FISH TACO TUESDAY

I love fish tacos. I wish other people in my house liked them. Regardless, I think I will be making some tomorrow using this recipe I just received from my cousin's son Chris. Here is what he wrote:

We use fresh cod filets. Any white fish is good, but cod holds up pretty good in the frier. I've tried haddock and it tends to be a little more flaky. For the batter we use non-alcoholic O'douls which they sell at most grocery stores. Cool a bottle of that. For about 6 people, you can take 2 good sized cod filets, and for the batter, mix about a cup and a half of flour, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons(ish) of baking powder, a teaspoon and a half(ish) of salt. Sift it all together, then take the O'douls, mix it in a cup with an egg, then pour the mixture into the flour mixture, and mix together. To get the right consistency, you might have to add a little bit more flour, or water. Just so it sticks to the fish well. Then fry! Delicious

.

I'm thinking 2 TB of baking powder might be a bit much (perhaps he meant 2 teaspoons??).

To make the tacos, place a piece of fish in a softened corn tortilla; garnish with shredded cabbage and your choice of sauce (I like ranch dressing mixed with El Pato hot sauce (El Pato is found with the tomato sauce in local grocery stores in the western US - it comes in 2 varieties - I use the kind in the yellow can).

Of course, if you don't want tacos, this recipe would be delightful for fish and chips.

Whining won't get you anywhere.

"There is nothing so bad that whining about it won't make it worse."

That quote is from Gordon B. Hinckley, a man I greatly admired. He was my grandmother's first cousin and one of the many ancestral relations that have added to my rich heritage.

So today, although I'm back in the thick of the mundane routine that is my life, I'm trying hard to keep a positive outlook. And with God's help, I shall stay focused on the important things and let the little annoyances pass me by. Hope you do the same!

Quilting Memories

I thought I'd share a memory that was brought to mind after reading a blog by Bonnie Hunter about first quilts. The first quilt I remember making was actually a team effort by my sister and I. I wish we had a picture of that quilt!

I'm estimating ages here, because I couldn't use a sewing machine yet, but Jeri could. She was about 9 and I was about 7 when we decided to make our mother a quilt for Mother's Day, instead of (or perhaps along with) the usual breakfast in bed that we always prepared (I'll have to do another post on those!).

It was the Saturday before Mother's Day; my mom had gone out with my grandma and Aunt Karen for a while. So my sister and I dug through the drawer full of fabric that my mom kept for other purposes. After selecting our fabrics, we grabbed some scissors and started cutting. Some of the 'squares' (if you could call them that - no templates, just free-form cutting with scissors) were quite large, and others were very small. We both cut fabric until we thought we had enough to start sewing. My sister started sewing on the machine, and I continued cutting squares until it looked like there were enough to make a good sized quilt; then I began hand-stitching squares together (with very long stitches, I might add), and together we formed our squares into a very puckered and crooked patchwork quilt top, of which we were very proud.

Next we needed some batting and something to use on the back of the quilt. We went back to the drawers in the hallway to look for something suitable. We found a blanket that would do for batting and some white cloth to use as backing. After trimming both to match the size of our quilt, Jeri went to work sewing the three layers together around the edges. I'm guessing, since I don't remember what was done to bind the quilt, that the edges were folded over. There was no quilting or tying of the inside of the quilt - just bound edges. [Update: Jeri says that she thinks there were no folded edges - only rick-rack used around the edge.]

Our gift was then wrapped and we had to wait until the next morning to present our gift to our mom. We knew she would love it!

Our mother cried when she opened her gift and saw the work of our hands. Could have been tears of anger for using her best linen table cloth as the backing (and probably some of the napkins in the quilt top), but I tend to think she was overjoyed and happy that we would do something like this for her. Mom once said that she wondered what had happened to that blanket (which was found when the quilt fell apart). And we were never scolded for destroying her best table cloth or all the fabric that had been planned for other uses.

My mom has Alzheimer's disease, which is in an advanced stage. She lives with me, so I asked her if she remembered that quilt. She started crying and said she always loved it and wished she knew where it was. I don't know if she really remembered it or not, but I certainly do!

It was about 1977 or 1978 the next time I made a quilt. It was the tied variety made from yardage purchased at Sprouse Reitz (does that store still exist?) for 25 cents a yard, on sale. It was flowered fabric, and I purchased about 6 yards each of blue and red. The quilt was used on my bed for a few years, then my mother inherited it when I left for Argentina to serve an LDS Mission there. It was later returned to me, and it had been well used and repaired in a few places. After it wore thin, it became the dogs' blanket. I wrapped my dog Taylor in it after she died and sent it to doggie heaven with her. Here is a picture of Taylor:



My next real attempt at doing a pieced quilt came about 20 years ago after I read a book called "Seven Golden Threads" (or something like that) and I thought I wanted to try real quilting again. So I purchased fabric and began sewing to make a king-sized quilt (that was ambitious!). I knew absolutely NOTHING about using colors, and unfortunately, I didn't realize that the seams should only be 1/4 inch wide. The pattern in the quilt is not easily seen and the quilt top puckers; it remains a flimsy to this day. My mom latched onto it, so it resides in her room, but someday I might redo seams and quilt it (or maybe even quilt it as-is).





I've made many quilts since that time. I am currently working on Bonnie Hunter's next quilting mystery, Orca Bay. Step 2 has already been posted, and I'm still working on Step 1: Making hourglass blocks. Here is what I've done so far (nothing finished yet, as you can see):



If you'd like to join in, go to quiltville.blogspot.com and look for the tab called "Orca Bay." Be warned, though! Bonnie uses a lot of small pieces! But the quilt designs are excellent!

The perfect pie

Usually I make a dozen or more pies for Thanksgiving. This year I made only one - a lemon meringue pie that turned out beautifully! I was so pleased with it; in fact, I don't believe I've ever made one that looked better. The meringue was piled on in just the right shape and browned to perfection. No sugar beads had formed while the pie was cooling, and the meringue had not separated from the crust. All in all, I was pretty dang pleased with myself for finally making a perfect pie.

I thought I should probably take a picture of it... But that photo could wait until we were done feasting; after all, the food was ready to serve and we were all starving (it being nearly 4:30, and we had expected to eat about 3 hours earlier). I could worry about getting a picture later.

I opened the cupboard door above where the pie was sitting to look for a glass measuring cup in which to put the gravy (I have china, but it is packed in a box in the basement and I didn't want to look for it). We had been in and out of that cupboard all morning for one thing or another. It had not occurred to me that opening it would spell disaster for my pie!! But sure enough, it did. In an instant, the sugar shaker (you know the kind you find in a small town cafe) was laying in the middle of the pie, its contents oozing onto the bare spot of filling where luscious meringue had once been.

No sooner had I moved the sugar out of the way, then a half-gallon sized plastic container full of unpopped popcorn did a swan dive off the shelf, springboarded off the pie, and hit the floor, taking with it most of the meringue from the pie! My once-beautiful meringue was now on the floor being lapped up by my puppies. My perfect pie now looked like this:



Fortunately, some of the meringue survived, so you can see that it was beautiful!



Even with most of the meringue missing, the pie was fabulous! Here's the recipe I used:

One baked pie crust
2/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups sugar
2 cups cool water
juice & rind of 2 lemons
juice of 2 limes
2 Tb. butter
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°

1. Grate the lemon rinds on a fine grater. You should have about 2-3 tsp. of rind when you're done.
2. Juice the lemons and limes - Mine resulted in not quite 3/4 cups of juice. If you get less, that's okay.
3. Separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs. Put the whites aside (to use in the meringue) and beat the yolks with a fork until frothy.
4. Whisk together the cornstarch and sugar. Add the water, juice, lemon rind, egg yolks and butter. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute longer, then pour into pie shell.
5. Add powdered sugar to egg white. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until you can't see the powdered sugar, then turn up to high and whip until peaks form and hold their shape. Spread immediately on top of the pie (I dump it in the center and smooth it out to the edges), making sure the meringue meets the pie shell.
6. Put pie in the oven and "cook" until meringue is golden brown (about 15 minutes). You may want to check this after 10 minutes to make sure it isn't burning. When the meringue is browned to your satisfaction, remove pie to a wire rack and cool.

Hope your Thanksgiving was perfect in every way!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Time to start cooking, but before I begin, let me just wish everyone a happy day of thanks and gratitude! I hope we all remember to count our blessings and not our troubles. I'm sure if we do, we'll find that the blessings far outweigh our troubles - no matter how severe our problems are.

Here are a couple of cartoons I've seen during the week that brought a smile to my face. I hope they help you have a pleasant day!

What to serve with the turkey

I never have the problem of not knowing what to serve with the turkey, mainly because I seldom cook a turkey! I have never really liked it, and it just isn't worth the money and time it takes to have only a few slices eaten with the rest going into the freezer and ultimately thrown out a year later. However, except for last year when I made enchiladas for Thanksgiving (and my girls thought the dinner was a total LOSER, even though thy like enchiladas), whatever I make as the replacement to the turkey needs some side dishes. OK, the enchiladas did too, but it wasn't difficult to make the spanish rice and reheat a can of refrieds.

This year, unless we head somewhere else, I am making a pork roast. It will be served with all the "normal" Thanksgiving dinner side dishes, except for the cranberry sauce. I don't know - maybe cranberries go well with pork, but I'm not going to serve it. So here are some recipes that will likely get used tomorrow, as well as a few that I have used in the past. Enjoy!


Aunt Melva's Savory Apple Stuffing

Cook 1/2 cup chopped celery and leaves, 1 cup chopped onion, and 2 Tb. parsley in 1/4 cup butter for 5 minutes. Add: 4 cups diced, peeled tart apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. each crumbled sage, marjoram, thyme, and pepper. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups toasted bread crumbs. Makes about 4 cups.


Sesame Green Beans

2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tb. butter
1 Tb. soy sauce
1 Tb. toasted sesame seeds*

Wash green beans. Snip ends and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch length (or you can leave them whole). Cook in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain.

In a small saucepan, combine butter, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. Cook, stirring frequently over medium heat until butter is melted and sauce is hot. Pour over green beans. Serve.

*To toast sesame seeds, spread out in a small pan and place in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, OR place seeds in a small skillet or saucepan and stir over medium heat until lightly browned.


Sunshine Carrots - a recipe from cousin Catherine

5 medium carrots
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tb. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tb. butter

Slice carrots crosswise on the bias, about 1" thick. Cook, covered, in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain. combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and ginger in a small saucepan. Add orange juice and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Simmer one minute, then stir in butter. Pour over hot carrots, tossing to coat evenly. Serve.


Sweet Potato Bake
3 lbs. yams or sweet potatoes
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup brown sugar
2½ Tb. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup crushed pineapple (or pineapple chunks or tidbits), drained
1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 cup marshmellows

Peel and quarter yams. Steam until tender. Drain and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle cranberries on the top. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, then sir in pineapple, orange peel, and juice. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter. Pour sauce over yams/cranberries. Sprinkle marshmellows on top. Bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes.


Easy Jello Salad

1 16-oz container cottage cheese
1 sm. package Jello (any flavor works - I most often use orange or lime)
1 can mandarine oranges, drained (or other fruit, if desired)
1 carton Cool Whip, thawed

Mix the cottage cheese with the jello, stirring for at least 1 minute to incorporate the jello. The stir in the fruit and cool whip. Put in the fridge for 4 hours before serving.


Fruit Salad

1 or 2 large cans fruit coctail, drained
2 bananas, sliced
2 apples, chopped (your choice to peel or not)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1/4 cup powdered sugar to stiff peaks
1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Mix all ingredients and serve.


Mashed Potatoes
I am continually amazed at how many people do not know how to make mashed potatoes or prefer to make instant potatoes because they think the "scratch" method is too difficult. Well it isn't!

Peel potatoes (we LOVE our potatoes, so we always peel at least 5 pounds or more; but a good rule of thumb is to prepare 1½ potatoes per person). Rinse peeled potatoes in cool water, then quarter them. Place into a pot large enough to hold them. Add salt (five pounds of potatoes usually gets 1 tsp. of salt in my house). Add enough water to cover the potatoes, then put them on the stove over high heat. When the water begins to boil, turn down the heat to medium and put a lid on it. Potatoes should be cooked in about 15 minutes. You'll know they're done when you put a fork into them and it comes out easily. Drain, and reserve water (use it to make the gravy, or for the next time you make bread).

To mash you can do it the old fashioned way with a hand potato masher, adding a cube of butter and enough milk to make the potatoes fluffy, or you can use an electrict mixer, starting on low to crush the potatoes, and turning it to high to whip until light and fluffly. Don't forget the butter and milk! And season to taste with salt and pepper.


Gravy

After your bird is cooked, or if you cook another kind of meat (like a roast), let the drippings sit long enough so the fat will rise to the top. Skim the fat and discard. Pour the remaining drippings into a skillet or saucepan. Add the potato water (&/or broth from boiling the neck & giblets) and bring to a boil. You may need to add some bullion or a browning sauce, such as Kitchen Bouquet (about 1 tsp.), if the gravy looks too diluted. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch (or flour) with 1 cup cold water (or milk), stirring until there are no lumps, then add all at once to the boiling drippings, stirring (I use a whisk). Reduce heat and stir until mixture is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. If you boiled the neck & giblets of the turkey, and didn't use the meat in the stuffing, you can chop the meat finely and add it to the gravy.

Thanksgiving appetizers

Do you ever wonder what to eat throughout the day that won't make you too full before Thanksgiving dinner is served? Me too! I haven't found anything that doesn't fill me up if I keep eating, but since it is Thanksgiving...

Here is a smattering of "Horse Duvers" (as I used to call them) to serve while everyone waits for the Turkey dinner.

Hot Spinach Dip

2 bunches fresh spinach (or 1 package frozen spinach)
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1½ tsp. garlic powder (not salt)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tb. fresh Romano cheese, grated
2 Tb. red bell pepper, very finely chopped
2 green onion, finely chopped (use both the white and green parts)
1 cup medium or sharp Cheddar cheese

If using frozen spinach, thaw it out before beginning the recipe. For fresh spinach, clean it and then wilt it in a frying pan over medium heat (no need to add water). When cool enough to handle (or frozen spinach is completely thawed), gather up the spinach into your hands and squeeze out the excesss liquid. Then chop and set aside.

Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Parmesan and Romano cheeses with an electric mixer until softened and well blended. Add the bell peppers and green onion, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in chopped spinach just until incorporated. Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 15-18 minutes at 400° (just until there is bubbling around the edges). Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then serve with pieces of bread, pita wedges, or chips.

Note: You can also forget about baking this dip and make it into a cheese ball. Delish!


Humus Dip

Drain two cans of garbanzo beans, then put them in your food processor along with 1/2cup extra virgin olive oil, juice from 1/2 a lemon, 2 Tb. fresh parsley leaves, 2 cloves garlic (peeled), 1 ½ tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. dark Asian sesame oil (this gives it SUPERB flavor), 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Turn it on and blen until smooth. Stop and scrape the sides down, then blend again. If the mixture seems too dry or is having trouble blending, add a little water. Scrape hummus into a bowl and sprinkle with paprika.


Clam Cocktail Dip - recipe is from my Aunt Carolyn

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 green onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3-4 drops Tabasco (more if you like it hotter)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can of minced clams, drained
2 Tb. fresh minced parsely (or 1 Tb. dried)

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until softened. Add lemon juice, onion, Worcestershire sauce, Tobasco sauce, and salt. Beat until dip is light and fluffy. Stir in clams and parsley. Chill before serving.


Mexican Dip

To 1 pint sour cream, stir in 1 4-oz. can of chopped green chiles, 1 small can chopped black olives, and about 1 Tb. dehydrated onion flakes. Season with cumin and chili powder to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.


Fruit Dip - Serve with a good variety of fresh fruit

1 small package of cream cheese
1 8-oz carton of yogurt (your favorite flavor)
1 cup Cool Whip

Soften cream cheese, then add yogurt and Cool Whip. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.


Guacamole

2 small ripe avocados, mashed or chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped fine
1/2 small fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped fine (leave out the seeds if you don't want it hot)
2 Tb. plain yogurt or mayonnaisse
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
4 tsp. lime juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.


Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound medium-sized button mushrooms
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (use fresh cheese)
1/4 cup grated Cheddar or Jack cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth. Remove mushroom stems and chop them vey fine. Combine chopped stems with bread crumbs, cheeses, onions, and spices. Fill mushroom caps with mixture, pressing the mixture firmly into the caps and mounding it on top. Place mushrooms on an ungreased baking pan. bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes, or until heated through. Serve warm.


Wrapped Scallions

2 bunches green onions (scallions)
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 or 2 pkg. thin-sliced lunch meat (such as Buddhig ham, turkey, etc.)
1 small can chopped ovlies
1 small carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 tsp. mixed seasoning spice (Beau Monde, Spike, Season-All - whatever you like)
salt and pepper to taste

*Wash and trim onion to about 6 inches in length. Set aside in cool water and soak for an hour. Drain off water and pat onions dry with a paper towel.
*Put green tops of onion in the food processor along with the celery. Blend until celery is chopped fine, scraping down sides as necessary. Scrape into a bowl then add olives, carrots, and seasonings. Stir to mix well.
*To assemble, lay a slice of lunch mean on the counter. Spread cream cheese mixture on the top half meat, being careful not to tear it. Place an onion on right edge of the meat with the bottom of the onion resting in the center and the top of the onion being outside of the top edge of the meat. Fold bottom of the meat up, then carefully wrap the meat around the onion, and securing the meat with cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Goes great with crackers.

More Thanksgiving Pies

I typically make too many pies for Thanksgiving - if I had to give a ratio, it would probably be 10 pies for every person. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but I truly do make too many pies. But who can blame me when there are so many different kinds, and it's hard to choose only one or two, especially when everyone's favorite is different! So, here are recipes for the pies that are typically seen at my house on Thanksgiving.


Apple Pie

4 to 5 cups of tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 to 2 Tb. flour
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tb. lemon juice
2 Tb. butter

Steam or simmer apples gently in water until they wilt. Remove apples from the liquid and set aside. Combine sugar and other dry ingredients. Mix well, then spread half of the mixture over the pastry-lined pan (this helps keep the crust from getting soggy). Put apples into the crust. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and the lemon juice over the apples. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top and dot with butter. Place top crust over the pie. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 425° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned.

NOTE: Choose an apple variety that is known for being tart and juicy. Some judgement is needed as to the amounts of sugar and thickening based on your selection of apples. I try to use a combination of apple varieties, such as Jonathan and Granny Smith apples.


Crazy Crust Apple Pie

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tb. sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup water
1 can apple pie filling
1 Tb. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice or cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, egg, shortening and water. Blend well. Pour batter into 9" pie pan. Combine pie filling, lemon juice and spice. Pour into center of batter. DO NOT STIR. Bake at 425° for 45-50 minutes.


Buttermilk Pie
This is a raisin custard pie that is very delicious and easy to make.

1/2 cup butter
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs
3 Tb. flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vajnilla
1/2 tsp. salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together butter and suggard. Add eggs and beat until fluffy, then add remaining ingredients. Pour into unbaked pie shell (mixture will look curdled - this is normal). Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350° until custard is set (45 minutes to 1 hour).


We always have at least 3 different varieties of cream pies for Thanksgiving. With the following recipes, you can either use a graham cracker crust, or a pre-baked pie shell. I've also experimented with cookie crusts (oreos, vanilla wafers, etc.).

Almond Pastry Shell

1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. sugar
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Cream buter, salt and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat thoroughly. Stir in flour and almonds to make a firm dough. Press dough into a 9" pie plate. Chill for 30 minutes, then bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. WATCH CAREFULLY, as this will burn easily. This is a great crust for a cream pie!


Cream Pie (the basic recipe)

5 Tb. cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2½ cups milk (whole milk works best, but 2% is also fine)
1/4 cup half-and-half or light whipping cream
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 Tb. butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a 3-quart saucepan. Add milk and half-and-half and cook over medium heat until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Pour small amount of hot mixture in egg yolks; blend thoroughly, then pour back into the pan. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

Coconut Cream Pie: Substitute canned coconut milk/cream in place of the milk. When filling is cooked, stir in 1/2 cup of coconut (fresh coconut is the best with this! not too sweet, either).

Banana Cream Pie: Add 1/2 tsp. banana extract, then add 3 sliced bananas and mix them into the filling.

Chocolate Cream Pie: Descreage sugar in the mix to 3/4 cup, and add 1/2 cup chocolate syrup when the milk is added. OR use the full cup of sugar and add 1/2 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips after the mixture has cooked.

Whatever variation you choose, chill the pie at least 4 hours, covered with plastic wrap or waxed paper to prevent the formation of film on the top of the pie. Serve with whipped cream.


Turtle Pie

1 cup pecans
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (Eagle brand - NOT evaporated milk)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 recipe of Basic Cream Pie (see above), making the chocolate version with chocolate chips)

*Place pecans on the bottom on the pie shell.
*In a heavy sacepan bring to a boil over medium heat the condensed milk, brown sugar, buter, and corn syrup, stirring continuously. Boil for about 5 minutes (soft ball stage). Remove from heat. Pour half of carmel over pecans. Cool in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate cream pie. Pour the cream pie filling over cooled carmel. Chill for 3 to 4 hours. Serve with a scoop of ice cream on top, drizzled with carmel.


Now you know the hard way to make cream pies. Here is my shortcut recipe:

1 box instant pudding - your choice of flavors
milk
1 8-oz. carton of Cool Whip, thawed

Mix the pudding using only half of the amount of milk. When it is lump-free, fold in the thawed Cool Whip. If making banana cream pie, fold in some sliced bananas. If making coconut cream pie, fold in 1/2 cup coconut. If making chocolate cream pie, you don't really need to do anything, but if you want to add a chopped Hershey bar, the results will be delicious!


Spicy Pumpkin Pie - recipe makes 2 pies

3½ cups mashed pumpkin*
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups light brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
3 cups evaporated milk or heavy cream
1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Pour into unbaked shells. Bake in a 450° oven for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350° and continue baking for 40-45 minutes. Pies are done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

*banana squash or yams also work. Bake your pumpkin/squash/yams until tender. Remove any skins or seeds, then mash with a potatoe masher. Or you can use canned pumpkin (not the premade pie mix). My painted (not carved) Halloween pumpkins are often made into pie, or at least baked and bottled for later use in a pie. The smaller pumpkins that are sold in the stores usually are sweeter.


Cherry Cheese Pie

1 graham cracker crust
1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand - NOT evaporated milk)
1/3 cup Realemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can cherry pie filling

In a medium bowl, beat cheese until it is light and fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk; blend thoroughly. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into crust. Chill for 3 hours or until firm. Top with pie filling before serving.


Pecan Pie

1 cup corn syrup (can use either dark or light)
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tb. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups (6 oz. package) pecans (You might want pecan halves; I think pecan pieces work just fine)
1 unbaked pie shell

In a medium sized bowl, whip together corn syrup, eggs, sugars, butter, and vanilla. Stir in pecans, then pour into the pie shell. Bake at 350° for 1 hr. 10 minutes. Cool for 2 hours before serving.

Thanksgiving Pies - Part 1

Since I don't have much time this morning (I got up late), I'll only post a few recipes for pies right now. Later today (like during my lunch break), I'll post more.

These recipes are from my great aunts. Now that I think about it, all of my dad's aunts could cook well, which tells me a lot about their mother and the training they received when they were young.

Lemon Pie - from Aunt Inez
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1½ cups boiling water
2 eggs
1 Tb. butter
1 lemon (juice and rind)

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Add the boiling water slowly, stirring constantly. Add butter, egg yolks (beaten slightly), lemon juice, and grated rind. Cook until thickened. Pour into baked crust when cold.

Meringue:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg whites

Beat egg whites, adding sugar gradually. Spread on pie after whites reach firm peaks. Put in hot oven (400°) and brown slightly.


Pie Crust - from Aunt Inez
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 cups shortening
1 whole egg
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tb. vinegar

Sift flour and salt. Cut in shortening until it resembles course cornmeal. Beat egg and combine vinegar and water. Add to flour mixture, mix and blend well. Can roll out now on floured board, or put into fridge for later use.


Lemon Chiffon Pie - - from Aunt Ruby

4 eggs, separated
juice of one lemon
graham cracker pie shell
1 cup sugar
1 Tb. (pkt) Knox unflavored gelatin, soaked in cold

Beat egg yolks until lemon colored. Add 1/2 cup sugar and juice of lemon. Cook until thick. To this mixutre add gelatin. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar, beat to a meringe, then mix with lemon mixure. Pour into pastry shells.


Since these recipes are for lemon pie, let me give tell you how to pick out a juicy lemon (same goes for other citrus): fruit should feel heavy for its size. If it feels lightweight, then chances are it is mostly peel with very little fruit. When you are in the store, pick up a couple of lemons and compare the weight. Choose the one that is heaviest.

Countdown to Thanksgiving - What about making rolls in advance?

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving Day is just a few days away. Some people start cooking weeks in advance, some a few days in advance. Me? I always wait until Thanksgiving Day to do anything. Yes, it means some long hours in the kitchen, but I'm not into football and there really isn't much else on TV worth watching - maybe a Christmas movie later in the day, but by then I'm already done cooking. And since I've gone away from doing a turkey (nobody in my house really likes it), it doesn't require a lot of fore-thought.

But in case you are one of those people who like to start in advance, here are a couple of great dinner roll recipes that you mix, put in the fridge, form into rolls on Thanksgiving morning and let sit on the counter until you're ready to bake them, even if it isn't until evening! Enjoy!



Refrigerator Rolls - recipe is from my aunt Marie

Melt: 1/4 cup butter in large kettle
Add: 2½ cups water and 2 pkts yeast (if you buy bulk yeast, use 2 Tb.)
Add: 3/4 cup sugar, 2½ tsp. salt, 4 eggs, 7½ cups flour

Stir until mixed. Let rise in refrigerator until doubled. Stir down and shape into rolls while dough is still cold. (It will last 3-4 days in the fridge.) Can be used as donuts and sweet rolls, too!

Note: no baking instructions are listed, but when I've made these I bake them at at 350° for about 30 minutes. You can also bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes.


Potato Refrigerator Dough - recipe is one from Uncle David's family

Measure into mixing bowl 1½ cups warm water. Add and stir to dissolve 1 Tb. dry yeast. Stir in 2/3 cup sugar, 1½ tsp. salt, 2/3 cup shortening, 2 eggs, 1 cup lukewarm mashed potatoes*. Mix in 7 cups flour. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl. Cover with damp cloth. Place in refrigerator. About 2 hours before baking time, roll out and shape as desired. Use for dinner rolls, sweet rolls, or donuts.

Note: Again, no baking instructions listed, but works the same as the above recipe.


If you want to wait until nearly the last minute to start your rolls, here are a couple of recipes that are good to make on Thanksgiving day. The first recipe came from my grandma, who got it from one of the ladies she worked with at the school cafeteria in Mesa, AZ. Grandma loved working there! She loved the association with her coworkers, and she loved the students! Many of the kids I went to school with would comment that "the redhead" was their favorite lunch lady. I have to agree. She had to be to work early in the morning, which was great when my brother and I were on the early morning session of school (two schools using the same facilities, until another jr high was built and our school session started at 6am) because then we wouldn't have to walk. Not that we minded the 20 minute walk to school, in the dark, but getting a ride was always preferred! Grandma would swing by and pick us up at about 5:30 or so on her way to the high school. It was good bonding time for us in the those early morning hours.

Back to the recipes.


No-Knead Bread - from the school lunch ladies, particularly my red-headed grandma

Mix 1½ cups warm water and 1 Tb. yeast in a large bowl. Add 2 Tb. oil, 2 tsp. salt, 2 Tb. sugar, and 3 cups flour. Beat well with large spoon and cover. Let rise for 30 minutes. Beat batter and spread in greased loaf pan or spoon into greased muffin cups. Smooth top and shape with a floured hand. Let rise until ½ inch from the top of pan. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees.


Basic Bread - a recipe I've made since I was 8 years old.
Can be made with either white or wheat flour, or a combination. I've even used rye flour in the mix. Turns out great every time!

2 cups warm water (*Grandma always said "pee warm - and you know how warm that is!")
1 pkg. yeast (2 tsp.)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tb. salt
1/4 cup salad oil or 1/4 cup melted butter (I like the butter flavor)
5-1/3 cups flour

If you have a machine, put ingredients in and turn it on. Otherwise, just mix all ingredients, except flour, in a large bowl. Then add flour a cup and a time, stirring after each addition. When it becomes too hard to stir, turn out the dough on floured surface and knead. Dough should be soft and barely past the sticky stage. You'll know you've kneaded it long enough when the dough stretches easily, instead of breaking, when you pull a handful. Shape dough into balls (this recipe makes about 2 dozen rolls, so just judge how large you want them) or other desired shapes. Place in a greased cake pan (or cookie sheet or muffin tin, depending on what you want) and let rise until double in size. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Tomorrow I will post info on pies! Wednesday will be side dishes, including stuffing (some of you might call it dressing).

What to do with all these vegetables!

I participate in a food co-op called Bountiful Baskets. For $15, you can get a laundry basket full of fruits and vegetables. They also offer bread/bakery items and additional produce packs each week. You never know what you will be getting in your basket, but I can tell you there is a LOT of it - enough to feed a small army! And it's usually a balance of 6 different types of fruit and 6 different types of vegetables. Participation is always voluntary - you choose how often you want to participate (every week, once a month, twice a year, try once and never do again - you get the picture).

This past week, along with my basket I ordered a "Thanksgiving Hostess Pack." Along with all the other goodies, there were 3 bunches of celery and 3 bags of carrots in the mix (some in the basket & some in the hostess pack). Add these to the 3 bunches of celery and 2 bags of carrots already in my fridge (from previous purchase through the co-op and at the grocery store), and, well... you can see that I had a great need to use some of it, and fast!

So here's what I did with half of the celery and carrots: Chopped the celery and one onion, put it all in a large pan (I'm talking 8 quart pan, which was filled to the brim!) with 1 can of chicken broth and put it on the stove to cook until semi-tender. Sliced the carrots and put them in a separate pan (my largest saucepan worked nicely) and added just enough water so they wouldn't boil dry, and cooked until semi-tender.

I have a good collection of cookbooks. While the vegies were cooking, I perused some of my valued cookbooks. Home Cooked Heritage is one of my prized possessions. It is family cookbook that I helped compile back in the 1980s. It contains lots of wonderful recipes from extended family members, many of whom are now deceased. I also have a couple of other books that were compiled in my various places of employment.

After cooking the vegies, I made what was called a "chinese casserole" (recipe to follow, along with a few other good recipes for these vegies). I didn't think it was very chinese-y, but it was still tasty. I used only a small portion of these vegies. Most of them went into the freezer for use at a later date (I saved the liquids from them to make into soup today).

One interesting "bit of tid": At one time, back in the 1930's or 40's - long before my birth, when my dad was still a youth, my grandfather was a celery farmer. I don't know how long he did this (I need to re-read his history), but it wasn't a very long time. His celery was packaged and sold under the Big D label. Some time after the family moved to Idaho, they incorporated the farm (dairy and field crops - but not celery!) and it became the Big D Ranch. Some of my fondest memories are from spending my summers with my cousins on that farm!

I digress... So what am I going to do with all the celery and carrots? Well, here are some of the recipes I will be using this week.

Chinese Casserole - recipe is from my great aunt Ida

1 lb. hamburger
1 cup celery, chopped
1 pkg. frozen peas (I used carrots intead of peas)
1 small onion soup mix
1 can mushroom soup
1 can chinese noodls or 3 cups potato chips or cornflakes
salt & pepper to taste.

Brown hamburger and drain. Season with salt and pepper. Layer peas and celery on top of hamburger in casserole. Mix soup mix, soup and noodles or chips together. Place on top of layers. Bake 1/2 hour at 375 deg. Serve with rice.

Note: I revised this a bit while cooking last night. I layered in a 9 x 13 pan the rice (I used about 6 cups cooked rice), cooked hamburger (I had about 2 pounds, which I cooked earlier in the week with some garlic, salt & pepper, and an onion), celery, carrots, mixed soup mix & 2 cans mushroom soup with 1 can water and poured it over the top, then garnished with chow mein noodles.


Cream of Celery Soup: My own recipe
1 bunch celery, washed well and chopped (okay to leave the leaves on)
1 lb. bag of carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
enough chicken broth to cover the vegies (I use 2-3 cans, and then add water if needed)
1 Tb. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cans evap. milk + 1 more can of broth
1 cup flour
1 cup margarine

Chop celery, carrots and onion. Put in a large pot and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil until celery and carrots are tender. I leave it chunky, but you can blend and strain through a sieve if you'd like (saving all liquid and discarding pulp). In a separate pan, melt margarine then add the flour, stirring to make a nice roux. Stir in seasonings, milk and last can of broth. Cook until thickened, then add to the soup base. Heat through and serve.


Chop Chop - a recipe from my sister Jeri, who got it from her mother-in-law

1 large chopped onion
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 can bean sprouts
leftover pork roast*
soy suace
1 Tb. beaded molasses
2 Tb. cornstarch
1 chicken boullion cube disolved in 1/2 cup water
leftover drippings from pork roast, if available

* after cooking the roast, save the drippings for future use!

Take 1 Tb. of fat from roast drippings, Saute celery and onion until clear. Add meat, sprinkle with soy sauce. Cover. Let mean warm. Add bean sprouts with liquid. Cover. In a bowl, combine 2 Tb. soy sauce, molasses, cornstarch, boullion, and leftover drippings. Add enough liquid to make 1 cup. Add to the skillet and cook until gravy is clear and thick. Serve with hot rice.


Glorified Ramen Noodles: My own recipe
2 tablespoons cooking oil (canola or peanut are great!)
1 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1 cup green onion, sliced thinly, divided
3 cups celery, sliced
3 cups carrots, sliced on the diagonal or julienned
2 cups cooked shredded fatty pork, or other left-over meat
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 Tb. corn starch
Spice packet from ramen noodle package
1 package ramen noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Heat a large skillet or wok (if you have it) over medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the yellow onions. Cook until the onions start to caramelize. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, and half of the green onions. Stir until the carrots and celery becomes tender-crisp (about 5 minutes). Add the pork and heat through. Mix the soy sauce, chicken broth, spice packet, and corn starch, then add to the celery/pork mixture. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, stirring until sauce is thickened. Add the noodles to the pork and celery. Add the sesame oil and toss to combine. Garnish with remaining green onion. Serve.