Retro-Christmas Stockings

The first time I saw this idea was when my Aunt Phala brought one for each family at my Grandma's annual Christmas party.  These are what I call Retro-Christmas Stockings.  When I was still a newlywed, my husband's mom gave each of her children's family's one of these stockings. Growing up, he and the other siblings got at stocking each year and his mom would put their name on a slip of paper at the bottom of it so that they wouldn't get mixed up (seven children in the family).  I'm not sure of the actual history, but it seems they come from the Depression Era.  If you're thrifty, you use old, (clean) knee-hi pantyhose (stockings as we called them), however, I buy the cheapo new ones.  Then in each "stocking" you place

• about a cup of mixed nuts (in their shells--very pretty)
• an orange, couple of tangerines, and a red and green apple (I like the smaller apples)
• Christmas candy (something that won't melt!)
• and a small gift or two (could be a handmade ornament for the family tree, or for an individual, socks, gloves--a tie for men or missionaries, scarf for a woman, small toy for a child)

Distribute the items evenly throughout the stocking.  Then tie with curling ribbon.  They can be made assembly line fashion and generic so that each family gets the same thing, or you can make them by males and females each sex getting the same items.  Or if you do them for your own family members like I do (five in all), I make the small gift a little more personal.  This is also a nice gift for visiting and home teaching families and employees or coworkers.

October Traditions: Fun with Cookies!

These are my absolute favorite cookies!  I made some today and realized when it was time to add the flour that I only had a little all-purpose flour left.  So I used half wheat and half all-purpose.  They turned out sooo good!  In fact everyone said they liked them better.  I think they taste better a little thicker, so I only make a dozen/recipe.  Spook someone with this Trick or Treat Family Home Evening idea!

Autumn Owl Cookies

1 c. packed brown sugar

1-1/2 sticks butter, no substitutes

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1-oz square unsweetened chocolate

1/4 tsp baking soda

Reece's Pieces

whole cashews

In a mixing bowl, cream brown sugar and softened butter. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture.  Remove two-thirds of the dough; roll into an 8-inch square on waxed paper and set aside.  Combine chocolate and baking soda until thoroughly blended; beat into remaining dough.  Shape into an 8-inch-long roll; place on edge of white dough.  Wrap white dough around roll and pinch seam together.  Wrap in waxed paper; chill for at least 2 hours.  

Cut into 1/4-inch slices.  To form owl's face, place two slices side-by-side on a lightly greased baking sheet (I like parchment paper on my baking sheet instead of greased).  

Pinch dough at the top of the circles to form ears.  Place Reece's Pieces in the center of each circle for eyes.  Place a cashew in the center of the face for the beak.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.  Yield:  about 1-1/2 dozen.  (From Taste of Home's Halloween Food and Fun)

October through December, we enjoy Baking Days which includes these chocolaty cookies my son loves and which we like to mail to missionary friends:

Kitty Cookies

1 c. butter (no substitutes), softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 t. vanilla extract

3 c. self-rising flour

1 c. baking cocoa

candy corn and red-hots

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine self-rising flour and cocoa in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture.  Roll dough into 1-1/2-in. balls.  Place 3 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets.  Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.  Pinch top of cookie to form ears.  

For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie.  Bake 350 degrees F. for 10-15 min. or until cookies are set.  Remove from oven and immediately press on candy corn for eyes and red-hots for noses.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Yield: 2 dozen (From Taste of Home's Halloween Food and Fun, p. 14).

Here are some tips I found in the magazine, Quick Cooking, on packaging cookies: 

~When choosing recipes, look for bars, drop cookies, slice-an-bake cookies and sandwich cookies, which are fairly sturdy and less likely to break when shipped.

~Avoid delicate cutout and shaped cookies, which may break; chocolate, since it will melt easily; and items with perishable frostings or fillings.

~When packaging the goodies, wrap bars individually in plastic wrap.  Drop cookies can be bundled back-to-back in packages of two.  Slice-and-bake and sandwich cookies can be wrapped in plastic wrap in bundles of two or three.

~Pack soft cookies in containers or tins separate from crisp cookies.  If packed together, the moisture from the soft cookies will make the crisp cookies lose their crunch. 

~To help retain the best flavor, don't pack strong-flavored cookies like gingersnaps in the same container with mild-flavored ones like sugar cookies. 

~Line the containers with crumpled waxed paper to help cushion the cookies.  Snugly pack the cookies to within 1 in. of the top.  Use crumpled waxed paper or bubble wrap to fill any gaps between the cookies.  Add more waxed paper or bubble wrap over the last layer to cushion the cookies and prevent shifting during shipping. OR
Place pieces of wax paper between cookie layers and add mini marshmallows to make sure cookies don't move around.  Tuck in a couple packages of cocoa for a great gift! (from Gooseberry Patches' Country Quick and Easy Cookbook).

~Place a layer of crumpled paper, bubble wrap or foam shipping peanuts in the bottom of a sturdy corrgated box that is slightly larger than your cookie container.  Set the container on top; then add more paper, bubble wrap or shipping peanuts.

Gobble Good Turkey Casserole!

An easy missionary recipe!  This is a good food storage recipe as well.  Also good to wrap up in a bag or basket as a gift.  I first received this from my first-grader daughter.  There was rice in a lunch sack dressed up like a turkey with the recipe attached.  It was cute! The idea came from CopyCat magazine, Nov/Dec 1994:

Shoe String Tuna Salad

My daughter and I like to experiment with recipes and lately we have been using recipes found in past Friend magazines.  The Shoestring Tuna Salad is sooo easy and delicious.  It's also another way to use (rotate) your food storage tuna.

Shoe String Tuna Salad (print recipe)

6 med. carrots

1/2 c. diced celery

3 sliced green onions

1 large can tuna in water, drained

1 cup mayonnaise

3 T. French dressing

2 T. sugar

2 c. shoestring potatoes

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix together dressings and sugar.  Add dressing to salad mixture and toss until moistened.  Just before serving, add shoestring potatoes.  This is from the Friend magazine, July 1977.

Pantry Camp Stew

This week is my daughter's spring break, so I'm paying her to do all of my weekly chores while I concentrate on some personal projects.  She made Camp Stew tonight that is just like what my Grandma would always have cooking in a slow cooker to accompany all the other great food served at family gatherings.  Pantry camp stew makes a great food storage recipe because all of the ingredients below are easy to store.  I specified my preference for canned chicken and barbecue, but use your favorite brands or use fresh ingredients or a combination--whatever you have on hand will work!  Yankee Corn Sticks go great with this recipe.  

Pantry Camp Stew (Print)

1 med. onion, chopped (or dehydrated onion)
1 stalk of celery, diced

4 small russet potatoes (or 2, 15-oz. cans sliced potatoes, drained)

2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15-oz.) can cream-style corn

1-2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (or 1, 12.5-oz. can Hormel chicken breast in water)

1 (10-oz.) can Vietti Pork in BBQ sauce, (optional)

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. pepper

1-2 t. hot pepper sauce
lima beans, mostly drained

Stir all ingredients together in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring often.  Add the lima beans about 15 minutes before serving.  Or place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker.

Here are some tips that might be helpful when making Camp Stew:

If you cut the ends off the onion first and discard, your eyes won't tear up while chopping!

When adding the chopped celery, I noticed that the remaining celery had gone limp.  Before returning the celery to the vegetable drawer in the fridge, I when ahead and prepped the last of the stalks and put them in a baggie with a tablespoon of cold water.  The celery will magically firm up again!

This recipe uses a lot of cans.  Here is a wonderful new tool I discovered recently!  The can opener takes the whole lid off so there are no sharp edges and it is pretty easy to do.  Just read the instructions on the back of the packaging.  I found mine at Walmart for less than $10.00.

Zesty Tomato Soup

Just had this for dinner with a salad.  It is so good!  You will not believe how the Chili powder and Monterrey jack cheese changes the flavor of plain old tomato soup from a can.  I like to use only one can of milk so that it's thicker, and I only put a 1/2 teaspoon of Chili powder cause I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy foods.

Zesty Tomato Soup
2 (10-3/4oz.) cans condensed tomato soup
2-2/3 cups water (or you can use milk or combination)
1 teaspoon Chili powder (more or less as desired)
Garnish:  oyster crackers and shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, optional
In a saucepan, combine the first three ingredients; heat through.  Pour into individual serving bowls and garnish with crackers and cheese.  Yield: 4-5 servings.

Ham Dinner Slices

(Also a Once-A-Month Cooking Recipe: OAMC)

This is a great beginner recipe for anyone who wants to start a OAMC file.  An easy meal to prepare for the freezer, this entree goes well with baked potatoes and green beans.

Ham Dinner Slices

2, 3/4 inch thick, cooked ham slices (from center ham)*
Prepared mustard*
Brown sugar*
1 cup milk (about)*
4 medium baking potatoes*
Freeze ham slices in 1-gallon bag.  Label bag so you'll remember what meal the ham is for.
To serve, thaw ham slices.  Prepare potatoes and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or until done.  Place ham slices in a single layer in the bottom of an 8x8x2-inch baking dish treated with nonstick spray.  Spread mustard on top of each slice; sprinkle brown sugar over mustard.  Pour enough milk over ham slices to come half-way up their sides.  
Bake uncovered 45 minutes.  Yield: 4 servings.  Serve with baked potatoes and cooked green beans. *Food items with an asterisk(*) won't be prepared until you serve the entrée.
Once-a-Month Cooking, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg, Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Co.

Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice

Nothing is more delicious and comforting than creamy chicken and rice.  Keeping a can of cream of chicken soup in the pantry makes Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice a super fast meal.  If leftover chicken is not available, a rotisserie chicken from the store can be used for this and many more recipes that call for chicken.  I like to pick the carcass clean and package the meat in quart size Ziploc freezer bags.  A bag of prepared chicken is ready to go when it is time to make this simple dish.

Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice makes a great gravy for Haystacks, a recipe where you add toppings such as slivered almonds, sliced green onions, pineapple chunks, chow mien noodles, diced celery, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green pepper, water chestnuts, coconut and even maraschino cherries.

Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked rice
chicken leftovers (about 1/2-1 cup)
Optional:  Haystacks Toppings listed below
In a small pan, combine 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup milk.  Heat just to boiling point.  Pour over or combine with 2 cups cooked rice.  Add leftover pieces of chicken, if desired.  If you're out of condensed cream of chicken soup, try this easy recipe at Our Best Bites!  (I also included the complete recipe on my Hamburger Gravy Over Rice post).  The recipe originates at TammysRecipes.com

Steamed Rice
In a 2-quart pan with a tight-fitting lid, place 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Stir to distribute rice.  Cover.  Bring to a vigorous boil; then quickly turn heat to very low setting.  Continue cooking 15 minutes.  Do not stir or lift cover!  Remove from heat and let rice continue to steam, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.  Makes 3 cups cooked rice.
Note:  To be sure of light, fluffy rice, always measure the rice, salt, and water.  Too much water makes rice soggy and gummy; too little water allows rice to dry out before it is cooked.

Recipe comes from the best 1st cookbook!:  Homecooking on Your Own, by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover, Shadow Mountain, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hamburger Gravy Over Rice

It is unbelievable that a leftover hamburger patty crumbled up in a mixture of condensed cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup (or can) of milk can make a delicious meal seemingly out of thin air! (You can use more ground beef if you have it).  Mix these three items over medium heat to the point of boiling and then pour over the rice (2 cups cooked rice).  This actually feeds our family of five adults.  The meal can be supplemented with a salad or other fruit &/or veggies.  

This type of recipe works well with rotating my food storage.  If you are using fresh ground beef for this recipe (1/2 lb. ought to do it), adding a little chopped onion and celery while cooking the ground beef gives it a really good flavor.  Some shredded cheese on top is yummy.  I used a blend of brown and white rice.  I'm trying to get my family (and myself) used to the taste of brown rice since it's so much healthier.

I actually ran out of condensed cream of mushroom soup and decided to try Our Best Bites' easy homemade version of condensed cream of chicken soup (most of these soups are interchangeable).  It works just as well!  The recipe made enough to make Hamburger Gravy Over Rice and Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice.

homemade cream of chicken soup

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
1-1/2 c. chicken broth (I follow Wyler's chicken flavor with herbs and spices instant bouillon as directed on the label)
1/2 t. poultry seasoning (click for a recipe)
1/2 t. onion powder (or fresh diced--boil w/broth for a few minutes)
1/2 t. garlic powder (or fresh minced--boil w/broth for a few minutes)
1/8 t. black pepper
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. parsley
dash of paprika
1-1/2 c. milk, divided
3/4 c. flour
In medium-sized saucepan, bring chicken broth, seasonings, and 1/2 c. of the milk to a boil.  In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour.  Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.  (Recipe originates at tammysrecipes.com:  she uses the broth from her oven-roasted chicken.  She says to, "Refrigerate broth and then take fat off the top.  If you're using chicken bouillon + water for your broth, you may want to add a little extra seasonings, such as lemon pepper, extra garlic, or seasoned salt, since my broth normally has bits of those in it.  You can also add bits of chicken, but if you have good rich chicken broth, you probably won't need any chicken in it.").

For instructions on rice, see post for Quick Creamed Chicken and Rice.