French Village Inn Salad Dressing

When I was young, Mom made salads, but none of the kids really ate salad. Now, I love salad. I wish that I had not been such a kid when it came to eating. I missed out. Mom told me about how she made this salad dressing for salads that she and Dad enjoyed. Mom also made this dressing when her parents came over for dinner. Grandpa especially liked this salad dressing.

Mom recommends putting this salad dressing on individual salads, rather than on a large salad. Perhaps the oil separates too much when it is put on a large salad. For whatever reason, I plan to take Mom's advise, and always serve this salad dressing on the side so that each person can use as much or as little as desired. For this batch, I used balsamic vinegar, but any type of vinegar could work. Also, I used dried minced onion and dried garlic powder, but finely chopped fresh onion and garlic would work well too.

French Village Inn Salad Dressing 

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup catsup
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp dry ground mustard
• 1 tsp. prepared mustard
• 3 Tbsp. grated onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Mix together all the ingredients. Refrigerate. Pour onto your favorite salad. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

Mom usually has her grandkids over to her house on Saturday for dinner. In the summer, it is the best because we spend most of the time outside. This past Saturday, I brought this Cherry Cream Cheese pie. It was a hit. Even Delilah, who had spent a half hour declaring that she did not want any pie, gave in and enjoyed this pie. 

I found this recipe in Grandma Holmes's recipe book. MDS does not remember it, but that is no reason not to make it. One great thing about this recipe is that it does not require the use of an oven, which is perfect during a hot summer day. While the pie takes no time at all to make, it does require refrigeration at various steps along the way. Also, it should not be left out too long because it tends to get too soft.

For this pie, you could use any type of crust. I chose to go with a no-bake graham cracker crust. Making a graham cracker crust is so easy, resist the urge to buy the pre-made one at the store, and just make it yourself. Another short cut would be to use a canned glaze, but avoid this short cut because making a glaze with fresh cherries is so much better. The recipe itself called for one cup of cherries, but I used 2 cups of cherries.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie 

• 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup cherry juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1-2 cups pitted cherries

Make the crust: In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup of sugar together. Blend in the butter. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch ungreased pie pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before filling.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Soften the cream cheese to room temperature and whip until fluffy. Gradually add in the sweetened condensed milk while continue beating until well mixed. Add in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate for at least three hours.

Make the cherry glaze: In a saucepan, blend cherry juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch. Cook, while stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the cherries. 

Spread the cherry glaze on the pie. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

BLT Sandwiches

BLT sandwiches are classic. Easy to make, delicious to eat, these sandwiches are a perfect meal. Mom made these sandwiches every now and then. They were not made for any special occasion, but usually, just on a regular weeknight.

The name of these sandwiches tells it all: bacon, lettuce and tomato. Of course, it is easy to add other ingredients. For these sandwiches, I also added some avocado or egg or cheese. Some use butter instead of mayo. I recommend toasting the bread to add a bit of extra crunch to the sandwich. Depending upon how high you pile on the ingredients, you will want to use a sturdy bread. I used honey oat bran bread from my local farmers market. The sandwiches were delicious.

BLT Sandwiches 

• Bacon, about 4 slices per sandwich
• lettuce
• sliced tomato
• bread
• mayo
• any extra ingredients

Cook the bacon. I prefer to lay it on a baking sheet and bake it in the oven at 375 for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the bread and prepare the lettuce and tomato. Assemble the sandwiches by spreading mayo on the bread, then piling on the bacon, lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!