Broccoli Salad

I don't really care for raw broccoli, but this salad made an appearance at family gatherings at least a few times, so I guess I need to post it. I used to eat it, anyway. It has bacon, and really, bacon can help almost anything taste better.

Broccoli Salad (Mom)

1 bunch broccoli flowerettes, cut into chunks
1/2 lb bacon (fried & diced)
1 small red onion, chopped
1/3 c sunflower seeds
1/3 c raisins

Dressing:

1 c mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 c sugar (optional)

Mix dressing and pour on top of the chopped ingredients in a bowl. Let it chill for a few hours before serving.

Bread & Butter Pickles

We always had these in our cupboard! I think these pickles are so tasty. Mom got this recipe from her mom. I am so glad for recipes that come down through generations. It helps me feel more connected to people that I never knew on this earth.

Bread & Butter Pickles (Mom and Grandma)

1 gallon peeled cucumber slices
8 small onions, sliced (3 regular sized)
1/3 c salt

Syrup:

5 c sugar
5 c vinegar
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp mustard seed


Pour salt on top of the cucumbers and onions. Cover with ice cubes and let it stand for 3 hours. Drain. Bring to boil in syrup and turn down while pouring into sterilized pint jars. Seal. Makes about 8 pint jars.


To bottle:

1. Sterilize jars only with washing or putting jars in boiling water.
2. Take new lids and put into hot, boiled water.
3. Set jars in hot water, as well.
4. Pour pickles and syrup into bottle.
5. After wiping the edge of the jar, place the lid on top.
6. Screw on lid.

While cooling, the center part of the new lid should pop down.

Aunt Carol's Salad

One thing I love about Aunt Carol is that she is willing to share her recipes. When we would have potluck dinners, she would bring this salad sometimes. I got to really enjoy it.

Aunt Carol's Salad

4 c cabbage, finely chopped
2 pkgs Raman, crunched up
Green onion, chopped
Slivered almonds
Chicken, grilled or boiled and cubed

Dressing:
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sugar
Raman seasoning packets (chicken is probably the best for this)

Mix the dressing together and add it to the top of the rest of the ingredients in the salad bowl.

Seven Layer Dip

Either for my eleventh or twelfth birthday I convinced my mom that I should be able to have a party with my friends. She thought I was too old to have a birthday party, and really, she probably didn't want to deal with all the work of putting it together. But she said I could have one, as long as I planned it myself. I chose to have this dip at my birthday party, but I had no idea how to make it. She told me what to do, and that was my first experience making this dip. I'm sure everyone has a different method of creating this dip since it can be done so many ways, but this is the family stand-by recipe for this dish.

Seven Layer Dip

In a 9x13 pan, layer the following:

1 can refried beans
Sour cream, mixed with some taco seasoning
Guacamole
Grated cheese
Sliced olives
Fresh tomatoes, diced
Green onions (or some other onion), chopped

Other topping options: lettuce, bell peppers, salsa, chilies, cilantro (ew!)

Serve with a spoon to accompany tortilla chips!

Salsa (Mom & Dad's)

This salsa was usually prepared in a yellow tupperware bowl and sitting in the refrigerator but not for many days because we would inhale it.

Salsa (Mom & Dad)

8 c diced tomatoes
2 - 3 c chopped onions
1 1/2 chopped green (or red) peppers
1/3 c vinegar
1 (or 2) Tbsp sugar
1 (or 2) Tbsp salt
2 squirts Tabasco
Some shakes of garlic powder
4 oz can of green chilies

Stir together, chill, and serve!

Crab Wonton

I got this recipe from one of my friends, Kacie. I made this a few times for a New Years treat, and they are popular.

Crab Wonton

Crab or imitation crab, chopped into small pieces

Green onion, chopped

1 package cream cheese

Square pasta wraps (50 count)

Mix cream cheese, onion, and crab together. Place a small dab in the center of the pasta or wonton wraps. Moisten 2 edges of the wrap so when it's folded together, it sticks. The wraps should be folded on the diagonal so that it creates a triangle. Fry the wontons in hot oil (about 350 degrees). These wontons can be served with a sweet and sour sauce.

Baked Brie

I tasted this at a restaurant once and loved it, so I attempted to duplicate the recipe. This is what I made and what I stick with when I make it.

Baked Brie (from Cardine)

1 wedge package of brie cheese
5 sheets of filo (phyllo) dough
Olive Oil
Butter
Apricot Preserves
Grapes, preferably red
Water crackers

Open the package of brie cheese. Slice off the white outer layer.

When working with phyllo, you have to keep it moist. It dries out so quickly. So, when you unroll the package, make sure you have a damp cloth covering it. And when you peel off a sheet, recover it with a damp cloth. Also make sure it's completely thawed if you've had it in the freezer.

Melt about a Tbsp of butter and mix it in a small bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add olive oil as necessary. Take a sheet of phyllo dough and wrap it around the brie wedge. Brush the outer phyllo dough liberally with the oil and butter mixture. Repeat until you've wrapped it with about five sheets. Make sure the outer layer is sufficiently brushed with oil.

Place the wrapped brie in a baking dish and bake for 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until it's golden brown. After taking it out of the oven, let it cool for about five minutes and serve it with apricot preserves, water crackers, and red grapes.

Buuz (Mongolian Dumplings)

The way we pronounce "buuz" is "bodes." They are Mongolian dumplings. One time I signed up to feed the sister missionaries in town. One of them was from Mongolia, and while I didn't know her, I wanted to make something that was more reminiscent of where she was from than the spaghetti and pizza she was probably used to having in the states. One of my friends had served a mission in Mongolia, so I asked him what they frequently ate in Mongolia. This is what he told me. I enlisted Dad's help to make this dish because I kind of didn't know what I was doing. We guess that it turned out okay because the sister missionary basically ate all of them. Her companion told us that she hadn't really been eating previously and hadn't ever seen her eat like that before. We counted it as a success, and I hope that the meal was a blessing to her and helped her acclimate a little better to being in the U.S. Since then we've made buuz a few times, which we had to do since she ate most of them, and we didn't get much of a taste.

Buuz (Mongolian Dumplings)

Shells:
Flour
Water

Mix the flour and water to make a dough. Flatten the dough to about 2 or 3 millimeters in thickness. Cut the dough into discs using a cup, glass, or a circle cookie cutter.

Filling:
Minced or ground lamb
Chopped onion
Chopped garlic
Salt
Pepper

Be generous with the salt and pepper to give the meat a better flavor. Otherwise, since the shells are pretty bland, the dumplings don't have much of a flavor. The meat doesn't carry enough in and of themselves to make the dumplings tasty.

Place a ball of meat in the dough shell. Pinch the edges together, leaving an opening on top. Steam the dumplings for about 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

We served this with rice and made up a gravy-type sauce to go with it. The Mongolian sister just ate them how they were.

Peach Pie

I salivate whenever I think of this fantastic fresh peach pie. When the peach blossoms don't freeze and we have them in abundance, I love that Mom and Dad would freeze the peaches in freezer bags so we could pull them out around Thanksgiving time and have a delicious peach pie.

Peach Pie

Unbaked pie crust
Sliced peaches, thawed if frozen (drain of excess liquid)
3/4 cup sugar (a little less)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 Tbps flour

3 Tbsp grenadine syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 c butter
1/8 tsp mace (optional)

Combine a little less than 3/4 cup sugar, nutmeg, and 3 Tbsp flour. Coat peaches with mixture and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in grenadine and lemon juice. Add this mixture to pie pan.

In a separate bowl cut butter into 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, cinnamon, ginger, and mace. Crumble cut-in mixture on the pie. Cover the edge of the crust with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes. This pie is also delicious after refrigeration.

David Lundgren's Raisin Pie

Once upon a time my mom and/or dad got this recipe from David Lundgren (I'm not sure who he is), and now the pie has become a holiday tradition. This pie is usually at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

David Lundgren's Raisin Pie

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cups raisins
3/4 cups chopped walnuts
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
3 Tbsp vinegar

Beat eggs. Add sugar and beat again. Add butter, vinegar, and spices, and beat again. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into an unbaked 9 inch pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until light brown & crusty on top. Cool before serving. This pie tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!

Pumpkin Cake (Pumpkin Delight)

We have typically had your average pumpkin pie for holiday meals, but we've also had this dessert as a tradition. I know that Mom also made this for a holiday activity when she and Dad were in China.

Pumpkin Cake (Pumpkin Delight)

4 eggs
3 cups pumpkin (1 large can)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
3 1/2 c half and half or 2 cans evaporated milk (Mom usually used the evaporated milk)

1 package cake mix (any kind, but Mom usually used white or yellow)
1/2 cup butter
Chopped walnuts

Mix ingredients together (all except cake mix, butter, and chopped walnuts). Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9' x 13' pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top. Melt butter and pour over cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 min. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of cake. Bake 10 minutes more or until knife comes out clean.

Asian Green Beans

This is Banana's recipe for green beans that we have used in the past for holiday meals. I enjoy this alternative if the green beans aren't going to have bacon with them.

Asian Green Beans (from Banana)

1 lb green beans, washed and end snipped
1 cup water

Cut green beans (if desired). Add to water in a fry pan, cover, and boil/steam for 10-15 min or until tender.

2 T. olive oil
1/3 cup slithered or sliced almonds

Drain water and add oil and almonds. Sauté for 2-5 minutes.

1 T. honey
1 T. soy sauce
Salt, to taste (about 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix above ingredients into a sauce and add to the beans. Heat and serve.

Turkey

I asked my dad for a recipe for cooking the turkey, and this is what I got:

Turkey

1 Turkey

Follow the directions on the package.

The end.

Dad doesn't usually use a bag or cover it or anything. He just lets it sit in the oven and told me that the turkeys are self-basting. Well, okay. There you go!

Apple Yam Casserole

This recipe is from Dub. A lot of us in our family don't particularly like sweet potatoes or yams, but Dub has been making this recipe for a few years now. I kind of like it myself and have developed a taste for some sweet potato dishes.

Apple Yam Casserole (from Dub adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes or yams (the orange ones -- NOT the yellow ones)
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water + 1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 1 tablespoon corn starch)
3 slices lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Boil sweet potatoes in water in large saucepan for 30 minutes. Peel and cube.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
3. In the casserole dish, alternately layer the sweet potatoes and apples.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, cinnamon, raisins, butter and salt. Cook 5 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, stir together remaining water and flour or corn starch. Combine with the brown sugar mixture. Pick out any lumps that may have formed, heh heh. Pour sauce over the sweet potatoes and apples. Place the lemon slices on top.
6. Bake covered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and apples are tender.

Turkey Gravy

I've never really made gravy before, so I had no idea how one would make the excellent turkey gravy that typically accompanies the turkey and mashed potatoes. Fortunately, Dad was willing to contribute, so this comes straight from Dad!

Turkey Gravy from Dad

It isn't a recipe so much as it is a method. I collect all of the juices from the pan in which the turkey was roasted and let them set until the grease has separated and risen to the top. I measure and use one tablespoon of flour for every tablespoon of grease. For every cup of gravy I want to make I use one cup of the drippings from which the grease has been removed and add to it one tablespoon of grease and flour for a thin gravy, or two tablespoons of grease and flour for a medium gravy, or three tablespoons of grease and flour for a thick gravy. I make sure the grease and flour are well dissolved in the drippings before I heat the mixture to boiling. The gravy will thicken when boiled so boil it for a minute or so and then add the chopped giblets and boil for another minute or so.

If there aren't enough drippings to make the amount of gravy you desire you can add potato water to the drippings until you have the volume you desire. If you are short of grease you can add butter, but keep the ratios of grease/butter, flour, and drippings/potato water the same.

You can use corn starch instead of flour but use about half as much corn starch as flour.

Stuffing

This stuffing would usually go right into the turkey.

Stuffing from Mom

1 Box of stuffing
Turkey giblets, cut in small pieces
1 egg
Sauteed yellow onions and celery

Make a box of stuffing according to directions. Add some of the turkey giblets, 1 egg, and sauteed onions and celery. Stuff into the turkey and cook with the turkey according to directions on the turkey. Spoon out of the turkey, into a serving dish, and enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a must at a holiday meal. I asked cash for a mashed potatoes recipe because I don't always like them and don't usually make them for myself. Here is a typical recipe for mashed potatoes:

Mashed Potatoes from Cash

Potatoes
Salt
Sour cream
Butter
Milk
Pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into equal sizes (about quarters of medium potatoes). Boil in salted water until you can run your fork into them without too much effort. Drain, but leave a couple of tablespoons of the salty water. Beat with sour cream, butter, and milk (quantities to taste). Sprinkle in salt and pepper (to taste). Enjoy.

Feather-light Rolls

Watching Mom prepare these rolls is one of my earliest and most treasured memories in the kitchen as a child. This recipe is perfect for children who want to help out a little in the kitchen (during the rolling) and made an appearance at most Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that I can remember. Of course, I am excepting that Christmas spent in China on a train when we had mandarin oranges and Digestives (crackers) for dinner.

We would typically use the leftover rolls for turkey sandwiches for days after Thanksgiving. I personally love these rolls heated up with butter or with butter and honey.

Feather-light Rolls from Mom (The origins of this recipe were from Grandma Althea, but I think it actually came through Uncle Clawson's mother.)

Makes 32 rolls

1 Tbsp dry yeast or 1 yeast cake
1 Tbsp sugar
1 c scalded milk
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c melted butter
3/4 tsp salt
3 well-beaten eggs
3 1/4 to 4 c sifted flour

Put 1 Tbsp sugar and dry yeast in 1/3 c water. Add lukewarm milk. As the yeast starts to work, add sugar, butter, salt and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add flour until the dough is soft, yet stiff enough to knead. Cover and allow to rise for 5 to 6 hours. (This can be made the night before and left in the refrigerator or other cool place overnight. Pull it out early enough to let it get warm and rise.)

Place dough on bread board and knead. To make butter-horn rolls, divide the dough in half and roll out each half as nearly round as possible and about 1/4 inch thick. Cut as one would a pie into 16 pieces. Beginning at the broad end, roll each section loosely to the small end and pinch the end down. Put on buttered trays. Let rise until very light, 4 to 6 hours.

Bake rolls at *375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

*At a high altitude, bake at 350 degrees for about 16 minutes.

Cranberry Jell-O

Mom used to make this for Thanksgiving all the time. Our family doesn't typically love cranberry items, so a lot of the time there would be leftovers of it. Consequently, this recipe was eventually abandoned as we got older. I think that Mom should make it now because I bet that my brother-in-law Noj would really like it. I still wouldn't like it, though, because I'm generally opposed to celery.

Cranberry Jello from Mom (originally from Joan M.)

1 large package cherry Jell-O
1 c jellied cranberry sauce, melted
1 c diced celery
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c crushed pineapple, drained

Dissolve the package of cherry Jell-O in 2 cups hot water. Stir in melted cranberry sauce. Stir in celery, walnuts, and crushed pineapple. Pour liquid into an 8 x 11 x 2 inch glass pan. Chill for a few hours until set. Serve in squares on a lettuce leaf.

Relish Tray

The relish tray was always an essential part of the pre-holiday dinner snacking for us. Here are some classic elements of the holiday relish tray:

Black olives
Green olives
Baby sweet pickles
Baby dill pickles
Celery, cut in 3 inch pieces and filled with Cheez Whiz
Celery, cut in 3 inch pieces and filled with peanut butter

Some other relish tray ideas:
Radishes
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes

Aunt Carol's Cheese Ball

Aunt Carol always brings us this cheese ball at Christmas, and we love the tradition.

Aunt Carol's Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c butter or margarine, softened
2 Tbsp finely chopped pimiento
1 Tbsp snipped parsley
1 tsp grated onion
1/3 c finely chopped nuts
1/3 c snipped parsley

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and butter; beat with electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in pimiento, 1 Tbsp parsley, and onion. Chill. Shape into a ball. Coat with nuts and 1/3 c parsley. Makes about 1 3/4 cups.

Serve with Ritz-like crackers.

Corned Beef Cheese Ball

This is another classic holiday cheese ball recipe.

Corned Beef Cheese Ball (from Mom)

3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Accent Seasoning or flavor enhancer
1 onion, chopped fine (or 1 bunch green onions, chopped fine)
4 (2.5 oz) pkgs corned beef lunch meat, chopped fine

Mix together cream cheese, sauce, accent, onion, and half of the corned beef. Roll mixture into two balls. Roll each ball into remaining half of corned beef. Chill, and serve with crackers.

Shrimp Cocktail Cheese Ball

This recipe is a staple for holiday appetizers.

Shrimp Cocktail Cheese Ball from Mom

1 can of little shrimp
1 bottle of cocktail sauce
1 pkg cream cheese
Crackers of choice (frequently Wheat Thins)

Using the foil wrap that comes around the cream cheese, shape the cream cheese into a ball. Put the cheese ball on the center of a serving platter or plate. Drain liquid from canned shrimp. Dump shrimp on top of cheese ball. Add enough cocktail sauce to basically cover the shrimp and cheese ball. There will likely be some leftover. Surround cheese ball with crackers. Enjoy!

Swedish Pancakes

I decided to start with this one because it represents how I feel about the recipes. I want our traditional recipes to be handed down to next generations and to not lose them, just because we live apart from each other.

Swedish Pancakes from Great-grandma Hulda

2/3 c powdered milk
1/3 c water
3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
2/3 c flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 c water

Blend together powdered milk, water, and sugar. In a separate bowl blend together the egg, salt, flour, oil, and water. After each have been sufficiently blended, stir both mixtures together. Batter will be thin.

Pour almost 1/2 cup of batter onto a hot, greased 9 inch round, flat griddle or crepe pan. Turn when light brown. Serve with butter, jam, and syrup or whipping cream and fresh berries.