1000 x 90

Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: April Really is National Food Month

By Sherrie Norris

After three decades of writing a food column, I have just learned something new. April is National Food Month, described by those who know these things as “the month to indulge in your favorite food or the ones you’re most interested in trying.”

I was only looking for special days or weeks of the month for a particular food to highlight, but now I find that we can just eat anything we want to during this month and call it a celebration. As if this is anything new to most of us, right? Don’t we always make food the center of any celebration?

In case you are hung up on specific celebrations, April is also National BLT Sandwich Month, National Celery Month, National Florida Tomato Month . . . Garlic Month, Grilled Cheese Month . .  and the list goes on.

So, I’m just going to throw the invisible dart into my recipe files and see what we come up with, since anything goes.

Enjoy!!

Easy Key Lime Pie

1 graham cracker crumb or baked pastry pie shell

1 can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup bottled lime juice

1 tsp. grated lime rind

1 cup heavy cream, whipped, or Cool Whip

Combine sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime rind. Stir until well blended and thickened. Fold in ½ of the cream or Cool Whip. Pour into chilled crumb crust or cooked pastry shell. Spread remaining cream/whipped topping over pie filling and chill.

Sausage Potato Casserole

1 pound pork sausage, fried and drained

4 medium potatoes, sliced and uncooked

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1¼ cup milk

¼ cup flour

¼ tsp. salt

Layer potatoes, sausage, and cheese. Mix the milk, flour, and salt together until it is smooth. Pour over potato mixture. Bake covered for one hour at 350 degrees, then uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Reuben Rolls

½ lb. sliced corned beef

4 slices Swiss cheese

 Sauerkraut, drained

Thousand Island dressing

Heat 2-3 slices corned beef in medium heat skillet, top with spoonful of sauerkraut and a slice of cheese. Heat through, then roll and secure with toothpick. Serve with dressing. 

Or serve ingredients, unrolled, as a sandwich on grilled rye bread. 

Broiled Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze

1/3 cup sugar-free pancake syrup

½ cup water

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, pushed through a press

¼ tsp salt

4 (8-oz.) salmon fillets, 1-inch thick

In a small heavy saucepan combine syrup, water, mustard, garlic, and salt and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup. Cool. Heat broiler; arrange salmon, skin side down, on oiled rack of broiler pan and season with salt. Broil salmon 4 inches from heat source, 6 minutes. Brush with sauce and broil until just cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

Vegetable Pasta Salad

½  cup pasta, cooked as directed and rinsed with cold water

½  cup broccoli florets

½  cup julienne-cut carrots

½  cup quartered fresh mushrooms

¼ to ½  cup Italian salad dressing

Combine all ingredients, blending well. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Note: Add additional ingredients that you might have on hand: cheese cubes, grape tomatoes, salami, etc.