Sherrie's Best Corn Fritters

These fritters are much better than those which rely on extra flour and milk to make a batter. Using the processed corn makes them more tasty without being “doughy” and they stay crispier.

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed (or 12 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed, if fresh not available)
• 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion
• Salt and Pepper
• optional: grated Parmesan cheese
• Vegetable oil for frying

Place flour, baking soda, eggs, half the corn kernels, salt and pepper bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold through the remaining corn kernels, green onion, and grated cheese (if using). Mix until well combined.

Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Spoon batter into the pan, spreading the mixture out slightly with the back of the spoon. Fit as many as you can into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest of the fritters.

This is a basic recipe that can be modified to suit your own tastes. You might try adding grated Parmesan cheese, or some Tajin spice. I usually serve them with Kewpie Toasted Sesame Dressing, but these fritters would be good with a lot of other condiments such as sweet chili sauce or egg foo young sauce. In fact, I’m thinking of experimenting by adding bean sprouts and other vegetables and making egg foo young.

Brother Rick at Yaquina Head,
shortly before his death

Sherrie's Italian Pasta Salad

This salad can be served as a side with a meal, but is hearty enough to be a meal by itself--really good in Summer when it is hot and you don't feel like cooking. You can, of course, omit the meat for a vegetarian version.

1/2 pound dry fusilli or rotini pasta

1 six-oz can whole black olives, sliced

8 or 9 whole green Spanish olives, sliced

1/3 cup or so pickled banana pepper slices, chopped

8 to 10 marinated artichoke pieces, sliced to bite-size

about one cup diced summer sausage or salami

1/2 of a medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

(see notes for additional suggestions / ingredients)

Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Italian seasonings

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

4 or 5 dashes of Red's Hot Sauce

3 or 4 squirts of bottled Italian dressing with aged Romano

Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously-salted water about one minute more than the package directs--for cold pasta salads you really don't want "al dente." Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until no longer hot. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking and draining, slice and chop the other ingredients and place them in a large container. Add all vinaigrette ingredients into a glass jar with lid, and shake to combine.

Add drained pasta to the bowl, pour vinaigrette over and stir to combine. Although this can be eaten right away, it is best to let it marinate in the refrigerator for a while to let the flavors meld. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days to a week.

Notes:

This recipe is flexible and can include more vegetables, meats, cheeses, etc. as desired. Including the tomatoes and/or broccoli add a nice punch of color to this salad. Other suggested ingredients:

• Broccoli florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces (add them to the boiling pasta during the last couple of minutes to cook, then rinse them with cool water along with the pasta)
• Grape tomatoes, halved (these can be added with the other ingredients when making the salad, but halved ones tend to look a little sad if not served soon, so I prefer to add them right before serving. Of course you can put them in the salad whole, but they're tricky to stab with a fork)
• Fresh mozzarella or other cheese, cut into bite sized pieces, or grated (not the dry powdered stuff!) Parmesan or Romano cheese stirred into the salad
• Pickled Italian vegetables (giardiniera), but NOT pickles

  

  Aunt Peggy's Baby Shower 1946
  (She's in the mddle, with Mom right behind her;
  this salad would go well at a party like this!)

Brussels Sprout Gratin

Brussels Sprout Gratin

When my brother and I were growing up we never had brussels sprouts because Mom didn't like them--Grandma must have boiled them to death when serving them. I think even Mom would have enjoyed this dish. It goes together rather easily with a food processor--I'm not sure I'd try to slice up the sprouts without one.

1-1/2 lbs brussels spouts

Mom and Aunt Peggy
ca 1945, Nahcotta, WA

2 med to large shallots

4 Tbs butter

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

1-1/4 cups grated cheese (about 3-1/2 oz)

   (original recipe called for Gruyere, 

    but I use medium white or yellow cheddar)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 cup Panko crumbs

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 ° F, with rack set in center. Wash and trim brussels sprouts and cut in half through stem end (if needed) and trim ends and cut shallots in half lengthwise to easily fit into food processor. Run through food processor fitted with a slicing blade.

Meanwhile, melt butter in large (at least 12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Remove one tablespoon of melted butter to a small bowl. Add the sliced sprouts, shallots, salt and pepper to the skillet and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften, about six to eight minutes.

Add Panko and grated Parmesan to the reserved one tablespoon of butter and stir to combine.

When the vegetables have somewhat softened, stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, paprika and cayenne and continue to cook for a few minutes to heat. Then stir in the cheese until melted.

Place mixture in a lightly greased 10-inch casserole dish* and top with the Panko crumb mixture. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until crumbs are lightly browned and crunchy. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

(Note: If you have any leftovers, then can be reheated in a microwave, but it is preferable to reheat in the oven to "re-crisp" the topping.)

* If you have cooked this mixture in an oven-safe skillet you can just leave the mixture in the skillet and top with the Panko crumb mixture and bake in the skillet.

Cucumber-Pepper Salad

Mom used to make marinated cucumbers as an easy side-dish, but this updated version has a little more punch and nutrition with the addition of onion and red pepper.

Cucumber-Pepper Salad

Dad, August 1965
(about the time we moved to Sunnyside, WA)

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp mustard seed 

(in a pinch you can just use prepared stone-ground mustard)

3 unpeeled “English” cucumbers

1/2 purple onion

1 red pepper, cored

Put vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and mustard seeds in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool while you cut up the vegetables.

Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds. Slice the onion half and the pepper into strips (I generally cut them into shorter pieces for less messy eating). Place the vegetables into a bowl and mix, then pour the vinegar mixture over while it is still warm. Stir to mix and place in refrigerator until chilled. This can be stored in two quart-sized jars, if desired. It will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.