Usually, one night every week at the House of Bowling, we have either spaghetti or taco salad. 1) because these are both kid favorites and 2) when running this fast, crazy rat-race of life, a week night meal that is quick and easy.....well, that's a must have.
Tyner Beth asked for taco salad and I decided they could make the side dish of refried beans for their installment of cooking camp. They had fun layering it up. Although this recipe is easy and simple, it tastes just divine. Tyner Beth and I love to layer it up with all sorts of great things, but the boys, not so much. I even add avocado slices to the top of mine--yum! And although it is so, so simple.....it is truly the best because of a secret ingredient. This little jar of heaven on earth, right here: (I feel sorry for those of you who can't get it locally---it's just as the label says..."For people who like their taste buds to dance with delight!"
Actually this is Aunt Lana's Famous Mexican Dip, and she's the one who turned me on to this lovely salsa. She could live off of this bean dip.....mainly because she loves it that much, but also because she is a......v.e.g.e.t.a.r.i.a.n.......but you didn't hear that from me. Sure, I've seen her eat a bite of two of a really good chicken salad at a ladies luncheon or something, but that's it. I don't think a piece of red meat has touched her mouth in many decades. I'll tell you how I found out this fact.....it scarred me for life because it occured much earlier in my youth. You know, before I became an adult, and had to act all adult like with things.
You see, it was in the early 80's and Lana was with us on our yearly end of summer trip to get new school clothes. Every year, mom would trek us all up to the factory outlets in the northeast part of the state. We'd all get a couple pairs of good jeans from the Levi Factory, some shirts and a jacket from somewhere else, shoes from another place, and the ever popular stop at Vanity Fair Outlet for new panties!!! And when I was old enough, the coveted trainer bra. Yea. The luxury of every 12 year old around.
Anyway, it was after one of these long trips of driving hours that morning and then shopping ALL day that we would begin our evening home with a stop for supper. This particular summer night, we pulled in to the local McDonald's in Boaz, AL. We all lined up to place our order. When it came Lana's turn, I saw her lean in real close to the McDonald's worker behind the register. It was almost like she was whispering her order to him. I thought it very odd, but I was 11, what did I know.
Anyway, I remember him shouting into the mike beside the cash register and saying, "Big Mac, fries and a medium coke". And then Lana discreetly moved in toward his face again and whispered a little more adamantly, something, although I couldn't hear what she said. And I think that she wanted it that way, thus that's why she was whispering and blocking us off from lip reading by leaning in so close over the counter.
- The McDonald's worker looked at her very oddly for a few seconds, almost ashamed of what he was being asked to do, but eventually he gathered himself and shouted into the mike again..........(please remember back to your youth, if you were a youth in the 70's or 80's, with not the technology of computer monitors that bleep the order form the register straight back to the workers without a word being uttered. Instead, put yourself in 1984 and think about those bendable microphones on the counters beside the registers---and when you placed your order, they shouted it back for all the world to hear. Because, that's the point of a microphone, it will amplify your words.)
"Um, make that BIG MAC with no meat"....... and everyone in the entire joint stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at such a request. Spatulas were just hanging mid-air, the lady digging in her purse to make the correct change spilled her pennies all over the grease covered floor, and the drive-thru window smashed closed on an apple pie when the worker turned around to see what the heck was going on.
Somebody, somewhere is tampering with McDonald's SIGNATURE hamburger. Somebody just ordered the most famous hamburger in the world...WITHOUT THE BURGER part!!!! Do you not remember the liveliest little jingle known to the hungry folks back in the day.....I know you can still sing it too......
"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun".
It was over for me. She wanted the Big Mac without the main ingredient, minus the two all beef patties. What was the world coming to? I giggled at the looks on everyone's face. And giggled at Lana's neck that was red with embarassment. And then I slid in behind my mom because I thought, everyone knows she's with us now. Oh, my word. We have a VEGETARIAN in our group. What will they think? I mean, I thought vegetarians lived in California, I had no idea there was one amongst us.
But I survived that day, and many more with my favorite little meatless eating friend. She's not so bad afterall. Besides, she whips up this fabulous dip for me often when I'm visiting at her house!! Embrace the vegetarians of the world.....they are merely misguided, but need love all the same. Enjoy the dip..... the recipe will be added over at the House of Bowling recipe blog. Click here to see it or click over in the right-hand column to go to our recipe blog.
2 comments:
Oh My!!!!!
i didn't know lana was... a v-word! haha. funny story.
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