In my family growing up in Greenville, our Easter meal was different than the southern meal because my grammy was European. We had leg of lamb, Grammy’s potato salad, and, of course, Easter eggs that we had dyed the night before.
So when I got married to a wonderful southern man from the lower part of the state, his mother was the best southern cook. Their Easter dinner was baked ham, southern potato salad, and southern deviled eggs. After we got married, our Easter dinner consisted of Tom’s mom’s baked ham, my grammy’s potato salad, and Easter eggs our children had dyed the night before. Then we used the dyed eggs to make southern deviled eggs.
I have changed all of my southern recipes to more healthy recipes without changing the wonderful taste! So now my food is “southern European.” The two main things are organic olive oil and organic apple cider vinegar (with “the mother”). Using these two things will change your health!
Our Easter meal is still “southern European,” and it reminds me of the three women who taught me how to cook and how to walk with the Lord. Gertrude Sossdorf Kirk (my mother) who had fun in the kitchen, Marie Oxendine (my mother-in-law) who taught me southern cooking and how to have wonderful meals for my family and friends, and Jahanna Sossdorf (my grammy) who taught me all about healthy food. I want to dedicate this article to them. God has blessed me with three women whom I miss very much. They taught me that cooking is fun and healthy, and to share it with others! And all three of them taught me about the Lord in each of their kitchens.
May God bless you!
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God
in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.”
— Psalm 68:5-6
Grammy’s Potato Salad
8-10 red potatoes, boiled
1/2 cup chopped onions
Sliced cucumber
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons hot water
Salt and pepper to taste
When potatoes are finished boiling, place them in a bowl of cold water to cool. Peel skins with knife and fork. Slice potatoes, add 1/2 cup chopped onions and slices of cucumber.
Pour olive oil, apple cider vinegar and water mixture over potatoes. If salad is not moist enough, add additional olive oil/vinegar/water in same proportion. Garnish with tomato wedges and hard-boiled egg slices.
To order Mary Beth’s cookbook, or for more recipes, videos or information, visit MaryBethsKitchen.com.