My Roots

Peanut Brittle

cathysmaha1 Comment

Peanut Brittle was a Christmas tradition for my Mother. As a matter of fact, she would make so many candies to share with the neighbors, family and friends. Her home-made candy traditions included the peanut brittle, divinity, chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, and caramels. I’ve gained 10 pounds just thinking about it…and this doesn’t even include the list of cookies and breads she would make! She would decorate a box and include a sampling of all of her wonderful goodies.

While I wish I could do the same, I know that I would be sampling everything a little too much so only make a few of my favorites this year. Peanut Brittle is a favorite and at least it has ‘some’ protein, right?

Whatever your traditions, continue and share the memories or your childhood with your children and encourage them to create their own traditions.

PEANUT BRITTLE

1 cup corn syrup
1 1/2 cups raw peanuts
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda (added after candy has cooked)

  • Combine everything but peanuts and baking soda, and cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
  • Add raw peanuts. Boil and stir constantly with wooden spoon about 15-20 minutes.
  • Cook to hard crack stage (300 degrees). Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon baking soda.
  • Don’t stir much after you add the baking soda.
  • Pour in large buttered cookie sheet and spread out to corners fast with hands while hot and place quickly on cold table, cement or surface until foam disappears and candy hardens.
  • When cool, break into pieces.
Family Favorites

Potato Bacon Chowder…perfect comfort food

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Potato Bacon Chowder is a favorite that my sister, Carolyn, shared with me a few years ago.  She has often served this on Christmas Eve. It is wonderful for a quick lunch or dinner giving us that warm, cozy comfort food we crave this time of year.  So simple, so good.  Enjoy!

POTATO BACON CHOWDER

8 slices bacon (cut up)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

  • Fry bacon until crisp in a 3 quart saucepan; add onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Pour off fat.
  • Add potatoes and water. Bring to boil; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Stir in soup and sour cream; gradually add milk. Add salt, pepper and parsley.
  • Heat to serving temperature. Do not boil.
Family Favorites

Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Green Chile

cathysmaha2 Comments

Many years ago, my friend Judy D., shared this recipe with me and it has been a family staple.  Serve with homemade green chile and you have a wonderful meal for family and friends.  This time I served with slices of the last tomatoes of the season.  A silly discovery…sliced canned peaches made a wonderful side to this.  Don’t ask me why…it just does!

This casserole also freezes beautifully.  I have frozen leftovers and have also  made two pans and froze one.  Just heat it again and voila…dinner is served.

MEXICAN CORNBREAD CASSEROLE

2 cups yellow corn meal
2 cans cream style corn
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 small can green chiles (mild or hot)
Green Chili

  • Mix together corn meal, corn, eggs and milk. Set aside.
  • Brown and drain ground beef.
  • In a separate bowl, mix cheese with green chiles.
  • Spray 9×13″ pan with PAM. Put 1/2 of cornmeal mixture into bottom of baking pan.
  • Spread all ground beef and chiles on top. Next sprinkle with cheese.
  • Finish with remaining cornmeal mixture.
  • Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Great topped with hot green chili (canned or home-made).

 

New Favorite · Vegetarian

Apple Pear Salad or is it really a Dessert???

cathysmaha1 Comment

My good friend, Jan, was telling me about her favorite Fall salad.  It sounded so yummy and had all the things in it that I love.  I made, I shared, I loved.  This is great as a side dish but it’s so yummy, it could easily be a dessert. Thanks Jan for the great idea!

APPLE PEAR SALAD

Fresh crisp apples, chopped
Fresh ripe pears, chopped
Celery, chopped

  • Chop the above into bite sized pieces and place in bowl.

Pecans
Sugar
Butter

  • Melt butter in saucepan and add brown sugar.  Stir together.
  • Add pecans and stir frequently under sugar is melted.
  • Pour mixture over fruit mixture. Stir & serve immediately.

My Roots · Vegan · Vegetarian

Fresh Cranberry Relish for your Thanksgiving Feast!

cathysmaha5 Comments

Cranberry relish is Thanksgiving tradition.  My Mother always served fresh cranberry relish and I have continue the tradition.  The relish is tart and crisp, a nice contrast to the savory turkey, gravy, and dressing.  If you prefer a sweeter relish, add more sugar to taste.

As I prepare the relish, I wondered how my Mother chopped the ingredients without our Food Processors and the I remembered…she used the cast iron food grinder…which I still have.  It worked beautifully AND helped build those arm muscles.  If only I had a place to attach the grinder so I could use it!

This Thanksgiving, as always, be thankful for our families, our health, our friends and that we have the joy of sharing Thanksgiving with loved ones!

FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 red apple
1 orange
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (to taste)

  • A day or two before serving, rinse the cranberries. Remove any soft or blemished cranberries.
  • Wash and core red apple and chop into large chunks.
  • Wash and halve and orange. Remove white membranes and slice off top and bottom peel of orange. Chop into large chunks.
  • Place cranberries, apple, orange and sugar in food processor and chop until coarsely ground. Chill for a day or more and serve.

Great with the Thanksgiving turkey.

New Favorite

Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Every year my daughter and I look forward to the seasonal Pumpkin Frozen Custard at Good Times. When I saw the Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt recipe in relish.com, I had to try it. It is very good and, I tell myself, healthy. It freezes quite hard so be prepared to torture yourself for a few minutes while it softens to serve.

I also tried drizzling honey with a bit of cayenne pepper on the top. Quite tasty and the honey hardens on the icy frozen yogurt.

FROZEN PUMPKIN YOGURT

1 1/2 cups Greek low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups pureed pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

  • Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until combined. Place in container of ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Serves 10.

Recipe from relish.com

Family Favorites · Gluten Free · Losers! · My Roots · New Favorite · New Traditions · Nicaragua · Skinny · Vegan · Vegetarian

Happy 1st Birthday Fork-Lore.com!

cathysmaha6 Comments

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY FORK-LORE.COM!

Fork-Lore 1st Birthday

One year ago I launched Fork-Lore.com as a way to share family traditions and new recipes.  Little did I know one year ago how much I would enjoy posting and sharing recipes, family stories and photos.

This past year, I learned and solidified my beliefs that:

  • It’s hard to remember to photograph food and cooking steps, especially when you’re really into the cooking process (also known as being easily distracted)
  • I need a new, fancy schmancy camera so my photographs are more appealing (and I get a new, much-wanted toy)
  • Older people CAN blog…come on baby-boomers, get out there!

On a more serious note:

  • I truly appreciate the modern conveniences in my kitchen and greatly admire the women that went before me, cooking amazing meals with very few tools.
  • Cooking and sharing a meal with those you love, isn’t just about loving to eat.  It’s about the joy of sharing the moment and the meal with those close to you.
  • Traditions are important.  Build upon the traditions in your family and create new ones.

Thank you to all that have followed me this past year and I hope that you will continue to follow and share on my blog.  I’d love to hear more about your traditions and memories.

Let us eat cake!

Family Favorites · My Roots · Vegetarian

Pumpkin Bars…taste of autumn

cathysmaha2 Comments

Pumpkin Bars are a big hit at our house and a crowd pleaser. Forget the ordinary brownie…these are so moist and yummy. If you are more of an apple fan, substitute applesauce for the pumpkin. Either way, you have a winning dessert!

PUMPKIN BARS

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (or use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce for Vegan bars)
2 cups pumpkin (applesauce works great too)
1 cup cooking oil
chopped nuts (optional)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick margarine
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

  • Sift dry ingredients, including sugar, into mixing bowl. Add slightly beaten eggs, pumpkin and oil. Mix; blend in nuts (optional).
  • Bake in 2 greased and floured cake pans (9×13″) at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. If baked in one larger plan it may take 40-45 minutes to bake.

  • Serve plain or sprinkle with powdered sugar or spread cooled cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut into squares.

Frosting: Blend all together until smooth and spread on cake. Can double to assure thicker frosting.

Family Favorites

Pinto Beans and Cornbread

cathysmaha3 Comments

Pinto Beans and Cornbread was/is a staple in many homes, particular in the southern states. My Mother would occasionally make a pot of beans but it was usually met with disdain by our meat and potatoes Iowa farm family.

When I met my husband, raised in southern Missouri, I quickly learned that Pinto Beans, Cornbread and all of the fixin’s was a much-loved meal. My husband, Karl, usually took charge of this meal but I’ve learned to make it in the crockpot vs. watching it all day on the stove.

Karl and his family serve the pinto beans, cornbread and butter with cooked mustard greens (today it was green beans), corn, fresh sliced tomatoes, and fresh onion.

I prefer a small slice of cornbread with a few beans and a lot of bean stock and vegetables.  My big finish…a larger piece of cornbread drowning in honey.  Oh yeah!

SLOW COOKED PINTO BEANS 

16 ounce package of dried pinto beans
1 ham hock
1/2 large onion, cut into pieces
black pepper to taste
Cover with water (about 1-2″ above the beans)

  • Place all of the above in a large crockpot on low setting.  I typically start the crockpot in the evening and let it cook all night.  In the morning, I add water as needed and cook until ready to serve (lunch or dinner).   You may need to turn the setting to high in the morning if the beans are still very hard.
  • Once cooked, remove the ham hock and cool.  Remove any bits of ham and return to the beans.
Family Favorites · My Roots

What’s for breakfast? PBB (Peanut butter & bacon) sandwich!

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What was my favorite breakfast growing up?  It was a great day when my Mom made a peanut butter bacon (PBB) sandwich paired with chilled Welch’s grape juice. It was breakfast for champions. This favorite comfort food has been on my mind and I HAD to have it, only this time for dinner.

After cooking the bacon in the oven (so much easier than on top the stove), I toasted two pieces of bread and generously spread peanut butter on the toast while warm.  I topped with cooked bacon.  Next, I poured a nice tall glass of cold Welch’s grape juice.

NOTE:  My best Golden Retriever buddy, Joe, decided to eat 3/4 of the bacon while I stepped outside for a moment.  He evidently prefers his bacon straight-up.

Yum…yum…yum.  Memories of bacon & peanut butter moments dance in my head.

Food + memories = joy!