V-6 juice

Nothing tastes as good as homemade tomato juice and this V-6 juice is one that I make every year. I use it in soup and chili. but mostly I keep a quart of it in my refrigerator to drink for breakfast or any time I want a glass of fresh tasting juice.

V-6 JUICE

22 lbs tomatoes
3/4 cup celery
" " Peppers, green
" " carrots
1/4 cup Parsley
1/2 cup onion
I put my jars and lids and rings in my canner and bring them to a boil to sterilize while i'm preparing my vegs for the juice.

V-6 JUICE

22 lbs tomatoes
3/4 cup celery
" " Peppers, green
" " carrots
1/4 cup Parsley
1/2 cup onion
I put my jars and lids and rings in my canner and bring them to a boil to steralize while i'm preparing all the vegetables for the juice.

Put tomatoes ( I peel them by dipping them first in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then in ice water to slip the skins right off)
and other vegetables into a large stock pot and bring to a boil, simmer until all are soft and then strain through a china cap.

Dip jars out of boiling water and add 1 teaspoon canning salt to quarts, 1/2 teaspoon canning salt to pints. Bring juice back to a boil and fill jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Set seals and screw rings on tight.

Process for 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Remove from canner and let cool.Then listen for them to seal as they cool off.

One of my fondest memories of living with my grandparents was laying in bed and listening to all the jars seal that we had put up that day. Bon Appetit` from The Ocassioanl Cook

HOMEMADE MARASCHINO CHERRIES

These homemade Maraschino Cherries are fabulous! I used Rainier cherries instead of the Bing cherries that are called for because they're sweeter. I'm including a great recipe for White Chocolate & Cherry cookies along with the recipe for the homemade cherries. I think these will make terrific cookies or a pineapple upside down cake.






HOMEMADE MARASCHINO CHERRIES

3 lbs firm tart red cherries
8 cups cold water
2 tablespoons ascorbic acid, crystals
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 tablespoon almond extract

Directions

Remove pits from cherries. Combine 8 cups water and ascorbic acid. Stir until crystals are dissolved.
Add cherries to the solution. Don't allow the fruit to remain more than 20 minutes. Rinse fruit; drain well.

Combine 1 1/2 cup water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Stir in food coloring and add the cherries.
Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Cool completely, allowing cherries to soak 24 hours.

Next day, bring to a boil and then stir in almond extract.
Pack hot cherries into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Shake jars to get firm pack.
Bring syrup to a boil and ladle hot syrup into jars. Process in water bath for 15 minutes for 1/2 pint jars.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup sugar, divided
* 1 cup cold butter, cubed
* 1/2 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, drained
* 12 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, finely chopped, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 teaspoons shortening
* Coarse sugar and red edible glitter

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Knead in the cherries, 2/3 cup white chocolate and extract until dough forms a ball.
Shape into 3/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a glass dipped in remaining sugar. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave, melt shortening and remaining white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Dip half of each cookie into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and edible glitter. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in an airtight container.

Chicken a la King

This is a restaurant recipe. I serve it over biscuits and also use it to make chicken pot pies. The pastry I use is added. It is so easy to work with and tastes better than any pastry I have ever used for the pies.



CHICKEN A LA KING

2 oz clarified butter or margarine
3 Tbs. onion, minced
¼ cup green pepper, small dice
4 Tbs. flour
1 can butterball chicken broth
2 cups hot milk
1 sm. can sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup light cream , hot
2 Tbs diced pimiento
2 ½ cups cooked chicken, cut into ½" cubes
¼ cup Sherry Wine ( cooking Sherry)
salt
pepper

In 1 oz of the clarified butter, saute` onions and green pepper just until translucent, do not brown.
Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook the roux gently for a few minutes , but do not let it brown.
With a whip, stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly as the sauce thickens.
Stir in hot milk. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to cook out the starch taste and to reduce the liquid slightly.
Saute` the mushrooms in the other ounce of clarified butter, very quickly, without letting them brown.
Add them to the sauce.
Stir in the hot cream and add the chicken cubes and pimiento.
Bring just to a simmer. Add Sherry, salt, and pepper to taste.
Serve in patty shells or over rice or use to make pot pies using the recipe for the pastry below.

COTTAGE CHEESE PASTRY
Process in a food processor to the consistency of cornmeal;
2 sticks cold butter
2 cup plain flour
Add: 1 cup cottage cheese, creamed
Mix thoroughly and roll out into crusts for pot pies
May be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week and used as needed
or frozen until used.
Incredibly tender and tasty! No matter how much you work it,
it will remain tender.

MAW-MAW's CAJUN CABBAGE ROLLS

About 15 years ago I had the pleasure of discover-
ing a New Orleans Chef, Gigi Patout, who put a new twist on an old favorite of mine. Cabbage rolls with lagniappe (pronounced "lah-nyahp"), a southern Louisiana word meaning "a little something extra", and these definitely have something extra! They can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated or frozen, and re-heated the next day. Serve these up with a big ole pone of cornbread and watch 'em disappear before your very eyes! The secret to this delicious dish is not cooking the rice before you add it to the meat mixture.

MAW-MAW'S CAJUN CABBAGE ROLLS
Bring a large kettle of water to a boil Core a large head of cabbage and place it in the boiling water, base side down. Remove each leaf as it loosens with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

In a large bowl, mix together:
1 pound ground chuck
1 teaspoon each of salt, cayenne, and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup each chopped green onions and parsley
Add up to 2 cups raw rice.(I use only 2/3 cup)

Line a roasting pan with a single layer of cabbage leaves. Form the mixture into rolls about 3" long and 1" thick and wrap each
one in a cabbage leaf, tucking in the ends to seal the moisture in and lay then in a single layer in the roasting pan on top of the
cabbage leaves, seam side down.

Mix together:
2- 8 oz. cans Rotel tomatoes
32 ounces tomato sauce ( I use a quart of Beefamato juice)

Pour over the cabbage rolls and cover with a layer of the remaining cabbage leaves. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about and hour, or until done.
To test for doneness, remove a cabbage roll and taste the rice. It should be tender. If the liquid in the pan gets below the level of the cabbage rolls, add a little water or more tomato juice. When done, transfer cabbage rolls to a platter with the leaves and thicken the broth left in the pan slightly. Pour over the cabbage rolls and serve.

NOTES: I sometimes use wild rice in place of the long grain white rice.

CORN CONFETTI SALAD

I made this at the request of a friend who had had this salad at a family restaurant once and although I didn't think the taste of corn in mayonnaise would be a taste I would like, I was very pleasantly surprised. And the friend said it was tha "bomb", which, i'm told, meant it was "delicious" LOL

CORN CONFETTI SALAD

* 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
* 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
* 2 tablespoons chopped green onion with blades
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 4 servings. I tripled the recipe to serve about 10 people.
NOTE: I used a plum tomato because they are meatier, but any kind will work well, just get all the seed out.

AND HERE IS ANOTHER VERSION OF A CORN SALAD THAT IS VERY GOOD

CORN SALAD
Ingredients:

* 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn
* 3/4 cup chopped tomato
* 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped celery

Publish Post

* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup prepared ranch salad dressing

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine vegetables; stir in dressing. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 8 servings

It's almost time for some outdoor cooking and eating and I learned a great trick last year about making corn on the cob.

Instead of boiling it in water. Try soaking the ears in water, husks on, for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then with the husks still on, pull off the brown silks at the end and put the ears in the oven on 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. When done and you pull the husks off, all the silks come off with them and the corn is ready to slather with butter and salt or your favorite herb.

I prefer chili powder or just plain cumin and butter. Absolutely outstanding! Give it a try at your next cookout.

A MOTHER'S DAY POEM

Dandelions in a Jelly Glass
(or Mother's Day Dinner)






Long years ago, when I was young,
I whiled the happy hours
with siblings, as we romped among
the early spring wildflowers
.In May we gathered dandelions,
competing with each other,
and coveted our precious finds,
presenting them to Mother.

Her eyes lit up, and how the praise
did warm each little heart!
When lunch time came, our gold bouquets
such sunshine would impart,
In a jelly glass as centerpiece,
evoking mood so cheerful.
Our childish bickering had to cease,
no eye continued tearful.

Today, my daughters, city bred,
with manners fine and proper,
By highest, loving motives led,
have spent hours shining copper
And polishing the silverware-
the table must be gracious.
Appointments laid with utmost care,
My heart's not here ~ the spacious
Sunny halls of my old home,
and pastures red with clover,
Are calling me once more to roam
through childhood days long over.

I tell the girls that I'll be pleased
to decorate the center.
At last their call comes, much relieved,
the dining room to enter.
My loving children lead me in
and stopping, stare aghast;
They look and then they look again,
at dandelions ~ in a jelly glass?

In loving memory of the author, my friend and mentor, Grace Luella Peterson Perry

Breakfast Casarole

This is a great breakfast casserole for a Sunday Brunch or at any time, especially for a large family gathering. It has all the items for breakfast in it and everything will be hot at once instead of having to wait to cook eggs last while everything else gets cold. It's also a great time saver and wonderful to take to church for a potluck breakfast.


Breakfast Casserole

Enough cubed bread to cover the bottom of a 9" X 13" casarole dish, I like sourdough but any kind of bread may be used
1 pound ground mild sausage
6 eggs) beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced, cooked, red potatoes ( peelings may be left on if you desire)
1 1/2 cups combined grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses

Cube the bread and place it in a buttered 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole. Fry the sausage until it's almost done; drain off the fat. Mix the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Layer the sausage over the bread, and top with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake the casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.