Aunt Pat's Luscious Overnight Salad

3 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. sugar
‘/s tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. pineapple syrup
1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. heavy cream, whipped
2 c. pitted white cherries (may substitute with grapes)
2 c. pineapple chunks, drained (save syrup for recipe)
6 oz. or 2 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. canned mandarin oranges, drained

In a double boiler, cook egg yolks, sugar, salt, vinegar, pineapple syrup, and butter. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Set aside and let cool. In a separate bowl, fold in whipped cream, cherries or grapes, pineapple, oranges, and marshmallows. Chill for 24 hours. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

Black Bean Salad a la Momma

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 diced red pepper
• 1/2 jar (about 1/2 cup) mild jalapenos, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Several shakes of garlic salt
• 1 heaping Tbsp. of sugar
• About 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• About 1 tsp. cumin
• 3 good shakes of balsamic vinegar

Yum. Served with tamales (re-steamed) and corn from yesterday's farmer's market. And fresh fruit salad. And corn ships and salsa. And bananas fried in butter and brown sugar (served with vanilla ice cream) for dessert. And apple raspberry juice with lime slices.

Pretty-Much-Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 c. oil, canola or vegetable

1/2 c. warm water

1 c. sour cream

5 large egg whites

1 large package ( 5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding

1 vanilla cake mix (Duncan Hines moist deluxe french vanilla is good)

Preparations

-Pre-heat oven, 350 or 325 for convection bake

- Mix together oil, water, sour cream, and egg whites until combined.

-Add pudding and cake mix and mix on medium-high until combined.

- Fill the liners 2/3 full

-Bake for 16-18 minutes (I always check at 16 and they're done).

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract

Salmon Chowder

• 2 (8-ounce) salmon fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (9-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 6 thick-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1. Sprinkle salmon with kosher salt and pepper; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Flake fish into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add flour; stir until mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Add potato, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in corn and half-and-half. Cook 6 minutes or until heated. Add cooked salmon, stirring gently to combine. Spoon into individual bowls; top with crumbled bacon.

Cindy's Minestrone

1 medium onion

1 celery stalk
2 carrots
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can + two small cans chicken stock
2 cups large shell macaroni
1/2 head kale, chopped finely
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can cannelloni beans
Salt and pepper
Grated mozzarella

Saute onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Add tomatoes and spices. Cook twenty minutes. Add chopped kale. Cook a little longer. Add all ingredients to chicken stock with two cups shell macaroni. Cook for at least half an hour. Serve with grated mozzarella and garlic breadsticks. Geoff and Glo loved this. We had it for New Year's Day 2012.

(Original recipe called for escarole rather than kale, but I couldn't find any in the grocery store. Kale worked fine. It also called for not-to-be-found ditalini macaroni--but shells were great.)