Welcome to My Kitchen

Inland area weather can’t make up its mind if it is salad season or soup season. Requests for several salad recipes served at area events have come in and as I locate the recipes they will be printed here. First up is Suzie Deife’s Quick Cornbread Salad, a modified version of a recipe she found online.

Quick Cornbread Salad

1 package (8 1/5 ounces) Jiffy cornbread mix, baked according to package directions, cooled

6 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

4-6 green onions, chopped

1 cup grated, sharp cheddar cheese

1 large tomato, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 can (15 ounces) kernel corn, drained or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 –2 heaping Tbsp ranch dressing mix

1-2 Tbsp milk

Remove cornbread from pan and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, place lettuce, cornbread, pinto beans, green onion, cheese, tomato, bell pepper and corn.

In small bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream and ranch mix. Stir to combine. Add enough milk to make a pourable dressing a bit on the thick side.

When you are ready to serve, toss the salad well and drizzle with the dressing. Serve right away. Yield: 12-15 side servings.

Note: Suzie indicated she saves some of the cornbread to scatter on top when serving.

Spring and early summer gardens yield many of the fresh ingredients in this recipe for New Potato Chicken Soup. New potatoes, spring onions, fresh peas and shallots blend for a flavorful soup with optional garnishes. Prep time is quick and easy, and your slow cooker does the work.

New Potato

Chicken Soup

1-pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in 1 inch pieces

3 cups chicken broth, original or low sodium

1-pound tiny new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

3/4 cup sliced spring onions, ramps, or white parts of green onions

1 carrot, slice 1/4 inch thick

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup half and half

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup fresh shelled peas, or frozen

1-ounce crumbled goat cheese, optional

1 tsp snipped fresh thyme

Caramelized Shallots, recipe to follow, optional

Place chicken, chicken broth, potatoes, spring onions, carrot, garlic and salt in slow-cooker crock. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or 3 1/2 to 4 hours on high.

If using low heat, turn to high. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and half and half and stir into soup. Stir in peas, goat cheese if using and thyme. Cover and cook 15 minutes more or until thickened.

If desired, top servings with Caramelized Shallots and additional goat cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Caramelized

Shallots

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup thinly sliced shallots or small onions

In a medium size skillet, cook shallots in hot butter over medium heat until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Yield: about 1/2 cup.

BBQ Baked Beans were served at a recent Odessa graduation party and several requests came in for the recipe. It was originally thought Staci Claassen of Odessa had made the dish, but she reports, Suzie Deife made the beans. The recipe is Steph’s BBQ Beans, and it makes a huge batch so you may want to half or quarter the recipe.

Steph’s BBQ Beans

2 #10 cans B+M Beans

2 green peppers, chopped

1 white onion, diced

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 cups BBQ sauce

2 cups diced smoked brisket or cooked bacon crumbles

Combine all ingredients in huge baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. My estimate is this makes 25 to 50 servings depending on serving size.

Deviled Egg Potato Salad was another requested recipe served at a recent luncheon. Traditional ingredients, but the preparation method produces and extra creamy and tangy salad.

Deviled Egg

Potato Salad

4 pounds potatoes (about 8 large)

12 hard boiled eggs

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup prepared mustard

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp dill pickle relish

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut potatoes in half. In a large pot, boil potatoes with just enough water to cover. Cook just until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and place in a bowl to chill in the refrigerator. When potatoes are cooled enough to handle, but still warm, peel using a paring knife. Then cube potatoes.

Peel eggs and slice in half. Place yolks in a mixing bowl and set aside the egg whites. Mash the egg yolks as you would for deviled eggs. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar and whisk until smooth and creamy. Fold dill relish into the egg yolk mixture.

Chopped the egg whites and add them to the diced potatoes. Gently toss to combine. Add the egg yolk mixture and fold in until just combined. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 12 servings.

Kim Powers of Odessa provided this recipe which she found on TheGraciousWife.com website and reports it is a family favorite. She provided several other recipes we will include in future columns.

School is out and I am interested to know what recipes kids are cooking. Share your kid friendly recipes, salad recipes and other summertime treats by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Record Times, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Windy weather calls for extra water to rehydrate battered plants. Aim for early morning and late evening watering sessions. The wind is usually less brisk during those times, so plants can take up more of the precious water.