In a recent visit to New Lebanon, NY, I learned that Chef Rebecca Joyner, Director of Dining Services Darrow School, and I share a passion: we cook meals for our families from scratch. Mine a family of 4; hers a family of 175.

When I shared my family recipes with Chef Rebecca Joyner, I did not picture a home style cooked meal being served. Fifteen minutes before hungry students came through the door, a homemade meal made from scratch was coming together. The staff rushed to the dinning hall with trays of food that smelled and tasted like my mom’s cooking! It gave me amazing satisfaction to watch students making tall plates of rice, beans, greens, turmeric chicken and fish.  Rebecca had it all under control. I was in charge of the cheese bread and watched Lindsey Garner fast chopping greens.  I kept looking at the clock on the wall–they will be here anytime now, I thought.
So much love went into the meal. Students came and went. Half hour later, the dinning hall was empty, the dishes lined up to be washed, and counters cleaned to start preparing the next meal–dinner. If you are looking for a recipe for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner, here the potato salad we made at Darrow:

Salada de Maionese

2 lb white potatoes
1 lb carrots
2 hard boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cooked green peas
salt, pepper, garlic
Cheiro verde ( parsley and green onions)
1 green apple
bunch of green olives
hearts of palm
1/2 cup seedless white raisins (optional)