Enchilada Sauce

Makes 3 to 3 1/2 quarts

1 medium sized onion, grated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 16 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
4 8 ounce tomato sauce
4 10 ounce cans mild enchilada sauce
3 cans condensed tomato soup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
dash of liquid red pepper seasoning
1 10 ounce Salsa de chile fresco or hot enchilada sauce

Saute the onion in oil in a large kettle until tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, tomato soup, salt, pepper, sugar, red pepper seasoning and salsa to taste. Bring to boiling; lower heat; simmer; stirring often, 1 hour. Note: This sauce freezes well.

Cheese Spread

Ruth Ann P., Kokomo, Indiana

2 cups American cheese, shredded
4 hard boiled eggs, shredded
3/4 to 1 cup mayonaisse, Hellmans
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
green olives can be added

Mix all together and use on crackers or for a sandwich spread.

Kolace

This recipe came from an old cook book that Uncle Bud had at his ranch.

Soft Yeast Dough

1 package yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Mix the ingredients together and stir until mixture is well mixed. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for 5 to 10 minutes. Add:

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well. Remove dough from the bowl and put on a floured pastry board and knead until it is smooth and does not stick. Return to the bowl, sprinkle with flour and cover with a cloth. Let rise in a warm place (about 60 degrees) 30 to 60 minutes or until it is almost double. Punch down, form into desired shapes and let rise again for about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

To make the kolache:

Use 1 recipe soft yeast dough
2-3 cup filling
1 egg, beaten
sugar

Prepare dough. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured board to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds and place on a buttered baking sheet. Press down the center of the rounds with the bottom of a 2 inch glass to form a hollow; place a spoonful of filling in each. Let rise again. Brush the edges with the egg. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. When the buns are cool, sprinkle with sugar. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen.

Poppy Seed Filling

2 cups ground poppy seed
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Simmer the poppy seeds in milk, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, butter and vanilla, cinnamon, lemon peel, and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

Cool filling, blend in a egg yolk and fold in stiffly beaten egg white. Makes about
1 1/2 - 2 cups filling.

Prune Butter Filling

1 cup prune butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons warm water or rum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel

Mix the prune butter with water or rum. Add all other ingredients and blend.

Updated, November 18, 2016--How to make Prune Butter: http://www.czechheritage.org/Recipes/kolaches.html

Prune butter:  cook 30 prunes in water to cover until tender; drain.  Mash with fork;
stir in 1/4  cup sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground allspice.  Filling should be thick.
Makes enough for 14 kolaches.

Baked Indian Pudding

1 quart milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons soy flour
1/3 cup sweet cider
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup molasses
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup dried fruit (optional)

Scald the milk in the top of a double boiler over direct heat. Make a paste of cornmeal and soy flour and cider. Blend with milk, cover and cook over hot water for 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Remove from heat. Turn into oiled csserole. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until set. Serve hot, topped with yogurt.

Serves 6

Chokecherry Syrup

From Chauncey Klebsch

4 cups chokecherry juice
4 cups white sugar
2 cups Karo light syrup

Place all the ingredients into a 5 quart preserving kettle. Bring to the boiling point over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, turn the heat to mediun and continue boiling for 10 to 15 minutes, or until foam starts climbing the sides of the kettle. Watch closely. Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars or bottles. Process in canning process. Keeps indefinitely.

Yogi Tea (Chai)

1 teaspoon cardamom pods
1 teaspoon ginger root
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon cloves
5 cups boiling water

Simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, add 1 teaspoon black tea and 2 cups milk. Heat almost to a boil.

Edit: Chai is typically served sweetened with sugar. Add sugar or sweetener to taste.
---------------------------
Another Kansas City recipe. I like to steep the spices for a long time (hours)before I add the tea and milk.

Updated

To make by the gallon:

3 teaspoons cardamom pods
3 teaspoons ginger root
6 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns
3 teaspoons cloves
15 cups boiling water

Simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, add 3 teaspoon black tea and 6 cups milk. Heat almost to a boil. 

I store the extra in the fridge and heat up by the desired serving size. 

Edit: Chai is typically served sweetened with sugar. Add sugar or sweetener to taste.

Tom & Jerry, a hot alcohol drink

When I was attending Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota, winters were frigid. It was always colder in Aberdeen than in Highmore. In the winter, one of the alcoholic drinks that was served in bars was this warm drink called "Tom and Jerry".

In those days, I drank as much alcohol as I ever have, and that is not saying much. I can have a hangover and migraine from one beer. The same is true for most mixed drinks and even wine. So my drinking style amounts to having a taste or two of a drink.

Recently the topic of this drink has come up when I have been in the presence of a Tom and Gerry more than once.

Here is the recipe:

Tom & Jerry (the drink)

First prepare a batter, using a mixing bowl. Separate the yolk and white of one egg, beating each separately and thoroughly. Then combine both, adding enough superfine powedered sugar to stiffen. Add to this one pinch of baking soda and 1/4 oz. rum to preserve the batter. Then add a little more sugar to stiffen.

To serve, use a hot mug, 1 tablespoon of the batter dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot milk. Add 1 1/2 ounce rum. Fill the mug with hot milk within 1/4 inch of the top of the mug and stir. Add 1/2 ounce brandy and sprinkle a little nutmeg on top.

Brownies-- made with chocolate syrup

From JoAnn

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 can chocolate syrup
1 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, syrup and vanilla. Mix. Add flour and salt, mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a 17 x 11" pan.

Frosting

1 1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons milk
------------------------------
1 cup chocolate chips, added later

Combine sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup chocolate chips. Beat until the chips melt. Spread on the brownies.

Pecans and Cream Candy Recipe

From Marge Skurdal

3 cups sugar
1 cup white syrup
1 pint (2 cups) cream
1 cup whole pecans

Put all of the ingredients into a pan and boil on slow to 234 degrees, a soft but firm ball. Beat for 30 minutes by hand. Pour into a 9 x 9 inch pan which has been buttered and cool. Cut into squares.

Mississippi Mud Cake

1 cup oil
1/3 cup cocoa
4 eggs
3 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup nuts

Mix the ingredients and bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes. When you take the cake out of the oven, cover with large marshmallows cut in half, sticky side down. Then cover with frosting, poured over the warm cake.

Frosting

1 box powdered sugar
1 stick margarine, melted
4 ounce evaporated milk
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup nuts

Soda Cracker Pie

14 soda crackers, rolled fine
3 eggs whites, beaten stiff
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bake egg whites until stiff. Fold in sugar and vanilla. Fold in crackers, baking powder and nuts. Bake in well grease 9 inch pie plat at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Crazy Cake

Chocolate Crazy Cake
Sift:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons soda
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt

Sift this together into an ungreased 9 x 13 cake pan. Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients and add 3/4 cup cooking oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour 2 cups water over all and blend thoroughly with a fork. Do not overbeat. Bake in the same pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Berry Dessert

Genna Mae's recipe

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Mix all the ingredients and pour in the bottom of a 9 x 12 pan. Over the batter, pour 1 can of berries to which 1/2 cup sugar has been added. (Use 1 cup sugar when sour cherries are used) Bake at 350 degrees.

Country Carrot Bundt Cake, Grandma V.

This is a recipe I got from Grandma V. that she used after she moved to town from the ranch.

Mix:
1 1/2 cup sifted unbleached flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped nuts

Mix together all the ingredeients in a large bowl. At this stage, it can be put in a plastic bag, labeled, and kept on the pantry shelf for a few days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch bundt pan.

Beat into the dry mix:

6 eggs
1 cup poly-unsaturated oil
1 pound carrots, shredded in food processor

Pour the batter into the pan, bake 50 to 60 minutes or until done. Let cool 15 minutes in pan and turn out onto a serving platter. This will keep a week in the refrigerator and freezes beautifully.

Time to prepare: 15 to 20 minutes.

Grandma S. Banana Bread

This is always a hit, wherever it is served. Sugar had that kind of seduction and this is especially sweet.

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I use butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
6 Tablespoons sour milk (can be made with a little vinegar added to regular milk)
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream shortening and sugar together. Add vanilla, eggs and sour milk. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Mix dry ingredients into moist ingredients. Add the bananas and nuts. Pour batter into bread pans which have been greased and floured.

Snickerdoodles

Always one of cousin Linda's favorites.

1 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

Combine and mix thoroughy

Sift together:

2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture.

Chill the dough and roll into walnut size balls. Roll in a mixture of 2 tablespoons each sugar & cinnamon. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until slightly brown but still soft.

Bake at 400 degrees. Makes 5 dozen 2 inch cookies.

Date Filled Cookies

This is a recipe that both of my grandmothers used to make. I have never made the recipe, but remember it as a good recipe.

Dough
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
3 beaten eggs

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon soda 
3 3/4 cups flour
Mix shortening thoroughly with brown sugar and eggs. Stir in water and vanilla. Sift together and stir in flour, salt, soda and cinnamon. Drop with teaspoon on ungreased baking sheet. Place ½ teaspoon date filling on dough. Cover with another ½ teaspoon dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Filling
1 cup ground dates
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour
Boil and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool.
Yield: Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Gooey Butter Cake

From Kansas City days

Dough

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 pkg yeast

For gooey butter:

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter
dash of salt
1 egg
1/4 cup white corn syrup
2 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla

1. Make a sweet dough by mixing sugar, shortening and salt. Add egg and beat 1 minute until well blended.

2. Dissolve the yeast in the milk. Add flour, then milk with yeast and vanilla to batter. Mix 3 minutes.

3. Turn the dough out on floured board and knead for 1 minute. Place on a lightly greased or oiled bowl, cover lightly with a towel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

4. Make gooey butter by combining sugar, butter and salt. Add egg and white corn syrup. Mix enough to incorporate. Add flour, water and vanilla.

5. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Place each piece in a different well-greased 9 x 9 x 2inch pan. Crimp edges half way up the side of the pans so butter will not run out underneath. After dough is spread, punch holes in the dough with a fork (to keep the dough from bubbling when baking).

6. Divide gooey butter into 2 equal parts. Spread over dough in each pan. Let cakes stand for 20 minutes, then bake in a 380 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Do not overbake as gooey butter will not be gooey if cakes are over baked.

7. After cakes are baked, top with confectioners sugar.

Yield: 2 cakes, 9 servings each.

Spinach Dip

From Barbara B, college classmate, Avila College (now University), Kansas City, MO


2 cups Mayonaise (Hellman's is a must)
1 package cooked & chopped spinach, drained
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Mix all together and allow to chill a few hours.

Yogurt

Equipment

1 large heat proof bowl
measuring cups, spoons
jars to store yogurt in
oven

3 cups instant powdered milk
1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 large can evaporated milk
3 Tablespoons yogurt
water

Add 1 cup boiling water to softened gelatin. Add sweetener (It takes the edge off) and let the mixture cool a bit.

Preheat oven to about 275 degrees.

Mix 3 cups powdered milk with 3 cups water. Add 1 large can evaporated milk, 2 more cups tepid water and the gelatin mixture. Add yogurt and stir thoroughly. Cover bowl, put in oven and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Leave overnight or 8 to 10 hours. Makes 2 quarts and is foolproof.

French Onion Soup

4 large onions
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans beef broth
soup can of water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

8 - 12 slices from tiny loaf of French bread, toasted

4 - 6 1/4 inch thick slices brick cheese

Slice and cook onions in butter. Add broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour soup into individual bowls. Float toasted bread on top. Top with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and slightly brown.