Helen's Eggplant Torta

Peel and slice in fairly thick slices, one eggplant.
Layer in pie plate, add two tablespoons water and microwave five minutes or until eggplant is cooked.
Drain well, sprinkle with a little olive oil and seasoning—salt, pepper, oregano, etc.
Place a layer of sliced tomatoes next, season.
Put chopped green tomatoes over top, then sliced good Mozarella or Asiago cheese.
Also may use chopped mushrooms and/or chopped black olives.
Beat two eggs and add ½ cup milk. Pour over torta.
Bake in 325 oven for about 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit about 20 minutes.
It can be made ahead of time and very briefly heated in microwave, just enough to melt the cheese.

Julia—I hope when you make this dish you will remember our good time at Grayton Beach. It is a blessing to have such good friends who enjoy being together. I hope we will have this opportunity for several years to come. Meanwhile, keep on enjoying life, laugh and relax. You can’t keep an indefatigable gal down! I love you---Helen

Only Helen would say “indefatigable” in her note. I looked into Bunny’s Webster New Collegiate Dictionary to find that word: INFATIGABLE: Incapable of being fatigued, or not yielding to fatigue, untiring, tireless.
-Julia

Sharon's Salmon Bake with Pecans

4 (4-6 oz) salmon fillets
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons honey
¼ c soft bread crumbs
¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh parsley sprigs, lemon slices (garnish)

Preparation

Sprinkle salmon with salt & pepper. Place filets, skin side down in a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Combine mustard, butter, & honey. Brush mixture on the fillets. Combine bread crumbs, pecans, and chopped parsley; spoon mixture evenly on top of each fillet. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Garnish.


Dearest Julia ~

True Friends bring true joy…to see you again, Julia, has brought me that joy. Your wonderful spirit is a treasure we all cherish and we are so pleased you made the trip down to be with us this year. Too much time has passed since our last visit. I look so forward to sharing with you the east coast of Florida. Yet, another adventure in this incredible life of Julia Kubat…so many twists and turns and stories to tell. h love ~ Sharon

Sharon's Crab & Mushroom Bisque

¼ cup butter
8 green onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 pint half & half
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh crabmeat, drained & flaked..I use ½ lump & ½ claw meat
Dash of red pepper
Pinch of white pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Melt butter in heavy dutch oven; add onion and mushrooms, and sauté until tender. Add flour, stirring mixture constantly for 1 minute.

Combine chicken broth, half & half, and nutmeg; gradually add to mushroom mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining ingredients, and reduce heat. Cook until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently…DO NOT BOIL.

Julia ~

It has been absolutely wonderful to have you with us…even though the time was short, it was truly special. Please come again when we have more time…so much to see and do. Adventures await! Much love ~ Sharon & Buzz

Sharon has been my friend from long time ago, when we lived in Mississippi and belonged to weavers and spinners guild in Pass Christian, MS. We always gathered for Christmas potlock, when we shared our best dishes and exchanged the mostly handspun and handwoven gifts. This delicacy I remembered her by. Sharon served it again this year (especially for me) when I visited her and Buzz in their beautiful Victorian home in Jacksonville, Florida. Julia

Golabki - Stuffed cabbage - for Sharon

When I visited my dear friend Sharon in Jacksonville, Florida,
she took me to St. Augustine, the oldest city in America.
As we walked through the narrow streets of this beautiful city,
taking a lot of pictures, I spotted a sign, in perfect Polish: "Smaczne golabki".
Excitedly, I said: " Let's go in"!
Cooking the traditional Polish dishes were a mother and father,
and their 14-year-old son was tending the cash register.
In no time, we were speaking in Polish. I got the golabki to take out.
When we tasted them the next day, in that lovely tomato sauce,
we agreed they were delicious. As to tradition, Sharon asked me:
"Are they truly as they should be?" I said, " Definitely!"
(That's my daughter, Irene, in the picture, the day I tried this recipe at home.)
- Julia


In advance boil the rice till nice and fluffy.

Fill 1/2 of the large pot with the water. Add
1 Tbsp of salt. and bring it to boil.

Remove outer leaves of a large head of cabbage.
Cut out the core.
Place the cabbage in the boiling water for 2-3 min to soften.
Lift the cabbage out and place on a platter.
When cool enough to handle, remove the leaves one at a time,
with the help of a knife.
Repeat the procedure till you remove almost all the leaves.

Sautee onions in butter or olive oil.

In a bowl mix ground meat (beef, with some pork sausage for kick),
onions, egg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Maybe add a little Worcestershire sauce.
Place 1-2 Tbsp of meat mix. on each leaf. Fold the edges over and roll it
to the end.
Cover the bottom of the pot with one layer of cabbage leaves.
Place the rolls next to each other (so the don't unroll).
Pour small amount of water at the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
Add tomato sauce and pureed tomatoes and simmer for additional 10-20 min.

Mix some of the tomatoes sauce from the pot with 1-2 Tbsp of sour
cream and pour it over "golabki", and simmer together for additional
2-3 min.

Serve as is or with boiled potatoes.

If you taste the golabki and they seem ho-hum, just add lots of freshly ground pepper. Then they'll be terrific.