Week Day Favorites

Today is cooler than it has been in the last couple of weeks. The doors and windows are open and it is not too hot to putter around in the kitchen. Andy's garden has started producing tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and, the beans are climbing higher than usual due to the rain. What I miss most about this year is good corn on the cob. Where is it? And, if you find it, what is wrong with it? A meal of sliced tomatoes with olive oil, basil, salt and pepper with corn on the cob has been a favorite since I was a child. But, today, the Cook's Corner arrived and while I did not fancy any of today's recipes I went on line and read some the older issues and found a couple of things to my taste to go along with the lentil salad that I just made up according to what I had in the pantry. Looks like salads are on the menu for today and tuna from a can (in olive oil) is back. While tuna packed in water has no taste at all, tuna in olive oil and especially imported canned tuna has tons of flavor for pasta salads and salade nicoise, a favorite of mine when I visited France on bi- monthly trips. And, doesn't banana cream pie sound good? Here are a couple of recipes to try from Cook's Corner. I am making them today...right after the dogs and I chase the wild geese out of the pool--are they migrating already?

TUNA-MACARONI SALAD
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
For Opal Robertson, Columbus
Makes 4 servings

Everyone always asks for this recipe. I frequently double it.
1 cup macaroni noodles
1/2 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickles
1 can (6 ounces) tuna, drained
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellman’s)

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Drain. Run under cold water. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.BANANAS CREAM PIE
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
For S.T., Columbus
Makes 6 servings

I got this recipe years ago from a friend’s cookbook. Sometimes I use more bananas and make extra filling.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
3 boxes (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3 medium bananas, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Topping:
1 can aerosol whipped cream
2 ounces chocolate syrup
6 banana slices

To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cookie crumbs in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and butter and mix until the crumbs hold together slightly.

Press crumb mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until slightly browned and crisp. Cool crust completely.

To make filling: Combine half-and-half and cream in mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with whip attachment on electric mixer for 1 minute, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat 2 minutes longer.

Spread a thin layer of pudding mixture in bottom of crust. Top with a third of banana slices. Spread a thin layer of pudding over the bananas. Top with half of remaining bananas then another thin layer of pudding. Top with remaining bananas then remaining pudding mixture, mounding the pudding on top.

Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Cut pie into slices. Top each slice with whipped cream, drizzle with chocolate syrup and garnish with a banana slice.

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