Recipes to try for National Celery Month

Today is St. Patrick's Day and instead of doing recipes to serve on this day, I decided to give a nod to a green vegetable and celebrate national celery month! I didn't even know there was such a thing until I saw it on television one morning. Celery has far more delicious uses other than our favorite childhood Ants on a Log snack.

I've put together a variety of recipes that are to be served cold and hot to use this interesting vegetable.

I do have one pet-peeve when it comes to celery. For cooking purposes, the stalk of celery is how it grows from the ground in a bunch or head known as the stalk. Then each long piece is called a rib. I see recipes quite frequently that call for 3 stalks celery, or 5 stalks celery, which would be quite unrealistic in a small batch of soup or chicken salad. I think many people understand that, but it's just a personal thing with me.

Think green today and enjoy a delicious recipe using celery!

Cashew Chicken Casserole

Stuck in a casserole rut? We've got the solution. Try an Asian twist by adding cream of mushroom, chicken, chow mein noodles and cashews to stir things up in the casserole world. Never get accused of being ordinary again.

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 can (10.75 ounce size) cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
• 1 can (5 ounce size) chow mein noodles
• 1/2 cup cashews

Preheat the oven to 350 degree.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft.

Add the mushroom soup, chicken broth, soy sauce, and cooked chicken. Mix well and heat through.

Transfer the chicken mixture to a baking dish. Top with chow mein noodles and cashews.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve hot.

Source: www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/453/Cashew_Chicken_Casserole_II51773.shtml

Sunny Fruit Mold

This Jell-o fruit salad- is one of the few gelatin salads that can still be found at potlucks today. This is from 1960, and it's totally delish.

• 1 package lemon gelatin
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 orange, freed from membrane and diced
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 red skin apple, diced
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced

Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add cold water. Chill until slightly thickened. Fold in fruit and celery. Pour into mold; chill until firm.

At serving time, unmold on crisp lettuce; garnish with mayonnaise.

This Jell-O dish also makes a light, lively dessert when garnished with whipped cream. Makes six servings.

Source: www.retrorecipe.wordpress.com/2014/11/17/sunny-fruit-mold/

Home Run Celery Amandine

With just a few handy ingredients and 10 minutes or less to the table, take a crack at the bat with this sauteed celery amandine. It is proof that celery is more than a bench player at your table.

• 1 small head (stalk) garden fresh celery (about 3-4 ribs per person)
• 1/4 cup raw whole almonds
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and lightly chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut in wedges (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry the celery and slice it 1/4- to 1/2- inch thick on a sharp diagonal. (The diagonals look beautiful, but also expose more surface area for flavor.)

Crush the almonds with the bottom of a glass or by tapping on them with a meat mallet to get rough pieces of mixed sizes. Crush and lightly chop through the garlic cloves. (Crushing the nuts and garlic makes more textural and visual interest than chopping.) Slice the lemon into six to eight wedges and flick away any seeds you see.

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the butter and olive oil. Add the celery to the pan and give it a shake to let the slices settle in. Toss the nuts, garlic and salt and pepper to taste on top of the celery. Stir a few times while the celery just begins to soften and turn bright green, about four to five minutes. Remove it from the heat before you think you should. You'll enjoy this best if the celery retains is crunchy texture.

Serve with a lemon wedge, if desired. This is good served right out of the skillet or at room temperature.

Source: www.101milekitchen.com/2021/05/18/vintage-celery-amandine-home-run-2/

Ben Franklin Salad

This is a type of mashed potato salad and this recipe is quite old, but still delicious many years later.

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 4 cups mashed potato
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt, adjust to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Thoroughly blend all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: www.retrorecipe.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/ben-franklin-salad/

Tomato-Garbanzo Salad

• 1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
• 15-ounces can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer macaroni to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; stir to mix well. Cover and chill at least one hour before serving. Makes six servings.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/79A9C884413539AB85258018005792C5

Chopstick Tuna

• 10-3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 5 tablespoons water
• 3-ounce can chow mein noodles, divided
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 6-ounce can tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup salted cashews, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine soup and water. Add half the noodles and remaining ingredients. Toss well and place in an ungreased 11-inch-by-7-inch baking pan. Sprinkle remaining noodles on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serves four to six.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/5B5340E270C68A61852580CF005213D0

Smoky Chicken Spread

• 3 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper assorted snack crackers

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except crackers; mix well. Cover and chill at least two hours before serving. Serve with snack crackers. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/58E9ED1F81618B0E8525862400517AE7

Chicken-Tortellini Soup

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 9-ounce package cheese tortellini, uncooked
• 46-ounce can chicken broth
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in a stockpot; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tortellini is tender. Discard bay leaf. Makes six servings.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/4E964EFE1BFBE2AA8525835F006F2550

"Old School" Tuna Cashew Casserole

"Old School" Tuna Cashew Casserole is a simple casserole with cashews, chow mein noodles, tuna and celery... the way we made it in high school cooking class.

• 3 ounces chow mein noodles, divided
• 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped coarsely
• 1 cup celery, finely diced
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 can tuna, 6 ounces, in water, drained
• 4 tablespoons onion, minced
• Salt and pepper, to lightly season

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Set aside 1/2 of the chow mein noodles (reserved for topping).

Place remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl; gently stir until fully combined. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly spread.

Top casserole with reserved chow mein noodles.

Bake casserole, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 40 minutes, until lightly browned and slightly bubbly around the edges.

Remove from oven, let cool for a minute or two, then serve.

Source: www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/tuna-cashew-casserole/

Hearty Fish Chowder

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 pounds haddock, thawed if frozen
• 10-3/4 ounce can cream of shrimp soup
• 1-1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine onion, carrot and celery in slow cooker. Add water; cover and cook on high setting for 2 hours. Cut fish into large pieces, about 3 inches square. Place fish pieces on top of vegetables.

Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl; pour over fish. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 3-3/4 hours, or until fish flakes easily. Uncover; break fish into smaller pieces with a fork and stir. Cover; turn off slow cooker and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/99A62450760861A385257FFE00698E62

Stuffing Balls

• 1 1/2 to 2 loaves white bread, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups celery, finely chopped
• Optional: 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 to 2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup turkey or chicken broth

The night before, place bread pieces on a baking sheet or in a large bowl to dry. The next day, melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Saute celery and onion, if using, for 15 to 20 minutes; cool slightly. In a very large bowl, toss bread pieces and seasonings with butter mixture. Add eggs and just enough broth to help mixture to stick together; mix well.

Form into 12 balls; place in a 13- x 9-inch baking pan sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Drizzle a little more broth over stuffing balls; cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovering for the last few minutes, until balls are crisp and golden. Makes 12 servings.

Source: www.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/recipe.nsf/55e548eeef8c89b9852568d4004c5ffe/ABD6C8F02E1007F5852586250052988B

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.