Sunday, December 16, 2012

Super Christmas Brunch!

Happy Holidays, everyone.
Since next weekend will be spent with family, this will be the last post before Christmas -- but we're making it a big one! If you're still planning your menu for Christmas, perhaps this can serve as a guide. We unfortunately only have the page for two of the items listed (though orange and pear slices, and coffee hardly require a recipe).

From the Treat family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!


Super Christmas Brunch

Suggested Menu:

  • Fresh Orange and Pear Slices
  • Marmalade-Glazed Baked Ham
  • Beignets with Cinnamon-Maple Syrup
  • Custard Corn Pudding
  • Coffee & Milk
Marmalade-Glazed Baked Ham
1 ham (5lb)
1/2 10 oz jar orange marmalade
2 TB brown sugar
1 TB ketchup
1 TB soy sauce
1/2 ts garlic salt
1/8 ts pepper

-place ham in 13" by 9" baking dish, insert meat thermometer.
-bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
-mix marmalade with remaining ingredients, and brush over ham.
-bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the thermometer reads 140 degrees.

Custard Corn Pudding
3 cups milk
3 TB butter
5 eggs
2 1/4 ts salt
2 ts sugar
1/4 ts pepper
17 oz corn, drained
parsley sprigs for garnish

-In a saucepan, heat milk and butter over low heat.
-In a separate casserole dish, whisk in eggs, salt, sugar and pepper, then stir in corn.
-Slowly pour the hot milk over the corn mixture, and continue stirring.
-Place casserole dish in pan of water. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour until firm.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Happy Hannukah!


Mazel Tov, dummies!
(30 Rock reference, has nothing to do with this blog, or the holiday. Just sounds funny.)

Tonight is the first night of Hannukah. Though this recipe isn't exactly traditional Jewish cooking, it's as close as we're gonna get.

A quick Google search on Jewish Apple Cake turned up that it has its own Wikipedia page. Kinda interesting, if you're into food history.

Jewish Apple Cake
 4 apples, pared and sliced
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
3 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice

-Pare and slice the apples. Mix with the cinnamon and 4 TB of the sugar. Set aside.
-Beat together remaining ingredients until smooth.
-Grease a 10" tube pan. Alternate layers of batter and apples 3 times.
-Bake 1hr 15 min at 350 degrees.



Sunday, November 25, 2012

Dinner Idea List


No recipe this week - since we all just survived another successful Thanksgiving, we thought we'd take a break.

We did want to share this list, which might trigger some nostalgia for those who have been at Grammy's dinner table over the years. This was found in her recipe box, and is a list of some potential dinner ideas. It includes everything from Meat Roll Ups to Whittelsey Supper.

We just thought this was interesting. Many of the recipes are included in our recipe list to the right.

From all of the Treats, to all of you, have a happy holiday season!



Sunday, November 18, 2012

Roast Turkey

Thanksgiving was Grammy Gertie's main event - a house full of family, kids running up and down the hall poking at the cooling pies. She used to serve a Thanksgiving feast for 15-20, with more food than any of us could handle. It was always a great time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!





Roast Turkey
(this recipe calls for roasting the turkey on its side and then flipping it halfway... we're not endorsing that)

-Stuff, truss and place the turkey on rack in roasting pan.
-Brush with butter.
-Roast at 325, length of time depends on weight:
8-10 lb turkey = 20-25 min per pound
10-14 lb turkey = 18-20 min per pound
14-18 lb turkey = 15-18 min per pound
18-20 lb turkey = 13-15 min per pound


Sunday, November 11, 2012

James Date Nut Cake

And, we're back!
I have a vague memory of eating this cake as a child. Cream cheese frosting... right?

James Date Nut Cake

1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 TB milk
2/3 cup flour
2 ts baking powder
1/4 ts salt
2 cups dates, chopped
2 cups nuts, chopped

-Dredge nuts and dates in milk
-Mix with other ingredients, mix well
-Pour into buttered pans (two layer cake pans)
-Bake at 325 for 30 to 40 minutes


Sunday, November 4, 2012

Cappadocia, Turkey
Pardon the delay in posts.
I (webmaster extraordinaire) got stranded in Turkey because all the flights from Europe to Boston were cancelled due to the Hurricane.







If you recall, I seem to have quite the knack for getting delayed overseas by natural disasters.

Meanwhile, I was able to visit Cappadocia, which is one of Grammy Gertie's favorite places in the world.

Cappadocia has these odd volcanic rock formations (see the far right of this picture), which almost look like giant outdoor stalagmites. The people there have carved them out and live(d) inside of them. There are also 10 km of underground cities, and plenty of cave houses. I stayed in a cave hotel.

If you have a chance, ask Grammy Gertie about her visit to Turkey -- it was her favorite trip.

I'll be back with more recipes next week!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Rice Pudding

Grammy likes, at the very least, collecting rice pudding recipes.
I arranged all 5 of these rice pudding recipes on my floor, unsure of which one to use. Below is the one in her handwriting:

RICE PUDDING

1 cup minute rice
6 TB sugar
3 eggs
1/4 ts vanilla
1/4 ts nutmeg
4 cups milk
salt to taste

-Boil rice in 1/2 of the milk, then reduce to simmer. Cook until tender.
-Take remaining milk, and stir together sugar, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and salt.
-Stir egg mixture into boiled rice, and simmer until thick and creamy.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Sheila's Chicken Casserole

This is a recipe that Grammy Gertie got from one of her friends at the Red Cross. For a chicken casserole, it has quite a bit of non-chicken meat in it... perhaps this was the inspiration for the Turducken.





Sheila's Chicken Casserole

5 1/2 oz dried beef
chicken breasts
bacon, enough strips to cover
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream

-Rinse dried beef in cold water, drain, and then spread on bottom of baking dish
-Layer chicken breasts on top of beef, then top with slices of bacon
-Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
-Mix cream of mushroom with sour cream, then pour over the meat
-Bake an additional 30 minutes

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Concord Grape Pie, updated per request

Due to reports of a recently undercooked pie, we are updating the cooking instructions for the Concord Grape Pie. Our apologies - the previous posting of the recipe was missing the instructions on the back of the card.
(Originally posted August 25, 2011)

Concord Grape Pie

Grammy Gertie told me recently that she and her friends in Pittsfield will be making Concord Grape Pie as a cooking demonstration. They're waiting for the Concord Grapes to come into season, which should be soon.

Here's the recipe so that the rest of us can cook along:

Concord Grape Pie

4 cups concord grapes
1 cup sugar
3 TB flour
1/8 tsp salt
pie crust

-Slip the skins off of grapes.
-Heat grape pulp to boiling, then press through a sieve/strainer to remove the seeds.
-Add grape skins back along with sugar, flour and salt.
-Top with upper crust.
-Pour mixture into pie crust, top, and bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Apple Bread

The apples are coming into season in Massachusetts, so it's a great time to play around with some of Grammy Gertie's apple recipes. Click here to see more apple recipes.

Apple Bread

2 cups flour, sifted
1 ts baking powder
1 ts salt
1 ts baking soda
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts nutmeg
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup of sugar
1 ts vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup applesauce
2 cups apples, peeled and chopped

-Mix all dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, salt, paking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg)
-Mix all wet ingredients together (mayo, sugar, vanilla, eggs, applesauce, apple)
-Mix the 2 mixes, and pour into a greased bread pan
-Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Fresh Relish

Now might be a good time to start thinking about pickling various things from the Farmer's Market. Here's a recipe that takes care of the peppers, lettuce and onions... Seemingly yields a 5 gallon bucket.
(kidding)

Fresh Relish

4 large green peppers
4 large red peppers
3 lb head of cabbage
5 or 6 onions "what you can hold in one hand"
4 cups sugar, white
1/2 cup salt
3 TB mustard seed
1 TB celery seed
Vinegar, full strength

- Grind peppers, cabbage and onions until fine.
- Mix with salt, and let sit overnight.
- Drain through sieve.
- Mix with sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and enough vinegar to cover it.
- Let sit for 24 hours, mixing periodically.
- Can in 5 to 6 jars, store in a cool place.

"It's delicious and so easy to make!"

Sunday, August 19, 2012

A now for something a little different...

In addition to being a great cook, Grammy Gertie also makes embroidered table cloths. On of her recent creations is on display at her assisted living community. If you happen to visit her, look for it in the front lobby.

Grammy Gertie also sells table cloths, with proceeds going to support hospice. Art and charity - great stuff!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Peach and Blackberry Pie

It's that perfect part of the summer when all the peaches are ripe and ready to become desserts. 

This recipe doesn't call for any butter, other than what is in the pie crust. Keep in mind, however, that this is a WWII era book with rationing in mind.  A little extra butter might be nice.



Peach and Blackberry Pie

Pie crust (pre-made is fine)
1 1/2 TB tapioca
2/3 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 ts orange zest
2 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups blackberries

-Lay bottom crust into greased pie plate
-Mix sugar, salt and orange zest (dry mix)
-Layer fruit, dry mix, (extra butter if desired)
-Top with 2nd pie crust.
-Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then drop temperature to 350 for 35 minutes. Cool before serving.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Party Cranberry Salad

Grammy Gertie has several recipes for cranberry Jello salads. And here's another!


Party Cranberry Salad

1 3oz package of red fruit Jello
1 cup boiling water
1 cup pineapple juice
1 1/2 cup ground fresh cranberries
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

- Add boiling water to Jello packet, mix in other ingredients.
- Pour into mold, chill for 4 hours.
-Serve on lettuce leaf and garnish with a spoon of salad dressing.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Pie Crust

Here comes pie season!

Grammy Gertie eventually came around to endorsing the use of pre-made pie crust... but there was a time when she made all her pie crusts from scratch.


Flaky Pastry Shells

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 ts salt
2/3 cup shortening
3 TB cold water

-Sift together flour and salt
-Cut in 1/3 cup shortening
-Add enough water to hold ingredients in ball
-Wrap in waxed paper, chill slightly
-Roll out 1/4" thick, spread with 1/3 remaining shortening
-Fold to make 3 layers, turn, spread with shortening, repeat 2x
-Wrap in wax paper and chill.

Makes 6 medium pie crusts.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Cider Braised Cabbage

I initially cringed at the thought of cabbage, but in uploading the recipe, I've changed my mind. This might be good. Any takers?

Cider Braised Cabbage

2T butter
1 med onion, sliced
1 2lb head cabbage
1/2 cup apple cider
2T vinegar

-Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat.
-Add onion, sauté until beginning to soften.
-Add cabbage, saute until slightly wilted, tossing frequently.
-Stir in apple cider.
-Uncover; simmer until almost all liquid in pot evaporates. Stir in vinegar.
-Season with salt and pepper.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Blueberry Pie

We're approaching that time of year again... summer pies! These go great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, especially if eaten outdoors at a picnic table.

Blueberry Pie

pie crust dough
1 quart blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 TB flour
dash of salt
1 ts lemon juice
2 TB butter

-Pour pie crust dough into plate.
-Wash berries, pour into pastry shell.
-Mix sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice, and sprinkle over berries.
-Cover with top pastry shell.
-Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sugar Cookies

It's Sunday afternoon, and I could go for something simple and sweet.

Sugar Cookies

1 cup shortening (or butter)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ts lemon extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 ts baking powder
1/4 ts salt
Milk
Sugar

-Cream together shortening and 1/2 cup sugar.
-Beat egg and add to mixture.
-Add lemon extract to mixture.
-Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, then add to mixture.
-Shape dough into 2 rolls, 2" in diameter; wrap in waxed paper and chill.
-When firm, slice 1/8" thick disks.
-Place on greased baking sheet, brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
-Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes. Yield 60.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Delicious Chicken

This recipe has such simple yet baffling ingredients that it has inspired a new label option: "classic 1950s cooking"

I'm going to go through the archive, and add this label to every recipe that calls for Jello, Lipton onion soup mix, marshmallows, Velveeta Cheese, canned fruit, Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, hot dogs baked into weird places, and/or Campbells soup poured over the top.

Meanwhile, I hear this one's delicious....

Delicious Chicken

1 jar Miracle french dressing
1 jar apricot jam
1 pkg onion soup

-Mix together.
-Pour over chicken.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Harriets Fruit Salad

With spring comes fresh fruit... but that's not what we're up to today!

Harriet's Fruit Salad

1/2 cup milk
2 whole eggs
1 lemon's juice
1 can pineapple
mandarin oranges
maraschino cherries
1 lb marshmallows

-Heat milk in heavy saucepan, and stir in eggs over low heat.
-Add juice of 1 lemon and cook into custard.
-Cool and pour custard over fruit (pineapple, oranges, cherries).
-Mix in marshmallows, serve.

Monday, April 23, 2012

The "Penny Stretchers" chapter

Grammy Gertie's trusted cookbook, that she used for over 50 years, was a 1942 edition of The Pocket Cook Book.

Due to food rationing measures during World War II, the book is extremely mindful of people's need to be frugal. The book includes such classics as, "Economy Lemon Allspice Cake" and "Inexpensive White Cake Layers". You get the sense, from the description, that there was pride in being resourceful and in sharing the sacrifice.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Excellent

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRAMMY GERTIE!!

It's that magical time of year again! Today, we're gonna post a memory told by Grammy a few years ago, and then follow it with a cheesecake recipe. As it says on the side, "Excellent"!

"The 4th of July was always a big day for the Burkey family. They were all farmers and they all had farms around the same area. Everybody would meet at the Hensroth’s and there they had a big long picnic table spread out on the lawn. Everybody would sit down and eat a big meal. Everybody who came brought a dish. All those farm women were very good cooks. We all sat went together and ate – and there were probably about sixty to seventy-five people at each picnic. And that was the 4th of July, a nice time of year. I always liked those picnics."


Anna's Cheesecake


1 lb cream cheese
1 pint sour cream
1 lb ricotta cheese
5 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 TB flour
3 TB corn starch
1/4 lb melted butter

-Cream the cream cheese and ricotta.
-Add eggs, sugar vanilla, and lemon juice, then blend in corn starch, flour, butter and sour cream.
-Pour into spring pan.
-Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hr and 15 min, until the cake is light in color.
-Shut off oven, and leave cake inside for 1 more hour.
-Allow to cool for an additional hour outside the oven.
-Remove from spring pan and serve.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Barbecued Spare Ribs

Because I had these for dinner the other night... and because they always make me think of this SNL skit of Will Ferrell as Harry Caray. "What if it were made of barbecued spare ribs... would you eat it then?"

Barbecued Spare Ribs

2 lbs spare ribs
1 medium onion
2 TB oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 TB vinegar
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
2 TB brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup chili sauce
salt and pepper

-Bake ribs in 350 degree oven for 1 and 1/2 hr.
-Chop onion and combine ingredients into a marinade. Add ribs and let rest for at least 1 hr, preferred overnight.
-Place ribs on grill for 30 minutes.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Indian Pudding

It's so cold tonight, that this recipe sounds delicious!

Indian Pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
2 TB butter, melted
1/2 cup molasses
1 ts salt
1 ts cinnamon
1/4 ts ginger
2 eggs

-Scald milk, then pour slowly over corn meal, stirring.
-Cook over hot water for 20 minutes.
-Combine the butter, molasses, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
-Beat eggs well, add to molasses mix, then combine with corn meal.
-Pour into greased baking dish, place in pan of hot water, and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
-Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Shoo-Fly Pie

This oddly named molasses crumb pie has its own Wikipedia page.

Shoo-Fly Pie

Liquid:
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 TB baking soda dissolved in 3/4 cup boiling water

Crumbs:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TB shortening (or butter)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

1 unbaked pie crust

-Combine the dry ingredients, working in the shortening/butter.
-Put the pie crust into the pie plate.
-Top with alternating layers of crumbs and liquid. Top with crumbs.
-Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
-Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 20+ minutes until firm.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Frosting for all your cookie and cake needs!

What's better than 8 minute abs??

Seven Minute Frosting

2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
"Few grains salt"
1/4 ts cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
1 ts vanilla extract

-Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt , cream of tartar and water, and place over boiling water
-Beat with beater for 7 minutes, until frosting holds shape.
-Mix in vanilla extract

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sweet and Sour Pork

This recipe has a record number of ingredients, so bear with us. Grammy loves this dish when we go out to her favorite restaurant.

Sweet and Sour Pork

3/4 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 TB soy sauce
1/2 ts salt
3/4 cup flour
2 TB cornstarch
1/4 ts baking powder
1/4 ts salt
3/4 cup water
2 cups plus 2 TB oil
2 medium onions, cut into eighths
2 medium carrots, slice diagonally
1 green pepper, cut in 1" chunks
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained

-In a bowl, combine pork, soy sauce and salt. Set aside.
-Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and water. Blend until smooth.
-In a wok, heat 2 cups oil to 365. Coat pork in batter and fry pieces for 5 minutes until crisp.
-In a saucepan, combine a sauce of the following:
1 cup water
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 TB cornstarch
2 TB cider vinegar
2 TB ketchup
2 TB soy sauce

-Add vegetables and cook in sauce for 2 minutes.
-Stir pork into sauce. Serve immediately with rice.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Edna's Spinach Dip

Good evening!
We're a few days away from the Superbowl (Go Pats!), and this was as close as I could find in the recipe box to Superbowl food. If you serve this, it will probably be the healthiest thing on the table. Enjoy!



Edna's Spinach Dip
1 pkg chopped spinach - drained
1 pt sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise, "Hellmann's"
1 pkg Knorrs vegetable soup

-Mix, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
-Serve with carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery sticks, tortilla chips.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Chicken Paprikas and Dumplings Nokedli

Not the usual recipe card we find in Grammy's recipe box; not the usual recipe either. This is brought to us by a "Mme Etelka de Nemeth".


Chicken Paprikas

1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup oil
2 ts salt
1 TB paprika
1 ts pepper
4 or 5 lb chicken, cut up without skin
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 pint sour cream

-Brown onion in oil, mix in seasonings.
-Add chicken and brown on all sides.
-Add water, cover and simmer until tender.
-Remove chicken, add sour cream to drippings and mix well.
-Add dumplings if desired, arrange chicken on top, heat through and serve.


Dumplings Nokedli

3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 ts salt

-Blend ingredients (add additional flour to make batter stiff)
-Drop by teaspoons into boiling salted water
-Cook 10 minutes, rinse in cold water

Monday, January 16, 2012

Suet Pudding

There was quite a bit of discussion of this dessert last weekend, when a few of us went out to visit Grammy. Some people defended the suet as a alternative to butter; others (myself included) continue to insist it's bird food.





Suet Pudding
1 cup ground suet
1 cup molasses
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
2 ts baking powder
1 ts salt
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts nutmeg
1/4 ts cloves
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

-Combine suet, molasses and milk.
-Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
-Combine dry and wet mixtures; add raisins and walnuts.
-Fill greased pudding mold 3/4 full and cover tightly.
-Steam 3 to 3.5 hours. Serve with lemon sauce.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Broccoli & Red Onion Salad

Happy New Year!
This recipe sounded like a healthy choice for the new year, but once again, the ingredients prove otherwise....

Broccoli & Red Onion Salad

2 heads broccoli, chopped
1 red onion, sliced
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

-Mix all of the above, then mix in the below dressing:

1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sugar
1 TB red wine vinegar