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LEARN HOW TO MAKE OUR TYPE LARGER

	Just a thought
	Betty Lammers

Hey, what's cookin?
Published March/April 2002

This year I decided to celebrate the diversity of our country by cooking something for each individual holiday. When Hanukkah came along, I followed a recipe a Jewish co-worker had given me for Brisket of Beef. Just put a beef brisket in a roasting pan, sprinkle 1/2 package of onion soup mix atop and add 1/2 jar chili sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a slow oven for about three hours. It's easy and delicious.

Christmas and New Year's Day featured either turkey or ham and there was nothing adventurous about that.

Next came Kwanzaa. In my daily paper there were a few recipes listed and I decided to try East African Beef Stew with Plantains. I gathered all the ingredients, including lots of spices and hot chili peppers (which I had in the freezer). Well, I halved the recipe but when adding the hot peppers, I forgot and added the full amount. The stew would clear your sinuses. It had to be accompanied with lots of bread and a cool salad. The newspaper article highlighted the African costumes and dances of the celebration, but my hopping around was caused solely by the hot peppers! I did celebrate Kwanzaa, though.

We are learning more about the Muslim community these days. I don't have the discipline to handle the Ramadan month of fasting, but I did find a recipe for Tabbouleh Salad. It uses bulgur, which I had never tried, fresh parsley, chives and mint. So on my next trip to the market, I bought the ingredients and whipped it up. I liked it, but with all those fresh herbs, it was quite an expensive salad. I'll go back to the packaged greens.

With family ancestors named Kilmurray, Donovan and Neary, St. Patrick's Day is a no-brainer for me. Corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and Irish Soda Bread will be coming up soon although I do admit that is an American-Irish ritual and not one originated in Ireland.

Do you think there is a lady in Pakistan trying out her first meatloaf and mashed potato dinner?

E-mail Betty Lammers at betty@homefrontmagazine.com.

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