Yams and Apples

Every family has their favorite recipes and stories behind how those came to be the family favorites. No one in my immediate family-starting with my husband-liked yams with brown sugar and marshmallows. I tried this, he liked it, and forever after we always brought the yams and apples to everything because he volunteered us.

This recipe is from one of my bridal showers where the hostesses collected recipes from all of the guests. Some of our family favorites over the years date back to that immense collection of recipes from experienced wives and mothers.

Now, even my daughter-in-law who does not normally like yams, appreciates this recipe which is a nice blend of fall flavors highlighting the yams but meshing with apples and cinnamon.

Yams and Apples
Alice

6-8 yams, boiled until just done, then sliced in 1/8" slices
5-6 apples, peeled and sliced thinly

Layer in casserole or deep 9x13” baking dish and cover with sauce.

Sauce:

1 cup white granulated sugar
2 cups water
¼ pound margarine
3 Tablespoons cornstarch (dissolve in ¼ cup cold water then add to mixture)
1 teaspoon salt

Boil until thick and clear then pour over layered yams and apples.

Bake at 350º F. for 30-35 minutes until apples are done.

What I Do: I always bake the yams because it is usually easier. However, be sure to put them on a cookie sheet since I have had many an oven with yam on the bottom smoking during the cooking of the Thanksgiving turkey. I add about 1+ teaspoons cinnamon to the sauce. The original recipe had you sprinkle each layer with cinnamon. I don’t ever add the salt and I have gotten very sloppy about the measurements over the years so it is not always the same.

NOTE: One of my daughters now makes this with 1/2 the sugar with good results. The original recipe called for canned yams, but I don't prefer them so always use fresh ones.

Food and Family

Irritability Inhibitors are an essential part of eating, but the fun part is the family time. Growing up, it was always expected that we would be home for dinner. I remember being a little annoyed-or maybe a lot annoyed-at my mom. After all, sometimes I was in the middle of doing something very important like challenging my brothers to a game--really any game, visiting with my girlfriends about the boys we thought were cute, or reading a book. However, the habit was instilled me so that when I got married and started my own family, of course we all had dinner together. As the kids got to be teenagers, sometimes this was the only time in the day that we were all together.

Yes, sometimes it took a little logistical wizardry to plan dinner around everyone's busy schedules and before bedtime for the little ones, but the effort has reaped many family memories that we can share now when we are all gathered from 3 states and 6 cities across the country. We still plan out some of our time together around preparing, eating, and cleaning up food!

Dinner at our home is an event! Part of the fun is that we all get together and pitch in with the cooking while we visit, reminisce, and catch up. When everyone was still living at home, we used this time to catch up on our day apart and share new insights, struggles, and information. Some dinner events were fun and light and others were a little more serious.

Once everyone had color coded plates and cups and they had to sit where their plate was on the table, most of the bickering was ameliorated. We discussed and learned about a variety of topics over dinner depending on what we were individually (or collectively) studying, exposed to, or interested in. Is it better to brush or floss first? Why did this or that politician vote the way he should? How does God answer prayers? How did the gulags in Russia start? Some of these were just discussions where we all shared our opinions, some were fabulous teaching moments that any mom would relish, some brought uncontrolled laughter, and some required phone calls-right there from the dinner table-to an expert on the subject. All bonded us together forever with memories that cannot be erased.

One of our family favorite bonding recipes is Shepherd's Pie. As the kids got bigger and required more fuel for their bodies, this really became a family production because of the quantity of potatoes required. Some would be peeling and cutting carrots, some peeling potatoes, some reserving their shining moment for the mashing of the potatoes, and others lending moral support to the workers.

Shepherd’s Pie

Jane

1 cup meat

1 onion, chopped

gravy or stock

2 cups boiled, mashed potatoes

Mix the meat and onion and season. Moisten with gravy or stock. Put the mixture in the bottom of a pie dish and cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Cook at 375º F. for 45 minutes.

Shepherd’s pie can be served as a meal in itself or with a green vegetable like cabbage or spinach. It is a favorite dish in many British pubs where it is cooked in big trays and kept warm on a hot plate.

What I Do: I usually use either the cheapest beef (like stew meat I found on sale) or leftover roast or other meat. Sometimes when I make chimichangas, I save out some of the beef for this. If the meat isn’t cooked, I simmer it with the chopped onion, chopped carrots, and 2-4 quarts of water to make a nice beef broth. I usually add some beef bouillon to give the broth some body since I don’t always use a lot of meat. Then I thicken the broth with a 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch OR ¼-1/2 cup of flour (depending on how much broth I have) that has been mixed with ½-1 cup of cold water. Stir it until thickened. Remove from stovetop, add 1-2 cups frozen peas and pour in a 9x13” pan (or the size that will feed your family). [Sometimes I also add string beans or other vegetables at this time, but actually the carrots, onions, meat and potatoes and peas are what I usually serve.] Spread mashed potatoes that have been prepared as you normally do on top and bake for about 30 minutes because everything is already is warm.

If I am making mashed potatoes especially for this meal, I make them much thinner than normal.

Although I seldom have leftover meat to use, if I use leftover meat, I just boil the carrots and onions in beef bouillon that can be made with bouillon cubes or granules to make the amount of broth you need. Shred the meat or brown the hamburger if using ground beef. Thicken the broth and add the meat when you add the peas and continue as above.

This works for leftover mashed potatoes also.

Be sure that you allow for enough room for the soupy mixture to “expand” when you add the potatoes. We like this somewhat soupy and serve it in a bowl.

Great Meal Idea: serve with rolls or French bread and salad

Irritability Inhibitors

I was at the Smithsonian American History Museum last night for an educator evening. It was beautiful and fun and reawakened my patriotic feelings. One of displays now is a replica of Julia Child's kitchen, apparently with many of her real pots, pans, and kitchen gadgets. It is a very nice display that inspired me in the design of my dream kitchen.

In the area around the kitchen her life is presented in photojournaled placards with quotes and excerpts from her authentic writing and speaking. One of the quotes I liked was:

The thing about food is your're a much happier person if you eat well and treasure your meals. -Julia Child

In our family, there are several of us who get rather irritable when we have not eaten in a while, but alas the problem arises of finding quick and easy foods that contribute to nutritional intake vs. junk food. Don't get me wrong, I can eat junk food with the best of them, but in those moments when I need food to alleviate my crankiness, I find that my favorites like chocolate and chips often contribute to the problem.

I attended a class a few years ago and they gave out a list entitled, "Everyone's Hungry, Now What Am I Going To Fix?" I have added to the list and here it is-Irritability Inhibitors-easy snacks and meals that can be prepared in 5-30 minutes.

You can adapt the list to the Irritability Inhibitors that will help your family enjoy their meals and be happy!

Irritability Inhibitors

Sometimes you need to take care of low blood sugar levels NOW before everyone is grouchy and the evening is ruined. Here is a list of quick ideas to help.

Grilled cheese sandwich

Grilled ham and cheese

Tuna salad on toast

Tuna salad on crackers and apple slices

Cheese sticks and apple slices—add a piece of toast or crackers

Peanut butter on celery

Peanut butter on crackers

Chili dogs (aka: Breakfast of Champions) –use canned chili

Speghetti with bottled sauce

Mini pizzas using pita breads flat or

French bread pizza

Deluxe nachos (refried beans, cheese, salsa, etc.)

Quesadillas (some people in our family practically lived on these for years)

Seven layer dip and chips

Chef’s salad

Hawaiin haystacks

Omelets

Scrambled eggs with ham or hash browns

Pancakes or waffles

Fruit smoothies

Orange Julius

Baked potatoes

Slumgulion

Mexican Soup

Enchilada Casserole

Apples with caramel dip

Raw vegetables with ranch dressing

Granola (with or without milk)

Banana chips

Dried apples

Butternut Squash Soup

A week or so ago I found a very cool cookbook. I have seen it before, but this time I was very motivated to buy it because it had a particular recipe I had been looking for. The book is by Todd Wilbur, who apparently has written several copycat recipe books for beloved restaurant fare . I am still honing the recipe I bought it for, but in the mean time, I found the recipe for Spago's Butternut Squash Soup. I have had squash soup that I liked, I have tried to make it and it was ok, but this was really yummy and very fallish.

We decided that, even though my family likes soup as a main dish in the fall and winter, this is really a side dish type of soup. So, on the second night, we had Butternut Squash Soup with cheese sandwiches. It was a perfect combo! I can imagine scenarios, like when my sons were still at home, when that meal would have required a few loaves of bread to provide enough sandwiches; but for less ambitious eaters it hit the spot.

The soup was better the next day, apparently needing the time to meld the flavors together; AND it froze well. I froze it in 1 quart bags lying flat. It thawed very quickly, maybe a couple of hours at room temperature and heated beautifully in a saucepan on medium/low heat.

Spago's Butternut Squash Soup
Todd Wilbur

1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped leek (about 1 leek)
1 1/2 pounds cubed butternut squash
(about 5 cups or 1 squash)
1 Gala apple, peeled and chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium/low heat, then add the leek. Sweat the leeks for 6 minutes, or until soft, and then add the butternut squash, apple, chicken broth, and all the spices. Don't add the heavy cream or brown sugar yet. Crank up the heat to medium and bring this mixture to a low boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until the squash softens. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool for 5 or 10 minutes.

Pour the soup into a blender and blend on high speed until completely smooth. Add an additional 1/4 cup of water to the soup if it's too thick to blend. (To avoid a very messy and very hot situation, press down on the top of the blender with a folded dish towel to keep the lid from popping off.) I only blended about 2 cups at a time which also helped to minimize the hot soup from exploding.

Pour the soup back into the saucepan and add the cream and sugar. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium/low heat, about 10 minutes. Spoon approximately 1 cup soup into bowls to serve.

Serves 6

What I Do: I would use only 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice because the flavor was a little too strong for my taste buds. I didn't have cardamom on hand so I omitted it. I used black pepper and it did not adversely affect the appearance.

Pumpkin Bread

As I've said before, I love fall! In fact, the last few mornings I really enjoyed opening the door to a puff of brisk air. I start nesting and hibernating in the fall, maybe I was really meant to be a bear. In fact, I'm sure there are some days my kids would have said I was definitely a bear--although I don't think fall had anything to do with that.

The crisp fall air, entices me to the kitchen to cook and bake and warm the house. While apples and pumpkins are the traditional fall icons, I have written about apples and previously included apple recipes. So, prompted by my friend, I am including one of my family's favorite pumpkin recipes.

This pumpkin recipe goes back to the days before dirt when I was an undergraduate in college. My adventurous roommate decided that she wanted to make pumpkin bread but did not have a recipe. That did not even slow her down-she began concocting what proved to be fabulous pumpkin bread. We (the roommates) all liked it so much that we got together with her and made it a few more times, taking copious notes in the process, until we had it just right. Now, 35 years later (I cannot possibly be THAT old) it is still our family's favorite pumpkin bread recipe.

We also have excellent results with using grated zucchini instead of pumpkin; but this recipe definitely has fallish flavor because of the spices, so it is not your typical zucchini bread. If you have gargantuan amounts of zuchini frozen in your freezer not sure when you will ever use it, this is a great recipe to show it off. No one will be the wiser and everyone will appreciate the treat.

Pumpkin Bread

Peggy

2 + 2/3 cups brown sugar

2/3 cup water

2/3 cup oil

4 eggs

3 1/3 c. whole wheat flour

1 ¾ cups mashed pumpkin

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½-1 cup raisins or chopped nuts optional

Mix ingredients in the order listed. Pour into greased loaf pans. (1 pan makes a taller fuller loaf. 2 pans makes, obviously, 2 smaller loaves. I have made it both ways.) Bake for one hour at 350º F.

WHAT I DO: I use whole wheat flour when I have it, but I have made it with only white flour, but it is definitely more moist so add an extra 1/2 cup of flour when using only white flour. I like the nuts, but just use a half cup or so (mostly to save money), but my family does not like it with raisins so I never use them in this recipe. I usually use canned pumpkin, but I have made it with my own cooked pumpkin, which results in a more moist bread.

NOTE: This is the recipe that my family uses for both pumpkin and zucchini breads, but it does have more of a fallish flavor.

I have been away with family emergencies and events for quite some time, but I am excited to be back on the blog again.

Many years ago, while looking through my favorite cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens, I found this recipe and my family liked it. It is always amazing to me that you pour this watery stuff over the batter and get pudding.

Recently, on the Taste of Home website, I found a crockpot version. Especially in the fall and winter, my oven is often busy with multiple things cooking in it, so the idea of making this family favorite in the crockpot seemed a perfect solution.

I have a 6 quart crockpot, so a single recipe of "Hot Fudge Cake" as Taste of Home calls it, cooked in about 2 hours. That was actually a treat for my purposes because that means that by the time I get dinner cooked and we eat, the dessert could be done. However, it also means that I can't leave it cooking all day while I am at work since 2 hours is not normally a choice on crockpot times.

You will see the originals of both recipes, and my notes. I think that I now would try the original Brownie Pudding in the crockpot. I like it better because it is a little more moist, however, it may have to do with the method of cooking. Any ideas on that?

Brownie Pudding

Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

2 Tablespoons cooking oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ cups boiling water

1. Grease 8”x 8”x 2” baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar, the 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, the baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the walnuts.

2. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar and the ¼ cup cocoa powder; stir in the boiling water. Slowly pour water mixture over batter.

3. Bake in a 350˚ oven for 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 45-60 minutes. Serve warm. Spoon cake into dessert bowls; spoon sauce over cake. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

What I Do: We usually had this cold because we like it better – or maybe because I like it better cold so that is the way I always served it.

Hot Fudge Cake

Taste Of Home Website

1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided

1 cup all purpose flour

6 Tablespoons cocoa, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1-3/4 cups boiling water

vanilla ice cream

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar, flour, 3 Tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the milk, butter, and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Spread evenly into a 3-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

In another small bowl, combine the remaining brown sugar and cocoa; stir in boiling water. Pour over batter-DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on high for 4-4 1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream. Yield: 6-8 servings.

WHAT I DO: As I said, I only have a 6-quart slow cooker so this cooked much faster. I would consider doubling it, but only when I would be home in a couple of hours to check it.

We did not like the chocolate chips at all. Interestingly, I don't like the original browning pudding with ice cream, in fact, I don't like it warm at all. However, this version was a little more palatable to me warm, with vanilla ice cream.

Spinach and Potato Fritatta

Since January I have been in a produce co-op which I have enjoyed. It has been fun to try some new vegetables and fruits and some that I have tasted before, but don't normally buy. The good deals from buying in bulk even brought us several avocados one week which I was ecstatic about!

However, some of the items have come in quantities I would not normally buy. Such was the case with LOTS of spinach over a few week period of time. During our recent snow storm, while holed up at home, I had an opportunity to cook, and cook, and well, cook some more enjoying the relaxation and kitchen therapy. I even found a new recipe that can use lots of that spinach I was talking about. I tested it out on my son who isn't crazy about cooked spinach, potatoes in eggs, or numerous other recipes and he even liked it!

I don't actually know the history of fritattas, but my father who is Italian apparently grew up eating them. I have had some variations over the years, but was surprised at how quick and easy this was to make.

Spinach and Potato Fritatta

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 cup torn fresh spinach
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm.

What I Do: I have made this several times now and found that you can use significantly more spinach than the recipe calls for without the flavor of the spinach taking over. As I said, even my son liked it! I didn't have any green onions on hand, so I chopped a couple of tablespoons of a yellow onion finely.

Chicken and Rice

This is one of my family's favorite recipes and it is so easy. It is also very filling so even if you have carnivores at your house, like some of my kids, a couple of pieces of chicken a piece is adequate. I have made this with chicken breasts, but they are not my favorite part of the chicken.

I usually at least double the rice for this amount of chicken. My family really likes the rice so I make lots of it! Be sure to use a deep 9 x 13 pan if you double the rice because you need to also allow room for placing the chicken on top of the rice mixture.

Budget Tip: I usually use leg quarters because they are more frequently on sale and in my freezer.

I can usually serve a couple of vegetables in addition to the salad to add a little color and nutrition to the meal.

Chicken and Rice

1 can Campbell's chicken gumbo soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of water
2 cups uncooked rice
1 whole chicken, cut up
1 package dry onion soup mix

Mix all but chicken in large buttered pan (9" x 13"). Sprikle 1/2 onion soup on mixture. Place pieces skin sides down on top--sprinkle rest of onion soup on chicken. Cover and seal with foil. Bake 2 hours at 325º or 3 hours at 300º.

What I Do: For years I used the onion soup mix, however, one time I didn't have any and the meal was fine. Also, I have tried other chicken gumbo soups when Campbell's has been hard to find, but Campbell's really makes the best flavored rice. However, the brands of the other soup does not matter. When I double, triple, or quadruple this recipe of rice, which I usually have done, I add the proportionate amount of the other ingredients (except chicken) except use 2 cans of water per recipe instead of one.

NOTE: Someone recently told me that they always make this with 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans of water, and 2 cups of rice. I have made the rice without the chicken gumbo soup, but my family prefers it with.

Chicken Stir-Fry

This continues to be a flexible and economical meal as well as a family favorite. While my family does eat beef, we prefer chicken for stir-fry meals. I usually buy chicken breasts when they are on sale, then bag them in 2 or 3 before I put them in the freezer. Now that there are not so many of us at home, I can probably use only one chicken breast for this meal; however, when more kids were at home, I could make a meal for 8, with 4 large eaters, with only 2-3 chicken breasts.

This meal can be expanded easily by adding more carrots or broccoli or adding other vegetables of your choice. I just find that the carrots and broccoli are bulkier than some other vegetables.

I have tried other juices and my family prefers apple.Yesterday I forgot to add the soy sauce to the sauce and even for my sweet tooth, it was TOO sweet. Although this sauce only uses a small amount of soy sauce, it balances the sweet apple juice.

One day I was out of cornstarch so I mixed the apple juice with a 1/4 cup flour until the flour was "dissolved" and it worked fine.

Chicken Stir Fry

1 Tablespoon oil
2 cups small broccoli flowerets
6 green onions
¼ cup gingerroot—cut into 1” toothpick size pieces (kind of julienned)

Stir fry and remove.

1 pound chicken breast cut into bite size pieces

Stir fry, add sauce. When sauce is thick, add vegetables and mix well. Serve over hot rice.

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2/3 cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons apple juice

Stir fry 3 medium zucchini shredded—about 4 cups—for 1 ½ minutes then arrange on a serving platter. Top with chicken mixture.

What I Do: I use 1-2 chicken breasts and add quite a few carrots when I stir fry the vegetables. Start the carrots first because they take the longest to cook. We prefer the gingerroot grated and added to the sauce. We like this sauce, it is very light and kind of glazes the chicken and vegetables, sometimes I omit the mustard. We like zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, green peppers, red peppers, and other vegetables added to this; although cauliflower is not our favorite. I often omit some of the other vegetables, but my family has decided that stir-fry MUST have broccoli and carrots. I sometimes use yellow or white onions instead of the green onions, although I prefer the green onions. I always serve this over rice, allowing 1-2 cups of rice per person.

See's Chocolate Fudge

How can it be that it has been a whole month since I posted? The holidays and extra snow made baking especially fun. The chocolate fudge recipe has been requested by several people so I am starting the new year posting it.

In the early 70s, the popular story going around was that this was the recipe that the See's Candy Stores in California used for their chocolate fudge. We all liked, and still like, See's candy so this became a popular recipe with my family. Truthfully, I don't think this is the real recipe because, although I really like the creaminess and flavor of this fudge, it isn't quite the same as See's. But this will always be the "See's Fudge" recipe to me!

Joyce was my mother’s cousin. She made this fudge for Christmas every year for everyone. One year she made 100 pounds of fudge for the family Christmas get together! I cannot even imagine 100 pounds of fudge! I was a young teenager at the time and didn't really pay that close of attention to what 100 pounds of fudge really looked like, but I am quite sure that I have never since seen that much fudge all in one place. Enjoy!

See's Fudge
Joyce

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
18 oz. Nestle's chocolate chips
1/2 pound butter or margarine
2 cups chopped walnuts
1-7 oz. jar marshmallow cream

Put sugar and milk in kettle and bring to rolling boil for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Put chocolate chips, margarine, and marshmallow cream in a large bowl or pot. Pour milk mixture over the contents in the bowl and beat until creamy. Add walnuts, mix well, and pour into a buttered 9 x 13" pan and let set until firm.

What I Do: I usually use margarine. When I make this for my mom, she doesn't like the nuts cut at all. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer to beat this, unlike the old days when the sign of a good fudge maker was how well they could beat the fudge. However, even in my 6 quart mixing bowl, a double batch really is too much for the mixer bowl although you can do it. Just prepare to clean up a little bit of a mess and be VERY careful when you start the mixer.