Country Cookin News Letter  Sun, 16 May 2004, at 6:50 p.m.

This news letter is from an AOL food chat and is printed here at Recipes From Friends with permission of host Judee.

After going over these recipes I couldn't figure it out. My Mom and Grandma were not from the country unless you call Chicago and Los Angeles country but most of the recipes were ones I ate while growing up. They are for sure comfort food.

Judee

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Welcome back Around Our Kitchen Table. Tonight, we're dishing up some good old fashioned Country Cooking. Whether it's a hardy breakfast to start your day, or a filling dinner, Country Cooking is often simple, delicious and heart-warming. Settle in for an hour of comforting Country Cooking!

Buckwheat Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup Buckwheat flour
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped (1 cup)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Mix together flour, apples, buckwheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

In another bowl combine buttermilk, oil and egg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in moist ingredients just until moistened. Coat muffin cups with cooking spray and evenly divide batter between them.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for l minute. Remove from muffin cups and cool on wire rack.
Yield: 12 muffins.
***End of Recipe***

Whipping Cream Biscuits

2 cups of self-rising flour
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 cup of whipping cream

Combine all of the ingredients into a stiff dough. Knead the dough and roll out to about 3/8" thick. Cut out the biscuits and bake in a greased pan for 10 - 12 minutes at 450 degrees.
***End of Recipe***

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

6 cups of flour
2 cups of oats
1 teaspoon of salt
2 packages of yeast 1 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of molasses
1/2 cup of butter or margarine
2 eggs

In a mixing bowl combine 4 1/2 cups of the flour, the oats, salt, and the yeast. Combine the water, milk, molasses, and butter or margarine in a pan and heat to 120-130 degrees. Let the milk mixture cool. With an electric mixer on medium, gradually add the liquids to flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 3/4 cup of flour and beat for another 2 minutes.

Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn out the dough and knead for 8-10 minutes. Place the dough into a greased bowl, turning the dough to grease the top. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Punch down the dough and turn out onto lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Take 2 sections and role into 12" ropes, then twist them together, turn the ends under, and place in 8.5" x 4.5" x 2.5" loaf pan. Repeat for remaining dough. Cover the loaf pans and let rise 1 hour.

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean when the bread is done. Put the loaves out on a cooling rack until it's had the chance to dry out a bit.
***End of Recipe***

Beef Barley Soup

1. 1 lb. stew beef - cut into small pieces
2 minced garlic cloves
6 C. beef broth
4 C. water
1 14.5 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 C. onion chopped
1 1/2 C. diced carrots
1 C. diced celery
1/2 lb. chopped mushrooms
3/4 C. pearl barley
1 t. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Brown stew beef in 5-6 qt. stock pan. Add garlic, onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add water, beef broth, tomatoes and cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour.

Add vegetables, barley and spices. Cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender.
***End of Recipe***

Barbecued Chuck Roast

4 pound Chuck roast
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 cup of sliced onions
2 tablespoons of shortening
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup of catsup
1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of rosemary1 teaspoon of salt

Melt the shortening in a heavy pan and brown the roast on all sides in hot shortening. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is soft. Combine catsup, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and salt. Pour over meat. Cover and cook slowly until meat is fork tender, about 2-1/2 hours. May be cooked in crock pot, but allow longer cooking time.
***End of Recipe***

Catfish Nuggets

1 pound catfish fillets, ½ -inch thick

Flour mixture1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Egg mixture
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon milk
3 drops hot sauce

Bread crumbs
1 cup herb seasoned bread crumbs

Vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice added to 1 quart of cold water.

Cut fillets into 2-inch serving pieces. Refrigerate in lemon juice water*for 1 hour. Discard liquid, rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat 2-inches of oil in a large skillet to 370-degrees. In a shallow bowl, dredge fillets in flour mixture. In another shallow bowl, dip fillets in egg mixture. In a third shallow bowl, dredge fillets in bread crumbs.

Fry about 5 minutes or until nuggets are cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot!
Yield: 4 servings.
***End of Recipe***

Barbeque Pork Roast Sandwiches

1 4-pound pork roast
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups celery, chopped
½ cup steak sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup ketchup
12 hoagie buns, split

Place pork, water and salt in a large Dutch oven. Cover and simmer for 3 ½ -4 hours.

Remove meat from Dutch oven, shred and set aside. Skim fat from juice and stir in celery, steak sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, and ketchup. Add shredded pork. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Serve on hoagie buns and top with caramelized onions.

Caramelized Onions

4 pounds sweet yellow onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil Salt and fresh ground pepper

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and stir to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and have begun to color. Remove the cover and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium and cook uncovered stirring frequently until onions are deep golden and
caramelized.
***End of Recipe***

Chicken Pot Pie

3 to 4 pounds cut up chicken
2 quarts water
1 medium onion, cut in quarters
2 small ribs celery with leaves
3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
7 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 package frozen peas
pastry for 1 crust pie (to top pie), homemade or from mix

Directions for chicken pot pie
In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, combine chicken, water, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and strain stock into a large measure. Return 2 cups of stock to the pot; add carrots, cover, and simmer until carrots are tender.

Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bones and cube. Place chicken in a 2-quart baking dish. Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, and milk. Stir into stock with carrots; add thawed peas. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer until peas are tender. Pour vegetables and sauce over chicken in baking dish; gently stir. Roll out pastry to fit over chicken pot pie with a 1/2-inch overhang. Turn edge under; seal and crimp. Slash several small vents in the top to let steam escape. Bake chicken pot pie at 425 for 20 minutes. Chicken pot pie serves 6 to 8.
***End of Recipe***

Country Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup sweet yellow onion, chopped
½ cup fully cooked ham, chopped
¼ cup butter, softened
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Steam or cook green beans in a small amount of water until crisp-tender; drain and set aside. Over low heat, sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add green beans, ham and seasoning and heat thru. Yield: 4 servings.
***End of Recipe***

When I see this recipe I think of my brother. This was one of his favorites way to eat beets.

Harvard Beets

1. 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup liquid from beets
1 #2 can small whole beets
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat beets with their own liquid in sauce pan. Save 1/2 cup of beet liquid. Remove beets and excess liquid from pan. Return 1/2 of beet liquid, vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, add cornstarch mixed with 2 or 3 tablespoons cold water and simmer until thickened. Pour liquid over beets, add butter and let stand at least 1/2 hour. Reheat and serve. Serves 4
***End of Recipe***

Buttermilk Pie

1 tablespoon of flour
1 cup of sugar
3 well beaten egg yolks
3 egg whites
2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 cup of buttermilk with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda added

In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and the nutmeg together and then add the egg yolks, melted butter. Add the buttermilk and mix well. Pour into an unbaked piecrust and bake at 325 degrees until set.

Beat the egg whites with 6 tablespoons of sugar to form a meringue. Spread the meringue on the cooled pie and brown slightly in the oven.
***End of Recipe***

Banana Cake

This cake is from a Shaker recipe book from Albany, New York area. Simply frost it with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1. Cream butter and sugar.
2.. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Blend in mashed bananas and pineapple.
4. Dissolve soda in buttermilk and set aside.
5. In separate bowl sift together baking powder, flour and salt.
6. Blend dry ingredients into banana-egg mixture alternately with buttermilk.
7. Beat well.
8. Add chopped pecans.
9 Pour into a 9 x 13 pan and bake in 350 F oven 30 - 40 minutes.
***End of Recipe***

Bess Truman's Ozark Pudding

1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream (with a touch of rum, if desired) or vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch pie pan. Beat the egg and the sugar together until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Blend well. Fold in the apples, nuts and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pie pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven; the pudding will fall, but it's supposed to.
Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
***End of Recipe***