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!  ;)

Swedish Pancakes...A Geddes Family Tradition

Swedish Pancakes

(Crepes ala Elizabeth)

8 Eggs

4 C. Milk

2 C. Flour

1 Tbsp. Oil

When making "sweet" crepes I add:

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Vanilla

Make a volcano out of the flour, add milk and blend well. Add eggs and any additional ingredients. Heat cast iron skillet, melt butter in pan. Pour 1/2 C. batter in and swirl around until it reaches the edges. Cook till set and flip. Cook an additional 15-20 seconds on 2nd side. Remove to plate. Fill and Top as desired.

My favorite is vanilla yogurt and cinnamon sugar. Topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

(My childhood Saturday mornings alternated between these, Grits and Eggs and Aunt Vi's Buttermilk Pancakes. These are the most requested in my family bar none!)

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Pumpkin Cake

2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/4 C Oil (replace with 3/4 C. Oil)
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon (replace w/ 2 t. Cinnamon +1 t. Nutmeg + 1 t. Ginger + 1/2 t. Ground Cloves)
1 1/2 C. Pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for about 60 minutes at 350*. Frost with a cream cheese frosting. Optional, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. (I bake this in a bundt pan. While warm, drizzle with a Cream Cheese Eggnog glaze. 4 oz. softened Cream Cheese, 2 C. Powdered Sugar, 1 tsp. Vanilla, 1/4 C. + Eggnog. Mix well with a hand mixer. Add more eggnog to get to a "glaze" consistency.)

(This is my mom's famous PUMPKIN CAKE. At Thanksgiving of 2005 when we celebrated her 70th birthday, we served this yummy cake in her honor. I baked about 15 cakes and the above italics are my changes or additions. Just eliminate them if you'd like to bake it exactly as Mom would.)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pies...A Geddes Tradition

Raspberry Topping

1 12 oz. Pkg Frozen Raspberries
1 HeapingTbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Pour frozen berries into a medium saucepan. Before turning on the heat add the cornstarch and sugar. Mix well to coat the frozen berries. Heat berries until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Set aside to cool while making cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese (softened)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

With a hand mixer whip the cream until stiff. Separately, blend cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold together with the whipped cream. Pour into a baked pie shell. Cover with cooled Raspberry Topping. Chill until firm. Makes 2 pies.

(A beloved Geddes family tradition. Probably the most requested, most traded, most used recipe we have. These pies have become a requested addition to Christensen Thanksgivings. I definitely make mine sweeter than the original... My alterations are in italics, otherwise the recipe is unblemished.)

Chicken Paprika...

1 Cut up Chicken (Rinsed & Dried)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 C. Minced Onion
1/2 C. Diced Green Pepper
1 Clove Garlic (pressed)
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Chicken Bouillion Crystals
1 8 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Heaping Tbsp. Flour
1 C. Sour Cream

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in hot oil add chicken. Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side, sprinkle with paprika, chicken bouillion and salt & pepper. Add tomato sauce, cover, simmer chicken for 25 minutes. Remove chicken. Add 1 heaping Tbsp. flour. Sauce becomes like a gravy. Season to taste. Add a little of the hot sauce to the cup of sour cream before adding the sour cream to the sauce. Put chicken back in and heat sauce through, but do not return to a boil. Serve over hot, buttered noodles.

(My favorite birthday dinner growing up. The garlic and bouillion are my additions to my Mom's classic dish. Also, Geddes' traditionally like dark meat, but I usually use chicken breasts.)

Grandma Sylvia's Pie Crust...

3 C. Flour 

1 1/3 C. Lard (Shortening will work) 

2 tsp. Salt 

5 Tbsp. Ice Water 

1 Tbsp. Vinegar 

1 Egg 

 Mix flour, lard and salt with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine all wet ingredients together. Stir into dry ingredients. Handle dough as little as possible. Roll out on floured board. Bake pie shells at 400* for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 large crusts*. 

  (This recipe is the one I grew up with. *My mom was an expert pie maker. It says that it makes SIX crusts! I am sure that my mom could actually get 6 crusts out of it. But with my pastry skills, I got two large very manageable crusts. She always even had enough crust left over to make those yummy little cinnamon/sugar cookies.)