Stir-Fried Shrimp

If you dither or get distracted when you cook, stir-frying may not be the right fit for you.  I’m new to “real” stir-frying, a convert courtesy of Grace Young and her magnificent guide, Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge.   Although I’m still a novice, I already know that it takes preparation and quick, precise cooking.  There is no room for a leisurely look back at the recipe as you stir-fry or a mid-cooking hiatus to chop a vegetable or measure out a sauce ingredient. 

I can do the preparation, but have a horrible memory.  So I create a “cheat sheet" to keep by my wok instead of the book.  It's a great reminder of the steps and much easier to glance at quickly as I'm cooking. 

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Grandpa’s Greek salad

My Grandpa William immigrated to the US from Romania when he was about 18 years old.  He died when I was less than 10 years old, so my memories of him are mostly tied to childish delights, like his card tricks or how he cut the skin of an orange in one long, swirly piece.  Grandpa was a great cook.  Mom says he cooked "out of self-defense", in an age when a home kitchen was generally a woman’s preserve.  Grandma's idea of dinner was boiled chicken and limp vegetables.  I remember watching him add ketchup to that dish in a valiant effort to give it taste. 

Grandpa, my mom and my aunt in the late 1920's.My mom taught me to make Grandpa’s Greek salad and now I’m passing the recipe down to you. 

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Homemade cole slaw – easy picnic & bar-b-cue salad

The best salad for a picnic or bar-b-cue on a hot day is one that you can prepare beforehand and that won’t spoil in the heat.  Here’s one that fits the bill – plus it’s easy to make and tastes great on day one as well as later in the week.  It’s a great choice for outdoor meals because it does not contain any eggs, mayonnaise or other ingredients that can spoil in the heat.  It’s from my mom, Selma, who got it from her friend Lesley. My mom says everyone she knows who has tasted it says it is Jewish deli health salad.  Whatever you call it, enjoy the results.                                                                     

This salad will always remind me of my own mom. The email she sent me with the recipe ends with "Lots of love, Mom"

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