Recipe: Seven Layer Salad and Eggplant Parmesan

Today I am posting two recipes.  One salad and one of my Nanaw’s vegetable recipes for Eggplant Parmesan.  The Eggplant Parmesan is a post to honor the birth of Pioneer Woman’s new nephew, Elliot and her escape trip to Austin to visit with her family and dining out on Eggplant Parmesan (checking out her cooking section for details). Go over to PDUB’s website and take a look at her new nephew. He is precious.

Okay! – Here’s that recipe for the salad that every church lady has ever made for some event. Seven Layer Salad – can I get a woo-hoo, Amen! Seven, because it has seven layers to it and the number seven has biblical references so we’ll just trust in heaven above that “seven” is good and lay hands on the potluck table and say Amen! I know, technically there are 8 layers, but let’s not go there. This is one of my grandmother’s recipes and you just don’t mess with grandmothers or history or mother nature. Here we go…………

Seven Layer Salad

1 medium head of lettuce, chopped
1 package frozen English peas, cooked and drained
1/2 cup onion, sliced thin
8 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup chopped celery
5 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin (across, not length-wise)
1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar
grated cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Layer in a large salad bowl or casserole in the order listed, spreading mayonnaise carefully over top to cover all and sprinkling cheese over the top. Keeps in the refrigerator for one or two days.

And, everyone said………Amen!

Now….a recipe post for our fellow blogger PDUB – EGGPLANT PARMESAN.

1 large eggplant
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small piece of basil leaf
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and slice eggplant into crosswise slices 1 inch thick. Dip slices in water to wet the surfaces. Mix flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in mixture to coat lightly. Saute’ eggplant in oil turning once to brown lightly. Remove eggplant. Saute onion and garlic. Add tomatoes, remaining salt and pepper and crumbled basil leaf. Cook until thickened. Place eggplant into a greased baking dish and top with cheese. Pour tomato sauce mixture over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Voila!

Ya’ll Enjoy! Congrats to Wetsy and Matt and the PDUB family.

Recipe: Spinach Salad – Kicking off SALAD week!

Why Salad Week?  Because it is hot outside!  I fear if I turn on the oven I will spontaneously combust.  So not the way I want to exit this world.  Believe me, if you’ve had a hot flash, you believe in spontaneous combustion or the possibility that it exists.  I swear I smelled smoke the other night. 

Any-who……..Here’s a humdinger of a recipe.  My family loves this and you can actually bulk it up with some chicken or steak and make it into a meal instead of a side dish.  Make the dressing the night before and you’ll have  a quick easy salad in no time.

Mimi’s Spinach Salad

Dressing:  (Make ahead and refrigerate overnight) Mix well.
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup sugar

Salad:   

Fresh spinach, torn into pieces (if you buy the pre-bagged stuff, use two bags) or two fresh bunches, washed first so no one gets salmonella.
Crumbled cooked bacon – this depends on how many people you’re feeding but generally I use two slices per person.
Boiled Eggs, sliced – one or two eggs per person
Green Bell Peppers, sliced thin and bite size – one large pepper is usually good.  (I sometimes use a red or yellow pepper for color).
Sliced fresh mushrooms (1 pkg.)

Mix in large bowl and pour dressing over all and toss.  Serve immediately.

Ya’ll Enjoy!  I’ll post another salad tomorrow.

Recipe: Lemon Ice Box Pie – Cool and Refreshing

Are you starting to get the idea that I’m not turning on my oven very much this summer?  We’ve had a lot of sandwiches, salads and food on the grill.  Believe you me, I will be ready for fall and the warming of the kitchen.  But, until then …..I’m going to share another recipe from the recipe notebook my mother so lovingly prepared for me back in 1981.  This is classic Lemon Ice Box Pie.  Simple, cool and refreshing!  Serve some up this weekend.

Mimi’s Ice Box Pie

1 can condensed milk
2 lemons (juice of 2, grate rind from 1 lemon)
2 eggs, separated
graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust

Combine condensed milk with lemon juice, grated rind and slightly beaten egg yolks.  Pour into crust.  Make meringue of egg whites and 6 tablespoon sugar.  Place on top of filling and bake at 350 degrees until meringue turns a light golden brown.  Refrigerate several hours before serving.

Ya’ll Enjoy!