#26 Cheese Straws

1 lb extra sharp New York cheddar cheese
1 1/2 sticks margarine (not butter)
2 cups flour (plus1/4 cup if needed)
1/8 tsp. cayenne
Salt

Let cheese soften 3-4 hours, along with margarine. Cream and add flour. Big mixer with dough hook until comes together. If too dry add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Run through cookie press onto ungreased baking sheets using small star and run out snake like. Separate into 3-4 inch lengths. Bake 375 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

#25 Eggless Spice Cake

I chose this recipe because I was searching for a cake recipe to use buttermilk in. Also Dad was coming to lunch and I thought he would like it.

1 cup sour milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg.

Cream sugar and shortening. Sift dry ingredients. Add alternately with milk to sugar mixture. Beat well. Pour into greased pan. Bake 375. 45-50 min.

I baked in a glass pan at 350 for 45 min. And that was too long.

I made a cooked icing with butter, confectionery sugar, and Baileys Irish Cream instead of milk because i only had buttermilk. The icing matched well.

# 24 Pickled Chicken

In mom's collection there is a recipe for pickled chicken. It is lots of sautéed onions, chicken, and vinegar. I have not made it yet but the title keeps running through my head so I took the leftover watermelon pickle juice, marinated chicken breasts overnight, saved the juice and reuced it down to a thick syrup, and grilled the breasts. The chicken was very moist and tender and mildly tangy. Now what? I cut it into large cubes and threaded it onto small bamboo skewers, alternating with grilled pineapple and drizzled them with the reduced syrup. Voila! 2 boneless chicken breasts 1 cup watermelon juice 2 slices fresh pineapple grilled and cut into chunks Small bamboo skewers - 5 inch

#23 Watermelon Pickle

A watermelon is sort of shaped like a pig. Why would anyone ever of thought of pickling the rind? Why did I? I don't even really like it, but momma did so there it is. Watermelon Pickle
2 quarts water
1/2 cup salt
2 pounds cubed watermelon rind
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups cold water
4 cups sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 1-inch cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon pickling spices

Combine the 2 quarts water with salt in 4 quart kettle (gallon size ziplock worked fine). Trim green outer covering and pink flesh from watermelon rind, cut rind in 1 inch cubes. Soak rind overnight in salt water. Drain, rinse thoroughly, cover rind with fresh water, cook until almost tender, about 45 minutes. Drain. Combo be vinegar, sugar, lemon slices, 2 cups of water in kettle. Tie cinnamon, cloves, spices in a cheesecloth bag. Add to liquid mixture. Bring mixture to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, add cooked rind. Simmer until end is clear and transparent, about 1 hour. Pack rind in hot sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Cover with boiling syrup. Seal jars at once. Cool and label. Yields 2 pints. Mine made 2 1/2 pints with lots of Leto ver syrup. What else can I pickle? Watch out little piggies.

#22 French Doughnuts

They aren't particularly doughnuty or to my thinking French. Mom had 2 different similar recipes with notes and had made them for church. They come out like muffins.

French Doughnuts

5 TBS Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Greased muffin tin. Makes 12 Fill 1/2 full Bake 350* 15-20 minutes Extra notes about a dollop of jam, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar or powdered. Also she baked them in the mini pans. 1/4 tsp batter, 1/4 tsp jam, batter on top. I used a regular size tin and filled with spoonful of crushed fresh blueberries. Brunch was grilled peaches with roasted buttered pecans, blueberry French doughnuts, sausage patties, and champagne on the back very sunny porch.

#21 BBQ Sauce

This recipe was on a small piece of cardboard that had been thumb tacked prominently previously. It was used with hamburger; however, I used it with shredded chicken. Not fancy, but simple and not overly sweet. I made half and thinned it with about 3 tablespoons of chicken stock. 1 cup catsup 3 tbl. Sugar 2 tbl. Worchestire 1 tbl. Vinegar Heated until sugar melts. Corn tortillas and sliced cucumber. It is a wonder that Lenny likes nachos, being as it is all eaten together. He would not make a taco with cucumber and yogurt all together. He had to eat them all separate!

Where did April go?

No cooking of note got done due to the sorting, packing, and unpacking of dads house. Leanna and Adrienne came for a visit and I tried Borden's suggested use of Chateau use as clay. Does that count as a recipe because it was in the collection?

Recipe #19 Lamb Croquettes

I dug the food grinder out of the box of transferred household items that goes on the big kitchen aid mixer. I am proud of myself for putting the grinder attachment for the Hamilton Beach mixer in the "for sale" box. Started by grinding ham for salad and sent Lenny to the store for celery because the texture was too pasty for my liking. It is okay, will be good on crackers. Followed the ham with the lamb and had about 1/2 cup so I cut the following recipe by 1/8. It made 2 patties. I don't know if mom used bread crumbs on or in the patties or not at all. Surprisingly I have found no recipe in the collection for lamb croquettes. I guess dad will have to tell me how close they are because I am not a fan!

Ham Croquettes

In medium size saucepan melt:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Blend in:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (used seasoned flour and skipped onion and dry mustard)
2 tablespoons grated onion
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Slowly add, stirring constantly:
2 cups milk
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes, or until mixture is very thick.
Remove from heat. Stir in:
4 cups coarsely ground cooked ham (lamb) fat and gristle removed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
(skipped this next part and the crumbs)Spread mixture evenly in a shallow pan. Chill several hours or until firm.
Cut chilled mixture into 12 equal size parts, shape into croquettes.
Roll croquettes in sifted dry bread or cracker crumbs
Dip in mixture of:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
Roll again in crumbs.
In deep frying pan heat fat, 1 1/2 inches deep, to 390 degrees. Fry croquettes 3 or 4 at a time, in hot fat, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper, keep hot.
Makes 12 croquettes.

Croquet anyone?

Ham, lamb, salmon croquettes. The consistency of these has always been suspect but I find myself wanting to revisit these. When Dad gave me the leftover church lamb, he said he would rather have it how ever you are going to fix it... Like croquettes. I have leftover ham hinting at the same treatment. He has been having food stick in his craw. I suspect it is because he talks when he eats and doesn't breathe between bites and words. But he thinks he has throat cancer or at the very least that the meat was too spicy or tough.

Lost and Found

2 very important recipes have been found. 1st THE Cheese Straw recipe card, complete with notes. Turns out margarine and a little more flour is the answer. The next recipe heavily notated is mom's pound cake recipe. It is in a Fredericksburg area cookbook. I need to study the hyroglyphics and get cooking.

Recipe #18 Leenie's Refrigerator Rolls

I keep reading this as Lennie's, often people misspell Lenny's name. I am trying to decide whether or not to add some herbs to the dough, just because they don't suggest it doesn't mean. I shouldn't try it right? Or should I just stick to basic rolls 101? This is an undated newspaper clipping, doesn't look too old or used for that matter.

LEENIE'S REFRIGERATOR ROLLS
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen rolls, each about 82 calories with fat calories 37 percent of the total. (before more butter !)
Mixing time: 10 minutes, rising time: 8 hours in refrigerator, shaping time: 5 minutes, baking time: 10 to 12 minutes.

1 stick butter or margarine
3 cups all purpose flour, dipped, leveled
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup cold tap water

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. While butter melts, stir flour with sugar, yeast and salt in mixing bowl. Combine egg with water, off heat stir into pan with melted butter, then cool or heat to lukewarm. With large spoon, stir lukewarm liquids into dry ingredients until blended. Turn into 2 quart covered container and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week.

Shape all or any of the dough as suggested below (there is no "below" too much typing), then cover with damp towel and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

FREEZING: shape in any of suggested ways, freeze in greased pan tightly covered with foil. Thaw at room temperature, let rise in warm place until doubled, then bake.

Bake in 400-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe #17 Pasta Florentine

Why this recipe? Because I had tomato sauce and ricotta on hand and wanted something that I could fix ahead of time or tomorrow's dinner.

Pasta Florentine makes 4 to 6 servings
Judy Lee, Norfolk undated

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (15 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
6 oz. pasta (ziti, twists, etc.) , cooked and drained
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (12 oz.) container cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauté meat with onion until tender, drain well. Combine meat, spaghetti sauce and pasta. In another bowl combine spinach, cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese and egg,blend well. In bottom of 11 by 7 inch baking dish place half the pasta, cover with layer of spinach mixture, top with rest of pasta sprinkle on mozzarella.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe #16 Sugar Cookies

These cookies are from a page out of a book. Don't know what book. You will see a reference to "spry pan-coat", don't know what that was, pre-Pam? There is a recipe for it on page 13. The cookies are okay, but they cry out for ice cream, or the mango sorbet I have in the freezer. This is why I don't make sweets the pounds just fall like dominos!

Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup Spry
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind.
1/2 tsp.nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbls. Milk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine spry, salt, lemon rind, and nutmeg, and blend. Add sugar gradually and cream well. Add beaten eggs and milk and mixwell. Sift flour with baking powder and soda. Add to creamed mixture and blend well. Drop from teaspoon onto greased with spry pan-coat. Or press through a pastry bag (or cookie press). Let stand for a few minutes then flatten cookies by stamping with a glass covered with a damp cloth. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 375 for 8 to 12 minutes. (took mine 12 min.) makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Crab Imperial

Take 1 bottle of Laguna Chardonnay because you have it and this month's Food & Wine magazine has a wine dinner hosted by Gina Gallo that paired this wine with her crab imperial. Follow the recipe the best you can, but make substitutions because it is pouring down rain and I am not going out for milk. Start with making a bechamel sauce that used the saved milk of oysters instead of cow's milk. Make Hollandaise sauce and fold into the bechamel. Fold in crab along with diced roasted yellow peppers. The freezer has all sorts of contributions. Pray that the lightening doesn't knock the power out and broil the crab until browned. The wine is a perfect match. Julia was watching over the meal, I think I used a pound of butter in tonight's dinner.

Pickled Chicken?

Maybe it's the name. It's probably the same as Chicken Adobo if I looked. I might make this one, but tweak it a bit based on the recipe for Vinegar Braised Chicken in the Food and Wine April 2012.

Recipe # 15 Chocolate Chip Bars

I chose this recipe because I wanted to take something over to our new neighbors that moved into the Cooper's house. What I know so far is they have twins and the husband just left on the Enterprise for a 6 month cruise. The wife's name is Bree. Has a desperate housewife moved in? I am anxious to talk to her to find out what she knows about the crewman that fell over board shortly after they were underway! She didn't answer the door when I knocked so I ended up leaving them in the door with a note with our phone number. I hope she's opened the door and found them by now. Today, I will try to get over there and introduce myself in person. I also sent the rest of the bars to Lenny's work. He said they scarfed them down in a hurry:)

CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 pkg. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Heat the oven to 375* Mix shortening, butter, sugars, egg and vanilla thoroughly. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spreading ungreased pan, 13x9x2 inches. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool, cut into bars, about 3x1 inch. Makes 32. (I used a pizza cutter)

I lined my pan with Reynolds Wraps new parchment/foil and should have taken pictures. I also had taken this foil to NYC and used it for THE Cat In the Hat - Hat cake. If i had posted the pictures and sent the blog to Reynolds Wrap, who knows maybe I could have become the next hot blog chef. Oh well....

Recipe # 14 Bean Salad

I was looking for a recipe to use some of my green beans that I had frozen from the garden. I used both green and yellow and skipped the kidney beans. I started with them frozen thinking the hot dressing would cook them just enough to keep them crisp but cooked. That didn't work. I drained the beans and steamed them for 6 minutes and put them back in the dressing. That resulted in the dressing being too watery so I added vinegar and oil. Still too watery. Drained it all off and added 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard thinned with oil. Now it is tasting right. I should have steamed the beans first and patted dry and then added the dressing and waited the recommended 24 hours before serving. Or have used canned.

The following delicious Bean Salad, made 24 hours before you intend to use it, will go well with either of these main dishes. (no clues as to what the main dishes were something baked at 350 for 40 minutes.)

2-3 cup salad oil (Mom had slashed thru the dash changing it to 2/3)
1/2 cup vinegar (I used white vinegar because that's what I had, bet it should have been cider)
3/4 cup sugar
Salt (no amt. specified)
1 can green beans drained
1 can yellow beans drained
1 can red kidney beans drained
1 small onion, sliced
Celery and green pepper chopped. (no amt. specified)

Dad had pencilled in additions = 1 TBS MUSTARD SEED & 1 TSP CELERY SEED.

Cook the mixed salad oil, vinegar, salt and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over drained beans, onion, celery and green pepper. Allow to stand in refrigerator for 24 hours before using.

Recipe #13 Miss Davenport's Easy Real French Bread

Soup and Salad for dinner and I wanted fresh bread. I tried to go to Artisan bread store on Washington St. but they were closed. I could have had Lenny go to Harris Teeter while the soup was cooking, but I was thinking. I have time. I thought I remembered that this was a quick yeast bread to make. Well it's not and we'll find out in 40 minutes if adding extra yeast and skipping the 2nd rise was critical to the taste.

I also don't know who Miss Davenport is. I always that she was a neighbor, but when I pulled mom's recipe out instead of using mine, her recipe is one that was printed in a magazine.

Miss Davenport's Easy Real French Bread

1 pkg quick acting yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
4 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt

Dissolve yeast in one cup of lukewarm water. While yeast softens sift flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl, then stir in the dissolved yeast. Add just enough of the second cup of water to hold dough together. Mix until you have a soft, rather sticky dough. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise until double in size. This takes 2-4 hours depends upon warmth of kitchen.

When dough is high and spongy, punch it down with your fist and give it a good sound beating with your hand. Divide the dough into 2 parts and place each in a greased 6 inch round baking dish (glass casserole is perfect.) cover again with cloth and let rise until it reaches top of the baking dish. Preheat oven to 400, brush the top of the bread with melted butter (gives lovely flavor to the crust) and bake 1 hour.

Mom's notes dated 6/98. Used 3 smaller casserole dishes, cooked for 45 minutes. Yummy good crunchy crust. (couple shakes garlic powder with parsley)

Recipe #12 Pork Chops Leroy

I have typed this twice and somehow deleted it every time. So here's the short version.

Sauté 3 tbl. Diced onion in 2 tbl. Butter. Remove. Brown 6 lean pork chops. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika 1 can of mushroom soup, 1 can of water (chicken stock). Cook on low 1 1/2 hours and serve on rigatoni or egg noodles. Serves 3.

Recipe # 11 Honey-Mustard Chicken

Dad liked it is the good news, Lenny and I thought it was too sweet and too dilly.

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel (used lemon zest)Or orange marmalade
2 1/2 lb. chicken quartered

Make honey-mustard sauce
Preheat oven to 400
Line a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken skin side down, brush sauce on chicken. Turn the chicken over and work sauce under the skin and then on top of the skin.
Bake until juices run clear, abo it 30 minutes according to the recipe. Mom wrote in 30-40. I used bone-in breasts and one of them was huge and still partially frozen and took another good 20 minutes at 350.
Served with fresh asparagus and boiled potatoes. The potatoes were yummy.

It is 8:45 pm and I really should make Martha Boones chocolate cookies but guess I will wait until tomorrow. I was hoping to find more meat recipes to try before moving into deserts and the ultimate test, the candy recipes!

Filling the Void

I was doing so well with the recipes. Now I am way behind and will need to do several over the next couple of weekends. we have new neighbors in the Coopers house. I was thinking cookies but forgot to buy brown sugar and the flour is getting low too. I need help picking a next recipe.

Recipe # 10 Chicken Salad

This is mom's recipe and it is for the masses. I'm guessing a church recipe. I do remember her making this for home in smaller quantities. I've done the math to cut it down for 2 boneless chicken breasts. I won't know until morning if the adjustments were correct.

Chicken Salad - 150 sandwiches / 100 salads

10 lbs. chicken breast } cooked and diced
18 lbs. chicken hen } cooked and diced
1 cup lemon juice
1 pt. olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 sm. grated onion

Mix the night before.

Add:
5 bunches (stalks) diced celery
2 qts. (about) mayonnaise
More salt if needed
Spread bread (1 long newish loaf = 14 sandwiches) with 2 qts. More mayonnaise (about).

Stir-Fried Pig with Basil and Egg

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe by Johnny Monis of Little Serow in DC. He used Goat, where the Thai usually use beef. So why not pig?
Changes = sausage instead of ground goat, didn't use chiles because the sausage was already spicy. Served jarred chinese chili garlic sauce on the side for individual taste.

Stir-Fried Goat with Basil and Egg (Food and Wine, March 2012)

1/4 cup plus 3 tbl. Canola oil
10 garlic cloves, minced
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs. coarsely ground lean goat
10 Thai bird chiles, 4 thinly sliced
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce
3 tbl. Palm sugar or light brown sugar
1/4 cup shredded basil leaves
4 large eggs
Steamed rice, for serving

1. In a large skillet, heat 3 tbl. Of oil. Add the garlic and shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the goat and cook, stirring frequently until browned, about 8 minutes. Tilt the pan and spoon off as much fat as possible. Add the whole chiles, 1/4 cup fish sauce, the palm sugar and 1/2 cup of water to the skillet, simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the basil and keep warm.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sliced chiles with the remaining 1/4 cup fish sauce.
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Fry the eggs, 2 at a time, over high heat, tilting the. Pan and spooning the hot oil over the eggs to puff them up.
4. Spoon the stir-fried goat over steamed rice and top with the fried eggs. Serve the chili sauce on the side.
Suggested wine pairing is Spanish Granache.

The Pig in the room.

What's with the references to 60 lbs of sausage you may ask? Last weekend Ray, Russ, Brenda, Lenny, and I ground up 240 lbs of pork mixed with secret spices and bagged in quart freezer bags. 1 lb. to a bag. So the pig in the room begs to know the answer to he question, "What are you going to do with me?" Sausage patties, gravy, quiche, strata, meatballs, meatloaf and? Anyone?

Recipe #9 O'Flanagan's Sausage Supper

When you have 60 pounds of sausage, you go looking for recipes that use sausage. In Mom's recipe box I found O'Flanagan's Sausage Supper. The recipe card has lots of splatters and a side note. I do remember her making this one. I didn't have instant potatoes so I made mashed potatoes. I didn't have any apples so I used a little bit of applesauce. The applesauce made the gravy a little sweet so I added soy sauce in place of salt and to deepen the color. Although I cut the recipe in half, I did not cut back on the amount of bouillon (used my chicken stock, bouillon would make this dish too salty.) Lenny's got to have lots of sauce, especially if the dish involves potatoes! This week I also made a pork roast cooked with sauerkraut, one to use up the sauerkraut from the Super Bowl party, two to give a nod to Lenny's mom. He did call his sister and confirm that she does have an old recipe box of his mother's. I'm curious to compare the recipes of his and my mother to see if there are any similarities in style, ingredients, and taste.

O'Flannagan's Sausage Supper

1 lb. pork sausage (link or bulk) form patties of bulk
2 apples, pared & sliced
2 onions, peeled & sliced
1 Tb. Flour
Salt & pepper
1 cup bouillon (cube or powder)
2-3 cups hot instant mashed potatoes (1 pk. 4-5 servings)

Fry sausage till crisp. Drain it, then put in a baking dish. In remaining fat cook apples and onions, then spoon them over the sausage. Pour off all but a tablespoon of the fat now, and brown the flour in it. Add salt, pepper, and bouillon, stir till it's a bit thicker, and pour it over the sausage mixture. Top with potatoes. Bake 15 min. Uncovered at 350*. Serves 4-5

(Mom's note: Right good - uses too many pans (3) apples didn't seam to add anything - try without.)

Super Bowl Food Fight

My Super Bowl food offering is pastrami sliders with the sauerkraut on the side with thousand island dressing. For my beverage of choice I wish I had purchased a NYC beverage in honor of the Giants, but it is Sunday and I need to behave.

I still haven't picked a 9th recipe for the blog project. I don't imagine mom has a recipe for squirrel! Ray gave me 2 this weekend with very specific instructions being as my last attempt turned out very tough. I also have salmon to cook but don't like the recipes in mom's collection. They are cooked and sauced way too much for such a beautiful piece of salmon from off the coast of Ireland. However, I do remember a recipe of sausage patties, browned onions, and mashed potatoes that is doable especially being as I have 60 lbs of homemade ground sausage to use!

Cat in the Hat NYC

Adrienne took on the challenge of making a Cat-in-the-Hat Hat cake after she had checked with 2 bakeries and they wouldn't couldn't do it. Mike ordered the pans. Adrienne bought cake mixes and confectionery sugar and red food coloring. We made the cakes Friday night, placing all 6 in the oven at one time. Because some of them were close to the oven wall they rose a little unevenly, but that turned out to be a good thing. We tried freezing the cake So it would frost better but that really didn't help. Saturday morning and we are getting ready to ice the cakes. 2 white and 3 red. It is close to 10:00 and the frosting is still pink after adding 2 full squeezey bottles of red food coloring. Adrienne goes to Gristedes and buys them out red decorator icing and that worked. 5 layers on a ruffle plate, long bamboo skewers in the middle to keep them from sliding, and cool candles. Adrienne accomplished her first children's party cake. Now what to do with all of that cake! I am sure I made cake for the kids, but Adrienne didn't remember any. I'll have to look through the pictures to prove I was a good birthday cake mom. I should have paid better attention when my mother was alive and. /or had her make the cakes. Maybe there will be some clues in the recipe file and i can still learn. Or maybe I'll tackle marzipan. But you can't stick your finger in marzipan, or ice graham crackers with it, or bite it like Alesandro did after the singing. Buttercream icing is still the best!

Recipe #8 Seafood Puffs

"Try this recipe ...as served at Boston's famous seafood cafes! (frozen fish from California, go figure.) I think the taste was fine, meringue tartar sauce, but I overcooked the flounder and had too much lemon when I baked it.

1 pkg. Captain's Choice Fillets
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg separated
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped pickle
1 tablespoon parsley

Partially thaw fillets. Combine mayonnaise, pickle, pepper, parsley. Beat egg white until stiff; stir in egg yolk. Combine with mayonnaise mixture; spread evenly over top of fish 2 minutes before end of broiling. Broil 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce has puff and is golden brown. Serve immediately. Makes 1 cup sauce, enough to cover 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe #7 Hungarian Goulash

Picked this recipe because beef was on sale at Kroger and it is a wet cold winter day and requires a stew to bring some warmth to the day. I just love reading recipe hyperbole. "Men like it because of it's stick to the ribs qualities; women are intrigued by the use of spices, especially the paprika." mom over wrote the papika, I can't tell if she used more or less. Same thing with the tomato paste.

3lbs. Beef shoulder (cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes)
1T. Shortening
1T. Bon Appetit (celery salt, onion salt, garlic, msg.)
2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Garlic powder
1tsp. Black pepper
1T. Paprika
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
3 slices bacon
3 medium onions
3 medium potatoes
2 green peppers

Brown the beef on all sides in shortening. Combine seasonings and sprinkle over meat uses. Add tomato paste and water; stir. Lay bacon strips over top and cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Cut onions, potatoes and peppers into medium size pieces and add to meat. continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Makes about 3 quarts or 6 to 8 servings.

Canned

I found out that people have pretty strong opinions about Spam. My father said mom's Spam with cloves and brown sugar glaze was the best. My sister said it was awful. My husband was pretty sure he did not want to try it. It couldn't be worth eating because his mother never cooked it. Vince, from Triology, Velvet, and Longboards said oh yeah it's great especially with a Hawaiin twist. I asked my friends and invoked memories of other mystery meats: deviled ham, Vienna sausages, chipped beef, beans and franks, and military rations.

I sliced it thin and pan fried it and then baked it with a mushroom sauce and a baked egg. I fixed the leftovers to give to dad, baked Spam with cloves, brown sugar, and pineapple. I could eat it again, but why?. At $2 something for a 7 oz can why wouldn't you buy a boneless ham or a regular ham for less and skip the processed taste, fat, and salt.

New Orleans Revisited

The page from the October 1960 Woman's Day was definitely a find. I had just enough leftover Bienville sauce to dress up 6 Oysters Rockefeller and also use it in the sauce for Thomas Keller's "Oysters & Pearls" = oyster tapioca pudding and it is yummy! The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of whipped cream, but I ran out of cream and used stiff whipped egg white. That worked and made it have a few less calories.

The Egg's Hussarde were a big hit with Lenny. His only complaint was that I skimped on the Marchand de Vin sauce. It said a spoonful and I probably put on 3 tablespoons; but being the gravy lover that he is that wasn't enough. Tonight I will make it up to him when I serve it with beef tenderloin and sauted mushrooms.

I am anxious to move on to recipe # 7 but have not decided whether or not to introduce Lenny to SPAM.

Recipe #5/6 Brennan's Eggs Hussarde

When we went to New Orleans in 2000. We almost ate at Brennan's. We were a group of about 17 people various ages and tastes. It was late and wall to wall people. we were there for the Orange bowl that Virginia Tech was playing in. The group can't make up its mind, but Matt went in and asked about us getting served. They said yes and were going to open up a side room. But the group moved on, thinking it would be too expensive. We should have stayed.

I made the Marchand de Vin sauce today, and didn't think it had any depth to it. I checked Julia, no help. I checked Joy, and they started with a brown roux and added Demi glace at the end. I made the roux, added the sauce, added a cube of Demi glace and now I am happy with the taste. We'll see tomorrow how it is with the eggs. Joy says the sauce is meant for steak.

Brennan's Marchand de Vin Sauce

Combine the following ingredients, all finely chopped: 1/2 pound mushrooms, 1/4 pound ham, 4 shallots, and 1 onion. (Another onion may be substituted for the shallots.) Stir in 1/2 cup beef bouillon and 1/2 cup red wine. Mix 1/2 tablespoon flour to a paste with a little water and add it to the first mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly. Simmer for 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes enough for 6 to 8 servings.

Brennan's Eggs Hussarde

On individual serving plates put a piece of Holland rusk. Cover the rusk with a slice of cooked, lightly broiled ham cut to fit, and pour over the ham a spoonful of Brennan's Marchand de Vin sauce. Cover the sauce with a slice of tomato, peeled and lightly broiled if desired, and on the tomato arrange a poached egg. Top with a dollop of Brennan's Hollandaise Sauce.

Recipe #4 Arnaud's Oysters Bienville

I found a folded page in mom's fish and meat envelope of her recipe binder for recipes from the French Quarter. On the page I googled the ad for Lydia O'Leary's Covermark to try to find a year. It looks like Covermark is still being made. The website says that Covermark was the only foundation ever given a patent. Also Lydia invented it to cover a birthmark on her face that prevented her from getting hired. I wonder if makeup artists still use it today?

After searching for a date, I was placing the page during the late 1950's but then after I looked again at the page, the date is right there at the bottom = October 1960. Despite a comment by an aquaintance that "all the food in New Orleans tastes the same!" the article states: "Americans go to New York to do the theaters, to Washington to see the White House. They go to New Orleans, quite simply, to eat."

After I selected Arnaud's Oysters Bienville, I had to do another google search for the recipe because the amount of onion was vague. At Arnaud's there are oysters Bienville, Rockefller, Kathryn, Suzette, and Ohan...mushroom, spinach, artichokes, peppers/pimentos, and eggplant\andouille sausage based sauces. What is the problem with eating just a plain oyster?

Back to the page in hand. In addition to Arnaud's Oysters Bienville there are recipes for Antoine's Oysters Rockefeller, Brennan's Eggs Hussarde, Commander's Palace Crab Meat Imperial, and Dunbar's Stuffed Squash. Do you think that if I send a self addressed, stamped envelope as it suggests for more of these restaurants recipes that Woman's Day would send them to me?

Arnaud's Oysters Bienville is definitely a keeper!

Prepare the sauce first: brown lightly in 3 tablespoons butter 2 minced onions. (I used 2 tablespoons of onion.) stir in 3 tablespoons flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is lightly browned. Add gradually 1 1/2 cups chicken consommé, 2/3 cup white wine, 1 cup minced raw mushrooms, and 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked shrimp. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.

Open 3 dozen oysters and put them in their deep shells on individual, ovenproof baking dishes. A bed of rock salt will help keep the shells firmly upright. Bake the oysters in their own juices in a moderate oven (350* F) for about 6 minutes. (I used a 400* oven on broil per another recipe.)

Thicken the prepared sauce with 2 egg yolks beaten with 2 tablespoons cream and heat the sauce without allowing it to boil. Cover each oyster with some of the sauce and sprinkle with equal parts of dry bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Return the oysters to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the topping is browned.

I served this on retro divided diner plates, 4 oysters on the small section and on the larger section Romaine lettuce (from my garden) duck proscuito and feta cheese salad with balsamic vinegar and EVO. YUM!

Play with your food

Also in Borden's Chateau Cheese booklet is a page about forming it into carrots, little pumpkins, and the like. If I still have the Velveeta when Leanna comes to visit we'll use it instead of Playdough!

Recipe # 3 Creole Eggs

This next recipe comes from a booklet printed by Kraft Foods Company, no copyright date, "Casserole cookery with Protein-Rich cheese". it gives you a description of Old English "sharp", American "medium-mellow", and Velveeta "rich yet mild" and 7 recipes. To make Creole Eggs I used the eggplant creole I used previously for the Chateau Chops, the Mexican Velveeta for the cheese, and DID NOT use peas. Until today I had not baked an egg, but had wanted to try. I was pleasantly surprised that after 30 min in a 350* oven the white was set and the yolk runny. If I were to make this dish again I would use regular shredded cheddar cheese. Nothing in the house is exempt from my theme of use it or lose it, so I pulled out my French Onion soup dishes being as I don't have any individual gratin/casserole dishes. They worked very nicely once I wrapped the handle with a napkin. Nice Saturday brunch of creole eggs, salad,and Perrier.

Creole Eggs

2 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
Salt, pepper
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup cooked peas
1 cup shredded Kraft American
4 eggs

Combine the tomatoes, onion, pepper, celery and bay leaf. Cook slowly until the celery is tender. Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and peas. Into four individual casseroles pour part of this sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat, using the remaining sauce and cheese.

Make a depression in each casserole, and break an egg into each. Sprinkle eggs with salt. Bake in a moderate oven, 350*, 30 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

A tossed green salad is a delightful accompaniment to any of these casserole cheese dishes.

100 saltines make a pound

Last night we went to Still and had fab apps. I found a new favorite - warm duck salad. I asked Mike if he knew what Chateau cheese was and a suitable substitute. Answer was Velveeta. He checked an old loved cookbook (thus the reference to a penciled comment of 100 saltines equals a pound) and googled for the answer.

Recipe # 2 Chateau Cheese Chops

After much web browsing and consideration I decided to use Velveeta in place of Chateau. Partly because I had it on hand and partly because it sounds like the closest thing. My search for the answer to what exactly was chateau cheese took me through many websites, eBay postings of ads, Life magazine ads, and an article with a picture of a real cow claiming it was invented by a Canadian. So, Elsie and I decided to make Chateau Chops with horseradish sauce. The recipe comes from a 16 page booklet with lots of recipes and advice on how to use Borden Chateau cheese printed in 3-1951. I've got Pandora Frank Sinatra station on, going to get an old apron with ruffles, and the martini ready to go to greet the mister when he comes home. I did cut the recipe in half and placed the Velveeta in the freezer for about 15 minutes for easier grating. I should have left it in a little longer.

The verdict is "pretty good". I did use Mild Mexican Velveeta as a substitute for the cheese and chives. Half a recipe made 6 two inch cakes. Mom had cut out the same recipe from a later source and it suggested the horseradish sauce or creole sauce. I thawed some eggplant creole from the freezer and recommend serving it with both. I liked the creole better as a contrast, my husband liked both. I would serve them as an appetizer or maybe a lunch item with a salad as a "meatless" meal as the recipe suggests.

Chateau Chops
(Makes 6 chops)
1/2 lb Borden's Chateau coarsely shredded
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley or chives
2 eggs, beaten
1 2/3 cups cracker crumbs (about 20 crackers)
Mix together all the ingredients. Shape like chops. Brown chops on each side in a little hot fat in a skillet. Serve hot with Horseradish Mustard Sauce, made by flavoring 2 cups medium white sauce with 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard and 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish.

Recipe # 1 Waldorf Chicken Salad

I picked this recipe because I always make chicken salad for our lunches for the week. First problem the recipe is for a "mold" not salad! It's 8:30 pm and requires chilling the gelatin and I am not sure my husband will go for a mold. Here goes, we will see how it turns out.

Here's the results. I made half with the gelatin & half without for regular salad.For one thing "mold" when you have a cold and are trying to tell your husband to check the mold translates to something growing on the food. The gelatin chilled quicker than I expected & I had to whip the heck out of it to get it smooth. The plus side of the mold is it creates a silky congealed salad  that spreads easily on crackers, the down side to me is the texture - it really needs the cracker.

Score = 86

59 in 2012

The reason for this blog is a decision to make at least 1 dish a week from my mother's recipe collection. 59 actually because it seemed like a good number being as I actually turn 59 this year.
Mom died 2 years ago and it has been a slow process to help dad clean out the closets, drawers, and cupboards. Now my closets, etc. are overflowing and I don't know why I am compelled to hold on to everything that was hers. I will never be the seamstress, crocheter, knitter that she was, but I have always thought I was a better cook. Everything we every ate growing up was boiled and uninspiring. But when I look through her recipe collection, I am amazed at all of the recipes that she cut out or wrote down from magazines and friends. It is evident that at one time she was creative in the kitchen. The other thing that strikes me when looking at these recipes is there are a whole lot of foods and cooking methods and essentials that we take for granted. There are a little booklets on how to grill food in aluminum foil, cook using cream cheese, and.....
So this will not only be a food adventure but a food history lesson.