Greek vs. Italian Egg Bread

Yes, those are are really eggs in the center of rolls here. The Italian version is the black and white photo, the other the Greek – Tsourakis. It has the traditional red eggs. From Southern Living Celebrations:


The children shout Christos Anesti then each, with a brightly dyed red egg in his hand, tries to crack the egg of his adversary. The child with the last unbroken egg is declared the winner.

So, how are these rolls eaten? Do you bite through the shell too? Do you take the egg out and peel? This seems very odd. Why not cook and dye eggs separately and sit them in rolls where a depression has been made in the center. And the directions for that braided loaf? Very elaborate recipe for no good reason, as far as I can tell. Anyone want to eat this one?

Easter Bread


1 c. scalded milk

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. corn oil

1/4 c. warm water

1 pkg. dry yeast

2 eggs, well beaten

5 c. (about) sifted flour

9 uncooked sm. eggs in shell 1 egg white, beaten

1 c. light corn syrup (opt.) Mix the milk, sugar, salt and corn oil and cool to lukewarm. Pour the water into a warm mixing bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and stir until dissolved. Ad the milk mixture, beaten eggs and 3 cups flour gradually to make soft dough. Turn out onto floured board or cloth and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover. Let rise in a warm place, free from draft, for about 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down. Shape half the dough into 9 small rolls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Make 1 1/2 inch cut in center of each roll and place 1 egg in each. Cover with a cloth. Shape remaining dough into a large round loaf and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cover. Let rolls and loaf rise for 30 - 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Brush with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes for rolls and 30 minutes for loaf. Bring corn syrup to a boil in a saucepan and brush on hot bread. Let set for several minutes before serving. Each half dough may be shaped into three 22-inch ropes, braided, shaped into circle and ends pinched together to fasten. Let rise and bake as directed for rolls.

I hope my Jewish readers enjoyed their Passover Monday night. For my Spring Holiday show I handed out chocolate matzah, and gave a recipe for flourless chocolate cake from a vintage cookbook:
 
Passover Chocolate Sponge Cake


6 (1-oz) squares semisweet chocolate

10 eggs, separated

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups finely grated almonds

Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler; set aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add sugar; beat well after each addition. Add chocolate and almonds; stir well. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter. Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven; invert pan, and cool about 40 minutes before removing from pan.

Festive Easter Fudge

At first I thought the baskets in this picture were made of fudge too, but they are just the same color as the orange fudge. this is from the Gift Receipts volume of the Southern Heritage Southern Living set. I have been using that set a lot in the last few days getting ready for my Southern Vintage Treats talk later this week.

The brown fudge is 'Festive Fudge':
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
12 large marshmallows
1 (5.33 oz.) can evaporated milk
Dash of salt
1 (6-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine sugar, butter, marshmallows, milk, and salt in a large heaby saucepan.  Cook over medium heat 2 - 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan.  Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until mixture reaches soft ball stage (236F). Remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until melted.  Stir in pecans and vanilla.  Spread in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish.  Cool completely; cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.  Yield:  About 3 dozen.

I'm reading Katie Fforde's Weading Season. Her Brit Lit is great - light and funny, with lots of mishaps. I needed a break from mysteries for a bit!

Easter Egg Rolls

This is from the Betty Crocker Hostess Cookbook, 1967. The recipe is for sweet rolls made from yeast, baked together in a 9-inch pan. I think this could be done with something from Pillsbury in a tube. It reminds me of the Bunny Breads post I did last year, which remains one of my most popular posts ever:

http://vintagecookbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/bunny-breads.html

I do love the deocrations here, though. Certainly makes dinner rolls a lot more fun.

The Hostess book is filled with tips, many of which have gone with the times. I love the ones about how you are not supposed to do anything with dirty dishes other than stack them out of the way until all guests have gone. All family parties I attend have the people cleaning every last dinner dish before dessert is put out. No one wants to be left with a huge mess after guests have gone anymore, I think. People are smarter about enjoying their own parties. How does your family do it?

Easter Brunch

Look at that fabulous meat and sauces! What on earth is that green one?  Here's the Easter Brunch menu from the 1959 Foodarama Party Book:

Orange Juice

Eggs Marguerite

Baked Ham Slice with Pear Garnish

Panettone

Jams, Marmalades, preserves

Panettone was always a favorite of Grandma Alessio's for Christmas - but Easter? Why not?

Eggs Marguerite was a new one for me:
Set oven for 350F.  Separate 9 eggs, taking care to keep the yolks unbroken.  (Drop yolks each into separate custard cups.)  Add 1/2 tsp. salt to egg whites and whip until stiff but not dry. Turn into a baking dish.  With a tsp., make 9 hollows in the top of the whites; drop an egg yolk in each.  Bake 10 minutes or until yolks are set and whites are delicately browned.

Hmm... I don't know about that one.

I'm back from beautiful Portland, where Nick Buron and I enjoyed our 350 person crowd Thursday morning for our Teen Top Trends talk at PLA. I also hit some yarn shops and Powell's with my good friend Carol Fitzgerald from http://www.bookreporter.com/ and many other review sites. I already finished 2 knit hats from that trip (long flight home)... I enjoyed my flight out more as I was sitting with Stephanie Zvirin.

I'm buzzing with book ideas, steroids, and more. Many folks talked to me about the cookbooks there too. I bought a great one at Powell's on Moon Pies for my talk this Thursday on Southern Vintage Treats.

Peanut Buttter Cream Frosting

Someone will get a piece of this cake with a shelled peanut in it and a hole on the side, unless it goes all the way through... That's a lot of fire power for one peanut, too. But it is a cute drawing!

Here's the recipe for Peanut Butter Cream Frosting, from the Domino Sugar Kitchen. I will move on to Easter recipes starting this weekend but eventually I'll put up every drawing from this cookbook - as they are all so great.
1/4 lb. soft butter or margarine
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 lb. Domino Confectioners sugar
6-8 tablespoons milk
Blend butter or margarine, peanut butter and salt in large bowl.  Cream one-third of sugar into mixture.  Blend 4 tablespoons milk, then remaining sugar into mixture.  Gradually stir remaining milk into frosting until desired spreading consistency is reached. 

I'll bet this would be wonderful with chocolate cake.

I packed several books for this trip, of course, and should have some good mysteries to mention next week!

Miracle Orange Frosting

Here is the drawing to go with Miracle Orange Frosting, from the Domino Sugar Kitchen cookbook. Do you really think that orange would be smiling in a juicer?

1 lb. Domino Confectioners Sugar
1/4 lb. butter or margarine
1/8 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange rind.

Combine sugar, butter or margarine, salt and orange juice in top of double boiler.  Place over simmering water; blend ingredients until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Add rind.  Cool, stirring frequently until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. 

I am not a big fan of orange cake, but it makes me think of Jan Karon's Mitford series, where someone in town made an orange cake none of them could resist. I definitely have foods like that in my life - Moose Munch, S'mores...almost anything with chocolate and coconut or chocolate and peanut butter. Perhaps this is why I'm packing the knit stretchy suit for my presentation at the Public Library Association...

Candy Jar

I have no idea why the boy is using dynamite to open this candy jar when he could just take off the lid...Still on the Domino Sugar Kitchen cookbook.

I have a lot of trouble making candy, but this one seems possible, though those temperatures are pretty exact. I have pralines on my mind as I research Vintage Southern Treats for a show on April 1.

Plantation Pralines
3 cups firmly packed Domino Light Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
Combine sugar, cream of tartar and salt in large thick saucepan.  Stir milk into mixture.  Place over moderate heat; stirring until sugar dissolves.  Wipe sugar crystals from side of pan as necessary; cook without stirring to 236-238F or soft ball stage.  Remove from heat.  Cool to 220F.  Add butter or margarine, extract and pecans.  Stir continuously until creamy.  Drop from large spoon onto buttered surface or waxed paper.  Yield:  1 1/2 - 2 doz. pralines or 2 1/2 lbs. pralines.

Yesterday I started taking the steroids again as I got sick. Nothing like getting on a plane and speaking when sick. The good news is that I packed really fast. Even better, I'll be talking as fast as my other presenter from NY with the steroids. Perhaps I should add a little more content!

I started Rosemary Harris' Dead Head to review for the Book Report Network. As usual, it's already funny with a great mystery. She is just as funny in real life. If you haven't read her series - check it out. She is the same person who gave me the crazy banana cookbook and others in January when I went to Boston for ALA Midwinter.

Custards Au Caramel

Still on the Domino Sugar Kitchen cookbook. These drawings are priceless! This one sounds really good, though I always have trouble getting the milk scalded rather than burnt.

Custards Au Caramel
1 3/4 cups Domino Granulated Sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
2 2/3 cups milk, scalded
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Place 1 1/4 cups sugar in thick skillet over medium heat.  Stir continuously until sugar caramelizes into golden brown syrup.  Divide syrup into 6 buttered ceramic custard cups at once.  Rotate cups to coat sides.
Blend remaining 1/2 cup sugar with beaten eggs and salt in mixing bowl.  Stir scalded milk into mixture gradually.  Add extract and nutmeg.  Pour mixture into custard cups.  Set cups in shallow pan of hot water. Bake in moderate oven 350F about 35 minutes or until knife blade comes out clean.  Remove from heat; cool.  Chill; unmold.  Yield:  6 servings.

I'm getting ready to speak with my friend Nick Buron this week about teen library services at the Public Library Association in Portland, OR, but will be sure to pre-schedule the blog so you won't miss any recipes...

Butterscotch Refrigerator Cookies

It's snowing here. It snowed all day yesterday and still this morning. It's warm enough that there is no accumulation on the roads, but there is a couple inches in our yard. In other news, today is the first day of spring.

This picture is from the Domino Sugar cookbook. While lots of vintage cookbooks save money by using drawings, these are so cute, and some use partial photos like this one! Here's a great refrigerator cookie recipe to go with:

Butterscotch Refrigerator Cookies

2 cups firmly packed Domino Dark Brown Sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. soft butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp. double-acting baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream sugar, salt and butter or margarine thoroughly.  Beat eggs and extract into creamed mixture until light and fluffy.  Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and cinnamon.  Gradually stir into creamed ingredients.  Work nuts into dough.  Chill slightly.

Form dough into 3 rolls; wrap each in waxed paper and place on metal tray.  Chill overnight.  Slice 1/4" cookies; place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake cookies in moderate oven 350F 8 - 12 minutes or until brown around edges.  Remove to cooling rack.  Store in airtight container.  Yield:  6 - 8 dozen cookies.

http://www.mdlsales.com/  I went to this store in Wheaton yesterday - MDL Sales Antiques. I bought a red shirtwaist dress and a 1950's blouse. That's right - I am going to start dressing the part for the programs. I also got some wonderful vintage cookbooks there. I love the mother and daughter who run that place - they totally get what I do, and let me know when scary cookbooks arrive. The mother helped me find the clothes, which was not easy, as I do not have the wispy waist of a 1950's woman with industrial underwear.

Applesauce Cake

This drawing is for Applesauce Cake, still from the Domino cookbook from 1962. I wonder how they can tell it's a girl cake?

2 cups Domino Superfine Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt (wow!)

3/4 cup shortening

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

3 1/4 cups sifted al-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. double-acting baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. each ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice

1 15-oz. jar applesauce

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup seedless raisins

Cream 1 2/3 cups sugar, salt and shortening in large bowl.  Beat egg yolks into creamed mixture, one at a time, until light and fluffy.  Add lemon rind.  Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and spices.  Add parts of flour mixture and applesauce alternately to creamed mixture, blending well after each addition.  Add nuts and raisins; mix briefly.  Place egg whites in large mixing bowl.  Beat at highest speed until whites stand in peaks but are not dry.  Beating continuously, make meringue by beating remaining 1/3 cup sugar into beaten whites, a tablespoonful at a time.  Fold meringue lightly into batter.  Turn into greased and floured 10" tube pan.  Bake in slow oven 325F 75-80 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  Turn cake out on cooling rack.  Store in airtight container one or more days before serving.  Yield:  one 10" cake or 16-20 servings.

I always have trouble with this kind of recipe. I can't see myself having the patience to add the 2 cups sugar one tablespoon at a time. But I'll bet it is tasty.

We are going to a park district Bunny Hop today, where they have marshmallow slings. Yes! They actually waste them by shooting them at a target. Cotton balls would be harder, and then we could just eat the marshmallows.

Sugar Glaze

Happy St. Joseph's Day. I already have my Zeppole. I have Cannoli filled ones from the Italian bakery - we got their last ones!. Mmmmmm.

This is from the same Domino Sugar book. I LOVE this picture! I have a recipe here for the glaze, but no explanation is given for the decoration - likely gummy candies rolled flat and cut. Or nuts/cherries for that bread. Here's the glaze:

2 cups Domino Granulated Sugar (Wow! No one said these were healthy...)

2/3 cup water

1/8 tsp. sale

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, optional

1 cup Domino Confectioners 10-X sugar (?? Just get the Confectioners...)

1/4 tsp. lemon or other extract

Combine granulated sugar, water and salt in saucepan.  Stir over heat until sugar dissolves.  Boil, without stirring to 230F or thread stage. Remove from heat. (Um, thread stage? How would you know that w/o stirring?)

Blend butter or margarine, confectioners sugar and extract into syrup with fork or whisk.  Stir until smooth and slightly thick.  Keep glaze at right consistency by standing saucepan in larger pan of simmering water. (Hope you read this all first and are ready to go with that.)

Brush or spoon glaze onto cakes, cookies or breads.  If mixture becomes dry and crusty, reheat slightly and stir a little water into glaze.  Yield 1 2/3 cups glaze.

These treats look perfect for spring. In other news, it is supposed to snow a little here Sunday or Monday, though it looks like lovely day today.

Lemon Souffle

This fabulous drawing is from the Dominick's Sugar Kitchen cookbook, 1962. It is very cute, though I do have to wonder why it would be attractive to think about things dropping from the lemons' er - back ends, into the souffle.

This is a wonderful cookbook filled with more drawings like this. I will be on this one for a bit!

Lemon Souffle: (Maybe grate your lemons into a bowl...)

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup lemon juice (that's a lot)

1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/4 cup Domino Granulated Sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

5 egg yolks, well beaten

Domino Granulated Sugar

5 egg whites, room temperature

Domino Confectioners 10-X Sugar (???)

Blend flour into melted butter or margarine in top of double boiler.  Stir milk into mixture gradually.  Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly until mixture is very thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir lemon juice, rind, sugar and salt into beaten yolks; blend lemon mixture into hot mixture.  Remove from heat.  Tie 6: wide strip of greased waxed paper around a well-greased 7" souffle dish to form collar.  Dust dish and collar with granulated sugar.  Place egg whites in large mixing bowl; beat at highest speed until stiff but not dry.  Gradually fold yolk mixture into beaten whites.  Bake in moderate oven 350F until golden brown, about 40 minutes.  Remove collar at once; sprinkle souffle with confectioners sugar.  Serve at once. 

I was very excited that this blog was featured yesterday on the Gapers Block, from the fun Chicago foodie site:  Drive Thru:  

http://gapersblock.com/drivethru/2010/03/17/windy_city_blogger_wednesday_vintage_cookbooks/index.php

Last night we had 20+ at our Teen Corps meeting, where teens got prizes for wearing green. Then we did a craft for the ALA book we are helping with for lovely author Christina Coleman, and then we painted a rain barrel for a National Library Week auction. I am covered in paint still today and am enjoying my Advil. Have a good day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

It's the High Holiday for my family today. The big Green one. St. Patrick's Day. I have a green meeting tonight with my Teen Corps and we'll be painting a rain barrel for a green campaign at the library.
Last night I did a program at the Homer Twp. PL in Homer Glen, IL, where my librarian friend Alex works. I did my Crazy About Cakes, and I showed them my Lime Ribbon Delight triumph photo (see previous post). We all had a good laugh, and many said they were glad to see that other people have baking disasters too.

This is from Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cook Book, 1959. This is a suggested centerpiece. Nice styrofoam.

Try this instead:
Emerald Isle Dessert Cups
"Perfect refreshment for the Bridge Club"
1 cup white cream mints
3/4 cup milk
Fre drops green food coloring
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 7-oz. package solid chocolate-mint candy wafers, or 1 6-oz. package semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons shortening
Make Mint Ice Cream: Combine mints and milk.  Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes or till mints are melted.  Cool to room temperature.  Stir in food coloring; fold in whipped cream.  Pour into refrigerator tray and freeze until firm. (Amy's note: Go buy Fannie Mae's Meltaway Ice Cream. Awesome.)
Serve in Chocolate Cups:  Melt chocolate mint candy wafers or semisweet pieces with shortening over hot, not boiling water, stirring till smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Place paper baking cups in muffin pans.  With a teaspoon, swirl chocolate mixture around inside cups, covering entire surface with a thin layer of chocolate.  Chill.
When chocolate cups harden, tear off paper.  Fill with rounded scoops of Mint Ice Cream.  top each dessert with a chocolate mint wafer. 

Lime Ribbon Delight #2 and Green Cookie Pudding

http://vintagecookbooks.blogspot.com/2009/03/lime-ribbon-delight-ful.html

These are the fabulous treats I brought to my brother's St. Pat's party yesterday. I put the link for the Lime Ribbon Delight cake - which turned out much more attractively last year! This year it slid all over! I made the cookie pudding as a backup - layers of vanilla pudding dyed green with Vanilla Wafers, left in fridge overnight. This is supposed to be packed in, then 'unmolded', but I didn't seem to have enough to reach the top - this looks better in my opinion anyway. Everyone enjoyed eating the cake covered with lime jello and pineapple, but I just don't know what happened there...

My brother calls the other Mushy Cookie Pudding. It is supposed to be a type of Icebox Cake. Use your own term - but it is delicious. Rich and comforting. Works really well with chocolate, too.

Hot Irish

This photo is from the Southern Living Celebrations volume from the Southern Heritage set. It is from 'Wearin' of the Green in Texas.' It describes the menu for celebrating St. Pat's Day in Shamrock and Dubin, TX. Here it is: Ireland Lamb Stew, Whiskey Soda Bread, Hot Irish and Irish Festive Cake.

Interesting. Whiskey Soda Bread is supposed to be served with Whiskey Butter, and Hot Irish with - you guessed it - Whiskey! Now my Grandma used to enjoy the Brandy Alexanders at the 2 for 1 at Bennigan's for St. Pat's, but no whiskey entered into our family celebrations...

Whiskey Soda Bread
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup Irish Whiskey
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. salt (oh boy - this is another defibrillator recipe)
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Soak raisins in Irish Whiskey overnight. (Oddly, this is the same step if you want to light a cake on fire for a flaming effect.)  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange rind in a large bowl; mix well.  Stir in raisin mixture, blending well. Dissolve soda in buttermilk, add to flour mixture, stirring well.  Stir in butter, mixing well.  Spoon batter into a greased 2-quart casserole.  Bake at 350F for 50 minutes or until golden brown.  Cut into squares, and serve with Whiskey Butter.

Whiskey Butter:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon Irish Whiskey
Combine butter and whiskey, blending well. 

Hot Irish
1 cup hot water
2 1/2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 lemon slice studded with cloves
Combine all ingredients in a mug, stirring well.  Serve at once. (Oh boy. At least have some of the liquor-laced bread and butter with this before downing this one.)

I have a Green refrigerator cake cooling as well as the Lime Ribbon Delight Cake for today's family party. More on this tomorrow!

Killarney Potato Balls

My wonderful friend Sarah Debraski wrote me yesterday that she found a cookbook in her basement with a St. Pat's menu, including Killarney Potato Balls. She is so great - she sent me 4 photos/scans: recipe (click on recipe for bigger view), cover, photo of potato balls, and menu. Leprechaun soup, eh? Actually, these potato balls sound ok, and even look good, though that cabbage wrapped meat is a bit odd.
Last night my older son and I went to a Mom/Son park district Magic night. This was fun, though the magician went from doing innocuous book and ball tricks to suddenly putting knives through a box that held his son's head. Josh loved this, though admitted it was a bit scary. Yes, it was. Josh kept asking me if it was a date, because the folks there kept referring to it like that and playing slow dance music. Plus we all had to dress up. That was a bit odd, but the evening was really fun. We sat with one of his nice friends and his mom, plus a teen who I had to give points for staying with his mom as he wanted to learn to be a magician. Today Josh and I have to make our Lime Ribbon Delight Cake for a family St. Pat's party tomorrow. I made this last year, but will put up adjusted recipe info. and pics tomorrow.

Shillelagh Supper

Here is the last menu from The Complete Holiday Cookbook. (Wait until I get started with Easter...) My family has a Shillelagh from Ireland - a horned curved stick. One of my nieces really wants it when she is older. She's welcome to it! Here is the menu for Shillelagh Supper: Corned Beef, Emerald and Gold and Vegetables, Tossed Green Salad, Cabbage Salad, Cheese Platter, Assorted Crackers, Irish Bread, Killarney Cherry Cake, Tea, Coffee, Ale. Nice. Love the Ale touch.

Killarney Cake actually sounds pretty good:

1 1-pound 2-oz. package chocolate fudge cake mix

1/4 cup creme de menthe or 1 tsp. peppermint extract (note - that's pretty strong...)

1/2 cup chopped green maraschino cherries

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons creme de menthe or 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/4 cup chole green maraschino cherries

Chocolate curls

Prepare cake mix following package directions, substituting 1/4 cup creme de menthe for 1/4 cup water. Stir in chopped cherries. Pour into 2 greased 9-inch layer cake pans; bake as directed. Cool. whip cream with 3 tablespoons creme de menthe. Spread 1/3 of whipped cream between cake layers. Heap remaining whipped cream on top. Arrange whole cherries and chocolate curls over whipped cream.

Joanne Fluke's new Apple Turnover Murder came in for me at work yesterday, but I have a couple review mysteries to hit first. It's a lovely green color, so I can mention it here - haha! What are you reading or eating?

Lunch with the Colleens

This is a photo of 'green rice' and a scary elf trying to be a leprechaun from the 1961 Complete Holiday Cookbook - same as yesterday. This is supposed to be Luncheon with the Colleens. Here's the menu:
Minted Lamb chops, Green Rice, carrots, Shamrock Rolls, Lime Mosaic, Irish Café en Gelee (coffee and Irish whiskey, Butterscotch Tam O’Shanters (chips and brown sugar candy), Shamrock Casserole

Wow - Minted Lamb Chops. And that's rice with peas mixed in, molded in a shamrock, with parsley on top. Painful. Shamrock Casserole is potatoes and cabbage with carrots.

Are you planning your St. Pat's Menu now?

I ordered 300 Delicious Ways to Use Your Bundt Pan after my friend Sarah found a copy over the weekend. I really think this goes into the top 10 of my all time weirdest cookbooks. She'll be guest posting about that book and other treasures after the big Green Holiday next week.

Yesterday I finished reading The Wedding Girl by Wickham/Sophie Kinsella. Really funny - though not as madcap as her Shopaholic books. I very much enjoyed it. I'll be back to reviewing mysteries now for a long time, so that was a perfect break.

Irish Soda Bread

Yes, it's time for that huge holiday in my family - St. Patrick's Day. I have a week's worth of green or Irish foods to share, and remember I did a whole other week of this last year, too! (Check the archives for last year to get some great green desserts and foods.)

I use this picture for my Spring Holidays show. It is from the 1961 Complete Holiday Cookbook. They have MULTIPLE menus for St. Pat's Day. This photo is from Shamrock Breakfast with the following menu: Honeydew Melon Balls with Lime, Ham Slices, Irish Soda Bread, Cheese Souffle

“Leave it to your guests to provide the blarney – and Irish people are known for their ability to do it.”
Ah. I never exaggerate or provide Blarney...

My family actually loves the Soda Bread from Jewel. We've already gone through two loaves this year.

Irish Soda Bread
2 cup sifted flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tsp. caraway seeds
3 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup dark or golden raisins, chopped coarsely
Melted butter
Resift flour with baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Add caraway seeds. Cut in shortening until in fine pieces. Make a well in center and pour in buttermilk. Add raisins. Mix lightly to moderately soft dough. Turn out on floured board; knead gently a few strokes. Shape into round; fit into greased 8-9 inch round layer cake pan. Cut loaf crosswise into quarters about 2/3 way through dough using a sharp knife or scissors. Brush top surface of loaf with melted butter; sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake in 350F oven about 30 minutes.

Blessings

I didn't see it as a blessing when my good friend author Catherine Stier moved to Texas a couple years ago, but luckily we have stayed in contact. I know (even as I knew then) that she is a blessing in my life. She sent me these fabulous crackers over the weekend and my entire family has been enjoying them.

Blessings have been much on my mind as everything is changing around here. The show schedule is ever increasing, along with requests for other projects related to the Vintage Cookbooks and my husband and I bought a new freezer and fridge for the garage for all the foods I have been storing for the events.

In the midst of that I have several national librarian talks scheduled this year, though not at ALA. I'll be attending new conferences and that's always nerveracking. I have a new librarian book out in a couple months, and am working on another out next year. At the library our programs are all enjoying an increase in teen participation, which means more programs and er - a lot more teens...These are all good things, but something is going to have to give in this schedule. I thought after the 2009 year o'craziness I was done with change for a while, but I see another big one coming on the horizon.

In the meantime, let's talk about another blessing - CHOCOLATE! I have one more Mable recipe then it's off to celebrate St. Pat's for the next week...

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sifted cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt chocolate; set aside. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans; set aside. Preheat oven to 350F . Combine all ingredients in a large mixer bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1/2 minute, then on high speed 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Turn out on wire racks. Cool completely. Frost, if desired. Makes one 2-layer, 9-inch cake.

Buttermilk, eh? I believe you can make it yourself quickly: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/condimentsandspices/r/Buttermilk_Sub.htm

Butter-Nut Crunch

This is also from Mable's book. I looked her up and she does have a lot of cookbooks available. I do like these recipes - easy and yummy sounding.

Readers here know candy-making and I do not agree, usually. But I have been looking up pralines for a show I'm doing based on The Help in a few weeks - Vintage Southern Treats. I need a good pralines recipe. I came across this candy recipe in Mable's book and I think I'll include it with some praline recipe - it certainly looks good and it is easy.

Butter-Nut Crunch

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 (6 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Butter a 15x10 cookie sheet; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, salt, butter or margarine and water. Cook until mixture reaches soft-crack stage or 270F on a candy thermometer. (Provided you haven't melted yours like I did...) Stir in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet. If necessary, spread to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cool. Melt chocolate; spread over cooled candy. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. When cool, break into irregular chunks. Makes 35 - 40 pieces.

Angel-Food Strata

This is also from Chocolate Cookery, by Mable Hoffman. I misspelled her name yesterday - sorry, Mable!

I like the look of this one - you see variations on angel food layers in a lots of the vintage cookbooks, as well as in modern magazines. This is a store bought angel food cake with a yummy chocolate filling in the layers.

Over the weekend my husband and I got to go antiquing briefly to the Oakton St. Antique Mall, a favorite place around here for us. My back was hurting, but my husband found some very weird cookbooks. I'll be posting from those and adding some photos of fun foods I took over the weekend soon, too. Of course beginning Wednesday I will start up with the green foods this week, too...

Angel-Food Strata (filling)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1-1/4 cups cold water

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (1 lb. 3 oz.) angel-food cake

4 maraschino cherries, halved

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Stir in water, then eggs. Stir constantly over low heat until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool until lukewarm. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. Garnish with cherries. Makes 10 servings, about 230 calories per serving, to 12 servings, about 180 calories per serving.

I think you could get an angel food cake mix, dye it green and cut it like this when done. Then add a couple drops peppermint extract instead of the vanilla extract to make this a more St. Pat's treat. They have green candied cherries, too...

Chocolate Pull-Apart Ring

This photo is Mabel Hoffman. Her Chocolate Cookery book from 1978 was donated to the library, and I purchased it. What a gem. I do have to say that photo is certainly a view of the times. Her recipes are pretty fantastic.

I've seen expensive Monkey Bread pans and kits in stores recently. I think kitchenalia designers are trying to come up with the new cupcake. You don't need a fancy pan for this one. Mabel has a good recipe, but there is an even easier way to do this:

1 (13 3/4 oz.) pkg. hot roll mix

3/4 cup very warm water, 105 F to 115 F

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup finely chopped nuts

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast from hot roll mix in warm water. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and the egg. Add flour mixture from hot roll mix. Blend well. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 - 45 minutes. Grease a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, cocoa and nuts; set aside. On a floured surface, shape dough into a round ball, working in a small amount of flour from the floured surface if dough is sticky. Cut into 24 pieces. Dip each piece into melted butter, then cocoa-nut mixture. Arrange pieces about 1/4 inch apart in layers in prepared pan. Cover. Let rise again until doubled in bulk, 20 - 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan 2 minutes. Invert on serving plate; remove pan. Serve warm. Makes 24 pieces.

This could easily be done with a tube of Pillsbury biscuits or rolls, cut into 1/4s. Dip those into the mixtures and put in the greased 10-inch tube pan. Yum either way, though.

Do any of you cook with yeast? Not my favorite thing. A bit icky and time consuming, though I know some bakers who are really proud of the results they get with it.

Savory Turkey Divan

The casserole contest was so much fun to judge yesterday! Honestly, all of the casseroles were very good, and it was cute how the contestants got to wear toques. Judges were treated so nicely, and it was a lovely event. I hope they ask me back. I am going back there to talk about Cakes in a few weeks, but I'd love to judge another. I guess they do a different type of food each year. All were family recipes, and I enjoyed hearing the provenance of each one. When the winning casserole links go up in the local paper, I'll link it here.

Here's another from my family's old church cookbook. It's called Savory Chicken Divan, but my Mom changed it to Turkey. This is delicious. I have no pictures in this book, though, so I pulled this from Southern Living - from River Oaks Garden Club's Spring Luncheon. I love the chicken shaped sandwiches. And what on earth is that green spread on thsoe round things? Next to that is asparagus rolled in bread. I use this as the opening slide for my Spring Holidays show.


Here's Savory Turkey Divan:
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
2 c. water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 c. croutons
1-10 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli
8 lg. slices of turkey breasts
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Melt margarine in saucepan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add water gradually, stirring constantly. Add bouillon cubes. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Spread croutons in bottom of 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Pour 1/2 of sauce over croutons. Arrange broccoli over croutons and sauce. Top with turkey slices. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in 350 F oven for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. 2 cups chicken broth may be substituted for water and bouillon cubes. 4-6 servings.

I'm reviewing Julie Hyzy's Eggescutive Orders for Bookreporter.com and so far it's wonderful, which is no surprise. Julie is a Chicago writer I admire very much.

Pizza Casserole

I think yesterday's recipe made me think of this one, a family favorite from our church cookbook. I was also thinking about casseroles as I am judging a casserole contest this afternoon for a local Senior Center, and I'm very excited about that!

But Pizza Casserole is from 'Our Daily Bread II,' a collection of recipes from 1987 - 1988, Visitation Church Council of Catholic Women.

1 lb. ground beef
2 - 8 oz. cans pizza sauce
1 - 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 c. rotini, cooked and drained
2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

In skillet, brown ground beef. Drain off excess fat. Stir in pizza sauce, undrained mushrooms, oregano, and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine rotini and milk. In a 2 quart casserole, layer half each of the meat sauce, rotini mixture and cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, covered, in 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Garnish with pepperoni slices, cherry tomatoes and/or parsley, if desired. Serves 6.

I read Linda Howard's Ice in about an hour yesterday. It is a very fast paced romantic suspense with a brave heroine. I did need a break from all the teen mysteries... I'm also enjoying Jayne Ann Krentz's new one, too.

Pizza Potatoes

I was thinking about heritage after Molly's and Helen's posts this week - and perhaps this dish showcases mine - Irish and Italian! But - it is a bit odd, also from the 1965 Betty Crocker's Dinner in a Dish, and I'd certainly never serve that odd tower of olives in front there.

Pizza Potatoes

1 pkg. of our scalloped potatoes (must be Betty Crocker)

1 can (1 lb.) tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 tsp. crushed oregano

1 pkg. (4 oz.) sliced pepperoni

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400F. Empty potato slices and seasoned sauce mix into baking dish, 9x9x2. Heat tomatoes, water, and oregano to boiling. Pour over potatoes; stir until well mixed. Arrange pepperoni on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 30 - 35 min. Garnish with hot peppers, if desired. 4 servings. (??? That would be huge portions...)

Love the pepper flower in the middle, too...

Unusual British Food: The Little Shop of Horrors

I am lucky to have a few really good friends among my coworkers. One is Helen Stewart, lovely librarian and Scottish native. She is a wonderful artist and can do pratically any craft she is interested in, it seems, and very well! She has a crafty blog here, and was interested in some of the blogs I've received lately on Haggis. She said there are plenty more - er - unusual foods to try from across the pond! - AA

Ladies and gentlemen….roll up roll up for the most hideous show imaginable.. sights that will turn your stomach, horrify your very being and putrify your soul….
I present to you – the horrors of the British kitchen!!!

First up – Jellied Eels - yes, I kid you not, Jellied eels. This is a traditional English dish that originated in the 18th century, primarily in London's East End. The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It can be eaten hot or cold. I would rather be flayed by a medeival torturer than eat this. I used to think that this was an urban myth. I wish that were true.


Next in show – deep fried Mars Bars. Holey moley. Guaranteed to kill a man at 20 paces, loved and adored by pubescent British youth and the just plain insane. No need to embellish this, as all we’re talking about here is throwing a mars bar in batter and then submerging it in a deep fat frier. And then horror of horrors, eating it. The dish originated at chip shops in Scotland as a novelty item, but was never a mainstream item. Since various mass media have reported on the practice since the mid 1990s, in part as an ironic commentary on urban Britain's notoriously unhealthy diet, the popularity of the dish has spread. God help us all.


To close our show today I’d like to highlight pickled eggs and tripe.
Tripe is the stomach lining of animals (although in the UK it’s mostly from cows) and its pale, rippled appearance is enough to set off the gag-reflex in many people. Although its appearance is reason enough to hate it, the soft texture of tripe is another factor to loathe it.

As for pickled eggs -it’s a good indication of the sort of flavor treat that lies in store with a pickled egg that they can primarily be found behind the bar of a pub. The fact that they're preserved in a large catering pack which has probably been there since the pub opened simply makes it worse. Any foodstuff that requires a stiff drink to make it seem edible must be pretty gross and the fact that these hard-boiled eggs are doused with piquant and ancient vinegar makes them hideous in the extreme. Bon appetit and I hope you enjoyed the show!

Molly MacRae Monday: Secret Weapon for Victory

I can't believe it's the first Monday of March already but I am definitely welcoming spring and of course the monthly post from my mystery writer friend, Molly Macrae! Molly is back to discuss her physical feat. And what it took to get her there... - AA

As you read this on Monday morning, March 1st, I will be savoring sweet victory in a grueling athletic endeavor. Victory because I plan to finish, even if I have to crawl.

Sunday, February 28th, my friend Pat and I are participating in Hustle up the Hancock. We’re joining several thousand other people who think climbing the stairs to the top of the John Hancock Center in Chicago is a lark and a great way to raise money and awareness for the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. Pat and I are actually only doing the Half Hustle, climbing only 52 floors, from the midpoint to the observation deck. We didn’t get to be as old as we are by being total loons. Our victory will come in finishing the climb, not in any setting any records for speed.

Am I ready for the Hustle? You bet. How have I prepared? Climbing a lot of stairs, over and over and over. But, even better, I’ve been fortifying myself with the food of the gods – Vegetarian Haggis. This stuff is fabulous. It doesn’t really taste like haggis, something in its favor, no doubt, in many people’s minds, but it has the right consistency and pepperiness.

How do I know Vegetarian Haggis will give me the edge I need to make it to the top? Take a look at this leg. Looking good, don’t you think? Come Monday morning, I know I’ll owe it all to Vegetarian Haggis. That or argyle socks.

Vegetarian Haggis
(my own secret recipe revealed)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
3 oz. brown lentils, soaked for two to three hours
2 oz. steel cut oats, soaked for one hour
1 ½ cups cooked pinto beans, chopped
1 ¾ cups vegetable broth
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
⅔ cup pecans, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to lightly oiled 3 ½- to 4-quart slow cooker.

Drain lentils and oats, rinse. Add to slow cooker with rest of ingredients. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.