Last week my mother and I went with my sister-in-law to visit my aunt and uncle in Mesa, Arizona. We had a wonderful week reminiscing, swimming and shopping. We had lunch with my fellow columnist Alma, who lives near my relatives. It seems we mostly visited and ate. One of the vegetables we appreciated was jicima (ik-I-ma), cut up for dipping. We can buy it in Canada, but my aunt said it is less flavourful.
With the busy social life snowbirds enjoy, meals that are easy fit the bill. Here are some of my Aunt’ Leone’s recipes, with broccoli being one of the favourite ingredients. She used less cheese than is called for and it was still delicious.
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Cheesy Broccoli Soup
1/4 cup chopped onion 60 mL
1 tablespoon butter 15 mL
Microwave on high for one minute.
Add:
11/2 cups milk 375 mL
2/3 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed 150 g
1 package (10 oz.) fresh or 284 mL
frozen broccoli or cauliflower
Mix well. Microwave on high for six to eight minutes until thoroughly heated. Stir every three minutes. Makes four servings.
Broccoli salad
1 bunch broccoli
1/4 cup red onion 60 mL
10 strips cooked bacon
1/2 cup sunflower seeds 125 mL
Chop the broccoli, red onion and bacon. Marinate with the following dressing. Add the sunflower seeds just before serving.
Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise 125 mL
3–4 tablespoons sugar 45-60 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
Broccoli and grape salad
1 bunch broccoli tops
1 cup chopped celery 250 mL
1/4 cup finely chopped onion 60 mL
1 cup each seedless red 500 mL
and green grapes
1/2-1 pound bacon, 250-500 g
fried crisp
1 cup sunflower seeds or 250 mL
toasted slivered almonds
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise 250 mL
1/2 cup sugar 125 mL
1 tablespoon vinegar 15 mL
Mix together all except sunflower seeds. Chill. Add sunflower seeds just before serving.
Dry noodle salad
Toast almonds five minutes at 350 F(180 C).
1/2 cup slivered almonds, 125 mL
toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds 30 mL
1 package chicken-flavored
Top Ramen or Ichiban noodles
5 cups cabbage or broccoli 1.25 L
slaw or half of each
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
Dressing:
2 tablespoons white sugar 30 mL
1/2 cup oil 125 mL
1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 mL
3 tablespoons vinegar 45 mL
1 packet chicken flavouring
(inside noodle package)
Break the dry noodles and set aside with almonds and sesame seeds. Reserve flavour packet to use in dressing. Make the dressing and pour over the slaw.
Baked hash brown casserole
1 package (2 pounds) 1 kg
frozen hash brown potatoes
1 cup grated cheddar cheese 250 mL
1/2 cup sour cream 125 mL
1 can (10 oz.) cream soup 284 mL
(chicken, celery or mushroom)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion 125 mL
1–2 cups corn flake 250-500 mL
crumbs
Mix together all ingredients, and pour into nine x 13 inch (22 x 33 cm) pan. Top with corn flake crumbs. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 45 minutes to one hour.
Chicken dish
We enjoyed this chicken dish made by my aunt’s friend.
chicken pieces
chopped onion
Coat chicken with flour. Brown chicken thighs, legs, wings and/or breasts in oil. Top with chopped onion and pour the following sauce over the chicken.
Sauce:
1/2 cup honey 125 mL
1/2 cup ketchup 125 mL
2 tablespoons curry powder 30 mL
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for one hour and serve.
Stroke identification
A friend of ours sent us this e-mail, and I realized how valuable it would be to our readers.
She said that during a barbecue a woman stumbled and took a little fall. Those present offered to call paramedics, but she assured everyone that she was fine and had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. While she appeared a bit shaken up, she went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Her husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital and died. She had suffered a stroke at the barbecue.
Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps she would be with us today.
If doctors can treat a stroke victim within three hours, its effects might be reversed.
A bystander can recognize a stroke by asking the individual to smile, speak a simple sentence and raise both arms.
If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call 911 immediately.
Focus on nutrition
March is nutrition month. Here are some suggestions to help promote healthy eating.
- Involve children in planning school lunches and evening dinners. Children are more likely to eat healthy foods and snacks that they choose or prepare.
- Use recipe ideas that can be cooked in big batches and that are freezer-friendly.
- Work with your local grocery store, leisure services, library, schools, community health agency, or regional colleges to hold classes on planning and preparing easy meals.
- Form or join a healthy-eating committee at your local school and explore the possibilities of providing healthy food choices in the cafeteria, tuck shop and vending machines.
- Get together with friends to cook and share new recipes.
Source: Dieticians of Canada.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
