? If D.N. was in the dream, did that mean that we three were back in high school and Mr. Medina was our teacher? And if so, then that would take on icky Lolita overtones. (Jenn! What were you drinking/eating before you went to bed that night?!)

That is NO WHERE as disturbing as the e-mail I got over the summer from Krippy, entitled ALIVE?:

Hey

[My husband] had a dream that you died. SO, I’m checking on you. You alive?

xoxoxo**

You do have to wonder a few things.

Why was I featured in her husband's dream in the first place? If I didn't know both of them for so long and so well, I would be concerned on Krippy's behalf that I was making a cameo in her husband's dreams.

What the heck exactly happened to me? I mean, I very rarely can remember all my dreams upon waking. What exactly freaked him out that he woke up remembering and then told Krippy? To be fair, this was around the time of a plane crash, and I had just flown out to visit family, so there might have been that going on somewhere in his subconscious. I haven't actually spoken to her hubby in quite a while, so I don't know what else could trigger this.

Obviously it didn't freak out Krippy too much. (Thus, the e-mail instead of a phone call at 3:00 a.m.) Plus, Krippy has enough to deal with without that particular dream coming true. I do warn her now before I go on trips or do anything too exciting (like jump out of planes). I don't want to keep making cameos like that.

I know other people play cameos in my dreams, but for the most part ... I keep that information to myself. No need to let on to quite how odd I really am. Some things are best unknown.

In any event, it's good to know I'd be missed. Thanks for reassuring me Krippy and co.


*and I use this term to denote the longest friendship relationship, and not to cast chronological aspirations.
** the hugs and kisses did NOTHING to not freak me out more over the 1st sentence.

Happy Birthday Amber!

My Amberkins,

I can't believe you're 4 already!

You're already making appointments and playdates,

and keeping in touch with people on your cell.

Next thing I'll know, you'll be driving.

Don't grow up on me too fast, my adorable girl.

As always, know that I love and miss you very much,
Hugs and kisses,
Auntie Nettie

Recipes from Ollie J -- Beef and Potato Skillet

I'm pretty Grandma got this recipe off the back of the Campbell's soup can. Not that I mind ... those recipes are usually pretty good. However, just reviewing the ingredients makes me realize just how evolved my palate has gotten over the years. I immediately starting thinking of ways to spice it up and to increase the veggie quotient. See below.

Beef and Potato Skillet

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey, buffalo, or elk)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
1/3 cup water
1 can (16 oz.) whole potatoes, drained and sliced
1/2 cup of green peppers, diced
1/2 cup of celery, diced
1/2 cup of red onions, diced
1 4 oz. can of diced jalapenos, drained
1 14 oz. can of green beans, drained
generous handful of red pepper flakes
couple of teaspoons of Thai chile sauce
salt
pepper

In skillet, brown beef and cook onion (celery, green pepper, red onion) until tender (use shortening if needed). Stir to separate meat (season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste); Pour off fat*. Stir in soup, water; add potatoes (green beans and jalapenos). Heat; Stir often. (If not spicy enough, add splashes of chile sauce). Top with extra grated cheese, serve over white or brown rice, or pasta.

Makes 4+ cups. (I got about 5 meals out of this. Extras are sitting in my freezer for later.)


*I used very lean beef, so there wasn't anything really to pour off.

Recipes from Ollie J -- Candied Sweet Potatoes

Although I do not particularly like sweet potatoes unless they are fries, I couldn't include recipes from Ollie J without a classic sweet potato recipe -- since one of the many crops that would rotate through the family farm was the sweet potato. If I find a recipe for soy beans and cotton (or even tobacco), I'll include those too.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons water

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water 15 minutes. Cool, peel, halve lengthwise. Place remaining ingredients in frying pan. Arrange potatoes on top, cut side down. Cook slowly, uncover, and basting frequently, about 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and well glazed.