but i did go through a phase right after "julie & julia" when i made beef bourguignon way too often ( just ask my kids) & i do have a great recipe for french drip beef... it's from an old cookbook that was a wedding gift 25 years ago & somewhere along the way it got wet & now all the pages are stuck together, but i can't part with it even though it is about as useful as a brick & weighs almost as much... the recipe is committed to memory, but sometimes i pry open the pages just to check. as recipes go, this one is just about perfect. it's up there with the nestle toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe. it really is.
everyone loves this drip beef. men love it. women love it. kids love it. football players & coaches (are you surprised?), principals & superintendents, book club friends, sorority sisters, regular sisters, vacation Bible school teachers, & Habitat-for -Humanity workers...the list goes on- i have served this to all of these. you MUST have this recipe. you will wonder what you ate before. now you will have the perfect thing to take to a pot-luck or serve a crowd watching the big game at your house. or anyone's house. it comes out perfectly every time. there's really no way to ruin it. if you're out of an ingredient, no one will notice (unless, of course, it's the meat). it holds well, feeds a crowd , is easy, relatively inexpensive & **smells heavenly. perfect. at least for us carnivores.
** though it does smell heavenly, you might want to start the cooking process in the morning- whenever i forget & put this in the crock-pot at night- we inevitably awaken @ 3:37am with the feeling that an Old Testament burnt sacrifice is going on in the kitchen & it's not altogether that pleasant to smell rosemary & beef in the night- trust me on this**
*french drip beef*
1 rump or well-trimmed chuck roast
(at this point, i rinse & dry the roast then dust it with flour & sear it in hot pan with a little bit of olive oil)
transfer the roast to your crock-pot & add:
1 T. cracked pepper
1 T. garlic salt
1 T. dried rosemary or a sprig of fresh
1 tsp. summer savory
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1-2 beef bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
feel free to add any additional spices you like to this or adjust amounts-you can't go wrong
* i love about 2 T. pampered chef's grandmother's roast beef seasoning, too, but you may not have that
1/3 cup red wine to loosen the bits in the pan then add to the pot
water to barely cover the meat
cook on high (or medium if your crock-pot is like mine & boils on "keep warm") for about 6 hours...shred with forks & serve with french rolls (i like the earth grains whole wheat sub style rolls) or any rolls you like & an assortment of mustards or some of the au' jus.....easy! yummy! run out & get a roast !
-the snackmom
April 11, 2011
aunt alice & the porcupines...
when i was about 12 years old, my mother's aunt alice took the train up from south texas for a little visit. naturally, this called for an extra special jell-o concoction-possibly a pink one involving pineapple & cool-whip- i don't remember. it was also, memorably, the first time i cooked an entire dinner by myself. i chose one of my absolute favorites: porcupine meatballs- meatballs with minute rice mixed in so when they baked, the rice kinda poked out like porcupine quills- with baked potatoes, tossed salad & rolls. it took me f o r e v e r... & that was just chopping the carrots. those were the days when ranch dressing was all the rage & it didn't come in a bottle-you had to shake up the hidden valley ranch dry mix with milk & mayonnaise.....so that was another forever.
when we finally ate-it was around 9:30pm, i think, everyone oohed & ahhed....actually, they were starving & would have raved if i'd fed them rice cakes & fruit cocktail, but that's not the point. there really is no point. just that i vividly remember that night- being given the task of making dinner for company- TRUSTED to make dinner for great aunt alice & i did it!....it was a huge confidence builder. i hope you do that for your kids- give them the chance to do something you could maybe do a lot faster & easier (& with far less mess)-like baking cookies or even cooking dinner for great aunts to let them know they can do it-that they have what it takes. after several years of teaching kids in public schools, i came to the conclusion that nearly all of the problems/poor choices/conflicts/bullying i saw in the classroom (maybe the world) somehow seemed to point back to lack of self-confidence & poor self-esteem. it may be a stretch to fix that with meatballs, but whatever makes a kid succeed in some way, to be confident & capable, is a step in the right direction...maybe it's cooking...or sports...or photography...or cheerleading...or academics....or art...or music...or drama...or martial arts...you get the picture....
and i still love porcupine meatballs. (i debated sharing this-they're not very sophisticated, but then again, neither am i...and they are tasty:)
*porcupine meatballs*
1 lb. ground chuck, sirloin or round (i prefer ground something" identifiable"-usually it's leaner & ground beef might be meat from lots of parts of the cow- legs, etc...did you know that?)
1 cup minute rice (brown or white)
1 egg (or egg white, if you're not into cholesterol)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
dash worchestershire
juice from 1 can of diced tomatoes (save the tomatoes) & a little water- maybe 1/2 cup
salt & pepper...maybe celery salt or garlic salt or seasoning salt, if you like the flavors, or any herbs you like...
mix all of the ingredients together. form meatballs about the size of a golf ball ( i use a large metal scoop-like a big melon-baller) & place in an 8x8 or 6x10 baking dish sprayed with pam-makes about 16... i like to dump the remaining tomatoes on part of the top- my kids don't like them, but i do- you could add ketchup if you like that whole meatloaf-y thing...bake covered with foil for hmmm...50 minutes or so at 350*
* this isn't really a recipe- i just made it up since it isn't writen down anywhere, but i think it's about right- these are good with baked potatoes & salad & rolls-great aunts optional- i'm going to BE one this summer! can't wait!
-the snackmom
when we finally ate-it was around 9:30pm, i think, everyone oohed & ahhed....actually, they were starving & would have raved if i'd fed them rice cakes & fruit cocktail, but that's not the point. there really is no point. just that i vividly remember that night- being given the task of making dinner for company- TRUSTED to make dinner for great aunt alice & i did it!....it was a huge confidence builder. i hope you do that for your kids- give them the chance to do something you could maybe do a lot faster & easier (& with far less mess)-like baking cookies or even cooking dinner for great aunts to let them know they can do it-that they have what it takes. after several years of teaching kids in public schools, i came to the conclusion that nearly all of the problems/poor choices/conflicts/bullying i saw in the classroom (maybe the world) somehow seemed to point back to lack of self-confidence & poor self-esteem. it may be a stretch to fix that with meatballs, but whatever makes a kid succeed in some way, to be confident & capable, is a step in the right direction...maybe it's cooking...or sports...or photography...or cheerleading...or academics....or art...or music...or drama...or martial arts...you get the picture....
and i still love porcupine meatballs. (i debated sharing this-they're not very sophisticated, but then again, neither am i...and they are tasty:)
*porcupine meatballs*
1 lb. ground chuck, sirloin or round (i prefer ground something" identifiable"-usually it's leaner & ground beef might be meat from lots of parts of the cow- legs, etc...did you know that?)
1 cup minute rice (brown or white)
1 egg (or egg white, if you're not into cholesterol)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
dash worchestershire
juice from 1 can of diced tomatoes (save the tomatoes) & a little water- maybe 1/2 cup
salt & pepper...maybe celery salt or garlic salt or seasoning salt, if you like the flavors, or any herbs you like...
mix all of the ingredients together. form meatballs about the size of a golf ball ( i use a large metal scoop-like a big melon-baller) & place in an 8x8 or 6x10 baking dish sprayed with pam-makes about 16... i like to dump the remaining tomatoes on part of the top- my kids don't like them, but i do- you could add ketchup if you like that whole meatloaf-y thing...bake covered with foil for hmmm...50 minutes or so at 350*
* this isn't really a recipe- i just made it up since it isn't writen down anywhere, but i think it's about right- these are good with baked potatoes & salad & rolls-great aunts optional- i'm going to BE one this summer! can't wait!
-the snackmom
April 6, 2011
by special request....the carrot
i adore carrots. really, i could LIVE on them. as a testimony, i also have 20/25 vision- i have to intentionally fail eye exams to qualify for glasses, because i love them... once when i was in the 8th grade, our dear family friend, who is a dermatologist, gave me a gamma gobulin shot because the soles of my feet & my palms were turning ORANGE- which is just one over on the color chart from yellow-the color of hepatitis...granted, our neighborhood grocery store had just caused an outbreak of hepatitis (which i know everyone in my hometown remembers-you remember, don't you, 1978?) so we were on heightened alert......i never got hepatitis- just a little vitamin A overdose. (and a huge shot)... vitamin A-fat soluble-who knew?
as well as being potentially toxic, carrots are extremely versatile. we love them steamed, in stir fry, added to a sunday pot roast, glazed with brown sugar, orange juice & butter, raw with dip or hummus, shredded in a big salad....but i don't need to sing the virtues of carrots- you know all about them- chances are you've been eating them in some form or another since you were 4 months old.
the short history of this little blogging adventure, though, reminds me that i tend to gravitate toward baking. this coupled with the carrot thing naturally brings to mind carrot cake. unfortunately, though i love it & have a number of good recipes, i can't make it. it always sinks. and has strange texture. fortunately, my mom & my sisters make it very well (we'll talk banana bread sometime soon, too) . so do a lot of bakeries, so i don't spend much time worrying about it. maybe someday i can figure it out. until then , i will enjoy someone else's...
many years ago at a bed & breakfast in colorado springs, i fell in love with these muffins AND i can make them. they are made with carrots. and a lot of other things. good use of a vegetable, huh?
*morning glory muffins*
2 cups flour- may use 1/2 whole wheat/ 1/2 white
1 1/4 cups sugar ( you healthy types can substitute 1/2 apple sauce)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded apples
1/4 cup raisins (if desired or not feeding these to children who may think they're gross & pick them out)
1/2 nuts (optional* i don't care for nuts baked into muffins or bread- i think they're gross & pick them out)
3 beaten eggs
1 cup oil (or again, use 1/2 applesauce- & rename them "applesauce glory muffins")
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coconut, if desired or 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple, if you have some
combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in a mixing bowl. in another bowl, mix up the carrots, apples, and *optional nuts & raisins, coconut & pineapple. mix in the eggs, oil & vanilla. pour this mixture into the dry ingredients & combine thoroughly. fill muffin cups 2/3 full & bake at 350* for about 18-20 minutes.... these make a great snack or quick breakfast on the way out the door......football players like them, too:)
-the snackmom
as well as being potentially toxic, carrots are extremely versatile. we love them steamed, in stir fry, added to a sunday pot roast, glazed with brown sugar, orange juice & butter, raw with dip or hummus, shredded in a big salad....but i don't need to sing the virtues of carrots- you know all about them- chances are you've been eating them in some form or another since you were 4 months old.
the short history of this little blogging adventure, though, reminds me that i tend to gravitate toward baking. this coupled with the carrot thing naturally brings to mind carrot cake. unfortunately, though i love it & have a number of good recipes, i can't make it. it always sinks. and has strange texture. fortunately, my mom & my sisters make it very well (we'll talk banana bread sometime soon, too) . so do a lot of bakeries, so i don't spend much time worrying about it. maybe someday i can figure it out. until then , i will enjoy someone else's...
many years ago at a bed & breakfast in colorado springs, i fell in love with these muffins AND i can make them. they are made with carrots. and a lot of other things. good use of a vegetable, huh?
*morning glory muffins*
2 cups flour- may use 1/2 whole wheat/ 1/2 white
1 1/4 cups sugar ( you healthy types can substitute 1/2 apple sauce)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups shredded apples
1/4 cup raisins (if desired or not feeding these to children who may think they're gross & pick them out)
1/2 nuts (optional* i don't care for nuts baked into muffins or bread- i think they're gross & pick them out)
3 beaten eggs
1 cup oil (or again, use 1/2 applesauce- & rename them "applesauce glory muffins")
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coconut, if desired or 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple, if you have some
combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in a mixing bowl. in another bowl, mix up the carrots, apples, and *optional nuts & raisins, coconut & pineapple. mix in the eggs, oil & vanilla. pour this mixture into the dry ingredients & combine thoroughly. fill muffin cups 2/3 full & bake at 350* for about 18-20 minutes.... these make a great snack or quick breakfast on the way out the door......football players like them, too:)
-the snackmom
April 3, 2011
"i can't believe it's not butter" -aka "oleO-H no!"
...i've been avoiding the subject...but, it's time....
*o*l*e*o*- those four little letters that fill county extension cookbooks (who extends a county?) of days gone by...it's kind of an outdated term- not really sure what oleo even means, possibly a reference to the one molecule that separates it from a plastic, but it's out there & we've gotta deal with it......
sometimes it's referred to as plain "oleo" or just "margarine", also known as "oleo-margarine", but isn't that redundant? AND repetitive? all i know is, with very few exceptions, i prefer b u t t e r- full-fat, full-flavor, non-plastic, artery-clogging butter...it's natural, from a cow, after all, not a nearly- plastic substance in a plastic tub- which is kinda ironic, if you think about it...
in my (disorganized) permanent recipe collection, all but 2, no 3, recipes have been converted to butter instead of oleo or it's evil twin, margarine...but, i must say, there are three that work better & taste better with.....ahem......o l e o. there, i said it- hope that doesn't knock a horn off any sacred cows.......i TRIED to make butter work, but somehow the results are a little slick, shiny or weird. maybe due to the fact that butter goes rancid easier & plastic lasts- well- forever. oleo just out performs butter in these recipes- kinda like motor oil. here's one of the winners of the butter/margarine debate....there are two more that will get their own page someday- interestingly, all three are chocolate. by the way, when one must use marg, my personal recommendation for the best tasting brand out there with the most butter-like texture & color & no icky aftertaste is Imperial. i won't use any other brand. i can't believe i'm an oleo snob.
probably every one of you has this recipe already, but it is hands-down the best use of 1/2 lb. (yikes) of margarine in the world-unless you count fudge.......or brownie fudge cupcakes-so stay tuned.
*chocolate sheet cake*
sift together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda &
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( i love this little addition)
in a saucepan heat:
i stick oleo ( i swear the recipe i have says oleo)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water & 8 tbsp. cocoa ( i DOUBLE what most recipes call for, which must be why people like it so much)
bring to a boil & pour over the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl
add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs &
1 tsp. vanilla
mix well & pour into a 15 1/ x 11 1/2 sheet pan-sprayed with cooking spray- then bake at 350* for about 30 minutes.... now the even yummier part!
the icing! (make while the cake is baking- you ice it while the cake is hot)
in a saucepan heat:
1 (more) stick of oleo
4 tbsp. cocoa & one unsweetened chocolate baking square (that's a secret, too)
6 tbsp. milk-whatever kind you have , but using 1/2 & 1/2 will make the frosting greasy, i find
remove from heat & pour over 1 pound of powdered sugar- i buy it in the box for easy measuring-
mix well & add 3/4 cup or so of chopped pecans, if you like - i like:)
kids will fight over licking the bowl- i've found it's best to leave a lot in there for the sake of family tranquility
this is the best cake- i make it all the time & sometimes divide it into three 8 X 8 aluminum cake pans to share-(you may need more icing- just 1 & 1/2 it)
once i was told i had the *spiritual gift of chocolate* when i served this at a church function- don't know if that's possible, but it made me happy:) thanks, MS!
-the snackmom
*o*l*e*o*- those four little letters that fill county extension cookbooks (who extends a county?) of days gone by...it's kind of an outdated term- not really sure what oleo even means, possibly a reference to the one molecule that separates it from a plastic, but it's out there & we've gotta deal with it......
sometimes it's referred to as plain "oleo" or just "margarine", also known as "oleo-margarine", but isn't that redundant? AND repetitive? all i know is, with very few exceptions, i prefer b u t t e r- full-fat, full-flavor, non-plastic, artery-clogging butter...it's natural, from a cow, after all, not a nearly- plastic substance in a plastic tub- which is kinda ironic, if you think about it...
in my (disorganized) permanent recipe collection, all but 2, no 3, recipes have been converted to butter instead of oleo or it's evil twin, margarine...but, i must say, there are three that work better & taste better with.....ahem......o l e o. there, i said it- hope that doesn't knock a horn off any sacred cows.......i TRIED to make butter work, but somehow the results are a little slick, shiny or weird. maybe due to the fact that butter goes rancid easier & plastic lasts- well- forever. oleo just out performs butter in these recipes- kinda like motor oil. here's one of the winners of the butter/margarine debate....there are two more that will get their own page someday- interestingly, all three are chocolate. by the way, when one must use marg, my personal recommendation for the best tasting brand out there with the most butter-like texture & color & no icky aftertaste is Imperial. i won't use any other brand. i can't believe i'm an oleo snob.
probably every one of you has this recipe already, but it is hands-down the best use of 1/2 lb. (yikes) of margarine in the world-unless you count fudge.......or brownie fudge cupcakes-so stay tuned.
*chocolate sheet cake*
sift together:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda &
1/2 tsp. cinnamon ( i love this little addition)
in a saucepan heat:
i stick oleo ( i swear the recipe i have says oleo)
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water & 8 tbsp. cocoa ( i DOUBLE what most recipes call for, which must be why people like it so much)
bring to a boil & pour over the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl
add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs &
1 tsp. vanilla
mix well & pour into a 15 1/ x 11 1/2 sheet pan-sprayed with cooking spray- then bake at 350* for about 30 minutes.... now the even yummier part!
the icing! (make while the cake is baking- you ice it while the cake is hot)
in a saucepan heat:
1 (more) stick of oleo
4 tbsp. cocoa & one unsweetened chocolate baking square (that's a secret, too)
6 tbsp. milk-whatever kind you have , but using 1/2 & 1/2 will make the frosting greasy, i find
remove from heat & pour over 1 pound of powdered sugar- i buy it in the box for easy measuring-
mix well & add 3/4 cup or so of chopped pecans, if you like - i like:)
kids will fight over licking the bowl- i've found it's best to leave a lot in there for the sake of family tranquility
this is the best cake- i make it all the time & sometimes divide it into three 8 X 8 aluminum cake pans to share-(you may need more icing- just 1 & 1/2 it)
once i was told i had the *spiritual gift of chocolate* when i served this at a church function- don't know if that's possible, but it made me happy:) thanks, MS!
-the snackmom
March 29, 2011
isn't no-bake cookies an oxymoron?
one day during the cookie year, i came home from school, reported to my place in the kitchen & found someone there-standing in front of the mixer....MY mixer....my avocado green Sunbeam mixer with the big glass bowl. to make matters worse, something brown & sticky was involved as well as my little sister & her neighbor friend, mignonne. on this day (and far too many days to come), they had taken over my hallowed place & were making "no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies"...the nerve.
much as i hated to admit it, they weren't bad...what WAS bad was sharing the cooking spotlight with her. that night daddy gobbled them up like he'd never had a cookie- at least for 24 hours. it was horrible. the next day was no better as she & mignonne were there again standing in my spot making no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies once more. i think i went to pet the dog, janie, or practice for my piano lesson.
this unfortunate pattern continued for at least 13 days straight- one day i think she even made them TWICE. it was like groundhog day with waxed paper instead of bill murray.
by day 6, every cookie sheet in the house was stacked wall to wall in the refrigerator & where the pickles once stood was an army of no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies in varying degrees of dehydration. i fully expected Quaker Oats to erect a silo in our back yard to keep up with the demand for oatmeal. there seemed to be no end in sight. my dad became increasingly unable to hide his fear of the known & began spending evenings away from home- not really, but he did seem to be spending more time hanging out with janie & i swear i smelled peanut butter on her breath.
my sister eventully moved on to other hobbies including far, FAR surpassing any talent i had for the piano & becomming a really good cook. not sure if she still makes no-bake chocloate peanut butter cookies for her kids- she may have blocked it....i'll have to ask when i talk to her today.
it took almost 35 years until i had the chance to try another n-b-c-p-b-c (it's getting tedious to type), but it happened. a couple of years ago, one of my son's football teammates mom brought them to a tailgate party. they were fabulous. the boys went wild. she became famous for them & now totes them along to all our potlucks & parties & get togethers. there's never a crumb left. redemption.
have you tried one since 1976? or ever? if not, here's the recipe for nostalgia....and joy:)
*chocolate no-bake peanut butter cookies*
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups quick oats
in a large saucepan, combine sugar, milk, cocoa, salt & butter. mix well. bring to a boil then remove from heat & add the peanut butter & vanilla. beat until smooth. add oatmeal & mix well. let stand for a few minutes, then drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper lined baking sheet- or two or three...stack in the fridge if you have the space....*you might want to 1/2 (1/4?) the recipe in case you start something with aspiring chefs in your household
-the snackmom (who adores her sisters & may take a wee bit of liberty in recalling the details of her stories)
much as i hated to admit it, they weren't bad...what WAS bad was sharing the cooking spotlight with her. that night daddy gobbled them up like he'd never had a cookie- at least for 24 hours. it was horrible. the next day was no better as she & mignonne were there again standing in my spot making no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies once more. i think i went to pet the dog, janie, or practice for my piano lesson.
this unfortunate pattern continued for at least 13 days straight- one day i think she even made them TWICE. it was like groundhog day with waxed paper instead of bill murray.
by day 6, every cookie sheet in the house was stacked wall to wall in the refrigerator & where the pickles once stood was an army of no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies in varying degrees of dehydration. i fully expected Quaker Oats to erect a silo in our back yard to keep up with the demand for oatmeal. there seemed to be no end in sight. my dad became increasingly unable to hide his fear of the known & began spending evenings away from home- not really, but he did seem to be spending more time hanging out with janie & i swear i smelled peanut butter on her breath.
my sister eventully moved on to other hobbies including far, FAR surpassing any talent i had for the piano & becomming a really good cook. not sure if she still makes no-bake chocloate peanut butter cookies for her kids- she may have blocked it....i'll have to ask when i talk to her today.
it took almost 35 years until i had the chance to try another n-b-c-p-b-c (it's getting tedious to type), but it happened. a couple of years ago, one of my son's football teammates mom brought them to a tailgate party. they were fabulous. the boys went wild. she became famous for them & now totes them along to all our potlucks & parties & get togethers. there's never a crumb left. redemption.
have you tried one since 1976? or ever? if not, here's the recipe for nostalgia....and joy:)
*chocolate no-bake peanut butter cookies*
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups quick oats
in a large saucepan, combine sugar, milk, cocoa, salt & butter. mix well. bring to a boil then remove from heat & add the peanut butter & vanilla. beat until smooth. add oatmeal & mix well. let stand for a few minutes, then drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper lined baking sheet- or two or three...stack in the fridge if you have the space....*you might want to 1/2 (1/4?) the recipe in case you start something with aspiring chefs in your household
-the snackmom (who adores her sisters & may take a wee bit of liberty in recalling the details of her stories)
March 26, 2011
C*O*O*K*I*E*S!
for those of you who have been following my blog- well, the one, single, lonely entry to date- you know all about my simple cooking beginnings of endlessly boiling water for dissolving jell-O granules & spending hours creating fruit & gelatin masterpieces consisting of such appetizing combinations as cut up apples with the peel still on(!) suspended in lime Jell-O & my eventual weariness of the jiggly stuff. enter the book that saved the day-possibly the year, not to mention my poor dad's taste buds. BETTY CROCKER'S COOKY BOOK. for old times sake, i recently bought my sisters & myself a crisp new copy of "betty crocker's cooky book". no, that is not a toyp....tpyo....TYPO - betty really does spell cookie that way & as far as i'm concerned, anyone who still looks that good after 74 years can spell it however she wants...
first published in 1963, the book, much like betty, is a real treasure...speaking of betty, i swear, the woman is ageless-actually, i don't think she's even real though i do appreciate her classic style & smart red suit- even if she is only a head with shoulders, but i digress.
every recipe in this bright little collection is a winner (with the possible exception of the prune bars-page 12 & fig nut squares-page 68) -at least as a kid i wouldn't have gravitated toward foods with a laxative effect or without the word chocolate in the title. i spent hours pouring over recipes & pictures-planning the next scrumptous batch of cookies to present to my ever-willing- to- eat -whatever- i -made dad- who always acted like i'd just carved faces in granite or something spectacular whenever i made anything. this one book alone accounted for many, many happy hours baking in my childhood kitchen & every single kitchen in any apartment or home we've rented or lived in since. 9 kitchens to date- hopefully that record will hold as i plan to be buried in the yard of our current home right next to the septic tank.
my very favorite part of the cookbook begins on page 138. cookie recipes are catagorized chronologically by decade starting with the best cookie of 1880-1890 ("hermits", in case you're the curious type- a lot of raisins). anyhoo, to my former social studies teacher sensibilities, this is a terrific bonus- history as well as snickerdoodles.
the "kaleidoscope" cookies were always my favorite (see page 127 for the recipe). the picture of them on page 15 is fabulous. mine never quite looked that perfect. somehow the non-pareils (what the heck is a "non-pareil" anyway? i've always wondered-obviously, i didn't take French- i was way too busy baking) didn't stick as uniformly & my dough logs weren't 360* perfection, but i adored tinting the dough pink & green & rolling it in colorful candy sprinkles & lovingly wrapping it in wax paper-the whole thing was a party.
i remember clearly one afternoon in about 1975 (after my jell-O kick was mercifully over) peering through the oven window watching with delight as my lace cookies spread out all over the cookie sheets-just like they were supposed to- while the "Family Affair" theme song played in the other room. i think it just may have been the episode where buffy wanted to visit her friend on another floor for dinner because she had ice cream for dessert while all buffy, jody & sissy ever got was "plain old custard"...and as i painstakingly wrapped my slightly pliable lace cookies around a broom handle i thought to myself, "not me, not my family, no plain old custard here". we were having lace cookies (again). Mr. French had nothing on me.
cookies are still important to me & we make cookies several times a week around our house- they're attached to so many childhood memories (empty tomb cookies each Easter/ soft sour cream drops in the event of getting my braces tightened/ chocolate chip cookies in the event of anything) & though it would be impossible to single out just one favorite to share, i think you'll like this one...it is tres fab (to mis-use the French i never learned) & came from our dear friend & childhood neighbor, "aunt julie"- everyone should be lucky enough to have neighbors who share recipes. this one's for you, davis...
in a large mixing bowl, cream Crisco & sugar - add the molasses & egg. beat well. sift flour, soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves & salt. ( i never sift, but the recipe says to) add to the first mixture & mix well. chill. ( you AND the dough- the hard part is over) form dough into 1" balls & roll in *coarse decorator sugar (it's available at all grocery stores by the sprinkles-it sparkles & is SO much prettier than granulated sugar). bake on a greased cookie sheet or parchment lined baking sheet 2 1/2 inches apart for 8-10 minutes at 350* ...your house will smell like Heaven in November
-the snackmom
first published in 1963, the book, much like betty, is a real treasure...speaking of betty, i swear, the woman is ageless-actually, i don't think she's even real though i do appreciate her classic style & smart red suit- even if she is only a head with shoulders, but i digress.
every recipe in this bright little collection is a winner (with the possible exception of the prune bars-page 12 & fig nut squares-page 68) -at least as a kid i wouldn't have gravitated toward foods with a laxative effect or without the word chocolate in the title. i spent hours pouring over recipes & pictures-planning the next scrumptous batch of cookies to present to my ever-willing- to- eat -whatever- i -made dad- who always acted like i'd just carved faces in granite or something spectacular whenever i made anything. this one book alone accounted for many, many happy hours baking in my childhood kitchen & every single kitchen in any apartment or home we've rented or lived in since. 9 kitchens to date- hopefully that record will hold as i plan to be buried in the yard of our current home right next to the septic tank.
my very favorite part of the cookbook begins on page 138. cookie recipes are catagorized chronologically by decade starting with the best cookie of 1880-1890 ("hermits", in case you're the curious type- a lot of raisins). anyhoo, to my former social studies teacher sensibilities, this is a terrific bonus- history as well as snickerdoodles.
the "kaleidoscope" cookies were always my favorite (see page 127 for the recipe). the picture of them on page 15 is fabulous. mine never quite looked that perfect. somehow the non-pareils (what the heck is a "non-pareil" anyway? i've always wondered-obviously, i didn't take French- i was way too busy baking) didn't stick as uniformly & my dough logs weren't 360* perfection, but i adored tinting the dough pink & green & rolling it in colorful candy sprinkles & lovingly wrapping it in wax paper-the whole thing was a party.
i remember clearly one afternoon in about 1975 (after my jell-O kick was mercifully over) peering through the oven window watching with delight as my lace cookies spread out all over the cookie sheets-just like they were supposed to- while the "Family Affair" theme song played in the other room. i think it just may have been the episode where buffy wanted to visit her friend on another floor for dinner because she had ice cream for dessert while all buffy, jody & sissy ever got was "plain old custard"...and as i painstakingly wrapped my slightly pliable lace cookies around a broom handle i thought to myself, "not me, not my family, no plain old custard here". we were having lace cookies (again). Mr. French had nothing on me.
cookies are still important to me & we make cookies several times a week around our house- they're attached to so many childhood memories (empty tomb cookies each Easter/ soft sour cream drops in the event of getting my braces tightened/ chocolate chip cookies in the event of anything) & though it would be impossible to single out just one favorite to share, i think you'll like this one...it is tres fab (to mis-use the French i never learned) & came from our dear friend & childhood neighbor, "aunt julie"- everyone should be lucky enough to have neighbors who share recipes. this one's for you, davis...
*molasses sugar cookies*
3/4 cup crisco ( i didn't say they were health food)
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
in a large mixing bowl, cream Crisco & sugar - add the molasses & egg. beat well. sift flour, soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves & salt. ( i never sift, but the recipe says to) add to the first mixture & mix well. chill. ( you AND the dough- the hard part is over) form dough into 1" balls & roll in *coarse decorator sugar (it's available at all grocery stores by the sprinkles-it sparkles & is SO much prettier than granulated sugar). bake on a greased cookie sheet or parchment lined baking sheet 2 1/2 inches apart for 8-10 minutes at 350* ...your house will smell like Heaven in November
-the snackmom
you had me at Jell-O...
at least that's where it all started... my love, no- my passion for food- baking, cooking - the process of it all. not being one to have the patience to say, restore a house, there's just something magical about transforming simple ingredients into a golden loaf of banana bread within an hour's time that makes my world go 'round... but, banana bread is another story.
it was 1974- carol brady was rocking the long shag hair-do & "1-2-3 Jell-O" hit the shelves of supermarkets nationwide. to my 10 year old self, it was magic... 2 cups of water, the mystical contents of the white packet & WA-LA! three hours in the refrigerator & there sat the most glorious sight-3 separate layers of pink (or purple or orange) gelatinous bliss- darker pink & more solid on the bottom, medium pink, slightly whippy in the middle, & petal pink, frothy joy on the top- garnished with a generous dollop of my favorite Dream Whip & 1/2 a strawberry & i was a goner.
making Jell-O parfaits became my hobby, my favorite past-time, my all-consuming passion. thank heaven my mother was a daily "what's-for-dinner?" kind of gal, so we made frequent trips to the Safeway not 3 blocks from our house & soon i'd amassed a collection of Jell-O that would make a church cookbook envious.
my dad loved it. he was an estate planning attorney who came home every night for dinner , which we (my mom, dad, two sisters & me) ate happily in our customary places around the kitchen table. each night following dinner which likely included chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy, green beans, tossed salad & iced tea (my mom is a good cook), i would present my Jell-O offering as if it were a scepter for a king... served in a curvy parfait with an iced tea spoon -so my dad could make sure & retrieve every jiggly bit . you may be wondering if all this Jell-O became monotonous- heavens no- i had a million combinations of fruits (bananas, pineapples, oranges & apples) & flavors (orange, cherry, lime, and strawberry- banana) with which to wow my family- ok, i did the math, i had exactly 16 combinations, but who's counting ? sometimes, i even tilted the base of whatever sparkling glassware i was using that day in the racks of the fridge for a diagonal effect that took my breath away- i was SO fancy.
well into the first year of my humble culinary beginnings, worried that my dad was at risk of actually congealing in his LazyBoy, i made a momentous decision. it was time to move on... to cookies. and i never looked back.
-the snackmom
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