Pendleton Pantry- Spiralbound Cookbook #15

I was born at Camp Pendleton.  My dad was stationed there, and he and my mom lived in Oceanside.  Although we moved to Missouri when I was about three months old, I still claim to be a Californian, and love finding Oceanside/Camp Pendleton stuff on eBay.

I've purchased a Camp Pendleton 5k t-shirt, a tacky silk souvenir cover for a throw pillow, an "artsy" plate with highlights of the area, a big letters postcard, and this cookbook...

It was created by the Camp Pendleton Officers Wives Club in 1954.  It contains lots of GREAT ads for businesses around the camp...

...and a few sketches of places around the base...

When mom and dad lived in Oceanside, dad's cousin Caroleta and her husband Jack, would invite them over for tostadas and other meals.  There's a chapter titled "Men's Recipes", and I found a tasty one for ENCHILADAS (TEXAS STYLE) submitted by Major E.F. Veuleman, USMC.  I feature this recipe to commemorate those dinners:

Enchiladas (Texas Style)

3 lb. ground beef (Texas beef preferred!)
3 large chopped onions
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 c. finely chopped cleery
2 cans tomato paste or 3 cans sauce
1 large can tomatoes
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. chili sauce
1 T. tabasco sauce
1/2 c. chili powder
2 T. red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 T. garlic salt
1 pt. water
2 pkgs. tortillas
4 cups chopped onion
4 c. grated cheese

To prepare sauce for enchiladas, use a large pot or dutch oven.  Saute ground beef, chopped onions, green pepper, garlic clove and celery.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, chili powder, tobasco sauce, red pepper, garlic salt, pepper and salt.  Then add 3 cans tomato paste, large can of tomatoes and the pint of water.  Simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours.  Add water if necessary.

Taking one tortilla at a time, dip it into the sauce and then fill with 2 T. of meat from the sauce, 1 tsp. of chopped raw onion, and 2 tsp. grated cheese.  Roll tortilla and place in a baking dish.  Repeat this until all tortillas are filled with sauce and rolled.  Then sprinkle grated onions over your enchiladas in your baking dishes.

Next add sauce to cover the enchiladas thoroughly and sprinkle the grated cheese to cover the top.  Dash paprika and they are ready to pop into a moderate oven 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  (Just long enough to have another cold beer or your favorite cocktail).

These are usually served with a crisp green salad and a nice tall glass of cold beer.

Enjoy!

Coastal Cookery- Spiralbound Cookbook #14

I bought this cookbook on St. Simon's Island, Georgia...one of my FAVORITE places in the U.S.  I love southern cooking, so HAD to buy it!  It was created by the Cassina Garden Club, with the 1st edition printed in 1937!

The introduction states:  "As the name implies, this is a volume of recipes especially typical of the coastal section of Georgia.  They are all favorite and tested recipes and include many old and prized coastal dishes, most of them different or new, and seldom found in cookbooks."  Excellent!!!

Here's the cookbook:

Each of the chapter dividers features a drawing of a landmark on the island, like this page, showing Christ Church, which I've visited many times:

Here are a few of my photos of Christ Church:

I've chosen to include the recipe for SPOON BREAD (Old St. Simon's Recipe), credited to Mrs. Emma P. Shadman:

Spoon Bread (Old St. Simon's Recipe)

1 c. corn meal, sifted
1/4 tsp. salt and soda the size of a black-eyed pea

Pour over this enough boiling water to mix.  Beat into the mixture 1 T. butter, 1 well beaten egg and sufficient sweet milk to make a smooth batter.  Bake in a greased deep pan in a very hot oven.  To be served with a spoon and eaten while hot.

Enjoy!

#2 Home Cooking and Canning- Spiralbound Cookbook #13

This cookbook was created by the Amish Church Group of Lake View, Michigan.  How, you might be asking, could a group that shuns technology publish a spiffy spiralbound cookbook?  The answer is in the forward:

"This cookbook comes to you at the request of our many non Amish friends, during the time Sarah operated Sarah's Country Bulk Food.  Sarah agreed to see what she could do about it, so with the help and cooperation of most of our Amish residents and a few non Amish in our community this is what we have come up with."

This copy has an address label inside indicating that it was previously owned by Earl & Judy Wentzel of Minneapolis.

Here's the cookbook:

I've always been fascinated with the Amish way of life.  There's NO WAY I could ever survive it, but it intrigues me!  I've also always been fascinated with Amish cooking...so natural...so fresh...so reliant on what's grown, traded, or "put up".

Here's a recipe for SOURDOUGH STARTER.  I'm surprised I'm adding it, because I once got one of those "Friendship Bread" starters, and keeping it alive almost killed me!

Sourdough Starter

5 potatoes
1 T. ginger
1 pkg. dry yeast (or 1 c. home-made yeast mixture)
4 T. honey
2 c. whole wheat flour

Peel the potatoes, cover with water and boil until soft.  More or less potatoes may be used, the amount does not have to be exact.  Mash the potatoes; while mashing, reheat the potato water.  Add honey, ginger and flour to the potatoes.  Pour 1 pint of the boiling water (or plain water) over this mixture and beat until smooth.  Allow this mixture to cool until slightly warm.  For starter, add 1 package of yeast that has been dissolved according to package directions.  Allow the yeast mixture to rise.  It may be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator.  Be sure the container is large enough to accommodate the yeast as it rises.  One cup of yeast mixture is equal to one package of yeast.  It keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.  At the end of 2 weeks, put a cup aside and thoroughly wash out your refrigerator container.  Add fresh potatoes, honey, flour food and allow it to stand for 1 hour, then refrigerate.

Enjoy!

P.S.  Not sure this would make it to Alaska under the armpit of a miner, but use it for Sourdough Brownies (follow link to previous post)!!!

Our Heavenly Recipes- Spiralbound Cookbook #12

Here's a fun little cookbook, created by the Ladies of St. Mary's Congregation in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, November, 1952.  It states "Eleanor's Cook Book" inside the front cover.

Here's the cookbook:

Inside, it has lots of fun illustrations for various, beautifully hand-written recipes, like this:

 And this:

The recipe I've chosen for this entry is an intriguing one, submitted by Mrs. Thomas Pirvoni, for COCONUT RHUBARB PIE:

Coconut Rhubarb Pie

Pastry for one crust pie
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. salt
4 T. flour
2 T. butter, melted
1 qt. rhubarb, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

Line a 9 inch pan with pastry.  Fold edge back to form a standing rim.  Combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, and water.  Add flour and butter; blend well.  Add rhubarb and mix thoroughly.  Turn into pie shell.  Bake in hot oven (425 degrees) 45 minutes or until done.

Topping:
3 egg whites
1/3 c. sugar
3/4 c. shredded coconut, cut

Beat egg whites until foamy throughout.  Add sugar, two tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition until mixture will stand in peaks.  Fold in coconut.  Pile lightly on filling.  Sprinkle with additional coconut.  Bake in a hot oven (425 degrees) from 8 - 10 minutes, or until delicately brown.

Enjoy!

The Brides Book of Recipes and Household Hints- Spiralbound Cookbook #11

This cookbook originated in St. Paul, Minnesota.  I "guesstimate" it's date of publication as sometime during the 40's (based on the styles in the advertisements and illustrations throughout this cool little book...like these):

Here's the "title page" of the cookbook (the cover is long gone):

It was published by the First National Bank of St. Paul, as evidenced by the back cover (which still remains):

In addition to household hints and recipes, the book doubles as a wedding journal, of sorts.  There's a page to write the names of members of the wedding party...a page to write down gifts that were given...an unofficial "marriage record" (complete with a space for the "Officiator" to sign)...and three or four pages on how to set a proper table (following an advertisement from Schunemans & Mannheimers, Sixth at Wabasha, St. Paul).

As far as local advertisers go...this book is a gem!  There's an ad for a "Coolerator"..."The Air Conditioned Refrigerator", offered by Citizens Ice & Fuel Co., Showrooms 600 Selby Ave., Main Office 6 E. 4th Street.  There's an ad for "Fine Art Furs", offered by F. Victor Ekholm "Fine Art Furrier" at 62 E. Sixth St.,  St. Paul (the Fur City).  There's an ad for "Flowers by Holm E. Olson", offered by Holm & Olson, Inc. at 20 West Fifth Street.  To reach them, readers can call "Cedar 7335".

Schoch "Good Things to Eat" (Broadway and 7th, phone "Cedar 6677")(see photo at bottom of page in link) offers "The First Wish of a Married Couple is-

A little health
A little wealth
A little house and freedom
A few good friends
For certain ends
And little cause to need them."...

...and states "The next wish is 'Good Things to Eat' and for this we are here to serve you.  We have been supplying food-stuffs for the tables of St. Paul brides for over 75 years.  Come in or phone your order- our efficient delivery service reaches all parts of the city?

My FAVORITE little touch in this book, however, is that there are SEVERAL pages that have been scribbled on with a purple crayon.  I believe the previous owners of this cookbook ended up having a child or two!

The recipe I've chosen from this cookbook is from the chapter "Pies He's Sure to Like" for  MILLION DOLLAR LEMON PIE.

Million Dollar Lemon Pie

2 lemons (juice and rind)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 heaping tsp. of flour, unsifted
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. rich milk
Butter, size of walnut
Lard, size of walnut

Put grated rinds, sugar and flour in bowl and add the eggs beaten well.  Beat again then add juice of the lemons, milk, butter and lard.  Cook in a double boiler until thick, stirring to keep it smooth.  When it will dip up on a spoon like cold honey remove from fire and cool.  Pour into a deep pie tin lined with pastry, baked and cooled.  Add whites of two eggs beaten stiff with 3 T. of sugar.  Spread over the top and return to oven to brown slightly.

Enjoy!

Baptist Cookin'- Spiralbound Cookbook #10

This cookbook was created as a memento for members of my church in Fairfield, Iowa.  It was printed in October, 1992.  I have several recipe in it.

Here's the cookbook:

So many names of so many people I know/knew and love.  It's sad to see that so many of them have passed, but comforting to see that their culinary heritage lives on.

Here's a recipe from Floyd Burns, who is, luckily, still with us for OVERNIGHT CARAMEL-PECAN ROLLS.  Yum!

Caramel-Pecan Rolls

2 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. shortening
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 egg
1 T. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
6 1/2 to 7 1/2 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. margarine
2 T. light corn syrup
1 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. margarine, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. + 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine milk, 1/3 c. sugar and shortening.  Heat in a saucepan until shortening melts, stirring occasionally.  Cool to 105 to 115 degrees.  Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.  Stir in milk mixture, egg, baking powder, salt and 3 cups flour, beating at medium speed until smooth.  Gradually stir in more flour to make a soft dough.

Knead dough on floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to greased top.  Cover and let rise in warm place 1 hour or until doubled.

Combine brown sugar and 1/2 c. margarine in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar and butter melt.  Remove from heat; stir in corn syrup.  Spread mixture evenly in two greased 9 x 13-inch pans.  Sprinkle each with 1/2 c. pecans; set aside.   Punch dough down, and divide in half.  Roll each half to a 10 x 12-inch rectangle; brush each rectangle with melted butter.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle mixture evenly over rectangles.  Roll up jelly roll fashion, starting at long side.  Pinch seams to seal (do not seal ends).  Cut into 1-inch slices.  Place slices cut-side down in prepared pans.  Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours, or let rise in warm place, free from drafts, 30 minutes, or until doubled.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Immediately invert pans onto serving plates.  Let stand 1 minute to allow caramel mixture to drizzle over rolls.  Remove pans.  Makes 2 dozen.

Enjoy!

We Interrupt These Spiralbound Cookbook Postings...

...to write a quick rundown of our spring break trip to St. Louis, Missouri!

 A St. Louis cardinal!!

NEVER have we worked SO HARD to get somewhere without a beach or mountains!  Since we fly "standby", we are at the mercy of "seat availability".  We started last week by thinking that London looked like a possibility...then that filled up.  Next we tried Los Angeles...yes...then nope.  Florida...yes (for about a day)...then no.  Washington, D.C...New York City...Kansas City...Texas...Arizona...and finally, after running out of possibilities...St. Louis.

I'd never actually BEEN to St. Louis, and always wanted to see the arch, so, we listed for the flight, watched the number of passengers grow throughout the day of departure, and decided to take the risk and go to the airport.

It used to be less "risky" to go.  Duane worked at a company along the light rail route, and we could park there, take the light rail to the airport, and, if we didn't get on the flight, head back home.  Now he's at a different company, and we have to go to a park and ride lot, and, if we don't get on the flight, have to come back to the lot, and pay for a day of parking...even if we've only been there for an hour.

The gamble paid off!  We were able to get on the flight, and arrived in St. Louis late Sunday night.  We stayed at a Drury Inn & Suites, which is now our favorite hotel chain.  In addition to free breakfast, they also have a free happy hour, with a "3 free adult beverages" punch card each day, plus things like nachos, hot dogs, salads, pasta, and other delicious possibilities.

Monday morning, we got up, and, as usual, hit the ground running.  We really wanted to go to the City Museum to play on all of the cool stuff they have there, but were told that they were closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, which was SUPER annoying.  We found out later that they AREN'T closed on Mondays and Tuesdays...more on that later!

We started our day with a visit to the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  On the way, we found a really cool store selling lawn statues...

...but didn't figure we could get the giraffe OR the Roman statue back on the plane, so continued on to the gardens.

Living in Minnesota, spring is still about six to eight weeks away.  Missouri is far enough south that they are in the early part of their spring...the awesome daffodil/tulip/forsythia part of spring.  It was painfully obvious that we were from the "nether regions"...both because of our pasty complexions AND the fact that we took about 900 photos of flowers.  BEAUTIFUL!!

After the gardens, we headed downtown to check out the Gateway Arch.  It has been closed for renovations for months, so we weren't able to actually go to the top of it (which I hear is a little claustrophobic).  Apparently, it's reopening TODAY (timing is everything), but...we DID get to go into the visitors center up the hill from the arch, which was very beautiful.  We were also able to walk to, and get NEAR, the arch.  Except for the really loud construction equipment, fences, and dust, it was very serene and majestic.

After the arch, we checked out some of the local grocery stores (since that's what we do on vacation!).  We stopped at a Schnucks, and a Straubs.  We also had frozen custard at a local institution called Ted Drewes.  I had a really tasty mocha/hazelnut/caramel sundae!

After frozen custard, we went back to the hotel for happy hour.  We spent awhile resting our feet, and figuring out what to do next.  I had a hot dog and a chardonnay (as one friend put it on facebook, "when you want a hot dog, but also want to keep it classy")...

...then we headed out again to shop at some of the strip malls near the hotel.

We explored another grocery store chain...Dierbergs...which was DEFINITELY our favorite of the three we visited.  It was very classy, with a nice variety of items we didn't see at the other grocery stores...including Maple Bacon Pop Tarts!!!

Even though we have them here in the cities, we also went to Target, Trader Joes, and Cost Plus World Market (and BOUGHT things...to carry back to the twin cities...where we HAVE these stores...).

We also went to the St. Louis Galleria, and shopped until everything closed at 9:00.  It was at the Galleria that a clerk at Dillard's said that they thought the City Museum was open on Mondays and Tuesdays.  We then went back to the hotel, did some quick research to confirm, and collapsed EXHAUSTEDLY into bed (it had been a full day, after all!).

On Tuesday we headed to the City Museum, which WAS IN FACT, open!  I was hoping that others were also under the impression that it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but no such luck...the place was PACKED!  It was loud!  It was chaos!  It was fun!

"Museum" is a bit of a misnomer.  They DO have a few exhibits, sprinkled throughout the chaos, but many of them were closed for renovation (a predominant theme of our trip!).  They had an architecture exhibit, and we were able to see a few bits that weren't in the "work zone".

They also had a room with some modern art in it.  I'm not a fan of modern art, but I DID like the "hot dog man"...

I also thought the Star Wars "Death Star" sculpture, made out of odds and ends...including many cassette tapes, was cool:

I think we were the only people actually LOOKING at the museum-y stuff, but they had some really interesting items.  My FAVORITE exhibit was the display by the "Privy Digger"...a guy who goes to dig sites around St. Louis, and looks for areas that used to be the location of outhouses.  Evidently people used to throw their refuse and other items down the holes.  He's dug up some amazing stuff:

We DID "play" a little bit...

 After letting my "inner kindergartner" play for awhile (for which my outer adult was NOT PLEASED the following day), we headed to St. Charles to meet an old friend of mine for lunch.  Donna directed a couple of shows back in my hometown of Fairfield, Iowa, and we hadn't seen each other for about twenty five years.  As we were figuring out what to do in St. Louis, I remembered that she lived there, and contacted her to see if she wanted to get together.

She did (!), so we drove to Lindenwood University, and had a great lunch on the patio at Llywelyn's Pub.  It was GREAT to catch up, and we easily slipped back into familiar territory (theater), and had a great conversation.  Donna was one of my favorite directors, and it was great to see the theater in which she now teaches and directs shows.  If you are in St. Charles...go to the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts and see something!!

After lunch, we headed back to St. Louis, and spent some time at the St. Louis Art Museum in Forest Park.

The museum has some great paintings by artists like Van Gogh, and Seurat, as well as a really nice collection of decorative arts pieces.  They also have a very nice Chihuly!

After the museum, we headed to the airport, and flew back to the twin cities.  I DO miss mid-70's and sunshine...especially since it's 40 degrees and SNOWING here today...

Here's hoping YOU were able to get away recently too, and that you found things to rejuvenate you too...even if there WASN'T an ocean or a range of mountains to admire!