The Tyler Chronicle Cookbook

_____To Grandma's House for Christmas Dinner!_____

Grandma’s  Fried Raisin Pies             Filling-- 2 c. Raisins 1 1/2 c. Water 2 c. Sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp. Corn Starch to thicken Crust-- 2 c. Flour 1 Tbsp. shortening Add ice cold water until it makes dough.

Directions:   Filling-- Bring raisins and water to a boil, add sugar and thicken with cornstarch. Simmer till raisins are tender then cool. Crust-- Mix flour and shortening until incorporated. add water teaspoon at a time till forms a dough. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 " thick. Cut out the size of a large saucer. Place 1 1/2 Tbsp. filling in center, fold over half moon style and pinch together with a fork dipped in flour. Fry in 1/2" shortening until golden brown, turn and cook other side. place on paper towel to drain.

Fried Cherry Pies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons shortening

• 1/3 cup boiling water

• 1 cup cherry pie filling

• Oil for deep-fat frying

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup whipped topping

Directions    

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture  resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times.         

• Divide dough into four portions; roll each into an 8-in. circle. Place 1/4 cup of pie filling in the  center of each circle. Fold dough over filling; secure with  toothpicks.        

• In an electric skillet or deep fat-fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry pies, folded side down, in oil for 2-3 minutes or     until lightly browned. Turn and fry 2-3 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels. Remove toothpicks. Serve with syrup and whipped  topping.     

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                                                                                                                                                                                                        You Can Substitute Honey for White Sugar                                                                                                                                                                             

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Turn Back the Clock with These Recipes from 1922!

MENU I

PRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS

Fruit cup ready to chill
Ham prepared for the sandwiches
Tomatoes peeled and placed in ice box
Salad dressing made
Fig marguerites made
Candied mint leaves prepared
Ice cream ready to freeze
Jelly made

MARKET ORDER

1 pound cooked ham
1 cream cheese (Roquefort flavor if desired)
1 quart milk
1 pint cream
½ pound butter
6 eggs
½ pound white grapes
3 or 4 oranges
2 lemons
1 pound (4 small) tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 head lettuce
1 bunch mint
½ can sliced pineapple
8 maraschino cherries
2 tablespoons mayonnaise dressing
½ pint raspberry or strawberry syrup
¼ pound figs
2 ounces walnut meats
1 ounce tea
⅛ pound cocoa
1 loaf sandwich bread
½ pint grape or currant jelly or juice
Oil of spearmint
1 package small round crackers
1 ounce marshmallow cream
1 cup salad oil
Loaf sugar

FRUIT CUP

Remove skin and seeds from
  ½ pound white grapes. If grapes are firm, boiling water may be poured over them and allowed to stand 1 minute, when skins will come off easily.

Pare
  2 oranges, removing white part with the skin, and remove sections free from membrane.

Cut
4 slices canned pineapple in dice. Mix the fruit with
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup orange juice
½ cup syrup from canned pineapple, and
  Few grains salt.

Put into ice cream freezer, surround with ice and salt, and stir occasionally until juice begins to freeze. Serve in cocktail glasses, garnishing each glass with a

Maraschino cherry.

FRUIT CUP

HOT HAM SANDWICHES

Put
1 pound cooked ham through food chopper. Add
4 tablespoons creamed butter,
1 teaspoon mustard and
  1 teaspoon paprika, and mix well.

Cut
  Bread in sixteen ¼-inch slices, spread eight slices bread with the ham mixture, cover with remaining bread and press slices firmly together. Cut each sandwich in three strips.

Beat
2 eggs slightly and add
  2 cups milk. Dip sandwiches, one at a time, in this mixture, and sauté in butter, cooking on one side until browned, and then turning and browning the other side. Serve very hot.

Other meat, or marmalade or jam may be used in sandwiches in place of ham.

HOT HAM SANDWICHES

GRAPE OR CURRANT JELLY

Wash and pick over
  Fruit. Crush in kettle one layer at a time and boil, stirring frequently, until juice is extracted from pulp. Let drip through double piece of cheesecloth, rinsed in cold water, over night or till juice no longer drips. Do not squeeze.

To
1 tablespoon juice add
  1 tablespoon alcohol; stir and let stand 10 minutes.

If ⅔ of the mixture is cloudy use
  ⅔ cup sugar to each cup juice. If all is cloudy use equal parts sugar and juice. (This is called the Pectin Test.) Be sure that juice mixed with alcohol is discarded immediately. Measure remaining juice into kettle, bring to boiling point, add required amount of sugar and cook to 220 degrees F. or until mixture will show two distinct, firm drops when dripped from side of spoon, or when small amount will become firm when dropped on very cold saucer. Then skim and pour into sterilized glasses.

Second Extraction

Return fruit pulp to kettle, add barely enough cold water to cover it, bring slowly to boiling point, stirring to prevent burning on; cook 5 minutes, drain and finish as for first extraction, boiling 5 minutes before adding the sugar.

Third Extraction

Proceed as for second extraction. Oftentimes the juice from second and third extractions may be combined before being made up into jelly. By making three extractions the amount of jelly obtainable from a given amount of fruit may be almost doubled.

TOMATO SALAD WITH CHEESE DRESSING

Cut
  4 tomatoes in halves in such a way that they come apart in points.

Arrange each half in a nest of
Lettuce leaves. In the center of tomato pile
Cream cheese forced through a coarse strainer. In center of cheese put a
Few bits of green pepper finely chopped. Serve with cheese dressing.

TOMATO SALAD

CHEESE DRESSING

Mix
2 tablespoons mayonnaise dressing with
2 tablespoons cream cheese. Add
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon table sauce
½ teaspoon paprika and add very slowly
  ¼ cup salad oil, beating with egg beater until very thick. Add slowly  1 ½ tablespoons vinegar. Keep in cool place till ready to serve.

Cream cheese with Roquefort flavor is desirable in both the above recipes, but the usual cottage or cream cheese may be used if preferred.

COCOA ICE CREAM

Mix very thoroughly
½ cup dry powdered cocoa
Few grains salt
1 cup sugar and
  1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Add slowly
  2 cups milk, scalded, and cook over boiling water 20 minutes, stirring until thickened and occasionally afterward.

Pour over
2 eggs well beaten, chill, and add
2 cups cream beaten stiff
1 teaspoon vanilla and
  1 cup syrup drained from canned raspberries or strawberries, and freeze.

If frozen in a vacuum freezer, put mixture in center can of freezer; cover, invert freezer, and fill outer compartment with finely crushed ice mixed with half the amount of rock salt. Open the freezer occasionally, scrape cream from sides and mix well, using a long-bladed knife. If frozen in an ordinary freezer, it is not necessary to beat the cream. Put mixture in can of ice cream freezer, surround with three parts ice and one part salt.

Let mixture stand 5 minutes, then turn crank slowly until mixture is stiff. When frozen drain off ice water and repack, using four parts ice and one part salt.

FIG MARGUERITES

Put in top of double boiler
⅞ cup sugar and
  3 tablespoons water.

Stir until sugar is dissolved as much as possible. There will still be small sugar crystals remaining. Wash sugar crystals from inside of double boiler with pastry brush dipped in cold water.

Add
  1 egg white, unbeaten. Place over hot water and cook, beating constantly with egg beater for 7 to 12 minutes or until mixture will hold its shape.

Add
  1 tablespoon marshmallow cream and  ¼ teaspoon vanilla, and fold over and over until again stiff enough to hold its shape.

Add
⅓cup (3) figs cut in small pieces and
  ⅓cup nut meats cut in small pieces.

Pile on
Small round crackers and bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 minutes or until delicately brown. This rule will cover 3 dozen small crackers.

Should frosting be too soft to hold its shape after adding marshmallow cream, it may be again placed over hot water, and folded gently over and over, until it becomes slightly granular around the edges. Remove from hot water, and continue folding over gently until of the desired stiffness.

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

Use above mixture with or without figs and nuts as a cake filling or frosting. It need not be baked.

CANDIED MINT LEAVES

Wipe
Fresh mint leaves, remove from stems and rub each leaf gently with the finger dipped in
  Egg white slightly beaten.

Mix
3 tablespoons granulated sugar with
3 drops oil of spearmint, and sift over each side of the mint leaves.

Lay close together on a cake rack covered with wax paper and leave in a warm but not a hot place until crisp and dry.

Serve in
Tea with
Sliced lemon and
  Loaf sugar.

TEA

Half fill a perforated tea spoon or tea ball with
  Orange Pekoe, or other preferred tea.

Place in cup, add fresh
  Boiling water, until cup is two-thirds full. Remove tea spoon as soon as tea is of the desired strength.

Two or three cups of tea can usually be made without emptying and refilling the tea spoon.

MENU II

PRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS

Grapefruit prepared and put on ice
Cheese grated (or chopped) for sandwiches
Bacon cut same length as bread slices
Pickles may be made at any time
Tomato jelly and mayonnaise dressing made
Eggs, hard cooked
Celery (or endive) cut and put in cold water
Crab meat picked over and put on ice
Lettuce washed and put on ice in cheesecloth
Cake baked and one layer frosted
Cake filling made, except the whipped cream
Dry ingredients and shortening for biscuits combined

MARKET ORDER

½ pound crab meat
¾ pound bacon
¾ pound cheese
½ pint milk
1 pint cream
¾ pound butter
1 dozen eggs
½ pint salad oil
4 grapefruit
1 head lettuce
2 roots celery or ½ pound endive
5 oranges
2 lemons
1 green pepper
1 onion
¼ can (½ pint) tomatoes
2 ounces (8) cream peppermints
¼ pound cluster raisins
1 loaf bread
¼ pound candied cherries
1 ½ doz. small sweet cucumber pickles
2 yards narrow ribbon
Small fresh flowers or fresh mint leaves
½ package gelatin
¼ pound finely ground coffee

GRAPEFRUIT BASKETS

Cut in two
  4 grapefruit.

Insert two toothpicks opposite each other on each half. From one-half inch on each side of toothpick cut through the skin around the grapefruit one-fourth inch from the top of each half, leaving skin whole where toothpicks are inserted.

Loosen pulp and remove and discard seeds, membrane and toothpicks.

Sprinkle pulp of each half with
  1 cream peppermint, broken in pieces, and chill.

Bring the two strips of skin together above the grapefruit and tie together with
Narrow ribbon, for the handle. Insert in the knot a sprig of
  Flowers, berries or mint, and place on doily on individual serving plates.

GRAPEFRUIT BASKET

OPEN CHEESE AND BACON SANDWICH

Beat
3 eggs until light, add
¾ pound soft cheese grated or put through food chopper
1½ teaspoons table sauce
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
  Few grains cayenne.

Mix well and spread on
  8 slices bread cut one-third inch thick.

Cut
  ¾ pound bacon in very thin slices the length of the slice of bread.

Make bacon still thinner by pressing each strip on a board with a broad knife. Cover cheese with bacon and bake 8 or 10 minutes under gas flame, or in hot oven.

MIXED SWEET PICKLES

Put in small agate or enamel saucepan
1 cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon peppercorns
¼ teaspoon blades of mace
  ¼ teaspoon whole cloves, and cook 2 minutes.

Add
½ cup candied cherries, cook 5 minutes; skim out, add
  ½ cup large Malaga raisins in clusters of two or three.

Cook 10 minutes, remove raisins and add
  18 small sweet cucumber pickles and cook 10 minutes.

Arrange in glass jar in closely packed layers, putting raisins in first, then cherries, then pickles; repeat until jar is full. Strain hot syrup into jar, and seal.

MIXED SWEET PICKLES

CRAB MEAT AND TOMATO JELLY SALAD

In a salad bowl lined with
Lettuce leaves, arrange separate piles of
½ pound crab meat
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped (use silver knife so white will not discolor)
2 roots celery or
½ pound endive cut in small pieces, and
  Tomato jelly cut in cubes.

Between piles place
  Green pepper free from seeds and cut in strips.

Make a nest of heart leaves of lettuce in center and fill with
  Mayonnaise dressing.

The salad ingredients may be mixed lightly together, when salad is being served, or only those ingredients that are desired may be served to each person.

TOMATO JELLY

Heat to boiling point in agate saucepan
1 cup tomato juice and pulp
2 tablespoons mild vinegar
1 tablespoon gelatin
½ tablespoon sugar
Bit of bay leaf
1 slice onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice, and leaves from
  1 stalk celery.

Stir until gelatin is dissolved, strain through fine strainer, and mold in small bread pan that measures about 4½ inches by 8 inches.

Cut in ½ inch cubes for serving.

MAYONNAISE DRESSING

Sift into a bowl
½ teaspoon mustard
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt and
Few grains cayenne. Add
1 egg yolk, mix well and add
  1 tablespoon vinegar, stirring constantly.

Measure
  ¾ cup salad oil and add 3 teaspoons of the oil a drop at a time, beating constantly. Then while beating, add it 1 teaspoon at a time till mixture begins to thicken.

When very thick, add
  1 tablespoon lemon juice and add remaining oil rapidly. The whole process should take about 7 minutes.

EGG BISCUITS

Sift together
2 cups bread flour, measured after sifting once
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt and
  1 tablespoon sugar.

Work in with fingers
2 tablespoons shortening. Add
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten, mixed with
  ⅔ cup milk, cutting it in with a knife.

Toss on floured cloth or board and knead 5 minutes. Shape in any way suggested below. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Brush with milk or melted butter just before removing from the oven.

BISCUIT SHAPES

Make in small round balls and bake in muffin pans.

Bake 2 round balls in each muffin pan, brushing between with melted butter.

Bake 3 round balls in each muffin pan.

Roll ¼ inch thick, spread with butter, roll up like a jelly roll, cut in pieces 1 inch thick, and bake in muffin pans.

Prepare as above, sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon before rolling.

Prepare as above, sprinkling with chopped nuts and maple sugar before rolling.

Roll ¼ inch thick, spread with butter, fold in 3 layers, cut off strips 1 inch wide, twist and coil. When baked spread with confectioners' frosting.

Shape and roll in strips 8 inches long and about as large around as a lead pencil and bake.

Roll ½ inch thick, cut with small oval cutter, brush with butter, double over and place close together and bake.

ORANGE LAYER CAKE

Beat together until thick
2 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon grated orange rind
4 tablespoons orange juice and
½ tablespoon lemon juice. Add
  ¾ cup sugar gradually, continuing to beat with egg beater.

Fold in
2 egg whites, beaten stiff and
1 cup pastry flour, sifted 4 times with
¼ teaspoon soda and
  ¼ teaspoon salt.

Grease an angel cake or deep round tin and line bottom with greased paper. Pour in cake mixture and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Split, put
Orange cream filling between layers, and frost top with
  Boiled orange frosting.

ORANGE CREAM FILLING

Melt
2 tablespoons butter, add
4 tablespoons cornstarch, and when mixed add
Grated rind 1 orange
1 cup orange juice and
  1 cup sugar.

Bring to boiling point, stirring all the time. Cook 15 minutes over boiling water.

Add
½ teaspoon salt and
  1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice.

Cool and fold in
  1 cup cream beaten stiff.

BOILED ORANGE FROSTING

Put
1 cup sugar and
  ¼ cup water in a small saucepan.

Stir until sugar is dissolved and boiling point is reached. Do not stir after it boils. Wash down sides of saucepan with pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent formation of crystals. Cook until syrup spins a 4 inch thread when dropped from spoon held at least 8 inches above pan.

Pour slowly onto
2 egg yolks beaten until thick and lemon colored, beating constantly with egg beater until mixture will hold its shape, then add
Few gratings orange rind and
  ½ tablespoon orange juice and spread on cake.

2 egg whites may be used instead of egg yolks if preferred.

ICED COFFEE WITH VANILLA

Add to
6 cups cold boiled or percolated coffee
½ teaspoon vanilla1 cup cream and
  Sugar to taste.

Serve in tall glasses with
  Cracked ice.

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Cooking Out with Bob King Coal      

Here's a basic rule. If you're in a hurry, don't cook over a charcoal fire.Charcoal is for people who take time to enjoy living. It is for those individuals who take "cooking out" seriously.

So, if you're in a big rush to get it all done and over with, use a gas or electric grille. Or better yet, forget "cooking out" entirely and go to a restaurant, or call a caterer.

The key to being a successful outdoor cook is being in control... knowing what to do to achieve a desired result, and then doing it. If you are one of those folks (or would like to become one of them) this column is for you. So, let's begin with basics.

For our purposes we will use three and only three fuels; wood charcoal, wood charcoal briquets, and wood.

CHARCOAL. Wood charcoal is one of the oldest and best fuels known to man. It was used by primitive cave dwellers, the Greeks and the Romans, the early Spaniards and other Europeans who explored and settled the New World.

Wood charcoal is made by heating wood in huge air-tight ovens. All the moisture and other non-solid components are driven off by the heat, leaving almost pure carbon. The resulting hot chunks of carbon are cooled, screened to remove fine pieces, and bagged for your use.

Well made wood charcoal retains all the cell and tissue structure of the original wood, but loses about 75% of it's weight and 30 - 50% of it's volume. The best charcoal for cook out purposes is made from dense hardwoods like oak. Charcoal made from pine and other resinous woods is not desirable as a fuel for back yard chefs. Wood charcoal which has not been formed into the familiar briquets is relatively easy to ignite, and produces a quick, very hot flame.

It is surprising that some people do not know the difference between the natural wood charcoal we have been writing about, and charcoal briquets. Natural wood charcoal is often referred to as "lump" or "chunk style" charcoal. The pieces are irregularly shaped, and still show all the grain structure and many other characteristics of the wood from which they were made. Well made wood charcoal is about 95% carbon.

Contrary to popular belief, high quality wood charcoal produces little or no smoke when it burns. The smoke is produced by meat drippings which fall into the hot coals or from woods like hickory or mesquite which may be added to the fire. A wood charcoal fire can become extremely hot.

Briquets are a different story entirely. More about them later.

TIMING. One of the most important considerations in cooking over a wood or charcoal fire is timing. Equally important is temperature, but that is the subject of a future column. Today, timing is the thing!

Last time, we discussed outdoor cooking using aromatic woods as fuel and fuel additives (mesquite, hickory, etc.). Let's continue along that line of thought and consider the timing of a fire of hickory. Let's say we have splurged on some really nice, thick steaks, suitable for grilling. The meat market man gave us exactly the cut we wanted, and now the moment of truth approaches. We have some really great steaks, but now we gotta' cook 'em to bring out their best for all those hungry carnivores soon to be gathered around the picnic table.

Getting the right fire is important. And good timing is absolutely necessary in order to get the right fire. Here we go! 

We have a good stack of green and seasoned firewood piled up by the charcoal grill, and like all good outdoor cooks, we have a nice supply of very dry hardwood kindling on hand. You could get by with pine or other resinous wood kindling in a pinch, but using very dry, very small hardwood twigs, prevents any possibility of undesirable flavors or odors. We wouldn't use charcoal lighter fluid or any other liquid fire starters unless it were a matter of life or death. Under no circumstamces use gasoline, or any other highly volatile fuel for this purpose. The object is to cook your steaks, not incinerate yourself!

We will assume that you know how to start a wood fire and within a few minutes you have a good open fire with plenty of excess air and little smoke. We will also assume that you have used the seasoned hickory rather than the green pieces piled by your cooker.      

Now... Simply put, here is the secret. DON'T put the steaks on the grille too soon! Make sure you have plenty of wood in the fire to begin with, and then let it burn down to a beautiful, even, bed of glowing, hot coals. As the fire burns down to the "coals" stage, you may need to distribute the pieces a bit with your fire poker. Getting a smooth, uniform bed is important.      

And it is ironic that although we are talking about timing... you can't use a clock to tell you when the fire is right. Experience will tell you. Here are some things that will let you know when that time has arrived.      

 1. Your fire will be hot... hot as blue blazes!      

 2. There will be little or no smoke.      

 3. Flames will not be large, and will not be yellow or orange. Clear blue is the color to achieve.      

Once this condition has been obtained, cut the air supply to your cooker to almost nothing. (We assume that you are cooking with an open top grille).      

Now bring the steaks which have been previously prepared for cooking. (Preparation is the subject of another article.) Oh boy! It won't be long now!      

The object is to sear the steaks on both sides quickly to seal in juices and to preserve tenderness. The tenderest steak in the world can become tough as a boot if you cook it incorrectly.              

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Great New Cookbook... Coming Soon

Page after page jam-packed with great recipes collected over the years from far and wide!  Watch this space for ordering information.

Book #1... "How Bobby Moore Gained 20 Pounds Without Even Trying!"