Butterscotch Pudding Cookies

I found this recipe in Mom's recipe box and had to try it. I do not remember these cookies, but they are delicious. I made these for a family party to celebrate Ryan's graduation from eighth grade over Memorial Day weekend. The cookies were well-received, so I will have to make them again.

Butterscotch is brown sugar and butter, so using butterscotch pudding mix in cookies makes them extra rich. The use of oats in the dough makes them seem a little healthier. When making these cookies, I made them small bite size cookies so that it would be easy to try one cookie without feeling guilty. The only problem is that it is hard to eat just one. I also added chocolate chips to half the batch.

Butterscotch Pudding Cookies 

• 1 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 pkg. instant butterscotch pudding mix
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with rolled oats and dry pudding in a large bowl. Using a mixer, cut in the butter as for a pie crust. Add egg and vanilla; beat thoroughly. Drop  dough from teaspoon on a buttered cookie sheet. Press cookies with a fork. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until delicately browned. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Smoked Butt a/k/a Boiled Dinner

This recipe is a classic one that Mom made when we were kids. She called it boiled dinner because the name of the cut of meat used caused us all to be grossed out. And, the recipe is a classic boiled dinner that is prepared similar to corned beef. The cut of meat is smoked butt, which is pork shoulder that has been smoked. I had no idea why this cut of meat is known as butt so I did a bit of research and learned that the pork shoulder was a less desirable cut of pork, so they were often stored for later in a barrel which was known as a butt. So, eventually this cut of meat became known for the common storage container used.

Boiled dinner is sometimes known as New England Dinner because it was common in New England back in the day. By boiling the meat, a tougher cut becomes quite tender. And, cooking the vegetables in the pot with the meat makes this dinner very easy. Smoked butt used to be easy to find and inexpensive. Maybe it is the name that led it to be less popular, but it is now harder to find and more expensive. Luckily, my local butcher, Paulina Meat Market, always has it in stock. The taste is similar to ham, but subtler. Most importantly, it is a delicious meal.

Smoked Butt 

• 1-3 pound smoked butt
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• cabbage
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 potatoes

Place the meat in a Dutch oven. Fill with water to cover the meat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for a total of about 40 minutes per pound. Chop the cabbage, onion, and potatoes into large pieces. When there is about 30 minutes left of cooking time, add the chopped vegetables to the Dutch oven. Return to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for the remaining cooking time. Remove the meat and allow it to stand about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the drained vegetables. Enjoy!

Roasted Grapes

Mom loves Maggiano's, a Chicago-based Italian-American restaurant. When we go with all the family of more than 20 people, the food is family style. But, every now and then, just a few of us for dinner, so we can order anything. Not too long ago, MDS and I enjoyed a dinner at Maggiano's with Mom and a few others. Included with the dinner was a lovely dessert of pound cake with roasted grapes. I had never had roasted grapes before, but I loved them and had to give them a try on my own.

Roasting grapes concentrates the sugars, resulting in a jam-like consistency inside the grape, while the outside gets caramelized. The recipe is simple: toss grapes in olive oil, spread on a pan and roast for about 30 minutes. Seasonings, such as rosemary, could be added to give a nice savory taste to complement the sweetness of the grapes. I served these roasted grapes alongside the Swedish Coffee Cake. But they could also be served on crackers, salads, or on a cheese plate.

Roasted Grapes 

• 1 pound seedless grapes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• seasonings (optional)

Toss the grapes in the olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast the grapes at 425 for 20 to 30 minutes, turning grapes after 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Swedish Coffee Cake

If you're looking for an easy-to-make cake, this cake is for you. You likely have all the ingredients for this cake on hand, so it is easy to whip up for a nice treat. The use of a little lemon juice gives this cake just a little tartness that serves it well. This cake could work for a special occasion or an ordinary day.

The recipe calls for a nine-inch square pan. But other pans, such as round pans, could be used. Any type of frosting could work with this cake, but I did not frost this cake. Instead, I just sprinkled the top with powdered sugar and served it with some freshly roasted grapes, which will be posted in the near future.

Swedish Coffee Cake 

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add liquids and flour alternating to cream mixture beating throughly after each addition. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into greased and floured nine-inch square cake pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes until done. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Baja Burgers

I am not sure where Mom found this recipe, but I imagine that she tried it in order to spice up the basic burgers that we always loved. My siblings are not always open to new things, so it is quite possible that they were not too pleased with a different burger and insisted on just the basic burger. But MDS and I loved these burgers, so I highly recommend that you give them a try to mx up your burger routine.

This recipe can easily be scaled up or down for more or fewer burgers. Because you are making the patties, you can adjust the shape and size for the buns that you plan to use. Instead of french rolls, I used brioche buns. I really liked the addition of crushed corn chips in the burger, which gave the burger a great flavor. And, by cooking the burgers in the tomato sauce that became the topping for the burgers, there was a terrific blend of flavors. I used a slice of cheese rather than shredded cheese because that is what I had on hand, but many types of cheese would be great with this burger. I also slightly toasted the buns and served the burgers with grilled onions.

Baja Burgers 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup crushed corn chips
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp. garlic 
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• rolls or buns
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar 

Mix the beef and corn chips. Shape into patties slightly larger than the buns you plan to use. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet about 8-10 minutes per side. Combine tomato sauce, garlic, and chili powder; add to skillet and simmer for for a few minutes to blend flavors. Place burgers on the buns. Top each burger with sauce, olives, and cheese. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Hamburger Casserole

I found this recipe among Grandma Holmes's recipes, and it reads like so many casseroles that were popular back in the day: can of cream soup, meat, and noodles. MDS does not remember his Grandma making this casserole, but thinks that his Mom made something similar.

The good thing about a casserole such is this one is that you can easily make modifications. This time, I made modifications both for my preferred tastes and to use up some ingredients that I had around my kitchen. I used cream of celery soup instead of cream of mushroom or chicken. I also added in some extra celery instead of peas, which I highly recommend. I left off the grated cheese. But, I think cheddar would be especially delicious with this recipe. Finally, I used egg noodles, instead of Chinese noodles as listed in the recipe only because I had egg noodles available. Despite all my adjustments, this casserole came out great.

Grandma Holmes's Hamburger Casserole 

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 cups noodles
• grated cheese

Cook the noodles according to directions. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until onion begins to brown. Mix together the noodles, beef, soup, and peas. Pour into a casserole dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350. Allow to cool slightly. Enjoy!

Beer Bread

If you want to whip up a quick fresh bread, this is a recipe for you. Beer bread is easy to make, easy to modify, and always delicious. Jenny often makes beer bread that she cuts up into pieces and serves with a dip as an appetizer for parties. I often find myself eating so much beer bread that I am not very hungry when the main course is served.

Any beer can be used, and you can change the flavor of the bread with the beer used. The flavor of the bread can also be modified by adding seasonings or spices, such as garlic, onion or cheese, to the dough. If you do not have self-rising flour, you can just used three cups of all-purpose flour with three teaspoons of baking powder and a dash of salt. I used all-purpose and wheat flour because I like the wheat flour flavor. During the last ten minutes of baking, you can give the top of the bread a coating of butter or egg wash for a nice crust.

Beer Bread 

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 can (12 ounces) beer
• 3 Tbsp. sugar

Stir together the ingredients until well mixed. Pour into a buttered 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake at 35 for about one hour. Allow to stand for ten minutes. Enjoy!