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2008

TODAY's CASES:

Orange Twist Donuts

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Cindy 
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 11:42 PM
  Subject: orange twist doughnuts

Hello Phaedrus, I have looked all over the internet for a simple doughnut or pastry that 
we used to get in a bakery called 'orange twists'. They are gooooooooood  and I would like 
to try to make some. They look like a rope folded in 1/2 and twisted with some kind of orange 
sugary mixture intertwined.  I sure hope you can find this recipe because I'm sure more of 
your readers would really love them besides just me. Thank you in advance.  (when I looked 
on the internet, I mostly found an alcoholic drink called 'orange twist' so watch out for those). 

Hello Cindy,

Below is the only recipe that I could find.

Phaed

  Orange  Twists

   1 pkg. dry yeast
  3/4 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
  3 tbsp. sugar
  1 egg
  2 tbsp. instant nonfat dry milk powder
  2 tbsp. margarine, melted
  1/2 tsp. salt
  3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided
  1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  Vegetable cooking spray
  3 tbsp. sugar
  3 tbsp. grated orange rind
  1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar
  1 tbsp. unsweetened orange juice

 Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons sugar,
egg, milk powder, melted margarine, salt and 2 cups flour; beat at medium speed of an electric
mixer until well blended.  Gradually stir in enough of the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour to make
a soft dough.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour evenly over work surface.  Turn dough out onto
floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes).  Place dough in a
large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.  Cover and let rise in a warm
place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.  Punch dough
down and roll into a 14 x 12 inch rectangle.  Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and orange rind,
stir well, and sprinkle over dough.  Fold dough in half lengthwise; cut into 18 (3/4 inch)
strips.  Twist each strip twice and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking
spray.  Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden.  Combine powdered sugar and juice; drizzle
over twists.  Yield 1 1/2 dozen (127 calories each).
Protein 3.0; fat 1.9; carbohydrate 24.5; cholesterol 11; iron 0.7; sodium 89; calcium 18.

Spry Swiss Steak

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alice"
To: phaedrus
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 8:59 AM
Subject: Spry Swiss steak

> Hi,
> My mother made a Swiss Steak recipe from the Spry cookbook when I was 
> growing up.  It was the best Swiss Steak I ever had.  Recently I was 
> trying to get copies of her recipes for my collection and I asked her for 
> that recipe.  She said that the recipe was from the Spry Recipe book, 
> which is no longer in publication.  Her house was flooded in the 1970's 
> and she said that she lost the Spry cookbook in the flood and hasn't been 
> able to duplicate the recipe.  I was wondering if you would be able to 
> find that recipe for me.  Thanks so much.
> Alice
>

Hello Alice,

See below.

Phaed

Swiss Steak with Rice
(From the Spry cookbook "Aunt Jenny's Favorite Recipes")

1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound round steak, cut in pieces
1 clove garlic, cut in half
2 large onions, sliced
1/3 cup spry
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 cups canned or cooked tomatoes
2 cups hot water

Mix flour with salt, paprika and pepper.... Rub steak with garlic and roll 
in seasoned flour..... Brown onions slightly in melted Spry. Remove onions. 
Sear meat on both sides (but do not brown) and put in casserole greased with 
Spry.... Place onions, rice, and tomatoes on top of meat.... Add remainder 
of flour mixture to Spry in skillet and blend until smooth. Add hot water 
gradually and cook until smooth. Strain  over meat in casserole.... Cook, 
covered, in moderate oven (350°F.) for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is 
tender.... Serves 6. 

Texas Sombreros

From: GB
To: phaedrus
Subject: Texas Sombreros
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 2:42 PM

I recently lost my childhood recipe called "Texas Sombreros" and my mom  
found it for me. I had checked your fabulous site for the recipe but it is not  
the same. Here is the original Texas Sombreros recipe that we used as Bluebirds  
and Camp Fire Girls in the 1960's and 1970's when off at Camp Nawakwa  
(California) or camping on the hills of the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.  Thank 
you for your site:
 
 
Texas  Sombreros

3 Lbs. Ground  Beef
6  Tb Oil 
3 Tsp Seasoned  Salt
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Celery 
3 Tsp.  Salt
3/4  Cups Chopped Onion 
1/4 Tsp Chili  Powder
1  1/2 Cups Chopped Green Pepper 
2 Tsp  Worcestershire
6  Cups Crushed Tomatoes 
4 Tsp Chili  Powder
3  - 8 Oz. Cans Tomato Sauce 
Corn Chips  -  Tomatoes   - Shredded  Cheese   -  Romaine 

Sprinkle Meat With Seasoned Salt, Salt, Pepper, Worcestershire, And  Chili 
Powder. 
Put Oil In Skillet And Add Celery, Onion, And Green Pepper.   Cook On Low 
Heat Until Almost Tender.  Add Meat And Cook, Stirring With  Fork Until Meat 
Loses Its Red Color. 
Add Tomatoes And Tomato Sauce.  Simmer Uncovered For 1 Hour Or  Until Quite 
Thick 
(Serve On Romaine Leaf If You Wish) 
Serve On Corn Chips With Cheese And Chopped Tomatoes.    
12 Servings 

See also: 2/2/2007


Van Gogh Cake

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MaryAnn
  To: phaedrus
  Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 6:23 AM
  Subject: van gogh cake from the 1960's

  Dear Uncle Phaedrus:

  I have a foodie friend who is looking for a cake called the "Van Gogh Cake".  She said that
she thought it was made in the 1960's from a cake mix like Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury.
I have searched everywhere, and I can't find it.  Would appreciate your help.  Thanks!

  maryann

Hello Maryann,

Well, I found three kinds of "Van Gogh cakes". The first is basically a creation of artistic cake decoration. it's simply a white cake with a reproduction of a Van Gogh artwork such as "Starry Night" or "Sunflowers" in icing on top. The second is a rather ordinary yellow cake with lemon pudding in the batter and orange juice in the frosting. I can see no reason for calling it a "Van Gogh Cake" except that it has a lot of yellow (Van Gogh was fond of yellow), but there it is - the first recipe below. It gives no brand names or dates, but it's made with a yellow cake mix, so that's probably the one your friend wants. The last one is a "de Van Gogh ". This is a more complex French pastry made with ladyfingers. See the second recipe below.

Phaed

  Van Gogh Cake 

  4 eggs 
  1 pkg. yellow cake mix 
  1 pkg. instant lemon pudding 
  3/4 cup water 
  3/4 cup vegetable oil

  Combine cake mix and pudding mix with the eggs.  Blend in water and oil and mix thoroughly.
Pour into greased tube or Bundt pan and bake 50 minutes at 325°.  Remove to rack and while hot
ice with:

  1-1/2 cups powdered sugar 
  3 Tbs. butter 
  1/3 cup concentrated orange juice 
  Combine and blend until smooth
  --------------------------------
  De Van Gogh
  From: Oli
  Source: The French Professional Pastry Series by Roland Bilheux

  Ladyfingers
  Coffee Mousse
  Caramel bavarian
  Coffee genoise
  Coffee/rum-flavored sugar syrup
  caramel glaze

  Caramel Bavarian:
  milk 34 oz
  eggs 16
  caramel 17.5 oz
  gelatin cream 1 oz

  Coffee Mousse:
  milk 17fl. oz
  5 oz sugar-8 egg yolks
  instant coffee granules 1.5 T
  powdered gelatin 3 oz.
  Italian meringue 14 oz
  heavy cream 17 fl oz
  rum 1.5 fl oz

  Coffee Genoise:
  16 eggs-17.5 oz sugar
  instant coffee granules 1.5 T
  cake flour 17.5

  Caramel Glaze:
  apricot or clear jelly 35 oz
  caramel 7 oz.

  Coffee/Rum -flavored sugar syrup:
  sugar syrup 34 fl oz
  water 3.5 fl oz
  coffee granules 1/2 oz
  rum 1.5 fl. oz.

  Assembling the Cake:
Place a 1.75in metal cake ring over a cardboard circle and line it with strips of ladyfinger
3 cm high. Place a thin layer of genoise inside the ring, and brush both the genoise and 
ladyfingers with coffee/rum-flavored sugar syrup.

  Fill the ring to the tops of the ladyfingers with caramel bavarian. Sprinkle chopped walnuts
over the cream if desired.

  Fill the cake to the rim of the ring with coffee mousse, and smooth the top with a metal spatula.

  Decoration:
  Glaze the top of the cake with the caramel glaze and place a few walnuts decoratively in the
center of the cake. 

  Remove the cake ring.

  Recipe good for 2 cakes. 

Ma and Grandma

While Dad was raising goats and pigeons and Pop was hunting squirrels and birds, the women of the family were cooking traditional Southern food.

My maternal grandma kept chickens in her back yard. I remember seeing her go out and grab a chicken by the head and wring its neck. An amazing sight. She'd then pluck it and cut it up and fry it in lard and serve it with her big flaky biscuits.

Below are recipes similar to theirs for a few of my favorites. These recipes call for frying in vegetable oil, but Grandma, of course, used lard, and Ma used shortening.

Real  Southern  Fried  Chicken

Ingredients : 
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 to 3 lb. chicken parts
1 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. flour

Preparation : 
Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy, deep iron skillet over moderately
high heat.  Salt and pepper chicken generously on both sides, dip in
buttermilk, then coat with flour.  Place one piece of chicken, skin
side down, in hot oil, and when fat sizzles, add a few more pieces,
so they almost fill the pan (don't crowd).  Cook over moderately
high heat until lightly browned; turn and cook other side.  (Meaty
pieces, such as breasts and thighs, take about 20 minutes if fat is
hot and skillet is not too crowded.)  When a piece is done, remove
to paper towels to drain.  Add remaining pieces to skillet until all
of chicken is cooked.  Serve immediately.
Comments:
Pass the sweet tea and look out.
------------------------
Real Cornbread

black iron skillet, muffin pan, or corn stick pan
2 1/2 cups white cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
1/3 cup bacon grease
2 eggs (optional)
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Serves 6

Put a bit of bacon grease in the skillet, muffin pan, or stick pan. Enough to coat the bottom.
Put the pan in the oven and preheat to 375°. In a large bowl, put the cornmeal, flour, baking
powder, salt, the rest of the bacon grease, eggs(if used), and buttermilk, beating well. Carefully
remove the hot skillet or pan from the oven and set it on top of the stove. Pour the batter into
the skillet or pan. It will sizzle and smell great.  Fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 30 to
45 minutes at 375° or until golden on top.

Comments:
The eggs are optional. Many people use them and many don't. Of course you can use vegetable oil
instead of bacon grease. If you use cornmeal mix and self-rising flour, then you don't need the
baking powder - it's already in there. Yes, you can use plain milk instead of buttermilk, but
it won't be as good.
Comments:
One of my Mom's favorite snacks is to crumble cornbread into a tall glass about half full and
then fill it the rest of the way with buttermilk. Eat with a spoon.
-----------------------------
Black-Eyed Peas

1 pound dried or fresh black-eyed peas or purple-hull peas
1/4 lb salt pork or streak o'lean or bacon
water
pot
1 tsp salt

If using dried peas, soak in warm water for at least 1 hour, then drain. Unnecessary with fresh
peas. Boil pork in approx. 4 quarts of water for 1 hour. Add peas & salt and simmer for about
1 1/2 hours. Serves 6.
Comments:
Peas like this are great with a few drops of hot pepper sauce on them. I used to like to crumble
some cornbread in a bowl and then liberally douse it with "pea juice" or "pot liquor" (aka "pot likker").
 Yum!
--------------------------------------
Southern Fried Okra

1 pound fresh okra 
2 eggs, beaten 
1/4 cup buttermilk 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup cornmeal 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
Freshly ground pepper to taste 
Vegetable oil 

Wash and slice okra crosswise into little rings; pat dry with 
paper towels. Combine eggs and buttermilk; add okra, and let 
stand for 10 minutes. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder,
salt and pepper. Drain okra, small portions at a time, using 
a slotted spoon. Dredge okra, small portions at a time, in 
flour mixture. Pour oil to depth of 2 to 3-inches in an iron 
skillet,or deep-fat fryer and heat to 375*F (190*C). Fry okra 
until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve 
immediately. 
Comments:
I prefer fried okra to be very crisp, but not everyone does. 
You can also fry slices of green tomato the same way. The tomatoes 
are better if they aren't fried quite so crisp.

""


Copyright (c) 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Phaedrus