My Holiday Scrapbook: Pumpkin Pie Fudge

Every year when it's time to get ready for a holiday, I pull out a gigantic photo album with a quilted Christmas cover that is one of my prized possessions. My friend, Marge McCutcheon had this made for me when Dana and I were first married. My family can tell you that if "Marcia's Holiday Scrapbook" is out of the cabinet and lying on my desk, it's time to cook for a holiday! Over the years, through Easters, Thanksgivings and all other holidays, I've added recipes with notes attached. There are paper ornaments with the boys' pictures glued-on that were made in elementary school; notes written next to recipes, to remind me of the significance of the recipe and the occasion when I first made it, and if it is some one's favorite, that is also noted. In the margins between the "sacred" recipes are photos, handmade cards from the boys at different ages (some when their writing was barely legible!) and favorite comic strips (when something about a holiday struck me as very funny!). Like me, this treasure is showing its age a little, but it is the accumulation of years and the mementos from each holiday that make it special. I will be sharing recipes and memories from my own Holiday Scrapbook every weekday through the "holiday craziness". So grab a cup of tea and take a look at one of my "special recipes" with me as we enjoy a quiet moment in the midst of the Christmas whirlwind of activity.
-Marcia


If you have leftover pumpkin, here's a different variety of fudge for your Christmas cookie trays. I first had pumpkin fudge at the Milton Pumpkin Festival in WV. My friend, Christy and I pushed our child-filled stroller (Ben was a toddler) to a booth that boasted "Pumpkin Fudge". It was the middle of the day and we figured the sugar would give us an energy boost to keep strolling and shopping (craft stands...lots of craft stands!) It was so good that we bought some to take home. Try this fudge out and let me know how you like it in my comments.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge
2 1/2 C sugar
2/3 C evaporated milk
3/4 C cooked pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 jar (7.5 oz.) marshmallow creme
2 TBSP butter
1 C white chocolate baking chips
1 tsp vanilla

Prepare pan by lining a 9" square baking pan with foil. In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, mix together the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Mix in pumpkin and spice. When it returns to a boil, stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally for 18 minutes; then remove from heat. Stir in white chocolate and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into foil-lined pan. Cool to room temperature and firm. Invert pan onto cutting board; remove the foil. Cut into small squares and store in airtight container in cool, dry place.

I will be joining Blessed with Grace, Gypsy's Corner, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and All the Small Stuff for their swaps today.

(Book I'm reading now: Giant by Pulitzer Prize winner Edna Ferber)

Here's the Plan!

Welcome back to another Monday! I enjoyed a great, relaxing holiday with my family; all of our boys were home. It was fun to "cook big" again. Now, I'm back to cooking for three...until Christmas!
I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. Here's my plan for the menu this week here at the Davis house.

Mon. Nov. 29

Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
Carrots, Broccoli & Cauliflower in Basil Sauce
Skillet Potatoes


Tues. Nov. 30

Amish Pork Chops
Rice
Corn


Wed. Dec. 1

Cheeseburgers
Waffle Fries
Veg. plate


Thurs. Dec. 2

Crescent Dogs
Black Bean Fiesta


Fri. Dec. 3

Butterfly Shrimp
Fettuccine w/ Broccoli

Sat. Dec. 4

Homemade Pizza
Salad


Sun. Dec. 5

Pancakes
Bacon
Fried Apples

I will be joining Organizing Junkie today for Menu Planning Monday.

(Book I'm reading now: Giant by Pulitzer Prize winner Edna Ferber)

Thanksgiving Sides from 1970 Cookbook

The Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers Cookbook-1970

Page 162 Artichoke Hearts in Lemon Butter
Florence B. Fisackerly, Inverness H.S., Inverness, Mississippi

1/2 C minced onion
1/2 clove of garlic, crushed (I like Elephant Garlic-it's milder!)
2 TBSP butter
3/4 C chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans artichoke hearts
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

Saute onion and garlic in butter until transparent; add broth and artichoke hearts. Add lemon juice, salt, oregano and lemon rind; simmer for 10 minutes or until artichoke hearts are heated through. Yield: 6-8 servings.

I will be at these swaps today:
-BlessedwithGrace
-GypsysCorner
-BeautyandBedlam
-Allthesmallstuff

Thanksgiving Week Menu

Mon. Nov. 22

Chicken Salad
Wheat crackers
Iced Tea


Tues. Nov. 23

Pizza-takeout


Wed. Nov. 24

Pork Roast in Crock Pot
Ramen Noodles
Roasted vegetables

Thurs. Nov . 25

Turkey/stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole w/ Praline Topping
Corn
Green Bean Casserole
Sister Schubert Rolls
Cranberry sauce
Olive Garden Lemon Cake
Pumpkin Pie/Cool Whip


Fri. Nov. 26

Shrimp Prima Vera
Salad

Sat. Nov. 27

Leftover Buffet!

Sun. Nov. 28

Leftover Buffet!

***I will be at Orgjunkie today***

The Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers Cookbook

***In memory of my high school home ec teacher-Mrs. Thelma Sine, Paden City High School, Paden City, WV***

Although I own a large collection of cookbooks (anyone who knows me can back me up on this!) I love to get someones favorite recipe that they've passed directly to me; the cookbook we're reviewing today is a combination of individual cooks' favorites in cookbook form. I have a few books from this collection by Favorite Recipes Press in Alabama. This particular goody was published in 1970 and its Library of Congress Catalog number is 78-142015. "The Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers" is just what the title says. The publisher sent out a request to America's high school H.E. teachers for their favorite recipes. The result of this "cooking survey" is a very useful and trustworthy source of wonderful recipes.
In a familiar format that is like Southern Living cookbooks, each recipe in this book provides the name of its contributor, the high school where she taught, and her location. I really enjoy knowing which area of the country the cook is from, and even the names of the various high schools were interesting to me. Other than these additional bits of information, the book is all recipes; no chat. I think you'll be fine with that when you see the recipes! This book is so full of recipes that sound absolutely delicious that I recommend looking for it right away. It would be a good one to have on hand for the holidays. I will be sampling recipes from it for the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Have a great weekend!

Page 164 Asparagus Amandine
Katherine W. Rebbe, Wakefield Comm. Sch.
Wakefield, Nebraska

1/4 C slivered blanched almonds
1/4 C butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
2 C cooked asparagus, drained

Saute almonds in butter until golden, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Add salt and lemon juice; pour over hot asparagus. Let stand for several minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.


I will be at these swaps today:
-LifeasMom
-DesignsbyGollum
-Grocerycartchallenge
-Momtrends
-AnnKroeker

Thanksgiving Sides-Broccoli Mushroom Supreme

I chatted with Mom and Dad last night and it was fun to talk about their plans for Thanksgiving. They are having the event at their house this year (wish that I could be there). Mom and I really like to talk about cooking and our stash of recipes for dishes that we plan to try; we wear out the battery on my cell phone every time! Dad just bought a new Hoover vacuum that he spotted while they were out shopping. Thanksgiving Day he is the "event coordinator"; handling last minute touch-ups (thus, the new sweeper!), moving chairs, alternately soothing Mom's nerves and coaching those in the kitchen (who don't necessarily want to be coached or reminded of the time). They are a great team! Ahh....just their voices can take me back home, again!

Here's another great idea from the cookbook put together by home economics teachers (same book as yesterday's post).

Broccoli Mushroom Supreme
Mrs. Leo W. Thames, Robert E. Lee H.S., Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1/2 C chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 stick butter
2 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
1 C cream of mushroom soup
1 roll garlic cheese
1 C bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

Saute' onion and celery in butter; add broccoli. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add soup, mushrooms, cheese and !/2 C crumbs; season. Pour into greased casserole; sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Yield: 8-10 servings.

I will be at these swaps today:
-LifeasMom
-Joyofdesserts
-Mom'scrazycooking

***Book I'm reading: Cooking for Madame; Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis***

Thanksgiving Sides-Golden Crumb Carrots

The Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers Cookbook-1960

Golden Crumb Carrots
Eunice Zachary, McCall Donelly
McCall, Idaho

2 C cooked carrots
3 TBSP butter or margarine
1 C fine bread crumbs (I think Panko would be good!)
3/4 C grated American Cheese

Place half the carrots in casserole; dot with butter. Add half the bread crumbs; add half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Ingredients may be combined in saucepan and heated until cheese melts, if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.

I will be at these swaps today:
-WeareThatfamily
-Kingscourt4
-Turningbacktheclock
-Kellythekitchenkop
-DiningwithDebbie
Thethriftyhome

JFK's Pecan Bars

I love anything with pecans in it, and the holidays are a time when pecan desserts seem to abound! Here's a twist on the usual pecan bar recipe-President Kennedy's Pecan Bars from an old community cookbook from the early 60's. What makes it special is that Hinton, WV (the cook's hometown) is one of the many small towns in the state where JFK, Jackie and his brothers campaigned in the 50's-60's. The Kennedy's loved shaking hands in WV; highly pro-union and overflowing with Democrat voters (plus all-around-good-people all over the state!). The time and place of this little recipe gives it an aura of historical significance for me. Don't know if Cynthia got this recipe from Jackie, or it's a cookie that she made for the President while he was visiting. At any rate, it's a good recipe for pecan bars!

President Kennedy's Pecan Bars
Cynthia Fredeking, Hinton, WV

1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1 C flour
2 TBSP milk
1 TBSP vanilla
2 eggs
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 (4 oz.) shredded coconut
1 C chopped pecans

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter, 1/2 C brown sugar and salt. Beat until fluffy. Blend in 1 C flour and milk; pat in bottom of greased 9x9x2" pan. Bake 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
Beat eggs well Add 1 C brown sugar and vanilla. Blend in 2 TBSP flour. Fold in coconut and pecans. Pour over baked layer. Bake 35 minutes; cool slightly and cut into bars.
Note: I usually double this recipe. Makes 1 jelly roll pan. I also mix my topping while the bottom is baking. Recipe calls for dark brown sugar, but I prefer light.

I will be at these swaps today:
-BlessedwithGrace
-Gypsy'scorner
-BeautyandBedlam
-Allthesmallstuff

Menu for the Week of November 15-19

This is a great week for grocery specials and I've organized my lists and coupons so I can dart from store to store to stock up on all of the goodies! I was at Tom Thumb, Albertson's and Walmart this morning and I am not done, yet. I keep my large Thermos cooler in my car loaded with ice packs so groceries stay cold as I run from store-to-store; I save a lot of money by using this method. TIP: In past years, I've seen the prices on fresh items (such as salad and vegetable tray must-haves go up in price the week of the holiday, so I don't wait; most fresh items will still be OK the next week. Also, check the day after Thanksgiving for the price on these holiday items such as yams, celery and cranberries to go way down; I've seen that happen, too. Here's how I'm cleaning out the fridge and feeding my family (anything but turkey!) this week before Thanksgiving.

Mon. Nov. 15

Ham, Mozzarella and Red Onion Toasted Hoagie
Onion Rings and Waffle Fries (oven)
Red Grapes, chilled

Tues. Nov. 16

Stuffed Pasta
7 Layer Salad

Wed. Nov. 17

Blueberry Pancakes

Thurs. Nov. 18

Scrambled Eggs w/ Bacon Bits
Fried Potatoes and Onions
Wheat Toast

Fri. Nov. 19

Homemade Pizza
Vegetable Plate


Sat. Nov. 20

Holiday Event to attend

***I will be at Orgjunkie today for MPM***

Rival Crock Pot Pamphlet

I know, I know, this is not technically a cookbook! I also realize that I've already been gushing about this little pamphlet this week. But, it is rare that a leaflet that came with an appliance is so useful. It doesn't have a date, so I'm guessing it's from the 60's or early 70's because the Crock Pots on the front are in avocado green and burnt orange (we used to have large kitchen appliances in avocado (the color went great with the shag carpeting of the 70's!)

Seriously, like one of the popular children's books of that era, it's, " The Little Cook Booklet that Could"! It is small in size but mighty in information and recipes. If you look back at some of my posts this week, you'll see what I mean. Lots of unique ways to use your Crock Pot that I hadn't thought of before, for instance, using it to roast corn-on-the-cob. There aren't any pictures in it, just great recipes and tips.

For the cook who's coming home after a long day, there are plenty of one-dish meals, soups, stews and Crock Pot casseroles-throw the ingredients together the night before or in the morning and you're welcomed home to the aroma of a delicious meal at 5:30 or 6:00! If you are making a large meal (such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner) and want to save precious oven space, there are also suggestions for using your slow cooker to make dressing, chicken and noodles, potatoes and other vegetables.

I hope you can find a copy of this pamphlet if you are a Crock Pot fan like me. The one bit of information in the front is the Rival Offices' address: Rival Manufacturing Co., General Offices: Kansas, Mo. 64129. (Or search out yard sales or auctions of folks who might have had shag carpeting and avocado appliances at one time!-That's how I found mine.)


Want to make some homemade candy? Let it cook in the Crock Pot while you sleep at night! (I love this book!) Here's our sample recipe from page 57;

Caramel Candies

1 C sugar
1/4 C flour
1 C light brown sugar
1 C white corn syrup
11/2 C half & half (or evaporated milk)
1/2 C butter, melted
1/4 C flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 C chopped pecans

Mix sugar and 1/4 C flour thoroughly in Crock Pot. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and 1 C milk.Stir. Cover and cook on High for 2 to 3 hours. Make a smooth paste of butter and 1/4 C flour, gradually adding remaining 1/2 C milk. Stir well into Crock Pot mixture. Turn to Low and cook overnight (8-10 hours). If necessary, to thicken, turn to High and cook until mixture coats a spoon. Add vanilla and chopped pecans. Pour on buttered cookie sheet (about 1/2 " deep). Cool until completely cold. Cut with kitchen shears in size desired and wrap each piece with food wrap.

I'll be joining Life as Mom, Designs by Gollum, Grocery Cart Challenge, Mom Trends, Ann Kroeker, and Amy's Finer Things for their swaps today.

Thanksgiving the Easy Way!

Don't you just love the feeling of getting more than one-thing-at-a-time done in the kitchen?! I know that using your Crock Pot to cover one or two items from your meal takes some forethought, but it's sooo worth it! I mentioned a little pamphlet (I think it's from the 60's or 70's) that was included with the purchase of the Original Rival Stoneware Cooker-Crock Pot (I got mine passed down from my Mom-it's burnt orange and now resides in my son's apartment-Thanks, Nana!). This little book is full of good make-ahead recipes and clever tips on ways to use your Crock Pot. Here are a few ideas that might come in handy as you prepare for the Thanksgiving Cooking Marathon. Happy Thursday!
Marcia

Page 43

* Fresh or Frozen Vegetables

Use two 10 ounce packages of frozen vegetables, or cleaned, ready-to-cook fresh vegetables. Cover and cook on High for 45 minutes, then on Low 2-4 hours.Stir occasionally. Vegetables may be wrapped in foil to eliminate stirring. Suggested vegetables: Potatoes, broccoli spears, asparagus, cauliflower, artichokes. Note: Add 1/2 C water, except for artichokes (2 C).

*Fresh Corn on the Cob

Remove silks but leave green outer husks on the ears and cut off ends so corn will fit in Crock Pot in standing position. Wash thoroughly. Six to eight ears fit best. Cover and cook on High 45 minutes, then turn to Low for 11/2 to 2 hours. Remove husks and serve.

*Baked Sweet Potatoes

Place washed, unpeeled sweet potatoes in Crock Pot. Add about 1/4 C water. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour, then turn to Low for 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.


*Fresh Green Beans

2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed and cut-up
3-4 C water
1 tsp salt
1/4 lb. ham or bacon pieces
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Cover and cook on Low for 10-24 hours. (High 6-10 hours). Stir occasionally.

I will be joining Life as Mom and Joy of Desserts for their swaps today.

Pumpkin Bread in a Coffee Can!

When I was a kid there was a popular recipe for quick bread that was baked in a coffee can. I remember having a slice of the carrot, banana or zucchini bread because of its round, ridged shape. It was always moist and delicious. As I was flipping through an old pamphlet that came with the Rival Original Stoneware Crock Pot, I was reminded of this bread that I had years ago. Good luck finding that 3 lb. coffee can-when you do, hold onto it! Here's the recipe:

Page 58 Pumpkin Tea Bread

1 C oil
1 C granulated sugar
1 C brown sugar
4 beaten eggs
1 can (1 lb.) pumpkin
3 C sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg or 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
2 tsp soda
2/3 C chopped walnuts
2/3 C cut-up dates

Blend oil and two sugars. Stir in beaten eggs, pumpkin. Sift dry ingredients together. Add. Stir in nuts and dates. Pour batter into greased and floured 3 lb. coffee can (that has been washed and dried). Place can in Crock Pot. Cover top of can with 4-6 paper towels. Place Crock Pot lid on top. Bake on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. No fair peeking until last hour!

Have a great Wednesday! Let me know in my comments if you would like more recipes posted from this Crock Pot pamphlet.

(My favorite read this Fall: The Help by Kathryn Stockett) 

I will be joining We are that Family, Krazy Kitchen, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Dining with Debbie, The Thrifty Home, King's Court IV, and Turning Back the Clock for their swaps today.  

Texas Hash in Your Crock Pot

Some Friends from church brought our family a crock pot full of this delicious concoction years ago when our second son, Blake, was born. It's such a Southwestern comfort food and you can make it spicier by adding some jalapeno slices at the end of cooking, or cool it down with a dollop of sour cream. I think it would be the perfect food to have for dinner the night before Thanksgiving....you know, when you're up to your elbows in pie crusts and stuffing!

2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 (1 lb.) cans tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 C raw rice (long-grain)

Brown beef in skillet and drain off fat. Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Stir thoroughly Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. (High for 4 hours)

(My favorite read this Fall: The Help by Kathryn Stockett)

I will be joining Mom's Crazy Cooking, Blessed with Grace, Gypsy's Corner, Beauty and Bedlam, and All the Small Stuff for their swaps today.

Menu Plan for a Short Cooking Week

Mon. Nov. 8

French Pizza Bread
Tossed Salad
Apple Slices


Tues. Nov. 9

Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans/Corn
Crescent Rolls


Wed. Nov. 10

Grilled Cheese on Wheat
Steamed Vegetables


Thurs. Nov. 11

Manicotti (never got to it last week!)
Salad
Garlic Buns

I will joining Organizing Junkie for her swap today.

(Book I'm reading now: The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Great Home Cooking in America-Heirloom Recipes

I recently dusted off this cookbook and gave it a second look. I don't remember where I found this one, but after I brought it home it went into my cabinet over my planning desk in the kitchen and I forgot about it. Sometimes when I find an old cookbook and life is busy, this happens. Fortunately, since I've been reviewing cookbooks from my collection every Friday here on the blog, it forces me to take notice of the books individually and decide which ones are "keepers" for me.

Because I make my decision to keep or sell based on how many recipes look like items that I would actually fix (and our family would eat), I may sell this book. I enjoy the bits of history and background stories on how the heirloom recipes traveled from the Old World to the New World, but once I've read a cookbook, whether it stays is all down to the recipes! We aren't adventurous enough to eat most of the Polish and German foods in the book, and we don't test our taste boundaries with recipes such as, "English Suet Puddings". So you see, this book should not be ruled out by cooks who enjoy traditional recipes that originated in other countries and were brought to America. The historical information, alone, makes it a good read!

Great Home Cooking in America by the Editors of Farm Journal was published by Doubleday in 1976. The contents are divided up into the following sections: Part 1-Ch.1 American Food Originals; Part 1-Ch.2 Southwestern Specialties. Part 2: Ch. 1-The Heritage of English Cooking; Ch. 2-The Heritage of German Cooking; Ch. 3-The Heritage of Dutch Cooking; Ch. 4-The Heritage of Scandinavian Cooking; Ch. 5-The Heritage of Eastern European Cooking and Ch. 6-The Heritage of Italian and Other Mediterranean Favorites.

On page 40 of the book it speaks of the early colonists and their dependence on pumpkins for sustenance. In fact, here is a ditty written in New England in 1638:

We had pumpkins in the morning
And Pumpkins at noon
If it were not for pumpkins
We'd be undone soon

I thought we would use the recipe from the same page of the cook book as our sample recipe for today.

Page 40-41 Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin

1 (3-4 lb.) sugar pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 medium onion-chopped
1 lb. ground beef
3 eggs, slightly-beaten
1 C cooked regular rice
3/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 C water

Cut lid out of pumpkin; remove seeds. Prick inside cavity with fork. Rub inside with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp mustard.
Cook onion and ground beef in skillet until lightly-browned. Remove from heat. Add eggs, rice, pepper, 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp dry mustard. Stuff pumpkin with meat mixture (size of cavity will vary with pumpkins-you may need more filling if pumpkin meat is very thick). Replace pumpkin lid.
Place stuffed pumpkin in shallow pan with 1/2 C water. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Add more water if necessary. Makes 6 servings.

I will be joining Designs by Gollum, Life as Mom, Grocery Cart Challenge, Mom Trends, Ann Kroeker, and Amy's Finer Things for their swaps today.

(Book I'm reading now: The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Have a great weekend!

Southern Rights Cake-1863

This recipe comes from a unique cookbook called Sweetly Southern, which is a compilation of old southern dessert recipes that have been handed down through families. I enjoyed it because each family wrote down the history of their prized recipe, along with old family photos. Check out the measurements for this cake-wonder what size that "wineglass full" is?!


Southern Rights Cake
Mrs. A.P. Hill (1863)

1 TBSP sifted ginger
1 TBSP allspice
1 TBSP cinnamon
4 teacups full of sifted flour
2 teacups full of butter
2 teacups full of granulated sugar
5 eggs, whites reserved
1 wineglass full of brandy
1 tsp baking soda
1 teacup (not quite full) of molasses

Combine dry ingredients (except flour, sugar and baking soda) together in a small bowl and set aside. Cream flour and butter together in a separate bowl. In another bowl, beat the sugar into the egg yolks, then add to creamed flour and butter mixture. Dissolve the baking soda in the molasses and add to cake batter. Stir in the "set aside" ingredients. Finally, whip the egg whites to a froth and add last. Best baked in a moderate oven in small pans until the tops spring back to the touch. (Submitted by Don L. Dukes, Hot Springs, Arkansas.)

I will be joining Life as Mom and Joy of Desserts for their swaps today.

(Book I'm reading now: The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Louisiana Tabasco Jelly -December 1969

If you're like my son, Ben, almost any food item is made better by the addition of hot sauce. His "heat of choice" is Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce. Since we've been in Texas, we've also discovered Texas Pete Hot Sauce.
With the usefulness of hot sauce in mind, I was thinking of the holidays that are heading our way, and the turkey sandwiches that tend to be a little bland. This recipe for a hot jelly that would make beautiful hostess gifts (bright red jelly in fancy little jars) caught my eye as I looked at a vintage recipe booklet called, The Epicurean. This cooking pamphlet was given out by the Texas Power and Light Company in December 1969. Hope you enjoy this one!

Louisiana Tabasco Jelly

1 C water
2 tsp Tabasco (more if a very hot jelly is desired)
1/3 C lemon juice
3 C sugar
1/2 bottle fruit pectin
Red food coloring
Paraffin

In a large sauce pan mix water,Tabasco, lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil on high setting, stirring constantly. Add fruit pectin and a small amount of red food coloring, stirring well, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1/2 minute. Remove from heat; skim. Pour into 4 hot, sterilized 5-ounce jelly glasses and cover with melted paraffin.


I will be joining We are That Family, Krazy Kitchen, Dining with Debbie, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, King's Court IV, and The Thrifty Home for their swaps today.

(Book I'm reading now: The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Thank you for going out and voting yesterday-people in other countries have died for that privilege!

Quick Peanut Butter Pie

I love peanut butter, therefore, Halloween and Easter are often road bumps in my attempts to eat healthy. The culprit? Reese's Cups, Reese's Eggs and Halloween-Shaped Reese's candies. When it comes to chocolate-covered peanut butter, I don't care how it's molded-"It's All Good!" I guess that's why this recipe for Peanut Butter Pie (that I especially like in an Oreo crumb crust) from my friend, Marge, is a winner. The recipe doesn't call for it to be frozen-but trust me on this...it's a good idea!


Marge's Peanut Butter Pie

1 C (12 oz. jar) crunchy or creamy peanut butter
1 can (14-15 oz.) Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (12 oz.) carton Cool Whip, thawed
2 (6 oz.) graham cracker crusts (or 1 full-sized Oreo crust)
Toppings: chopped nuts; shaved chocolate, or shredded coconut

Combine peanut butter with sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Add Cool Whip and mix until smooth. Spread in 2 smaller crusts or 1 larger one. Sprinkle with your favorite topping. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight. (Freeze your slice 10 min. before eating for the ultimate dessert experience! Believe me.... I would be thin if I didn't know such bits of information.)

I will be joining Blessed with Grace, Gypsy's Corner, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and All the Small Stuff for their swaps today.

(Book I'm reading now: The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Please vote!

My First Week of November Menu

I'm just thankful that November is here; October was rough for our family. We traveled back to WV for my DMIL's funeral. It was a long, hard trip and she will be greatly missed. We did enjoy seeing friends and relatives that we hadn't seen for a long time. The other positive part of the trip was the opportunity to be with all three of our sons for the 17 hours there, and 17 hours back in the van. My parents and sister's family were able to travel down (my brother had to work), so it was a pleasure to spend some unexpected, yet brief, time with them. If you were reading my blog the week before last and said a prayer on our behalf, I want to thank you; I am a strong believer in the power of prayer. Sometimes, God does not give us the answer that we want, but he always knows best.

Here is my menu plan for this week:

Mon. Nov. 1

Salmon
Cheese Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli

Tues. Nov. 2

Manicotti w/ Italian Sausage
Salad
Garlic Buns

Wed. Nov.3

Chicken Sandwich
Oven Fries
Apple Slices w/ Caramel

Thurs. Nov. 4

Eggs w/ Bacon
Biscuit or Wheat Bagel
Fruit Cup

Fri. Nov. 5

Tuna
Baked Mac and Cheese
Baby Carrots

Sat. Nov. 6

Pork Roast
Carrots/Onion?Potatoes
Corn

Sun. Nov. 7

Pork BBQ
Onion Rings
Veg. Plate w/ Ranch Dip

Sunday Night Leftover Buffet

***Special thanks to Ben for putting my posts up last week when I didn't have access to the laptop***

I will be at Orgjunkie today for MPM.