From My Kitchen to Yours
The kitchen is often the heart of a busy home. At times, it can be where we are the most creative. We believe in wholesome, country and "soul food" meals at our house. I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes with you. These recipes all come directly to you from my cherished family cookbook, which was a gift from my mother on our first wedding anniversary.
Persimmon Pudding
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups persimmon pulp
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
Beat eggs well. Add sugar and persimmon pulp. Dissolve soda in buttermilk and add mixture alternately with flour to which baking powder and spice has been added. Add butter last. Mix in well. Grease 9x13 pan and pour in mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Oven-Fried Potatoes
8 lg. unpeeled potatoes
½ cup oil
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
Cut the potatoes into 8 wedges each. Arrange the potatoes, peel side down, in shallow baking pans. Mix ingredients and brush over potatoes. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, brushing occasionally with the oil mixture.
No Bake Cookies
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
½ cup milk
½ cup cocoa
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup chunky peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
Cook together for one minute: sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa. Add pinch of salt and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter. Add oats. Mix well and spoon out on wax paper to cool.
World's Best Turkey
1 bone-in turkey breast, frozen (4-5 pounds)
1 envelope instant onion soup
Place frozen turkey in crockpot. Sprinkle onion soup over turkey. Do not add any liquid! Cook on high, 6-8 hours (may be less if your crockpot is a hot cooker). It is done when the turkey falls off the bone.
Editor's note: This recipe made me love turkey. I've hated turkey my entire life until I ate this. It creates a tender turkey and a wonderful juice that is great over mashed potatoes.
Amish White Bread
(makes 2 loaves)
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water. Then stir in the yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time.
3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
4. Place in a well-oiled bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about one hour (I put my oven on warm and allow the dough to rise in the warm oven.)
5. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes and then divide in half. Shape into loaves and place in well-oiled 9x5 loaf pans.
6. Allow to rise for 30 minutes or until dough has risen one inch above the edges of the pan (again, let it rise in a warm oven.)
7. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.