ICE CUBE TRAY PUNCH

As you can see from the name, this is an old recipe.  Most people of today don't even own an ice cube tray.  And remember this was made in the old-fashioned metal ice cube trays, not the plastic ones of today that hold only half as much as the old ones.  Keep that in mind when making this recipe!

2 cups sugar
5 cups water
4 bananas
3 cups orange juice
46 ounces pineapple juice
6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
chopped maraschino cherries for color
ginger ale

In a medium saucepan bring the sugar and water to a boil to dissolve sugar. 

Mash the bananas and add the orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemonade concentrate (do not dilute).  Add the boiled syrup to the banana/juice mixture and stir to blend well.  Pour the mixture into ice cube trays.  Drop a few of the chopped cherries into each cube and freeze.

To serve, fill tall glasses with frozen ice cubes and pour ginger ale over the cubes.  Add a straw to the glass.

Note: This can also be made in a punch bowl.

Serves 12

LONG, LONG, AGO

If you follow my blogs you know I grew up in Southern Indiana farm country.  This blurry old picture is of my mother (long before I was born) standing in front of the old 3-story farmhouse I lived in the first 9 years of my life. 

QUICK AND EASY HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Do you remember when electric blenders became common in our kitchens?  We wanted to use them for everything!  This mousse worked well in the blender.

2 cups (12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream heated to the boiling point
6 eggs, divided
whipped cream for topping, optional

Combine the chocolate, vanilla, and salt in a blender container and mix 30 seconds.  Add the boiling cream and continue to mix another 30 seconds or until the chocolate is completely melted.  Add the egg yolks and mix about 5 to 7 seconds.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the egg whites into the cooled chocolate mixture.  Place in a serving bowl and cover.  Refrigerate.

To serve top with the whipped cream, if desired.

NYT Photo

OLD FASHION FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

How could we possibly have a blog of old time recipes without some good old fashion fried green tomatoes?  I know we loved them in Indiana. As the Fall would come in, we would hurry out to harvest all the tomatoes before the frosts and/or freeze would get to them.  Some were wrapped in newspaper to ripen but many were fried while still green.  Having lived in 5 states, I have come to realize that Fried Green Tomatoes are popular in many places.  And I have news for you Southerners.  Fried Green Tomatoes are not unique to you!  Here is my favorite recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp seasoned salt
6 medium green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
2 1/2 cups fine saltine cracker crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

In a shallow bowl whisk together the flour, water, and salt; whisk until smooth.

Place the cracker crumbs in a separate shallow bowl.

Dip the tomato slices first into the flour mixture then into the cracker crumbs coating evenly.

In a large skillet, I prefer cast iron, heat about 1/8 to 1/4-inch of oil over medium-high heat until hot.  Drop the sliced tomatoes carefully into the hot oil and cook approximately 2 minutes.  Turn and cook the second side another 2 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Yield: 8 servings  

CHEESEBURGER PIE

1 unbaked pie crust
8 slices American processed cheese
1 lb hamburger meat
1/2 cup tomato sauce or thick tomato juice
1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tsp beef bouillon
3 beaten eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Bake the pastry shell 6 minutes; remove from the oven and lower the oven temp to 350 degrees.

Cut 6 slices of the cheese into smaller pieces.

In a large skillet brown the meat and pour off the fat.  Add the tomato sauce, bell pepper, onion, and bouillon to the skillet.  Cook, stirring, until the bouillon is completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs, flour, and cheese pieces.  Stir to combine well and pour into the crust.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot.  Arrange the remaining cheese on the top of the pie and return to the oven for 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Serve with potato chips and I add a dill pickle most of the time.

HICKORY NUT BREAD

Those of you who follow this blog know I was born and raised in Indiana where native hickory trees were prevelent.  Hickory nuts were our favorite nut of choice for baking and making candy.  It was a Fall tradition to go pick up hickory nuts and spend long cold evenings around the heater cracking the nuts and picking the meats out.  We didn't mind or consider it work.  It was just something my sister and I knew we were expected to do.  Dad would use his smaller hammer to crack the nuts on a rock.  My mother, sister, and I would pick out the nutmeats.  And then we would get some special treats such as a hickory nut pie (like a pecan pie), fudge with hickory nuts and sometimes wonderful Hickory-Nut Bread.  If you don't have hickory nuts in your area, use pecans.  That is what I do now that I live in Texas which is pecan country.

1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. margarine, melted (you know I now use butter)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup hickory nut pieces

Beat the egg and mix with the brown sugar, margarine, and milk.  Add the flour and baking powder.  Stir in vanilla and mix well.  Add the nuts and stir.  Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.  Bake in loaf pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Hickory Nuts

MY FIRST RED VELVET CAKE

I have accumulated several recipes for red velvet cake over the years but this was my first one.  It is still a good one.  It calls for Wesson oil.  Today with all my health/nutrition research I only use olive, coconut, or canola oils.  But the oil you choose to use is up to you.  Again, due to health issues, I now use 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour.  And because I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a few years ago, I now use Splenda Baking Blend instead of granulated sugar.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teasp. soda
1 teasp. cocoa
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Wesson oil
1 teasp. vanilla
1 bottle red food coloring (1-ounce)
1 cup buttermilk

Mix the first 4 ingredients with the Wesson oil.  Add remainder of ingredients and mix well.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes when baked in three layers.  Vary baking time if using 2 layers or a 9 x 13 pan. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Double the icing recipe if an extremely rich cake is desired!

For the icing I now use butter.  My nutritional research has led me to believe our bodies handle natural foods better than man made ones.  Also, because of my diabetes, I now make my own powdered sugar.  I have the recipe on my blog at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com  It tastes just as good as regular powdered sugar, if I have any diabetics reading this!

ICING
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick oleo
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 teasp. vanilla

Soften cream cheese and oleo.  Mix all ingredients together and spread on the cooled cake.

OLD FASHION TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

6-oz (3 1/2 cups) medium noodles
1 can (6 to 9-oz) flaked tuna, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped pimiento
1 tsp salt
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp process cheese*
1/2 cup slivered blanced almonds, toasted

Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, drain. 

In a large heat-proof bowl combine the noodles, drained tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, pimiento, and salt.

In a saucepan blend the celery soup and milk together; heat through.  Add the cheese, cook and stir until the cheese melts.  Add the soup/cheese mixture to the noodle mixture. 

Turn oven on to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish and pour the casserole mixture into the dish.  Sprinkle the almonds over the top.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

*May use 1/2 a can of Cheddar cheese soup, if desired.

Feeds 6.

OLD FASHION PRESERVE-TOPPED CHEESECAKE

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp milted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 blocks (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup strawberry (or other berry) preserves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the butter in a bowl.  Press the mixture over the bottom of a springform pan about 9-inches in diameter.  Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

Using an electric mixer beat the 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and the cream cheese on medium speed until mixture is smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Blend in the vanilla extract and pour the mixture over the cooled crust.  Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce the oven to 250 degrees and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until set.  Loosen from sides by running a thin knife around the side.  Set cake on a rack to cool.  When cooled, remove the pan side and cover the cake.  Place in the refrigerator to chill.  Before serving spread the preserves over the top.

OLD FASHION POPCORN CRUNCH

One of my favorite things has always been popcorn.  When I was a child we did not have a TV for entertainment.  We had long cold winter evenings and we enjoyed them as a family.  After my sister and I did our homework we would settle with our parents at the kitchen table, closest place to the heating stove, and play board games or work jigsaw puzzles.  Someone would invariably make some popcorn and often we would 'spiff it up', to use my dad's term.  This is a take on our 'spiffed up' popcorn!

6 cups popped popcorn
1/3 cup nuts (we used what we had which was black walnuts, today I recommend almonds)
2/3 cup pecans (we used hickory nuts which were regional but tasted a lot like pecans)
2 tbsp melted butter (we used oleo since it was a new thing then)
salt, optional
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (see note above)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the popcorn and the nuts in a large bowl that the melted butter won't hurt.  Add the salt, if using, and the melted butter.  Toss to coat nuts and popcorn.  Spread the mixture out in a large pan with some sides.

Combine the 1/2 cup of butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan; simmer over medium-low heat, stirrng constantly, until the mixture is a light caramel color.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the syrup mixture over the popcorn/nut mixture and stir to coat well.  Let stand until cool then break into serving pieces.  May be stored in an airtight container.

Yield: About 7 cups.

file photo