SPICED TOMATO JUICE

Growing up in Southern Indiana farm country, we always had lots of tomatoes.  In the summer, we would go out to the garden and pick tomatoes fresh for our meals.  When we had more tomatoes than we could eat, which was every year during the best part of the growing season, my mom and my grandmother would can them and also can homemade tomato juice.  Oh, man, that stuff was sooo good!  We weren't allowed to "drink it all up," as we used it all winter in soups and sauces.  But I loved getting a quart of tomato juice out and spicing it up for a delicious juice.  Ah, the memories!

3 quarts tomato juice
3 tablespoons sugar (Splenda for me now as an old gal diabetic!)
1/2 tsp salt (This old gal now goes with only 1/4 tsp!)
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt (This old gal now uses garlic powder!)
1/2 tsp onion salt (This old gal now uses onion powder!)

In a large sauce pan, combine the tomato juice with the sugar, stirring to mix well.  Stir in the salts.  Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer juice until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Approximately 12 servings. 

PS This juice is also good to use in chili, vegetable soup, spaghetti sauce, etc.

LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRY PIE

This is my favorite strawberry pie recipe.  I have been making these pies since I was a teenager.  They are also favorites with all my children and grandchildren.  Every where I have ever taken these pies, they have received rave reviews.

2 9-inch baked pie shells
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tbsp cornstarch
2 small (4-serving size) pkg strawberry jello
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 pints fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed, halved if very large
whipped cream for garnish

In a heavy-duty saucepan cook the sugar, cornstarch, water, and jello over medium-high heat until bubbly and thick.  When filling is cooked enough it will turn from a thick look to a clear look.  Allow to cool partially.  While filling cools, arrange the berries evenly in the two baked pie shells.  Slowly pour the filling over the strawberries.  Allow to cool completely or refrigerate for about an hour.

Serve with whipped cream.

RAISED DOUGHNUTS

1 cup scalded milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp shortening
1 tsp salt
1 pkg dry yeast
2 tbsp lukewarm water
approx 5 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp nutmeg
powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl mix the sugar, milk, shortening, and salt and cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and stir into the milk mixture. Add two cups of the flour and mix well. Set in a warm place to rise until light.

Add the eggs, nutmeg, and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Knead until elastic. Lightly flour a board for rolling out and roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut with a doughnut cutter. Cover and let set until doubled in bulk.

Heat fat in a deep fryer or deep pan and cook until puffy and brown. Turn and brown on the other side. Remove from the fat and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar while still warm.

Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen doughnuts.

Note: File Photo

CORN FLAKES HAM LOAF

1 lb smoked ham, ground
1 lb lean fresh pork, ground
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups corn flake cereal, do not crush
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp mustard
1 tbsp sugar

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp mustard

Combine the ham, pork, eggs, cereal, milk, mustard, and sugar together and pack into a loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Make the topping and after the first 30 minutes of baking, baste every 15 minutes with the topping.

To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a bowl stirring until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended.  Use to baste the ham loaf according to the instructions above.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNDT CAKE

OOPS!  Meant to post this on my Ladybugs Sweet Treats Blog as it is not from my old-fashion recipe collection.  When I realized I had made a mistake, I decided to just apologize and leave it anyway!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups miniature chocolate chips
Marshmallow Cream Glaze (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt cake pan; set aside.

In large mixer bowl cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each one.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until smooth after each addition.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto the serving platter and allow to cool completely.

Make the glaze below and spoon over the cake:
Creamy Chocolate Glaze:
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
1 tbsp marshmallow cream
1 to 2 tsp hot water

In a saucepan, bring the sugar and the 2 tablespoons of water to a boil; remove from the heat.  Stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are melted.  Blend in the marshmallow cream.  Add the hot water, half a teaspoonful at a time, mixing until the glaze is of your desired consistency.

Yield: 12 slices of glazed cake

Note: I like to decorate with sliced raw almonds and well drained maraschino cherry halves; see picture below.

GRANDMA HAWKINS

As you who follow this blog know, I grew up in Southern Indiana and most of my favorite recipes can be traced to my roots there.  I grew up next door to my grandparents and my grandmother had a great influence on my cooking.  She was always happy to share her secrets and let me make a mess in her kitchen, although I was expected to clean up said mess! (Another good idea when teaching someone to cook!)  She was always very eager to be a taste-tester and always gave me an honest answer.  If there was a problem, she was generous in her approval and subtle in her corrections.  On Christmas Eve I found this picture of her and my grandpa.  I wanted to give her due credit and post her picture on this site.  This picture was taken around 1940.

1 Xs 4 COOKIES

Have always loved this easy to remember recipe!

1 cup sugar
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together and mix well.  Shape batter into small balls.  Place cookies on the prepared cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees until the cookies are light brown and flattened.  Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

clipart

EASY PUDDING PRALINES

1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla flavored pudding mix
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup pecan halves

In a medium saucepan combine the pudding mix, sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter.  Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.  Boil gently, stirring often, until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (a drop of the mixture will form a soft ball when dropped into a cup of cold water or a candy thermometer reads 230 degrees.)  Remove from the heat.

Stir the pecans into the hot mixture and beat for 2 minutes.  Working quickly, drop by tablespoon onto waxed paper using back of spoon to make each praline about a 2-inch diameter.  Let stand until firm.

Yield: 2 dozen pralines

NOTE:  You can make chocolate pralines by substituting chocolate pudding mix for the vanilla.  If you are feeling real adventurous, try butterscotch pudding.  Yummy!

HOMEMADE PUMPERNICKEL BREAD

3 pkgs active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm (105-115 degrees) water
1/2 cup molasses
3 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp solid shortening
2 tbsp caraway seed
2 3/4 cups rye flour
2 3/4 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water.  When yeast is dissolved, stir in the molasses, salt, shortening, caraway seed, and rye flour.  Beat mixture until smooth.  Mix in enough of the all-purpose flour to make the dough easy to handle. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.  Knead dough about 5 minutes until smooth.  Place dough in a greased bowl, turn once so the greased side is up.  Cover dough and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour.  Punch down the dough; re-ball, cover, and let rise again until double.  This will take around 40 to 45 minutes.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Punch down the dough again, then divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves.  Place loaves in the opposite corners of baking sheet.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

After about 45 minutes, heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.

Yield: 2 bread loaves.

OLD TIME THREE CHEESE ENCHILADAS

8-oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
8-oz Cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cut-up
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1 lb hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
8-oz tomato sauce
22 flour or corn tortillas, your choice

In a skillet cook the hamburger and onion until meat is crumbled and browned and onion is transparent.  Drain and return to skillet.  Add the chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce; cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.  Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheeses.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the evaporated milk, green chilies, undiluted cream of chicken soup, and Velveeta cheese.  Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted.  Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a long casserole dish.  Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll to form the enchiladas.  Place side by side in the prepared casserole dish.  Spoon the cheese/soup mixture over the enchiladas.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.