GRANDMA’S KITCHEN

Grandma’s

Kitchen

Sylvia Hughes with her grandmother, Bertie Dameron.

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It seems like really being able to breathe again to get outside and do some of the things we love. We can take vacations and enjoy many other outdoor activities. Some people enjoy fishing, swimming, camping and going to parks or zoos. Some prefer to stay in their own backyard and just relax.

It seems wherever we go and whatever we do, one of the most enjoyable parts of it is good food with friends or family. There is something about sitting around with a plate of food that invites closeness, conversation and laughter.

I remember many years ago going to a McCormick family reunion with my grandmother. It was at a State Park in the Shenandoah Valley. That’s where they were all born and most still lived there. You cannot even imagine how many tables of food were spread and how many different kinds of food. Adults gathered in one spot, teenagers in another and the small ones ran and played. It was a wonderful time. You don’t hear about people having family reunions much anymore and it is regrettable. There is something special about meeting with family members you haven’t seen in a year or two.

My grandmother and I visited the Shenandoah Valley during the summer, taking a day to visit each family but always coming back to her sister Cora’s to spend the night. Still, having the whole family together at one time was great and there were some who had moved away and came back for the reunions.

But whatever you do this summer, there will be some activities where you need to do some cooking. Camping, fishing, barbecues and picnics at a park may be times you want to prepare ahead. When it is hot, I like to cook things like chicken salad, pasta salad or other dishes you can refrigerate early in the morning and not have to cook later in the day.

If you work, there are some things you can prepare the ingredients for in a couple of hours and then put them together quickly for dinner during the week. Other things, like chicken salad or pasta salads stay good for most of the week in the refrigerator.

If you have salads prepared or ingredients ready to throw together, you can grill the rest of your dinner outside and enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about the rest of the meal.

There is a barbecue sauce I make for ribs or any kind of pork. It takes very little time and is much better than what I have bought from the grocery store. I have a pasta salad with no recipe but will try to write it out for you. A cold dessert recipe I got from someone many years ago is easy to fix and throw in the refrigerator.

½ cup olive oil ¼ cup lemon juice ½ cup vinegar ¾ cup water 3 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons yellow mustard ¾ cup catchup pinch of garlic powder or garlic salt 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Barbecue Sauce saucegood sprinkling of black pepper Whisk all together in a small saucepan. Bring to simmering boil and cook 10 minutes

Two cups of uncooked macaroni. Cook by package directions. While cooking, cut a tomato in small chunks (out of the garden is best) Place tomato in a rectangular dish. When pasta is done, drain and place on tomatoes while still hot. This way it will soak up the tomato

Pasta Salad juice. Sprinkle top of pasta generously with celery seeds. Let sit for about 20 to 30 minutes and add in half a cucumber diced. Add green onions if desired. Salt to taste. I mix a dressing with mayo and vinegar. I just mix until it tastes to suit me.

Green Stuff

Mix 1 cup of hot water in one package of lime jello (regular size) Add 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup evaporated milkBeat two minutes Blend in: 1 large can crushed pineapple 1 cup of pecans 2 cups miniature marshmallows Chill until firm

Sylvia Hughes is a retired newspaper editor and columnist residing in Windsor. In addition to three sons, she has a gaggle of grandchildren, many of whom love cooking with her just as she did with her mother and grandmother.