EASY BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter flavored shortening
3/4 cup milk

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter flavored shortening into the flour mixture until crumbly. Add the milk and stir to blend. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Bake at 450 degrees for about 12 minutes.

Yield: 10 biscuits

A Note to my Blog Readers

I want to apologize for being so far behind on this site. My mother-in-law is in the final stages of her life. We left Texas for Indiana in a big hurry and have been part of a 24 hour vigil at her bedside. I appreciate your patience and will get back to doing better soon!

Linda

APPLE, RAISIN, OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup water 3 cups Oats with Apple, Raisin, and Spice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt alternately with the water; mix well. Stir in the oats. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container.

JUDY'S PRIZE WINNING PERSIMMON PUDDING

Another Southern Indiana recipe.

2 cups persimmon pulp
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the persimmon pulp, eggs, and sugar; blend together well. Combine the baking soda with the buttermilk; add to the persimmon mixture and blend. Sift together the baking powder, cinnamon, flour, and salt; add to the mixture. Melt the butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with a vegetable oil spray. Add the butter, milk, and vanilla to the mixture and blend in well. Pour into the baking pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 1 hour.

JIFFY CAKE MIX HOT ROLLS

This is an old church cookbook recipe. 1 box Jiffy brand white cake mix 1 pkg dry yeast 1 1/4 cups warm water 3 cups flour Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Set in a warm place and let rise until double in size. Punch down and shape into rolls. Dip into vegetable oil and let rise again. Put into greased muffin cups or arrange in a pan. Bake at 375 degrees until browned.

Jiffy Photo

MACARONI CASSEROLE WITH PIMENTO

This is an old recipe from my childhood neighborhood in Southern Indiana. 1 pkg (8-oz) macaroni 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper 1/4 cup diced pimento 1 medium onion, diced 1/2 tsp salt 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup milk 1 cup grated sharp cheese Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare macaroni according to the package directions. In a large bowl, mix together the macaroni, mayonnaise, bell pepper, pimento, onion, salt. In a small bowl, whisk the soup and milk together; stir into the macaroni mixture. Add the cheese and mix in well. Lightly butter a casserole dish. Pour the macaroni mixture into the casserole dish and bake at 325 for 30 minutes until heated through and bubbly.

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HOOSIER'S BUTTERMILK PERSIMMON PUDDING

This recipe is from an old Indiana church cookbook. 2 cups persimmon pulp 1 cups buttermilk 2 eggs 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 stick butter 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan; set aside. Mix the butter and sugar together; add persimmon pulp. Blend mixture together well and stir in the buttermilk; add the eggs and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the persimmon mixture and mix together until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

file photo, not this exact recipe

HELLMAN'S CLASSIC POTATO SALAD

1 cup Hellman's Real Mayonnaise
2 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup pepper
4 cups cooked, cubed, peeled potatoes (about 5 or 6)
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper. Gently stir in the potatoes, celery, onion, and eggs. Cover and chill until serving time.  Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves, if desired.

WEST TEXAS FRIED VENISON

This is an old Scouts recipe. 2 lb venison, cut into serving-sized pieces 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp salt pepper to taste 3 tbsp bacon drippings 1 stalk celery, chopped 3 medium onions, sliced 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 cup tomatoes Cooked buttered noodles Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together and coat venison with the mixture. Heat the bacon drippings in a large skillet and brown the meat in the drippings. Add the celery, onions, Worcestershire sauce and tomatoes to the meat; mix well. Lower heat to low and cook, covered, for 1 to 2 hours until the meat is tender. Serve over the hot buttered noodles.

File photo for reference

TASTE LIKE REESE CUP CANDY

An old recipe from my childhood. 6 tbsp butter 12-oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 cups peanut butter 1 cup powdered sugar Melt butter and chips together in the top of a double boiler. Add the peanut butter to the chocolate mixer and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, mixing well; mixture will be thick and somewhat hard to handle. Line a cookie sheet with sides with aluminum foil. Spread the mixture over the foil. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

SYRIAN EGGPLANT STEW

I got this recipe years ago from a lady in the Ft. Worth, Texas area. It was an old family favorite her grandmother had made for her. 1 large eggplant 3 or 4 garlic cloves 1/3 cup olive oil 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 cans tomatoes 1 cup water salt and pepper, to taste 1 tbsp fresh parsley 1 tbsp capers, rinsed 1/3 cup Greek olives, pitted Prepare this dish in a large, heavy Dutch oven. Peel and crush garlic. Cut eggplant into cubes and lay out on a clean kitchen towel. Salt eggplant and let sit for 10 minutes. Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven. Saute garlic in the medium-hot oil until it just starts to brown; remove from the pan. Add the eggplant to the pan and saute for 10 minutes. Add the onion and saute for another 10 minutes or until onion is getting soft. Add the tomatoes and water. And additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture for 30 minutes on low heat. Add the capers and olives. Add the parsley just before serving. Note: Serve a hot crusty bread with this stew. Also, this stew is great as leftovers.

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HEALTH UPDATE #2

Thanks again to all you faithful visitors. Unfortunately, I am having some complications from my surgery and recovery is slow. I apologize it has been a week since my last post. I will try to do better.

AMISH CHEESE SOUP

This is an old Old Order Amish recipe. 1/4 cup chopped onion 3 tbsp butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups milk 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 3/4 cup boiling water 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese Cook carrots and celery in boiling water until tender. Do not drain. Melt butter in large saucepan and add onion; cook until tender. Stir in flour and blend well. Gradually add the milk and chicken broth. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the cheese and stir over low heat until the cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings

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HEALTH UPDATE

Thanks to all who have been faithful to this site during my absence. I had a very major operation on March 30 and I'm just able to get back to the computer. My recovery is going well but is slow. Forgive me if I get behind over the next few weeks. And thanks to all of you who let me know you were thinking of me and/or praying for me. I sure do appreciate it.

HEALTH UPDATE

Sorry that my posts have been sparce lately. I have been undergoing testing prior to surgery. On March 30 I will have some major surgery and be hospitalized approximately 7 to 10 days. Keep on coming back, I will get as many posts as possible during that time. And thanks for those who have said they are remembering me in their prayers. I really do appreciate that!

RAISIN FILLED COOKIES

This recipe is from an old church cookbook from the Midwest. 1 cup shortening 1 cup sour cream 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups sugar pinch of salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp soda 4 cups flour (or enough to make a soft dough) Filling: 2 cups raisins, ground 1 level tsp salt 1 tsp vinegar 1 cup hot water 1 cup sugar 2 tbsps flour or cornstarch Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine shortening, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda. Combine the mixture well. Gradually add enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Roll the dough thin and cut out with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Place the filling atop one cookie and cover with another one. Using a fork or your fingers, press down the edges to seal. Bake 6 minutes on the bottom oven rack then move to top rack for 6 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.

file photo

TEA, TEA, OR TEA?

TEA IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CONSUMED BEVERAGES IN THE WORLD!

Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of liquids is important to our overall health. Tea is a great beverage choice as it basically has no carbs, protein or fat. It is tasty, is a natural source of amino acid and antioxidant catechins. It is available in several forms and is tasty both as a hot drink or iced. Note that we are talking about true tea here. Herbal teas usually contain no actual tea leaves but infusions of fruit and/or herbs. Therefore, this article is not about herbal teas.

True tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis evergreen plant commonly known as the tea bush. The tea bush grows mainly in tropical and sub-tropical climates. This plant or tree prefers acidic soil and requires an annual rainfall of at least fifty inches. Camellia Sinensis plants can grow into trees but are usually kept cropped to about waist height to make cultivation easier. Only the leaves from the top 1-2 inches are picked. Many of the top-quality teas, such as darjeeling, are picked from plants grown at elevations of about 5,000 feet. This causes the plants to grow slower thus acquiring a better flavor.

There are four basic types of true tea common to us today. They are black, green, white and oolong. Each is unique but they all come from the same source. The difference occurs in the processing. Briefly, here is a description of each type and what makes it unique. Green tea leaves are unwilted and unoxidized. White tea leaves are wilted and unoxidized. Oolong tea leaves are wilted, bruised and partially oxidized. Black tea leaves are crushed and fully oxidized. Because of the oxidation process, white and green teas have a higher concentration of the antioxidant catechins.

Proper preparation also differs for each of the tea types. For black tea, boiling water should be used. Many of the active substances in black tea won't develop at lower temperatures. This is the most common mistake made when brewing black tea! For optimum results, black tea should be brewed about 4 minutes and never longer than 5 minutes. Longer brewing will cause the tea to taste bitter.

Green tea should be brewed at a lower temperature, approximately 180-185 degrees which is below the boiling point. Hotter water will burn the green tea leaves causing a bitter taste. When brewing green tea, it is best to pre-warm the mug or teapot you will brew in. This will keep the tea from cooling immediately before it is fully steeped.

Oolong tea should be brewed at about the boiling point in a pre-warmed mug or pot. For oolong tea, it is best to use spring water. The minerals in the water tend to bring out more of the flavor in the tea. High-quality oolong tea leaves can be brewed several times. It actually improves with reuse. Many believe the third brewing actually produces the best tea.

To keep your teas fresh and flavorful, store them in a dry, dark, cool place inside an airtight container.

The health properties of tea are constantly in debate. Many believe drinking tea will help to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. One thing we know for sure is that tea contains both antioxidant and amino acid properties. It also doesn't add to our daily carb, protein or fat and calorie count when drank in it's natural state without adding sugar, milk, etc. And it tastes good. If you aren't currently a tea drinker, become one. It sure won't hurt you and it just might be healthy for you.

For more of Linda's writings and recipes, go to: http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com