From Everything Else:
Mexican Chili Corn Sauce
1 can cream style corn
1 can chili con carne with beans
1 can chopped olives
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can mushrooms, drained
PUT in double-boiler and HEAT until hot; 15 minutes or longer. POUR over cooked rice, macaroni, or other pasta product.
Mexican Cornbread
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
STIR:
2 eggs
1 can cream style corn
ADD dry ingredients. POUR half of batter into greased pan.
SPRINKLE;
1 chopped bell pepper
3/4 pound grated cheese
POUR remaining batter over first layer. BAKE at 400°F for 30 to 40 minutes.
Barbecue Sauce
1 cup catsup or tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 clove garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
COMBINE all ingredients, and COOK until garlic is tender.
Hot Cheese Rolls
1 pound cheese--cheddar, Colby, your choice
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cube butter, melted
1 can stuffed green olives, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
MIX and FILL hot dog rolls and WRAP in aluminum foil. BAKE 20 minutes, until cheese is melted, at 300°F.
Note: This recipe is a real keeper, and a time saver. Double or even triple it. Then grab the poor boy rolls, steak rolls, hot dog rolls, hamburger buns, whatever turns you on. Fill 'em up, wrap 'em in foil, freeze 'em; then when the mood strikes, toss 'em in the oven and heat until the cheese melts. You can, if you're really, really in a rush, zap 'em for a couple of minutes before you toss 'em in the oven. Give these yummy, change-of-pace "sandwiches" a try. Da ol' mon Caj thinks you'll find it worth the effort, especially after you taste the results.
Roquefort Dressing
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 oil
MEASURE ingredients into a pint jar and DROP a small clove of garlic into mixture. SHAKE well. It is better to make a day ahead. WHEN READY to use, add 1/4 cup of crumbled Roquefort Cheese.
as printed in the 1955 DeMolay Mother's Cookbook
1 cup liquid from can of beets
1 cup vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Whole cloves
Cinnamon bark
BOIL these together and POUR over sliced beets. ALLOW to stand to cool and blend flavors.
as adapted by da ol' mon Caj
4 cans small whole beets, drain liquid from 2 cans into small saucepan ADD:
1 3/4 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Whole cloves, a couple of pinches
Cinnamon bark, a 1- to 2-inch piece
BRING these ingredients to a boil, then SIMMER for between 5 to 10 minutes. POUR liquid mixture over beets. ALLOW to cool. Serve. If you are not going to serve for the next meal; REFRIGERATE in a covered container, glass preferred because of possible discoloration. Now here's the tricky part: If you really, really like pickled beets these little goodies won't last too long, so...Keep the pickling juice in the fridge and when you run low on beets, open another can, drain the liquid, dump 'em in your container, and you're ready to continue any ol' time you like.--Caj.
From Finger Foods:
Crab Rolls
Pick crab and add at your own desires:
1 tablespoon chopped onion
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Mayonnaise or white sauce
SPREAD generously on buns. BAKE at 350°F about 10 or 15 minutes.
NOTE: This is another one of those recipes based on how it looks to you, how it tastes. The best advice is, add a little not a lot. You can always add more but you don’t want to get into one of those add, add, add merry-go-rounds because you used too much of one ingredient or the other.
Ham Sparkles
You will need ham cubes; ham cut into cubes. How many or how much depends on the size of your cookie or baking sheet or sheets. Actually, the amount of ham you'll need depends on how much of these mouth-watering goodies you want or need.
SIMMER 15 minutes:
8 or 10 whole cloves
1 cup water
DRAIN:
1 can of crushed pineapple, to be used later
COMBINE:
1 cup brown sugar
Liquid from above, plus juice off pineapple
BOIL until mixture forms soft ball when dropped into cold water.
PUT ham cubes and crushed pineapple on cookie sheet. POUR over syrup that you've just made. PUT in hot oven, about 400°F, 6 to 8 minutes until glazed.
Rio Grande Dip
2--1 pound cans or 4 regular cans pork and beans, sieved
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
Dash cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
COMBINE and heat. PUT in chafing dish and top with crumbled bacon. SERVE with corn chips. Makes about 4 cups.
Antipasto
PARBOIL:
2 cups carrots
2 cups celery
MIX with:
8 tablespoons oil
4 cans packed in water tuna fish, drained 1 large catsup
1 bottle chili sauce
2 cups sweet mixed pickles
2 cups green stuffed olives
2 cups button mushrooms
STORE in fridge. Makes about 6 pints.
From Casseroles...Entrees...Side Dishes:
Cranberry Salad
BRING to a boil:
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
ADD:
1 pound fresh cranberries--boiled until they pop open
DISSOLVE:
1 package lemon jello in 3/4 cup hot water
ADD to cranberries and COOL.
THEN ADD:
1 cup diced celery
1 cup finely cut up marshmallows
1/2 cup nut meats
POUR in mold, and CHILL. It will set so that it will come out of the mold.
Note: For as long as da ol' mon Caj cares to remember, this dish was always on the table at holiday meals. No, you guessed it, it wasn't his favorite, even though his Mother thought it was the best taste-treat to come down the pike in years. And, even though this meant it was going to be served, as soon as young Caj was old enough to fill his own plate, he quickly passed it on when it landed in front of him at the table. That's the tale, now give it a try, take a vote, Caj or his Mother.
Vegetable Salad
2 1/4 cups tomato juice
1 small clove garlic
1 small onion, minced
3 carrots
3 stalks celery, diced SIMMER for 10 minutes and ADD 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons juice of stuffed olives, salt and pepper, one package lemon jello, 8 to 12 stuffed olives. ADD a can of shrimp or crab if desired. POUR into mold and CHILL. That's the way it was written, that's the way you get it. Good luck, it's really an easy recipe to follow.--Caj.
Chiliburger Supper
Ground Beef
1 can chili beef soup
1 can tomato soup or tomato sauce
1 cup macaroni, cooked
Garlic powder or garlic salt
Grated or sliced cheese
Instant Replay: "That's the way it was written, that's the way you get it. Good luck, it's really an easy recipe to follow," Caj.
From Cakes...Bars...Specialty Breads:
Devil Food Cake
2 cups sugar--3 cups
1/2 cup butter--3/4 cup
2 eggs--3
1/2 cup cocoa--3/4 cup
1/2 cup hot water--3/4 cup
1 cup milk--1 1/2 cups
1 teaspoon baking soda--2 teaspoons
2 cups flour--3 cups
2 teaspoons vanilla--3 teaspoons
CREAM sugar and butter. ADD eggs and beat well. MIX cocoa and hot water to a smooth paste and MIX with the 1st mixture. ADD milk and vanilla alternately with dry ingredients. BAKE 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. MAKE 2 layers or 9x13 cake pan.
Note: Measurements on the left are for increasing this recipe by one-half. All depends on how large a cake you need when you're in your baking mode. Hmmm...another decision.
Cream-Cheese Glaze for Devil Food CakeOr, any other cake for that matter.
1--3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons shortening
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon white corn syrup (optional)
BEAT until creamy and spreading consistency.
Golden cake-like topping rises to the top during baking; fruit and juice go to the bottom. Serve warm with big pitcher of cream.
1/4 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sifted Gold Medal Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
Drained raspberries, blueberries or sliced peaches from No. 2 can 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on fruit)
1 cup fruit juice
HEAT oven to 375°F. CREAM butter, sugar until light and fluffy. SIFT together flour, baking powder, salt and ADD to creamed mixture alternately with milk. BEAT until smooth. POUR in greased 10x5x3 loaf pan, or greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. SPOON drained fruit over batter. SPRINKLE with sugar, juice. BAKE 45 to 50 minutes. SERVE with cream, whipped cream or whipped ice cream.
From Cookies:
Chocolate Crinkles
1/2 cup corn oil
4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup confectioners' sugar
MIX oil, chocolate, sugar. BLEND in 1 egg at a time until well mixed. ADD vanilla. STIR in salt, flour, baking powder. CHILL several hours or overnight. HEAT oven to 350°F. DROP teaspoonful of dough into confectioners' sugar. ROLL around and SHAPE into a ball. PLACE about 2-inches apart on greased baking sheet. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 50 of another one of Caj's favorite cookies. Oh my, yes, it certainly does.
Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
MIX until creamy.
ADD:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
STIR in:
3 cups oats
1 cup raisins
BAKE on greased sheet at 350°F, 12 to 15 minutes.
Magic Cookies
2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mint chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
BEAT egg whites to soft peaks and GRADUALLY add sugar. BEAT to stiff peaks and ADD rest of ingredients. DROP by teaspoonful onto foil covered cookie sheets. PLACE in 350°F preheated oven. TURN heat off, LEAVE in oven overnight, THEN remove.