We’ve made our meal for tomorrow, to take over to Gabe’s family gathering. I’m excited! I look forward to sharing our food, and to hunting for something of theirs I can eat. Amidst the turkey and ham and stuffing and rolls, I’m not expecting to find much to forage… except maybe some cranberry sauce. I hope it still has the can ridges in it. I like that.
Here are the fruits of our evening, two of my family’s recipes — Potato Salad and Fantasy Fudge — and one yummy new one that’s going in our permanent cookbook — Mushroom and Lentil Stew.
Adapted from this recipe.
Mushroom and Lentil Stew
prep time: 35 minutes; cook time: 30-40 minutes2-3 teaspoons olive oil
2-2.5 cups diced cremini mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
1 cup chopped celery
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1-1.5 cup chopped carrots
2.5 cups peeled, chopped potato
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
3/4 cup brown lentils, sorted and washed
4 cups vegetable broth1. In a large pot, use oil to saute mushrooms, onion, celery and garlic until softened.
2. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are tender and stew has thickened.
The original recipe called for adding 2 cups chard at the end, and letting it wilt. We couldn’t find chard and bought spinach to add… and then forgot. It’s still absolutely yummy.
Potato Salad
(Special note: This is a longtime family recipe, so all concrete information is entirely made of approximation. The actual answers are along the lines of “cook until done”, “enough to fill the pot”, etc.)
prep time: 20 minutes; cook time: 30 minutes; assembly time: 10 minutes8-10 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
6 eggs
4 heaping tbsp dill pickle relish
8 green onions, chopped
2 cups mayonnaise to taste
3 heaping tbsp prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste1. Boil potatoes until tender; time will vary depending on their size. Drain.
2. Boil eggs. When done, squish or dice or otherwise make small (make sure they’re cool first if you squish them).
3. Mix all ingredients in clean, dry bowl.
Eat hot or cold. Also good with barbecue sauce on it.
Fantasy Fudge
(This is a recipe we’ve been making in my family since I was a kid. The fact that it’s EXACTLY like the recipe that’s been on the back of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme that long is a complete and total coincidence. Oh yes.)
prep/cook time: 25 minutes3 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 tiny can (9 oz) evaporated milk
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips of your choice
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)
*Special item required: candy thermometer1. Spray 9″x9″ pan with cooking spray.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly (and I do mean constantly — but don’t be tempted to cook at too low a temp, as that will make the final product grainy. Better to have a smidge of a scorch or two.)
3. Keep stirring! Continue boiling until temp reaches 234 degrees F. Remove from heat.
4. Quickly add remaining ingredients and mix completely.
5. Quickly pour into pan, smooth, and let cool thoroughly before cutting.
(The vanilla frequently gets left out of this recipe, to no ill effect.)
Wow. That fudge looks amazing.
And hahaha, I know all about the family recipe impreciseness! My grandmother measures everything in “handfuls.” It’s a good thing she and I have the same size hands! :)