Blue Cook Book

Pizza al Pomodoro con Formaggio (Tomato-Cheese Pizza)

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Try it once. There is nothing like “from scratch” pizza – if you have time.  This is just a beginning.  You can add salami, mushrooms, anchovies, Italian sausage, olives, onions, whatever.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 c lukewarm water
  • 3 1/2 c flour
  • olive oil
  • 4 -6 fresh tomatoes, peeled, sliced
  • 3/4 lb cheese mozzarella or Jack, sliced or grated (3 cups)
  • dried oregano

Directions:

  1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water with salt.
  2. Allow to stand 10 minutes.
  3. Sift flour into a large bowl.
  4. Make a hollow in the center.
  5. Pour in the yeast mixture.
  6. Work the flour into the liquid little by little.
  7. If necessary, add a little more water so that the dough is soft and smooth.
  8. Roll into a ball and set to rise in a covered, greased bowl in a warm place.
  9. When dough has doubled in bulk, knead for several minuets.
  10. Divide into six pieces.
  11. Roll into circles 1/8th inch thick. Edges should be slightly thicker to form a rim.
  12. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  13. Brush each round lightly with oil on both sides.
  14. Cover with layer of tomatoes, then cheese.
  15. Sprinkle lightly with oregano.
  16. Bake in preheated 450° oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Serves:  6

Source:  Maglare Alla Italiana

Spiced Tea:

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This is an oldie, but still good.  Great for camp outs and much cheaper for large groups than individual packets.  Keeps for years in a covered container.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c Tang
  • 3 c sugar (I use less – it is really sweet!)
  • 1 pkg Wyler’s lemonade mix (1 qt)
  • 1 c instant tea
  • 1/2 c red hots
  • 1 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients
  2. Use 2 – 3 heaping teaspoons per cup of water.

Serves:  ???

Source:   Lanora Kleerup

 

Sesame Cookies

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Different, but tasty.  An NO eggs!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1 1.2 c sugar
  • 3 c flour
  • 1 c sesame seeds
  • 2 c shredded coconut
  • 1/2 c almonds, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. Cream butter in a large mixer bow.
  2. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
  3. Add flour and mix just until combined.
  4. Stir in sesame seeds, coconuts and almonds just until well mixed.
  5. Place 1/3 on a long sheet of wax paper.
  6. Shape into a long roll 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  (I used the cookie press tube.)
  7. Repeat with he remaining dough.
  8. Wrap and refrigerate until firm.
  9. Preheat oven 300°.
  10. Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices.
  11. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15 minutes.
  12. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Serves: Makes 7 dozen

Source: Ladies’ Home Journal, Dec 1985

Sheephearder’s Bread

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As they moved across the mountains of Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California, immigrant Basque sheepherders cooked in Dutch ovens covered by dirt in fire pits they dug in the ground, (unlike the cowboys who set the Dutch ovens on coals and placed more coals on top.)

OK, I will admit this sounds complicated – so may steps!  But, it is a really good bread and for a party you can carefully cut out the center.  Slice the center horizontally and make sandwiches with the layers. ( I like ham salad.)  Cut into party size and replace in bread shell.  Pretty impressive!  Try it, even if you have never made bread before.

Ingredients:

  • 3 c very hot tap water
  • 1/2 c butter (1/4 lb)
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 pkg yeast (1 package = about 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 9 – 9 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • salad oil

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine hot water, butter, sugar and salt.
  2. Stir until the butter melts.
  3. Let cool to about 110°.
  4. Stir in yeast.
  5. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place until bubbly – about 15 minute.
  6. Cover the bottom of a 10 inch (5 quart) dutch oven with a circle of foil.
  7. Grease foil and the inside of the dutch oven and the underside of the lid with salad oil.
  8. Place dough in pot and cover with lid.
  9. Let rise in a warm place until dough pushes the lid up about 1/2 inch – about 1 hour, watch closely.
  10. Preheat oven 350°.
  11. Bake covered for 12 minutes.
  12. Remove lid and bake for another 30 – 35 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
  13. Remove from oven.
  14. Turn l,oaf out onto a rack to cool.  You may need help. It will be heavy.
  15. Peel off foil.

Serves:  Makes 1 BIG loaf!

Source:  Sunset Bread Book

Note: For a 12 inch dutch oven

  • 4 c water
  • 10 Tab butter
  • 7 Tab sugar
  • 1 Tab salt
  • 3 pkg yeast
  • 11 3/4 c flour

Increase cooking time to 45 minutes.

 

 

 

Scalloped Tomatoes

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This was the result of not reading the recipe carefully.  I used 3/4 pound cheese instead of 3/4 cup.  TOO delicious!  Especially with those fresh tomatoes in summer.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb can tomatoes, about 2 cups (or 2 lbs peeled fresh)
  • 4 slices toast, buttered and cubed
  • 1 Tab minced dry onions
  • 1/4 c butter, melted
  • 3/4 lb jack cheese, cubed
  • 3/4 lb cheddar cheese, cubed
  • salt and pepper

pinch of sugar (because anything with tomatoes needs a pinch of sugar)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 375°.
  2. Mix in 2 quart casserole.
  3. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Serves: 4-5

Source:  Some newspaper long ago – but Ginger claims it .

Quesadillas

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Now, this has become a standard food across the country.  But, someone may be looking for a basic recipe –  so here it is.  Feel free to vary the cheese, add peppers, chicken, whatever is in the fridge. 

Ingredients:

  • 24 6 inch flour tortillas
  • 1 1/2 lbs cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 lbs jack cheese, grated
  • 14 oz green chili salsa
  • 2 bunches green onions, chopped (green part and white part)
  • soft butter

Directions:

  1. Place oven rack in top position.
  2. Preheat oven  400°.
  3. Butter one side of tortillas.
  4. Place 12 buttered side down on foil covered cookie sheet.
  5. Sprinkle with both cheeses, onions and salsa.
  6. Top with the rest of the buttered tortillas – buttered side up.
  7. Bake until brownish.
  8. Flip over and brown other side.

Serve immediately.

These also can be made in a frying pan or toaster oven.  Anything to brown the tortilla and melt the cheese.

Serves:  12

Source: Patty Johnson and Marty Stevenson, Taft School (Orange, CA) ELP Cooking Class

 

Rice Crispie Bars

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Another of the many variations on rice crispie bars – this one has peanut butter and butterscotch chips.  Double this – really, as long as you are making a mess, make a big batch of cookies!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c white sugar
  • 1/2 c White Karo syrup
  • 3/4 c peanut butter
  • 3 c rice crispie cereal
  • 6 oz butterscotch chips
  • 6 oz chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Bring sugar and Karo syrup to a boil.
  2. Stir in peanut butter.
  3. Add cereal.
  4. Mix well.  (I use my hands covered in plastic bags.)
  5. Pat into 8 x 8   pan.
  6. Melt chips together and spread on top.

Serves:  16 2×2 cookies, or 32 1×2 cookies
Doubled: 9 x 13 pan makes 48 1×2 cookies

Source:  Taft Library Cookery Bookery, Orange, CA

Potato Casserole

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You can do this wayyy ahead,  even the day before.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can cram of chicken soup (or mushroom or any other cream – there is also a do-it-yoursel cream soup substitute)
  • 1/2 c butter
  • 1 c cheddar cheese,  grated (or any other flavorful cheese.  Try pepper jack or smoked gouda.)
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 bunch green onion tops, chopped
  • 24 oz frozen hash brown potatoes
  • 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (or more.  Can you have too many mushrooms?)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°
  2. Place frozen potatoes in 9 x 13 pan.
  3. Heat soup, butter, cheese, sour cream until melted.
  4. Place onion tops and mushrooms over potatoes.
  5. Pours sauce over.
  6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Serves:  8 – 10

Source:  Karen Eckardt

 

Pizza Dough – Quick and Easy

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Sometimes the “real way” just doesn’t seem necessary, especially for a quick meal – Bisquick for the win!

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c warm water (110° – 115°)
  • 1 pkg dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 c Bisquick
  • flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 425°.
  2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  3. Add Bisquick and beat vigorously.
  4. Turn dough onto well floured surface and knead until smooth – about 20 times.
  5. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
  6. Roll each piece paper thin. into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter. (Letting the dough rest for a few minutes after kneading will help in rolling it out.)
  7. Place on ungreased baking sheet or in shallow pie pan.
  8. Finish with toppings.
  9. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until crust is brown and filling hot and bubbly.

Serves: 4

Source: Bisquick Cook Book

 

Popovers

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This really does work!

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c milk
  • 1 1/2 c flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • butter

Directions:

  1. DO NOT preheat oven!
  2. Break eggs into bowl
  3. Using a spoon, mix with salt and flour.
  4. Add milk slowly.
  5. Generously grease 12 muffin tin with LOTS of butter.
  6. Fill muffin pans.
  7. Place in COLD oven.
  8. Set temperature at 425°.
  9. Bake 26 – 30 minutes.  Don’t short the time or they will collapse.

Serves:  Really?  How many popovers can YOU eat?

Source:  Al Martin