Category Archives: Recipe

Summer Squash Recipe

Old Fashioned Summer Squash Recipe

Recipe

It is nearing the end of summer. If you have a garden, you are probably wondering what new summer squash recipe you can add to your repertoire. By this time of year you have certainly sauteed, grilled it and shared your abundance of summer squash with friends.

This recipe is an old-fashioned dish. I was given this recipe by a woman who is close to 90 years old, Della, and she got it from her Aunt Nell, many years ago.

Aunt Nell’s Casserole

4 – 6 medium summer squash – cut into chunks and steamed
Drain and mash squash and let cool
Beat 2 eggs and stir in 1/3 cup milk
Add ¼ cup cracker crumbs (crushed Ritz crackers work well)
Stir in 1 can of creamed corn
Add ¼ lb. of sharp cheddar cheese
Stir all ingredients together and pour into a greased casserole dish
Bake at 350° uncovered for 45 min. to 1 hour.

 

Sand Tarts

Sand Tart Cookies

Recipe,

This recipe came from my mother’s recipe file. It is a Pennsylvania Dutch cookie recipe. When my mother was alive, I made these cookies with her every Christmas. I would always put a ton of the colored sugar on the cookies and my mother would have to tell me, about a dozen times, to lighten up on the sugar. I have made these cookies with my grandson and he does the exact same thing. I let him add lots of sugar, knowing this is what makes it so much fun for a kid to help out.

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks) softened, not melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
Mix in a mixer, these two items then add in
3 eggs – mix a few seconds
4 cups flour – add slowly
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

This makes a very heavy dough. Separate into 3 segments and wrap each segment in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Roll each dough segment on a floured surface (waxed paper works) to about 1/8” thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters, place shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle colored sugar on cookies.

Cook for 7 to 8 minutes at 375o

 

White Chili

White Chili

Recipe,

I sampled this recipe at a Chili Cook-off that Grimm Brothers Brewhouse held in 2012. Kellee Zweifel made the Chili. I voted for her, but I don’t think she won. I have made this a few times for company, with rave reviews. If you have leftover turkey at Thanksgiving, that would be a good addition to the recipe.

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda
5 teaspoons all-purpose flour or corn starch for gluten free
2 tablespoons roasted diced green chilies
1 teaspoon butter
1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth (15/16 oz)
1 chopped cooking apple
½ cup cooked wild rice
1 can white kidney beans (or used dried beans, soaked overnight)
2 smoked chicken and apple sausages, diced
¾ cup brown ale or amber beer (gluten free, substitute chicken stock)
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
2/3 cup half and half or light cream

In a medium bowl toss together the cheese and flour; set aside. In a small saucepan combine butter, green chilies, broth, apple, the cooked rice, chicken sausage, beans, beer, and white pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in cheese until melted. Stir in half and half; heat through.

Chow Chow Recipe

Recipe, , ,

Chow Chow Recipe

Chow Chow can be found in almost all the family style restaurants in Lancaster County, PA. It is a Pennsylvania Dutch pickled relish. This is an item that is hard to come by if you don’t live in an area populated by Amish or Mennonites . Since I have not been able to find Chow Chow in Colorado, I decided to break out my canning equipment and make my own.

September is the perfect time of year to make Chow Chow; with vegetables fresh from your garden or a local farmer’s market.

When I cook, I usually have many different recipes in front of me. I take a little from each one and make my own version. That is really easy to do with Chow Chow, since you can make it with so many different kinds of vegetables.

Here are the veggies that I like to use:

Mary Ann’s Chow Chow

3 cups chopped cauliflower
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped red pepper
4-6 fresh ears of corn on the cob – cooked for 4 minutes then cut off the cob
2 -3 cups sliced carrots
3 cups yellow and green string beans – cut into 2 inch pieces
1 can of red kidney beans
3 cups lima beans
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups granulated sugar
1 quart of white vinegar

Chop vegetables in varying sizes and cook until just tender (do not overcook). Cook vegetables in separate pots then mix them all together.

Combine sugar (you can adjust this to make it less sweet), vinegar and dry mustard in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Pack sterilized canning jars with mixed vegetables and pour the vinegar solution to 1/2″ from the top of jar; seal and process in a hot water bath (water should cover jars by 1″-2″). Process 15 minutes in the boiling water bath. Increase time if at high altitude – check freshpreserving for times. If you have a pressure canner, that would be the preferred device.

Mary Ann's Chow Chow

Artichoke Pasta Sauce

Recipe,

Artichoke Pasta Sauce
I love to find easy recipes that I can whip up in a short period of time, especially after a long day at work. You can’t get much easier than this Artichoke Pasta Sauce recipe and it is always a hit. If you don’t like mushrooms, just leave them out. If you like capers add a bunch, if you don’t like capers just add a few.

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter
2 T. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup sauteed good quality sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Capers and finely chopped parsley
2 cans artichoke hearts – chopped
Linguini noodles

Cook oil, butter, flour and chicken broth until it thickens. Add garlic, artichoke hearts, lemon juice and cheese.  Continue cooking until flavors blend. Add capers and chopped parsley. Cook linguini, drain and mix with sauce. Garnish with a sprig of basil.

 

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Mary Ann’s Chicken Corn Soup Recipe

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Mary Ann's Chicken Corn Soup RecipeI love regional cooking. I did not realize when I was young that much of the food I grew up with was regional. I grew up in Lancaster, PA and the predominate cuisine in that area of the country is Pennsylvania Dutch. I made this Chicken Corn Soup recipe with my mother and grandmother, every year. The best time of year to make it is August, using fresh corn.

Boil one whole Chicken for about an hour with salt & pepper. Take out of pot and pick all the chicken off of the bones. Tear into small pieces. Skim the chicken broth that is left behind, so that it is fairly clear. While you are boning the chicken add veggies to the clear broth. (You can add a little bit of chicken stock seasoning such as Herb Ox Brand.)

Chop into small pieces – one onion and 5 – 8 stalks of celery – Simmer until tender. Add the chicken that you have taken off the bones.

Add 1 bag of frozen corn. If you can find white corn or fresh corn, that is best.

Add 3 finely chopped hard boiled eggs.

Cook a small bag of thin egg noodles in boiling water just until they are al dente’ – drain off water. Add noodles so that you have a thick soup, but not so much that it soaks up all the broth.

Add chopped parsley right at the end.