Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Year Fruit Salad


Wrap up the year with a festive fruit salad! It's a lot of canned fruit, plus sugar, and "1 lb marshmallows", so my nutritionist roommate might not love this one. Whatever, it's New Year's!!


New Year Fruit Salad

1 can peaches
1 can pears
1 can pineapple
1 bottle marachino cherries
1 lb marshmallows
1 pt whipped cream
1/2 lb red grapes
3 oranges
1 can Bing cherries
Bananas if desired

-- Cut up together, mix in whip cream

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

My Very Good Punch

It's almost New Year's Eve, so we chose a festive recipe to ring in 2010. There's something retro and a little bit charming -- 1950's prom style -- about having punch with no alcohol.

My Very Good Punch

1 1/2 qt cranapple juice
1 qt white grape juice
1 large can frozen lemonage & water
1 bottle club soda

Float scoops of lemon sherbert

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Suet Pudding


We visited Grammy last weekend, and this particular recipe came up. "Suet Pudding"... it sounds really unhealthy. I'm visualizing the stuff you put in bird feeders.

Grammy says that she once served it to a guest who wouldn't touch it. She claims that at a later date, she served it to that person again, but called it "Ohio Pudding." The guest had seconds. Go figure.


Suet Pudding

1 cup milk
1 cup suet, chopped
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
1 cup raisins
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

- Mix everything together, and put in a greased double boiler.
- Boil for 2 1/2 to 3 hours (lid on boiler), until firm to touch
*Don't lift the lid before 2 1/2 hours, or the pudding will fall.


Suet Pudding Sauce

1 lemon, juiced and grated rind
1 cup sugar
1 TB butter
2 cups water
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
2 TB flour or cornstarch

-Cook until thick

Cut pudding into wedges and serve with sauce.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Grammy's Cookbook

Along with her recipe box, Grammy Gertie has kept and used a 1942 Pocket Cookbook (from which the previous fruitcake recipes came).

The first page reads "In order to cooperate with the government's war effort, this book has been made in strict conformity with WPB regulations restricting the use of certain materials."

To which, Grammy merrily has added the cooking instructions for a turkey pie.

Fruitcake!

Nothing says Chirstmas like a little fruit cake!
(click on the image for larger print)


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Candied Pecans

Even when I get these store-bought, they remind me of Christmas. One year, Grammy showed up with a giant tin of these... it didn't last very long.

Candied Pecans

1 ts cold water
1 egg white
-heat until frothy, then mix well with

1 lb pecan halves
1 cup sugar
1 ts cinnamon
1 ts salt

-Spread on cookie sheet and bake at 225 degrees for 1 hr. Stir occasionally. When done, remove immediately.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Cucumber

I don't recall eating this as a child, but it sounds very... green. You know, in a festive way.

"Christmas Cucumber

2 or 3 cukes sliced
1 med onion
1 green pepper
2 TBsp salt
1 TBsp mustard seed
1 TBsp celery seed
2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar"

- Mix vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard and celery seed, heat but do not boil until sugar and salt dissolve.
-Cool and pour over vegetables, mix.
-Put in canning jar, covering with liquid. Refrigerate.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Fish House Punch


Happy Holidays!!

This week, we're gonna post some Christmas recipes. This one seemed wintery and festive. We're gonna have to ask what the Fish House is... and why we're getting drunk there.

Fish House Punch

1 pint lemon juice \
3/4 cup sugar...... / OR 1 pint frozen lemonade

4/5 quart light Rum
1 pint cognac brandy
2 quarts club soda
1/4 cup peach liquor
Ice in the punch bowl

-Mix all together, EXCEPT the club soda. Let sit over night. Add the club soda and serve.
Serves 15

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Rhubarb Pie

I've never cooked with or eaten rhubarb. Something about it is just so... Prairie Home Companion. Here's to expanding culinary horizons:
Rhubarb Pie
-Cream together
1 cup sugar
3 TB butter

-Add to the mix
1 beaten egg
2 TB flour

-Mix and add
2 cups rhubarb

(pour into pie shell)

Bake 425 degrees for 30 min

Monday, December 14, 2009

Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

There's 2 recipes on this card -- the first in dark black ink, and the second scrawled in faded brown. Since the latter looks like portion adjustments, I'm going to skip it for now.

(Mom's New Recipe)
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding

4 slices bread - dry bread
2 TB oleo
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup raisins
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2 1/2 cup milk, scalded

Bake 250 degrees, 65-70 minutes

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

This recipe throws a lot of ingredients together, and probably works best with a little trial and error (hence, no measurements).

"Chops rolled in flour
(+ salt + pepper)
Fried until light brown then put into skillet.

Chopped onions
Catsup/chili sauce
brown sugar
red wine vinegar
garlic & little oil
beef broth -

Cook for 45 min, low to med heat"

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

"Dessert Storm"

This just makes me laugh. It takes a tough man to make a tasty pie. Also, since when does the National Inquirer** have a recipe section?

**no copyright infringement intended; this actually was in the recipe box collection.

Chicken Kiev

Grammy probably hasn't seen the movie "Talladega Nights", but she knows how to "shake + bake"...

"--Debone chicken breasts -- pounded 1/4" thick.
--Put strip of butter in center, squeeze lemon juice & sprinkle with chives.
--Fold with toothpicks, dip in egg batter and then "shake + bake"

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes."

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Pecan Pie

Finally, pie!

This recipe does not include the crust. We recommend buying a premade crust from the store and saving your self a world of trouble.

Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dark Karo
4 TB oleo melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pecans - cut

Add sugar, syrup, salt, oleo and vanilla to eggs beaten light. Place pecans in bottom of unbaked pie shell, pour mixture over nuts.
Bake 350 degrees for 60 mins.


Monday, December 7, 2009

Cranberry Relish

Not all of the recipes in the box are handwritten. This one comes from a plastic bag of cranberries. I have a vague memory of Cranberry Relish appearing on the Thanksgiving day table, along with the stuff in a can. Enjoy!

Uncooked Cranberry Relish
2 cups cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 whole orange

Wash cranberries. Cut orange, remove seeds. Put cranberries and orange through food chopper. Add sugar. Mix thoroughly. Let sit for 30+ minutes.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Ice Box Desserts

Today we have two similar recipes involving cookies and whipped cream that need to be set over night in the fridge.


Ice Box Dessert
(serves 6)

1/2 lb vanilla cookies (rolled flat)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 cup whipped cream

Blend sugar and butter well
Add 2 eggs beaten well
Put half the crumbs on the bottom of a 9x5 pan
Pour batter over crumbs
Layer pineapple over the batter
Layer whip cream over pineapple
Top with half the crumbs
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
(Optional, top with cherries)

Ice Box Cake

Chocolate cookies
Put heavy whip cream between each cookie
Cover the whole outside
Chill overnight
Cut on the diagonal

Friday, December 4, 2009

Date Pudding

"Date Pudding

1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup dates
2 eggs
4 TB milk
4 TB flour
1 ts Baking Powder
3/4 cup sugar

Served with whipped cream"

Now, here's the interesting part. Gertie has the instructions memorized, so it doesn't say what to do with these ingredients. Do we boil this and let it cool until firm? Do we bake it? Her Ozark pudding recipe calls for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, but I'm not sure about this one. The smart thing would be to call her up and ask... but knowing this family, we're entitled to a few experimental cooking disasters first. Good luck!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Grammy Gertie's Apple Crisp Recipe

This card was written in pencil, and has since faded. Here's what it says:


Apple Crisp
6 servings

Grease 2 qt casserole or custard cups -- put in 3 pared and sliced (1 can) tart apples.

Mix with a fork and cover apples with:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 unbeaten egg
3/4 ts salt
1/3 cup shortening
sprinkle cinnamon over top

Bake 30-40 min at 350 degrees