This is a recipe from my maternal grandmother, Patricia Silliman. It's one of the first I've ever seen from her, surprisingly, although I know she was a great cook. I have fond memories of this salad from growing up in Germantown, OH, and I know it was one my mother always liked to make. You'll notice that this recipe is very simply recorded--several ingredients in fact have no measureable quantities listed at all; it's possible the original recipe was recorded by memory. I'm listing it in its original form, with one slight change for modern clarity, so to speak. My grandmother, like both sides of my family, was from rural Northwest Ohio, so it's quite possible very similar recipes are floating around this area of the country. Check it out below!

Pea Salad

1 small can of peas, drained
1/2 onion, chopped*
2 boiled eggs, chopped
Mayonnaise to taste**

Mix and refrigerate. Can add cheddar cheese cubes.

A Note from Bethany...
*The original recipe had no quanitiy of onion listed. This is my best guess, based on the quantity of other ingredients and other recipes for pea salad I've seen.

**The original recipe called for "salad dressing," with no quantity listed. Knowing 1950s recipes as I do, and knowing this recipe, this definitely means mayonnaise. I've listed it as being added "to taste" since mayonnaise is easy to add based on how much or little you like. Other similar recipes I've seen, however, call for about 3/4 cup.

Mary Ann's Potato Salad

1 cup of Duke's mayo
2 Tbsp of vinegar
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of sugar

4 cups of cubed, cooked potatoes (5-6 medium potatoes)
1 cup of celery, sliced
1/2 cup of chopped onion
2 boiled eggs, chopped

Combine first 5 ingredients (my mom also makes a note to add mustard to taste). Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill for several hours.

Bethany's Healthy Taco Salad
Serves 3-4

1 lb of ground chicken
1 packet of low-sodium taco seasoning
1 can of black beans, drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 head of lettuce, shredded
1 cup of low fat Mexican blend cheese

Brown ground chicken until cooked through, drain. Add taco seasoning and make according to directions. On a large platter, place lettuce, tomato, onion, black beans, and mix. Top with meat, then add cheese.

This is my own variation on a favorite chicken salad recipe I've made for my husband and parents in the past. When I couldn't find the original online recipe I used, I created the following one. This chicken salad is simple--it only has three basic ingredients--and yet it can easily be modified with eggs, basil, paprika, etc. I usually make this when the chicken is a good price at the store; this recipe will make enough salad to make sandwiches or put on crackers all week long. Best of all, it's gluten free!

Bethany's Chicken Salad

2 lbs of chicken breasts
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/8 tsp of pepper
1/8 tsp of salt
1 1/2 cups of lite mayonnaise
2 celery stalks, finely chopped

Cut up the chicken breast into pieces and cook it over medium heat until cooked thoroughly. After it is done, use a metal spatula to chop it into even finer pieces.

Finely chop celery; place into large mixing bowl. Add chicken and mayonnaise. Stir. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper as directed, or to taste. Chill before serving.