Five short years after my parents married, my maternal grandfather died and my grandmother moved into our small rental house. She and I shared a bedroom; and to give her a sense of purpose, my mother turned our kitchen over to her mother who liked to cook. While Mother concentrated on the other household chores, this arrangement also gave her more time to spend with me and to work in the Woman’s Society of Christian Service at Tyler Street Methodist Church. Later, she also had time to serve as an officer in the PTA at each school I attended.
Three years after my dad died, my mother married a family friend, a widower with six children still at home. From the time the youngest, triplets, were born, this family had employed a full time cook. Once again, mother stayed out of the kitchen, but oversaw the other household chores. She once quipped, “I can pretty much do it all, but so many PTAs may do me in.”
In other words, during her entire adult life, my mother rarely cooked except for company. Over the years, she accumulated quite a collection of party recipes. Each time, she added a new recipe to her repertoire, she sent me a handwritten copy. My three personal cookbooks overflow with these offerings. Although I rarely had the occasion to try one of the fancy recipes, I never discarded any of them. Her Mandarin Orange Cake (also know as Pea Pickin’ or Pig Stickin’ Cake) is my husband's favorite and I make her Salmon Alfredo Linguine frequently.
Most of her recipes require multiple steps; and as a working mom, I didn’t have the time required for such intricate instructions accompanying her letters. This year, I’ve set out to try as many as I can. It seems a fitting way to pay tribute to my mother. Today, in honor of Mother’s Day, I share three of her favorite recipes. The chicken dish truly is “superb.” The two-step pie is a new twist on an old favorite. Although I’ve eaten the Crown Jewel Salad at my mother’s, I’ve never made it because I’ve never had an occasion to make such a large congealed salad. Happy Mother’s Day.
Chicken Superb
1 chicken (2-1/2-3-1/2 lbs) cooked and diced
8 oz. pkg. egg noodles cooked for casserole
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
2 cups chicken broth, heated
2 cups heavy cream, scalded
2 tablespoons sherry
10 oz can of mushrooms
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 teaspoons minced parsley
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Cook noodles, according to pkg. directions. Drain and place in greased casserole with diced chicken, drained mushrooms, almonds and parsley. Melt butter, add flour and seasonings, stir into roux. Add broth and sherry, stirring until thickened. Stir into mixture of ingredients in casserole. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
February’s Favorite Pie
Pastry for one pie
1 can cherry pie filling
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut.
Spoon cherry filling into unbaked crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Combine eggs, sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla. Mix well. Stir in coconut. Pour over baked cherries and bake for 20-25 more minutes
Crown Jewel Salad
1 large box each of orange, cherry and lime Jell-O
1 large box of lemon Jell-O
1 pkg. Knox gelatin
2 cups pineapple juice
1 large container of Cool Whip
In three separate bowls, combine each of the orange, cherry and lime Jell-Os with only three cups of boiling water. Stir each mixture well. Pour each mixture into its own long, narrow Pyrex dish. Congeal. After each has congealed, cut into cubes. Using a spatula, remove all cubes and combine in a large bowl. (Use hands to distribute colors.)
Heat pineapple juice and add lemon Jell-O and Knox gelatin. (No other liquid.) When slightly congealed, fold in Cool Whip and the orange, cherry and lime cubes. Pour mixture into a Bundt pan. Before serving, remove from container and slice like a cake. Serves many.
2016
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