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Myrtle Lysdahl's Date Bars Recipe (kind of)

9/30/2013

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This is another in the little treasure trove of recipes I have from my Mother.  More than likely as I go through my recipe archive I will find more of these that were written by her on little 3 x 5 post cards (also probably one of the reasons we need to interpret her intent at times).  Here is the recipe she sent me for Date Bars...and she had gotten the recipe from a Mrs. Al Christenson:

Beat 3 eggs well add 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla beat until light and fluffy.  Combine & mix to top 3 (this has me confused and I am thinking she meant to combine with the next three ingredients with the egg and sugar mixture), 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt.

(Then I think we are to add these ingredients):  3/4 cup Marischino cherries (you can reserve the leftover juice for Kenny Lysdahl brandy Manhattans :-)), 1 1/2 cup chopped dates, 3/4 cup nuts.  Bake 350/30 to 35 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar cut into squares.

(She says nothing about letting the bars cool before sprinkling with powdered sugar and before cutting into squares...and I think that would be advisable). 

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Myrtle Marguerite Augusta Lysdahl's Ginger Cream Bars

9/29/2013

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In the photo to the left is my father (Bill) and my mother (Myrtle).  The photo was taken in the late 1950s in their flower garden.  The fully leafed out trees block the view of Amacoy Lake in the background...but if this picture had been taken in the fall you would see the lake.

I woke up missing my mother this morning.  Maybe the feeling of loneliness was prompted by the idea of knowing that I was going to be posting one of her recipes?  Anyhow for a good amount of time I traveled down "Memory Lane."  It would be so wonderful to hear her voice once again...and to be able to talk to her as well for I have so very much to tell her.

At any rate, here is her recipe for Ginger Cream Bars:

1/2 cup ole (I would use butter)
1 cup sugar
1 cup Carnation Milk (I think she meant sweetened condensed)
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp each of ginger, cinnamon
2 tsp soad
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cup flour
Mix all together spread on cookie sheet with rim.  Bake 350 - 30 to 35 minutes.  Frost with powdered shugar butter & canned milk--heat cream (canned milk?) & butter add powdered sugar & vanilla (how much??).  Beat and spread on.
(If you try out this recipe you will sometimes have to stop and consider the "intent" of what she was writing rather than what she actually wrote.)

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Zucchini Pie

9/28/2013

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Every once in awhile I come across a recipe that a friend had given me...sometimes the recipes is from many years ago and its paper is tattered and worn with splotches of food spills.  This is one such recipe given to me by my friend Bob Boscocci probably 25 or so years ago.  He died in 1988 during open heart surgery.

Bob and I met one afternoon at a bar in San Jose.  I had just gotten off of work and so had he.  At the time I was in new business development for Golden State Sanwa Bank.  Bob was on the board of directors of the alumni association for the University of Santa Clara.  That afternoon was the beginning of a great friendship fill with lots of laughter.  My other friends referred to Bob as the "tiny tornado" because he was so full of energy and because he was short...no more than 5' 5".  He was also a fantastic cook...and I share with you his recipe for Zucchini Pie:

Ingredients
3 cups zucchini squash cooked & mashed
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 small onion grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped pimento
1 cup pitted ripe olives, sliced
1/2 cup cracker meal

Next
Trim ends from squash but do not peel.  Cut into slices, drop into boiling water and cook until tender, then drain and mash.  For each cup of squash, add one egg (slightly beaten).  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add grated onion, coarsely grated cheese.  Stir in slices of ripe olives, parsley and pimento.  Spoon mixture into glass baking dish.  Top with cracker meal.

Bake at 325 degrees until set.  50 to 60 minutes.
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Kenny Lysdahl's Brandy Manhattans (by the pitcher...no other way)!

9/27/2013

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Although this recipe is not quite belonging in the company of "comfort foods", it is indeed comforting on a Friday night after a long and difficult work week.  This recipe is from my brother and it has been tried and perfected by him.  I believe the tradition was for him to make up a pitcher upon getting home...stir it...let the ice melt a little, let the outsides of the pitcher get frosty and cold...and by time Marian got home the Manhattan's would be declared to be "perfect" for serving.

Here is the recipe:

What you need:
ice
glass pitcher
martini glasses




Ingredients:
1 cup brandy (decent brandy)
1/2 cup sweet vermouth
dash Angostura bitters
tablespoon Maraschino juice
Maraschino cherry for garnish

Fill the pitcher with ice, add all ingredients (except cherries).  Stir gently.  Let sit.  Pour into martini glass.  Garnish with cherry.  Enjoy.  Enjoy some more.

Take two aspirin before going to bed and drink lots of water.  :-)

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Ellie's Nachos

9/26/2013

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This is another recipe in the "In the Comfort of Family, Friends and Home" series.  To me it seems a perfect thing to make for a Sunday afternoon of watching football.  It would also be perfect on a frosty evening just prior to Halloween...pumpkin carving, hot apple cider (apple cider Sangria?), and having fun.  Here is the text and recipe from Ellie Andrew's email of September 25, 2003:

"Well, I started responding this morning and had to leave for a meeting.  When I got back, my computer had bumped me off and it was lost with it.  So I start again!

"Sorry, I got sidetracked the last month and didn't respond to your requests for stuff for the book.  When I think of comfort food (besides macaroni and cheese which is the ultimate comfort food as far as I'm concerned), along with a Mai Tai or two!  I think of what has been fondly called by my family, "Mom's Nachos" - a dish that is really a main meal.  The kids have gotten so attached to it that they request it whenever their friends come over for the evening, even above pizza now.  Since who the heck really knows who this "Mom" is, maybe you should just call it "Ellie's Nachos" since it is my own rendition of something I saw many years ago.  Here it is -

1 1/2 pounds 97% fat free ground turkey
1 can Campbells mushroom soup
About 1/2 to 3/4 cups of Salsa of whatever strength your palette can handle
Enough taco chips to cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan with a layer or two
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of shredded cheese.  I use a mix of mozzarella, CoJack & cheddar.  But follow your taste.

"Brown the turkey & drains juices if there are a lot.  Combine with mushroom soup and salsa and warm until bubbly.  Spoon over the chips in the 9 x 13 pan.  Cover with shredded cheese.  Bake in oven until cheese is totally melted and then turn on broiler just long enough to brown the top.  Cut into big squares with a large spatula and enjoy!

"You can make this in any quantities you want.  I've had 15 kids around and just made more in bigger pans and it's just as easy.

"So that's the first thing that comes to mind.  I'll write more tomorrow.

Ellie

"PS - want a waffle recipe?  (HeeHee!)  I make them when it snows

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In the Comfort of Family, Friends, and Home

9/22/2013

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Today is the first day of fall and strangely Christmas has been on my mind.  Go figure.  Anyhow, remember the cookbook I wanted to do...and I am now doing through this blog?

"A number of years ago...and it could be 10 years ago exactly...I started a project that was intended to be a cookbook called "In the Comfort of Family, Friends & Home."  It was to be a collection of tried and true recipes from friends and family.  Unfortunately when I was well into getting this work of "art" off the ground, my computer was infected with a virus that corrupted all the files and hence all the work that had been done.  Yes, I did print everything...or almost everything...but then was too discouraged to resume the work.

Now here it is ten years later and on and through this blog I intend to get this legend of family and friend recipes done.  So over the next several days and maybe weeks, you will see many postings here of recipes done in the voice of the people that sent them to me.  You see, I am not going to really edit the emails and letters sent to me...but rather let the voice of the person that contributed be heard through me and this blog."

Below you will see a series of recipes from my most favorite cousin Patty...and they are all for Christmas Day!

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Christmas in Montana courtesy of Patricia Kiderlen ne Strong (aka Most Favorite Cuz):

9/22/2013

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This is per Patty's email to me from September, 2004 -

Hey Cuz, got it done first thing this morning, let me know how it traveled to cyberspace.  I am not the best at exporting.  Rosita (also a nickname))

"Living far away from family during holidays can sometimes be lonely, especially at Christmas.  I have found my own Christmas traditions have become just as comforting as those I have of my memories with my family.

Christmas evening at our home is a casual buffet with many friends stopping by.  Christmas dinner is my masterpiece of the season, however.  My dining room is decorated in traditional red and one of my favorite things is my red Waechterspach dish collection which adorns my festive table.  The following is my menu for our very formal (jeans only), Montana Christmas day dinner served at 4:30 annually.

Compound sallet
Creamy garlic mash potatoes
Prime Rib of roast beef with Montana au juice
Corn pudding
Gourge bread
Fudge Pound cake served with raspberry/brandy and sweet whipped cream

Compound Sallet
Dressing:  1 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar.  Combine in jar and shake well.
Salad:  2 bunches fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into pieces. 1 cup currants. 1 cup chopped red beets. 1 lemon, thinly sliced, rind and seeds removed. 1 cup toasted, slivered almonds. 1/4 cup capers, drained.
Toss salad ingredients before serving, toss dressing into salad.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces. 6 cloves garlic. 2 teaspoons salt, divided. 2 packages (3-oz each) cream cheese softened. 1/2 cup butter. 1 cup warm milk.
Add potatoes, garlic and 1 tsp salt to boiling water.  Cook 10 minutes or until tender, drain, return potatoes and garlic to kettle.  Add ingredients except milk, mash, add milk. Serve warm.

Prime Rib
Of course, living in the heart of beef country, our prime rib at the local butcher shop is the best.  Prepare the beef to your choosing.  As to the au juice recipe, it is a family secret and one that is never given away until the time is right to pass it down.  (My cousin Patty is such a tease.  :-))

Corn Pudding
1 stick butter, melted.  1 can cream style corn. 1 can whole kernel corn with juice. 2 eggs beaten. 1 8-oz container sour cream. salt & pepper to taste. 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.
Mix all together and pour into medium size casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for one half hour.  Test for doneness and watch carefully.

Gouger Bread
1/2 cup butter. 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour. 4 eggs. 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese. 1 cup grated Swiss cheese. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. 1 garlic clove, minced. 1 jalapeno peppers, chopped. 1/4 cup chopped onion. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Preheat over to 375 degrees.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and stir until mixture forms a ball.  Remove from heat and continue stirring until mixture cools.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, stirring until mixture is slightly glossy and smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour batter into a greased 10-inch iron skillet.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cut bread into slices and serve.  About 32 slices of bread.

Chocolate Pound Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream
Preheat over to 325 degrees.  Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, add eggs.  Combine dry ingredients and blend into butter mixture alternating with sour cream.  Pour into a greased 9 inch loaf pan.  Bake one hour, 20 minutes, use toothpick to test for doneness.  Cool 10 minutes in pan, turn out of pan and cool completely.  In small sauce pan combine a small jar of raspberry jam and brandy, reduce.  Slice cake, pour jam mixture over slice and top with dollop of whipped cream.  Garnish as you wish.


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Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

9/19/2013

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Here in Northern California we basically only have two seasons.  The dry season (aka spring, summer, early fall) and the rainy season (late fall, winter, into spring).  Like many here by time the summer has wound down and fall is starting, I am ready for a change from the dry weather to the rainy and cooler weather.

Today is warm (the windows are wide open this evening) but starting tomorrow the temps are to drop and we are to have a cool weekend with a slight chance of rain Friday night and Saturday morning.  Well, I tell you, I am digging this change in weather and where many people may be going "oh no", I am going "YES!"

So I am thinking Saturday would be a good day to make soup...a hearty fall/winter type of soup.  In a cookbook by Beth Anderson called Wild Rice For All Seasons (purchased in Maiden Rock, WI in 1988) I found a recipe that I think I will try to adapt to my crock pot:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup Wild Rice
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 3 drops Tabasco
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 ribs celery, sliced
  • 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 3 (101/2-oz) cans of cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 soup cans of beef broth (in addition to the one cup above)
In a heavy frying pan brown the beef with the salt and Italian seasoning, crumbling the meat as it cooks.  Add to the crock pot.
Combine the remaining ingredients (9) and then pour over beef and cover on crock pot.  Cook on low 8 - 10 hours.
II may hadd a couple of shredded carrots as well.  Then for the last hour of cooking, add a large can of mushroom stems and pieces).  Serve 8 to 10 (so a lot of this may go into the freezer for those cold rainy 


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Apple Cider Sangria

9/17/2013

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In case you have not noticed, fall is here...and it is apple season.  Soon my favorite apples (MacIntosh) will be hitting the local Bay Area markets.  Prepare your self for pie recipes.  In the meantime here is a recipe that will help prepare you for making apple pie:

Apple Cider SangriaYIELD: SERVES 4-6

 PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

 TOTAL TIME:   One Hour 10 MINUTES


ingredients:1 bottle (standard size) of pinot grigio
2 1/2 cups fresh apple cider
1 cup club soda
1/2 cup spiced or regular brandy
3 honey crisp apples, chopped
3 pears, chopped


directions:Combine all ingredients together and stir gently for a few minutes. Refrigerate for an hour or so (or longer!) before serving.

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Sunday morning blessings...and a great pork chop recipe!

9/15/2013

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It is another cool morning here along the Pacific coast...57 degrees I believe...along with an overcast sky.  The weather is ok though because CJ and I are snug in our wee comfortable home.  I am listening to "Sacred Concert" on KDFC.  CJ is stalking squirrels.  At any moment I could be startled by a loud thud as he most assuredly will hurl himself at the window!


Yesterday afternoon after watching a great movie ("The Illusionist"), I tried out a new recipe for pork chops that is what I would call "a keeper."  Delicious, simple, comforting on a cool and gray day.  Here it is:


One Skillet Pork Supper
4 boneless pork chops (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
2 tablespoon extra lite olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt*
3 potatoes quartered**
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
4 small carrots cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 to 1/3 sliced fresh mushrooms


In a large skillet brown the pork chops in the olive oil 4 minutes each side.  When browned, remove from pan and add the chopped potatoes, carrots, onion, and mushrooms and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes.  Meanwhile combine the broth, soup, and Worcestershire sauce.


When vegetable are done with the saute, nestle the pork chops back into the pan along with the vegetable.  Pour soup mixture over all.  Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes.***


* I used "Good With Everything Herbed Sea Salt" and used it on the pork chops when browning as well as the vegetables.
**The potatoes I had were large so I only used two that I cut into 1/8s
***I simmered it for one hour and it was perfect...
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    Family, friends and home are the treasures that bring me the most pleasure.  Through my blog, I wish to share part of my life and heart with readers.

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