HOME MADE BAKED BEANS

This is the time of year for BBQ's. An all time favorite is Baked Beans. This recipe comes from my Mother-in-Laws recipe box.

You will need:

2 lbs of dried Pea Beans
1/2 lb. of Salt Pork
2/3 cups Molasses
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Mustard
2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Onion, cut in quarters

Pick over beans and wash thoroughly. Soak overnight in cold water. Drain and cook in cold water enough to cover the beans, slowly for 45 minutes. Cut salt pork into 1/2 inch thick strips. Place some on the bottom of pot before the beans are poured in. Mix Molasses, Salt, Sugar and Mustard in boiling water to dissolve. Put the beans in the pot on top of salt pork. Pour mixture over the beans adding enough hot water to cover the beans. Place the rest of salt pork and onions on the top.
If baking in bean pot, bake 4 to 6 hours. If cooking in pressure Cooker be sure to add enough water (about 1 1/2") to cover the beans. Close cover securely. Place pressure regulator and cook beans for 45 minutes at 15 lbs of pressure. Let pressure drop at it's own accord. DO NOT OPEN THE PRESSURE COOKER BEFORE IT COOLS.

You can cook 1 lb. of beans simply cut the recipe in 1/2.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES (SNOWBALLS/BUTTERBALLS)

The first time I made butter balls was with my friend and neighbor Cathy F. She lived on second floor and I lived on first. We used to bake quite a bit because our children were small and loved baked surprises. She had 4 and I had 2 children. We used to bake for PTA cake sales too...we had lots of fun together. I hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe you can make them with a friend....bake wonderful memories together!!

Oven 400 F makes 4 dozen

Mix: 1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sifted confectionery sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift and stir in: 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt.

Mix in: 3/4 cups finely chopped nuts.

Chill dough, roll in 1" balls and place 2 1/2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min. Do not let them get brown. While still warm, roll in confectionery sugar. Cool and roll again.

I am very excited that CSN Stores has asked me to do a review on a product from one of their 200+ stores. They have children's toys, yard furniture, household items, dining room tables, clothing for adults and children, yard tools, you name it. This is a great opportunity for me. My Blog has been growing more and more every week and I'm excited about that! I didn't think that when I started this venture that anyone would want me to do a review. I can't wait. Maybe next month I will be able to do a giveaway. Boy would that be great! So check from time to time to see what CSN Stores wants me to review.

CRUSTY WHITE BREAD - a less rich bread

If you like to make your own bread, try this one. You won't be disappointed. I got it from a magazine around 1978.

Ingredients:
2 packages of active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105-115F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup salad oil
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board: knead until smooth and elastic 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; brush top with oil and cover. Let rise in warm place until dough is double in size..about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into rectangle 18x9, roll up beginning at the short side. With side of hand, press each end to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in greased loaf pan 9x5x3". Brush loaves with salad oil. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 F. Bake about 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

CRISP WHITE SUGAR COOKIES

Here is another of Mother Cimino's recipes....crisp white sugar cookies. I like to put ice cream in between two cookies..yummy.
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup butter of shortening (I like Crisco)
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven at 425
Sift measured flour. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut in the shortening or butter into dry ingredients until very fine. Combine vanilla and slightly beaten eggs. Add to dry ingredients beating until smooth. Cover dough tightly with wax paper. Chill over night or for several hours. (Dough is easier to handle when cold. It is sticky when it's warm) Roll on thin on floured board. Cut with cookie cutter. (You can garnish them with cherries if you wish)
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will be crisp when cooled.
Makes about 4 dozen large cookies.

BAKED CUSTARD

This recipe is from my mother-in-laws recipe box. The white recipe card is now yellow....that's how old this is....but delicious.

You will need:
2 eggs 1 pint of milk
3 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla
and a pinch of salt.

Beat eggs, sugar and salt until creamy. Add milk and flavoring. Stir well and place in baking cups. Bake until firm in the center. 350 degree oven.

Chinese Ramen Noodle Salad

Credit for this wonderful salad goes to my daughter-in-laws friend Cheryl. She brought this delicious salad to a cookout and it was a hit!



Ingredients:

*** SALAD***
1 head cabbage
2 bunches scallions
2 packages Ramen (vegetable or chicken flavored)
5 ounces of slivered almonds
4-6 Tbsp. butter or margarine

***DRESSING***

1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Chop and mix the vegetables. Refrigerate until served. Melt 4-6 Tbsp. of butter or margarine.
Add almonds and crushed Ramen noodles. Add seasonings and brown for about 8 minutes. Mix vinegar, oil, sugar ad soy sauce. Shake up well. Just before serving mix the vegetables, crunch and dressing and mix together well.

Recipe originated from CDKitchen.

**One of my readers suggested to add pulled chicken from a Rotisserie Chicken to make it a meal instead of a side dish... Thank you.

CHICKEN FINGERS

I have had this recipe for 31 years. This was given to me by an old friend...written on a recipe card by my then 6 year old daughter, Karen. Made it once and never saw it again. Now that I'm blogging my favorite recipes I decided to make them last week. Jonathan, Kristopher and Kara had dinner with us and I didn't know what to make. I had bought 10 lbs of chicken tenders so out came the recipe.

These chicken fingers went over so big with the Boys....they could not get enough of them. Try it, you will not be disappointed.

This is for 1 lb of chicken tenders or pieces of chicken:

2 eggs
1/2 cup sifted flour.
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsps. melted shortening (Crisco)
dash of garlic powder and/or any other season you may want.

Wash the chicken and put aside.
Beat eggs for 1 minute on medium speed.
Add milk, sifted dry ingredients, season and shortening. Beat at low speed until well blended.
Batter should be thick like pancake mix. Coat the chicken and deep fry until golden brown.

Here is a trick that I use because I am always afraid that the chicken is not cooked well enough. I quick fry them in frying pan on both sides. Then I place them in an oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. This will give you time to gather everything else that you are serving with them and you don't have to be concerned if the chicken is cooked or not.

***If you are using small pieces of chicken you will probably want to eliminate the oven. They should cook well enough in the Deep Fryer.