Many dishes are passed down from friends and family members

I’ve been writing this food column for just over four years now, and occasionally I like to share some of the many recipes from readers who have been kind enough to forward them to me.

Some of you even provided me with a sampling of your creation. I must admit I enjoy the occasional break from cooking.

I have also received e-mails asking me for recipes that you had saved and can no longer find or you just need a specific recipe for a special occasion. I hope my responses have been helpful.

Many of you have asked for recipes with fewer ingredients and less time consuming. I, too, prefer not to spend a lot of time in preparation and will make a conscience effort to that end. I’m sure some of you just look at a list of ingredients and if it’s more than four or five, just skip to the next recipe.

The recipes below reflect the fact the many of us are still making dishes past down to us from friends and family members. And, many of them are quite simple with few ingredients. I get the hint!

German Potato Salad

(courtesy Cathy Gullivar of Carolina Shores)

4 potatoes

4 slices bacon

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsps. white sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes; cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain, cool and chop.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown; drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve bacon fat. Add the flour, sugar, water and vinegar to skillet and cook in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until dressing is thick. Add bacon, potatoes and green onions to skillet and stir until coated.

Cook until heated and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm. Makes 4-6 servings.

24-Hour Cabbage Slaw

(courtesy Karen Meade)

1 large head cabbage

1 onion

1 cup salad oil

1 cup vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 Tbsp. sugar

Shred cabbage fine, and then shred onion fine. In a large bowl, put one layer of cabbage and a layer of onion, alternating until all is used. Cover with 1 cup of sugar.

In a medium-sized pot, add vinegar, salad oil, celery seed, dry mustard, salt and a tablespoon of sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Pour rapidly boiling mixture over cabbage very slowly. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

When ready to serve, stir well. This keeps well and gets better each day.

Easy Ice Cream Cake

(courtesy Cathy McGill of Ocean Isle Beach)

2 boxes (12 count) Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 (48 oz.) pkg. Cool Whip or similar

1 bottle Magic Shell Topping

Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan (or other pan with sides) with a layer of 12 unwrapped ice cream sandwiches. Cover with whipped topping, and then add a second layer of ice cream sandwiches followed by a final layer of whipped topping. Decorate the final whipped topping layer with Magic Shell topping.

Freeze overnight or at least 2 hours. Allow 5-10 minutes to thaw before cutting.

Note: The quantity of ice cream sandwiches and Cool Whip will vary depending on the size of the pan.

Homemade Hot Mustard

(courtesy Lisa Weller of Ocean Isle Beach)

1 cup (4 oz. by weight) dry mustard

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

Mix the dry mustard and vinegar together in a microwavable container with a lid. Cover and let stand at least 4 hours or overnight. When you remove the lid, step back; the fumes will unclog your sinuses.

Add the sugar, eggs and salt; mix well. Microwave mixture for 3 minutes and then stir. Microwave for 1-2 more minutes until you get the consistency you like. Keeps in the refrigerator for a long time.

Tasty Hush Puppies

(courtesy Bobbie Messick of Hope Chest No. 5)

1 cup self rising corn meal

1-1/2 cup self-rising flour

2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs

Dash sugar, salt and pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onions (optional)

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together to form a thick batter (add more buttermilk if needed). Refrigerate overnight.

Using a tablespoon, spoon mixture into hot cooking oil until golden brown. Remove and place in paper-lined basket to drain and cool.

Turkey Tetrazinni

(courtesy Carol Maharay of Ocean Isle Beach)

If you prefer, use cooked chicken instead of turkey.

1/2-3/4 pound cooked turkey, cut up

8-12 oz. pasta, cooked

1/3 cup onions, chopped

2 Tbsps. olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

1-1/4 cups milk

1 small can mushrooms, sliced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Bread crumbs mixed with grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium pan, saute onions in oil. When soft, add soups, mushrooms, wine, milk, cheese, salt and pepper; mix well. Add turkey and cook until bubbly.

Add pasta to a baking dish that has been buttered or sprayed. Cover with turkey mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.

Norm Harding is a cooking columnist for the Beacon. To send him recipes, e-mail him at nharding@brunswickbeacon.com.