Pepperoni Balls ...p18

Think deep-dish pizza crust here - an unexpected deep-fried twist to a baked pizza bite.  We made a meal out of them to accompany our salad, but they would make excellent appetizers as well, served with a side of marinara sauce or ranch dressing.  Fairly easy to make using the hot roll mix.

Hardy Appetit!

Banana Nut Bread ...p85

A rich, delicious banana bread.  I love it with walnuts or pecans, preferring the former.  I made four loaves this time and added ripe figs from our tree to one loaf - love it.

 

Note in your cookbook this correction:  2 stiffly beaten egg yolks, should be whites

Hardy Appetit!

Orange-Cauliflower Salad ...p32

I nicknamed this the OC Salad on my shopping list and wondered whatever happened to the program the OC.  Has it dropped off the map like the entire state of California is always threatened to do at some point?   

This colorful, citrus salad bursts with flavor and, while I hesitated to put "milk" on salad, I soon realized it was no different from Ranch, Creamy Caesar, and any milk-based dressing, thus I did as I was told.  Not only will this salad add fruit and greens to your meal, it will round out the visual appeal as well. 

And thanks, Debbie, for adding this to our book.  It would be wonderful to share more recipes from Aunt Lynn and "Punk" Tad....

Hardy Appetit!

Caesar Salad ...p30

The critic herself entered this recipe into Cooking Up Family History.  I remember considering this a treat as salads did not often deviate from the standard iceberg, carrot, celery, and green pepper in our household.  Nana doesn't remember visiting Caesar's restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, when we were neighbors living in Tustin, CA, though Caesar Cardini allegedly invented the salad there back in the 1920's.  Read Julia Childs' account here.  My hubby and I ate there on Avenido Revolucion enjoying the tableside preparation of this salad, after downing multiple shots of tequila at the equally famous Long Bar where the drinking age was a mere 18.  Tijuana was a wild place then, even wilder now I hear.  

Nana's recipe varies from Caesar's in that the romaine is torn up in preparation, rather than left whole.  


Hardy Appetit!

Clam Chowder ...p23

"Clams became accepted to them [Pilgrims] in time, but it is on record that in 1620s the Pilgrims fed clams and mussels to their hogs with the explanation that they were "the meanest of God's blessings."  Eating in American - A History, by Waverley Root and Richard de Rochemont.  

 

CLAMS

Indeed it is difficult to imagine this surly crusty creature would be tasty in anything, or even tasty to hogs, but tasty they are to both hogs and humans.....and, when steeped in a nice creamy chowder, sopped with a chunk of sourdough, they make one tantalizing meal.  This particular recipe is simple to put together and satisfying to the partakers.  Indulge.

Close friends and family will know what I mean when I say take note that the critic enjoyed this meal so much, Mr. Lonely is guarding the bowl. 

Hardy Appetit!

Apple Dumplings ...p106

Oh my Gosh.  Easy.  Delicious.  Comments evoked, "These are the best apple dumplings, ever!" "This is better than apple pie!" "Why haven't you made these before, mom?"  "Please, sir, I want some more" - the last being our favorite quote from Oliver Twist. 

While making this dessert, I must confess I thought, "eeks, so much sugar!"  "so much liquid - the dough will be mush!" "Why only one little apple (I bought 8 - my usual for pie!)?"  But most fears were allayed when the dessert wasn't the least mushy and the apple pieces amply flavored the crescent roll, however, it was maybe a lot of sugar...shhh....I know it's a bad word.  We left off the ice cream - tasty enough without it, though I know the warm sauce would melt that ice cream to just the right slurpy consistency and act like, well, maybe MSG.  So if you're looking for a quick, easy, and delicious company dessert, serve up Heather's wonderful Apple Dumplings.  I bet you can imagine the critic's response!

Hardy Appetit!

Hawaiian Hash ...p44

For the life of me I can't figure out why this hash is Hawaiian.  Maybe I've been eating too many Fiery Hawaiian Pizzas from Domino's....but to me, pineapple and ham means Hawaiian and both are missing here.  Regardless, it's a change from the ketchup-drowned, potato-beef hash of my youth - to the hash of my husband's youth....it's his mama's recipe.  This could easily stuff a cabbage leaf if you desired; my inclination was to pop the leftovers into the freezer for just that very future....hey, thinking like that comes from raising eight hungry young'uns.  While the dish prompted an "it's ok" from the critic, my youngest son loved it, proclaiming it "crumbled up meatloaf" to his delight.

Hardy Appetit! 

Tortilla Soup ...p29

Simple to make, simple to intensify or enhance to individual tastes, this soup is a winner in all our books.  I laid out an array of add-ins:  sour cream, finely chopped jalapeños, chopped green onions, cheese, Cholula (our favorite pepper sauce) and, not having any fresh cilantro, coriander chutney.  In case you are wondering, coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant and is used often in Indian and Asian foods.  My husband is not wild about cilantro, so I usually use little in cooking, lots in garnish.  Coriander Chutney's strong flavor adds the bite I love, especially when dolloped on top of sour cream. 

Hardy Appetit!

Beer Pot Roast ...p43

Pot roast reminds me so much of my mother, so I decided to sneak this one up on her and see what her reaction was.  Of course the variable of me cooking it might prompt a snicker!  You know we all like to say, "oh, it tastes so much better when someone else makes it!", but when they do, we say, "sure doesn't taste like mine!"  Case in point, Beer Pot Roast. 

And I do admit, the beef disappointed me - seemed way too fatty, so check your chuck roast for too much fat....  BUT, everyone devoured the brown sugar carrots so make lots!  I used this recipe from food network.


When I served mom and told her it was her recipe, she responded with, "oh, that was Elsie's and I never did really like it!"  Oh well.  Bottom line is it is a simple recipe that you can doctor up if you like - just be sure to make a lot of brown sugar carrots.


Hardy Appetit!