Beer Battered Oat Bread

Another recipe from my Tía Loca.  This is my kind of recipe – beer and oatmeal.  Sounds like breakfast to me.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ cups rolled oats
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon honey
1 12 oz. beer
1 stick of butter

Directions:

Preheat oven at 375, grease a 9X5 loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients, drizzle honey over mixture, pour beer on top, fold carefully (don’t over mix). Fill up loaf pan and drizzle melted butter over the top.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Brine for Poultry and Pork

My Tía Loca sent this recipe, it sounds fabulous.  Gracias Tía Loca, te amo!

Ingredients For Pork or Chicken:

Kosher Salt – 2/3 cup
Brown Sugar – 2 ½ tablespoons
Whole Peppercorns -  ¾ teaspoon
Water – 1 quart
Ice Water – 1 ½ quarts

Ingredients For Turkey:

Kosher Salt – 2 1/2 cups
Brown Sugar – 2/3 cup
Whole Peppercorns -  1 tablespoon
Water  - 1 gallon
Ice Water  - 1 ½ gallons

Directions:

In a large pot over high heat, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns and water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool to lukewarm, about one hour. Stir one-third of the ice water into the brine.

Place the chicken pieces, turkey or pork chops in a brining bag (available at Williams-Sonoma and worth the trouble). Pour the brine and remaining ice water. Seal the bag and place in a bowl (pork chops or chicken) or ice chest (turkey). Refigerate or keep covered with ice/water for 6-12 hours or for up to 24 hours for turkey.

Before cooking, remove meat from the brine, rinse thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cook as desired.

(Taken from the Williams Sonoma brining bag box and worth sharing…)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This recipe, like many of our family recipes, became a favorite during the depression years. Using only one egg, it was an economical dessert for the family. This small cake is tender and delicious while still warm from the oven, and doesn’t require much time to make. No frosting for this cake, because the pineapple, butter and brown sugar provide a wonderful sweet topping when the cake is right side upped onto a plate.

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 slices pineapple, drained (reserve syrup)
Maraschino cherries or walnuts
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, unbeaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup syrup from pineapple slices

Topping: Melt 3 T. butter or margarine in an 8 inch square pan (or cast iron skillet), sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Arrange over sugar pinepple, with cherry or walnuts in center.

Cake batter: gradually add sugar to shortening, creaming until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add alternately small amounts of sifted dry ingredients and pineapple syrup, beating smooth after each addition. Spread batter over pineapple slices in pan, and bake in moderate (350) oven 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand five minutes, then turn out on plate. Serve warm. Serves 6 – 8.

Cheese Roll

For many Christmases, we had this cheese roll to snack on while we waited for Mema’s rolls to rise. There is nothing like the smell of yeast rolls and turkey in the oven to whet your appetite for this garlicky cheese roll.

1 pound grated longhorn cheese (or sharp cheddar)
1 small package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pecans, toasted
1 small onion, grated
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, chopped (you can substitute garlic powder if desired, to your own taste)
salt and pepper

Put everything except pecans through grinder or food processor, add pecans. Form into rolls the circumfurence of a Ritz cracker , wrap with wax paper and aluminum foil and refrigerate. Chill overnight. Slice and serve with Ritz crackers.

Variation: roll cheese roll in chili powder

22 Minute Cake

Grue loves this chocolate cake. My Mom passed the recipe to me, and is an easy, moist chocolate cake you bake in a sheet pan (or 9x 11 pan) and frost while still hot. Almost every family in West Texas has a version of this type of cake.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 stick oleo
1 cup water
1/2 cup shortening
3 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Do not use mixer. Combine flour and sugar in large bowl. In a saucepan combine and bring to a boil the butter, water, shortening and cocoa. Pour over flour and sugar mix.

Combine the buttermilk, eggs, soda and vanilla. Add to other mixture and mix all together. Pour into 12″X 8″ greased pan and bake at 400.

Icing:

1 stick butter
3 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup milk

Bring to boil and add

1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts

Pour over hot cake.

Blackberry Chipotle Jam

Read my jelly tips here.

4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 qt. fully ripe blackberries, preferably fresh)
3 Chipotle peppers
7 cups  sugar, measured into separate bowl
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
1 pouch  CERTO liquid fruit pectin
9 8-oz jelly jars
9 jar screw bands and flat lids
1 gallon pitcher

Prepare the fruit:  I usually prep the fruit ahead of time. Crush blackberries thoroughly, one layer at a time.  Press half of the pulp through a sieve to remove some of the seeds, if desired. Me? I like the seeds, I never sieve them out. Process chipotle peppers in food processor and add to blackberries.  Measure exactly 4 cups prepared fruit into 6 or 8 quart saucepot and set aside (if preparing the fruit ahead of time I place the measured 4 cups of fruit into a ziploc baggie to store it until I am ready to make the jelly).

Prepare the jars:  This recipe will usually make 8 8-oz jars of jelly, but I always prepare one extra jar.  So, wash 9  jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water and dry completely.  Line jars up side by side, very close to each other, and very close to the  edge of the counter.  This positioning will assist you when pouring the jelly from the gallon pitcher.  Bring about 3 cups of water to boil. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use.  Place gallon pitcher in sink (when you pour the jelly in it, if any spills it will be in the sink and not on your counter or floor).

Make the jelly:  Place pot with fruit inside on stovetop and turn burner on high.  Add sugar to pot; stir. Add butter to reduce foaming. Stir constantly.  Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.  It’s important enough to repeat twice, stir constantly (actually that’s the third time, I bet you get it now).  Stir in liquid pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly (fourth time!). Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Fill the jars and seal:  This is the part where you need to work quickly, prepare yourself.  Pour jelly into the gallon pitcher; and immediately pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. If needed wipe jar rims and threads.  I don’t usually have to wipe anything because pouring the jelly from a pitcher is quite neat. Cover the jars with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly! Place jars upside down on counter, and leave them for around 10 minutes. Turn the jars back upright and leave them to cool down and seal.  As the lids cool you’ll start to hear them POP! as they seal.  I love this sound.  When they are completely cool press down on the middle of the dome lids to make sure that they are properly sealed. If the lid springs back it is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.

Mrs. Motley’s Banana Nut Cake

This is a wonderful cake, sweeter than the traditional banana nut bread but having many of the same characteristics. My Mom used to make it then glaze it with a mashed banana & powdered sugar glaze. It’s good with or without a glaze. Moist and luscious, it goes well with your morning coffee.

1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add mashed bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, mix thoroughly. Stir in pecans.

Place dough into two greased floured loaf pans or one tube pan and bake at 325 until browned.

Cinnamon Chess Pie

I remember eating this pie at the Overton’s home right after WWII. It was always served with coffee, which Mem would cool by saucering it a little at a time so I could sit in his lap and have real coffee laced with cream and sugar. We visited the Overton’s very often and always had a delicious piece of pie or cake and coffee. That was the only time I was allowed to have coffee, so I always looked forward to our visits. We served this pie for most holidays and never grew tired of it.

1 cup sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon flour
1 large can condensed milk
3 beaten egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 unbaked pie crust

Add sugar to flour, whisk in milk, egg yolks, cinnamon and vanilla.
Pour into unbaked pie crust, and bake at 400 for 5 minutes, lower heat to 325 and bake until center is firm.

Variation: Make meringue of 3 egg whites, and spread on baked pie. Bake in oven until meringue is lightly browned.

Note: The crust will do better if you prebake it. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, remove from oven and remove paper and beans. Brush the crust with beaten egg, then pour in filling; bake at 325 until center is set.

Watkins Never Fail Frosting

This recipe is dedicated to my Mom. I often rode with her as a child as she made the rounds selling Watkins flavorings and products to the farmer’s wives in our part of West Texas. I could even do the black pepper demo to show that Watkins pepper will never make you sneeze! Vanilla, black pepper, and pie mixes were big sellers. This frosting was used in our Dad’s favorite birthday cake: white layer cake topped with this frosting and with strawberry preserves, coconut and pecans between the layers. I still make this cake but with thin sliced fresh strawberries instead of preserves.

1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 Tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Place sugar and unbeaten egg whites, cream of tartar, and water in top of double boiler. Beat with mixer until soft glossy peaks form. Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat for another minute. Spread on cake or cupcakes. This icing will be soft and glossy for a while but by the next day it begins to crust over and be a little grainy.

Mema’s yeast rolls

No holiday meal was complete without my sweet Mother In Law’s rolls. The first meal I ate at her table consisted of fried chicken (lightly fried then baked in the oven), fresh black eyed peas, homemade cream style corn, rice with celery and onions sauteed in butter, and these rolls served with home churned butter. The rolls just melted in my mouth. Dessert was chocolate meringue pie so good your eyes would roll back in your head. When the meal was over all the females pitched in and cleaned up the kitchen and got to know each other. I was in love with Darrell and his family after this meal if not before.

1/4 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
3 cups flour
1 cup scalded milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup lard (yes, LARD) Crisco will do, though

Place yeast in cup with 1/4 cup warm water to proof the yeast. If it begins to bubble, it is good yeast. Put sugar, salt, and lard in mixing bowl. Add scalded milk and let cool to lukewarm. Add eggs and yeast mixture to the milk mixture and beat in 1 1/2 cups flour with the mixer. Add 1 1/2 more cups flour, beating until moist. Turn out on floured surface and work in more flour 1/2 cup at a time as needed to make a soft dough. This will be softer than bread dough. Turn into greased bowl, cover and let rise at room temperature until double.

Punch dough down and put on a floured surface, pinching off 2 small balls of dough to make divided rolls. Place two balls in each muffin tin depression, let rise until double (again at room temperature), and bake at 325 until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.

Alternate method: Roll out dough, and cut with round biscuit cutter. These may be baked in biscuit shapes or creased and folded over to bake in a folded shape.