Porcupine Meatballs

My mother Joan Olsen used to make these and this is one of my favorite recipes of hers. These meatballs are delicious!

1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup soda cracker crumbs, (blend in blender)
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1/4 cup green pepper
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup canned milk
3/4 lb. hamburger
parsley and garlic salt to taste
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and form into meatballs. Brown and then add 2 cans of tomato soup diluted with 1 1/2 cans water. Cook slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Yogurt in an Electric Skillet

Yogurt is easy and inexpensive to make yourself and homemade yogurt can be sweetened with fresh fruit or even your own homemade jam just to your taste. 

1 quart of 2% or skim milk 

1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk 

3 Tbs. plain yogurt (with cultures), room temperature 

Put 1 cup of milk in small bowl, add dry milk, and stir until dissolved. Rinse a 2-quart saucepan with water to help prevent the milk from sticking and pour in remaining 3 cups of milk and dissolved dry milk. Mix well. Heat milk over low heat to 200 degrees F. Remove from heat and cool to 108 degrees F. Remove protein film from the top of the milk. In a small bowl stir yogurt until creamy. Mix about 1/3 cup of warm milk into yogurt. Blend until smooth. Stir yogurt-milk mixture into remaining milk. Mix well. Pour into 4 10-oz custard cups. Cover each with plastic wrap and arrange evenly in electric skillet. Pour warm water one-inch deep around custard cups, adjust lid onto skillet, and turn thermostat to lowest heat that turns light on. Let yogurt remain undisturbed 4 to 6 hours or until set. Remove and refrigerate.

Whole Grains

Whole grains include rice, white, corn, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, rye, and popcorn when these foods are eaten in their whole state. Disease fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants abound in whole grains and they are a better source of these key nutrients than fruits and vegetables. Some valuable antioxidants in whole grains that are not found in fruits and vegetables are B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, and fiber.

There is clear medical evidence that whole grains reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Whole grains also can lower cholesterol levels. People who eat three servings a day have been shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 25 to 36%, stroke by 37%, Type II diabetes by 21-27%, digestive system cancers by 21-43%, and hormone related cancers by 10 to 40%. The health benefits of eating whole grains are tremendous.

Preserving Grains' Nutritional Value

Knowing how to store whole grains will be beneficial in keeping the nutritional value until you are ready to use them. Storing grains in a dry location is very important as also is using containers with tight fitting lids to keep the bugs out. Different grains require different methods of storage.

Oats should be kept in a dark location. Ideally if you live in a humid location this grain should be kept in the refrigerator. Oats will keep up to a year this way. Whole oat groats are most likely to become rancid so this is the best method of storage.

Pasta can be stored in your cupboards for months or longer if kept in air tight containers. Be careful about storing pasta in see through containers because it will lose B vitamins. It is better to keep them away from the light and sealed tight.

Cereal should be stored in a dry location. Make sure that you keep the inner bag tightly folded to keep out bugs or even better yet transfer the cereal to a tightly sealed storage container. Cereal that is refrigerated will keep longer in humid conditions.

Wheat germ will go rancid easily because of the fat content. Store opened wheat germ in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. Fresh wheat germ should smell like toasted nuts, not musty. It will keep for about a year in the refrigerator if it is sealed tightly.

Whole wheat breads that do not have preservatives can be refrigerated but they will not stay fresh as long. The bread should be kept tightly closed in a plastic bag. Bread can also be frozen to preserve it longer.

Rice is also best stored in a cool dry place away from light and heat. Brown rice is more perishable than white rice. It keeps only about six months, longer if refrigerated.

Raspberry Pie

Once in a while a person gets published in the newspaper and this recipe is the one that made me famous in Vancouver. I submitted it to The Columbian in a recipe contest one year and they loved it. This is a very easy to make recipe.

1 1/2 cups water
10 oz frozen raspberries (I use the ones from my garden)
1 cup sugar
6 Tbs cornstarch
1 9 inch pie shell, baked

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the raspberries. Mix cornstarch in 1/2 cup water and stir in. Boil 1 minutes until thick. Cover and cool this mixture and then pour it into the pie shell. Serve with whipped cream.

Chicken and Noodles

There is nothing like homemade chicken and noodles! Although this recipe is time consuming, it is worth the effort.

Cook 1 disjointed chicken (1 1/2 to 2 hours) in water with the following;
1 1/2 tsp salt
small onion
1 carrot, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
few sprigs of parsley
1 or 2 cloves
1 or 2 allspice
2 or 3 peppercorns
tip of 1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp mace

After the chicken is tender, separate the chicken from the broth. Remove the skin and bones and discard. Cut the meat in bite size portions and return it to the stock to absorb the flavor as it chills in the refrigerator. As the fat hardens, remove and discard the excess. Make the noodles about 1 1/2 hours before serving time. Reheat the broth ahd chicken to boiling. Drop in noodles and cook. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Noodles

2 eggs
1 Tbs milk or cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour

Stir together all ingredients into a stiff dough and roll out quite thin using plenty of flour. Let the dough stand 1 hour or until dry. Roll as a jelly roll or leave flat and cut with a noodle cutter or in thin 1/4 inch strips 2 or 3 inches long. Shake out and add to the boiling broth. Cook about 10 - 15 minutes. (The noodles will puff up as they cook.)

Colonial Williamsburg Chicken and Dumplings

Aunt Dixie gave me this recipe that comes from Williamsburg Inn in Colonial Williamsburg Virginia. It is a simple colonial recipe that is not hard to make but delicious to eat. This hearty meal will fill you up fast.

1 stewing chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
1 small onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
2 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
1 tsp salt
4 Tbs butter or chicken fat
6 Tbs flour
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 cup light cream
white pepper to taste

Simmer the chicken, onion, carrot, celery, and salt in enough water to cover the chicken until the chicken is tender and the meat is separating from the bones (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Remove the chicken from the broth and cool. When it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and dice the chicken. Strain the stock and add enough water to make 1 quart if necessary.

Melt the butter or chicken fat in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour mixed with the paprika. Add the chicken stock gradually, stirring constantly; cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, cream, and pepper and adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon the dumplings on top of the gently bubbling chicken mixture and cover. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Serve at once.

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs shortening
3/4 cup milk

Sift the dry ingredients three times. Blend in the shortening with a pastry blender or fork. Add the milk and mix well. Dip a tsp into cold water and then into the cough. Spoon the dumplings on top of the gently bubbling chicken mixture and cover. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Serve at once.

Fortune Cookies

Jonathan came home one day when he was 12 with a fortune cookie recipe written in his own hand. I kept the memory of this moment by preserving the recipe as he wrote it. The cookies were fun for him to make and I hope you will have as much fun opening the fortunes.

1/2 cup of melted butter
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup of flour
1 tsp of vanilla
2 Tbs water

Materials
a pencil and paper
sissors
a large bowl
a saucepan
measuring cups and spoons
a cookie sheet
a clean empty egg carton
a spatula


Mix egg whites, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Then one at a time stir in flour, vanilla, butter, and water. Put batter in fridge for 30 minutes then preheat oven to 350. Write 48 fortunes. Grease cookie sheet and take batter out of the refrigerator. Put 2 tsp of batter on cookie sheet and spread into 2 small circles. Repeat until 48 cookies are made. Cook 3 to 5 minutes ot until edges turn brown. Fold (with fortune) while still soft. Put in egg carton.

Easter Bread

This is a traditional bread made during Easter. The bread is baked in round coffee cans or you can bake it in a bundtpan. After it is baked you drizzle the bread with a lemon glaze. Saffron in the bread gives it a pretty yellow color.

2 cups water with 1 Tbs. dehydrated potatoes
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup shortening
4 beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sweet cream
2 pkg yeast
1 cup raisins
1 pinch saffron
7 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening. Add beaten eggs and beat until lemon yellow. Add raisins, saffron, potato water and yeast. Mix with flour and knead well. Let rise twice until double and punch down, form and then put the dough into greased pans (coffee can, loaf pan, or bundt pan). Frost with a lemon glaze.

Hot Chicken Salad

This is a variation on the Chicken Salad that my mother Joan Olsen used to make. The salad serves 10 to 12 people so it is good for a larger gathering.

3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
4 hard cooked eggs
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups diced celery
4 Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs minced onion

Mix all ingredients and put in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cover the salad with 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup crushed potato chips. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Making your own mixes is one way to save time in the long run. A chocolate chip cookie mix like this is easy to store and just as easy to bake.

9 cups flour
4 tsp soda
2 tsp salt
3 cups brown sugar
3 cups sugar
4 cups shortening
2 packages (12 oz) of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together all ingredients and store in tightly covered container. When you are ready to make cookies add 2 eggs to 2 cups of mix and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Makes 30 cookies.

Meat Loaf

I love meatloaf with chunky vegetables in it, hot and hearty from the oven. I found this recipe a long time ago in a book called Back to Health. I loved the recipe and have used it whenever I make meatloaf.

1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 8-0z. can tomato sauce

Combine all ingredients. Put into a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until done. 6 servings. Per serving: 252 calories.

Fruited Chicken Salad

3 cups cooked diced chicken or 1 large can of chicken
1 cup diced celery
1 cup orange sections
1 9 oz can pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 Tbs. salad oil
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of marjoram
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Combine first 5 ingredients. Blend salad oil, orange juice, vinegar, and seasonings. Add to chicken mixture. Chill one hour. Drain. Add mayonnaise; toss and serve. Makes 10 servings.

Royal Icing

This icing is used for decorating decorative items such as Ginger Bread Houses. It will keep for a long time (years) after it hardens. Make sure that it is very stiff so that it will hold a shape when you put it in your decorator's bag. If you want an easier way to make this icing, use powdered egg whites that you can get at a craft store.

3 egg whites (at room temperature)
4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Beat all ingredients at high speed for 10 minutes. Use immediately, as rebeating will not restore texture. Keep a wet cloth over the frosting so it doesn't dry out.

Buttercream Decorator's Frosting

This decorator's frosting gives your cake a yellowish tone because of the butter so if you want pure white frosting use the Basic Decorator's frosting.

2 pounds of powdered sugar (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup Crisco
1/2 to 3/4 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla

Beat until smooth and stiff (the frosting will hold its shape), adding cream to make it the right consistency.

Cream Cheese Decorator's Frosting

Cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated and this is a great frosting for cake decorating. This frosting needs to be beaten until it is very stiff so that the decorations will hold.

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 cube butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
small amount of cream or canned milk

Cream the cheese and butter. Add the sugar slowly while beating and when it becomes very stiff add the vanilla. To make more and the taste less rich, add more powdered sugar and cream keeping it at the right consistency.

Basic Decorator's Frosting

I took a cake decorating class many years ago. This recipe is meant to hold up and can be unrefrigerated if you use water instead of milk.

2 pounds of powdered sugar (abt. 8 cups)
1 1/4 cup shortening (use Crisco)
1/2 cup milk (water)
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat until smooth.

Orange Juice Smoothie

This was my children's favorite orange juice recipe when they were growing up. Whenever I heard the blender running I was sure that someone was in the kitchen making their orange smoothie.

1/2 large can concentrated orange juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 large ice cubes

Mix all but the ice cubes on high in the blender. After sugar is mixed well add ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Almond Chicken Rice Bake

Christmas presents are wonderful. Here is a recipe that Grandmother Eva Derrick gave me for Christmas.

1 cup raw Minute Rice, cooked as directed on the package
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cup up
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 cup chopped celery
1 Tbs minced onion
3 Tbs butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

Place cooked rice in greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish; cover with chicken. Blend soup, lemon juice, mayonnaise, celery, and onion and pour over chicken. Melt butter and stir in almonds and cornflakes. Sprinkle on top of casserole. (Can be covered and refrigerated at this point. Remove from refrigerator at least 2 hours before baking.) Bake uncovered at 300 F for 1 hour.

Strawberry Smoothie

I love to have a smoothie for breakfast and here is an easy one to make in the blender.

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 6-ounce carton of fat free strawberry yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
sweetener to taste

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Serve garnished with Cool Whip.

Caramel Corn in the Microwave

Some great recipes you can find in the newspaper. I found this recipe in the Salt Lake Deseret News. This is my favorite way to make caramel corn...in the microwave. It is quick and easy and not so messy because you use a large paper bag to mix the popcorn with the caramel. My children loved helping me shake the bag. I like to use peanuts for the nuts.

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 cups popped corn
12 ounces of nuts

Combine ingredients except soda, nuts, and popcorn in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart microwave safe dish. Bring to a boil, then cook on full powder for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in soda.

Put popped corn in a large brown paper bag (grocery sack). Pour syrup over popcorn, Close the bag and shake. Cook in the bag on high in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Shake and cook another 1 1/2 minutes. (May need another 1 1/2 minutes.) Pour into pan and allow to cool. If you use nuts, add to popcorn in the bag before adding the syrup.

Crustless Quiche

This is a simple way to make quiche that forms it's own crust. All you have to do is add baking mix. I like to use Bisquick.

3/4 cup baking mix
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
4 ounces grated swiss cheese
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

Combine all the ingredients and blend with a spoon. Pour into a 9-inch quiche pan or pie plate. Sprinkle nutmeg on top of quiche. Bake at 325 about 40 minutes.

Party Punch

This is a great punch to serve to company during the holidays.

2 cups water
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
3 cups cranberry juice
2 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 liter of lemon-lime soda pop

Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside in the refrigerator overnight. At serving time remove cinnamon sticks and combine syrup with chilled juices and soda pop.