Note: Guess you have figured out by my choice of music that I indeed have a strange sense of humor!
Recipe's from my Grandma's kitchen &
a few of Grandpa's.
I am sure your Grandparent's would be
honored if you will submit theirs!
Serves about 8
2 ounces of butter
1/2 cup of flour
1 quart of milk
1 quart of half & half
about 1/2 pound of chopped fresh broccoli (cooked)
1 & 1/2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large kettle, melt the butter over moderate heat till melted, add flour and
stir until smooth. Slowly add the milk and half & half stirring as you do.
Cook until the sauce is thickened. Add the cheese and cook until melted, then
add the broccoli and cook till all is heated trough add salt & pepper to
taste.
My Grandmother, Leora Blasingame Ashcraft's
Chicken and Dumplings
My Grandmother, Leora Blasingame Ashcraft was among other things, a wonderful
cook. Here is her method of chicken and dumplings that is just fantastic!
Note: When we would go to my grandparent's home for dinner, the men always ate
first.
First you go out in the yard, catch a chicken and ring it's neck. Next you chop
off it's head. Then you plunge it in a large kettle of boiling water. When the
water cools enough to touch, you remove the chicken and pluck off all the
feathers. My grandmother did this on her back porch. I prefer going to the
market and purchasing a chicken that is already plucked! If you have ever
plucked a chicken then you know that smell stays with you the rest of your
life. It is a wonder any of us who has had that "wonderful"
opportunity, can stand to eat chicken.
After the chicken is fully plucked, place it in a large kettle with enough cold
water to cover the chicken. Add a couple of bay leaves, a scraped carrot or two,
a couple of stalks of celery and an onion that has been peeled. Bring this to a
simmer and simmer until the chicken is cooked, "Do Not Boil ". Remove chicken from
the stock and let cool. Strain the vegetables from the stock. When the chicken
is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and pull chicken into small
pieces, reserve. After the chicken has been removed from the stock, add a cup of
scraped chopped carrots, 1/2 cup of chopped celery and
1/2 cup of chopped
onions. Continue to simmer the stock.
Dumplings:
In a large bowl mix about two cups of flour, one egg, about 1 teaspoon of
vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, salt & pepper. Add about two
tablespoons of soften lard, or butter and splash of cream. Mix this together and
keep adding small amounts of cream until a dough is made that will form a ball.
If you add too much milk just add more flour. Remove the ball of dough from the
bowl and place it on a cool floured surface. Knead it until everything combines
and roll it out till it is about 1/8 inch thick. Let set a few minutes and then
cut the dough into strips about 1
1/2 inches wide, cross cut the strips so that
you have little 1
1/2 inch squares. Drop the dumplings into the simmering broth
and cook about 20 minutes or until the dumplings are done. Add salt and pepper
to the broth and the chicken meat.
My Grandpa Ashcraft's fried fish
The Best Fried Fish You Have Ever Had!
When I was a child and would go to Grant County to visit my grandparents, I
would beg my grandpa to take us kids fishin (that's how we pronounce fishing).
He usually would, and when we got back he would clean them and cook them outside
in a huge iron skillet over a fire, you can use the stove. Here is what you
need:
A "Mess" of bluegills or catfish cleaned - this works great for other
fish too!
Melt enough butter to coat all the fish and place in a large shallow bowl. In
another large shallow bowl mix enough corn meal with just a small amount of
flour to coat all the fish. Dip the fish in the melted butter then dredge them
in the corn meal mixture to completely cover. Place the fish on a rack (with
something under it to make clean up easy) and let the fish dry. Grandpa put it
in front of a fan, I put it in the refrigerator.
After the fish are dry, fry them in deep oil in a large skillet, turning until
they are golden brown. Grandpa used lard, I use Crisco. As soon as the pieces of
fish are done remove them from the skillet, place them on a brown grocery bag
and sprinkle with salt. I still use the grocery bag.
Grandmother's Sweet Potato Pie
Two cups of cooked sweet potatoes - peeled
One cup of sugar
4 eggs - separated
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter - melted
1 Tbs. corn starch
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. good Kentucky Bourbon - optional
1 - 9 inch pie shell
Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl, add slightly beaten egg yokes and a
combined mixture of the sugar, corn starch & cinnamon. Beat for about five
minutes. Add the cream, melted butter and bourbon. Whip the egg whites till
rounded peaks are formed and gently fold into the sweet potato mixture.
Place mixture into the pie shell and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until
a knife placed in half way between the edge and center comes out clean. Let pie
cool before cutting.
Links to More Victorian recipes