family recipes

MACARONI AND CHEESE

• 4 Tb margarine
• 5 tb flour
• Milk
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced or 1 tb prepared minced garlic
• 2 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
• ¾ lb macaroni
• Broccoli and/or peas to taste
• Cook macaroni for about 10 minutes (add to 2 quarts boiling water, stir for first 2 minutes). In large frying pan, melt margarine on medium heat. Add flour, stirring it in gradually until margarine becomes paste. Add milk gradually, adding and stirring until mixture is creamy and not lumpy. Add garlic and mustard while stirring the milk. Then add the cheese, stir until melted and mixed in.
• Place macaroni in baking dish, (if not to be baked, then any serving dish will do as long as it is big enough), pour cheese mixture in and mix thoroughly. If to be baked, add peas and broccoli at this time and mix in. (Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350). If not to be baked, then peas and broccoli should be added to the macaroni as it cooks, so that they will be hot when served.

corn chowder

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tb margarine or oil
• 4 medium/large potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1-2 cans corn kernels or equivalent of frozen corn kernels
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 can evaporated milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• Saute onion in large saucepan, for about five minutes. Add potatoes and saute them for 2 more minutes. Add water to cover potatoes and boil until soft (less than 10 minutes). Add corn kernels while potatoes are cooking. When potatoes are cooked, add creamed corn and heat through. Then add evaporated milk, salt and pepper. DO NOT BOIL the evaporated milk. Better if prepared in advance, so that flavors mingle and strengthen.

pasta and pesto:

• 3/4 lb spaghetti or fettucine (or other pasta)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tb olive oil (or other oil)
• 6-8 ounces of pesto (see below)
• 1 8oz can of tomato paste
• corn kernels (optional)
• shrimp (optional)
• Cook spaghetti in 2 quarts boiling water (stir for a few minutes after putting in water). Saute onion for about five minutes. Then add corn and/or shrimp until heated through. Add tomato paste and half cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add pesto and stir until mixed in. Do not cook pesto. Add mixture to cooked pasta, and mix in. Serve quickly.

pesto

• 3 cups packed fresh basil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts or almonds)
• 3/4 cup (packed) parsley
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• Combine everything in blender and blend until it becomes a paste. Toss with hot, drained pasta. Pesto can be frozen, or refrigerated for a few days.

Molasses Cookies

Snickerdoodles

Chickpea flour ginger cookies

• 2 cups chickpea flour
• 2 1/2 tsp ginger, ground
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp salt, sea, fine
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 6 tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar, brown
• 1 eggs
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp sugar, granulated

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour through baking soda).

2. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing only until just combined. Refrigerate the dough, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for at least one hour, or up to a few days.

4. Before you start forming the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls.

5. Pour granulated sugar into a bowl and coat each ball evenly with sugar before placing on an ungreased baking sheet.

6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until set around the edges, but still slightly soft in the middle. Let cookies cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

   Spinach Lasagna

Cover Mountain Carrot Cake:

• cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (this is too much; 1 cup is fine)
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons allspice
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• frosting:
  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Cream oil and sugar together.
2. Add eggs and carrots.
3. Add dry ingredients, a small amount at a time.
4. When well blended, add nuts, raisins, and vanilla.
5. Pour into greased 10 x 14 inch pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour.
6. Cool slightly before frosting.
7. For frosting: Combine all together and blend well.
8. Spread on slightly cooled cake.

Rich Blueberry Muffins (from Grandma Ruth’s Hood Basic Cook Book)

• 1 cup blueberries
• ¼ cup butter or shortening
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk

Wash the blueberries and drain on absorbent paper. Place the fat in a mixing bowl; set in a warm place to soften (it may be melted, but should not be hot) while preparing the pans and measuring the other ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together into the bowl with the fat, Add the unbeaten egg and the milk; beat until smooth. Stir in the drained blueberries. Pour into greased muffin tins; sprinkle the top generously with additional granulated sugar. Bake in a moderate oven (375 to 400 F.) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Carrot-ginger soup

• 1-2 pounds carrots, scrubbed and cut up
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and chopped up
• A couple of onions, sliced or chopped
• 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped or more if you like
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (or low salt boullion cube or granules diluted in 8 cups water) or more, if necessary
• Add salt, cayenne pepper, or white pepper (black pepper will look like specks of dirt).
• Bring to boil then cook slowly til vegetables are soft. Maybe an hour, depending on size of chopped vegetables. Place in blender, one cup at a time. Pulverize 'til creamy. Serve hot with dollop of low fat sour cream and top with snipped fresh chives for garnish.
• Putting soup through the blender makes it look like a dairy-based soup, but it isn't. If you like chunky soup, don't run it all through the blender. Shredded cabbage and turnip are also good additions to this soup.