Monthly Archives: July 2010

Fresh Fruit Pies

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There’s nothing better than a fresh fruit pie. We’re just in the process of finishing an apricot pie, and despite the fruit’s tartness, I don’t think it can get any better than having a piece of it with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream.

While I love pies, the pie maker in our family is Therese. She makes the best pies. I think my favorite is her apple pie, although the ones she’s made with fresh rhubarb are pretty darned good, too.

We recently froze a few bags of rhubarb to use down the road, and we still have a few vacuumed-sealed bags of apples in the freezer that will have to be used before this fall’s crop is tapped.

I’m also looking forward to the new crop of cherries that should be making their way into the supermarket in the next couple of weeks. I’m hoping to talk Therese into making a cherry pie. That kind always has been a favorite, too.

With that in mind, here’s a recipe that I came across recently that just might do the trick.

Sweet Cherry Pie
¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling over the pie
¼ cup cornstarch
6 cups sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, preferably Grand Marnier
Prepared flaky pie crust for 1 double-crust pie
1 egg
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the three-fourths cup sugar with the cornstarch. Stir in the cherries, coating completely, then stir in the vanilla and orange liqueur until evenly combined.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pie crust. Pile in the cherries, sprinkling over the cherries any additional sugar-cornstarch mixture that did not stick to the fruit.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg to form a wash.
Prepare the top crust, adding decorative cutouts or cutting lattice strips if desired. Cover the top of the pie with the prepared top crust, sealing the edges with the egg wash and cutting vents if needed.
Brush the top of the crust with the egg wash, and sprinkle over a light coating of sugar.
Place the pie in the oven and bake until the crust is a rich golden color and the filling is bubbly and thick, about 1 hour and 15 minutes; rotate the pie halfway through for even coloring, and tent if needed to prevent overcoloring.
Cool before serving.
Yield: Serves 8.
Approximate nutritional  analysis per servings: 569 calories, 7 grams protein, 79 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 25 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 65 milligrams cholesterol, 37 grams sugar, 449 milligrams sodium.

Spicy Slaw

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An e-mail I receive each week from New Asian Cuisine (newasiancuisine.com)  is fast becoming one of my favorites. The most recent contained a recipe courtesy of Joanne Choi, whose WeekofMenus website (WeekofMenus.blogspot.com) is another that I like to peruse.

The recipe, Korean Style Spicy Slaw, looks a lot like kimchee and is spicy like kimchee, Choi says. The blogger says she loves the texture and especially likes it with marinated meats.

With an abundance of cabbage in my garden, I’m thinking of adding to the list of sides that we’ll have the next time I fix marinated pheasant on the grill.

Korean Style Spicy Slaw
½ head of cabbage, thinly shredded
2 minicucumbers), julienne
½ onion, (red or white) thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped green onions|
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
DRESSING:
3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seed|
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes
Mix all the ingredients of the dressing together. It gets really thick so do not be shocked. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and carefully mix them together. Serve.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

 

Salsa Verde

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Canning season already has started at our house. We processed apricots over the weekend. The result was nine pints in a light sugar syrup and seven pints of jam.

I was given the opportunity to put up those numbers after a friend, Gary Brundin, called and said one of his neighbors in East Grand Forks had an overabundance of the tart fruit in his backyard. It was a nice way to kick off the canning season.

By the time you read this, hopefully I’ll have added some salsa verde to the pantry shelves. This summer is the first time I’ve tried my hand at growing tomatillos, and the result has been quite satifying. Not only have I had enough to nibble on but also plenty for about a couple of pints for use with some chips long after the growing season ends.

In case you aren’t familiar with tomatillos, they look like small, underripe tomatoes beneath their paperlike husks. Once you unwrap them, you discover firm, slightly sticky flesh with a scent similar to freshly picked herbs.

Tomatillos look like green tomatoes and have the same crunchy texture and tart, citrusy flavor. In fact, the name tomatillo means "small tomato" in Spanish. Most often, they are used either grilled, roasted or blanched in salsa verde, which can be used with chips or as a complement to meat or fish.

Here’s a recipe for salsa verde and a recipe that uses the sauce in a Mexican salmon salad sandwich.

Salsa Verde
2 large tomatillos (6 to 7 ounces each)
2 medium scallions
1 small jalapeno chili
¼ cup firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice|
2 small garlic cloves, pressed or minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Husk, rinse and thickly slice the tomatillos; (you should have about 1½ cups). Trim and thickly slice the white and light green parts of the scallions (about ¼ cup) and coarsely chop the jalapeno (about 2 teaspoons).
Combine the vegetables and the cilantro in a food processor. Add the oil, lime juice and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 1 cup.
Approximate nutritional analysis per 1/2 cup serving: 147 calories, 85 percent of calories from fat, 14.4 grams fat (1.2 grams saturated, 8.3 grams monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 0.9 grams protein, 4.9 grams carbohydrates, 1.3 grams fiber, 295 milligrams sodium.

Mexican Salmon Salad Sandwiches
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup tomatillo salsa
1 14½-ounce can salmon, drained and deboned
1 ripe avocado
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 7-inch pitas
2 cups baby romaine lettuce leaves
Stir the mayonnaise and lime juice into the salsa in a medium bowl. Flake the salmon into the salsa mixture, leaving the pieces large.
Halve, seed and peel the avocado, and cut it into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup). Fold it into the salmon mixture, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice open the tops of the pitas. Divide the salmon mixture and romaine among them, and serve.
Yield: Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 563 calories, 51 percent of calories from fat, 32.3 grams fat (4.9 grams saturated, 11.2 grams monounsaturated), 53.4 milligrams cholesterol, 27.8 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 5.9 grams fiber, 565 milligrams sodium.

Grilled Jack Burger

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably been enjoying The Associated Press’ "20 Burgers of Summer" series.

So far, AP food writer J.M. Hirsch has treated us with recipes from well-known chefs and celebrities such as Daisy Martinez, Martha Stewart, Michel Nischan, brothers Matt and Ted Lee, Eric Ripert, Tim Love and first lady Michelle Obama’s favorite, Spike Mendelsohn, just to name a few.

The latest chef to join in is Adam Perry Lang, owner of New York’s Daisy May’s BBQ USA restaurant, a classic rib shack known for its whole pig, pulled pork and beef ribs.

In an e-mail to Hirsch, Perry said, "Sometimes, I love a burger that is rich in fat — 70-30 blend of protein to fat. I like these on colder days when I need fat and heartiness. In the summertime, a leaner burger is appreciated. 90-10 can do the trick."

Lang’s most memorable burger is one he would get when he was 8 years old spending the summers on the beach in Montauk.

"This was in front of Gurneys Inn," said. "They called it the Gurney Burger, and it was served on an English muffin. I have had others, but that was a burger memory."

For the series, Perry Lang offered up a basic burger — nearly a half-pounder — topped with caramelized onions spiked with chipotle chilies and Monterey Jack cheese.

If you have a hearty appetite, this just might be the burger you should try.

Griddled and Grilled Montery Jack Cheeseburgers with Spicy Chipotle Caramelized Onions and Cilantro
2½ pounds ground beef (80 percent lean)
¼ cup cold water
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
6 small to medium sweet white onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons pureed chipotle in adobo
4 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons flat-leaf fresh parsley leaves
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
6 hamburger buns
In a large bowl, mix together the beef and water. Shape into 6 patties, about 1 inch thick.
In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Use the blend to sea-son the burgers, pressing it into the meat.
Heat a grill to medium-high.
Set a griddle pan on the grill and add half of the butter or oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions, season with the remaining ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and saute until the onions soften and start to brown. Add the pureed chipotle, scallions and cilantro.
Push the onions to one side of the griddle. Heat the remaining butter or oil on the empty side and place the hamburgers on it. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
Move the burgers to the grill and cook to desired doneness, flipping halfway through (2 minutes per side for medium-rare).
Stir the parsley into the onions and spoon the onions onto the hamburgers. Lay a slice of cheese on top of each and continue cooking until it melts.
Place a burger in each bun and serve.
Yield: Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 768 calories, 476 calories from fat, 53 grams fat (21 grams saturated, 2 grams trans), 164 milligrams cholesterol, 29 grams carbohydrates, 42 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, 998 milligrams sodium.

Cooking with Gourmet Spices

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I’ve been making a conscious effort to get more seafood into our diets  — specifically, fish such as halibut and salmon.

Just the other night, I broiled some salmon in our toaster oven that had been marinated for about three hours in some soy sauce. The wild-caught sockeye was very tasty and went well with some fresh steamed green beans from the garden and a salad that also featured home-grown cucumbers and lettuce.

I’m always on the lookout for recipes that feature the kind of fish that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which studies have shown are beneficial to heart health. A recent release about some new additions to McCormick’s (www.mccormick.com) Gourmet line gave me another recipe to add to my collection.

The recipe is called Smoked Paprika Roasted Salmon with Wilted Spinach. It’s low in calories, carbohydrates, fat and sodium.

I discovered the recipe after reading up on the new roasted spice varieties — cumin, Saigon cinnamon, ginger and coriander. If you are looking for flavor-boosting secrets, roasting spices such as these rise to the top as one of the most accessible take-home techniques.

The recipes featured for the new spices were Roasted Cumin-Crusted Grilled Steaks with Tomato Relish, Banana, Cherry and Roasted Cinnamon Bread Pudding, Roasted Ginger Vegetable Stir-Fry and Roasted Coriander, Chickpea and Lime Rice.
 

Smoked Paprika Roasted Salmon with Wilted Spinach
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet Collection Thyme Leaves, divided
2 pounds salmon fillets
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Paprika, Smoked
1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Cinnamon, Saigon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt
1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach leaves
Mix orange juice, 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 teaspoon of the thyme in small bowl. Place salmon in glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, cinnamon, orange peel, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and sea salt in small bowl. Remove salmon from marinade. Place in greased foil-lined baking pan. Discard any remaining marinade.
Rub top of salmon evenly with smoked paprika mixture. Roast 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach; cook 2 minutes or until wilted. Serve salmon over spinach.
Yield: Serves 8.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 188 calories, 202 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrates, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram fiber. 25 grams protein.

Kung Pao Chicken

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It’s shaping up to be a pretty good summer for peppers. My bells are well on their way, and my hot Hungarians aren’t too far behind. (See related content at www.grandforksherald.com/event/tag/group/Life/tag/food/.)

Peppers lends themselves nicely to Chinese cooking, so it was nice to see this recipe for Kung Pao Chicken on the New Asian Cuisine’s weekly digest that comes to me via e-mail. Their are many versions of this Chinese delicacy, and this one is a favorite of New Asian Cuisine food writer Grace Young. Here is how she describes it:

"This one of the many versions of kung pao chicken that I’ve eaten, and this is one of my favorites. The dark, rich sauce clings to the chicken and peppers, with just an undertone of heat and aromatic flavor from the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns."

I can’t wait to give it a try with some of my peppers.

Kung Pao Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
4 to 8 dried red chili peppers, snipped on one end
½ teaspoon roasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
½ cup minced scallions
In a medium bowl combine the chicken, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the rice wine, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, ½ teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon cold water. Stir to combine. In a small bowl combine the broth, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon rice wine.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil, add the chilies and ground Sichuan peppercorns, then, using a metal spatula, stir-fry 15 seconds or until the chilies just begin to smoke. Push the chili mixture to the sides of the wok, carefully add the chicken and spread it evenly in one layer in the wok. Cook undisturbed 1 minute, letting the chicken begin to sear. Then stir-fry 1 minute or until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through.
Swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil into the wok. Add the bell peppers and stir-fry 1 minute or until the peppers begin to soften. Swirl the broth mixture into the wok and stir-fry 1 minute or until the chicken is just cooked through. Add the peanuts and scallions, sprinkle on the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt and stir-fry 30 seconds or until the scallions are bright green.
Yield: Serves 2 to 3 as a main dish with rice or 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Burger with Balance

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People who love to cook and watch public television probably are familiar with Daisy Martinez. Daisy is an actress, model, chef, television personality and author who hosts the PBS television series, "Daisy Cooks!"

I’ve watched the show a few times and love the way Daisy shares things about her childhood and cooking with her family. Some of my favorite memories of growing up revolve around food, too.

Daisy is one of the cooks who is taking part in The Associated Press’ "20 Burgers of Summer" series, and in an interview with J.M. Hirsch, the AP food editor, she talks about how her  blueprint for a great burger goes back to her childhood.

"Some of my fondest hamburger memories involve making homemade patties with my dad when I was little. He would season them with salt, fresh ground pepper and onion powder, then we would grill them over charcoal briquettes in our backyard, and the result was a slightly charred burger on the outside that was pink and juicy on the inside," she told Hirsch in an e-mail. For the topping, it was beefsteak tomatoes and lettuce fresh from her mother’s garden, as well as her “salsa golf” (a mayo-ketchup blend).

Daisy’s contribution to the series is what she calls a burger with balance. He told Hirsch that a great burger does a bit of tug-of-war in your mouth.

"I always like to put together flavors that complement as well as contrast each other. This concept is especially important when creating a burger because you should experience that ‘kapow factor’ with each and every bite."

In her recipe, Daisy sought a balance of salty and sweet, which she satisfied by pairing grilled fresh figs with serrano ham.

"It was a short leap then to add the piquancy of a Cabrales blue (cheese), which complements the beef component of the burger," she said. "Can you say ‘party on my plate’?"

Barcelona Burger
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 fresh figs, halved
4 large hamburger buns
¼ pound Cabrales or other blue cheese, crumbled
¼ pound serrano ham, thinly sliced (prosciutto also can be used)
Form the beef into 4 equal patties, then season each with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise with the lemon zest. Set aside.
In a large skillet over high, add the water, olive oil and onions. Cook until the water is completely evaporated, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and completely caramelized. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Heat a grill to medium-high. Coat the grates with cooking spray.
Place the beef patties on the grill, cover and cook for about 3½ minutes per side for medium-rare.
Season the figs with pepper, then place on the grill cut-side up. Place the buns on the grill cut-side up, as well. Sprinkle the bottom halves of the buns with the blue cheese. Cover the grill and cook for 1 minute.
To assemble, place each beef patty on a bun half with the melted cheese. Top with 2 slices of ham, 2 grilled fig halves and a dollop of the caramelized onions. Spread the remaining toasted bun halves with lemon mayonnaise, then top the burger.
Yield: Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 658 calories, 333 calories from fat, 37 grams fat (11 grams saturated, no trans), 104 milligrams cholesterol, 44 grams carbohydrates, 39 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, 1,381 milligrams sodium.

Best BLT

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I can’t wait for supper. That’s because I’m going to fix the best BLTs ever. That’s a pretty bold statement but one that I absolutely won’t reconsider. 

But before you start trying to figure out what might constitute the best bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, let me say that if you have the three aforementioned ingredients, as well as some nice bread and Miracle Whip, you have all the fixings. The only caveat is that your tomato must be the first of the season out of your garden.

I’ve been waiting about three or four days for this BLT, and everything seems to be in place. Not only is the tomato ripe and large enough for two BLTS (one for me and one for Therese), I have fresh lettuce from the garden as well as a vacuum-sealed package of smoked bacon made by my friend, Al Ekness, of Westby, Mont. The bacon is from pigs Al raised and butchered. He sells it at his store in Westby.

The final ingredients for the BLT are some fresh bread that Therese made over the weekend and Miracle Whip. And by using Miracle Whip, I’ll catch up to Therese in our contest to use some of it in a dish every day until we deplete nearly a gallon of it that we have in our refrigerator. (We’ve been calling it the Miracle Whip Challenge at home.)

Of course, a lot of people have their own version of a BLT. There are probably as many kinds as there are varieties of tomatoes. Here’s one (adapted from Mission Foods and vegetariantimes.com.) that’s a little off the wall. Instead of bread a wrap is used and it also includes an avocado spread.

It sounds good, but I’ll stick with my version. 

BLT Wrap with Avocado Spread
1 ripe avocado, diced
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce, or to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of salt
4 burrito-size flour tortillas, warmed (or wrapper of choice)
8 slices cooked bacon
4 large leaves red lettuce
2 large tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 ripe mango, sliced
Combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Blend with a fork until smooth.
Spread each tortilla with 3 tablespoons of the avocado spread. Place 2 bacon slices down center of each tortilla, overlapping slightly. Top with lettuce, then tomato, avocado and mango. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Fold bottom end of tortilla partially over filling, then roll into a bundle and serve.
Variation: Replace the avocado spread with a mango spread. In blender or food processor, combine 1 cup diced ripe mango, ¾ cup cream cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, a dash of ground cumin and a dash of ground coriander. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding salt and more lemon or lime juice as needed.
Yield: Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 410 calories, 11 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 28 grams fat (4.5 grams saturated), 17 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams dietary fiber, 402 milligrams sodium.

Garden Fresh Pizza

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This has been a great year for gardens. With just enough rain and a lot of warm weather, my vegetable crop is on the cusp of exploding. I’ll be harvesting some beans this afternoon, and with a little bit of luck, we’ll be eating cucumbers by the end of the weekend.

Of course, my spinach is just about shot, so I’m thinking of planting a second crop that will be up toward the end of August or early September. In the meantime, our lettuce and Swiss chard will take its place in salads.

Another vegetable that we’ll have in abundance is tomatoes. I planted between 35 and 40 plants. I like to can tomato juice, whole tomatoes and salsa. One thing I wasn’t counting on, though, was too many cherry tomatoes.

I usually have only one cherry tomato plant, but this summer, there may be three or four. That’s because a neighbor of mine, Duane Jeffrey, gave me a half-dozen or so plants. It turns out that some of them are cherry tomatoes, maybe grape. I’m not sure yet.

So, I’m looking for recipes to use for what could be a crop that might get out of control in the not too distant future.

I was lucky to find the following pizza recipe, which calls for a pint of cherry tomatoes per pizza. It also requires fresh herbs, which I also have in abundance.

It won’t solve all of my cherry tomato problems, but it’s a start.

Oregano Rosemary Cherry Tomato-Walnut Pizza
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 12-inch unseasoned prebaked pizza crust
2 cups (about half of a 5-ounce bag) baby spinach
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1½ teaspoons herbes de Provence (recipe follows)
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 8-ounce package low-fat shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
Heat the oven to 400 degrees or according to crust directions. Brush the oil on the pizza crust.
Scatter the spinach on the crust, then distribute the halved tomatoes over. Sprinkle the nuts over the pizza. Season with the dried herb mix, salt and pepper to taste. Top with the shredded cheese. Bake according to crust directions, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 5 minutes before slicing.
Yield: Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 667 calories, 51 percent of calories from fat, 39 grams fat (8 grams saturated), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 51 grams carbohydrates, 34 grams protein, 997 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.

Homemade Herbes de Provence
Combine 1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage and/or marjoram with ¼ teaspoon dried lavender (which you’ll find in spice shops and some supermarkets). Store, tightly covered, in cool, dark place.

Cold Tuna Pasta Salad

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Food contests are fun. This weekend, I’m going to help judge the Second Annual McBake-Off Challenge that is part of McVille Days in McVille, N.D. (www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/168543/). It should be a lot of fun.

But that’s not the only one I’m taking part in. At home, we have a gallon container of Miracle Whip that was leftover from a recent food event, so Therese and I are having a contest to see if we can use it in one meal per day.

So far, I’m getting my butt kicked. I’ve only made homemade tartar sauce that we had with some broiled wild-caught halibut fillets. (Tartar sauce contains two parts Miracle Whip, two parts mayonnaise, a little salt and pepper, a dash of garlic powder, some bread and butter pickles, chopped up, and pickle and lemon juice.)

That said, Therese has used Miracle Whip three times — on chicken sandwiches, in a tasty coleslaw that also contained sweet red bell pepper and a part of an apple and finally in a yummy cold tuna pasta salad, just like her mom and my mom used to make.

Cold tuna pasta salad has always been one of my favorites. It’s relatively easy to make and is an excellent side at summer gatherings. Here is Therese’s recipe, if you care to try it.

Cold Tuna Pasta Salad
1½ cups of uncooked macaroni, cooked and then cooled in with cold water
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine
½ bag of frozen peas, cooked and cooled
2 stalks of celery,chopped fine
2 cans of tuna, drained
Mixed all the ingredients with at least 1 cup Miracle Whip, a teaspoon of salt, some pepper to taste, a few tablespoons of pickle juice and a chopped-up dill pickle. (If it needs more Miracle Whip, add it a bit at a time.
Refrigerate for a few hours, so everything cools off and ingredients blend. Serve with potato chips on the side or crushed and put on top of salad.
Note: If you wanted smaller portions, just cut back on everything a bit. It keeps in the refrigerator for several days.