Mom's potato salad

Easter is almost here so it is time for potato salad. As with everything else Mom made I try hard to match her delicious potato salad. Some times I am really close but it's not perfect. I don't ever remember hers not being perfect. I think that her planning Easter "dinner" is what made it spring time for us. I know Truman the Easter bunny (you have to ask Trisha about Truman but not when Riley is around) came to our house first, just for the food! Mom tired to cook the potatoes the night before but usually she got them in the pot early Easter morning. It never was complete until Daddy had a taste or two and said " Momma, that is just right. Give me just another little bite"
Here goes, feel free to add to my recipe or change it in any way if you remember hers being different
Amounts vary depending on how much you want to make.

Potatoes boiled until just done. Let cool either over night or just enough to be able to handle. In the mean time cut up celery, onion, small sweet pickles. Peel and dice potatoes into a large bowl add a bunch of Kraft Miracle Whip (I was 20 years old before I knew there was "Mayonnaise"!) and add huge glob of mustard. Throw it all in the bowl with the potatoes and stir it up until you arm is tired. Salt and pepper to taste.
Taste it about 6 times to make sure you got it just right.
On Easter morning very early make sure you put a fresh carrot out for Truman the Easter Bunny and don't peek when he hides the colored eggs or he won't come back next year. HAPPY EASTER.

Corn Bread for Omlette Pan

This version of corn bread actually came from Daddy's mother and originated in Tennessee.Mom made it in a omelet pan which also came from Nano. Over the years we've all struggled to make it "Just like Mom's"Her special touch in everything she cooked and the original pan made it so wonderful. I am copying this off of a envelop which was mom's version of a recipe card.

2 cups Corn Meal ( Mom always used Aunt Jemima brand)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg 1/4 cup melted shortening
1 cup milk (room temperature)
vegtable oil

Add some oil to each side of omelet pan ,warm pan befor pouring batter.
Mix dry ingredients. add liquid, mix till smooth ( batter should constancy of thick pancake batter ,if too thick add more milk.)
Pour into greased omelet pan.Cook over medium heat. Do not turn until bubbles appear, turn quickly.
Brown on second side and carefully turn out of pan onto platter.
Slice and add gobs of butter.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

We're almost to St. Patrick's Day and Mom's traditional meal would be in her thoughts about now. Daddy was Scotch-Irish decent so we had to have the real thing.We all remember this meal well, I hope I can just come close to Mama's version.

Corned Beef and Cabbage(and other veggies too.)

4-5 lb. Corned Beef
3 tablespoon of pickling spices (if not included in meat package)
3 cups water
2 medium head of cabbage cut into 8 wedges
8-10 carrots
2 onions cut in fourths.
8-10 small red potatoes cut in wedges
white wine vinegar

I'm sure back in the day mom went to the butcher and ordered the corned beef.Today we cant do that,we only have packaged beef . So start with package of corned beef. and spices.A large tightly covered pan or a large crock pot.The corned beef, spices and 3 cups water cook over medium to low heat (tightly covered) for about 3 hours or in a crock pot on low heat over night. The spices usually come in the package of corned beef if not 3 tablespoons of pickling spices will substitute. After the meat is nice and tender add the cabbage,potatoes, carrots and onion.
Simmer for 20 minutes or till veggies are tender.

Serve on large platter top with plenty of vinegar.

Rice with Hamburger

This was one of Mom's inventions. we didn't know she struggled to feed us all sometimes, we thought she was the best cook in the world.This is quick and easy and so cheap!

Rice with Hamburger

1 cup white rice
1/4 lb. hamburger
1/4 onion chopped fine
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon beef broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown rice in heavy skillet.
Lightly brown hamburger in separate pan
Add hamburger to rice, add onion. Cook lightly-just till onion is transparent.
Add water , beef broth and salt.
Return to boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
Cook 35 minutes or until rice is soft.

Sunday dinner

Okay first of all let's get this straight, lunch is for any other day of the week but Sunday. At least in Pearl's kitchen. Really, did you ever hear her say Saturday dinner and mean the noon meal? Nope it was only Sunday dinner! Not to long ago she asked me did I not ever fix Sunday dinners. Mom was with us during the summer and we cook out on weekends, so Sunday dinner was at about 3 or 4 in the afternoon with a salad and what every we grilled. It was tough trying to explain that one. Shamed me she did. Now "Sunday dinner" looms over me, starting Saturday afternoon. I guess if she could do it for all those years I can .... maybe!!!

So there was the most delicious smelling (and tasting) roast and gravy.....ummmm, also roasted potatoes, onions and carrots. Close your eyes, put yourself in her kitchen and you can smell it. Now don't cry! Usually green beans or asparagus were there too. Now what in the world did she do to a can of veggies that made them better than any I have ever fixed? Magic can opener or magic pans? Maybe just plain old bread and butter were on a plate to finish off the meal. Every thing was always hot when we sat down. Again magic? Daddy wouldn't let us even serve our plates until Momma sat down. No matter how hungry you were don't be a pig and serve to much, Daddy always saw! "My God, girl there's plenty for another serving" or "You are not leaving this table until you finish every bite" and if you really got his goat "Leave some for someone else" You shot back with your smallest voice "Yes, daddy" You only thought the mean things, you didn't ever mutter them. When the meal was over Daddy would say " you got a good scald on that one momma, thank you" and she would say "Thank you for providing it". Then came the long drawn out process of washing the dishes, partly long and drawn out because none of the beautiful princesses ever wanted to do dishes and then there was the fact that mom used almost every pot and pan in her kitchen. Soon after the battle of the dishes was over Daddy would say "Momma can you fix me a open face sandwich with the left overs" and it all started over again.
How did she do it? How did she do it?