The merry month of May has been long-awaited. Perhaps you doubted that you would see green grass, tree buds, heads of colorful tulips, or hear robins singing ever again! May honors mothers, veterans and troops, and graduates. It allows us to fantasize about warm summer days in the backyard hammock sipping tea and watching puffy clouds…or at least fantasizing about soon-to-be-here warm weather. Let’s eat!

Easy Steak Diane

Melt 4 T. butter in a skillet, and then cook one-half cup sliced fresh mushrooms, 2 T. minced onion, 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1 t. lemon juice, and 1 t. Worcestershire sauce 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in 2 T. fresh parsley. Remove from pan and keep warm. Melt another 2 T. butter in the skillet and add a rib eye that has been cut into 8 slices. Cook four slices at a time for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes; repeat with remaining slices. Pour sauce back into skillet to heat through.

Potato Salad Vinaigrette

Whisk one-fourth cup seasoned rice vinegar with 2 T. canola or light olive oil and several dashes salt and pepper. Set aside.
Cube 2 pounds of cooked red potatoes (skins on if desired) and mix with 1 cup chopped cucumber, 1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes, one-half cup green, red, or yellow bell peppers, 3 chopped green onions, and a small can of drained sliced olives. Pour vinaigrette on top and mix lightly. Chill for several hours. Serves 10 to 12.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

Cook and crumble 12 ounces of turkey or pork sausage until browned and drain off grease. In a large bowl mix 2 cups of low-fat milk with 10 eggs (use the whole egg or toss half of the yolks away) or 2 cups egg substitute; add 1 t. dry mustard, one-half t. salt and pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper, and 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese. Cube 16 slices of bread (trim off crusts, if desired). Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch casserole. Lightly sprinkle top with paprika.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until set and lightly browned. Top with extra cheese.

Oven ‘Cued Chicken

Rinse a whole chicken (about 3 pounds) and pat dry. Place in a greased baking pan. Stuff with 2 cut up lemons and several chunks of onion. Salt and pepper the inside and outside of the chicken (add any additional spices as desired). Roast for 1 hour at 350 degrees; remove chicken from oven and pour 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce over the chicken.
Cover with foil and bake another 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees internal temperature). Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.

Spanish Potatoes

Peel and cube 2 pounds of russet potatoes; place in boiling water for 2 minutes and remove. Drain. Heat 2 t. olive oil and 1 T. butter in a large skillet; add potatoes to pan and sauté 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle in some salt, red pepper, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Remove when nicely browned. Make a spicy sauce by sautéing 1 cup each of finely diced onion and green pepper in 1 t. olive oil until tender. Add one-eighth t. ground red pepper (or more if you want more heat), one-fourth t. salt, and an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Puree if desired.

Mother’s Day Chicken Divan

Cook 6 chicken breasts until done; cut into chunks and place in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Make a quick white sauce by melting 4 T. butter in a saucepan and adding 4 T. flour, stirring until smooth. Slowly add 1 cup milk. Whisk and add 1 cup canned chicken broth. Cook until thick, while continuing to stir. Stir in 1 cup of Miracle Whip salad dressing and 2 T. fresh lemon juice. (You may add additional spices if desired, such as tarragon, curry, red pepper flakes, etc.) Steam 2 bags of frozen broccoli spears and place over the chicken. Pour white sauce over the spears—salt and pepper as desired. Sprinkle one-fourth cup grated Parmesan cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Spicy Coleslaw

Combine a bag of shredded cabbage with a chopped cucumber, 1 cup chopped tomato, 1 cup chopped green pepper, and 2 sliced green onions. Blend together one-third cup spicy vegetable juice with 2 T. red wine vinegar, 2 t. sugar, one-half t. celery seed, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over cabbage; toss gently. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Serves 6.

Springtime Asparagus Casserole

Clean 2 bunches of fresh asparagus. Cut into 1-inch pieces and cook until crisp tender; drain. In a bowl beat 3 eggs with 1 cup milk. Add three-fourths cup crushed Ritz crackers, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, a small jar of drained pimientos, and salt and pepper. Put drained asparagus into the bottom of a greased casserole dish; add egg mixture. Drizzle 2 T. melted butter over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Lemon Cheesecake

Mix 2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs with one-fourth cup sugar and 6 T. butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Mix 4 packages (8 ounces each) of softened cream cheese with 1 cup sugar. Add 1 cup sour cream and 4 eggs. Blend well on medium speed. Add 2 t. fresh lemon zest and 2 T. fresh lemon juice. Pour mixture on top of crust. Bake for 40 minutes at 325 degrees.