Recipe(tried): Sunday Corned Beef Hash, Homemade Applesauce, Cucumber Salad, and Banana Cake

SUNDAY DINNER MENU:
Sunday Corned Beef Hash
Hot Rolls
Homemade Applesauce
Cucumber Salad
Banana Cake

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Sunday dinner was simple and an old stand-by from my childhood. The cucumber salad is tart and cold, a great contrast to the heavier meat and potato hash, and applesauce adds a sweet note without being overwhelming. Accompanied by slices of baguette and farm butter, it was easy and filling. The banana cake is best served warm - pop it into the oven as you begin cooking the meal so it can cool enough to eat "in-the-hand" after supper.

SUNDAY CORNED BEEF HASH
Use up those last oddly-shaped potatoes in the bag with this hash

1 (12 oz.) can corned beef
5 small to medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tbsp butter
Milk
1 onion, diced
Canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
warmed ketchup or salsa (for serving)

Place potatoes in saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to a boil and then decrease heat to simmer 7-10 minutes, or just until a fork enters potatoes easily. Drain well. Replace pan over low heat and shake until wisps of steam come off potatoes. Place in bowl and add butter and a pinch of salt. Mash until smooth. Add enough milk to make a mixture neither too loose nor dry, stirring well. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in 12-inch frying pan, warm 2 tbsp oil until shimmering over medium-high heat. Add onions. Constantly stirring, cook until just translucent. Add corned beef, using a fork to break off bits of meat into the pan. Stir with onions until meat is warmed, 3-5 minutes. Add 1 more tbsp oil if pan seems dry.

Add potatoes in spoonfuls over meat mixture. Grind pepper to taste over pan. Gently fold in potatoes. Avoid making a smooth mixture - the hash should be rough and uneven. Distribute hash over the pan evenly and leave on medium-high heat. Add 1 more tbsp oil if the pan seems dry. Without turning or disturbing the mixture, let hash brown 10-12 minutes. When brown and crusty on the bottom, quarter the mixture with your spatula and turn over. Let brown again about 10 minutes until crusty on the second side.

Serve with warmed ketchup or salsa.

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HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
So much better than jarred, and easy to make

5 medium to large apples, at least one of a tart variety*
Water
Sugar (white or brown, as preferred)
Cinnamon

Peel and core apples. Quarter and place in large saucepan. Add 3-4 tbsp water, depending on how juicy the fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat, and as soon as you can see steam and hear sputtering, turn heat as low as possible and cover pan. Cook 20 minutes, keeping covered except for one check after about 5 minutes to ensure the heat is sufficient to keep the apples cooking. If not, adjust heat slowly upwards as needed.

Without draining [there should be little water], mash apples in pan to desired smoothness. Add 2 tbsp sugar, mix well. Add a single heavy shake of cinnamon - use only enough to enhance the applesauce, not give a definite spiced taste. Mix well. Empty mixture into a bowl, and cool on counter, turning sauce with a spatula frequently to speed cooling. Cover and refrigerate.

Stir before serving as juice tends to separate from the fruit in home-cooked applesauce. Taste before serving and add more sugar as needed, to taste.

*Use a mixture of apples for best taste and texture: I used 2 Pink Ladies, 2 Macintosh, and 1 Granny Smith - for tartness.

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CUCUMBER SALAD
This looks appealing when red onion contrasts with bright green cucumbers

1/2 English [seedless] cucumber
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly pole to pole, then halve slices
White sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
White wine vinegar
Cold water

Run tines of a fork firmly from end to end on cucumber to scallop its edges, then rinse well. Halve end to end, and scoop out seedy area. Slice cucumber halves thinly into half moons; set aside.

In 1 quart glass or ceramic dish, cover bottom with cucumber and onion. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, salt, and pepper. Repeat layers until all cucumber and onion is used. Let sit 15 minutes on counter, uncovered.

Then add enough vinegar to cover the bottom layer. Add enough very cold water to just cover the top layer. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Stir before serving to mix spices into layers again.

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BANANA CAKE
Warm with cinnamon and chocolate, this needs no frosting.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp good-quality ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened but still cool
1 cup sugar (use 1/2 brown sugar/packed, 1/2 white sugar)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 to 4 large)
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup chocolate chips, plus 1 heaping tbsp

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a sifter; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add the sugar, beat until light and pale yellow. Add the eggs, and beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Beat in the vanilla, then the bananas.

Alternating with the buttermilk, sift the flour mixture directly into the bowl and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips with spatula. Pour into the prepared pan evenly, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake until a sharp knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes, checking after 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before cutting - serve directly from pan.