Use leftover mashed potatoes, they should be slightly stiff. Cut cream cheese into 1 X 1 X ¼ inch squares. Flatten one pile of potatoes in your hand and place 1 square of cream cheese in the middle. Then work potatoes around cheese as you make potatoes into flattened balls. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
When ready to cook. Take out a large skillet. The flatter the bottom, the better. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Heat the oil to sizzle. Gently place the potato cakes into the pan with the hot oil. Put the lid on, turn heat down to medium. Cook about five minutes. Then gently slip a thin metal slapper turner under the first cake that you put in the pan. Lift it gentle to see if it is brown. If so, turn it over. If not wait and try again. Turn heat to high again. Turn all the cakes over. Be gentle (Joanna especially) they fall apart easily. Try to turn them only once. Put the lid back on and after about 2 minutes turn heat down to medium again. Cook about 5 more minutes until properly golden brown and crispy.
These are delicious.
***** Notes:
In 1967 Gloria Coba arrived in Smyrna as a 17 year old high school senior. Mrs. Williams the English teacher challenged us to find Ecuadorian dishes, cook them at home, and bring them to class. I found the recipe for “potato cakes with cheese in the middle”. The recipe said soft white cheese. Of course, I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Our family thought they were delicious; we have cooked them many times with leftover mashed potatoes.
In 1995, I cooked them for David and told him the story. I learned that they were not at all like his mother’s LLapingachos, but he liked them anyway. Over the years, my version has evolved into a family favorite.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Miss Sallie’s Maryland Beaten Biscuits
2 quarts flour, unsifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup lard (solid pork fat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 pint milk
Sift the dry ingredients together. Work in lard with fingers, then stir in the milk. Work in lard with fingers, then stir in the milk. Turn onto pastry board and beat with a wooden mallet, fold over and beat again. Continue folding dough and beating for about 30 minutes or until blisters appear on dough. Pinch off pieces about the size of small walnuts, work round in hands, and press flat. Stick four times with silver fork. Bake on ungreased pan about 20 minutes in hot oven.
A collector’s item for our confectionary file comes from Mrs. Nellie Altvater of Talbot County, MD, president of Maryland state home demonstration clubs.
***** Notes: This is the recipe for the beaten biscuits that my father (Uncle Jerry) insisted we have for Thanksgiving dinner. Mommom (Lillie Jarrell) and Aunt Mary Downs (Mommom's sister) would come to the house several days before Thanksgiving. They would help mix up the batter and beat the biscuits. Then we had them for Thanksgiving dinner. Interestingly, it was my mother's family who came for Thanksgiving, but my father's mother and aunt helped to prepare the beaten buscuits.
For Thanksgiving dinner 1996, when David Amorozo was with us from Ecuador, we made them in our kitchen in Dover. That Thanksgiving David Hamilton and family were with us as well. We all made the beaten biscuits using the biscuit boards. We beat and beat and beat. The biscuits were good. The board is a pie shaped board that we still have around the house.
These days I buy them from the Acme. They taste just like the home made kind.
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup lard (solid pork fat)
1 teaspoon salt
1 pint milk
Sift the dry ingredients together. Work in lard with fingers, then stir in the milk. Work in lard with fingers, then stir in the milk. Turn onto pastry board and beat with a wooden mallet, fold over and beat again. Continue folding dough and beating for about 30 minutes or until blisters appear on dough. Pinch off pieces about the size of small walnuts, work round in hands, and press flat. Stick four times with silver fork. Bake on ungreased pan about 20 minutes in hot oven.
A collector’s item for our confectionary file comes from Mrs. Nellie Altvater of Talbot County, MD, president of Maryland state home demonstration clubs.
***** Notes: This is the recipe for the beaten biscuits that my father (Uncle Jerry) insisted we have for Thanksgiving dinner. Mommom (Lillie Jarrell) and Aunt Mary Downs (Mommom's sister) would come to the house several days before Thanksgiving. They would help mix up the batter and beat the biscuits. Then we had them for Thanksgiving dinner. Interestingly, it was my mother's family who came for Thanksgiving, but my father's mother and aunt helped to prepare the beaten buscuits.
For Thanksgiving dinner 1996, when David Amorozo was with us from Ecuador, we made them in our kitchen in Dover. That Thanksgiving David Hamilton and family were with us as well. We all made the beaten biscuits using the biscuit boards. We beat and beat and beat. The biscuits were good. The board is a pie shaped board that we still have around the house.
These days I buy them from the Acme. They taste just like the home made kind.
Fruit Cocktail Cake
Originally from Naomi Dunning at St. Peter’s Church
A quick and easy, moist cake that is always a hit. Perfect for a pot luck supper or family gathering. I love this cake and coconut now. As a young person I hated coconut.
Cake
1 ½ cups of sugar
2 eggs
½ Wesson oil
2 cups flour (not sifted)
½ teaspoon salt (I never use extra salt when I bake. Of course, there is salt in the butter.)
1 teaspoon baking soda (level)
2 cups Fruit Cocktail (1 medium sized can including juice)
Beat sugar, eggs, and oil by hand. Add flour, salt and baking soda (mix well). Add fruit cocktail and mix. Pour batter in greased and floured sheet cake. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Topping
¼ lb butter
½ cup sugar
¾ cup sugar
Add all above together, bring to boil and boil three minutes (no more). Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup chopped nuts and ¾ cup coconut.
A quick and easy, moist cake that is always a hit. Perfect for a pot luck supper or family gathering. I love this cake and coconut now. As a young person I hated coconut.
Cake
1 ½ cups of sugar
2 eggs
½ Wesson oil
2 cups flour (not sifted)
½ teaspoon salt (I never use extra salt when I bake. Of course, there is salt in the butter.)
1 teaspoon baking soda (level)
2 cups Fruit Cocktail (1 medium sized can including juice)
Beat sugar, eggs, and oil by hand. Add flour, salt and baking soda (mix well). Add fruit cocktail and mix. Pour batter in greased and floured sheet cake. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Topping
¼ lb butter
½ cup sugar
¾ cup sugar
Add all above together, bring to boil and boil three minutes (no more). Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup chopped nuts and ¾ cup coconut.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Aunt Hannah's Applesauce Cake
Sift together into bowl:
1 2/3 cup sifted Gold Medal Flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon Calumet Baking Powder
1-teaspoon soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
Add:
1/3 cup Crisco
1/3 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup raisins
1 cup thick unsweetened applesauce
Beat vigorously by hand or mix with electric mixer on slow to medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl frequently and ¼ to 1/3 cup unbeaten eggs (large). Continue beating for 2 minutes; scraping bowl frequently. Pur batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes in moderate oven (350). Cool in pan and frost with fluffy orange icing.
*****Note: My mother thought that sister Hannah could make (sew) and cook almost anything better than most people. From looking at the ingredients, this one must have come from the either the Calumet Baking Powder can or Gold Medal Flour bag.
Aunt Hannah Lurty was Mother's yonger sister. She was number five in the Wallace Family. Aunt Hannah was married to Uncle Gilbert and their children are Gail, Pam, and Dave. At least in my mother's opinion, Aunt Hannah was the "can do" sister. She was quite creative. She baked, sewed, and wallpapered. She fought cancer for many years. She died when she was in her fourties in the early 1960s. She did so many things. She must have been in a rush to get things done because she knew she had so little time on earth.
1 2/3 cup sifted Gold Medal Flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon Calumet Baking Powder
1-teaspoon soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
Add:
1/3 cup Crisco
1/3 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup raisins
1 cup thick unsweetened applesauce
Beat vigorously by hand or mix with electric mixer on slow to medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl frequently and ¼ to 1/3 cup unbeaten eggs (large). Continue beating for 2 minutes; scraping bowl frequently. Pur batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes in moderate oven (350). Cool in pan and frost with fluffy orange icing.
*****Note: My mother thought that sister Hannah could make (sew) and cook almost anything better than most people. From looking at the ingredients, this one must have come from the either the Calumet Baking Powder can or Gold Medal Flour bag.
Aunt Hannah Lurty was Mother's yonger sister. She was number five in the Wallace Family. Aunt Hannah was married to Uncle Gilbert and their children are Gail, Pam, and Dave. At least in my mother's opinion, Aunt Hannah was the "can do" sister. She was quite creative. She baked, sewed, and wallpapered. She fought cancer for many years. She died when she was in her fourties in the early 1960s. She did so many things. She must have been in a rush to get things done because she knew she had so little time on earth.
Blender Cocoanut Pie
2 cups milk
1 cup cocoanut
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
¾ stick butter cup up small
½ cup flour
4 eggs or 3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
Mix in blender 3 minutes at mix. Butter 10” glass baking pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.From Aunt Dot Minner
****Note:
Aunt Dot Minner went to college with Mother. They started teaching together in the fall of 1932 at the old Odessa School House. The children helped them move the the new Odessa School that still stands between the north and southbound lanes of Route 13. Mother said that the children all brought their red express wagons, loaded up the classroom supplies, and pulled them down the streets of Odessa. The two orange crate book shelves came from Odessa school. (The ones I painted red and white many years later that are still in our basement.) I wonder if those orange crate bookshelves went down the street on the express wagons with the rest of the stuff. What a vision--kids, wagons, books, Miss Wallace and Miss Minner all lugging supplies down the street, books piled high, a few papers flying away, laughing, and fussing a little about all the work.
The gigly girls lived together in the Corbet Sharp House in Odessa as early twenty somethings (Mother turned 20 in February and Aunt Dot in July). They started teaching in September.
Aunt Dot was an educator for 40 years. She left Odessa and went to A.I.DuPont School in Wilmington. The last 15 years she was the principal. She retired in 1972 and moved to Wyoming. She and Uncle Carl were lifelong special friends. She died in the spring of 2010. She was 97.
1 cup cocoanut
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
¾ stick butter cup up small
½ cup flour
4 eggs or 3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
Mix in blender 3 minutes at mix. Butter 10” glass baking pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.From Aunt Dot Minner
****Note:
Aunt Dot Minner went to college with Mother. They started teaching together in the fall of 1932 at the old Odessa School House. The children helped them move the the new Odessa School that still stands between the north and southbound lanes of Route 13. Mother said that the children all brought their red express wagons, loaded up the classroom supplies, and pulled them down the streets of Odessa. The two orange crate book shelves came from Odessa school. (The ones I painted red and white many years later that are still in our basement.) I wonder if those orange crate bookshelves went down the street on the express wagons with the rest of the stuff. What a vision--kids, wagons, books, Miss Wallace and Miss Minner all lugging supplies down the street, books piled high, a few papers flying away, laughing, and fussing a little about all the work.
The gigly girls lived together in the Corbet Sharp House in Odessa as early twenty somethings (Mother turned 20 in February and Aunt Dot in July). They started teaching in September.
Aunt Dot was an educator for 40 years. She left Odessa and went to A.I.DuPont School in Wilmington. The last 15 years she was the principal. She retired in 1972 and moved to Wyoming. She and Uncle Carl were lifelong special friends. She died in the spring of 2010. She was 97.
Baking Powder Biscuits
From my Eighth Grade Home Economics Class at Duck Creek Elementary School. You can make biscuits this way or use Bisquick. Either way they taste great especially with winter soup.
Sift together:
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 ½ -2 Tablespoons Shortening
Cut (with two knives of pastry blender): until mixture resembles crumbs.
Add: 1/3 to ½ cup mild and mix lightly.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead gently. Roll to 1 ½ inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake in very hot oven (450 degrees) 12 to 15 minutes.
**** (1962-1963) I was not a star eight grade home economics student. The teacher really did not like me. Perhaps it was because I challenged her knowledge when we were learning about table settings. She told us that the table should be set with the napkin folded to the left of the fork. I bluntly told her that could not be correct because my mother always put the fork on the napkin. My mother and I were both embarassed when I went home and told the story. Mother said, "Oh no, I put the fork on the napkin to keep the napkin from blowing away". Those were long before the days of air conditionaing. Perhaps that is why I feel better when the table is set correcly. I apologized to the teacher the next day and so did my mother. However, I don't think she ever forgave me.
Sift together:
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 ½ -2 Tablespoons Shortening
Cut (with two knives of pastry blender): until mixture resembles crumbs.
Add: 1/3 to ½ cup mild and mix lightly.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead gently. Roll to 1 ½ inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter and place on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake in very hot oven (450 degrees) 12 to 15 minutes.
**** (1962-1963) I was not a star eight grade home economics student. The teacher really did not like me. Perhaps it was because I challenged her knowledge when we were learning about table settings. She told us that the table should be set with the napkin folded to the left of the fork. I bluntly told her that could not be correct because my mother always put the fork on the napkin. My mother and I were both embarassed when I went home and told the story. Mother said, "Oh no, I put the fork on the napkin to keep the napkin from blowing away". Those were long before the days of air conditionaing. Perhaps that is why I feel better when the table is set correcly. I apologized to the teacher the next day and so did my mother. However, I don't think she ever forgave me.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Toll House Cookies
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts
HEAT: over 375
COMBINE: flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, bearing well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets.
BAKE: for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
MAKES: about 5 dozen
Notes:
Dad remembers that these were always a favorite of the Hamilton boys--John, Tom, and Dave. Grandfather Hamilton had a very large lard (solidified pork fat) can that he used to store the cookies. That is the size of one of the very large premade popcorn cans that we get for gifts sometimes. Grandfather Hamilton always made his cookies very soft.
One of Leah's favorite gifts for her dad was a coupon for a batch of chocolate chip cookies to be cashed in sometime later in the year. Leah, beware, I think Dad still has one of them in his night stand.
During the winter of 2009-2010 after I retired, I tried to cook Dad well. One of the recipes I perfected was the standard Toll House cookie. I actually made some that were "just like Dad's". The key is to make up the balls and freeze them. Then cook them from frozen. You can adjust the doness to suit your taste. I prefer a little more crsipy. Dad likes the center almost raw.
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup chopped nuts
HEAT: over 375
COMBINE: flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, bearing well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets.
BAKE: for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
MAKES: about 5 dozen
Notes:
Dad remembers that these were always a favorite of the Hamilton boys--John, Tom, and Dave. Grandfather Hamilton had a very large lard (solidified pork fat) can that he used to store the cookies. That is the size of one of the very large premade popcorn cans that we get for gifts sometimes. Grandfather Hamilton always made his cookies very soft.
One of Leah's favorite gifts for her dad was a coupon for a batch of chocolate chip cookies to be cashed in sometime later in the year. Leah, beware, I think Dad still has one of them in his night stand.
During the winter of 2009-2010 after I retired, I tried to cook Dad well. One of the recipes I perfected was the standard Toll House cookie. I actually made some that were "just like Dad's". The key is to make up the balls and freeze them. Then cook them from frozen. You can adjust the doness to suit your taste. I prefer a little more crsipy. Dad likes the center almost raw.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Cheeseburger Soup
Cheeseburger Soup
Prep: 25 minutes/ Cook: 10 to 11 hours (low) or 5 to 5 ½ hours (high) Makes” 6 serving+
First prepared for John’s 68th birthday dinner on May 11, 2010.
Barbara Jarrell, Luminita, John, and Ellen
1 pound ground beef
½ cup sliced onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup sliced carrot (1 medium)
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 14-ounce cans low sodium beef broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 10.75-ounce condensed cheddar cheese soup
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese soup (2 ounces)
Optional (I did not use):
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 fresh Serrano chili pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
Dill pickle spears
1. In large skillet, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Put about ¼ cup water in pan, reheat, and scrape drippings into slow cooker.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine meat mixture, potatoes, carrot, ketchup, mustard, pepper, (chili pepper, salt, and black pepper). Stir in broth and soup.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 5 ½ hours. Top each serving with cheese. If desired, serve with pickles.
Prep: 25 minutes/ Cook: 10 to 11 hours (low) or 5 to 5 ½ hours (high) Makes” 6 serving+
First prepared for John’s 68th birthday dinner on May 11, 2010.
Barbara Jarrell, Luminita, John, and Ellen
1 pound ground beef
½ cup sliced onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup sliced carrot (1 medium)
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 14-ounce cans low sodium beef broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 10.75-ounce condensed cheddar cheese soup
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese soup (2 ounces)
Optional (I did not use):
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 fresh Serrano chili pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
Dill pickle spears
1. In large skillet, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Put about ¼ cup water in pan, reheat, and scrape drippings into slow cooker.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine meat mixture, potatoes, carrot, ketchup, mustard, pepper, (chili pepper, salt, and black pepper). Stir in broth and soup.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 5 ½ hours. Top each serving with cheese. If desired, serve with pickles.
Daughters--These recipes are for you!
Dear Luminita, Joanna, Tandy, and Leah,
When I was first married back in 1970, I often called my mother to ask, "How do I make one thing or another?" Mother finally bought me the blue, McCall's Cook Book that is falling apart on the shelf in the kitchen. Once in a while you call me to ask the same question.
Now that we have moved past paper recipe cards and recipe books, I thought it might be fun to create a blog that you could go to any time. Of course, I have been collecting recipes for years so there are lots of them. I will not get them all onto the blog at one time, but it should be fun doing this for you.
I love you all and hope you will enjoy these for many years. Hopefully, you will add to it as time goes by.
Love,
Mom
When I was first married back in 1970, I often called my mother to ask, "How do I make one thing or another?" Mother finally bought me the blue, McCall's Cook Book that is falling apart on the shelf in the kitchen. Once in a while you call me to ask the same question.
Now that we have moved past paper recipe cards and recipe books, I thought it might be fun to create a blog that you could go to any time. Of course, I have been collecting recipes for years so there are lots of them. I will not get them all onto the blog at one time, but it should be fun doing this for you.
I love you all and hope you will enjoy these for many years. Hopefully, you will add to it as time goes by.
Love,
Mom
Anna's Pressed Butter Cookies
Anna’s Cookies
Anna Choma was the Ukrainian woman who my parents (Malcolm and Marry Jarrell) sponsored to come to the US in 1949. She and her husband, Anton were in the concentration camps in Germany or Russia. They had two children when they came, Weldy (Valdimir) born in 1947 and Helena in 1948. After they came to the farm, Stevie(Stephan) arrived in 1953. Anton died in 1959. Anna remarried Amir Karshiv in 1960, and they all moved to Mont Clare, PA. I was very sad about the move.
I’m not sure how these came to be called Anna’s cookies. As far as I know Anna could not read or write in English, so I’m not sure who wrote the recipe down. However, at some time Anna must have made these cookies a lot and my mother wrote down the recipe so they became Anna’s cookies. They are simple pressed cookies.
1 ½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
pinch of banking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
Press onto cold cookie sheet. Decorate with decorating sugar.
Bake at 475 degrees until they begin to turn light brown.
Anna Choma was the Ukrainian woman who my parents (Malcolm and Marry Jarrell) sponsored to come to the US in 1949. She and her husband, Anton were in the concentration camps in Germany or Russia. They had two children when they came, Weldy (Valdimir) born in 1947 and Helena in 1948. After they came to the farm, Stevie(Stephan) arrived in 1953. Anton died in 1959. Anna remarried Amir Karshiv in 1960, and they all moved to Mont Clare, PA. I was very sad about the move.
I’m not sure how these came to be called Anna’s cookies. As far as I know Anna could not read or write in English, so I’m not sure who wrote the recipe down. However, at some time Anna must have made these cookies a lot and my mother wrote down the recipe so they became Anna’s cookies. They are simple pressed cookies.
1 ½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
pinch of banking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
Press onto cold cookie sheet. Decorate with decorating sugar.
Bake at 475 degrees until they begin to turn light brown.
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