Dutch Potatoes

This is what my Grandma Hazel used to make instead of boring old mashed potatoes. I remembered it about a year ago and experimented by just putting it together, and I got it right on the very first try! Woo hoo! Now I also remember that she had a name for this dish and I don't recall what it was. If any of you know, or even have a guess, please put in it the Comments so that I can sleep better at night. No. Really.

3 or 4 potatoes, pealed and quartered (or smaller)
1 large sweet onion, pealed and cubed.
1 large carrot, pealed and cut up.
Cut up all of the veggies into similarly sized pieces so that they all get done at the same time. Cover with water, add a little sea salt, and boil for about 20 minutes or until they are all tender when speared by a fork.

Drain the pot of water, add 2 tablespoons of butter, a big dollop of vanilla or plain yogurt (grandma used sour cream, which you can substitute) and a bit more sea salt. Then mash it all together as you would potatoes.

Now this should feed 4 to 6 people, assuming you're not like me and can easily eat half of it while my "fat jeans" get tighter. But seriously, this is better than just plain white potatoes; carrots have more vitamins and bulk forming fiber, while onions are an excellent source of sulphur and other nutrients that we all need.

Enjoy!

Bahamian Peas and Rice

This is a favorite recipe from Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas. All of the locals use it as a staple in their daily diet. I’ve added more tomatoes, substituted sea salt for regular salt, and used brown rice instead of white rice, which gives it a nutty flavor.

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Sauté one large chopped onion.
One can stewed tomatoes, (optional with green peppers & onions in it).
Add one can rinsed black eyed peas, a.k.a pigeon peas.
Simmer for ½ hour.20-30 minutes before serving add 1 cup brown rice, time depending on the directions of the rice.
Season with Thyme, sea salt, and pepper.
Serve with chicken or fish.

Enjoy!

Cheap, easy, and great for you Cole Slaw

Take a small head of green cabbage, chop as much of it as you want, remembering that this keeps in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Put in a little bit of Vandalia Onion dressing, remembering that is it MUCH easier to add a little more dressing than it is to take it out (I'm just saying). From here it’s up to you to add any number of the following:
Sesame seeds
Shredded carrots
Raisins
Any chopped nuts
Pine nuts
Chopped broccoli
Poppy seeds

I never liked the dressing that was made for cole slaw, but THIS is yummy!

Easy Squash Rancheros

Slice or chunk any kind of soft squash, a yellow summer squash or a zucchini squash for instance, and sauté it in a frying pan in a little bit of olive oil for 3-4 minutes depending on how large the pieces are. Add salt, a little bit of pepper (I use white pepper), and dump about a half cup of salsa on top of it. Now the amount of salsa completely depends on how much squash is in the pan, but the finished dish should look like squash with a little bit of color and small chunks of vegetables. Use the salsa as a seasoning, not a sauce.Continue cooking until the pieces are no longer crisp, which might take as long at 10 minutes. I like to add cilantro and a little salt to the mixture as well. This recipe is very forgiving if you want to experiment with spices.

Enjoy!