Featured Holiday – No Housework Day!

We aren’t sure who invented this great holiday-off, but it certainly is popular! Put your brooms in the closet and let the laundry sit for a day or two! Why not start that novel that is sitting somewhere with your ironing? Or go see a movie, take the kids to the zoo, anything to make you feel more refreshed.

But wait, there’s one question—what is everybody going to eat? Why mar this great day of relaxation with having to hand over last week’s pay to the pizza delivery guy or at the fast food counter? And anyway, this is a special day, which means special food—but then again, cooking is forbidden!

Try making a salad lunch a day in advance. Then put something in the crock pot the night before for your dinner. All you have to do is plug in the pot in the morning. That’s not housework, is it? Serve it all on paper plates and with plastic “silverware” that you can throw away afterward. Let you know that this day is going to be your tradition!

Bow Tie Pasta and Broccoli Salad

1 T. sesame seed oil
½ cup golden raisins
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
3 T. sesame seeds
4 large stalks fresh broccoli chopped into florets
4 cups bow tie noodles, cooked, drained and chilled
2/3 c. mayonnaise

In a skillet, heat sesame seed oil, sauté raisins and keep stirring. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Saute sunflower and sesame seeds in the rest of the oil, stirring constantly. Put in another small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, bow ties, raisins, and mayonnaise. Just before serving, toss with sunflower and sesame seeds. Serves 6

Homestyle Potato Salad

4 large potatoes
3 eggs
1 ¼ cups chopped celery
1 c. mayonnaise
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ c chopped coriander (optional)

Boil peeled potatoes and eggs together for 30 minutes. Let them cool. Take the shells off of the eggs. Cut the potatoes into cubes and the peeled eggs into small slices.

Combine the potatoes and eggs with celery, mayo, salt and pepper, stirring well. Add the coriander, if you desire, right before serving. Makes 6 servings

Slow Cooking Pot Roast

2-2 ½ lb pot roast
Salt, pepper, garlic and thyme to taste
8 small potatoes
1 cup cut carrots
1 large onion cut into large chunks
1 pepper cut into big pieces
1 c. beef broth

Rub the pot roast with the herbs and place in the crock pot. Add the vegetables and the broth. Cook for 8-10 hours and serve with rice, rolls and salad. For a thicker gravy, add cornstarch and cook at a higher heat.