Roasted Cauliflower

Seriously. I made some before our last road trip (leftover cauliflower in the crisper). The kids FOUGHT me for it.





Chop up the cauli, toss it with a little olive oil and minced garlic, then roast at 425 for 25 minutes. Shake it around once or twice during the cooking time. Crisp on the outside, soft and creamy inside. Yum!

Crispy Chicken

1 1/2 c crispy rice cereal, coarsely crushed

2 T all purpose flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t dried thyme

1/4 t sage

1/4 c butter or margarine, melted

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 " pieces.

Melt butter in microwaveable bowl. Add cut up chicken and stir. Pour crispy mix over top, stir up, dump into 9 x 13 pan and bake 20 - 25 minutes at 400.

Aunt Halli's 10 Minute Spaghetti Sauce

Tamsin: David just loves it. Dinner in 20 minutes.

1/2 lb hamburger browned and drained

3 8 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 c water

2 T minced onion flakes

1 1/2 t brown sugar

3/4 t oregano

1/2 t basil

1/2 t garlic salt

1/8 t marjoram

Combine and heat to boiling. Simmer 10 minutes. Aunt Halli microwaves it.

Peanut Brittle

Grandma: This recipe was given to me by Yvonne Woolfolk, Grant's boss out at Miles City. Most people don't let their sugar get brown enough. Get it nice and brown. Just don't let it burn. If you stir it a long time, you take the bubbles out. Julia's note: I transcribed the recipe faithfully. Notes in parenthesis are mine. But can you imagine not having a teaspoon of butter plus enough to grease the pan to spare?? We *are* spoiled.

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. Karo (white)

1/2 c. water

Cook in heavy skillet til brittle (hard crack) then add peanuts (the recipe doesn't say how many) and cook til syrup begins to turn brown. Add:

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend well and then add 1 tsp. soda. Stir and remove from heat quickly (this is where you don't want to over stir or you'll take the bubbles out.)

Pour onto a large platter or cookie sheet. Work fast after soda has been added. Have pan or platter well greased.

Butter is better if you have any to spare. I use Crisco!

Hilo Coconut

I was making this cookbook during Thanksgiving 2005. I asked Grandma to bring me her favorite recipes to include. She came over all by herself on the day after Thanksgiving. She had brought all her cookie recipes, plus her peanut brittle recipe and...this one. I have a copy of it written out in her hand. I must have given her a strange look over this one because there's a note by it--"Just really good if you have a coconut for Christmas. The thinner you slice it, the better." It makes me wish I'd asked her when she had a coconut for Christmas and what memories the name Hilo Coconut brought back.

The day she shared these recipes with me was the last day I saw her conscious, up and walking. I remember Tom called her in and asked her to tell stories of her childhood to the kids. Then she left and went straight to the hospital and held baby Julia for a few minutes.

All the events of that year made Christmas chaotic. I lost the recipes and the notes in the chaos. I finished the cookbook the next year-- 2006--all but Grandma's recipes. Maybe one reason I've never been able to bring myself to distribute it was that those recipes were missing. I found them this fall when I completely cleaned out all my files. It was a joyful moment.

Most of the recipes had already been given me by others; she shared generously with everyone. But I'm glad to add the recipe for Hilo Coconut. Grandma, I treasure your memory.

Break a coconut in two. Place with cut side up on cookie sheet; heat in 300 oven for 1/2 hr., or until meat comes free when knife is run between shell and meat. Do not remove thin brown coating. With a vegetable peeler, working on cut edge of coconut meat, slice into thin strips. Spread in shallow pan. Salt lightly, turn over gently. Place in 200 oven and let remain 2 hrs., or until dry. Store chips in air-tight container.

Toll House Marble Squares

2 c sifted flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 c shortening

3/4 c granulated sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 t water

2 eggs

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Blend butter, sugars, vanilla, and water. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts. Spread in greased 11 x 15 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top of batter. Place in oven 1 min. Remove from oven and run knife through batter to marbleize. Return to oven; continute to bake 10 to 12 min or til done. Cool. Cut into 2" squares. Yield: 4 dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is written out in Grandma's hand on the recipe card. No instructions are given, but I think she taught us what to do by example.

1 c butter

1 c peanut butter

1 c brown sugar

1 c granulate sugar

1 t salt

2 1/2 c flour (Gma uses 3 c flour, but remember how lightly she measures!)

2 eggs

2 t (scant) soda sifted with flour