Recipes continued

Here's a few more basic recipes that Mama Marva made frequently but didn't use a written recipe for. I figured that some of the grandchildren who are teenagers or in college might like to know how to make them. (Most of these recipes I just made up--if someone out there knows a better way to make them, please post corrections.) = )

Mashed Potatoes
Peel, cut into small pieces, and barely cover with salted water 1 1/2 to 2 potatoes for each person expected to come for dinner (MM always made lots). Boil for about 15-20 minutes, or until soft (you can test them with a fork). Drain the water (you can save the water to add nutrition to breads, cakes, etc.). Using the whipping attachment of an electric mixer, beat the potatoes with 1/4 to 1/2 cup butter (or more) and 1/2 to 1 cup heated milk or cream (or more-the amounts depend on the amount of potatoes you cooked). (It's good to heat the milk in the microwave before adding it so the potatoes will stay hot.) If you don't have an electric mixer, you can just use a manual potato masher and mash them with the butter and milk in your cooking pot. Pile up the whipped potatoes in a large serving bowl and garnish with a pat of butter and a little paprika or fresh parsley (optional). If you are a garlic fan like I am, you may wish to add some garlic to the potatoes while they are cooking. You can also make them richer by adding cream cheese to the potatoes when mashing them.

Meat Gravy
Use drippings from meat (beef or pork roast, chicken, or turkey). Skim off fat, returning 3-4 tablespoons fat or oil to pan. Stir in 1/4 cup four until well blended while cooking over low heat. Slowly stir in 2 cups liquid (drippings, plus milk for chicken gravy or water for beef gravy). Season with salt and pepper. Heat on medium heat stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Yields 2 cups.

Oven Pot Roast
(I don't really know how to make this as well as Mama Marva--I'm just guessing how she does it.)
Buy a good quality beef roast (like rump roast, I think--it should have some fat marbling in it to make it tender.) Wash it off and brown the outside of it in 1 Tbl. oil in a heavy skillet. Season the outside of it well with salt and pepper and one or two bay leaves. (You can also buy a Schilling or McCormick seasoning mix for pot roast that comes with a plastic roasting bag, which helps make it more tender. Or dry Lipton onion soup mix also makes a good seasoning.) Put roast in a large, covered oven pan (Mama Marva liked to use a clay roasting pan that she had) with seasonings and 3/4 c. water, and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes per pound for medium well done meat (or until meat thermometer shows that the internal termperature is 160 degrees). (Bake for a shorter or longer time, about 10 minutes per pound, for rare or well done meat.) Uncover the roast for the last half hour of roasting to ensure browning. You can add vegetable pieces, like onions, carrots and potatoes, and roast them along with the meat, so that they absorb some of the savory juice. Or you can make gravy from the drippings (see above).

Navy Beans and Ham
Soak 2 cups dry navy (white) beans overnight in 6 cups water. Add a 1-2 lb. piece of ham with the bone still in it (it can be mostly bone--leftover Sunday or Easter ham is good), one minced or whole onion (MM usually left it whole, and then we onion lovers got to fight over who got the onion), a few stalks celery, cut into small pieces, 2 Tbl. brown sugar, 2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and one more quart water. Simmer until beans are tender and soup starts to thicken. If desired, partially mash the beans. Sprinkle with fresh chopped or dried parsley, if desired, and serve with hot whole wheat bread or rolls. Delicious on a winter day!

Whole Wheat Bread
(Mama Marva used to make us a lot of delicious whole wheat bread. I don't think I have her recipe, but here is a recipe that might be somewhat similar that I found in a recipe book. If any of you have the recipe that she preferred, please pass it on.)
1. In large mixing bowl combine, stir, and let stand:
1 cup hot water
1 cup dark brown sugar or
1/2 cup molasses + 1/2 sugar
2. In small bowl sprinkle
2 Tbl. or 2 pkg. dry yeast over
1 cup warm water and
2 Tbl. honey or sugar
3. Add to the first mixture and beat well:
3 cups warm water
4 tsp. salt
6 cups white flour
yeast mixture (from Step 2)
4. Stir in, then knead on floured board:
6 cups whole wheat flour, approx.
1 cup cracked wheat (optional)
5. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour). Punch down. Shape into loaves, place in greased bread pans, and let rise until double again (about 30-40 min.).
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Yield: 6 loaves

Grape Punch
Stir together 1 12-oz. can frozen grape juice, 1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade, 6 cups (or 4 juice cans) water, and 1 cup 7-Up or Sprite until frozen juice is dissolved. Add ice and serve. Tasty and refreshing!

Frosted Jello Salad
(This is one of those famous Mormon jello salads that I used to love when I was younger)
2 sm. (or 1 lg.) pkgs. lemon Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
2 cups 7-Up or Sprite
20-oz. can crushed pineapple
1 cup mini marshmallows
2 lg. bananas, sliced
Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Stir in 7-Up. Chill until partially set. Drain pineapple very well, saving 1 cup juice for topping. Fold pineapple, marshmallows, and bananas into Jell-O. Pour into 9x13" pan and chill until firm.
Whipped Cream Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup pineapple juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Combine sugar and flour in a saucepan. Stir in juice and egg. Cook over low heat until thickened. Revove from heat; add butter. Let cool; chill. Fold into whipped cream. Frost Jell-O mixture and sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Elephant Stew
(I got this out of Woodland 3rd Ward Relief Society recipe book compiled in 2001)
1 medium sized elephant
brown gravy (lots)
salt and pepper to taste
2 rabbits (optional)
Cut elephant into small bite-size pieces (this will take about 2 months). Reserve trunk; you will need something to store the pieces in. Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook on kerosene stove for about 4 weeks at 465 degrees. This will serve about 3,800 people. If more are expected, the rabbits may be added. Do this only if necessary, as most people do not like hare in their stew!

Ha! Ha! ; ) I just wanted to see if anyone actually reads this.