Carrot Pineapple Salad

This gelatin mold was a staple at our summer get-togethers. It was easy to make, it was cool, the kids all loved it, it is chock full of fruit and vegetables, and adds a pretty color to any picnic table.

Make a small box of lemon Jell-o as per package directions (orange would also work)
When its just about set, stir in the following:
1 cup grated carrots
1 can of pineapple chunks (drained)

Refrigerate a few more hours until set.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

We ate watermelon at Grandma's house in the summer. She even carved "baskets" out of the shell of the watermelon, scooped out all the juicy, red middle, and filled the basket with wonderful fruit salads. One time, when I was very young, maybe 3 (I remember it being at her old kitchen in the house my mother grew up in) she carved a whale with big teeth to hold the fruit salad. That whale scared me and I ran from the kitchen!

Nothing went to waste at Grandma's house. Like many thrifty Polish cooks, she took the rinds from the watermelon and pickled it. She would serve it all fall and winter at various family and holiday meals on relish trays that also included such treats as green olives, cocktail onions, celery hearts, sweet baby gherkins, and bread and butter chips.

I have yet to find Grandma's recipe, but in the meantime ran across this recipe which seems similar:

Pickled Watermelon Rind
(from Lynn's Country Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS
3 pounds watermelon rind
Salted water (use 3 tablespoons salt for each quart of water)
2 pounds sugar
3 cups distilled white vinegar
6 pieces stick cinnamon (3 inches each)
2 tablespoons whole allspice
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons whole mustard seed

Cut rind into 1-inch cubes; trim off outer green skin and bright pink flesh. Soak overnight in enough salted water to cover. Drain.

Heat sugar and vinegar to boiling. Tie spices in cheesecloth bag.

Add spice bag and melon rind to vinegar mixture. Cook, uncovered, until melon is transparent, about 45 minutes. Discard spice bag.

If desired, add a few drops of red or green food coloring to the rind.

Pack watermelon rind tightly into hot, sterilized jars.

Pour boiling syrup over watermelon to with 1/8-inch of top, making sure vinegar solution covers rind.

Seal each jar at once.

3 pints

Impossible Pie

These were fairly common in the 70's. The one I remember Mom making most was Impossible Lasagna Pie.

Corn Meal Mush and Bacon

Grandma would sometimes make corn meal mush as a hearty breakfast for us kids.

The night before serving, cook corn meal in boiling water (should be the consistency of Cream of Wheat) and poor into greased loaf pan. Cover with wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, cook up a pound of bacon. Remove bacon and place on paper towels to drain. Slice the corn meal mush and fry in bacon drippings. Serve with plenty of butter and maple syrup.

David Eyre's Pancake

Mom used to make this for brunch. Its sort of like a popover, with a hint of lemon and nutmeg. Very yummy.

I'm copying the recipe here:

David Eyres Pancake
(Originally published in the New York Times by Craig Claiborne)

2 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Fig or blackberry jam, pear butter or any kind of marmalade, for serving (optional).

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the flour, milk and nutmeg and lightly beat until blended but still slightly lumpy.

2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle over medium-high heat. When very hot but not brown, pour in the batter. Bake in the oven until the pancake is billowing on the edges and golden brown, about 15 minutes.

3. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven and, using a fine-meshed sieve, sprinkle with the sugar. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with jam, pear butter or marmalade. Serves 2 to 4.