Sunday, November 7, 2010

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
 
1 1/2 pounds beef stew cut into pieces
2 tablespoons oil or shortening
2 chopped onions
3 cups hot water
3 medium potatoes, pared and cut into fourths or smaller
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch slices
1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned green peas
1 beef bouillon cube
 
 
Mix flour, salt and pepper. I put in zip-lock bag.  Add beef to bag and coat beef in flour mixture.
Heat oil or shortening in a 4 quart dutch oven until melted.  Brown beef.  Stir in chopped onion.  Cook 5 or 10 minutes, stirring frequently, drain off fat.
 
Add hot water and bouillon cube.  Heat to boiling and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 2 hours.  ( you can use crock pot and cook about 6 hours on low or about 3 hours on high)
 
Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 min if cooking on stove.  Thicken stew if desired by shaking 1/2 cup cold water and 1 or 2 tablespoons flour in tightly covered jar.  Stir into stew.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.
 
Serve over rice or noodles.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Grandmother Johnson's Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons bacon grease
 
Heat oven to 350. Put bacon grease in iron skillet and get hot.  Mix cornmeal, flour, milk and mayonnaise together.  Put cornbread mixture in skillet and bake about 20 min or until golden brown.

A couple of tips...
 
*** If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute with regular milk and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice.  Let sit about 15 min or until the milk looks like it's getting thick.
 
*** If you don't have self rising flour, you can use all-purpose and add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  You can use this in any recipe.

Grandmother Johnson's Salmon Patties

1 can salmon (size of soup can)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
oil for frying
 
 Scrape "black film" off salmon. (As much as you can)  Put salmon in a bowl and take out all bones.  (they're small circles).  There will be a bunch of them.  Mix all ingredients together except oil.  Place oil in iron skillet.  Make round patties about the size of sausage patties. Put patties in hot oil in skillet and fry on medium heat until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.


Grandmother Johnson's Pinto Beans

1 package dried pinto beans
salt
ham pieces, cut in bite size pieces
water
 
 
Pick through dried beans and take out all the bad ones.  Wash 2 or 3 times.  Soak overnight if you want them to cook fast.  Granddaddy liked them to cook all day so you get more brown gravy with your beans.  Add ham and salt to taste.  Start to boil.  Turn down real low.  Cook 2 1/2 or 3 hours.
 
A note from momma...

"I got this recipe from Grandmother July 7, 1992.  She didn't know it, but I wrote it down as she was giving me the recipe over the phone.  I also wrote down her recipe for salmon patties and cornbread that same day."

Cocoa Fudge from Granny York

2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
 
Combine cocoa, sugar and salt in large pan.  Add milk gradually.  Mix thoroughly.  Bring to a boil on high stirring continually.  Reduce heat.  Continue to boil without stirring.  When ready add butter and vanilla. Pour in greased platter and let cool before cutting in squares.

Granny's Buttermilk Pralines

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, frozen
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup pecans
 
Combine sugar, buttermilk, syrup and baking soda.  Cook slowly in a heavy pot until mixture forms a soft ball in a cup of water.  It will be about 234 or 235 degrees on candy thermometer.  This will take about 20 min.  Let stay there for 1 min or so.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla and pecans.
Beat mixture until smooth and creamy.   (use wooden spoon).  Drop by tablespoons on waxed paper. 
 
Makes 18 to 24 pieces.

This is something that my momma wrote about this recipe...
 
"I remember making this many times with Louise.  One year at Christmas we made these with brownies, cookies and divinity and I think peanut butter balls.  We made sweets ALL day.  I remember it took all day because Derek and Lindsey were just babies, but Louise wanted to make enough so we could take something to everyone on our visiting teaching route.  I remember we had more sweets than we could fit on the Christmas plates we had bought.  I think we put Martha Stewart to shame that day!"

Heavenly Hash Cake from Granny York

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
marsh mellows
 
 
In bowl melt butter.  Add sugar, then eggs and beat.
Sift flour and cocoa together and add to mixture, then add pecans and vanilla.
Bake at 350 in greased 9 x 13 pan for 1 hour or until done.  Put marsh mellows on hot, cooked cake and cover with foil to melt marsh mellows.  When melted and then cooled, cover with icing.
 
Icing
 
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 box powdered sugar
milk
 
Mix melted butter, cocoa and sugar.  Gradually add enough milk to make icing.


I actually remember everyone from my Granny's church requesting this from her. She was known for making some awesome sweets! :)

I'm horrible...

So, I haven't blogged in forever and I feel horrible about it... However, my mom has sent me a TON of recipes that are some of my families favorites! Everything from beef stew to fudge. Yum Yum! I hope you enjoy! Tchau!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Uncle Mitch's favorite Chocolate Oatmeal cookies..Yum!

2 cups sugar
1/2 cups milk
1 stick margarine (don't use diet or reduced calorie)
3 Tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 c. quick oats
1/2 cup nuts (if you like, I don't usually use)
1 c. coconut
 
Combine sugar, milk, margarine, cocoa and vanilla in saucepan.  Bring to a boil slowly, stirring constantly and boil for one minute.  Remove from heat.  Add oatmeal, coconut and nuts.  Quickly stir until thick enough to drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper.  Let cool to set up. 
 
*** May not set up very well if you make on a rainy day.
*** It's been a long time since I've made them, but I think I remember using another cup of oatmeal if I didn't have coconut.


These are so yummy! They are also so easy and super quick to make. Enjoy!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Lemon Bars!


  • 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, 1/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, and butter until butter is in very small crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 11x7 inch pan.
  2. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and lightly browned. While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs, 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Just before the crust is done, stir in the baking powder. Pour over the crust while it is hot, and return to the oven.
  3. Bake for another 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until set. Dust with remaining confectioners' sugar when cool.



SO easy to make! I love lemon bars! These to me just didn't taste so "lemony". So, I would add almost twice the amount of lemon juice. Remember to wisk well and distribute evenly. Enjoy!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Rich Chicken Noodle Casserole

3 cups uncooked medium egg noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
6 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken

Cook noodles according to box instructions. Combine cottage cheese, sour cream, 4 tbs. of Parmesan cheese, salt, and Tabasco. Stir in noodles and chicken. Turn into greased 2-quart casserole and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbs of cheese. Cover and bake for 40 mins on 350 degrees F.


This casserole was good, but it was HEAVY!! They were not kidding when they said rich. There were a few things that I would change about it. First, add a veggie. I would add maybe some broccoli or some peas. (I would prefer broccoli! I hate peas!) Next, I would add a little more Tabasco. You don't really taste the little bit that you put in. It's a relatively easy recipe and pretty quick. It's a great Sunday dinner recipe!!

Welcome to my Blog!

I am so excited to start this new blog! I decided to start one because there are a lot of recipes to be shared and "tweeks" to be made to make them what you want. In each blog, I am going to share a recipe, tell you how it turned out, and share a few things that I might change. I hope you enjoy it!