Today’s salad was made for hot summer days. Several home magazines have printed similar ones this summer, but I’m sure none was as good as Fresh Vegetable Marinate from Rachel Stucker of Providence Baptist Church in Pageland.
The recipe was published in the church cookbook, from which I have used other selections. In it are a couple of recipes similar to this, but I like this one because it is healthy, easy to make, can be made ahead of serving time, and, most important, is good tasting!
Providence Baptist Church is in Chesterfield Baptist Association, located in Pageland in the middle of South Carolina where one good sneeze would send you across the North Carolina state line.
Organized about 125 years ago, Providence borrowed a one-room log school named Winzo for its meetings for three or four years until a church building was constructed.
Currently, Rev. Roger Wall serves as pastor, and Byron Crawford directs the youth and music programs for the 275-member church.
Rachel and her late husband, Richard, became members of Providence more than 30 years ago, and she has served in many ways. She taught adult Sunday school for several years and was director of the Women on Mission (or WMU, as she and some of us still call this important mission group).
Rachel Stucker
Her other interests include gardening — especially potted plants, both indoors and out. She likes Bible study and prefers the New International Version. She became familiar with the various translations when she and Richard owned a Christian bookstore in Camden many years ago.
Rachel’s late husband loved painting, using both acrylic and watercolor mediums, and her home displays many of his realistic paintings.
Rachel remembers getting this recipe from a small collection by members of the Gideon auxiliary many years ago. We are glad she copied it and is sharing it with us.
This is a good recipe for home or for carrying to the church supper, and is easily served. Using a slotted spoon, lift what you need, leaving the dressing in the bowl. It also keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days or so. It is a pretty dish served in a crystal bowl showing the green and white vegetables.
The chopping and slicing for this dish takes a bit of time, but the advantage is that you can do all this the day before serving and have it waiting for you just in time for … Sunday Dinner.
Fresh Vegetable Marinate
4 stalks broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 large mushrooms, sliced
1 medium green pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 small cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
Dressing:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
In a large bowl, toss broccoli, mushrooms, green pepper, celery, cauliflower and onion lightly.
In a small bowl, combine sugar, mustard, salt, vinegar and vegetable oil. Pour over vegetables.
Cover tightly and chill for at least three hours before serving. Best if chilled overnight. Yields: 4-6 servings.
Note: The second time you make this, you may want to decrease the sugar by one tablespoon or so to suit your taste. I liked it as it is.
Have a recipe? sundaydinner@baptistcourier.com