Feasting on Family Favorites

An Heirloom Book of Recipes

In honour of the Wedding of Sarah Gita Langer and Dylan Hatfield Thomas August 17th, 2008

Dearest Sarah and Dylan,

Congratulations! The deed is done, you are officially husband and wife. And so now begins the real big to-do: a lifetime together.

I will never forget when I got the phone call from Sarah telling me that she was engaged. I have never heard my sister so happy. The excitement in her voice, the hope and joy she radiated even through the telephone stuck me to the core (as did de picture message of the ring that promptly followed the conversation). My sister, my playmate, my soul mate, was so unbelievably overjoyed.

Soon after, the conversation quickly turned to all things wedding: flowers, cakes, dresses and gifts. As soon as gifts were mentioned, I was at a loss, what could I possibly give to my beloved sister on the day of her wedding? What would say all I wanted to say, honor our experiences while looking forward to the future, and begin to offer the love and support that I wish to provide this most treasured couple?

The answer came quickly. Looking back at many of my favorite memories of time spent with Sarah, Dylan, and my family, I realized that many of them had an obvious central theme: food. Food has brought us together in good times and in bad, providing in every morsel the comfort and caring that is the meaning of family.

So, I am giving you the best thing I could possibly think of: us. A cookbook full of us. With the abounding and enthusiastic contributions of the Thomas and Langer families, this cookbook is a compilation of all our families’ favorites. The recipes range from quick and easy family dinners to holiday traditions and cure-all-aliment soups. However, a quick glance at these recipes will show that despite their breadth, they all have one thing in common: they are overflowing with the cherished memories of yesterday and love enough to feed a thousand tomorrows. In truth, these are not recipes at all. Each recipe is really a story: brimming with joy, sweetened by sorrows, so inseparable from the recollections of times past that the ringing of laughter and hum of happy voices penetrates every page.

Though the times may be past when Sarah and I would bake chocolate chip cookie pies for Grandma Jeanne and Poppou or when Debbie cured the chicken pox with hot and sour soup, I hope that this book will serve to remind you that none of us are far from reach. It is my dream that one day, a beautiful. curious Thomas child will look through this book with hungry eyes and come to know us by the memories we held dear and the food we shared. I hope not only that you will give life to these time-honored recipes, but that with the passing years you will add to this book so it may be your personal anthology of Thomas traditions. There is truly nothing that facilitates family like food.

So now, in the true Jewish, Langer fashion, I send you off into this great journey with warm heart and a full belly.

Much love, Annie

Table of Contents

A Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Openers

  • Breakfasts
  • Drinks
  • Hors D’oeuvres and Sides
  • Sauces, Dips and Seasonings
  • Soups

Main Courses

  • Fish and Poultry
  • Pasta, Grains and Beans
  • Vegetables

Sweets and Treats

  • Bars and Baked Goods
  • Fruit Featured, Cobblers and Pies
  • Puddings and Custards

Grandma Forster’s Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Start with one cup of:

  • Agreement
  • To prioritize Fun over Everything Being “Perfect”
  • Flexibility
  • Happiness
  • “I’m sorry”
  • Thank you
  • Understanding
  • Sense of Humor
  • L-O-V-E

Flavor with two cups of:

  • Caring
  • Courtesy
  • Confidence
  • Cooperation
  • Commitment
  • Contentment
  • Consideration
  • Communication
  • More L-O-V-E

Season with three of:

  • Trust
  • Patience
  • Peace of Mind
  • Realistic Budget
  • Happy Memories
  • Willingness to Listen & Hear
  • Even More L-O-V-E

Add one quart of:

  • Hugs
  • Respect
  • Encouragement
  • Supportive Family Members
  • Blindness to Each Other’s Faults
  • Acceptance of Each Other’s Interests & Hobbies
  • Lots a More L-O-V-E

Final instructions:

  • Combine Several Mutual Activities
  • Sweeten With Occasional Tokens of Love
  • Stir Well & Remove Any Specks of Temper, Jealousy, Criticism, Negativism, or Indifference
  • Keep Warm with a Steady Flame of Attention
  • Serve With a Special Vintage Reserve of 100 Gallons of L-O-V-E

Openers

Breakfasts

Grandma Elsie’s Blintz Casserole

“Blintz casserole was commonly served as a brunch dish when the whole mishpacha would all get together at grandma and grandpa Lindenfeld’s.” (Contributed by Etta Lindenfeld)

  • 2 pkg frozen blintzes
  • 1½ pts sour cream
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter or ¼ cup margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice and eggs. In large baking pan, melt 1 stick of butter/margarine. Add frozen blintzes and coat with the melted butter.

Arrange blintzes in pan. Pour sauce into pan and bake for 40 minutes

Grandma Jeanne’s Blintz Soufflé

“Okay, Grandma did not like to make this too often as it was served in the morning and requires that it be cooked that morning. and that required that she got up before 10:00 am. It is her recipe however, and I use it for Kiddush lunches all the time.” (Contributed by Steve Langer)

  • 2 packages frozen cheese blintzes, not browned
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 eggs, well beaten
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Thaw blintzes in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With all remaining ingredients, make a batter. Spray a rectangular Pyrex baking dish with your preferred fat or rub with butter. Lay blintzes in dish and pour batter to cover.

Bake until lightly golden. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries or peaches.

Mommy Etta’s Matzo Brei

“All my kids liked matzo brei. It is an easy and tasty way to combine eggs and a starch and we always had matzo in the house. Dad only liked margarine on his matzo so he was the only one who didn’t eat this stuff. I love it because it reminds me of my childhood.”

  • 2 sheets of matzo
  • 2 eggs
  • Margarine
  • Salt

Hold the matzo over a colander. Hold the 2 pieces of matzo together. Create matzo strips by break them along the ridges, about 1.5 inches wide. Then break the strips across to create approximate squares. (Don’t worry about making perfect squares because it will never break evenly; be brutal).

Place the colander with the matzo in sink under running hot water; if you have a spray function on your faucet that is helpful. Allow matzo to get soft, about one minute.

While matzo is draining, beat 2 eggs and put aside.

Melt margarine in medium sized fry pan or wok styled pan. Fry the matzo until it dries out, about 1½ minutes. Mix in eggs, stirring constantly to coat. Salt to taste.

Increase or decrease the egg/matzo ratio and the softness/firmness of the matzo to find your own matzo brei bliss.

Great Gramma Forster’s 6-Week Bran Muffins

“These are very moist and truly scrumptious!! You really can keep the dough this long and just bake up a muffin in the microwave whenever you feel the urge.”

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 5 tbsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ cup oil
  • 1 lb bran
  • Raisins, optional to taste

Beat eggs, add buttermilk and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, soda and salt in a large bowl. Add first mixture to second. Add oil, then bran and raisins. Store in refrigerator up to 6 weeks.

Scoop some of the dough into a baking cup. Microwave on medium for 40-50 seconds. Then cook again for 75-150 seconds. For each additional muffin you make at the same time, add 30 seconds per muffin, up to 7 muffins.

The time variations will depend on how large the baking cups are. With a few trials you’ll figure out what works best in your microwave. If the batter is very cold, the timing will be slightly longer. Makes 72-96 muffins.

Aunt Susan’s Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

“Pairs perfectly with Uncle Ron’s Fried Chicken.”

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup fluor
  • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • butter
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¾ cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder.

In another bowl, mix together butter, egg, honey, and milk until honey is fully incorporated. Gently add to dry mixture. Gently fold in blueberries. Do not over mix. Pour into lightly buttered 12 muffin tin.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean

Mommy Etta’s Baked Apple Pancake

“This was a favorite when Daddy wasn’t around and we could eat whatever we liked for dinner; including breakfast.”

  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp or less salt
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Locate a large cast-iron skillet that will fit into the oven. Toss apples with both sugars and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Mix milk and eggs in a blender or with beaters, then add flour and salt and mix to combine.

Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add apple mixture; cook, stirring often, until sugar melts, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and pour batter over.

Bake until pancake is puffed and golden. 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve immediately with powdered sugar on top.

Mike and Liz’s Scallion Pancakes

Liz Lindenfeld contributed four recipes, following the time-honored bridal tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The following recipe is “something borrowed”:

“We’ve enjoyed this dish created by our friends, Jim and Amy, many times. It’s a snap to make, and it’s one of Sara’s favorites for breakfast. We did change the dipping sauce a bit.”

  • 2 eggs
  • Milk (enough to make two cups when mixed with eggs)
  • ⅓ cup peanut oil
  • Dash sesame oil
  • Dash salt
  • 1 to⅓ cups flour (depending thickness desired)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp fresh chopped ginger (to taste)
  • 1 bunch finely sliced scallions

Mix eggs and milk together with whisk or eggbeater to make to cups. Add oils, salt and flour to make batter. Stir in ginger and scallions.

Cook in ungreased frying pan (cast iron is best, but any pan or griddle will do).

Seve immediately with dipping sauce.

The original sauce was just tamari or soy sauce, but we like to add a little smooth peanut butter and a dash of sesame oil, stirred to either a thin or thick consistency, depending on taste. We like our pancakes thin, like a crepe, and we roll them up and dip in the sauce.

Missy and Steve’s Sausage Egg Dish

“This dish is my specialty for Christmas morning”

  • 1 dozen eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 lbs breakfast sausage
  • 1½ shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1½ cups croutons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 in. pan.

Layer cooked sausage and cheese. In blender, mix eggs and milk. Pour over sausage and cheese. Place croutons on top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately.

Daddy Bob’s Light Belgian Waffles

“A childhood favorite and a Daddy classic.”

  • 6 eggs
  • 6 cups milk
  • 6 cups flour
  • 3 tbsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup safflower oil
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp vanilla

In large mixing bowl, separate the egg whites. In huge mixing bowl, retain only 4 eggs yolks. Beat egg whites until stiff (so stiff that you can make sculptures from them).

Combine all remaining ingredients in huge bowl. Blend, starting on low and gradually increasing the speed to medium high. Blend until smooth. With a spatula, gently fold egg whites into mixture.

Spray inside of the waffle maker with a thin coating of Pam. Pour enough batter to cover roughly ¾ of the lower section of the waffle maker and close. Cook until no steam comes out (or the waffle maker signals, if it is trustworthy).

Gently open making sure that each side separates cleanly. Repeat until done.

Serve with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar, strawberries, blueberries, banana, walnuts and whipped topping, and really good coffee (it’s ok to forego chocolate if you ace the rest of the toppings). Makes approximately 16 waffles.

Freeze remaining in large Zip-lock bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing.

Drinks

Uncle Herb’s Kir

“Herb always makes this for his sweetie.”

  • White wine (inexpensive Chardonnay preferred)
  • Crème de Cassis (Hiram Walker or the real stuff)
  • Ice Cubes
  • Swish of lime

Fill large, lovely wine glass (8oz) with lots of ice. Pour white wine to ¾ level. Pour crème de cassis until wine and crème de cassis colors the liquid a pale red, Squeeze ¼ of a lime and stir. Taste, if it tastes great, stop, if not, add a little more cassis.

If you run into a problem, call me.

Uncle Herb’s Special Gimlet

“Special for a reason”

  • 6 oz glass full of ice
  • Favorite Vodka or Gin
  • Rose’s lime juice

Pour about 1 oz, plus or minus to taste, of Rose’s lime juice. Fill glass ⅔ full with alcohol. Stir vigorously. For a little sweetener, float a little Cointreau on top or give a squeeze of lime.

Sharon’s Sherry

“From Mirella form the farm in Abruzzo.”

  • 1 litter of very dry grappa
  • 500 grams sugar
  • 1 kilogram sour cherries (not for eating)

Put cherries in a jar. Add sugar, a little each day until all is gone.

Keep in the dark for 15 days, then filter. Add grappa. After one month, drink.

Jennifer Montgomery’s Vodka Caesar

“This is essentially the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary.”

  • 4 oz Clamato Juice (found by tomato juice)
  • 4 oz vodka
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 good dashes hot sauce (Cholula or Tabasco)
  • 1 lime
  • Celery salt – some on plate for rimming and some for the drink
  • 1 heaping tsp horseradish, grated

Slice a wedge of lime and rub around rim of glass. Cover plate in celery salt. Dip glass rim into salt to cover.

Fill shaker ¼ full of ice. Add Clamato, vodka, Worcestershire, horseradish, hot sauce, ¼ tsp celery salt, and juice of ½ a lime. Shake well. Pour over fresh ice in glass being careful not to disturb the rimmed edge.

Drop in a lime wedge, sit back and enjoy. An urge to quietly humm ‘Oh Canada’ is quite normal. Serves 1.

Hors D’oeuvres and Sides

Sharon Lindenfeld’s Charoset: 3 Takes on a Tradition

“From the book Viaggio Illustrato nella Cucina Ebraica (or Illustrated Journey in Jewish Cuisine) by Claudio Aita, which I purchased in a Florence synagogue.

The book had three pages of charoset recipes from around the world. I chose three recipes. One from Israel, one from North Africa, and the last from the Veneto region of Italy, where Venice is located. I imagine the inhabitants of the Venetian ghetto would have made it this way.”

Israel

  • 20 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 6 bananas
  • 2 apples, chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 1 cup sweet white wine
  • ½ cup matzoh meal

In a medium bowl, zest and juice lemon and orange. Add remaining ingredients and blend.

North Africa

  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • ½ almonds, chopped
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 lemon

Juice and zest lemon. Combine with all other ingredients. Blend into paste.

Honey can be used to replace the sugar and the egg yolk

Italia (Veneto)

  • ¾ cup chestnuts
  • 1.5 grams apples
  • ⅔ cup dried pitted prunes
  • ½ cup raisins, chopped
  • ⅔ cup pitted dates
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1-2 oranges
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Boiling chestnuts to cook. After cool, shell. Peel and chop apples. Put chestnuts and apples in bowl. Juice oranges and add to mixture. Add other ingredients and blend.

Mom Debbie’s Coleslaw

“Sarah loves this ‘secret recipe’!”

  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp prepared mustard (Gulden’s)
  • ½-1 tsp Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up
  • Salt
  • 1 bag shredded cabbage
  • 1 bag shredded carrots

In a large container you will store in, mix together all ingredients except cabbage and carrots until smooth. Add a cabbage and carrots. If preferred, ‘broccoli slaw’ can be used. Mix together well to coat all vegetables.

Temmie’s Swedish Meatballs

“These work as a perfect little appetizer. Just stick a toothpick in and serve.”

  • 1 lb lean ground steak

For sauce:

  • 1½ cups water
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients, except meat, and simmer over low heat. Roll meatballs and add to sauce. Cook on low heat to desired doneness.

Sydnie’s Roasted Potato Salad

“The perfect side for anything barbecued.”

  • 2 lb potatoes (about 6 med-sized), preferably red skinned
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 slices bacon (optional)
  • 2 roasted red peppers
  • 2 green onions
  • ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • ½ cup mayo

Place oven racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Leave skin on potatoes and cut into medium-size chunks. Place in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder and salt. Toss until evenly coaled.

Tumble onto a large baking sheet and spread out as much as possible in one layer. Sometimes extra oil is required so potatoes don’t stick to the sheet; use your discretion.

Place bacon on a smaller baking sheet or in a pie plate. Roast bacon in top third and potatoes in bottom third of oven until bacon is crisp, 15-20 minutes, and potatoes are fork-tender, 30-35 minutes. No stirring or turning is necessary. When bacon is done, remove from oven and place slices on paper towels to soak up excess fat.

While potatoes and bacon are in oven, coarsely chop peppers and thinly slice onions. Place both in a large bowl and stir in sour cream and mayo. As soon as potatoes are done. add hot potatoes to may mixture. Stir until potatoes are evenly coated. Crumble bacon overtop. Stir until just mixed.

Salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or loosely covered and refrigerate until cold (my preference). Can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. Moisten the potatoes as needed by adding sour cream, 1 tbsp at a time, as the potatoes tend to soak up some of the dressing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

The Original Claremont Diner Marinated Salad

“The Claremont Diner, in Montclair NJ was famous for this salad, which Grandma Jeanne used to make for parties. It lasts in the refrigerator for weeks, and peaks at from about the 4th day through the second or even third week.” (Contributed by Steve Langer)

  • 1 onion
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 cups shredded green cabbage (or coleslaw mix)
  • 1 carrot
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1½-2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp water
  • Salt

Slice onion and cucumber into thin slices. Cut green pepper into smallish, julienne strips. Shred carrot.

Blend and chill for 2-3 days in a closed container. Shake it around when you go into the refrigerator for other stuff. Enjoy!

Sharon’s Torta di Ricotta

“This is from Bini, the farmer’s wife at the farm in Marche.”

  • 1½ cups ricotta
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 packet yeast
  • ¾ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix together cheese, egg and sugar. Add flour and yeast. Mix until smooth. Bake for 45 minutes.

Sauces, Dips and Seasonings

Aryn’s Bruschetta Salsa

“Serve as salsa, or use as bruschetta topping. Also excellent when added to pasta, hot or cold, or as topping for chicken, etc. All measures approximate; increase or decrease quantities to taste.”

  • 5 Roma (or other) tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can pitted black olives
  • 1½-2 cups marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
  • ½ cup marinade from artichokes
  • 2-4 tbsp red onion, chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
  • 1 handful (or 1 small plastic box) fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Chop all ingredients. Mix together in large bowl with approximately ½ cup marinade from the artichoke jar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Grandma Forster’s Horseradish Sauce

“This is our family’s favorite sauce to use on various cooked vegetables, such as broccoli and asparagus. It is also a favorite dip for raw veggies.”

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1 tbsp light olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 jar of horseradish, drained
  • 1¼ cups light olive oil

Place first 6 ingredients (egg through salt) in food processor or blender for approximately 15 seconds. While running, slowly add olive oil. Add drained horseradish and mix.

Susan and Ron’s Hummus B’Tahini

“I bring a double recipe to the office potlucks.”

  • 15½ oz can garbanzo beans
  • ½ cup roasted sesame tahini
  • 1½ tsp chopped garlic or 2 large cloves, chopped
  • Juice of ½ large lemon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 pkg pita bread

Drain the garbanzos, reserving the liquid. Put all the beans and about ⅔ of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, Run the processor about 45 seconds, or until well blended and smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more liquid and run processor again, until smooth consistency is reached. Chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hrs. May be made up to 2 days ahead.

Cut pita bread into 8 wedges each and serve with the hummus as a dip. Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.

Sharon Lindenfeld’s Rendering of “Max’s Ragu”

“Max was the guy in charge of the restoration project at Baiardo. He was once a chef. His meals were amazing, I tried to recreate them in the US, but they never were quite as good. Still, the best ragu (meat sauce) that I have ever tasted.”

  • 9 glugs of olive oil (2cm deep)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, cut in half, smashed
  • ½ onion, cut into big pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Dado (cube of bullion)
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1 pkg ground beef or other meat (sheep meat is great)
  • ½ cup wine
  • 1½ cans polpa di pomodoro (similar tomato puree)
  • 1 tbsp salt

On high heat, cook onions, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and dado in olive oil. Cook until onions are browned at the edges. Add red pepper and meat. Stir; cook well, approximately 10-15 minutes. Add wine and polpa di pomodoro.

Add 1-1½ canfulls of water (if using tomato puree, don’t drain puree and omit water). Let simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

Missy and Steve’s Mexican Salsa with Black Olives

“This salsa tastes even better the second day after the flavors have melded. People love this one!”

  • 2 large cans Hunts whole tomatoes
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro
  • 2 small cans chopped black olives
  • 1-2 fresh garlic cloves
  • 1 small bunch green onions
  • 2 4 oz cans chopped green chilies
  • 1-2 limes
  • 1 tsp salt

Pick the leaves off cilantro; cut leaves into small pieces. Discard stems.

Place cilantro in large bowl. Empty olives and chilies into bowl, squeeze in lime and mix. Add salt, pressed garlic, and green onions.

Drain tomatoes and chop them as fine as desired; add to mixture and stir well. Serve with chips. Makes about ½ gallon.

Missy and Steve’s Sea Salt and Herb Rub

“Use this rub to season pork, lamb, beef, chicken, or fish.”

  • 1⅓ cup coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup dried parsley
  • ¼ cup dried thyme
  • ¼ cup dried rosemary
  • ¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup dried shredded lemon peel
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp dried minced onion, finely crushed

In a medium bowl stir together salt, parsley, thyme, rosemary, pepper, lemon peel, garlic powder, and onion. Spoon mixture into 8 stainless steel 4 oz (½ cup) tins (available at crafts and kitchen-supply stores), stirring as you spoon.

Add lids and labels and store for up to 6 months. For gift giving, include “to use” directions, below. Makes eight 4 oz tins.

To use: stir salt mixture. Lightly brush pork, lamb, beef, chicken, or fish with olive oil. Rub evenly with salt mixture (use about 2 tsp per pound of meat, poultry, or fish). Let stand 15 minutes. Grill or roast as desired.

Soups

Grandma and Nana Style Chicken Soup

“Not all chicken soups (nor all men) are created equal. Some men can cook.” (Contributed by Steve Langer)

  • 2 whole chickens or 6-8 lbs of any raw chicken parts
  • 6 celery stalks
  • 1 large or 2 small onions
  • 2 large or 4 small carrots
  • 1 handful fresh parsley

Fill a large pot with cold water to 2” over the top of the ingredients. Take your cheap, pant load of chicken (can be backs, wings, thighs… it’s all good), and place pot with all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low but constant boil. Cook for 3 hours.

Using medium mesh strainer or small hole colander strain. Let cool enough that it will not heat up your entire refrigerator.

Refrigerate for 12 hours or more.

Remove from refrigerator. With slotted spoon, remove excess fat from the top. Heat to a simmer and season with salt and dry dill.

If the first few batches come out without enough flavor there is too much water to “stuff” (this is professional term). Cheat by adding a few cans of Campbell’s chicken broth and you will get the desired result.

Mom Debbie’s Hot and Sour Soup

“Our version of Chicken soup when someone has a bad cold!”

  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 can baby corn, cut in bite size pieces
  • 1 can sliced water chestnuts
  • 1 can bean sprouts
  • 1 can bamboo shoots
  • 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup firm tofu, cubed
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp hot sauce
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 cup cooked meat (chicken, turkey, pork)

Chop and sauté green onions in oil until tender. Put onions all other ingredients in a big pot and simmer for one hour.

Mom Debbie’s Best French Onion Soup

“This is a company dish that is always well received.”

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 medium sweet onions (like Vidalia if available)
  • 2 medium red onions
  • 2 medium yellow onions
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1¾ cups beef stock
  • 3½ cups chicken stock
  • 1½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 8 slices of baguette, ½ in thick
  • 1½ cups grated gouda cheese

Cut all onions into ¼ in. slices. Toast baguette slices.

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add all onions and black pepper. Sauté on medium low heat until nicely browned and beginning to caramelize, approximately 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking.

Add flour and stir until it disappears. Turn up heat to medium high and add stocks and thyme. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and cover. Cook until the soup is slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

Preheat broiler and ladle soup into ovenproof bowls. Place a slice of toast in each bowl and top with the grated cheese, Heat under broiler 3-5 minutes to melt and brown the cheese. Serve immediately.

Great Gramma Huhn’s Oxtail Soup

“Dylan’s great grandmother was famous for her oxtail soup, though he probably never got the chance to taste it.” (Contributed by Debbie Thomas)

  • 3-4 oxtails
  • 2 qt water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 large can tomatoes
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup pearl barley
  • 1 large onion, chopped

Place water, oxtail, salt, pepper, barley and onion in a pot and heat until boiling. Decrease heat and simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

Add celery, carrots, tomatoes and parsley and cook an additional 20 minutes or until tender.

Main Courses

Fish and Poultry

Aunt Liz’s Seared Ahi Tuna with Peanut Butter Chipotle Sauce

Liz Lindenfeld contributed four recipes, following the time-honored bridal tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The following recipe is “something new”:

“This is not your typical Asian soy sauce-based marinade. It’s unusual and very delicious. Some of the ingredients might not be in your pantry, but they’re easy to purchase at most grocery stores. I was served this dish in my cooking class at Rancho La Puerta, [a cooking school in Tecate, Mexico] and I had no trouble recreating it at home. The sauce is specially to die for!”

For fish:

  • 24 oz Ahi Tuna, cut into six, 4 oz portions
  • 1½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sea salt (half if using table salt)
  • ½ tsp masala powder (Indian spice)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp fennel seed, toasted and ground
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

For sauce:

  • ½ cup light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce is fine
  • 1 tbsp mirin (Asian rice wine, not wine vinegar, found in specialty grocers)
  • 1 tbsp agave syrup (sweet Mexican syrup)
  • 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo or jalapeno
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove

In shallow dish, mix all ingredients except fish and oil to make a rub. Using 1 tbsp olive oil, coat each piece of fish and roll in the spice mixture to cover. Place fish on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

While fish is marinating in the fridge, prepare sauce. Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth.

Remove fish from fridge. Heat remaining tbsp olive oil in sauté pan over high heat. Place tuna in pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the rareness desired.

Heat sauce slowly in small saucepan just until warm. Pour over fish and serve. Sauce is also delicious over rice, beans, pasta, whatever…

Grandma Forster’s Beef Stew

“This is a recipe I found in a French cookbook that I received many years ago as a gift from my Mother. In these several moves we have made over the years, this cookbook has sadly been lost along the way. I have been making this elegant stew for over fifty years. It has been a favorite of Chip’s from the time he was a baby, when I used to put it in the blender for him to eat, until he cut a few teeth, and it has been a family favorite for many years.”

  • 2 lbs cross rib pot roast cut into bite size chunks
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • ¼ tsp thyme
  • ¼ tsp marjoram
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ cup fresh celery leaves
  • 1 cup peppers, cut in 1 inch squares (red, yellow, orange or green)
  • 1 large (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 small package pearl onions
  • 4 large carrots, cut into bite sized chunks
  • 4 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks

Dust meat with flour and put in crock-pot, Dutch oven, or covered casserole dish. Add everything but onions, potatoes and carrots.

Cook in crock-pot on low as long as crock-pot instructions state for stews. Cook in Dutch over or casserole dish at 325 for 1 hour or more, until meat is fork tender.

While meat and sauce are cooking, boil or steam potatoes, carrots and onions until tender, adding them to stew during the last ½ hour. Serves 4 to 6.

Mom Debbie’s Biryani

“Our family lived in Abu Dhabi from the time Dylan was 8 until he was 13. He was a fairly adventurous eater and enjoyed the local specialties. This is a very common dish there and can be made as spicy as you can tolerate. If you like it spicy, add some chopped chili peppers with onions.”

  • 1½ lb lamb or chicken, cubed
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • Ghee (or clarified melted butter)
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp bullion paste
  • 1½ cups raw white rice
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • 1 small onion, chopped

Brown the onion and meat in the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add spices and rice with 3½ cups of water. Close cooker and process for 20 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.

While it is cooking, brown pine nuts, raisins and onion garnish in ghee. When done cooking, reduce pressure, stir up and put the garnish on top.

Aunt Ann’s Broiled Chicken

“If possible, cook chicken whole, it’s much more juicy this way.”

  • 1 whole chicken
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic
  • Paprika

Preheat oven on broil. Season one side of the chicken to taste. Broil until lightly browned. Turn and season other side and repeat until browned.

Turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes.

Grandma Jeanne’s Country Chicken

“What would a visit to Grandma’s be without her spending two days making Country Chicken, and, bless her memory, reheating it when you arrived to be sure that the chicken had dried out sufficiently? This recipe is adapted to be made in about an hour and fifteen minutes; right before you eat it. You will feel like you cheated; but that’s okay… Cowboy up and feel your self-esteem return. This recipe uses two whole chickens, as it doesn’t pay to make less.”

  • 2 chickens
  • 4 Italian sausage links (chicken or pork also acceptable if preferred)
  • 16 very small or 10 medium potatoes, cut into pieces
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 jar pepperoncini (15 peppers)
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cans of chicken broth

Okay, get ready to rumble! This will require multi-tasking. Remember, Grandma took two days to do this and engaged her famous sous Chef, Sol, as well. You are going to pot this puppy onto the table in one and one quarter hours! Focus!

Cut up chickens and retain desired parts. Cut up potatoes. Peel onion. Half lengthwise and julienne cut into ½ in. wide strips.

Put olive oil in a large heavy skillet on stove. Fill a medium-large saucepan ⅔ full with water; bring to a boil.

Season chicken with salt and black pepper. Using olive oil, brown chicken in skillet. Meanwhile, (here comes the multi-tasking promised), boil potatoes for approximately 10 minutes. Fish potatoes out of pot: keep the water boiling in the pot. Add whole sausage links to water and simmer for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. convection if possible.

At this point. the chicken should be browned (probably two batches) and the potatoes parboiled. Now, drain water from sausages and run cold water over them to cool down.

Pour off almost all of the fat from the skillet; reheat while cutting sausage into 1 in. pieces. When heated, brown sausage in the skillet. Add onions. When onions are approximately half cooked, add the potatoes. Sauté approximately 3-4 minutes until potatoes begin to brown. Remove skillet from heat.

Heat chicken stock to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a large casserole dish, layer chicken, skillet mixture and peperoncini until all items are used up.

Pour stock over the whole shebang. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees using an instant read thermometer.

If this took you more than an hour and twenty minutes from start to finish, you really need to make it again next Sunday until you get it down!

Jennifer Montgomery’s Thai Chicken Curry

“Awesome and sooo easy!”

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • ½ tbsp cayenne
  • 1 14 oz can coconut milk
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken or lamb
  • 2 tbsp apricot jam

Cook onion and garlic in oil until softened, though not too soft. Mix flour and curry powder together, and add to onion mixture. If you want a spicy curry, add cayenne now. Stir well for 1 minute.

Begin to add about ¾ can of coconut milk (more can be added if desired, though sauce will be thinner). Stir in apricot jam.

Add chicken and allow all to warm through. Serve on rice and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Mom Debbie’s Chicken Delight

“An easy to make but tasty dish.”

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 4 slices Provolone cheese
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • ½ cup wine (whatever you have open)
  • ⅓ cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups stuffing cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay chicken in a baking dish and place a slice of cheese on each breast. Mix soup with wine until smooth. Pour over chicken. Top with stuffing cubes and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes.

Great Gramma Huhn’s Lemon Chicken

“A recipe that great gramma is remembered for.”

  • 4-6 chicken legs or 4-12 thighs
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Peel from one lemon (use potato peeler)
  • 1 cup safflower oil
  • 4 level tsp granulated beef bullion
  • 2 level tsp garlic powder
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 2 level tbsp flour

Bake chicken in oven until well cooked. Set aside in the pan.

To prepare sauce, mix remaining ingredients in blender. Blend until creamy and lemon peel is chopped. Then pour into a saucepan and heat until it thickens.

Pour over the precooked chicken and bake again until bubbly and golden. Serve with curried rice.

Mom Debbie’s Mexican Chicken Olé Casserole

“One of Dylan’s favorites.”

  • 4 chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 6 tortillas (flour or corn)
  • ⅛ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp sage
  • ¼ cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together.

Bake in a 9 x 13 baking dish for approximately 45 minutes.

Temmie’s Sweet and Sour Chicken

“This is a wonderful recipe. Everybody seems to like it, so I always seem to be making it for dinner parties. You can serve it with anything; rice, potatoes- Oh, and Uncle Bernie says to say he likes it with pasta!”

  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 2-3 lbs chicken breast
  • ½ cup chili sauce or ketchup
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp maple syrup

Put onions on the bottom of 6 qt pot and simmer on low. Add chicken and sauté for 15 minutes, until brown.

In a mixing bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients. Cover chicken with sauce and simmer on low for 1 hour.

Uncle Ron’s Honey-Pepper Buttermilk Fried Chicken

“With the ideal couple, one likes white meat and one dark meat. A ‘less than perfect couple’ can make the recipe with all breasts or all legs/thighs. Perfect Aunt Susan’s Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins.”

  • 1 tbsp salt
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 qt buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 whole fryer, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 tbsp Emmeril’s Essence (available in most supermarkets)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • Oil

Combine salt, honey, and lemon zest in a large plastic or stainless-steel bowl. Add buttermilk, and whisk until salt is dissolved and honey is fully incorporated. Immerse chicken and refrigerate at least 3 hours (up to 24 hrs).

Combine flour, Essence, pepper in a doubled brown paper lunch bag. Shake to combine. Add chicken pieces one or two at a time into bag and shake until covered with flour mixture.

Place chicken pieces on a large wire rack, set over a sheet tray and let rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Fry chicken in batches (about 8 minutes per side) until internal temperature is 160 degrees.

Serve hot or cold.

Jennifer Montgomery’s Duck Confit

“Very important – the duck must be salted a day before you plan to cook it.”

  • 3 tbsp salt
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 shallot, peeled and sliced
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • Coarsely ground black pepper
  • 4 duck legs with thighs
  • 4 duck wings, trimmed
  • 4 cups duck fat

Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt in the bottom of a dish or plastic container large enough to hold the duck pieces in a single layer. Evenly scatter half the garlic, shallots, and thyme in the container. Arrange the duck, skin-side up, over the salt mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, shallots, and thyme and a little pepper,

Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt the duck fat. Brush the salt and seasonings off the duck. Arrange duck pieces in a single snug layer in a high-sided baking dish or ovenproof saucepan. Pour the melted fat over the duck (duck pieces should be covered by fat) and place the confit in the oven.

Cook confit slowly at a very slow simmer, just an occasional bubble, until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, approximately 2-3 hours. Remove confit from the oven.

Cool and store the duck in the fat (confit will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks).

Note: The duck fat can be strained, cooled and reused.

Grandma Elsie’s Hungarian Goulash

“My mother never cooked ‘light’; it wasn’t the European way. Goulash was one of those ‘not light’ staple dishes in our house that my mother would prepare in advance and warm up after she came home from work. Like many Hungarian dishes, it is made with an inexpensive cut of meat that is cooked until tender, which in this case is about 3+ hours. It tastes better the second and third day and it always fills you up!” (Contributed by Etta Lindenfeld)

  • 1.5 lbs beef shank, shoulder, or any tender part of the beef, cut into 2 x 2 cm cubes
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1-2 carrots, diced
  • 1 parsnip, diced
  • 1-2 celery leaves
  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 green peppers, sliced
  • 2-3 medium potatoes, sliced
  • 1 tbsp Hungarian paprika powder
  • 1 tsp ground caraway seed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Späetzle
  • Water

In a large pot, heat oil. Braise chopped onions in it until golden brown. Sprinkle onions with paprika powder while stirring to prevent paprika from burning. Add beef cubes and sauté until white and brownish in color. Let beef-cubes simmer in their juice while adding garlic, caraway seed, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover the content of the pan and let simmer on low heat.

When the meat is half-cooked, approximately 1½ hours, though time may differ depending on the type and quality of the beef, add the diced carrots, parsnip, potatoes, celery leaf and more salt. In necessary, add more water, (generally 2-3 cups).

When vegetables and meat are almost done, add diced tomatoes and green peppers. Cook on low heat until vegetables are lightly done. If desired, remove cover to let soup thicken.

Serve over späetzle.

Debbie’s Marinated Lamb Steaks

“Our family enjoys lamb and this is a very popular way to make it at our house.”

  • 4 lamb steaks
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp catsup
  • 1 tbsp vinegar (balsamic preferred)
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients, except meat in a large zip lock bag and mix up. Put meat in bag and cover completely with mixture. Seal bag and let marinate about 3 hours. Grill meat, using sauce to baste as it cooks.

Phyllis’ Meatballs

“These are basic meatballs for when you don’t want to use a tomato sauce.”

  • 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp oil (canola or other)
  • 1 can (about 10 ½ oz) beef consommé
  • 1 tsp parsley, dried or fresh
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Mix all the ingredients except the oil, parsley, cornstarch and consommé. Form into approximately 12 medium-sized meatballs. Heat the oil in skillet; brown meatballs on all sides.

Pour off any oil remaining in the skillet. Add to consommé to meatballs and sprinkle in parsley. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Dilute cornstarch with cold water. Add cornstarch to thicken the gravy as necessary.

Grandma Jeanne’s Meatloaf in the Loaf

“Easy and great to freeze for future use. Serve with cold beer or medium bodied red wine, crisp salad, potato chips, and finish with dark chocolate with nuts!” (Contributed by Bob Langer)

  • 1 lb crusty Italian bread
  • 2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
  • ½ large onion
  • 2 tbsp seasoned salt
  • Favorite burger seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut Italian bread in half. Using a pointed, sharp 4-6 in. knife and a long spoon, hollow the bread out, carefully leaving about ¾-1 in. thickness. Be careful not to pierce the sides. Save the bread removed. Set hollowed bread shell aside.

Dice bread removed from inside into cubes approximately ½-¾ in. on a side. Dice onion into cubes approximately ¼-½ in. on a side.

In a large bowl, mix meat, bread cubes, onion, seasoned salt and favorite burger seasonings. Knead until mixture reaches uniform consistency. Wash your hands!

Cook meat mixture in a saucepan over a medium flame until medium rare, stirring constantly with a large spoon or flat ladle.

Leaving fat on the bottom of the pan, immediately scoop the meat into the hollowed-out bread shells. Pack meat as tightly as practical without breaking the bread shell.

Completely wrap each half of stuffed bread in aluminum foil so that no part is exposed.

If freezing for future use, seal in Zip-lock removing as much air as possible before sealing. Thaw fully before cooking by placing in fridge for approximately 20 hours or on counter for approximately 6 hours.

Bake on a middle shelf for approximately 20 minutes; outside of the bread should be crisp.

Slice into sections approximately 2 in. wide, except for the end piece which should be 3-4 in. wide to account for the extra thickness of bread at that part of the loaf. Serves 3-4.

Uncle Jack’s Small Meatloaf

“Once you’ve made used this recipe, you will probably choose to disregard it, choosing the ingredients and measurements that best suit you and your family. Great for next day for sandwiches.”

  • 1½ lb ground beef
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 tsp A-1 sauce
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • Small can of diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup onion, chopped
  • 3 tbsp shredded carrot
  • ⅓ cup celery, diced
  • 1 tbsp pimentos, chopped
  • ⅓ cup green bell pepper, chopped
  • Bread crumbs or saltine cracker crumbs
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1 can mushroom soup (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, A-1 sauce, ketchup, pimentos, salt and pepper to taste. Add celery, onion, ½ cup tomatoes, carrot, bell pepper and meat; mix. Add crumbs enough to permit molding into the shape of your pan.

Lay a piece of aluminum foil on bottom of pan; empty meat mixture into pan and place two pieces of bacon on top.

Bake for 1 hour. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Usually served with baked potatoes and fresh green beans or carrots.

Optional: After 40 minutes, heat mushroom soup in small pan to be used as gravy.

Uncle Jack’s Open-Faced Reuben

“Unlike a typical Reuben, make this with thin layers for a much enhanced flavor.”

  • Light or dark rye bread (to taste)
  • Fresh or canned sauerkraut
  • Thin sliced corned beef
  • Butter
  • Thousand Island Dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter bread lightly and bake in oven until toasted (this takes the “sog” out and adds flavor). Use two pieces of toast bread per serving, add one thin layer of corned beef, followed by a layer of sauerkraut. On top of the sauerkraut, spread some Thousand Island Dressing, then cover with a slice of Swiss cheese. Repeat process for a second layer.

Daddy Bob’s Salmon En Croute

“Serve with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, fresh asparagus, cottage or baked potatoes, and consider a chocolate fondue with fruit for dessert.”

  • 2 lb salmon filet
  • 2-3 pkgs crescent dinner roll dough (dependent on amount of salmon)
  • ¾ cup white roué or mashed potatoes, seasoned to taste
  • Olive oil
  • Seasoned salt
  • Dry mustard
  • 1 large or 2 medium lemons

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice lemon into wedges and set aside.

Wash salmon and pat dry. Rub a small amount of olive oil on both sides, then season with seasoned salt and dry mustard.

Make the roué or mashed potatoes.

Open crescent dinner roll containers one at a time and spread dough on aluminum foil. Smooth perforations in dough so it has an even consistency without holes. Select a section of dough that is about 1.5 times the footprint of the salmon and spread a light coat of the roué/mashed potatoes onto this section of the dough.

Place salmon on top of roué/potatoes. Cover exposed part of the salmon with a light coat of the remaining roué/mashed potatoes. Completely encase salmon in dough by turning remaining dough up over the top of the salmon and adding more dough as necessary. Seal top and sides so that there are no gaps.

Squeeze lemon a small amount on top to season. Place in baking pan. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4.

Phyllis’ Salmon Loaf

“This recipe is so easy and turns out very tasty!”

  • 1 cup flaked salmon
  • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp onion flakes
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 egg
  • 1 grated carrot
  • Mrs. Dash seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients. Place mixture in a greased loaf pan. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Jennifer Montgomery’s Sausage and Peppers

“This is Chris’ favorite.”

  • 4 sausages (not breakfast variety)
  • 3 peppers, sliced (1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green)
  • 1 Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • Olive oil
  • White wine
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions; cook until onions are translucent. Add peppers, a splash of white wine, salt and pepper.

In a separate pan, cook sausages until almost fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and cut into bite size pieces. Add sausage and liquid from the sausage pan to skillet and continue to cook until sausages are cooked through.

If a spicy dish is desired, add some crushed red pepper to the peppers and onions. Can be served over rice.

Uncle Jack Bedsole’s Barbecued Shrimp

“A great dish for entertaining.”

  • 15-25 large shrimp
  • Regular bacon
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Skewers

Clean and de-vein shrimp, leaving the tails on. Cook bacon either in microwave or on flat surface until bacon is about two-thirds cooked. Bacon must be flexible enough to be wrapped around shrimp and must remain fairly flat without lots of wrinkles.

Wrap one full slice of bacon around each shrimp and skewer in such a way as to hold bacon closely to the shrimp. Continue process until you have loaded skewer, usually 8-10 shrimp.

Brush barbecue sauce on both sides and place on hot grill. Grill 2-4 minutes per side, depending upon whether you are using charcoal or gas and how far the grill is from the flames. Add barbecue sauce as necessary.

Serve immediately. Expect 4 or 5 skewers per person.

Charlotte’s Greek Shrimp

“This recipe is great to bring to sick friends because it travels well in a casserole dish. I remember bringing this to Sol and Jeanne after Sol had prostate surgery. They were very happy to be fed!”

  • 1 small green pepper, chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • ⅔ cup raw rice
  • 2 cups stewed tomatoes
  • 1 cup clam juice
  • 10 oz frozen or fresh shrimp
  • 1 can minced clams
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • ½ cup feta cheese

Sauté green pepper in butter for approximately 5 minutes. Add rice, tomatoes and clam sauce. Gently boil, 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender. Add frozen shrimp and clams. Simmer about 5 minutes, until shrimp is cooked.

Sprinkle with feta and serve.

Melanie and Jonah’s Shrimp Penne with Scampi Wine Sauce

“This is a really basic recipe for Shrimp Scampi. Takes about 15 minutes to make and it will bring even the most discerning guests to their knees!”

  • ¾ lb penne (or other pasta)
  • 1½ tbsp salted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb shrimp
  • ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • ⅓ cup fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Zest from said lemons
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Boil a large pot of water. Add the pasta.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a pan. Add olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds (not too hot). Add shrimp, salt and pepper; cook for about 5 minutes until done. Add the wine and cook for about 1 minute.

When the pasta is done, mix the liquid from the shrimp, lemon juice, parsley and red pepper to the drained pasta.

Serve the shrimp on top of the pasta and sprinkle with a large dose of parmesan cheese. Serve with white wine and Cesar salad. Enjoy!!

Uncle Ron’s Shrimp Scampi and Linguine

“This is the best Scampi recipe I’ve found, and I’ve tried lots of them because Scampi is among my favorite dishes. Easy and delicious!”

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ lb large or jumbo shrimp, peeled
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of ½ lemon, grated
  • ½ lemon, thinly sliced into ½ in. rounds
  • ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ¼ tsp fresh black pepper
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ lb linguine
  • Grated parmesan cheese

In large pot of boiling water, begin cooking linguine.

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. When butter is fully melted, add garlic. Sauté about 10 seconds, then add shrimp. Sauté, stirring frequently, until shrimp have turned pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, rounds, parsley and peppers.

Drain pasta in colander and immediately put back in the pot. Add shrimp and sauce, and toss well.

Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese. Serves 2.

Melanie and Jonah’s Lemon (or Lime) Pepper Flank Steak

“This is a recipe I stole from Cooking Light and modified slightly. It’s really easy to make and yummily delicious!”

  • 1½ lb Flank Steak
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1½ tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon (or lime) juice

Throw all ingredients into a plastic bag and marinate for 4 to 8 hours. Cook steak on grill (about 4 minutes on each side). Slice into strips about ¼ in. against the grain.

Serve with salad, corn on the cob, baked potato, or homemade fries. Serves 2-3.

Mom Debbie’s Tunisian Tuna on Couscous

“This is a quick and easy dinner recipe that you can fix even if you don’t have much time or energy at the end of a long day.”

  • 2 cups water
  • 10 oz couscous
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium zucchinis, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, cut in strips
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 16 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ⅛ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 can solid white tuna, drained
  • 8 large pimento stuffed olives, sliced

Boil the water and ½ tsp salt. Add couscous. Cover and let stand.

Heat oil. Sauté zucchini and onion 3-4 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Stir in chickpeas, tomato sauce, spices and rest of salt. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes. Add tuna, breaking it into chunks. Stir in olives.

Serve over fluffed couscous.

Pasta, Grains and Beans

Aunt Lynn’s Cabbage and Noodles

“This is a Hungarian vegetarian dish that my Mom made and I always loved. It may not sound good, but, believe me, it is.”

  • 1 cabbage, shredded
  • 1 lb wide egg noodles
  • Canola oil, (in place of chicken schmaltz) as needed

In frying pan, bring approximately 3 tbsp oil to sizzle. Add cabbage and sauté a long time, until cabbage turns very soft and light brown. Stir often.

Cook noodles until soft, drain and add to cabbage. Add oil as necessary, salt and pepper to taste.

Aunt Sue’s Hash Brown Casserole

“An easy to do side dish, good for when you have a crowd.”

  • 2 lb pkg frozen hash browns
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 can of undiluted cream of chicken or mushroom soup
  • 1 tsp salt
  • dash of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour over hash browns. In another bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Pour over potatoes and mix well.

Place in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for one hour, or until casserole bubbles.

Aunt Liz’s Kugel

“Liz Lindenfeld contributed four recipes, following the time-honored bridal tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The following recipe is “something old”:

“This recipe of my mom’s probably came from my grandmother or my mom’s best friend, Celia Levitt. We celebrated many Jewish holidays in her home. I make this noodle pudding almost every year at Rosh Hashanah.”

  • 1 pint sour cream (low-fat is fine)
  • 1 pint sour cottage cheese (low-fat is fine)
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 12 oz. broad noodles
  • ¼ pound melted butter or margarine
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Handful raisins, golden or regular
  • Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil and drain noodles. In medium bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar. Add butter. Add remaining ingredients except egg whites, raisins, and cinnamon.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold mixed ingredients into whites.

Place in 9 x 13 baking pan (pyrex, etc.). Add raisins. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until knife inserted into dish comes out clean.

Note: This dish can be frozen and reheated.

Nana Steb’s Light-as-a-Feather Matzo Balls

“Known to be the best, lightest, fluffiest matzo balls on earth.” (Contributed by Steve Langer)

  • 1 box matzo meal

On the package will be a recipe for matzo balls.

Nana simply replaced the “chicken stock or water” with soda water and still used chicken fat. I suggest replacing the stock with water and fat with butter for the finest matzo balls in all the realm… not so kosher though.

Disregard directions on package. Beat eggs. Add butter and the salt (yes, they definitely need salt), and let sit for about a minute. Fold in soda water.

Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Use a small ice cream scoop to measure the mix then lightly roll in your palms to make a ball. Wet hands in between if the mix is sticking to your palms or fingers. Be gentle.

Place into stock or salted water for poaching for approximately 40 minutes. Do not turn; instead cover and steam cook.

Note: Matzo balls can be made right before service, or a day ahead and chilled and reheated in soup.

Aunt Lynn’s Polenta and Sausage

“One of my favorite recipes for a cold winter’s night when a couple or two are coming for dinner.”

  • 1,8 oz onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 6 oz turkey sausage
  • 8 oz zucchini
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ lb plum tomatoes
  • 2 ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp finely ground cornmeal

Chop onion and zucchini and dice tomatoes. Sauté onion in oil, adding minced garlic. Cut sausage into 1” chunks, add to onion and garlic. Cook until brown with garlic on all sides.

Add zucchini and cook until it takes on color. Add tomatoes, wine, oregano, thyme and sugar. Simmer for ½ hour.

To prepare polenta, bring chicken stock to boil. Slowly stir in cornmeal and cook to a soft mush.

Top polenta with sausage mixture. Serve with sprinkled parmesan on top.

Jennifer Montgomery’s Skillet Potatoes with Olives and Lemon

“Delicious.”

  • ¼ cup green olives, such as picholine or arbequina
  • 1 lb fingerling or small red potatoes, peeled (if desired) and halved lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 (3 x 1 in.) strips lemon zest, removed with vegetable peeler
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • Lemon wedges

Smash olives with flat side of a large knife. Discard pits and chop olives. Toss potatoes with olives, oil, zest, cumin, salt and pepper in a 10 in. heavy skillet. Add water and bring to a boil.

Cover skillet and boil over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes. Remove lid and cook, stirring, until water is evaporated, 1-2 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4.

Aunt Ann’s Onion Rice

“Goes with anything”

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1½ cups Jasmine Rice
  • 2 envelopes Onion Soup Mix
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

Brown rice in butter. Add onion soup mix, water and drained water chestnuts.

Cook approximately ½ hour or until done.

Vegetables

Gram M’s Broccoli Casserole

“A requirement for every Montgomery Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas celebration.” (Contributed by Sydnie Lane)

  • ¼ cup margarine
  • ½ cup onions
  • ½ cup celery
  • 1 cup Cheez Whiz
  • 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 package frozen broccoli
  • 1 cup cooked minute rice (1 cup water : 1 cup rice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large (2 quart) casserole dish, melt margarine on stove top. Add onions and celery and cook until soft. Mix in remaining ingredients and bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.

Grandma Forester’s Stuffed Cabbage

“In the sixties when Grandpa and I lived in an apartment in New York, we would go to Jennie Grosinger’s in the Catskills for a weekend now and then, where first sampled this wonderful dish. We liked it so much, we bought her cookbook, Jennie Grosinger’s Jewish Cooking. and over the years it was a favorite with our family for special holidays. Enjoy!”

  • 1 large head of cabbage
  • 2 tbsp butter or oil
  • 2 medium onions sliced
  • 3 cups canned tomatoes
  • 3 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Beef bones
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 3 tbsp uncooked rice
  • 4 tbsp grated onion
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup seedless raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour boiling water over cabbage, cover and let soak for 15 minutes. Carefully remove 12 large leaves or 18 small leaves from cabbage.

Heat butter or oil in a deep heavy saucepan. Lightly brown onions, tomatoes, beef bones, half of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

Mix together grated beef, rice, egg and water. Place some of meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Tuck in the sides of the leaf and roll up carefully. Add to sauce.

Bake in oven for 1½ hours. Add honey, lemon juice, and raisins, and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Serves 6 as main course, 12 as appetizer.

Aunt Lynn’s Touted Coppasta, or Suffed Cabbage

“This sugarless Hungarian recipe is quite tart.

The more common recipe is Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage; to alter, add ½ brown sugar cookies and the juice of one lemon to sauce. The cookies fall apart and melt into the sauce, giving it a very good taste. Raisins can also be added for extra sweetness.”

  • 1 head cabbage
  • 1½ lbs chop meat
  • ½ cup white rice
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 1 can sauerkraut, rinsed of salt
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Take out core of cabbage and put into pot of boiling water to loosen leaves. Take leaves off gently. Shave down tough membrane in middle of the leaf so leaf can be rolled.

Combine meat and rice. At the bottom of each leaf, place a heaping tablespoon of the meat and rice mixture. Roll leaf halfway, turn the sides into the center and finish rolling. If desired, use toothpick to secure.

Empty sauerkraut into large pot. Place rolls on top of sauerkraut and cover with tomato sauce. Cover and cook on medium low heat for 2 hours.

Grandma Jeanne’s Eggplant Parmesan

“A recipe in Three Acts (Jeannie had a flair for drama).” (Contributed by Daddy)

  • One large ripe eggplant
  • Seasoned bread crumbs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ½ cup milk
  • Light cooking oil (safflower, canola or olive)
  • 1 lb of mozzarella cheese
  • 22 oz can tomato sauce

To do this like they did in the old country (New Jersey), you need to prepare the eggplant (Act 1) and build the casserole (Act 2) at least 4 hours before you plan to serve. This can be done days or weeks before, or (G-d forbid), in the morning before dinner.

Act 1 Peel eggplant. Slice the eggplant thinly, but be careful not to slice yourself because it’s gritty. (When grandpa bought the slicing machine Jeannie really hit her stride). The slices should be about the same thickness as a good brisket, ideally about ⅛ in., definitely not more than ¼ in. If the slices are thick, the eggplant will taste bitter.

Soak the pieces in room temperature water for about 30 minutes. Lay out slices on paper towels to dry. Soaking helps remove bitterness, but the real trick to this is the slow simmering in good stuff that happens in Act 3. In large bowl (must be large enough to fit largest eggplant slice), beat yolks egg with milk. Empty seasoned bread crumbs into similar sized bowl. Select a large (12-16 in.) flat frying pan and pour enough cooking oil in it to just cover the bottom. Heat oil on a medium to medium-high flame.

Bread the eggplant pieces by dipping them in the egg yolk/milk, then the seasoned bread crumbs, and immediately fry both sides in cooking oil. Once eggplant is crisp and light brown, remove and drain on paper towel.

Intermission (Wash your hands, wash your face, have a cold drink; maybe a gin and tonic?)

Act 2 Slice the mozzarella real thin, but not so thin that it breaks, you can see through it, or you hurt yourself. Uncover tomato sauce so it is prepared to pour.

Select a large oven-safe ceramic or Pyrex bowl (roughly 1.25 x the size of the eggplant you started with), or if that’s not available (but it should be), a large rectangular baking dish (though honestly, the casserole doesn’t slow cook as well in something that shallow). Pour a small amount of cooking oil into Pyrex and turn so that the oil covers the sides.

Put a layer of breaded eggplant in the bowl. Cover with sliced mozzarella, followed by tomato sauce. Repeat till you run out of space (hopefully not ingredients)

You can now:

  • put this in the oven on a timer (see Act 3)
  • cover it real good and put it in the fridge to cook tomorrow
  • hermetically seal it and freeze it for some special occasion (don’t forget about it, you’ve got a lot invested already!)

Intermission II (You know the drill.)

Act 3 Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees (300 if you stooped to using a rectangular baking dish).

If Act 3 doesn’t begin until a while after Act 2, gently turn the bowl to get the oil at the bottom back up on the sides. Cover the casserole real good with aluminum foil and put it in the oven. If the layers end close to the top, consider putting something below to catch any sauce that tries to escape and mess up your oven.

Put eggplant in oven. Come back in 4 hours (2 hours if you used the shallow dish).

Find some really good medium bodied red wine, Caesar salad, garlic bread and dark chocolate. Enjoy! Serves about 4, depending on the size of the eggplant, how thin you slice it, and the relative hunger of each diner.

Mom Debbie’s Stuffed Zucchini

“My family loves this thing I concocted from several recipes. Filling freezes well so you can double the recipe and make it again later. If you don’t feel like scooping and filling, I have also made it using a layer of sliced par boiled zucchini covered with the filling and cheese. It doesn’t look as cool, but it is quicker!”

  • 4 medium sized zucchini squash
  • 1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 1¼ cups leftover cooked rice (brown or white)
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp marjoram
  • 1 cube or packet vegetable or beef broth mix
  • ½-¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the squash in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove. Trim ends and slice lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a thin ‘boat.’ Place boats in a shallow baking dish.

Chop the removed pulp and set aside.

Brown meat in a skillet with onion. Once browned, add pulp. Stir in remaining ingredients except the cheese. Fill the boats to overflowing.

Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Sweets & Treats

Bars and Baked Goods

Aunt Ann’s Buster Bar Dessert

“Well worth the 3 step process.”

Sauce:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1½ cups evaporated milk
  • ⅔ cups chocolate chips
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Crust:

  • 1 lb Oreo cookies
  • ½ cup melted butter

Filling:

  • 1½ cup Spanish peanuts
  • ½ gallon vanilla ice cream, softened

In a medium saucepan, mix together powdered sugar, evaporated milk, chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla. Stir constantly. Let cool.

To prepare crust, crush and combine Oreos and melted butter. Spread mixture into 9” x 13” pan.

Place peanuts over cookie crust and refrigerate. Once cooled, use half of sauce mixture to cover crust. Next, layer with the softened ice cream. Finish by topping with remaining sauce mixture.

Great Gramma Forster’s “Original” Cheesecake

“This is called her original cheesecake because she was always trying to improve on what we all thought was perfect and was never known to make it the same way twice!”

  • 1½ lb softened cream cheese
  • 1 pt sour cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 2 tsp flour
  • Butter
  • ½ cup ground nuts, walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a spring-form pan generously. Beat egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, mix cheese, sour cream sugar, vanilla, egg yolks, and flour. Fold into egg whites.

Sprinkle ground nutmeats into bottom of pan. Tap and shake to coat the pan with the nuts.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for one hour. Turn off oven and open the oven door slightly. Leave in oven until it is completely cool (prevents top from cracking.)

Aunt Sue’s Cake Mix Cookies

“Easy enough for me and I am not a great cookie baker!”

  • 1 pkg. cake mix (I like chocolate)
  • 1½ cups oatmeal
  • 1 cup melted margarine
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup Smarties (or M & Ms, choc chips, nuts, whatever you want to add)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat cake mix, oatmeal, margarine and eggs together. Add Smarties. Bake on ungreased baking sheets for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on rack.

Missy and Steve’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

“These cookies always turn out soft and fluffy… the secret is in the extra flour.”

  • 3½ cups flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 sticks butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl and set aside. In large bowl mix butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs. Beat until creamy. Gradually add flour mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 9-11 minutes.

“Borrowed from a children’s recipe book called Stuck on Cooking (which came complete with stickers), this pie became a Sarah and Annie classic over the years. Every time Mom and Dad went away, we would bake this pie ‘for them,’ though we generally ate most of it ourselves.”

  • 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 12 oz package chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 10 inch cake pan or deep dish pie pan.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium. Use a wooden spoon to cream together the sugar, brown sugar, and margarine. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Add flour mixture to cream mixture a little at a time. Stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Nanna Gussies’ Ice Box Cookies

“These cookies are simply out of this world. These are so fluffy and delicious, and definitely not low calorie. When we were kids, Mom would bake everyday. Mom would always have these in the cookie jar, along with pinwheels, and chocolate chip cookies, but these always went first.” (Contributed by Thelma “Temmie” Kaye)

For dough:

  • ½ lb cream cheese
  • ½ lb butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 egg yoks
  • 2 tbsp sugar

For topping:

  • 2 egg whites
  • ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
  • ½ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make dough, beat all ingredients. Form dough into ball and cover with wax paper. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove dough from paper and roll out on well-floured surface. Cut out cookies using cookie cutters or kitchen glass. Mix together walnuts and sugar.

Dip cookies in beaten egg whites, followed by the walnut and sugar mixture.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until brown.

“This dessert is best when you can’t sleep, on a rainy or sunny day, watching UCLA beat U of A, during any Will Ferrell movie (caution: milk through nasal cavity may cause damage), before or after dinner and highly recommended Monday through Sunday. I don’t recommend reading a book or magazine while eating, you will need two hands!!”

  • OREO Cookies
  • Milk
  • Napkin
  • Glass

STEP 1. Drive (don’t walk, or bike, the price of gas is NOT relevant in this situation) to local grocery store, (a cart is NOT necessary/speed and focus is) proceed directly to cookie isle.

Keep in mind, there IS NO substitute for the original OREO… your parents might have pulled this off when you were younger but NO MORE, just say NO to knock offs. Walk right past the stores generic brand, the Hydrox, and even the cute penguin on the ‘Tuxedo’. Don’t go there. Select only OREO’s (double stuff is a GREAT substitute)

Option one: This is based on family size- as a young couple just starting out, I suggest the 16 oz size bag of OREO’s, as the “family” grows or even your uncles visit, you made need to upsize to a Costco size bag.

STEP 2. Head directly to the dairy isle.

Option two: This is the one part of the recipe I will give some latitude. Based on your personal preference, allergies (but worth it) and possible store sale. My personal preference is the gallon size jug of 2% milk. Other options: whole or skim (I would be very disappointed in you if you went skim) …your call.

STEP 3. Check out: cash/credit lane only, have money or card in hand, keep conversation to a minimum, bag in plastic or your own ‘green’ canvas bag. (Do not read Soap Opera Digest in line)

STEP 4. After arriving home, feel free to put cookies in cookie jar (downside “the walk bye” one has a tendency to just “have one” without milk) also not good for the waistline. I find a few extra calories are burned up going to the pantry and pouring milk. Refrigerate milk ASAP!

STEP 5. Now to the dessert part. Grab a napkin (plate is overkill) stack ‘em high (your young) recommended amount 6 to 8 per person. As you age the stack should decrease in size, but NEVER less than four cookies per serving. Secure a 16 oz glass (NOT plastic, milk will stay colder). Pour milk carefully, not to bruise.

STEP 6. Enjoy dunking cookie into milk, a common rookie mistake: the “Over dunk” or “Deep dunk.” NEVER keep cookies in milk longer than 6 seconds and NEVER past the 60% mark on the cookie. Your fingertips make a good measuring guide. Pop entire cookie into mouth!

OMG….heaven.

After the stack has diminished, go ahead a chug the milk!! That’s right SLAM IT! Show ‘em how you can party with the best. (Burp if need be) Ball up the napkin and place it in the glass for clean up later-no rush enjoy the after taste of Oreo and cold milk.

FEELING CRAZY on a Friday or Saturday night? Draw the shades and pour some Hershey’s syrup in your milk… enjoy. This will be our little secret.

Mom Debbie’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies

“These are a family favorite at holiday time.”

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1½ cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 2½ cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar

Mix together butter, confectioners sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and chill 2-3 hours. While the dough is chilling, unwrap and put in freezer 24 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1 in. diameter balls. Put one ball in each cup of a mini muffin tin. Bake cookies 10 minutes.

As soon as cookies come out of the oven, press a candy cup down into the dough as far as you can. Since the cookies are still hot, they will be puffy and flexible and they will melt the chocolate a little. Let cool in the pan and then tap them out. Store in an airtight container.

Lydia’s Ring-a-Ling Orange Rolls

“Lydia was our beloved housekeeper in Abu Dhabi and she used to make these for us every week. The house smelled fabulous and they were delicious!” (Contributed by Debbie Thomas)

Dough:

  • 4 tsp dry yeast
  • ½ cup lukewarm water
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp grated orange rind
  • 2 eggs
  • 4-4½ cups sifted flour

Filling:

  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 cup ground nuts

Glaze:

  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 3 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soften dry yeast in ½ cup lukewarm water. In a large bowl, combine⅓ cup butter and ¾ cup hot scalded milk. Stir until the butter melts and let it cool down to lukewarm. Add remaining ingredients and yeast mixture to butter and milk mixture.

Add gradually to flour to form a stiff dough. Mix thoroughly and cover. Let stand 30 minutes while preparing the filling.

To make filling, cream butter. Blend in confectioner’s sugar and nuts.

Roll out dough into large rectangle and spread filling on nearly to edges. Roll up jelly roll style into a long tube shape. Cut off slices about 1½ in. wide and place on baking sheet. Cover and let raise again about 45 minutes. Then bake for 15 minutes.

Prepare glaze and brush on rolls the last 5 minutes of baking. Makes about 2 dozen.

Nanna Gussies’ Rugelach

“This was a favorite of Nanna’s because it can be used with meat or dairy.” (Contributed by Charlotte Max)

  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ Crisco
  • Pinch salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓-½ cup orange juice
  • Sugar (as desired)
  • Cinnamon (as desired)
  • Raisins (as desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend flour, Crisco and salt with fork. Add remaining ingredients and blend until included. Divide dough into 2 balls.

One at a time, roll out balls on lightly flowered surface. Smear the top of the dough with Crisco. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and raisins to taste. Cut dough into triangle shaped wedges. Roll into tiny crescents, about 2-3 inches each. Roll each crescent in sugar and cinnamon.

Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until brown.

Aunt Lynn’s Famous Strudel

“I received this recipe when I tasted it at a friend’s house years ago. Unfortunately, she passed away recently, but I will always remember what a terrific baker Claire was.”

For dough:

  • ½ lb butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour cream

For filling:

  • 1 jar apricot preserves
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare dough, mix together all ingredients and form into soft ball. Chill several hours.

Cut dough in half, roll out on plenty of flour, to form very thin circle. Spread onto dough ½ apricot preserves, followed by ½ cup walnuts and ½ cup coconut. Cut dough in half and then in quarters. Roll each section into long cylinder.

Place on parchment paper and bake ½ hour or until top of roll takes on slight color. Let cool and then slice into 1” pieces.

Repeat with other half of dough.

Aunt Liz’s Blueberry and Peach Cobbler

Liz Lindenfeld contributed four recipes. following the time-honored bridal tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The following recipe is “something blue”:

“For my ‘blue’ entry, a blueberry cobbler (particularly one with orange liqueur) sounded perfect, but how could I resist when I found one with peaches also! After all, you never know when you’ll have a backyard peach tree, dripping with peaches, and so many cobblers, pies, etc. to make…”

For filling:

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 5 cups peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into thick slices
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
  • 4 tablespoons melted
  • Butter to grease dish

For biscuit dough:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
  • ⅓ cup light cream
  • 2 tablespoons each of melted butter and sugar
  • Whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter shallow baking dish, 9 or 10 inch round pyrex pie plate or 8 inch square. For filling, mix sugar with cornstarch. Toss with peaches and blueberries and transfer into baking dish.

To make dough, combine flour, baking powder and salt in food processor; cut in chilled butter and process with cream to make dough. Roll out to about ½ inch thick in a shape to fit your baking pan or cut into biscuits. If making biscuits, set biscuits touching each other over fruit. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter and sugar and bake for 40 minutes, or until biscuits are golden and fruit underneath is bubbling.

Serve hot with ice cream.

Temmie’s Pie Crust

“Perfect for all pies. Use whatever is in season; but pears, plums, blueberries, and apples are our favorite.”

  • ½ cup Crisco
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • Lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 pints fruit
  • Sugar (to taste, dependent on fruit used)
  • Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together Crisco, butter, and sugar. Add rind of ½ lemon, vanilla, pinch salt, egg, cold water, baking powder and flour.

In a large bowl, mix fruit with sugar, cinnamon, and few tbsp flour. Spread dough in a 9” x 13” pyrex dish. Lay fruit on top of dough and dot with a few spoonfuls of butter.

Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes.

Grandma Jeanne’s Pie Dough

“A Grandma Jeanne classic, perfect for any use.” (Contributed by Ron Langer.)

  • 2 lb all-purpose flour
  • 1 can Crisco
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 6 tbsp orange juice, if making 2 crusts

Place flour in a large bowl. Add Crisco and butter. Cut with pie cutter or 2 knives into pebbles (about ½ to ¾ inches in size). Store in a large closed container in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Can keep for weeks.

To make a 2 crust pie, use 3 cups of mixture. Add orange juice. Mold gently by hand into a ball of dough. Cut in half. Roll out each half between wax paper.

Aryn’s Australian Pumpkin Pecan Pie

“Pies freeze well. You can also make this in rectangular or square baking dish for pumpkin pecan bars.”

  • 29 oz (3½ cups) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 12 oz (1⅓ cups) evaporated milk
  • 1 cup golden brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 package yellow “pudding in the mix” cake mix
  • 1½ cups chopped pecans
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine, melted
  • Whipped cream for serving, if desired

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugars, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.

Grease two 9 inch pie pans. Line each with a 14 inch piece of waxed paper (can trim to fit - but be sure to leave a little excess to ease removal after baking).

Pour half of filling into each pie pan. Sprinkle top of each pie with cake mix; top cake mix layer with chopped pecans. Drizzle melted butter over each pie. Bake in center of oven for 55-60 minutes, or until top is deeply browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool; refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. To serve, turn upside down onto platter. Remove pie pan and waxed paper.

Garnish with whipped cream and additional pecans if desired. Makes 2 pies.

Puddings and Custards

Jennifer Montgomery’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding

“Very yummy!”

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp allspice
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 5 cups cubed (1 inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
  • ¾ stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle.

Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs. yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.

In another bowl, toss bread cubes with butter. Add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8 in. square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25-30 minutes. Serves 6.

Grandma Jeanne’s Infamous Flan

“This dessert is well known for being the most requested treat of all guests in the Langer household. This recipe originates from Dorado, Puerto Rico, where Tony the talented baker fell victim to Jeanne’s infamous powers of persuasion!” (Contributed by Steve Langer)

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 14 oz can condensed milk
  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 1 15.5 oz can coco lopez
  • 14 oz. regular whole milk (measure in condensed milk can)
  • 1¼ cups sugar

Beat eggs lightly then combine with milks in a bowl until well mixed. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up pan that will become water bath in oven; a wok works well or you can use a deep roasting pan. Boil water for water bath and leave on stove simmering.

Put sugar in flan pan. Heat over a very low flame and allow sugar to melt, stirring constantly with a wood spoon. If it is not melting, increase heat, but if it starts to melt quickly or get brown, be sure to turn down the heat. (If it gets too dark it will never be liquid when your flan is baked). The object is to get sugar to all melt using the lowest flame possible.

When melted, remix the egg and milk batter and carefully pour it on top of the sugar.

Place flan pan in the pan that will become the water bath which is in the oven.

Pour water around the pan (it will be very active when it hits the hot pan) to a minimum of half the depth of the flan pan, ideally 80% of the height of the flan pan (that % thing is what we call a “Langerism”).

Close oven and bake for 1 – 1¼ hours. It is done will be tricky to know when it is done as it will seem quite loose even when cooked; in order to judge, take a regular dinner table knife and stick it into the middle of the flan. Remove it at once. If the knife comes out clean, the flan is done. Trust it!

Remove flan pan from water bath and let cool for approximately 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

To serve: put an upside down (deep) plate on top of the flan. Flip over together so that the bottom of the flan pan is now on top of the plate. Tap a couple of times and pick up the flan pan. You will have a flan on the plate and should have plenty of caramel dripping out of the pan. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out any of the soft caramel that stays in the pan.

Enjoy with fond memories of Puerto Rico.

Mom Debbie’s Cranberry Gelatin Mold

“This is a traditional dish for all holidays at our house.”

Mold:

  • 1 bag whole cranberries
  • ½ cup honey
  • 4 packets Knox gelatin
  • 2 cups green grapes, cut in half lengthwise
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 16 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained

Dressing:

  • ½ cup vanilla yogurt
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Boil washed cranberries in 6 cups of water. Add honey. Berries will rise to the top and pop.

In a cup of cool water, dissolve gelatin. Stir into the hot berry mixture. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Once cool, add grapes, pecans and pineapple. Mix well and pour into mold. Chill several hours or overnight. Serve with dressing.

Aunt Lynn’s Pineapple Pudding

“A lovely accompaniment to a meat meal.”

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 No. 2 can drained, crushed pineapple
  • 5 slices cubed white bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add pineapple and stir in bread. Bake uncovered in greased 1½ qt casserole dish, about 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Made with much love by Anna Langer.

Made possible by the generous contributions of generations of the Langer and Thomas families.