Welcome to My Kitchen

Here it is, as promised, my list of “must keep” cookbooks. If I had to pare my cookbook library to just twelve books, these would be my selections. With these twelve publications I would feel well equipped to prepare edible fare from just about any potable item that came my way.

1. Ann Pillsbury’s Baking Book, 1961

2. Fix It and Forget It Cookbook by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good, 2000

3 Searchlight Recipe Book, Household Magazine, 1945

4. Best of Country Cooking, Reiman Publications, 1999

5. House and Gardens New Cookbook, 1967

6. Adventures in San Francisco Sourdough Cooking and Baking, by Charles D. Wilford 1971

7. 500 Delicious Dishes From Leftovers, Culinary Arts Institute, 1950

8 Better Homes and Gardens Homemade Bread, 1973

9. Unser Tagelich Brot, Staff of Life IV or V, Odessa Memorial Hospital Auxiliary

10. The Complete Guide of Small Batch Preserving, 2nd Edition, by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard, 2009

11. Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies, 1966

12. Sunset Ground Beef Cookbook, 1971

Some of these have been in my collection from the beginning of my cooking years, two were inherited, others gifts, or finds at yard sales. All have become friends, a group I can go to for solving culinary problems. I hope all of you readers have such a group of cookbook/friends.

Potato soup is a warm comfort food ideal for cold winter days, and stretching the food budget. Potato soup is a good way to use potatoes that may have sprouted or are a bit soft.

No-Fuss Potato Soup from the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, is easy to prepare before heading out to work in the morning and requiring only minimal attention to have it table ready in the evening.

No-Fuss Potato Soup

6 cups diced, peeled potatoes

5 cups water

2 cups diced onions

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup margarine or butter

4 tsp chicken bouillon granules

2 tsp salt

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces shredded cheddar or Colby cheese

Combine all ingredients except milk, parsley and cheese in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 7-8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Just before serving add milk, parsley and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Heat Thoroughly. Yield: 8-10 cup servings.

Note: crisp, crumbled bacon may be stirred in just before serving. Chives may be used as a garnish. My note: crush vegetables slightly with a potato masher before adding the milk.

Hot Biscuits, from Ann Pillsbury’s Baking Book, are nearly as quick as a biscuit mix and may be used in any recipe calling for a purchased mix. Many variations may be made from this recipe by adding additional ingredients. Anyone would make these biscuits a nice accompaniment to potato soup.

Hot Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and mix only until all the flour is moistened.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few seconds. Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut into rounds with a 2 inch cutter. Place on un-greased baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Variations: one or more of the following may be stirred in before kneading. 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1/2 cup crisp crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, or 2 Tbsp sautéed onion

Add 2 tbsp sugar to make a sweet biscuit. Top with fresh or canned fruit, whipped cream or topping for a quick shortcake dessert. Warm biscuits and heated canned peaches are especially good in cool weather.

Orange Buttermilk Salad, a recipe requested at the Community Christmas dinner comes from The Best of Country Cooking and is attributed to Lenore Wilson of Muskogee, Ok. Buttermilk seems to be something most cooks purchase for a recipe, then wonder what to do with the rest of the carton. This recipe, using 2 cups buttermilk, is a great side for just about any meal.

Orange Buttermilk Salad

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, un-drained

1 package ( 6 ounces) orange gelatin

2 cups buttermilk

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a large saucepan, bring pineapple with juice to a boil. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in buttermilk. Cool to room temperature. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into a 11x7x2 inch dish our 2 quart bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Yield: 10 servings.

Note: a large package of sugar free gelatin may be substituted for a low sugar version. 8 ounces of heavy cream, whipped may be substituted for the whipped topping. Lemon and peach gelatin also work well in this recipe.

A reminder of the Pantry Challenge. Identify foods in your pantry to work into menus before they expire, or donate them to The Odessa Food Bank so someone else can enjoy them. Donations may be dropped off at any Odessa Church or The Odessa Record office. Mark your bags Pantry, so Julie Jantz, food bank coordinator can give us a total of pounds donated.

Next column, a barbeque stew inspired by barbeque sauce that needed to be used up and a crab Alfredo fettuccini. What food items did you find, and how did you prepare them in a meal?

Share your recipes by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159 or email therecord@odessaoffice.com or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Plant tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers into your flower beds and create edible beauty.