Family Favorites...

Here are some simple, everyday meals that we make all the time because our family loves them. Maybe they were handed down from Mom, or found in a magazine at the doctor’s office. Wherever they came from, they work!

Family Favorites from Camille Caldwell ~ Urbana, IL

Breakfast is a favorite meal at our house. Sometimes when our girls were young, they requested breakfast for dinner. While we have lots of favorites in this category, the following stands out as probably our “most favorite.” When the girls’ friends spent the night, this was a must for breakfast.

SWEDISH PANCAKES (Platter)

3 eggs
2 Cups milk or 1 cup each milk and cream (using any of these: 1 cup cream, sour cream or sour milk, all make this dish very light in texture)
1 Cup flour
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
Toppings of choice: Lingonberries, fresh sliced fruit, powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream.

Beat eggs with ½ cup milk with rotary beater or whisk. Add flour all at once and beat to smooth consistency. Beat in remaining milk, butter, salt and sugar. Brown on hot skillet turning after about one minute. Make cakes about three inches in diameter. These are small, thin pancakes. Serve with Lingonberries, or fresh fruits. Real maple syrup and a dollop of whipped cream on top are great too. Our girls liked to sprinkle powdered sugar on top, roll them up and eat plain. Any way is delicious.

A serving of ham, bacon or sausage makes for a complete and satisfying meal.

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Family Favorites from Pam Grubb ~ Champaign, IL

In April of 1978, my mother made these biscuits for the first time and put them in the freezer to share with visiting friends the following week end. She died later that day, never having tasted them herself. They have become a family favorite—one last legacy from my mother.

Magic Biscuits

5 Cups Flour
4 T. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 Cup shortening
1 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. yeast
4 tsp. baking powder
2 Cups buttermilk

Dissolve yeast in ¼ C. warm water. Sift flour, soda, salt, baking powder and sugar together. Cut in shortening with blender or 2 knives. Add yeast and milk to dry mixture. Mix to stiff dough. Knead on floured board or table. Pinch off biscuits or roll and cut out. Allow to rise 10 minutes and bake at 425 degrees. The dough can be stored several days in the refrigerator and made into biscuits as desired, and allowed to rise 15-20 minutes before baking. For even greater convenience, the dough can be rolled, cut, placed on 2 baking sheets and frozen. The frozen biscuits can be stored several weeks in a tight, waterproof container. If the frozen biscuits are placed in the oven as soon as it is turned on, they will thaw and rise as the oven heats.

My grandparents on my father’s side were candy makers. This is their recipe for peanut brittle.

Peanut Brittle

Combine: 3 Cups white sugar
1 Cup white karo syrup
½ Cup water

Boil until mixture “spins a thread” 265 degrees

Add 3 Cups raw Spanish peanuts and cook until golden brown (295 degrees). Remove from heat and add 1 T. butter (oleo) and 1 tsp. salt. Stir well and add 2 tsp. baking soda and stir and pour on two large pre-buttered cookie sheets. Allow to cool and break into pieces.

My mother always used this pie crust, really rich but, oh, so good!

Mazola Pie Crust

Mix together in ungreased pie pan 1 ½ Cups flour, 1 ½ tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt.

Combine ½ Cup Mazola and 2 T milk in cup and whip until cloudy. Pour into mix and stir with fork until flour is blended. Press into shape, flute edge and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Or, add filling and bake as usual.

This is actually Jane Seiler’s recipe that is found in A Pleasure to Serve, put together by Karen Ferguson, Associate Pastor at First Pres. in the mid 90s. My entire family loves it and makes it often. My daughter, Kim, puts the kidney beans in the blender to get them into her little ones.

Tupelo Taco Soup

1 ½ lbs ground chuck or round
1 medium onion
1 (28 0z) can chopped tomatoes
1 (15 0z) can tomato sauce
2 (10 ¾ oz ) cans cream of potato soup
1 (10 ½ oz) can beef broth
2 (16 oz) cans kidney beans
¼ of 1.2 oz pkg. taco seasonings

Brown beef and onions. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve over or with taco chips. Top with shredded cheddar. Serves 10-12.

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My cousin, Karon Dixon ~ New York, NY, learned from her mom, Eunice Lowery, how to be a good cook!

Veal Marsala

8 veal medallions
Salt and pepper
1 C. flour
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1 stick butter
2 T. shallots, finely chopped
2 C. mushrooms (shitake, fresh porcini), cleaned and sliced
½ C. dry Marsala wine
½ C. chicken stock
2 T. parsley, chopped

Lightly salt and pepper the veal, dredge in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté floured veal on both sides until golden and set on place. Drain oil from skillet and return to heat. Add ½ of the butter and shallots. Cook for a few minutes until soft, add mushrooms salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat until all water has evaporated from the mushrooms, approximately 10 minutes. Add Marsala and cook until all alcohol has evaporated, approximately 7 minutes more. Add remaining butter and chicken broth, bring all to vigorous boil and season with salt and pepper. When reduced to half, add meat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

4 Servings


I usually serve the veal with buttered egg noodles, green salad, warm Italian bread and a bottle of red wine. The noodles are great with the gravy. We usually have this during the week. It is quick and easy after work. It is an elegant dish and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve to guests!

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Some of Carol Drewry’s Specialities

Carol was a friend and fellow “ding-a-ling”… we played in the church bell choir together in Roanoke. Sadly, Carol died last year. She was a wonderful person and a great cook and here are some of her favorites. The Chocolate Cobbler is one of my all time favorites!

Peanut Pudding Dessert

1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped dry-roasted peanute
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2-3/4 cup cold milk
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
Chocolate curls and additional chopped peanuts (optional)

In a bowl, cut butter into flour until crumbly. Stir in peanuts. press into an ungreased 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream chese, confectioner's sugar and peanut butter until smooth. Fold in 1-1/2 cups whipped topping. Carefully spread over cooled crust.
In a bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let tand for two minutes or until soft set. Carefully spread over cream chese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with chocolate curls and additional peanuts if desired. Refrigerate until serving. 15-19 servings.


CHOCOLATE COBBLER

1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsps plus 1/4 cup baking cocoa, divided
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsps vegetble oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1-3/4 cups hot water
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in milk and oil until smooth. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Combine the brown sugar and remaining cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over top (do not stir). Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched. Serve warm with ice cream if desired. 6-8 servings.


BARBEQUED PORK SANDWICHES

3 medium onions, chopped
4 hps ketchup
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar
2-1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each paprika and chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 4-5 pound pork tenderloin (may use pork shoulder)
12-16 sandwich buns

In a bowl, combine ethe onions, ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and seasonings. Place pork in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven. Pour sauce over pork. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 6 hours. Remove roast and cool for 20 minutes. Shred with a fork. Return to sauce in pan and heat through. Fill buns and enjoy. 16-20 servings.

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Kimey’s Crockpot Beef Stew in Red Wine

This is a wonderful winter meal. The first time I had it was in Blowing Rock, NC on a weekend getaway with my friends Kimey Reed (Atlanta), Lynda Warren (Orlando), and Ann Rutherford (Roanoke). It has become a favorite in the Martin home!

1 ½ lbs. beef, trimmed and cut into small pieces
S&P
2 T. vegetable oil
1-2 onions, chopped
paprika for sprinkling
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced (or you could use baby carrots)
1 t. chili powder
1 t. paprika
1 one lb. can chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 ½ cups dry red wine
1 can green beans, drained
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 can corn, drained
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
½ pint sour cream

Sprinkle beef with S&P and saute in oil until well browned. Place in crockpot. Add onions to oil and sprinkle with paprika and brown slightly. Add to meat in crockpot. Add celery, carrots, chili powder, paprika, tomatoes, and wine. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. A half hour before serving, add the drained beans, corn, and mushrooms, Mix well. Mix flour and butter together and add in small bits to the sauce to thicken. (This is an optional step. I rarely do it.)

Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and some good crusty bread. Yumm!!!

And here's another yummy recipe from Kimey...

Marinaded Pork Tenderloin

* 2 lb. pork tenderloin
* 1/4 cup bourbon
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 2 T brown sugar

Combine the bourbon, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a large zip-lock plastic bag. Mix well. Add the pork and let marinate for 4-6 hours at room temperature.
Bake at 325° for ~40 minutes or until tender. You may use the marinade to bast while cooking or just cook it in the marinade. Serves 6-8.

Optional Mustard Sauce

* 1/3 cup sour cream
* 1/3 cup mayo
* 1 t dry mustard
* 1 1/2 t vinegar
* 1 T finely chopped green onion

Mix together and serve it with the tenderloin.