Snow Sparkles and a Recipe

 We got a little over an inch of snow.  There are seven inches at the snowstick.

It was light and fluffy...a dry snow....so it was easy to shovel. 

The snow sparkles are hard to photograph.  Everything looks so much better in the sunshine! 

My other baby brother stopped by to say hi in the afternoon.  I just opened the dining room window and let all kinds of fresh air in while I talked with him.

Supper was a old recipe from my sister.  Far Guy requested it.

Chicken in its own Gravy

3 large skinless chicken breasts cut in half.  I flour them and then put them in a baking dish with some butter in the bottom to brown Bake 350 degrees about 30 minutes turning the pieces as they brown...you can speed this up if you use the broiler. 

Then mix together 2 cups cheese ( I used shredded Co Jack), 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 can evaporated milk in a saucepan and heat it up. 

Pour over chicken and cover with foil bake about an hour.  Serve over rice.   If you don't cover it with foil the cheese sauce gets a little brown...but it still tastes good.  

You can use any cuts of chicken...without skin.  This makes six servings and freezes well.   Four servings headed for our freezer.  It is also really good over wild rice.  You can also use what ever kind of Cream soup you wish the original recipe calls for Cream of Mushroom...and I am not a fan. 

I should put dates on these recipes...I think this one is from about 1990.

Far Side

Cousins Family Cookbook

As some of you long time readers know I have been working on the family cousin’s cookbook.  I purchased some Cookbook Software. (Aunt Matildas)  Not sure I would do that again as I did have some troubles with the export.

In the beginning we asked for relatives to share recipes.  Some came in email some came in Christmas Cards, some were hand written on recipe cards, some were all typed out.  I kept sticking them in a huge yellow folder.  I began transcribing them in 2011.  It was a slow process…some were missing pan sizes or baking instructions.  I tried to proof read as I entered the recipes.

I finally called Uncle and said “Hey I need some help.”  My cousins Kathy and Geraldine offered to type for me and then email me the recipes.  After I received them it was just a matter of copying, pasting and sometimes formatting to fit on a page.

I was able to export the cookbook for proof reading to Kathy and Aunt Anna at one point with Jen’s help.  Corrections were made and more recipes were added.  I proofread it again…392 pages.  Uffda.  Then I couldn’t export my files…the software was difficult.  I sent my Laptop in for repair because it wouldn’t take just any flash drive.  PNY and HP Flash drives work just fine.  I finally exported the files and put them on a flash drive and gave Kathy the Aunt Matilda software which had two downloads left on it.   Kathy said there was nothing on the flash drive.  Uffda uffda.  I contacted the Matilda people.  Figured out the problem and did another download.  Success finally.

I nearly bawled when I found the files on my desktop and emailed them to Kathy.

Four plus years of work. Done with the a simple SEND.  What a relief.

My Mother and Dad arrived with a package for me on Christmas Eve.

Kathy redesigned the cover and that was just fine with me.  She used my front on the back.

There are recipes from Pickles to Pie

Kathy added a place for notes and a Table of Contents by page number. I just had a Table of Contents by category.

I was thrilled to finally see it in print. I was really happy that I chose the one page per recipe format.  Kathy did all the work printing and binding it together.  Together we make a pretty good team.  Thanks to all my cousins who submitted recipes, it wouldn’t be a book without you. 

I have not consulted with the rest of my cousins yet…but it will be for sale at sometime in the future to relatives.  When they are available I will give one away on the blog GWATCDR (God Willing And The Crick Don’t Rise).

I worked on this project so long I consider it a hobby.  That is a sick thought isn’t it? 

This project meets two of my Intentions from 2014  Organize and Declutter which I carried over into 2015!  I can burn that huge yellow folder filled with recipes in a ceremonial fire when it warms up outside!

My Cookbook

My Cookbook is almost 42 years old.  We got two of them as wedding gifts.  One was hard bound and one was in a five ring binder.  One of them was from one of Far Guys X girlfriends.  I was insulted. ( I think my lip may have quivered..people that know me well will run for cover at the first sign of a quiver.) After all I could make a real tasty grilled cheese sandwich complete with warmed up tomato soup out of a can and I could scramble an egg, sometimes even without burning it!

As it happened..she (the X) got married the next weekend.  We attended the fancy smancy wedding with candelabras on every pew and violin music.  I re-gifted her the hardbound Betty Crocker cookbook..and I kept the one in the five ring binder for myself.  I wonder if she still has it..I know she doesn’t have the husband. ( Ha! I still have mine!)

There are parts of this cookbook that are all worn out.  The cookie sections have notes and recipes written in the margins.

Pathetic looking isn’t it?  Perhaps I should invest in some of those circle thingys to reinforce the holes.

Some are single sheets..well loved recipes..proof that once upon a time I made cookies for my girls.  A long time ago they were each encouraged to choose two kinds of Christmas Cookies..and they would help me bake.  Far Guy always chose the Ginger Snaps with that improved recipe written in red ink.  That other recipe in the center of the page is for a soft molasses raisin cookie that gets topped with a powdered sugar frosting..yummy.  That was my favorite!  I know it doesn’t say anything about raisins or a frosting..but believe me..that is a good cookie.

One confusing recipe is written on the front cover.  I know I was talking to my Grandma Drewes on the phone when I wrote it down.  It was her recipe for my favorite Russian Dill Pickles.  Hopefully I have the real recipe written down someplace else.

I have almost worn this book out and I still cannot cook. I watch all kinds of cooking shows and collect recipe books to read..not sure it has ever done a lick of good. 

 

42 years ago this cookbook had a front and a back cover..I still have the back cover..for old times sake.  I suppose I should look for a new index..everything beyond half of R is missing:)

Recipes

A number of years ago..probably about five, my cousins collected recipes to compile a family cookbook.  There is a yellow bulging folder full, they make for interesting reading. I like to read recipes.  I have a collection of cookbooks, just because I like to read them.

I bought a Cookbook program to load on my Laptop.  Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software.  Slowly..and I do mean slowly I am getting them entered into the software.  Proof reading as I go..it is amazing the number of recipes that say “bake until done” ( For us non cooks..that could mean 10 minutes or 50..what is it..please tell me a ballpark number).  I have added a few notes here and there, and a few smart remarks..culling out the doubles..wading through the better cooks and their recipes wondering when in my life I will ever bundle herbs together and lay them on a piece of lamb..can you even buy Lamb in town?

I am trying to recall why I am in charge of this project. Then I recall I cannot sew..I had to contribute something to the group…I am a fairly good organizer..I am a piss poor typist..but I am a good reader..and I have not yet contributed a recipe to the cookbook effort.  I am waiting to see what is needed to round out the book.

Hopefully it will be ready to be printed sometime this summer.  Perhaps we can sell some of them at the annual picnic in August.

In the instructions it says you should be able to enter 200 recipes in about five hours..they must be typing maniacs. 

Here is the best recipe so far:

Justin’s Favorite Russian Cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 pint sour cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 package frozen raspberries

Cook sugar, cream and gelatin until gelatin is dissolved. Do not boil. Add vanilla and sour cream to the cream mixture.  Beat with mixer for 8 minutes.  Pour into dessert cups and refrigerate to set.  Top with raspberries before serving.

If this wasn’t already named..for a Grandson who loves his Grandma’s recipe it could be called heaven on a spoon.  So far this recipe has shown up twice..thanks to Cindy and Mary..if anyone of my cousins wants to stop by and type for a few hours..you are always welcome:)

My Grandfather Y and some of his great grandchildren.  I believe this was taken during the summer of 1976.

Labors of Love

Our daughter Jen resurrected some of her Grandmothers old recipes.  The ones written in her Grandmothers hand.  She made a scrapbook for herself, and gave a copy to her Father.  Since then we commissioned another copy that was given to Far Guys sister. 

 Click on this photo to enlarge! 

When we cleaned out Far Guys Moms apartment recipes were found in drawers and tucked in books..I put them in a plastic bag..I knew they would be worth reading someday.   One day Jen asked if she could take them home with her, and a recipe scrapbook was born.  Jen was very close to her Grandmother, the recipe book was cathartic way to move on and forward through the grief that she felt after her Grandmas death. 

The little bits of paper that these recipes are written on and the comments we make as we perfect a recipe are important.  Historical in their own way. 

I have a  friend who started a new blog recently..she is sharing her Grandmothers recipes.  Gram's Recipe Box is a treasure trove of old recipes..I enjoy reading recipes..not so much the cooking part..but the reading part:)