Annual Fish Soup!

The last few years one of my dearest friends has come to our home and prepared this soup. It is simple and wonderful!


Fish Soup

2 T minced garlic
2 pounds of Tilapia fillets cut in chunks
2 pounds medium raw shrimp
1 pound large raw shrimp
6 medium-sized Yukon Gold potaoes
1 medium head of cabbage cut in half and then cut in 6 large slices each
4 stalks of celery sliced
2 large yellow onions cut in half and each half cut in 3 sections
6 roma tomatoes cut in quarters
3 large dry chilies
10 small dry chilies
4 limes cut in wedges
cooking oil
3 quarts of water

Use two tamale pots

In one pot bring the water to a rolling boil and then turn down to a high simmer and place all the shrimp. While they are cooking start cutting up the vegetables.

In the other pot put enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot and turn on the heat. Add the potatoes to this pot first and stir so that they do not stick. Next add the onions. When the onions just start to glaze add the celery, then the cabbage.

Pull the shrimp out on to a large cookie sheet or serving tray so that they can begin to cool. In the shrimp pot add the tilapia chunks to cook.

Keep stirring the veggies so that they do not stick. Add the tomatoes, garlic and chilies.

Begin peeling the shrimp. Pull the tilapia out when it turns white. Pour the water/broth over the veggies and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve in a broad bowl and sqeeze a wedge of fresh lime over the soup just before you eat it.

This is so good with fresh cracked wheat rolls, french bread, or thick flour torillas.

. . . . isn't it amazing how a smell can trigger memories

Tonight for dinner my husband and I cooked together. I was slicing red and Yukon Gold potatoes. First in half and then slices that only go about 1/2 through. I place them in real melted butter in the family-sized cast iron skillet that is my favorite.

Ummm! The smell of melted butter in the pan reminds me of Sandy. An amazing person who had a huge impact upon my childhood. There are many years that if I had not had her support I am not sure that I would have done so well. Melted butter with eggs frying in real butter (I came from a home of Oleo).....or....crispy golden cornmeal mush purchased from the local Safeway Food Store fried in butter and topped with Karo Syrup for breakfast!

First tastes that tasted so good. . . memorable.

Sandy was a surrogate mother of sorts to me. She was encouraging and creative. She was a divorced mother of three wonderful children that in my heart have always been closer than my own family to me. She lived only two or three houses from my own childhood home. I would be her babysitter and she would be a model to me.

She loved her children from the depths of her soul and I believe that they knew that. That she would make room in her heart... and later in her home for me...is bound in the fiber of who I have become.

Certainly none of us choose the families that we are born into but the families that we create in our lives can lift us up, nuture us, feed our souls, and heal our broken places.

She made room for me. I was not her child.

I grew up and I have aquired extra children who have taught me lessons and opened my heart in wonderful magical ways!

I lift my dinner glass to Sandy and I absolutely cherish everything that she gave with a loving heart to me!

Chinese Chicken Salad

1994.............Jean Walker

I adored this woman. She had such a happy soul and a child-like way about her that she was bursting to share weekly during her flannel board stories that drew the attention of everyone within listening distance.

We had a staff potluck and she brought these wonderful Spinach Squares (mind you--I had not thought of spinach that way--ever....may I underline ever! Until I had these). I asked her for the recipe and she giggled. She said there was always at least one person who asked for it wherever she brought them.

When she gave me the recipe there is a whole sheet of very good spinach recipes. I would have scanned them in but two of them have drastically faded...so here they are:

Spinach Squares
chilled & cut in to squares the savory baked spinach mixture is the best there and these can be eaten in small squares with the hand.

2 packages (10-oz each), frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon pepper, dry basil, and oregano leaves
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Place spinach in a wire strainer and rinse under hot water to thaw then press out all of the water, set aside. Melt butter in a fring pan over medium heat, add onion and mushrooms and cook stirring until onion is limp.

In a bowl beat eggs with a fork then stir in bread crumbs, mushroom soup, 2 teaspoons of the parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, oregano, drained spinach, and onion mixture blended.

Turn in to a well-greased 9-inch square baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cut in to 1-inch squares and serve hot or cold.