GRANDMA’S KITCHEN

Grandma’s

Kitchen

Sylvia Hughes with her grandmother, Bertie Dameron.

Probably most people would agree that 2020 was a year we never saw coming. If someone had told us we would be wearing masks everywhere and avoiding other people, we probably would have doubted their sanity.

While challenging and stressful, it was not quite as difficult in Eastern North Carolina as it was in many large cities where restrictions were much tighter. Still, many people were shut in their homes much of the time or at work with no contact with other people except perhaps a few coworkers.

Like many people, I found myself cooking recipes I hadn’t tried before in order to keep myself busy.

Many of them I found online. Some were successful and others were not. I tried some artisan bread which didn’t turn out very well. I find now that it was a lack of cooking in the proper pot.

I also tried many different kinds of muffins; some were good, others didn’t suit my taste.

One pot meals and meals baked on a sheet pan that I hadn’t tried before was another experiment. I found most of those on YouTube.

The results of trying those recipes was about ten pounds I didn’t carry with me before. My doctor was not amused nor impressed with my cooking experiments. She suggested I try healthier things to cook.

But here I am almost at the end of 2021, still carrying those extra pounds and having just seen my doctor again. She said I must cut down on starchy foods.

Have these last two years found you with extra pounds too? Just in case they have, I will share some of the things I have found and some I am trying. One thing I am sure of is that I have not been eating enough fruits and vegetables. That is my starting point. Buy fresh vegetables to cook for most meals and eat and cook fresh fruit.

Second, I will only eat starches sparingly. Just a note here: while beans are starchy, they are also very healthy, Third, I will make sweets without the white sugar. Now if only I stick to it!

Two things I tried last week were soup and stew minus potatoes or pasta. I found a recipe online for breakfast or snacks with blueberries that was delicious.

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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.

Beef Stew

2 pounds stew beef 2 beef bouillon cubes 1 package frozen green peas 1 package baby carrots 2 small cans V-8 juice 2 tablespoons cornstarch Cook stew beef with bouillon cubes in large pot for about 1 hour on simmer.

Add peas, carrots, V-8 juice and salt to taste.Bring to a boil and turn heat to low. Cook about an hour, then mix cornstarch with a little water and add to pot. Cook about five minutes or until a little thick.

1 ½ pounds 93/7 ground beef 2 beef bouillon cubes 1 can petite diced tomatoes 1 can Margaret Holmes okra, tomatoes and corn I can Margaret Holmes triple succotash

Vegetable Beef Soup 1 small can sweet peas 1 small can green beans Brown beef. Add rest of ingredients, bring to a boil. Turn heat to simmer and cook at least an hour but the longer the better.

Cooked blueberry Snack Bring one package of blueberries, a little water and maple syrup to taste, to a boil and simmer five to seven minutes. Add two tablespoons of cornstarch to some water, mix and add to blueberries.Cook two more minutes. Refrigerate and use when cold. You can add a swirl of yogurt or some low fat whipped cream (Cool Whip or canned) for a delicious snack. This would be good on pancakes or French toast if you are indulging. This recipe can be used with any kind of berry.