Thoughts About Cooking

When I was a young girl at home, I learned very little about cooking except for watching mother when I was there. I remember in the evening she would have to run to the barn for something and would say "Stir the potatoes while I am gone; don't let them burn." We often had sliced, fried potatoes for supper. The reason I didn't help her more was because my older brothers and sisters had left the home by the time I was in the eighth grade. My brothers were on 3 year missions and then directly into the war; therefore I was dad's helper, rather than mother's. I was in the barn at night- in the morning before school, and in the hay field during the summer. I always cleaned the house for mother, (when I had a date), and I always helped clean up the dishes after supper.

I don't remember that mom had a recipe box, and I only have a few of her recipes. If she had not died so young perhaps I would have more. When Dad became rather unhealthy because of Asthma and they were going to Arizona for winter, some Dr. told him he should use oil instead of butter or shortenings. At that time mother acquired the date cake recipe from someone because it was made with oil; so she obtained this recipe rather late in life. Dad loved the cake, and she made it a lot to take to pot luck parties and picnics with retired people in Arizona and Idaho, and everyone wanted her to bring her date cake. I also have a few of her picnic recipes, and I certainly learned how to help can all the food stuffs in the Fall. I've never known anyone to make sour cream pie except Mother, and I did want that recipe, so I finally found one in the Betty Crocker recipe book that is very similar. Once in a while I cook myself an egg fried in cream just for memories sake as Mom cooked me an egg in cream every morning before school.

My oldest sister LaRee was a most marvelous cook, and she taught Foods many years at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City. Her pie crust was the best ever. It was so flaky and just melted in your mouth. I wish I could do that.

Well, when I married, I could make macaroni and fry an egg, I guess, but I was fortunate because Grandpa, my husband was the sixth of a line of brothers, and his mother used him in the kitchen. After we were married a little while I wanted to prove to him that I could make him a good birthday dinner, (on a wood stove no less. I had only known electricity at home.) We invited a few friends over for this birthday, and I proceeded to cook. I wanted to do it my very self, but he kept telling me how to do everything. It annoyed me to no end, and finally made me so mad that I threw the gravy thickening at him. (I'm just proud that I didn't swear) And guess what, it didn't accomplish a thing because after 65 years he is still telling me how to do everything. but it's ok; I finally got used to it, and I do love him a bunch. Well, I guess I blew that birthday.

Back to LaRee's cooking. I visited her a lot, so now naturally I wanted to know how to cook this or that, so many of the recipes in my collection are from LaRee. Furthermore, whenever I had any cooking problem, she would know the answer since I soon had no mother to call as she passed away so young.

My sister Gwen was a chief stewardess for United Airline which was the really big airline at that time, and since she traveled the world she ate a lot of unusual things. We often had Thanksgiving at LaRee's house when our children were young. One Thanksgiving Eve we arrived at Gwen's house up by the capital. She was making the salad for the Thanksgiving dinner, so Sterling and I helped her prepare it. We had the tedious job of peeling the grapes for this salad. He still talks about peeling those grapes that night. One time Gwen served us mashed carrots and turnips that were creamed. They were soooo good, but I've never been able to make them so that they tasted very worthwhile. I have a few of Gwen's recipes, (After all we lost her early also) but one she gave me is the dumpling recipe that we have all been making for years.

Through the years living in Logan and Dayton Idaho, we just ate whatever. I studied fabrics and sewed everything we girls wore and somethings the boys wore and lots of things for the house. It was my love. I was never very interested in cooking, and with all that sewing, who had the time anyway?

When we moved to Hyrum, some lady friends asked me to join their club, the Do Nothing club. (What a horrible name to be known by) They met once a month in their homes and had a full dinner. Then they sat around and talked about their children, their pregnancies, how many stitches they had at birth etc. (I'm sure I had the most when I had GeNee and the Dr said, "I can't wait for the ether, to take over, I have to cut now) :( Nowadays all they talk about is their vacations, their operations and ailments. While they visited they did handiwork or mending. (Did you know we used to mend the holes in socks?) I was beside myself! I didn't know how to cook for these women who seemed unconcerned about cooking or sharing their fancy homes. Luckily I got my cute new house just in time, and who knows what we ate, but it may have been ravioli. GeNee was married and she told me about this good ravioli she had had. She had to bring me the ravioli frozen and the fancy sauce recipe. I cooked some other things to go with it, and I passed with flying colors. GeNee and my other daughters are still bringing me good recipes. I do have some good recipes from those dear club friends. The onion casserole is one of those.

Soon I was asked to be Relief Society President. I thought I was still a kid. I had a dear counselor Relia who could have been my mother. She did everything so beautifully when we had special RS events. A few of my choice recipes are from her.

Later when I was stake RS president we did a lot of pretty and good things, and my secretary Bonnie was sort of a soul mate. We were both rather advanced sewers, we both did dried flowers, we just seemed to be interested and had the same feeling about things. She loved to entertain and when a group of us began to meet on New Years Eve, I loved to go to her house. She did everything as a gourmet cook, so some of my recipes were hers.

Then off to North Carolina where one of my counselors was known as the cook of the ward. Barbara made good lasagna, garlic bread, etc. which we always fed to the missionaries at Zone Conference. They loved it. I have some more of her recipes and her husband Bob introduced me to cous cous.

In Ireland we were very often served Pavlova. It was always on the menu at eating places. Queen Victoria brought it back from New Zealand or Australia. Also, once a week we walked downtown to the open air market and bought some fresh foods. We would pick out a nice fish, and the man would take it and bone it, and home we would go with a big trout for lunch.

Back in Utah, we moved into a ward with wonderful cooks. When we have RS dinners, wedding showers or such , I can always learn something good. It's inspiring and the feeling of the sisterhood in the ward is of such love and goodness, that I know I have missed out when I don't attend. I have gathered quite a few of those recipes, of course. Even last night at our Christmas social, on the way home we were saying, "We have got to get that Wassail recipe."

I have never wanted to cook. I takes forever to fix and is devoured in a few minutes time. Also, I have to think ahead about what we are going to eat a couple of times a day. Grocery shopping takes forever. However, I have developed such a curiosity about food that I am always trying new recipes that look or sound good in magazines, newspapers, television. Consequently, I have made more stuff that flopped, but once in a while I find a recipe that turns out to be a favorite. That curiosity has charmed me into eating a lot of stuff in restaurants that was nasty and made me wish I had stuck to the safe food like Dad. :)

Now that my back hates to lean over the sewing machine, and I don't need to sew, I need a new pleasure. Hence, I read a lot, but alas, I forget most of it. So, I have turned to cooking. I love to experiment with food; I am excited to find a new recipe that I like, and I love to make it and share it with others. About the hardest thing I do physically is to work in the kitchen, but I am driven to be there because it is a place of creation. It is so satisfying to turn out something beautiful and delicious. I guess it has turned out to be and old age hobby. I think if I were left alone, I would like to go to a retirement center where I wouldn't have to figure out what to have for dinner, or clean house, and wouldn't be alone. Then I think, that sometimes I would like to choose and prepare my own food occasionally. I think the food in my ward is often exquisite is because we live in a time when so much of traveling, eating out, culture, and availability of foods has given us this ability to live and die luxuriously.

Can  you believe that now people here say, "Ask Rhea about that food, ask Rhea for her recipe, or I can't wait to see what Rhea brings." Wow, imagine that!  I can't wait to tell Mother that when I see her.

Bacon Broccoli Salad

by Daughter Jackie

Combine:

2 large bunches broccoli, separated into flowerets and trimmed to bite-size

½ cup chopped onion

1 lb. bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

¾ cup roasted sunflower seeds

½ cup raisins (I use currants)

Combine and toss over broccoli mixture

1 cup miracle whip

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

Chill before serving

Double for a crowd

Cabbage Salad

by Daughter Jackie

2 cups diced cooked chicken

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 package chicken-flavored ramen noodles

4 green onions, sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup salad oil

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 flavoring packet from ramen noodles

½ cup slivered almonds

Place chicken and cabbage in mixing bowl.  Break noodles up and add to cabbage.  Also add onions and sesame seeds to cabbage.  Combine vinegar, salad oil, sugar, salt, and contents of flavoring packet.  Pour over cabbage, mixing well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.  Just before serving, stir in slivered almonds.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.  I usually double this for parties.

Sugar Cookies

by daughter Jackie

(I usually double this)

¾ cup shortening (part butter or margarine)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon Lemon flavoring or 1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teasspoon Baking powder

1 teaspoon Salt

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring thoroughly.  Measure flour by sifting method or by sifting.  Stir flour, baking powder, and salt together; blend in.  Chill at least 1 hour.  Heat over to 400 degrees (since moving to Idaho I have to use 425 degrees).  Roll dough ¼ inch thick on lightly floured board.  Cut with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are a delicate golden color.  Makes about 4 dozen 3 inch cookies.  Frost and decorate as desired.

Trifle

by daughter Jackie

Make a plain white cake.  Take half of the cake and break it up (loosely) into the bottom of a trifle bowl.  Make some red Jell-O according to package directions and pour into the trifle bowl to barely cover the cake.  Don’t pack down.  Put in refrigerator to set.  After it sets add fresh berries of any preferred type or combination.  Make a large instant vanilla pudding and spread on top of berries.  Chill again.  Right before serving time add sliced bananas on top of pudding.  Put cool whip on top of bananas.  Shave a little chocolate from a Hershey bar onto the cool whip.  Keep chilled.  If you have individual trifle bowls that are clear glass it looks pretty that way too.

Mexican Dip

by daughter Jackie

On a large platter spread:

First layer -refried beans (if you like a hint of Tabasco stir that in first)

Second Layer – mix a package of taco spice into 1-pint sour cream and spread on refried beans almost to edge but leave some beans showing

Third layer – spread guacamole almost to edge of sour cream

Then top those three layers with grated cheese, sliced green onion, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives. 

Serve with Frito’s and Tortilla chips

Brown Stew

2 lbs beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 T fat
4 cups boiling water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 T salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
Dash of allspice or cloves
1 tsp sugar
6 carrots, quartered
1 lb (18-24) small white onions

Thoroughly brown meat on all sides in hot fat; add water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, bay leaves, and seasoning. Simmer 2 hours; stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Add carrots and onions. Continue cooking 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are done. (Cubed potatoes may be added, if desired.) Remove meat and vegetables; thicken liquid for gravy. Serves 6-8

If desired I prefer the liquid thin.

Flaky Pastry

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 c. lard
water

Sift flour and salt together.
Cut lard in with knives or pastry blender until size of navy beans.
Add a little water- enough to barely hold dry ingredients together. Add a little at a time. Roll on half for 1 crust at a time for on lightly floured board. Place loosely in pan. Trim edge with scissors leaving about 1 inch of crust over rim of pan. Fold under and flute.
Prick lower crust. Bake.
Do not prick lower crust for 2 crust pie.
Place filling in bottom crust dampen edge slightly.
Adjust top crust. Press together lightly; flute edge bake as directed.

We were taught to make this old fashioned pastry in my cooking class at U.S.U It reminds me that one time I fainted dead away and fell to the floor in this class. 

Pumpkin Pie Topping

Melt a little butter maybe 2 T or 1/4 cup.
Add about 1/2 cup brown sugar
Chopped pecans

Crumble together with fingers.
Just before eating, put on top of pie and broil a few minutes.
Watch carefully.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

On Can:This is the traditional holiday pumpkin pie. This classic recipe has been on LIBBY'S® Pumpkin labels since 1950. This pie is easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy. Just mix, pour, bake for a delicious homemade tradition.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2 large eggs

• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. 

Butternut Squash Soup

From Grandma Rhea: In our stake, we had these recipes before the R. S. Broadcast from Salt Lake. I loved this soup. some women thought it was funny because it is thin. It would be better in a cup to drink. I made it and Dad and I loved it. I put quite a bit of dried rosemary in before blending. I said 'I'll never make it again', it was so hard to peel and cut the squash, but already I know I will, because I like it so much.

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6-8
Serve with Autumn Pear Salad

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or roasted and scraped out says Sherry)
1 onion, cubed
3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks

Put all ingredients into a roasting pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning salt and thyme. Roast in 350 oven for 40 minutes or until easily pierced with fork. Heat 6 cups chicken broth in saucepan, adding the roasted vegetable. Using an emulsifier or blender, blend until smooth. Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary. Warm through but do not boil.

*Additional seasonings can be added like curry, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. You could boil the vegetables in the broth if you didn't want to roast them.

Hot Rolls

by my Sister LaRee

2 c. milk
1/4 c. warm water
3 T butter
3 T oil
2 pkg yeast
1 T salt
3 T sugar
2 eggs
Approx 5 1/2 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 c. warm water. Scald milk and cool. Add oil, butter, salt, sugar and beaten eggs.
Add 3 1/2 c. flour. Beat hard approx 5 min.
Add yeast and remaining flour and beat again.

Let rise and stir down.

Shape in desired shapes. Place on well greased tin.
Let rise 'til double. Bake at 400 for 12 min.
Brush tops with oil or margarine.

Bunt Cake

-by my Sister LaRee

Need Picture of LaRee
Need story (from Sherry maybe?) about Aunt LaRee coming over and teaching her how to cook.

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla pudding
3/4 c. oil (corn oil)
3/4 c. water
4 eggs
4 t. butter extract
1/4 c. chopped nuts
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. gran sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Grease and flour cake pan. (bunt or tube)
Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Mix together cake mix and pudding (just powder), oil, water and eggs and extract. beat 8 min on high speed.

Mix together cinnamon and sugar.
Pour 1/3 batter over sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Repeat twice. Bake at 350-375 for 40-45 min.
Drizzle glaze over top.

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. butter extract
2 T. milk

Note: it's better to be overdone than underdone.

Hawaiian Meatballs

-LaRee

1 1/2 lb ground beef
2/3 c. soda cracker crumbs or bread
1/2 c. chopped onions
 2/3 c. milk
1 t. salt
1/3 c. flour
3 T shortening

Combine first 5 ing.

Shape meatballs. Roll in  flour. Brown in shortening. Drain.
Pour sauce over and simmer covered 15 min.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 can pineapple tidbits
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1 c. coarsely chopped green peppers
 1 T. chopped pimento
2 T. soy sauce

This can also be used for spare ribs. (farmer style)

Pineapple Vegetable Oriental

- My Sister LaRee

Lean Pork 1-2 lbs very lean
1 ripe fresh pineapple
2 green peppers
2 med. onions
1/4 lb fresh mushrooms
soy sauce
6 T sugar
4 T vinegar
4-6 carrots

Cut the lean pork in chunks and marinate over night (or several hours) in a mixture of 4 T soy sauce and 1 tsp accent. Peel and core pineapple~ cut into chunks and place on a tray. Peel onions, carrots and green peppers. Cut onions and peppers in chunks and carrots in pencil sized strips. Par-boil vegetables approx 6 min. in slightly salted water. Drain. It is preferred to cook the vegetables separately. Brown meat in small amount of oil. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to brown for a few minutes, then add onions and then carrots. Finally, add pineapple chunks (use 1/2 or more of fresh pineapple) Cover with the following sweet and sour sauce and cook covered for only a very few minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

2c. water
4 T. cornstarch
3-4 T soy sauce
4 T. vinegar
6 T sugar

Serve piping hot over steamed rice.

Stragonoff

By my Sister LaRee

2 lbs. round steak-cut in finger size strips
1 can mushroom soup
1 sm. onion, chopped
2 T. oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 c. sour cream

Simmer onion and crushed garlic in hot oil. Add meat and brown. Add small amount of water and simmer til tender. (approx 1 hr). Add mushroom soup and simmer 15 min longer. Just before serving fold in sour cream. May add sliced mushrooms. Serve over noodles or rice.