Fudge

 Deanna has kept this Christmas tradition alive for at least the 33+ years I've been married.  Her annual packet of Christmas Fudge arrives and is almost as anticipated as the actual Christmas Day itself.  I had a  good decade or so where I was able to keep it as my dirty little holiday secret... but at some point the children got smarter!  This was a much sought after recipe of my moms.  She even had about 20 extra copies of it stored in the box for quick disbursement.  

Also, I have it on good authority that Sylvia's FUDGE can be improved in the following ways:

• Canned Milk refers to EVAPORATED MILK, not sweetened condensed milk
• Use 2 T Vanilla, not 2 t
• Use MILK CHOCOLATE, SEMI SWEET & High COCOA (60%+) Content Chips - 3 flavors
• Recipe was created when product sizing was larger.  Use 1 1/2 C of each flavor of chips and approximately 2 1/2 C or a 7.5 oz jar of marshmallow creme works
• Pecans are just as good as Walnuts - Chef's choice
• Do not use cold butter.  Cut it up small for easier mixing (so funny that the recipe mentions "margarine".  My mother did NOT do margarine!  Or cool whip... Ever!)
• Reduce cooking time to about 6 minutes
• And finally, there is no mention of MINIATURE MARSHMALLOWS, but get them and use them!  Use lots of them they are the best part!  I'm going to say a cup a pound (3-4 C)... mix them in after all the chips have melted and just before you pour into the buttered pan, do NOT overstir

Special thanks to Deanna for sharing her improvements... No one reads my blog, so your secrets are very safe!  ;)

Campers Cocoa Mix

 

Lemon Meringue Pie...

 For my first Yellow Recipe Box Recipe, I'm picking one of my all time favorites!  I know it was one of mom's favorites too!  If I remember right, not a favorite of my brother Michael... Sorry Mike!

The Yellow Recipe Box...

 

There are many things my under 10 age mind remembers that made my childhood magical.  Family & friend get togethers, huckleberry & raspberry picking with clorox container buckets tied with nylons, grits n eggs, swedish pancakes/hotcakes, early morning scripture reading, the dock, sledding down a dark,snowy driveway, walking in the woods, the pond, the rope "Kodak picture spot" swing, lining up for Christmas morning on the stairs, and mom's cooking with the YELLOW RECIPE BOX.

As a gift to my children, my siblings and most definitely, MY SELF... I am going to attempt to post some of my favorite recipes from mom's iconic Betty Crocker 1970's yellow recipe box.  Mom's best and most familiar recipes are typed using a cursive typewriter or if I'm lucky, in her own handwriting!  Funny how those things mean so much when a person is gone...  I'm not sure I'm even familiar with any of the Betty Crocker recipes that came with the box.  But the box and the delicious instructive contents are definitely right up there with my favorite symbols of a magical, happy childhood in north Idaho on Hayden Lake.  This box accompanied us to Hawaii and Utah.  It followed mom to back to Idaho, California and Virginia.  I borrowed it for a few days once and hand copied some of my own favorites that reside in my "tan recipe box".  Somehow after 50 years I have ended up with it.  I am going to do it proud and share.  My mom was a master in the kitchen.  I don't believe she actually needed to look at the recipes, but I'm so glad she recorded them.

Some of the recipes will be repeats to what is already on my blog.  This is where many of those originated! You can search for the deliciousness by topic under various lables of pastry, soups, desserts etc... but I will also include the special label The Yellow Recipe Box when adding something directly from the box.

I'm excited about this project... Not yet sure if it will take me a few weeks or a few years. 

Enjoy!

Apple Crisp...

FILLING:
8 medium/large Apples (4 tart Granny Smith - 4 sweet Honey Crisp)
1 Lemon (Juiced - 2 T)
1 t fresh Ginger (1/2 t ground Ginger)
1 t Vanilla
2/3 C Coconut Sugar
1 t Salt (1/2 t Seasalt)
1 t Cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/4 t ground Cloves
3 T Starch (Tapioca, Corn or Arrowroot)
1/4 unsweetened Apple Juice

TOPPING:
1 C Oats
1/2 C Almond Meal
*1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour (*For Gluten Free, use Oat or Almond Flour, Maybe Cornmeal???)
1 C Coconut Sugar
1/2 C Pecans (roughly chopped)
1/4 t Sea Salt
1 t ground Cinnamon
1/2 C melted Coconut oil (Or Olive oil... or Mix the two 1/2 and 1/2)

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.  Peel, core and thinly slice apples.  Add to large mixing bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.  Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.  Combine all topping ingredients and mix well.  Pour evenly over apples.  Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and apples are tender.  Let rest at least 30 minutes before serving.

(When I'm trying to be healthy, it's great!  If I'm not... traditional apple crisp is always better.  But it IS good!  This would also be good with my favorite... PEACHES.)

Maple Cornmeal Banana Bread (Gluten Free Vegan... But Not Too Bad!)

1 1/2 C Oat Flour (oatmeal processed in the blender)
1 1/2 C Cornmeal
3 T Casava Flour (Tapioca or Corn Starch can be a substitute)
4-5 Very ripe Bananas (mashed)
3/4 C Maple Syrup
3/4 C Unsweetened Applesauce
3 Tbsp Almond Milk (or any Dairy Free Milk)
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 t Baking Soda
1 1/2 t Baking Powder
*Optional Flax Seed or chopped nuts to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Spray two regular or 4 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray and divide batter evenly between the pans.  Bake 45-50 minutes.  Let cool before removing from pans.

(This could also be called Banana Cornbread...  I stand by my previous versions of banana bread. Banana Bread and Banana Bread Revisited... Banana Bread is NOT my favorite!  However, this is a different twist and as a bonus it is Gluten-free and Vegan!  I love cornbread and I like the texture of this bread.  If I am trying to be healthy... and it happens every once in awhile... I flip flop between healthy and straight up McDonald's 3X a day... but on a good day, this can be a yummy treat.  But it's definitely not a substitute for Raspberry bread Pudding.)

Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Quiejo)

1 1/2 C Milk

1 cube Butter (or 1/2 C Olive Oil)

1 t Salt

2 C Cassava (or Tapioca) Flour

3/4 C Parmesan Cheese

3/4 C Sharp or Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 beaten Eggs

I'm sure you can do this without a kitchen aid or similar mixer... but I wouldn't recommend it.  You'll be mixing for days!  Preheat oven to 450 degrees, but turn it down to 350 degrees as soon as you place the bread in the oven.

Bring the milk, butter and salt to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Place the Cassava flour in the mixer's bowl.  Add the hot milk mixture and carefully start the mixer.  Let mix for several minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time and continue mixing.  Add the cheeses. Ultimately the dough will have the consistency of a stretchy "play dough".  I used my cookie scoop to keep the amounts the same.  I rolled each piece of dough into a ball and placed them my pizza stone baking sheet.  28 small rolls.  Remember to reduce the heat to 350 degrees right after you place in oven.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  They don't really brown.  The outside is dry and the inside is "squishy".

(These are yummy little gluten free rolls.  I love them at Tucanos...  I will continue to work on this recipe, but they are pretty good as is.  I am definitely calling them a success!  I would like to explore and enhance the flavor with different cheeses.  I used and will continue to use the cheap Parmesan in the can.  It's grated so fine and gets mixed in well.  I loved the texture and color that shredded sharp cheddar added.)

Ted's Chocolate Haupia Pie...

• Baked Regular or Shortbread Crust
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1/2 C Cornstarch
• 1/2 t Salt
• 1 14 oz Can Coconut Milk
• 1 1/2 C Whole Milk
• 3/4 C Milk Chocolate Chips (or two Hershey bars)
• 3/4 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 t Coconut Extract
• Coconut Chocolate Whipping Cream for topping/garnish

In a large saucepan combine the dry cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Add milks.  While cold, whisk until the sugar is dissolved.  Turn on heat and cook stirring constantly until mixture boils and starts to thicken.  Cook until it is the consistency of a thick, smooth pudding.  (Be careful to stir constantly to keep the pudding from burning on the bottom.  Try not to scrape "brown bits" off the bottom of the pan.  You want the "haupia" to be as white as possible.)  Remove from heat, stir in coconut extract.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips.  30-45 seconds at a time, stir and repeat heating  until completely melted and smooth.  Do NOT burn!

Divide haupia/coconut mixture add about 3/4 of the mixture to the melted chocolate chips.  Fold together until completely blended and smooth.  Spread all but about 1/4 of a cup of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of the baked pie crust.  (Reserve the remaining little bit of chocolate pudding and cool it down until no longer warm.)  Top the chocolate layer with a thinner white haupia layer.  Spread evenly to edge of crust.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until its no longer warm (at least 30 min)  To the remaining (no longer warm) chocolate pudding, fold in about 1-2 C of prepared whipped cream (sweetened with powdered sugar and seasoned with coconut extract) until fully mixed.  Spread over cooled haupia layer.  Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.  2-4 hours.  

(YUM!  This is a LOT like Ted's Bakery... but that added third layer of chocolate-coconut whipped cream is all mine!)

Vanilla Cream Sauce...

• 3 C Heavy Cream
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Flour
• 1 1/2 C Butter (that's 3 sticks!)
• 1 T Vanilla

In a sauce pan melt butter.  Add the flour and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium.  DO NOT LET IT BROWN!  Add cream and sugar.  Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened.  DO NOT BURN!  Do not cook too fast or at too high a temperature... you'll be sorry!  Or at least that's what I've heard from a "friend".  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Serve warm. 

(To be drizzled over Raspberry Bread Pudding, or literally just eaten by the spoonful, in the dark. in a closet.  ALL of it...)

Raspberry Bread Pudding... Just like Kneaders used to make! And Vanilla Cream Sauce

• 1 1/2 Loaves French Bread (day or two old or let it sit out for a few hours)
• 1 Quart Heavy Cream (that's 4 C)
• 3 C Sugar (That's not quite a QUART of sugar... )
• 2 Eggs
• 1 T Vanilla
• 2 1/2 C Frozen Raspberries
• 1/2 C Sugar (NOW we're almost at a quart of sugar...)
• 1/4 C Apple Juice

In a large bowl, combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cut bread into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Add to the cream mixture, let sit for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to completely saturate the bread cubes.

In another bowl, combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.  Spray a 9x13 glass casserole dish and layer 3/4 of bread mixture.  Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the bread, (I kind of gently poke it down in some places to spread it more thoroughly throughout the bread in the pan...)  Top with remaining bread mixture.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 375 degrees.  (be careful and put foil on the bottom of the oven or under pan... it has been known to bubble sticky deliciousness over the sides and create a definite un-delicious smelly baked on MESS in the oven!  Sharing that particular tip for a "friend"...)

While baking make the incredible Vanilla Cream Sauce...:

• 5 C Half and Half (divided)
• 1 1/2 C Sugar
• 2 T Cornstarch
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 T Butter
• 1 T Vanilla

In a sauce pan heat 4 C of the half and half till hot and bubbly. Don’t scorch. In a bowl combine the remaining 1 C of h and h and the cornstarch. Whisk until completely dissolved. Add the sugar and continue mixing until the sugar is also dissolved. Add in the egg yolks, mix well. Gradually add the cold milk/egg mixture to the hot milk in saucepan, whisking constantly. Heat until mixture starts to bubble snd thicken. Do not burn. Remove from heat snd stir in butter and vanilla.  Serve warm. (This is an alternate Vanilla Cream Sauce. It’s a very different taste and texture from the other sauce... I may like it even better!)

(So I had seen the RASPBERRY BREAD PUDDING at Kneaders for years and completely dismissed it because... hello!?  Bread Pudding!  Ewww.... I mean, vanilla pudding, chocolate fudge pudding, even tapioca pudding... but BREAD PUDDING!???  Until one day I heard 3 friends all agree that Kneaders Raspberry Bread Pudding was the best thing in the world.  Not just the best "bread pudding", but the best thing ever.  Well, I had to try it.  They may have been right.  So of course, my next step was to recreate this deliciousness and add it to my repertoire.  I refer to it as "Baked Raspberry French Toast to my family... because... BREAD PUDDING!...  As usual, I read and then put the best parts of several recipes together.  Then through trial and error, I make alterations.  This is the finished result of my research.  You're welcome!)

Chicken Gnocchi Soup - You might think you're at Olive Garden...

4 T Butter
1 T Olive Oil
1 C diced Onion
1-2 C sliced or shredded Carrots
2 Cloves of pressed Garlic
1/4 C Flour
1 Quart Heavy Cream (or Half & Half, Milk - choose your fat level)
28-32 oz Chicken Broth (or Bouillon and Water)
1 T dry Chicken Bouillon Crystals (optional - or Salt to taste)
1 T fresh Thyme (or 1 t dried Thyme)
1/4 C fresh Parsley (or 2 T dried Parsley)
1/2 C diced Celery (or 1 T Celery Seed)
2 C roughly chopped Spinach
1-2 C diced Cooked Chicken (rotisserie works great)
1 16 oz pkg Potato Gnocchi
Dash or two of Tobasco (to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In large pot add butter and olive oil.  Saute onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until onion is tender.  Add flour to create a roux and cook an additional minute.  Add the cream, chicken broth, bouillon, parsley, thyme, tobasco, spinach and chicken.  Whisk and continue stirring until it starts to thicken.   Add gnocchi and cook approximately 5 minutes until gnocchi is done.

(This is a combination of MANY internet searches, MANY visits to Olive Garden... It is ALWAYS delicious.  My version is probably almost perfect!) ;)