Cranberry Jello Mold

It's almost Independence Day over here in the States...

(Which reminds me, a belated acknowledgment and hello to our international readers! Grammy Gertie was an avid traveler in her day, and would love to say Hola, Olá, Vanakkam, and Привет to you all. Thanks for checking out GrammyGertie.com!)


If you're celebrating the 4th of July this weekend, the one thing your patriotic barbecue absolutely needs is a dish that is flaming red and deliciously chilled in the summer sun!

We proudly present another variation on the cranberry Jello mold -- you can see our previous ones here and here (and don't worry, there are yet more in the recipe box!).

Click on the image to enlarge. Happy 4th of July!!

Pickled Cole Slaw

In honor of tomorrow being the first day of summer, here's a recipe for the season's quintessential side dish.

Pickled Cole Slaw

1 head cabbage, sliced
1/2 spanish onion, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vinegar
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 cup salad oil

-Toss the cabbage, onion, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar together.
-Mix the vinegar, mustard, 1/4 cup sugar, celery seed and oil in a saucepan. Bring to boil.
-Pour liquid over cabbage mixture.
-Let stand overnight in sealed container in fridge.
-Stir and serve. Keeps for a week or more.

Beer Batter

Happy Summer, everyone! (well, almost)

The Treat grandkids had a chance to visit Grammy Gertie over the weekend. She's doing well and says hello to all!

Summer, being the season of clambakes and also sorts of beach shack grub, has a lot of fried food. It seems fitting to post another beer batter recipe. The first one can be found here.

Beer Batter

1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 can beer
2 eggs, yolks beaten and whites whipped separately

- Mix flour and salt. Add beer and stir mixture until smooth.
- Add the egg yolks, then egg whites.
- Dip shrimp or fish (or onion rings) into batter and coat.
- Fry in hot oil.

Banana Chiffon Cake

Let's take a moment to discuss technique.

This recipe, along with recipes for muffins and many other baked goods, requires making a "well" with the dry ingredients. You literally make a donut hole in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the wet mixture in.

Then, and this is essential, do not over-mix the batter! It's actually better to mix it until lumpy, then walk away and let it sit for 5 minutes.
(There should be a Treat cooking show on Food Network, right?)
On to the recipe!

Banana Chiffon Cake

Dry ingredients:
1 cup plus 2TB flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt

Wet ingredients:
1/4 cup oil
2 egg yolks
3 TB cold water
1/2 cup mashed (very ripe bananas)
1/2 tsp vanilla or grated lemon rind

4 egg whites
1/4 ts cream of tarter

-Mix together dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
-Add wet ingredients in order, but hold on the egg whites and cream of tarter. Beat until smooth.
-Mix egg whites and cream of tarter until stiff.
-Fold other mixture into egg whites.
-Pour into ungreased 9" tube pan.
-Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes, until it springs back when touched.
-Turn upside down and let cool.
-Serve covered with whipped cream.

Penuche Frosting

It's the kind of day that requires a quick, sugary pick-me-up. In fact, I just grabbed a bowl of carmel corn to eat while typing. This recipe ought to do it:

Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups xxxx sugar

-Melt butter, add brown sugar. Boil for 2 min, stirring constantly.

-Stir in milk and bring to boil.

-Gradually add sugar.

-Beat until spreadable.

Dot's Rhubarb Dump Cake

Something about baking with rhubarb makes me think of A Prairie Home Companion, but digressions.

Dot's Rhubarb Dump Cake

4 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
3 oz strawberry jello packet
1 cup water
1/3 cup melted margarine

-In a 9x13 pan, spread the rhubarb.
-Spread sugar and jello over the rhubarb.
-Drizzle the water over everything, followed then by the margarine.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Jean's Spinach Souffle

This recipe is a little loose on the measurements, and has one red flag ingredient that we wouldn't use anymore (bet you can spot it...). Still, the spinach makes it healthy, right?

Jean's Spinach Souffle

1 pkg frozen spinach, cooked and drained
3 eggs
chunk oleo
1 cup milk
1 pkg grated cheddar cheese

- Mix ingredients well, put into backing dish.
- Bake for 1 hr at 325 degrees.