The Orange Rolls

Holidays at our house mean lots of cooking, but perhaps the one thing that everyone looks forward to Mom making more than any other are the Orange Rolls we have for Christmas breakfast.

I received an e-mail this year from a friend requesting the Orange Roll recipe and thought I should post it here as well. There is a history in bread making for me. You see, when I took Home Economics in High School my teacher told us the first day of my freshman year:

“ If you can learn to make bread, any kind of bread, yeast bread, quick breads, muffins, biscuits, you can learn to make anything. There is a science in bread making, especially yeast breads—master those and you will be able to cook anything else you want.”

We spent our first 6 weeks of cooking class making breads, every shape, size and description. Some I have made ever since, others I never made again, but she was right, learning how to make bread gave me the confidence to cook other things.

When you make bread you have to be willing to get your hands in it, flour all over your apron, and maybe even on your face. But there is nothing that you will make that will bring smiles to the faces of the people you love like bread, any kind of bread, fresh from the oven.

Surveys have shown that one of the most comforting scents to most people is the smell of bread baking……..need I say more?

Merry Christmas!

Glazed Orange Rolls

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 cup milk

½ cup sugar

3 T. butter or margarine

3 eggs

In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, ½ cup suger, 3 T. butter, and ½ t. salt till warm (115-120o), stirring to melt butter. ( If you can dip your finger into the mixture and it feel really warm but not HOT, it is ready—too hot will kill your yeast). Add to dry mixture; add eggs. Beat at low speed with the mixer for ½ min., scraping bowl. Beat 3 min. at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough. Knead on a floured surface till smooth (3-5 min). Place in an oiled bowl; turn once to coat. Cover; let rise till double (1-1 ½ hours). Punch down; divide in half. Cover; let rest 10 min.

While your dough is rising. Mix:

 6 Tablespoons butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp. shredded orange peel

Roll each half to 12X8-inch rectangle. Spread the butter mixture over dough. Roll up, staring with the long side; seal seams. Slice each into 12 rolls. (I use a piece of sewing thread to cut my rolls. Take the two ends, hold them apart, slide it up under the rolled up dough, and then cross the ends over, and it will cut the rolls without crushing them.) Place in greased 9x1 ½ in. round baking pans. Cover; let rise till double (about 1 ½ hrs.) Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 min. Remove from pan immediately. Place right side up on plate or large piece of aluminum foil.

While rolls are baking, combine:

1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

While rolls are still warm, drizzle glaze over them. Make 24 rolls.

(I don't always remove mine from the pan. :)

Sweet Potato Biscuits

It is the time of year for hot soup and hot breads--together is possible.



This recipe was given to me by one of the beauticians who used to do mother's hair.
Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 c. milk

Mix the dry ingrediants, work in the melted butter and sweet potatoes, turn out on a floured board, knead a few times, pat or roll out and cut into biscuits. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12-15 min.

Note: I used canned sweet potatoes, and drain them WELL. This makes a wet dough, and you will have to work what may seem like a goodly amount of flour into it as you knead it, work only what you must to make it manageable. They will hit the spot, and as far as a perfect taste combination, you can't get any better than these with Cheesy Ham Chowder

By the handful......Grandma Wolf's homemade bread

I have written earlier on this blog about my Grandmother Wolf, the one that in her life time by feeding a family of 7 children and the hired hands that always helped with harvest, fed an entire army.

As she got older and she didn’t feel as good as she wanted and she would get an occasional vitamin B12 shot. That is when Dr’s did that sort of thing. It would help, and she would feel better…..for awhile.

Discussing it with Mother, and I’m sure the other Aunts and Uncles she decided she needed to start making her own bread again. “Bakers bread” just didn’t have what she needed as the quintessential source of the Vitamin B she obviously needed.

Grandma had made homemade bread all of my mother’s life, but she didn’t have a recipe. Something as common and everyday as bread was something you just……did. When asked about a recipe, Grandma would smile, and shrug her shoulders, she just made it. But when pressed, “HOW do you know Grandma?” She measured the flour and other dry ingredients by handfuls, liquids with a coffee cup, poured the salt into her hand………there was no written evidence of Grandma Wolfs homemade bread.

She began, once again, making her bread. Living by herself, she began giving that “extra loaf” away. Mother and I received a loaf every week. Warm and buttered it was…….beyond description……..and not even close to anything you could buy anywhere. This was back before the “artisan bread” craze and bread machines etc.

We relished it. Mother would freeze it, and get it out for company dinners and people would rave about the taste, the texture……..the memories it would conjure up for each and every one, of days when bread was the staff of life……….literally.

It was becoming obvious that a day of bread making, and “writing it down” was in someone’s future. I don’t remember exactly when it happened but I do know that Mother made a day when she went up to Grandma’s and as they made the bread, they took what was in the hand and the coffee cups, put it in measuring cups, writing it down and a recipe was born.

Mother then tried it, over and over; always saying “It isn’t as good as Mama’s”. I never saw or tasted any differences. It was good, always good. Full of texture, rich in flavor and melt in your mouth delicious.

My niece ask if I had the recipe the other day, and of all the things that SHOULD appear on this blog, this is one of them. Thank you DeLynne for reminding me of this, a staple of our family heritage.

Grandma Wolf’s Homemade Bread

1 pkg. of dry yeast
1/3 c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 stick margarine
5 c. white flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (for white bread use 6 c. white flour only)
1 c. wheat germ
Melted shorting for top

Mix water and sugar. Add yeast. Let stand 10 minutes. Add 2 ½ c. water, 1/3 c. sugar, salt and margarine. Mix well. Add white flour, wheat flour, and what germ. Mix and knead until springy, about 5 minutes. Brush top with shortening and let rise until double: work down and let rise again. Make into loaves, and let rise. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 2 regular or 3 small loaves.

Cold and Flu Season

Since we share recipes on this blog, I found a couple that I thought would be great for this time of year particularly.

My sister called me the other evening asking for a recipe. I dug out Mothers recipe boxes to see if perhaps she had a copy, and although I didn’t find the particular cookie recipe Alane wanted, I did, find some “recipes” for some helpful cures or at least to lessen the suffering from the winter cold and flu season. (Disclaimer—Use at your own risk--if you dare to use at all :)

*Home Made Liniment—

1 pt. cider vinegar
½ pt. turpentine
Beat 3 eggs thoroughly. Mix all together, shake well in bottle before using.

Really. This was on a recipe card in my mother’s recipe box under misc.


The next, I copied straight from “Frank Good’s Homemade—(the rest of the title was cut off)

For Bad Cold

“Mix equal parts of honey, cider vinegar and whiskey; take ½ to one ounce, as mixed.
(Contributed by Vera Berner of Newton)

Our note: Hmmm, Very, you don’t say how often to partake of the elixir….but upon further reflection; it’s all organic so it must be good for you taken as oft as you wish. (Pert night tantalizing enough to make one want to stand dripping wet in front of the air conditioner, or barefoot in the snow.)”

Between the first remedy and this one I’m confident you would get to feeling better. After all you would smell so bad that no one would come near you to either expose you again, or for you to get anything in the first place. Or you would be feeling no pain from the afore mentioned elixir to the point that you simply wouldn’t care.

Now before you think that my family was frequently into libations, not at all! Liquor was strictly used for medicinal purposes. You had to be pretty sick before the whiskey or homemade wine was pulled out of the back of the cupboard.

In the day before modern medicine, pharmacies, and over the counter remedies and pills, homemade remedies were the housewife and mothers only hope when a family member became ill. Dr’s were called as a last resort, and often times, before penicillin, the sulfa drugs didn’t work well either.

My Grandmother Wolf swore by her home remedies and when cold and flu season rolled around, she smelled like liniment, and wore an onion poultice around her neck; greasing herself with Musterole (which I’m sure took the place of a mustard plaster), and before you scoff and laugh…………she lived to be 96 years old.

Where’s the vinegar and turpentine?








*Not to be ingested

A perfect combo.......

Well, I apologized for being away so long, and I DO intend to change that and post here with more regularity, BUT I have been very busy sewing, sewing sewing, projects that I won't post for fear the wrong people see them ;)

In the mean time, the chill in the air always makes me want soup with some sort of hot bread. Crock pots were invented for people like me who have projects going and babies to rock, so you can fix dinner and forget it.

Here is a new one--oh so easy and with the Sweet Corn Muffins is the perfect combo....

Winter Veggie Soup

1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 package of dry onion soup mix
1 can of beef broth & 1 can of water
1 small package of frozen corn
1 small package of frozen carrots and peas
1 bay leaf
2 tsp of minced garlic
2 tsp salt

After browning the meat, place all the ingrediants in the crock pot (it makes a full pot) stir, set on high and cook for 7-8 hours.

Serve with:

Golden Sweet Corn Muffins
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. frozen thawed whole-kernal corn
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted

In a large bowl mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add corn; toss to coat. In a small bowl beat eggs with fork; beat in milk and butter. Add to corn mixture; stir just until blended. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full (I use cupcake paper liners) Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until pick inserted in center comes out clean--15-25 min. for muffins, 30-35 min. for a 9 in. square corn bread.

These stir up really quick, but I will warn you to watch them, as they can not be done, and then get too brown. A green salad would be good too, but not necessary as there are plenty of veggies.
Enjoy!

The signs of Autumn

One of the first signs of autumn is the beautiful Pumpkins that start appearing in the stores next to those colorful mums.
It gets you to thinking of pumpkin pie baking, the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg, and....YUMMMMM!!!

I made a new recipe today, and tested it on three hungry guys at noon. It made three dozen, and they ate a dozen and a half—what does that tell you?

This are a recipe I got off the internet, and it is so simple it is almost silly.

I hope you’ll try them.


1 boxed yellow cake mix
1 can of canned pumpkin
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg

Mix the spices and dry cake mix together and stir. Add the canned pumpkin and mix till just mixed; might be a little lumpy. Spoon into muffin cups, or greased and floured muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.


That is it!
No eggs, oil, water—na dah!
Warm with butter, they are melt in your mouth good or as my step dad used to say
“These will set you free!” :)
(Oh and the princess baking cups--on sale for 25 cents for 100-cha-ching!)

Summer is over..

Well it is that time of year when my thoughts turn to inside activites. Fall cleaning, something I do along as we get cooler and cooler while closing up the house for winter; it's a nice feeling.
I have stopped mowing, the lawn furniture is moved in, the flower beds have been put to bed, planters washed and cleaned and put in the garage, and I'm inside now.
This of course gives me more time to cook, quilt, sew and all that other stuff that fills my days........including blogging :)

The other day it was chilly and blustery, some would have called it perfect soup or chili weather but I was in the mood for something a little more substantial, so I made a Chicken Pot Pie.
If you’re thinking EEEUUWWW right now, hear me out. I found this simple recipe for a homemade Chicken Pot Pie in a Real Simple magazine once, tried it, tweaked it, and voi-la! YUM! Serve it with a green salad, follow it with Pumpkin Apple cake glazed with Cream Cheese frosting, and hot coffee, and you will be willing to put your soups and chilies on the back burner for later this winter; to me this is Autumn comfort food.

yes I tore out the whole page, and keep it in my recipe box


Chicken Pot Pie

1- 8 oz bag frozen mixed veggies
2 refrigerated piecrust (remember I have 20 in the freezer :), you can buy them at the store.
1 10 ¾ -oz. can cream of chicken soup
½ c. milk
2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey. (If you have left over chicken that is great, but I buy the roasted chickens at the store, take all the meat off the bone, and it is delicious!)
½ t. garlic salt
½ t. black pepper

I also add about ½ c. of diced pickled onions—you find them in the relish dept.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Defrost the vegetables in a microwave for about 3 min.
Line a pie plate with one of the pie crusts.
Chop the chicken, combine with veggies, onions, soup, and milk; add salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into the pie crust, and use egg white around edge of crust, placing other crust on top. Press both crusts together at edge, poke slits in top crust, and bake for 35-45 min. or till crust is nice and brown, and mixture bubbly.

THEN…………

Pumpkin Apple Ring

1 ½ c. cups sugar
½ c butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 med. Apples, pared, cored, and shredded (1 ½ c.)
1 c. canned pumpkin
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp. ginger

In mixer bowl, cream together sugar and butter or margarine. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in apple and pumpkin. Stir together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Add to pumpkin mixture, stirring till well combined. Turn into greased and floured 8 in. fluted tube pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 min. Cook in pan 10 min; remove from pan and cool on wire rack. You can either sift powdered sugar on top, or drizzle cream cheese frosting over the top.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 stick margarine
2 c. powdered sugar
1/8-1/4 tsp. vanilla

To make it runny so you can drizzle it over the cake, after you mix it up, microwave it, while it is warm, drizzle as much as you want over the cake. You can freeze the rest.

As per request…………..Garlic Beef Enchiladas

This isn't an original recipe, I got it out of an OLD Taste of Home magazine years ago, but it turned out to be one of out absolute favorites. It does, however, make a nice big batch so I don't make it that often since the kids are gone.......but you can sure bet I try to have it everytime they are home which makes them special. Hope you like them too!

1 lb. ground beef (or you can substitute 1 lb. of thinly sliced chicken)
1 med. Onion
2 T. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp garlic powder (NOT SALT!!!)
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp. rubbed sage
1 can (14 ½ oz.) stewed tomatoes (I use the Delmonte brand of Mexican flavored)

In skillet over medium heat, cook meat and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add flour and seasonings; mix well. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce your heat; cover and simmer for 15 min.

MEANWHILE…………………

Sauce-
4-6 garlic buds
1/3 c. butter or margarine
½ c. flour
1 can (14.5 oz.) beef broth
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1-2 T. Chili Powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. sage
½ tsp. salt

Sauté’ garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 min. or until bubble. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings, heat through. Pour 1 ½ c. sauce into ungreased 13X9 in. baking dish.

Assembly of enchiladas-

10 flour tortillas (7-10 in. depending on how many servings you want)
2 c. shredded Co-Jack cheese

Spread about ¼ c. of meat mixture down the center of each tortilla; top with 1-2 T. cheese, roll up tightly; place seam side down over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top of enchiladas, cover and bake for 30-35 min. Remove foil, sprinkle the remaining cheese over top, and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 min. or until the cheese is melted.

I like to serve this with a green salad that has those tiny bell peppers, avocadoes, tomatoes and little green onions with that Ranch Salsa dressing. It’s ALWAYS a hit believe me.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

If you are looking for a new summer dessert that is cold, and fruity, yet creamy and yummy, look no further. This Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie is awesome, and everyone who has had it will attest. It is also super easy, and doesn’t take a lot of prep time. You can use any kind of pie filling, but I like blueberries; plus that was the original recipe.
I take no credit for this; got it off a blog I follow. If you want to see pictures you can go to her blog at coffeenut.blogspot.com
I made this while Audrey was home this last week, and we were going to take a picture, but um……………..

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
(Makes 2 pies – serves 12-16)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (or can use Neufchatel – 1/3 less fat)
1 pint of heavy whipping cream (or you can use a large container of Cool Whip)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans, ground
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle ground pecans evenly in both pie crusts and bake for 8 minutes. Remove and cool completely before filling. You’re done with the oven.

(If you remember, one of the earlier posts on this blog was for the recipe that makes 20 pie crusts at once. I pulled two of these out of the freezer, thawed the discs, rolled them out, and was ready to go).

Soften cream cheese and add powdered sugar. Add cream (or Cool Whip) and beat briskly until soft peaks form. Add vanilla. Divide cream mixture evenly into pie crusts. Refrigerate for several hours. Spoon blueberry filling over tops of pies, dividing evenly (I leave a ring of white around the edge. Serve.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe in the World

Well, O.K. maybe not, but that was the title of it on the internet when I found it and I am inclined to agree. It makes about 6 dozen cookies. That means we can have some to eat, and I can still stash some in the freezer. After I made it the first time I was sold! and won't go back, no I won't go back to the old recipe on the back of the bag!

Imagine my joy when after Mother passed away, I found this exact same recipe in one of her recipe boxes, cut out of a magazine or a newspaper. She knew the secret all along........

AWARD WINNING SOFT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Sift together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and beat in instant pudding mix until blended.
Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Blend in the flour mixture.
Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop cookies by rounded teaspoons onto ungreaased cookied sheets. Bake for 10-12 min.
Edges should be a little brown.

ENJOY!

Why I keep meals in the freezer........

O.K. I am officially sick. Ear ache, stopped up head, and sore throat; can you say THE PITTS!
This is one of those “freezer meal” times. Fortunately I roasted a chicken earlier this fall, and after cutting what meat I could off the bones I boiled the bones,(O.K., I have to interject something here. THIS is a true Mother, depression era thing to do, boiling bones. It removes all the little tidbits of meat off those bones, and if you don't add too much water, makes more rich chicken broth. I have seen women take turkey and chicken carcasses after a meal with a goodly amount of meat on them and throw them away, I cringe, because my mama taught me not to waste that meat, or the good broth that comes from those bones, and bits of meat). I then added the broth from the roasted chicken to the liquid from the boiled bones, and put it over the meat in the container, and froze the whole thing. Thus, all I needed to do was thaw it, bring the whole thing to a boil, and add the noodles. I then fixed instant mashed potatoes (yes I said instant, this is not a sin, especially when you feel like I do), and TAADAA! Chicken and noodles!

Not to brag, but anyone who has had my roasted chicken will tell you it is outstanding, and it is all in the Sweet Basil Rub that goes on before the roasting. It is a recipe I found on the back of a Butterball Roasting Hen I bought. I tried it, and haven’t roasted a chicken or turkey without it since. Like I said it is the best. Word to the wise; don't start with anything less than a 5 lb. bird.

Here is the recipe:

Sweet Basil Rub
1 T. Salt (can reduce, if wish, but not too much)
2 t. Sugar
¼ t. Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
¼ t. Onion Powder (not onion salt)
¼ t. paprika
1/2 T. Lemon Juice
½ t. Black Pepper
1 T. Whole Basil
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix salt, sugar, garlic, onion, paprika and lemon juice together. Next, add black pepper, basil and olive oil. Mix into paste. Rub paste(with your hands)over washed and patted dry hen, inside and out.

For the best gravy, save drippings from roasting pan.

Now to cook the bird
1.Preheat the oven to 350
2.Remove giblets
3.Wash and rinse bird, pat dry
4.Rub with Sweet Basil Rub
5.Place bird breast side down, (yes, I said down, your white meat will be moister) and tent foil over; remove for last 10 min. of cooking to brown nicely.
6.Roast in oven to an internal temp of 170 degrees or till juices run clear.
7.Remove roaster, allow bird to stand 10 min. (actually the bird is past standing at this point, so just let it lay there :) before carving.

For every 1 lb. of bird weight cook approximately 20-25 min.

5 lbs – 1 ¾ hrs.
5 ½ lb.s – 2 hrs.
6 lbs.- 2 ¼ hrs. etc.

If you are not going to serve the bird right away and want to make chicken and noodles, remove all meat from the bone and place in a freezer safe dish. Then take the larger bones, place in large kettle, and JUST cover with water; bring to boil. Cool, and add drippings from the chicken roaster, pour all over the meat in the freezer dish, cool completely and freeze. I use those noodles in the bread isle, the ones that are the closest thing to homemade I can find. There is a awesome brand of potato buds that I find at Sam's that are the next best thing to real mashed potatoes. The company that makes them is from Idaho--need I say more?

Hot Ham Sandwich Recipe

Who can beat a hot sandwich in weather like this? My sister Alane called the other day and requested a recipe that is a hit with our entire family. A friend made these one time, they were soooo good I asked for the recipe, and then found out how easy they are to make, that they freeze, and are a hit every time I serve them. I try to keep them made up and in the freezer all the time, as they are really handy to have on hand for those cold evenings, and by the way, they go great with the Golden Onion Soup.

Ham Rolls
3 pkg. Hawaiian Rolls (I find these usually in the deli at Wal-mart, some stores they are in the bread isle)
1 lb. boiled ham (shredded)
1 lb. Swiss cheese slices

Sauce:
3 sticks of butter or margarine
2 med onion, finally chopped
6 T. Worcestershire Sauce
8 T Prepared mustard
A T or so of poppy seeds

Melt butter in sauce pan, add onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and poppy seeds, heat thoroughly. Leave rolls intact, (partially frozen is best) and split in half across the entire set of rolls. Spread butter mixture on bread, layering ham and cheese, and wrap in heavy duty foil.
Heat for 15-20 min. (thaw thoroughly if frozen) at 350 degrees till hot and cheese melts.
YUMMMMM!

Nic is Home!!

Nic arrived yesterday from Phoenix to help pour concrete before the weather turns--as far as he is concerned, it has turned. "MOM IT'S FREEZING HERE!!!" He was right, when we came out of the airport, it actually was 32 degrees-so I'll give him that. But today is as they promised, a balmy 52 degrees, with a warm gale force wind out of the south. Today is sunny and great, but tomorrow is supposed to actually bring snow. He won't hang around long, but in the time he is here he had some requests before he left for work with his dad this morning.
There was a request for a peach pie, and Orange rolls and as you can tell by the picture, there will be a bonus or two in there. But I figured while I was at it I would make a pot of Quick Minestrone for the freezer, and a pumpkin pie with the left over pie dough. I put the ingredients in the bread machine before I started anything, so just about the time the rolls came out of the oven, the loaf of French Bread came out of the bread machine too.
My apron has LOTS of flour and "stuff" on the front, it is getting properly broken in, and I love that. Since Roger and I were alone for Thanksgiving, it is great to have an excuse to produce all this. This is what having people around and family here means-cooking, and food, and fun, and laughing.......... Am including the minestrone recipe. It can be made ahead, and freezes well too. Once you've made it once, you will love the fact it is delicious and easy.


Quick Minestrone
4 slices of bacon, cut up
1 large onion, chopped
1 small box mushrooms, sliced
1 lg. can(49 1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1 (1 lb. can) diced tomatoes (the Italian style are great for this)
1 tsp. EACH salt and dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. EACH dried thyme leaves, and white pepper
4 oz. spaghetti, or mermicelli
1/2 oz. snow peas
1/4 chopped parsley
Grated Parmasan Cheese

1) in a 5 qt. kettle or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until it begins to brown; mix in onion,mushrooms, garlic and carrots. Cook, stirring until onion is soft.
2) Add broth, tomatoes with liqued, salt, basil, thyme, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 min.
3) Brind to boiling, add pasta. Bring to a low boil, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, about 10 min. Add peas, and parsley, and boil for 2 min.
4) Taste, add salt, if needed. Serve soup with cheese, to add taste.
This yields 8 servings.

"The" pie crust recipe

My Grandma Wolf (my mother’s mother) was a little short German woman who raised a family of 7 children during the Great Depression. She and my grandfather Henry were “workers”, and she lived to be 96 years old. She was a quiet thoughtful woman who loved her family and gave us a work ethic that has not been diluted in the current generations. During those years when harvest time would roll around, Grandpa always hired extra men to help in the fields to bring in the harvest. Grandma, of course, with help from her girls, was expected to cook and feed the “crew”, along with the 9 regular members of the family. It was nothing for Grandma Wolf to make 3 or 4 pies a day and several loaves of bread too. This was all done on a wood stove that Grandma knew was the correct temperature by simply putting her hand in the oven to check it. As my mother said “I’m sure that your Grandma Wolf, in her lifetime, came pretty close to feeding an entire army.”
When Roger and I were dating, he had never met anyone who made pie crusts ahead and froze them; my mother did. We are pie people. My sister Anita considers pie to be its own separate food group; I am inclined to agree with her. My mother would make up pie crust dough, and freeze actual pies, or just make crust and put it in the pans and freeze it. That way it wasn’t unusual for my mom to have 4 or 5 frozen pie crusts at the ready in the freezer at any given time. We girls do this too, so the following won’t surprise anyone in my family: I have found a recipe that makes 20 pie crusts at one time. I made it yesterday and my mother and Grandma would have LOVED this! I warn you though, this is not a recipe for a novice pie maker, you are quite literally up to your elbows in pie dough, which could prove to be somewhat overwhelming, but it is great crust (Rog will attest). I can’t take credit for this, as I found it on one of the many blogs I follow.

20 Pie Crusts For the Freezer

3 lb can Crisco vegetable shortening (I use Butter-Flavored Crisco)
5 lb all-purpose flour
3 cups ice water
2 Tbsp. salt

Mix in a very large bowl or pan
Blend flour, salt, and Crisco together (by hand)
Add ice water and mix all together just until blended.
Form into patties weighing approx. 7.6 oz. each (if you have a scale and want to get 20 out of the recipe).
Makes about 18 to 20.

Flash freeze on wax-papered cookie sheets, then pop into Ziploc bags.
When you want to make a pie crust, defrost desired number of crust "patties" on the counter 30 minutes or so ahead of time, or in the fridge overnight.
Roll between 2 sheets of waxed paper or put a thin sock with the toe cut out over your rolling pin and roll out on a thin towel with a little flour to prevent sticking.
These will keep for about 1 year in the freezer.


By the way, my new apron featured on an earlier post, now has flour on the belly :) !

Grandma Horack's Meatloaf.

Our Grandma Horack (our Dad’s Mother) was from Bohemian heritage. She was a wonderfully round woman, with the softest skin in the world. If you read the Cerretti blog, she also had quite a green thumb. She had an unconditional love for her children and grandchildren. One of my favorite memories of her was when my cousin JoAnn (who is one year younger than me) and I were staying with her for the afternoon. We were allowed to “cook”. Now we couldn’t have been more than 3, 4 or 5 years of age, and Grandma got out the flour, sugar and spices, allowing us to use anything we wanted. I don’t know just exactly what we thought we were making, I remember there being a lot of sifting, (we loved turning the crank, and adding spices to see the sugar and flour combination change from the white to the brown of the cinnamon, or cloves. I remember the smell of sage, cloves, and cinnamon. I also remember my mother’s reaction when she returned to pick me up. As she came toward the kitchen and Grandma was explaining that she had let us “cook”, Mothers face got sober, and she looked at us and the kitchen and simply said, “Oh Mom!” Grandma said not to worry about it as she would do the clean up. This, I believe, offers substantial evidence as to why all of us love to cook, and are pretty good at it—-free reign in the kitchen at a very early age.

This is my Grandma Horack’s meatloaf recipe. Most meatloaf recipes bring expressions of UGH, but Grandma’s was inexpensive, moist, and the homemade BBQ sauce was the best. It even made great sandwiches sliced off cold. It can also be made up, formed into little loaves, or one large one, frozen, and saved for serving later, just thaw thoroughly before cooking.

Grandma Horack’s Meat Loaf & Sauce

1 c. saltine cracker crumbs
1 c. milk
1 lb. Ground beef
2 eggs-well beaten
½ med. Onion, finally chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/2 t. ground sage

Mix crackers, chopped onion, beaten eggs, milk, and spices together, add beef. Shape in one large loaf, or small ones, and place in baking dish, or on Saran Wrapped cookie sheet. You may freeze and thaw and cook later, or……..

Sauce:
3 T. Brown Sugar
¼ c. catsup
1 T. Mustard
¼. tsp. Nutmeg

Combine sauce ingredients, stir well, and pour over uncooked meatloaf. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour or till done.

Mothers Ham Ball Recipe

For some reason, when we were cleaning out Mothers apt. after she passed away I wound up with her recipe boxes-both of them. (who am I kidding, I know why I got them :)
I’m sure there will be stories posted on this blog about Mothers cooking skills, experiences, etc. Cooking was her therapy, it became the way she “loved” people.
We of course were the fortunate recipients of this.

This is her “Ham Ball” recipe that I have made, and shared with my sisters, who love it and make it too. Audrey e-mailed me just yesterday for the recipe. You can make these up ahead, form them into balls, place on a cookie sheet covered in Saran Wrap, and freeze. After they are frozen, just take them off the sheet, and place in large freezer bags, removing as many as you want to cook for a meal. I make up my sauce ahead and freeze it to. These are wonderful for a company meal.

Mothers Ham Balls

3 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
½ c. pineapple juice ( I buy the pineapple juice you get in the juice isle, comes in can like pop.You will use it in the sauce too.)
2 ¼ c. crushed saltines
1 ½ lb. ground cooked ham (I buy a chunk of ham, and grind it up in my food processor)
1 ½ lb. ground pork (this is fresh pork, not pork sausage)
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, pineapple juice and saltines, Crumble ham and pork over mixture; mix well. Shape into balls bigger than a golf ball, smaller than a tennis ball. Place in a baking dish.

Sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 ½ t. ground mustard
¼ c. cider vinegar
¼ c. pineapple juice
In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients; spoon over ham balls. Bake, uncovered at 350degrees for 30-45 min.

Apple Butter Recipe

As requested, here it is:

Apple Butter

10 lbs. of apples, I use golden delicious as they break down while cooking better than most, however, if you mix varieties, you will have OUTSTANDING butter :)
3 cups sugar
4 c. water
1 cup dark corn syrup
4 t. cinnamon (heaping)
½ t. cloves

Peel core and thick slice apples, add water and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cook 30 min. till apples are soft. (I must interject here that depending on the varieties of apples you use, you may need to cook longer; I go for transparency, rather than time. I’ve cooked some as long as and hr or more on a VERY low heat.

Drain liquid, reserving it, and place apples in sieve or food processor, and process or sieve till milled down to applesauce consistency. Return to kettle, and stir in liquid, sugar, syrup. Simmer gently, stir frequently, till desired thickness (1 ¾ hours). Stir in spices, cooking and stirring 15 min. more. Pour into HOT jars, seal and water bath for 10 min.

I realize this won’t exactly fit on a recipe card, but wanted to give a bit of explanation as to HOW I actually do this :) Your house will smell wonderful too!

A Few Starters

What a way to start a blog! A request (Thanks Felicity!) has propelled my into doing another blog on Nestin(or preparing for winter and just general homemaking tips) and restin (living life after children, and caring for parents).
I think most appropriatly this first post should contain some of my favorite recipes for excellent fall and winter soups, that "stick to your ribs" and are easy to prepare in large quanities, and freeze the extra, always having something to pull out of the freezer for those "ill" days, or just "too busy" days.
Enjoy!

Here are the Golden Onion Soup, and Cheesy Ham Chower. They are similar, yet different, and both freeze up really well.

Golden Onion Soup

3 potatoes peeled and cut into small pieces.
3 onions, (yes three) diced
½ cup shredded carrots
3 c. water (opt)
4 c. condensed chicken broth
4 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ c. half & half
1 c. celery sliced
¾ c. flour
Salt and pepper
Prepare potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, place in large kettle (Dutch oven) with broth and water. Bring to boil and let simmer for 15 min. separately mix half and half with flour and some salt and pepper, slowly add to vegetable and broth, stir till thick. Just before serving, stir in cheddar cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
I make this up as if to serve,(in other words I go ahead and add the cheese) let cool completely, place in plastic containers, and freeze. With some hot crusty, buttered bread—yum!

Cheesy Ham Chowder
10 bacon strips, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 c. diced carrots
3 T. flour
3 c. milk
1 ½ c. water
2 ½ c. cubed potatoes
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 t. chicken bouillon granules
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. cubed fully cooked ham.

In a large kettle cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. In the drippings, sauté onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 min. or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham, heat until cheese is melted. (now for a tip: Substitute, liquid off corn, and chicken broth for 11/2 c. water and you won’t have to use bouillon granules). This makes a THICK soup, and can be diluted with chicken broth is desired, but it is delish.