Fruit Cup aka Sploosh

It's fun this time of year to look back and remember holidays past. I think that is part of the excitement of the season, remembering not only the new things planned but also the family and friends you have enjoyed previous holidays with.

In my case one particularly fond memory is of my grandmother. She always welcomed us in to her kitchen. She taught me how to microwave eggs with velveeta in her little pyrex dishes. I now see those same dishes in antique stores and they make me smile.  She also had us kids devein and peel the shrimp for the shrimp cocktail she served on holidays.  A few of the things I remember most though besides the shrimp cocktail were glazed carrots, key lime pie, and fruit cup.

Fruit cup sounds like it should be a simple thing and it some ways it is. And yet it's wonderful alongside all the rich treats we typically indulge in on Christmas. One thing that makes it special is the way it is prepared. The oranges and grapefruit are peels are sliced off around the fruit to separate the segments and then the fruit peeled out from between them.

Using a serrated knife, slice around the peel. Don't make the swatches too large. It's faster but you lose more of the fruit that way.

Slide the knife down the side of the segment all the way to the center trying not to cut through the center.

Once you have the knife in the center use it to pry the fruit out of the segment.

Like most of my recipes, specifics aren't important. Which is good, because I don't have them. The strawberries in this are the frozen kind that come in sugar syrup. You can buy two size, small or large. Whichever one you get depends on if you are making a lot or a little.

5 lb bag of oranges, more or less
1 - 2 grapefruit
1 small tub of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed

Segment the oranges and grapefruit according to the description above. Add the strawberries. Let sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld a little bit and enjoy. Or let sit overnight, because advanced prep is something I love this time of year.

Banana Bread

This is my grandmas banana bread recipe with my sisters gluten free variation.



3 very ripe bananas

1 cup sugar

1 stick melted butter
1 egg (add an extra egg is not using wheat flour)

1 1/2 c flour (Sub in any gluten free flour mix)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. spices (my addition I think, not hers)
Mash bananas in mixer until smooth. Add sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add dry ingredients, mix on low until smooth. Add nuts, etc. as desired. 

Bake in a 9 inch loaf pan until very dark brown, top should be springy.

Grandma's Stuffed Pork Chops

Recently I've been thinking and reflecting on family. I loved getting together for large family gatherings, extended family, and always good food. A friend suggested recently I record these memories here by posting family recipes. This one comes from my grandma on my fathers side. My dad talks about how he and my uncle used to fight over the bigger chop.

Start with pork chops on the thicker side. Cut them through the middle, 

not all the way, just a pocket.

 

Heat the oil in a skillet and heat the oven to 425.
Stuff the pork chops with the prepared stuffing and season on both sides with season salt.
Add the chops to the pan and cook until golden brown on one side. Flip all of the chops and add the onion to cook at the same time. The onions are my addition, not Grandmas.

Once the chops are browned on both sides, but not cooked all the way through, top with the can of tomato sauce. Bake at 425 until the chops are cooked all the way through.