My Great Grandmother's Pound Cake

This is part of my family history!

2 sticks margarine
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk

Cream margarine, shortening, and sugar.  Add eggs, vanilla, and milk.  Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Add flour and baking powder and cream on slow speed for 7 minutes.  Bake in a bundt pan at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.  Do not open the oven.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.

For a chocolate version, which my great grandmother did NOT make:  Add 3/4 cup cocoa.  Decrease flour by about 1/4 cup.  Decrease eggs to 5.

Hershey's Syrup Chocolate Cake

This is a cake my mother and grandmother made when I was growing up.  It takes a whole can of Hershey's syrup, which I don't think they make anymore; you have to buy the bottles and measure.  It is best eaten cold.  I like how the frosting hardens when it is refrigerated.

1 stick margarine
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 large can Hershey's Chocolate Syrup (or 16 ounces)

Cream margarine and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with the syrup.  Add vanilla.  Mix well.  Bake in a greased and floured 9X13 pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool 10 minutes.

Frosting:

1/2 stick margarine
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons evaporated milk (or regular milk)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Boil margarine, sugar, and milk 2 minutes.  Turn off heat and add chocolate chips.  Beat until melted.  Pour onto warm cake.  Refrigerate.

The Best Scrambled Eggs

This the way my mother taught me to make scrambled eggs.  She makes the most delicious scrambled eggs.  Most people overcook eggs.  You won’t using her method.

2 eggs per person

1 slice cheese per person (Velveeta is the best)

Crack eggs and add cheese.  Turn on stove to medium heat.  Constantly stir eggs.  Remove from heat when they still look a little undercooked (you will still see some liquid) because they will continue to cook in the pan.  Salt and pepper to your liking.

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

INGREDIENTS for Cheesecake:

• 1 (8-inch) store-bought graham cracker crust – chocolate or regular*
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blackberries
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

INGREDIENTS for Chocolate Glaze:

• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I use 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
• ¼ cup whipping cream (or milk)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange raspberries and blackberries on the bottom of the crust (if using frozen berries, do not thaw; if using fresh, make sure they are not wet).

Beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Beat in egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well.

Carefully pour on top of the raspberries.

Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or just until set. Cool completely.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and whipping cream together over low heat, stirring often (I do this in the microwave).

Pour over the cheesecake. Chill several hours before serving.

*NOTE: If making your own graham cracker crust, keep in mind that this recipe is designed for an 8-inch pie pan (and many pie pans are 9-inch). If you use a 9-inch, you will probably have to adjust the cooking time (and obviously, the finished product will be slightly thinner).

Clark Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Ingredients

·         6 skinless, thin-cut, boneless chicken breast halves

·         6 slices Swiss cheese

·         12 slices deli cooked ham

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 cup all-­purpose flour

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/8 teaspoon paprika

·         1/8 teaspoon pepper

·         1 large egg

·         2 tablespoons 2% milk

·         1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

·

Sauce Ingredients

·         1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

·         1/2 cup sour cream

·         1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 7x11 inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2.    Pound chicken breasts to ¼ inch thickness.

3.    Place 1 cheese slice and 2 ham slices on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. 

4.    In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, paprika and pepper. In another bowl, whisk egg and milk. Place bread crumbs in a third bowl. Dip chicken in flour mixture, then egg mixture; roll in crumbs.  Place chicken on baking dish.

5.    Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°

6.    To make Cordon Blue Sauce:  In a small saucepan mix together the soup, sour cream, and lemon juice.  Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, and serve hot over chicken.  Makes about 2 cups; 8 servings of 1/4 cup each.

 

Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herb Measurements

When using fresh herbs, the easy rule of thumb is to triple the amount of dried herbs called for in the recipe.  For example, 1 tsp. dried oregano equals 3 tsp. (1 TBS.) minced fresh oregano.

Self-Rising Flour Substitute

As a substitute for self-rising flour, place 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt in a measuring cup.  Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup.

Pumpkin Pie Tip

Try substituting eggnog for the milk in your next homemade pumpkin pie.

Cafe Rio Recipes

Cafe Rio Pork

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5-7 lbs pork butt

Directions:

Cook all together in a crock pot for 7-10 hours, shred meat, and cook 1 additional hour.

Café Rio Rice

3 cups water
3 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic–minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
½ onion
3 c instant rice

Blend cilantro, green chiles, and onion together in food processor. Place all ingredients, except rice, in pot on stove and bring to a boil.  Take pot off burner, add rice, and cover for 5 minutes.

Café Rio Dressing

1 ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)
½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1/2 lime

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Serve with black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese.

Caramel Squares

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
3/4 cup margarine or butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix together and spread mixture on bottom of lightly greased 9X13 pan.  Make another 1/2 of this recipe and set aside for crumb topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until top is golden brown.

32 caramel squares
3 TBS. margarine or butter
3 TBS. of milk

Melt caramels, margarine, and milk together over medium heat on stove.  Stir and mix well so mixture will not burn on bottom of pan.  When it is melted, pour over the baked, cooled oatmeal crust.  Do not pour over the crust when the crust is hot.

16 oz. bag semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel mixture.

Sprinkle reserved crumb topping over the chocolate chips.  It will not cover all of it, so sprinkle it evenly with gaps in between. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.