Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream  together:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

Add:

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Sift together:

2 cups flour

1 cup oat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Mix into wet ingredients

add one small package semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes.

My mother was a lousy cook

no recipes to be found

that came in a book.

The back of the cans,

the boxes and lids,

created our cookbook

to delight every kid.

No food which didn’t come out of a can

every graced our table or left her hand.

Ice cream was a staple,

and dairy for the troops.

McDonalds, Burger King and KFC

created dinner within the top food groups.

But when she cooked,

which I don’t really remember,

it must have been for a bake sale booth,

because I know I definitely inherited

her unstoppable, never-ending,

sweet tooth.

 

banana bread

From the Betty Crocker Cookbook, some time in the 1980′s.

Toffee

equal parts butter and granulated sugar

(one cup sugar to two sticks butter is easy)

cook in a heavy pan over medium heat

stirring constantly

until the color of a brown paper bag

pour into small oiled pan

let cool a few minutes

put milk chocolate chips over the top and cover for a minute until they are soft

spread over the toffee

when cool, break apart by putting in a pointed knife tip at 90 degrees and hitting it on the end

Noodles

Noodles…plain and simple.   Poor people food.

Flour, eggs, salt

mix together 3 cups flour, 4 eggs, some salt, a bit of water if it is too dry.  Or use less flour.  Or use another egg next time.

Roll it out quarter-inch or less thickness (thinness?)

Roll into a jelly roll and slice fairly thin.

Spread over the counter to dry while fixing the cooking broth.

Brown small beef cubes, chicken, etc.  Use appropriate broth.  Beef=beef broth.  Mushrooms=veg. broth.

Bring to full boil before adding the noodles.

Drop noodles into boiling broth in small bits so they don’t clump together.

Simmer 30 minutes or so.  Test by tasting-there shouldn’t be any doughy line in the center when you bite through the noodle.  Thicken with flour and water if needed.

Make them thinner, or thicker even for dumplings.  Good stuff.

Just shred it…

Beef or pork sandwiches,

doesn’t matter.

One top sirloin, chuck or flank roast

in the crockpot

with  a cup or so of salsa and some chopped chipotle (canned works fine)

Cook for 12 hours on low until fork tender.

Pull out and shred removing any fat areas.

Put back into the sauce.

Serve with toasted buns,  fruit or salads.

Variations are endless with bbq sauce or any type of sauce to keep the meat moist during cooking.

Keelin’s Kettlecorn

Melt 1/3 cup of shortening in a 10″ cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Add 1/3 cup popcorn.

Cover with thin layer of white sugar.

Put lid on and leave it alone until only a few “pops” still pop.

Pour and enjoy!

Custard…

Milk, eggs, sugar, coconut extract.

Measure the volume of the baking dishes.

Use that amount of milk (I use powdered) minus 1/2 cup or so for the volume of the eggs

add one eggs per cup of milk.

Add in a couple of more eggs (or just yolks) for richness.

It’s easier to whisk the eggs before adding to the milk.

Add sugar.  A tablespoon per 1/2 cup of milk is enough.

add some coconut extract (or vanilla or almond or…)  to taste.

put filled baking dishes in large baking pan, add warm water up most of the sides.

bake 45 minutes or so in 350 degree oven.

Baking time will depend upon the volume of dishes.

Pull out when lightly brown and still jiggles in the middle.

Sprinkle sugar over warm tops for a bit of a brulee effect.

It can also be put under the broiler after cold to melt and brown sugar.

Cream Puffs

Have everything ready and measured before starting.

You have to work quickly with the eggs so they don’t scramble.

Bring to a boil in a medium saucepan:

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup water

Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling mixture.

Beat over heat until mixture pulls away from the side of the pan into a ball.

Add four eggs, one at a time, beat until smooth after each egg.

Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 until light brown (20 min or so, depending upon the size of puffs)

Make cream filling while cooling puffs.

In small bowl, mix 2/3 cup sugar

5 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Add 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth.

Separate 3 eggs and beat whites to stiff peaks

Heat 1 and 1/2 cups milk in medium saucepan

Add sugar/flour mixture to hot milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and quickly whisk in egg yolks

Return to heat and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Fold egg whites into cooled pudding.

Fill cream puffs with filling tip and bag or pull off tops and fill, then replace tops.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Uncle George’s pizza recipe…

tweaked a bit.

George Duszynski was a professional baker, rising early every morning for work, mailing us cookies and breads every Christmas.

We miss him.

1 package yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

dash of salt

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

grated mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan cheese

pizza sauce

Mix water and yeast in medium bowl.

Sprinkle sugar over the mixture and let sit a few minutes

Mix in both flours and salt.

Knead on floured surface, adding additional flour.

Divide in half and roll thin, using more flour on surface and rolling pin.

(all white flour can be used, but a crisper crust results from the whole wheat)

Pizza Sauce

make a roux with 2 T. olive oil and 2 T. flour

Cook for just a bit, don’t brown

Add one cup of tomato paste with water or sauce.

(increase–every cup of liquid needs an additional 2 T. oil and flour)

Cook until thick, season with garlic powder, chili powder, thyme, basil, etc.

Toppings

if sauce is cold, dice onions and peppers small so they cook to sweat stage.

You can precook veggies, just don’t over cook.

layer crust with meats, veggies and cheeses.

Bake in 350 oven for approx 20 min. or until crust is dry on bottom and slightly browned.

French Breakfast Puffs…

fancy name for muffins.

Melt 1/3 cup butter

mix in 1/2 cup milk

add one egg.

Pour into bowl with

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

bit of salt

Stir just until moist. Don’t over mix or they will be tough.

Divide batter into greased muffin tin.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

Tops do not need to get browned.

I have found this only makes 9 muffins (rather than the typical 12)

Turn out of pan and dip tops in melted butter, then sugar.

Floofury

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup (or more) milk

3-4 eggs

sugar

coconut flavoring

blend whipping cream in blender until it goes “glop”

add milk and sugar to taste.

blend in eggs one at a time

add flavoring

and pour.

I’m not worried about raw eggs, but the pasteurized liquid eggs can be used instead.

Works very well to keep teenagers with broken jaws fed.

Mush…

fried, of course.

When visiting Italy, you may call it polenta.

Use a 1:3 ratio of cornmeal to water.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3 cups water

some salt

put 1 cup water and 1 cup of cornmeal together and mix.

Slowly add it to the other two cups of water and salt.

Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly.

Pour into a greased loaf pan, cover and set in fridge overnight.

The next day, tip out of pan and slice.

Fry until golden brown in butter or bacon grease.

Top with maple syrup.

This can also be done with grits.

Peach Pie

pie crust for a double crust

peaches

sugar

dry tapioca granules

Slice three to four cups of fresh peaches

add sugar, depending upon how sweet the peaches taste

Mix in 3-4 tablespoons dry tapioca

Put in pie crust and top with second crust

cut slits in the top to allow for the steam to escape

Bake 45 min or so at 400.

check after 35 minutes and rotate pie if browning unevenly.

Let cool and Enjoy!

Carrot cookies…

were always my favorite as a kid.

I am sure some housewife had a bit of extra carrots from dinner and didn’t want them to go to waste.

Someday, I’ll try this with sweet potatoes and maple for the frosting flavor.

This is in mom’s handwriting.  Notice how she made the t at the end of carrot.  That is how she always made her t’s.

Greek Salad

Bow tie (or other pasta, cooked) run cold water over it to cool it quickly.

a couple of cucumbers, peeled and diced

feta cheese

olives

garlic roasted red peppers

cherry tomatoes

diced small red onion

toss all together with vinaigrette dressing

(red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, a spicy mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce

whisk before adding to the salad)

Basic Egg Bread

Adaptable for regular bread or rolls, cinnamon rolls or monkey bread.

In large mixer bowl, put one package yeast and 1/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 10 min. or so.

ADD

1 and 1/4 cups warm milk ( I use powdered)

1/3 cup melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3 cups of flour

Mix with one dough beater for three minutes.

By HAND, add in an additional 2 cups of flour to form a stiff dough.

Knead on floured surface for 6-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic

adding additional flour as needed.

Let rise in greased bowl until doubled.

(cover with a linen dishcloth and put on griddle with standing pilot light)

Turn onto floured surface and punch down.

Either roll into balls and put in pan with caramel,

divide into two portions and roll out,

put cinnamon and brown sugar, then roll like a jelly roll.

slice for cinnamon rolls or tuck ends under and

bake for cinnamon bread.

Let rise again and then bake at

350 for 25 min or until browned.

Simple icing is butter, powdered sugar and a bit of milk.

Killer Chocolate Cake

In a large bowl, whisk together

3 cups flour

2 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Add to the dry ingredients:

1 cup + 2 tablespoons water

1 cup + 2 tablespoon oil

and beat for 1 minute

then add:

5 eggs

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 25 min. or until done. Just don’t over-bake.

Makes 3 8″ rounds or a bunch of cupcakes.

Simple Fried Rice

While 3-4 cups of rice is cooking,

dice and fry a pound of bacon.

when it is almost crispy,

add chopped carrots and onions.

When tender, push all of that to the side

and scramble 2-3 eggs in the bacon grease.

add broccoli (or any other veggies), cover and steam for a few minutes.

add the rice, some soy sauce and toss.

If it is too dry before you put in the rice, add some olive oil.

You can use any meat and oil, I just like it best with bacon.

How to make rice

For dummies !

Put the rice in a pan.

Put your palm flat against the rice.

Add water to the middle

of the back of your hand.

Put it on medium heat.

Add a bit of salt.

Cook until it boils.

Cover and reduce the heat.

Cook, covered (leave the lid alone)

until there a small holes on the top of the rice.

Turn the heat off

and leave it until you are ready to use it.