Our 4th of July Celebration!

Our 4th of July was great! I wanted an old fashion picnic with everyone being invited and coming together, just to enjoy each other's company and have fun. I think those who came, did.
I started out with a budget, then a list of goodies and went from there. Since some had to work from the family I went ahead and invited my church friends.
Menu: Hot dogs, macaroni salad, peaches, applesauce, lemonade, and brownies. Each family brought there own food and we all shared what we had. No one went home hungry and there was leftovers.
Here is a good old recipe from the book, 1950's Cookbook for a macaroni salad:
 

Easy Macaroni Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 ½ quarts boiling water

2 cups macaroni or tiny shells

1 teaspoon oil

2 teaspoons salt

¾ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon pimento, chopped

2 teaspoons green onion

2 teaspoons sweet pickle, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon mustard, prepared

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions:

In large uncovered dutch oven cook macaroni in boiling water, cooking oil, and salt until tender but firm, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain well again. Return macaroni to pot. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. Add to macaroni. Toss together well. Place in a serving bowl. Chill for one hour or more. If you want it more moist, add a bit of milk.

This is the recipe I would have used if  I had all the ingredients, so I made with what I had and it turned out pretty close to this recipe. I don't care for mayonnaise, so I used plain yogurt and went from there, also added finely chopped cucumber. Didn't have the pimento or sweet pickles, but luckily someone brought some relish, so at the last minute I stirred some in. I also added a grated carrot.

Wanted to try out a new recipe for the brownies and found one from a old friend that are made in a jelly roll pan. This recipe reminded me of  Texas sheet cake, they were good. Also found a good recipe that you melt marshmallows on top before they come out of the oven. Will put both recipes on, so you can decide for yourself. Yummy!

As you can see I chose not to add the nuts. Really liked the flavor of this one.

Brownies  
by Anne Morgan

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1 can Hershey's chocolate syrup (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Bake in greased and floured jelly roll pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover with frosting below.
Frosting:
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound of powered sugar (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
Mix all ingredients together and frost brownies.

So sad you cannot see the brownies underneath.

Mom's Marshmallow Bars (from 1950's Cookbook)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
16 large marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease brownie pan (11 1/2x7"). Melt chocolate and butter and set aside. Cream sugar, eggs until light and fluffy. Add flour. Beat. Add melted chocolate and butter. Beat well. Mix in vanilla and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are lightly browned. Cool slightly and cut into bars.
This recipe I left at home for the grandkids to eat, so they wouldn't be tempted to eat the others until the next day at the picnic.

so good!

We had such a great time and it was fun for me to watch all the little ones run and run, while they fathers ran after them! Notice the tablecloth, it was one of my current bargains at a garage sale, only a buck!
Here is a picture of the cookbook,  (by Barbara Stuart Peterson):

Got this off the internet, so the picture didn't copy to well.

Shake and Eggs

Got up this morning thinking I would cook up some pancakes and then did a yogurt fruit shake and some of the salsa eggs. I like making all kinds for fruit shakes, some with fruit juices and fresh fruits, some with home-made yogurt and fruit. If I need to add a sweetener I usually use Agave Nectar. They are filling by themselves, but today I just felt like salsa eggs.  For salsa eggs, I had some home-made salsa, added the eggs, shredded carrot, red bell pepper, salt and pepper to taste.

Years back when I first lived in Glendora, CA my neighbors made these eggs. Rae and Linda lived in a duplex next to us. Rae was the mom and retired, lived in the front duplex.
Linda, a school teacher was the daughter lived in the back one.  Good neighbors. Anyway, Linda got me started making these type of eggs, back then it was made with cottage cheese, chilies, ketchup, tomato sauce, shredded carrots, cheddar cheese, green onions, salt, pepper, Lawrys seasoned salt. Sometimes, if I have all the ingredients, I still make them that way, just don't add the ketchup anymore. Also I don't add the cheese until nearly done cooking, this way they are not as watery. I suppose you can make them most anyway, as long as you use some sort of tomato, or salsa, or sauce. Add what fresh veggies you want and season to your taste. They are right filling!
Now back to Rae and Linda. They use to live in Whittier, but when Rae's husband died they had this duplex and decided to sell their home and move into the duplex. Linda still worked in the Whittier schools, until she retired. Linda married while in Glendora, but it didn't last too long. We were all good neighbors and really they became like family to me. Rae's sister and father were also living close by. Rae's father and mother were born in Italy, so Rae did a lot of Italian cooking. My oldest daughter and I can still remember the smell of garlic when we walked into Rae's home. They loved when Cynthia was born (1971) and enjoy seeing her every chance they got. It was interesting that after I had moved to TX and then back to CA, got divorced (now with two daughters) and found out that little duplex was for rent (1979).  So the girls and I move back there and lived there for six years. Fun times! If I find a picture of that place I will add it to this post.
Everytime I make salsa eggs, I have a good memory of my friends, Rae and Linda.

Missing a lot!

Wow! Haven't been on in a while and everyone writes, so I am sorry if I haven't read your blog for a bit. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am living at a friends and am unable to get online as much.

So, Happy Thanksgiving to all and hoping to get on this coming Friday!

Turkey day, here we come!!!

Recipes for Jamie!

Jamie, I hope you enjoy these recipes. They were fun to look at!

KAUAI BANANA BREAD

2 cups sugar

4 well beaten eggs

1 cup shortening

6 ripe bananas

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cream sugar and shortening. Mix together well beaten eggs and bananas. Combine them.  Sift dry ingredients together, put into mixture.  Stir until all ingredients are blended in and batter is smooth.  Place in greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes. Watch cooking time for the size of pan you use.  Can be served with ice cream.

PIG LICKEN CAKE        

1 box Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake

Beat: 4 eggs

Add: ¾ cup oil

         1 cup Mandarin oranges

Beat well and put in three 8” layer pans.  Bake at 350° - 25-30 minutes, until done.

ICING

1 box instant vanilla pudding

1 medium can crushed pineapple, juice and all

Mix well.  Fold into 1 large bowl of Cool Whip.  Spread between layers and on top and sides.  Keep in refrigerator.

MIRACLE CHEESECAKE

1 ½ (3 ounces) package lemon Jell-O

1 cup boiling water

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Juice of 1 lemon and the grated rind from lemon

1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese (soften)

1 tall can Carnation Milk, chilled and whipped

3 cups graham crackers or vanilla wafers (crumbled)

½ cup melted butter, mixed with crumbs, line bottom of a 9x13” pan (save some for top)

Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water, add lemon juice and rind.  Cool to partly set (soft).  Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together.  Add Jell-O and mix well.  Fold in whipped milk.  Pour into pan and sprinkle crumbs on top.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

E-Z GOOD PIE

1 can Eagle Brand Condensed milk (14 ounces)

1 can frozen concentrate, lemon or limeade (6 ounces)

1 (9 ounces) Cool Whip

1 graham cracker crust

Mix milk, lemonade or limeade and Cool Whip together in medium bowl of mixer.  Pour into crust and refrigerate.

SODA CRACKER PIE

16 soda crackers crumbled not too fine)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 dates (pitted and chopped fine)

½ cup chopped nuts

Mix all together. 

Beat 4 egg whites stiff.  Fold in dry ingredients and add 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Pour into buttered pie pan (9”).  Bake 25 minutes at 325°.

Serve with whip cream.

HOT COMPANY SALAD

5 cups finely shredded cabbage                             

1 cup finely shredded carrots

½ cup chopped green onion tops and all

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Put in sauce pan.  Dissolve 1 bouillon (beef) in ¼ cup boiling water and add to cabbage and carrots.  Toss with fork to blend.  Cover and cook 5 minutes stirring only one time.  Drain if necessary and put in warm serving dish.  Then melt ¼ cup butter and 1 tablespoon prepared mustard and 1/3 cup chopped pecans.  Add ¼ teaspoon paprika and pour over cabbage and carrots and serve.  Real Good

MILLIIONAIRE SALAD

2 eggs, beaten well

4 tablespoon vinegar

4 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter

3 bananas, sliced

2 cups pineapple chunks or tidbits

2-3 cups miniature marshmallows

½ cup nuts

½ pint of whipping cream, whipped

Put beaten eggs in sauce pan.  Add vinegar and sugar.  Place on medium fire and cook beating constantly until smooth and thick.  Remove from heat.  Add butter.  Cool (cold).

Fold cream into cooled cooked dressing.  Fold into fruit, nuts and marshmallows.

NINE-DAY COLE SLAW

1 large head of cabbage (chopped small)

1 cup sugar

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 large or 2 small carrots, shredded

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl or pan.  Work real good with hands squeezing hard to bruise cabbage (old fashioned way).

½ cup salad oil

½ cup sugar

¾ cup vinegar (may need more)

Bring to full rolling boil.  Add 1 teaspoon celery seed, garlic, salt to taste.  When boiling, pour over cabbage.  Stir well and chill.

(This salad keeps well for 2 weeks in refrigerator.)

7-UP SALAD

1 large package lemon gelatin

2 cup boiling water

2 cups 7-Up

1 large can crushed pineapple

4 large bananas

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter or oleo

2 cups whipped topping

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup pecan pieces

To make the base, combine gelatin, boiling water, 7-Up, drained pineapple and sliced bananas.  Pour mixture into a 9x12 pan and chill until firm.

The topping is made by combining the pineapple juice, sugar, flour, egg and butter and cooking over low heat until thick.

Cool and fold whipped topping and coconut into the topping mixture and spread over base.

Sprinkle with pecan pieces.

Good Friends on a Date

My children have the best of friends. One couple went on a date night and delivered this cute little, well one long sunflower.  They rang the door bell and left, not knowing who did it.  On the flower was a card that read, "Uh oh!  It's not May Day but you've been mystery flowered anyway!  It's just our way of wishing you a blessed springtime season and a wondermous day!!!" (signed, Your mystery cheerbringers) 

Wasn't that a clever date???  We did find out who they were and told them such a cute idea.  

Earlier in the week I was helping a friend learn how to do some family history on the computer. She crochets, knitts and does beautiful quilts. As I was getting ready to go, she gave me a choice of trivets that she had crochet. We love our friends!!!

That is the picture of the flower and the lovely trivet, I think they go well together!

My friend Anne

We met Anne in Houston, when we lived there during 1972-1975. She and her husband, Bill invited us for dinner before we went and saw the last concert that Sonny and Cher put on. There were 3 couples and Anne only had a 1 pound roast for all of us. She was newly married and forgot that others were coming. She mention that she had another roast in the freezer, so I asked if she had a pressure cooker and I would get started. She did, it was still in the box as a wedding gift. We took it out and I went to work. (No microwaves then, unless one was rich enough to have one.) She peeled extra potatoes and within an hour a dinner was served to all! We enjoyed it and were quite full before we went to the concert. It was a great night! And yes, I was a little surprised by some of the costumes. There was a mini rodeo in between breaks. I can remember Cher wearing this Indian costume with a very long feather headpiece. The concert was at the Astro Dome. Many good memories from Houston!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's to all my friends who are reading my blog.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am grateful to have such good friends and family.