Friday, March 29, 2024

Memorable meals

Posted

Memorial Day was created to honor those who died fighting for our country and our freedoms, but it has also come to be associated with the beginning of summer.

It is also the time of year when most schools are out for the summer – except for this year.

This year the school year ended in March due to COVID-19, although no one realized it at the time.

So, as Texas begins reopening, and hopefully recovering from the pandemic, the beginning of the end of the pandemic will replace the end of the school year association this year.

Hopefully you will be able to gather with friends and family for Memorial Day this year. If you can, here are some recipes you can make ahead and enjoy visiting instead of cooking on that day.

These can all be made the day before, and they have all been in my recipe collection for years.

BRAISED BRISKET

2 cans beef broth

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cup soy sauce

5 cloves chopped garlic

2 tablespoons liquid smoke

10-15 pounds brisket

Trim some, but not all, of the fat off the brisket. Place fat side up in large roasting pan.

Mix rest of ingredients and pour over brisket. Cover tightly with foil.

You can marinate this up to 48 hours or bake immediately.

I’ve done it both ways, and it’s delicious either way.

Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes a pound.

SUMMER SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

4 new potatoes, boiled and quartered (I leave the skin on)

Handful of fresh green beans, boil for 5 minutes, cool quickly in ice water, drain

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

2 cooked cobs of corn, cut corn off cob, break up into chunks

1/4 chopped fresh basil (can substitute fresh parsley, mint or lemon balm)

Mix veggies with basil, toss with lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows). Eat chilled or at room temperature.

LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Zest of one lemon (zest before juicing)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients together, set aside.

BEER BREAD

1 (12 ounces) can room temperature beer

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups self-rising flour

1 stick butter

Note: If you don’t have self-rising flour mix 3 cups of regular flour, 4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt as a substitute.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Mix beer, sugar and flour.

Mix beer, sugar and flour.

Bake for 1 hour (every 10 minutes top bread with small pieces of butter, using the whole stick of butter.

STRAWBERRY-GLAZE PIE

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1/4 cup strawberry-flavored gelatin powder

2 cups halved fresh strawberries

1 baked 9-inch pastry shell (I use the refrigerated pie crust and bake it first or use a pre-made graham cracker crust pie shell found in the baking isle.)

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan; stir in water.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and clear.

Remove from heat; stir in gelatin. Cool.

Place strawberries in a cooled pie shell. Pour glaze over berries.

Refrigerate before serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

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