THIS IS A LITTLE OFF THE PATH. BUT ON THURSDAY MY HUSBANDS MOM PASSED AWAY. WITH ALL THE THINGS GOING ON, I THOUGHT I WOULD POST THIS. WHAT THING DOES YOUR MOM OR MOTHER LAW MAKE THAT NOONE CAN DUPLICATE? I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS ONE, BUT I KNOW I WILL POST A RECIPE THAT MOTHER IN LAW MADE, THAT WAS THE BEST
Gam’s Chess Pie
1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup melted butter 1 Tbsp. milk 1 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. vinegar 1 tsp. cornmeal
Beat eggs with a whisk in bowl. Gradually whisk in sugar. Add flour and meal then milk and butter, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie shell. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
Mamoo’s Prune Cake
2 c. sifted all purpose flour 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. allspice 1 1/2 c. sugar 3 eggs 1 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. baking soda mixed into milk 1c. chopped cooked prunes 1c. vegetable oil
Put sugar and oil together in bowl and mix 2 minutes at med. speed. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Add spices to flour and add alternately with milk. Stir in prunes. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour in batter, bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes.
Topping : 1c. sugar 1/2 c. buttermilk 1/2 tsp. soda 1 Tbsp. white corn syrup 1/4 cup butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup chopped pecans
In saucepan over med. heat cook buttermilk, sugar, syrup,butterand soda to soft ball stage. Add vanilla and let cool to luke warm. Beat until it turns a creamy color and consistency. Add nuts and pour over warm cake.
My Dad passed away 7 years ago and everytime we make this cake, we think of him. He loved to make this!
German Crumb Cake
Batter:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. shortening
Mix all batter ingredients and put in a greased 10 x 16 pan (I use a 9 x 13 but watch as cooking time may be bit longer).
Crumbs:
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
3/4 lb. butter or margarine, melted and cooled
Topping: Powdered Sugar, sifted
Mix all crumb ingredients together. Spread on top of batter layer and bake at 350 for about 30 
min.
Cool and then top with sifted, powdered sugar
Although no longer with us, Mom is always remembered when we make her famous egg custard. It is quick and easy and she would cook it up at a moments notice. Measurements may not be exact as she was one of those “a drop or to of this & a pinch of that cook”. It always turned out terrific, whether she made it or supervised us trying to make it.
Mom’s (Microwave) Egg Custard
8 1/2 cups milk
1/8 cup cornstarch
1 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated or 2 tsp dried ground
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/8 tsp (dash) of salt
4 large eggs
Beat all ingredients in a very large microsafe mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight fitting lid. Cook at 50% power (700 watt) for exactly 6 minutes. Remove cover carefully, will be extremely hot! Stir for 30 seconds, re-cover and return to oven for and additional 6 minutes and cook at 50% power again. Remove and beat well with an electric mixer until a smooth consistency is reached. Let mixture cool slightly before beating. (You will need to adjust cooking power level if you use a higher wattage oven). Serve warm or cold. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Grilled Applesauce Sandwiches
1 (8 oz) jar applesauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp mace
1 loaf french bread
Butter or margarine
Combine applesauce with spices and mix well. Slice bread 1" thick diagonally. Butter one side of bread and place on grill or in a large skillet. Put 2-3 Tbsp of spiced applesauce on unbuttered side and top with another slice of bread with buttered side up. Grill until toasty then flip over and grill the other side. Sounds kinds of unconventional but is really tasty.
My mom was a very inventive and adventurous cook. She was never afraid to try new things and encouraged us to do the same.
My Mom was the best bread maker I ever knew. My friends would come home with me after school just to see if she had made bread that day. They liked all her breads but the pizza batter bread was a definite favorite. She is gone but her bread reputation lives on. We have made this recipe many times and, although it is good, it doesn’t taste exactly like hers.
Pizza Batter Bread
3 cups plain flour
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni (or cooked, drained & crumbled sausage)
1 1/4 cups warm water
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm (not hot) water. Then combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Place in a greased loaf pan (9 X 5) and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Excellent for grilled cheese sandwiches. Yields 12 servings with approx. 158 calories per slice.
My Mom can be standing right beside me, watching me put the ingredients in and making these and they still don’t taste the same - it’s gotta be a mother’s touch.
Potato Pancakes (thin crepe like pancakes)
2 cups potatoes
1 small onion
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Grate potatoes and onions in a blender until smooth (not chunky), stir in eggs, sald and pepper, flour, and baking powder.
Fry on a griddle using Olive oil (or for the old fashioned flavour of years ago - bacon drippings) until light golden brown.
makes approx 12 pancakes.
We use sour cream as a topping
Hi Bcat!
We use almost the same recipe only without the baking powder! This was one of my mom’s specialties! We called it “Raw Potato Pancakes” and it used to be an all day affair as there were 6 of us and a hand grater! I have been able to make it and everyone loves it, but perhaps because I loved it as a kid, it just doesn’t seem to taste the same as an adult! It was one of my first “speciality” foods as a mom now. They are absolutely yummy! Never thought of a topping, sour cream sounds delicious. Makes me want to cook them now!
Thanks for sharing. My Mom passed away 5 weeks ago and it was wonderful to see this posted for all to use!
When I try to fry okra like my mom did, it never turns out the same as hers. She battered cut, fresh okra in cornmeal and fried it in an cast iron skillet with (I have no idea how much) oil, but it was never greasy and there was never any oil left in the pan. All the pieces were separate and the corn meal coating stayed on. When I try, the pieces stick together and the cornmeal winds up in the bottom of the skillet. Does anyone have an idea as to what I am doing wrong? Thanks! Janice
JanT1053 -
First of all - make sure your oil temp is the temp it should be. If it is not hot enough the grease will just infuse the okra.
One trick is to bread your okra and freeze it. Do not thaw before frying because the breading will fall off.
Fried Okra
1/2 kg (1 lb) okra
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
salt & pepper
1 cup cornmeal or polenta
1 cup plain (all purpose), flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 bunch coriander, coarsely chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges
oil for frying
Trim the stem from the okra and cut into bite sized pieces. In a bowl place buttermilk, egg and seasonings, whisk to incorporate. In another bowl mix cornmeal, flour, cayenne and seasonings. Put the okra pieces into the buttermilk, lift with a slotted spoon and place into cornmeal/flour mixture. Heat oil until frying temperature and fry okra in batches until done. Keep warm in a low oven until all the okra is fried, garnish with coriander and wedges of lime.
A tempura batter may work better:
Tempura Batter for Veggies or Seafood
2 cups
1 egg
1 cup very very cold water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup all-purpose flour or tempura flour (3 oz)
- Break the egg into a bowl containing the iced water and whisk until frothy.
- Add baking soda and flour.
- Beat until the flour is just mixed in.
- Do not over beat.
- Batter should be so thin that the merest wisp clings to the vegetables dipped in it.
- If it seems too thick, add a little more iced water, and keep the batter cold.
Tempura Batter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2/3 cup ice water
Yellow food coloring (optional)
-
Sift together the dry ingredients.
-
Beat egg slightly and mix with the water and a few drops of the food coloring, if desired.
-
Add the dry ingredients. Stir only until mixed; mixture will be slightly lumpy.
-
Dip chicken, shrimp, vegetables, etc. into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
-
Serve, if desired, with Dipping Sauce.
I have been looking for a good recipe for fried okra and that the batter won’t fall off. The tempura sounds even better. I have been having trouble making the batter so it won’t fall off. My husband wanted fried okra tonight I did not have any okra in the house so I will probably have it tomorrow or the next day.
Thakns for the recipe!!!
Janice, Our Mom’s/Grandmothers used the latest techology that was available to them. I don’t think they would mind if you made a new techology step to assure a better fried okra. Look for a deep fryer with a wider shallow basket. Read up on them at QVC or perhaps HSH. All the pieces should come apart and there should be a holding tank for your oil - after it cools you can sae it to use one or two more times. Look for one that says something about professional cooking. You want the heating element to be submersed in the oil … no fry daddies!
The advantage of these fryers is that they will reach the proper temperature and hold it. That frees you to work with your food.
I would try a bit of egg & water or milk to moisten the okra pieces. Also, add in a bit of flour to your corn meal. It’s been a while since I’ve done frying but 1/2 & 1/2 is a good place to start. Add in any seasonings and mix well. (Look for a recipe for frying catfish with a corn meal base and it should work well with your okra.)
Dip the okra in the egg batter and them into the corn meal/flour mix. Set the pieces on a cookie sheet as you work to let them rest before frying. When you are ready to fry, if any of the pieces seem “too wet” put them back in the dry mix and re-coat.
Use good judgement when loading your frying basket. You don’t want to overload it. Submerse the basket in the oil and fry until golden brown. Lift the basket and let it drain a couple minutes … then dump the pieces on a platter lined with paper towels to absorb any additional oils.
Using a deep fryer makes short work of the cooking job and gives you great results. When the oil is maintained at an correct, even temperature your food will be a lot less greasy than with pan frying. After the frying is done let the oil set until cook and the sediment has sunk to the bottom. Striain the oil carefully and you can use it the next time you want to fry something.
Here’s another “family” recipe that JoJo would make on Sundays or during Lent when the family ate meatless meals.
Once again - these ingredients are approximate - what can I say - we make things so often that we don’t measure - and we learn how to cook and bake without measuring…it’s always by look and feel!
Cook 1 lb. ziti in salted boiling water until al dente; drain. Stir in 1 c. tomato sauce (which was always - "grab a pint of tomato sauce off the shelf for me!)
In separate bowl combine about 2/3 cups seasoned breadcrumbs with 1/2 c. grated Romano, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts and salt and pepper to taste.
Top with remaining 1 c. tomato sauce and serve.
NOTE: If she was in a hurry - she did not heat the tomato sauce - the cooked pasta did it! If company was coming - she heated the tomato sauce and would add a bit of basil, garlic, parsley and marjoram. Company always got the better dish Uncle Frank would say! LOL
(I can’t tell you how JoJo responded to that - that wouldn’t be allowed!!)
That’s an Italian household for ya!
But this is a very quick dish to prepare!
Another family favorite - served Thursdays, Sundays, meatless Fridays, during Lent or just anytime:
What’s also good about this - you can make this “ahead” by cooking your pasta and refrigerating.
Cook 1 lb. ziti in salted boiling water until al dente; drain well and cool in refrigerator. Ditali is also good for this dish.
If using ziti - when cold - remove to board and chop ziti coarsely.
In a large skillet, saute a large clove of fresh garlic (minced) and 3 - 4 scallions (chopped), in a bit of olive oil and a pat or two of butter. (yes - butter and olive oil - you want that flavor!)
Add chopped ziti and heat through, shaking the pan so that it does not stick and coating all the pasta well. You want the pasta to be a nice golden color.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano and mix well. Add about 1 c. marinara sauce.
Transfer to baking pan and sprinkle with grated mozzarella. Bake in preheated 375* F. oven for 15 - 20 minutes to melt cheese and brown. You can place this under the broiler but you need to watch it carefully so that it does not burn. (I prefer the oven method).
Once again - a large salad and crusty bread to complete or serve as a side for a family buffet.
My mother made this often, the recipe is out of a 1939 cookbook, she got as a wedding gift in 1946, and I lucked out getting the book, (have 2 other sisters) It is very good, I hated it when I was young (oysters) LOL
CHESAPEAKE OYSTER LOAF
1 loaf french bread
2 dozen oysters, “save the liquid from the oysters” will be used for basting
1/2 cup cream
1 tabls chopped celery or flakes
pepper
salt
2 drops tabasco sauce
Wash the oysters
Cut off the top crust of a loaf of french bread. Scoop out inside. Butter 1/3 of the portion you scooped out and toast in the oven. Fry oyster in butter, add cream, celery, pepper, salt, tabasco sauce and the toasted bread. Fill the hollowed loaf with this mixture, cover with top crust and bake 400 degrees for 20 min, basting with the liquor from the oysters, slice and serve hot
Enjoy, twowild
Kitchen witch, yes it is something… I just don’t do raw oysters…lol… Have a great evening…
POTATO SOUP
8 Baking Potatoes - Peeled and Cubed in one inch increments
1-1/2 Pounds of Thick Bacon - Diced
2 or 3 Large Vidalia Onions - Diced
6 Carrots - Peeled and sliced in half inch increments
3 tsp. of Chicken Base or 4 Chicken Bouillion Cubes
Pinch of Saffron
4 cups of Milk
Place potatoes in a large stock pot. Add enough water to just cover potatoes. Add Chicken Base or Bouillion Cubes and Saffron. Bring to broil and reduce heat to medium.
Fry bacon until very crispy. Drain on paper towel. Discard all but 1-2 Tablespoons of grease. Add onions and saute until translucent. Set aside.
As potatoes start to soften a bit, add carrots. Continue cooking until potatoes break down and you have a semi-thick consistency. Note: Once the potatoes start to break down, stir the bottom frequently. You will end up with some chunks of potatoes…that’s good.
Add onions, bacon and milk to pot. Keep on medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook 'til heated. Note: you can add enough milk to achieve the consistency you like. As the soup sits, it will thicken quite a bit.
Salt and pepper to taste.
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