Greek Style Roasted Lemon Potatoes

Ingredients

1.5 pounds mini potatoes, cut into wedges

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice 

3 teaspoons dried oregano

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Add potatoes and and boil for 8 minutes and then drain potatoes.
3. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt in a large bowl (large enough to hold the potatoes). Add potatoes, and gently toss in lemon mixture. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet...I like my pampered chef baking stone. 
4. Roast potatoes until crispy, turning half way through, about 40 minutes.

Kansas Cucumber Salad

This is a variation of a coleslaw type recipe.  Except it's even better with the addition of cucumbers and some onion.  Thanks for sharing the recipe Christina!

• 1 cup mayo
• 4 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp dill weed

Mix the above ingredients, which make up the dressing for the salad.  This is a large recipe, so unless you're heading to a family reunion, you might want to half the recipe.  

Add grated or chopped cabbage, chopped cucumbers and green onion or white onion, chopped fine.  

Mix an hour before serving.  Salad does not keep for very long, as it gets watery.  But it's so good, there probably won't be any left anyway!

* Christina also mentioned that mixing this dressing with an equal amount of bought coleslaw dressing is a delicious variation.

Delicious Carrots

I tried these for the first time the other day. Loved them! Of course you need to be a lover of sauteed onions to appreciate these.
- 1 chicken oxo cube
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- dash of pepper
- cooked carrots

Cook the amount of carrots needed for your family. Dissolve the chicken oxo in the boiling water. Separately saute the onion in the margarine. Mix flour, salt and pepper and add to onions. Then add oxo mixture. Mix well and pour over cooked carrots.

Copper Coins

Often also called marinated carrot salad. I like this salad recipe because it's easy, uses up abundant carrots from the garden and keeps in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Recipe is from my Mom.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 2 lb cooked, chopped carrots
• 1 raw green pepper, sliced or diced
• 1 sweet or spanish onion

Bring first 7 ingredients to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Add carrots. Add pepper and onion. Mix and refrigerate to marinate. (At least 12 hrs) Stir occasionally.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers! So many cucumbers! My garden is producing them in abundance. This is an easy way to use up some cucs. And good tasting too!

• 8 big cucumbers, sliced
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix and let stand for 1/2 hour. Then drain. Mix following ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard seed

Stir until sugar is dissolved and pour over cucumbers. Stores in fridge for several weeks. Easy, peasy.

Carrot Casserole

I was looking for a recipe that used carrots, as I have a long row of them in my garden. I tried this casserole recipe was pleased with how it turned out. The harvest crew were my guinea pigs. ;) I only used half of the recipe for half a dozen guys - big recipe!

Sorry, not the greatet picture! Was in a hurry to get the meal out the door to the hungry guys in the field.

• 8 cups sliced carrots
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 5 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup seasoned croutons

Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook until tender-crisp. Meanwhile in skillet, saute onions in 3 tbsp butter until tender. Stir in soup, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Drain carrots, add to soup mixture. Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Freezer Corn

All year long we wait for the corn to be ready. So delicious! We really like the super sweet variety. This recipe is so buttery, sweet and salty all at the same time - perfect!

• 8 cups of corn (cut off cob)
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Put all ingredients in a large pot and boil for two minutes. Cool, bag and put in freezer. Include the water that is in the pot. When taking it out to use, put in corn in pot and heat on low until it's heated through. No need to add extra water, etc.

* I got this recipe from my Grandma, who said to use less sugar for super sweet corn, because it's already so sweet. I must have a hard time listening to directions; I ended up using the full sugar amount and found it to be great just the way it was. So adjust accordingly to your liking.

Luscious Salad

This is one of my favorite salads, so easy and tastes great.

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 head broccoli
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 green or red pepper
• any other favorite veggies (celery, green onion)*

Dressing:

• 1 cup salad dressing (miracle whip)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• dash of Tabasco
• dash of Wocestershire sauce

Wash and cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Mix the dressing and add to cut vegetables. Serve.

*I make mine without celery and green onion, but some recipes call for them. Use your favorites and enjoy!

Tomato and Cheese-Stuffed Baked Potatoes

These are a bit different from your average baked potato. Sometime you have to change it up a bit! Tried these for the first time and we loved them.

• 3 potatoes (8 to 10 oz each)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes*
• freshly ground black pepper

Prick potatoes several times with a fork; place on paper towel in microwave. Microwave on high 10 to 15 minutes, turning potatoes over several times, just until potatoes are almost tender. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Heat bbq. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. With spoon, scoop out pulp from each potato, leaving 1/4 inch layer in each half. Chop potato pulp; place in large bowl. Add cheese, onions, sour cream and salt; mix lightly to combine with potato pulp. Gently stir in tomatoes. Spoon mixture into potato shells; sprinkle with pepper.

When grill is heated, place potatoes on grill over medium heat; close bbq. Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*I was out of tomatoes, so I left them out.

**I think next time I make these I'll add some chopped, cooked bacon. Great flavor.

Cheesy Potatoes

A great side dish with steak or chicken breasts

Cheesy Potatoes

• 4 large potatoes, boiled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 4 crispy cooked bacon slices (crumbled) or bacon bits

Mash potatoes and add all ingredients. Beat until fluffy and spread into a casserole dish. Top with a little cheddar cheese and green onions. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Roasted Veggies

carrots peeled & sliced
celery chopped
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet potatoe, red and or white diced
red, green, yellow and or orange pepper sliced
onion sliced
zuchini
tomato
chopped dill
oregano & basil & thyme
salt & pepper


Chop up your veggies whatever kind your family enjoys and place on baking sheet, drizzle on EVOO (extra vergin olive oil) sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil & oregano. Chop dill if you like and sprinkle over. Broil for 10 -15 min. watching so as not to burn, turning every once in a while till slightly browned.

Serve with your fav meat and or spagehti squash & mixed green salad

Italian Peas

This is a nice variation with peas. Adds some flavor! Excuse the foggy picture - they were fresh from the skillet. ;)
Italian Peas

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 16 ounces frozen green peas
• 1 tbsp chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook about 5 minutes. Add frozen peas and stir in stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until peas are tender; about 10 minutes.

Steamed Asparagus with Sauce

A few years ago I bought some asparagus, never having tried it before - it's delicious!! Especially local and fresh! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.

Steamed Asparagus with Sauce

• 1/2 pound asparagus
• 1/4 cup miracle whip
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Steam asparagus. Heat and whisk remaining ingredients on stove top. Add steamed asparagus and heat thoroughly.