Grandma's Kitchen: April 1, 2016

HEARTY HAM SUPPER

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 cup flour

2 cups scalded milk

2 cups cubed, cooked ham

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup diced, cooked, potatoes

1/4 cup minced parsley (fresh; use less if dehydrated)

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1/4 tsp paprika

1 cup shredded American cheese

1. Melt butter and add flour. Blend until smooth using whisk. Add scalded milk, a little at a time, and stir with whisk until boiling and smooth. Turn down heat.

2. Combine other ingredients, except cheese, in baking dish. Pour sauce over ham mixture, and top with cheese.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE PUDDING FROM MIX

11/4 cup pudding mix

21/2 cups water

1 egg, beaten

11/2 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp butter (optional)

1. Combine pudding mix and water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

2. Add butter and remove from heat.

3. Stir some of the hot mixture into the beaten egg; then blend this mixture into the pudding, and cook one minute. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Pour into dessert dish.

4. Serve warm or chilled.

Makes 6 servings

Linda's Note: For chocolate pudding, add 1/4 cup cocoa.

LINDA'S HOT DISH

3 cups cooked noodles

1 cup cooked, diced, ham

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 soup can of milk

Corn flakes

1. Place in casserole in layers. Sprinkle corn flakes over the top.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Linda's Note: You can use tuna or browned hamburger and onions in this recipe in place of the ham. Also good when corn or peas are added. When I do this, I add a few tablespoons of the juice from the can. I also add salt and pepper to the casserole to taste.

LEMON ANGEL

1 lemon, juice of it, and the grated rind

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks, well beaten

2 eggs whites, whipped till stiff (fold these into mixture)

1. Mix ingredients in order. Put into baking pan. Place in another none-break pan (I use a metal cake pan), with 2 inches of water in it.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or till it is done.

Linda's Note: This is nice served with whipped cream or Cool Whip. It is my Grandma Majerus' recipe. On the farm in Iowa during and after the Depression, she always had a lemon on hand. She used it on the injuries of the kids, and if it needed to be used, and all were healthy, Grandma made this dish. She was an amazing woman — Lena Johansmen Majerus!

APPLE SAUCE COOKIES

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 egg

1 cup apple sauce

1 tsp soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts

1. Mix in order given. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets.

2. Bake at 350 degrees till cookies are done.

Linda's Note: This is also Grandma Majerus' recipe.

Basic Muffin Mix

81/2 cups flour

1/3 cup baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

21/4 cup vegetable shortening

11/2 cups dry milk

1 tbsp salt

1. Sift together all the dry ingredients. Mix well.

2. Cut in shortening or oil until evenly mixed. Mixture should look like cornmeal. Put in a large airtight container.

Makes 13 cups of mix; should be used within 10 - 12 weeks.

Variations:

Raisin muffins from mix:

21/2 cups mix

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup water

1 egg

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Combine mix and sugar; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add raisins.

Beat egg and water together; stir into dry ingredients just until mixture is moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

Spoon batter into greased medium-size muffin pan cups, filling each three-quarters full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Makes 8

Whole wheat muffin mix — from the recipe above

Use 41/4 cups whole wheat flour and 41/4 cups white flour.

Increase baking powder to 5 tablespoons

PUDDING MIX

11/2 cup sugar

23/4 cup dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarh

1 tsp

1. Combine all ingredients, and stir until well blended.

2. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes about 24 servings of pudding

Linda's Note: Keep mix on hand, and you'll always be able to fix a good dessert or snack fast.