Cowgirls in the Kitchen

Cowgirls in the Kitchen With Linda Broday

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Hi everyone, ready to go to the kitchen? This new segment we’re doing feature recipes our mothers and grandmothers used to make. My mom married during the Depression and she talked a lot about not having exactly what a recipe called for and having to make do. Those were hard times but she lived through them by God’s mercy and grace. When I was a girl at home, she used to make something called Slumgullion or you may know it as Goulash. Pretty much anything goes and a lot of times she made it with leftovers in the fridge. Here’s a picture of my mom in her kitchen where you could usually always find her.

Cowboys on cattle drives ate a lot of this. It’s just so easy and very filling. I’m a big fan of anything that doesn’t have a lot of ingredients.

Slumgullion

4 slices of bacon

1 pound of hamburger

1/2 onion diced

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

1 can tomatoes

Optional: Elbow Macaroni

Optional: 1 can of sweet corn and/or sweet peas

Brown bacon in a heavy saucepan or cast iron skillet, drain and set aside. Cook hamburger meat and onion together and drain. Add cooked bacon and tomatoes (drain half the juice) to the beef and stir in the cheese, corn, and the macaroni if you choose to use that. Cook on low heat to let the flavors blend together. Serve with cornbread or some other type of bread. Enjoy.

Thank you for coming to read my post. Have you ever eaten this or something similar? How about old recipes in your family?

Also, have you been on the Facebook Petticoats and Pistols Reader Page? It’s always fun and informative too. https://bit.ly/3EJhldO

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Pam Crooks

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Fifty years ago, when I was newly married and newly pregnant with my first baby, I joined La Leche League for all their collective wisdom and encouragement with breastfeeding.  Not only was their focus on nursing babies, they stressed nutrition, too, for ourselves and for our families.

Those ladies were some of my best friends for many years, and they were great cooks, too.  One of them shared her Grape-Nuts Bread recipe, which I’ve made more times than I can count.

C.W. Post developed the cereal in 1897. In 1933, Grape-Nuts sponsored Sir Admiral Byrd’s expedition to Antarctica, fed the troops during World War II, energized explorers during their exploring, and soared through the years where it even got a little marketing help from Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show.

Yep, Grape-Nuts cereal is still alive and well today.  It’s a bit daunting to love in a bowl with milk (my husband says it tastes like cardboard, and he’s right) but in this bread recipe, it’s so-o good!

Chock-ful of protein and fiber, it’s dense and hearty, requires no yeast, and comes together quickly (once the cereal soaks in milk).  It’s delicious toasted, spread with butter, jelly, or my personal favorite, cinnamon butter.

If you’ve never had this bread, you’ll be taken aback by its subtle sweetness and nuttiness.

As with most recipes, Grape-Nuts bread has lots of variations.  Here’s the original one as shown in this image. It’s easy to make, bakes up nicely, and is very good:

GRAPE-NUTS BREAD – Yield 1 loaf

Oven 350 degrees.

  • 1 1/3 cups milk
  • 2/3 cup Grape-Nuts cereal

Combine and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and cool while mixing the following:

  • 2 cups sifted flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup sugar

Stir together, then add in:

  • 1 egg, well-beaten
  • 3 Tb. melted butter

Combine all with cereal and milk.

Bake in greased and floured bread pan 55-60 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Here’s my recipe:

GRAPE-NUTS BREAD – Yield 2 loaves

Oven 350 degrees

  • 1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
  • 2 cups sour milk

To sour the milk, add 2 Tb. lemon juice or vinegar and enough milk to make 2 cups.  Let stand 1/2 hour or so. Mix the following:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs

Sift together:

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp soda
  • 3 tsp. baking powder

Combine all ingredients with milk and cereal mixture.

Batter will be very stiff.

Bake in 2 greased and floured bread pans 55-60 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Did you grow up having Grape-Nuts cereal for breakfast?  Have you ever baked with Grape-Nuts cereal?   

A Blast from the Past on Cowgirls in the Kitchen!

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A new year. 

A new twist on recipes!

Tomorrow, we kick off our newest feature on

Cowgirls in the Kitchen.

 

Vintage Recipes!

 

 

We’ll share recipes that our grandmas made, or our mothers, or even ourselves that have been family favorites over the decades.

 

See you tomorrow!

 

 

Also coming this week – another new feature we’re calling Hometown Hoedown showcasing what makes our hometown special and fun to us!

 

 

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Sarah Lamb

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In the mood for a sweet, fruit treat, or have unexpected company dropping by? Maybe it’s HOT and you just don’t want to heat up the oven but need dessert. I’ve got the perfect and most versatile thing for you. 

Before I got married, my mother in law had what she called a “Courting Pie”. It was a pie served to her and her husband at a get together that brought them together, and is a piece of their family history. 

I’d never had anything like it, and loved it so much! But, as we have some food allergies in our house, and I find for some reason, nowadays cherries make my mouth itch (which stinks, they are my favorite) I’ve modified the original recipe so that we can all enjoy it. 

It’s just as tasty either way you make this, and all of this is pretty much fridge and pantry staples, so you can whip this thing up in less than 10 minutes. 

A few of the heroines in my book can’t cook at all…perhaps they should try this pie out! No cooking required! But here’s a little secret! The original courting pie i going to play a part in a book that releases soon! Cherry Cheese Pie by Carissa. My mother-in-law doesn’t know about that yet, or the fact I’ve slipped her and my father-in-law’s names in there! 😉 

Now are you ready to make the world’s most delish and easy pie?

 

 

Blueberry (or whatever you like!) Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 block of softened cream cheese
  • ½ cup of sugar (can use less)
  • Can of pie filling (Blueberry, cherry, or raspberry works best)
  • 1 ½ cups of whipping cream OR tub of whipped topping. (whipping cream tastes better)
  • (If using whipping cream, also add 1 tsp of vanilla and 2 tbs of powder sugar to ingredients.)
  • 1 gram cracker pie crust, made yourself or store bought

Steps: 

  1. Beat whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until peaks form. If using whipped topping, you can omit this step.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth
  3. Combine whipped cream and cream cheese mixture, beat until smooth
  4. Pour into pie pan
  5. Add pie filling on top
  6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours

Notes: 

A can of the pie filling can actually generously top two pies, so considering doubling this recipe! I always do!

Don’t want crust or don’t have pie pans? No need for it! Just put the mixture in a small bowl and top with the fruity topping. It’s still amazing. Or, put a crushed graham cracker or cookie in the bottom of a small bowl.

Need to serve a crowd? Make in a 9×13 and cut into squares.

I hope that you’ll enjoy this tasty recipe if you give it a try! Have a good and safe Thanksgiving, everyone!

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Winnie Griggs

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I’m a big fan of soups, especially this time of year, and I’m always on the lookout for new soup recipes, especially of the quick and easy variety. Here’s one that a friend turned me on to, with a few little tweaks of my own.

Tomato, Corn and Spinach Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 large cans tomato soup, about 23 oz each
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cans creamed corn (about 15 oz each)
  • 2 cans whole kernel corn (about 15 oz each)
  • 2 cans diced tomato with green chilies
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen spinach, chopped
  • 1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: Shredded cheese for topping (I like pepper jack, but feel free to use  your own favorite)

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients except cheese in a deep pot and stir until mixed well.
  2. Heat on medium, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes. Add additional liquid if needed
  3. Reduce to low and simmer for another 15 minutes.
  4. Stir and serve.

Optional: Sprinkle individual servings with desired amount of cheese

NOTES:

  • You can substitute an equivalent amount of frozen corn for the canned
  • I like my soups spicy, but if this is too spicy for you, substitute one or both cans of diced tomatoes with chilies with regular diced tomatoes
  • This recipe makes 8-10 servings and freezes well

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Karen Witemeyer

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With Thanksgiving coming around the corner, I thought I’d share one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes–Candied Yams. This is a tradition handed down from my grandma to my mom to me. They aren’t exactly quick, but there are only three ingredients, so they are pretty easy, and absolutely delicious!

Candied Yams

candied yams
Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of my mom’s yams, but this one came the closest. They won’t be syrupy, though. Just buttery and candied around the edges.
  • 5 large red garnet yams
  • brown sugar
  • 2 sticks butter, melted

(Red Garnet Yams taste better than sweet potatoes, in my opinion, but if you can’t find them, sweet potatoes will work just fine.)

Wrap yams in foil (poke a few vent holes with a short knife in each) and bake in a 400 degree oven until soft (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). Let cool.

Unwrap yams, remove skin, and slice lengthwise into thin, oblong strips about 1/4 inch thick. Lay flat in a shallow baking dish (jelly roll pans work great), fitting them close together so almost no pan is visible. You will probably need at least 2 pans. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Drizzle (or spoon) melted butter over the yams until all the sugar is moistened. Bake in a 400 degree oven again until yams get dark (sticky and candied) around edges (usually 45-60 minutes).

Use a metal spatula to remove yams. Serve in a shallow dish.

Old-fashioned. Simple. And delicious!

What is your favorite potato dish?

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Shanna Hatfield

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 Back in June, we had company coming. Friends I’d made online, but had yet to meet in person.

So, of course, I decided I wanted to make several thing I’d never made before, like a corn salad. I browsed through dozens of recipes but couldn’t find one I liked. I ended up making my own recipes.

Turns out, that was a tasty decision!

Corn Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 large ears fresh corn

4 strips bacon

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1/4 cup Olive Garden Italian Dressing

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.  Cook bacon 15-20 minutes until crisp and browned. Remove from oven and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain grease. When cool enough to touch, dab away grease and crumble into small pieces. Reserve a tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Shuck corn and remove silk strands. Add corn to boiling water. Cover and cook about five minutes. Remove from heat, drain hot water, and immerse in cold water to stop cooking process.

Pat cobs dry and use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cobs. (I’ve found it’s easiest to hold cobs at an angle to remove kernels. My mom had one of those handy-dandy tools you set over the top of a cob on a cutting board, pushed it down, and it removed all the kernels lickety-split.)

Place corn kernels and bacon in a mixing or serving bowl. Drizzle with the bacon grease (just trust me on this!). Add Parmesan cheese, parsley, and salad dressing. Season with salt. Stir to combine ingredients, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. It gives the flavors time to blend. When ready to serve, sprinkle more Parmesan cheese and parsley on top of the bowl (optional).

NOTES: If you are in a hurry, you can use frozen corn instead of fresh, and substitute bacon bits for just-cooked bacon. You can also use dried parsley instead of fresh. If you can’t find Olive Garden Italian Dressing, make your own with this copycat recipe.

Yield: Approximately 4 servings

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Cathy McDavid

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My daughter recently sent me a picture of her in her garden. She’s very excited about the zucchini which are nearly ready to be picked and asked me what she can do with such a bountiful harvest. I told her to make zucchini bread (which can be frozen). As she loves to bake, this sounded like a great suggestion to her.

Just for fun, here’s a simple recipe. Here’s a helpful hint: shred the zucchini ahead of time and squeeze out the extra moisture with paper towels.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice, orange juice, milk, water, or the liquid of your choice
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, optional
  • 1-3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 cups grated or shredded zucchini, medium packed
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3/4 cup golden raisins or currants
  • Optional 2 tablespoons light brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, liquid of choice, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  3. Whisk the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the flour, then add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in the bowl, stirring or beating gently until smooth.
  4. Stir in the zucchini, walnuts, and raisins or currants.
  5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it if necessary. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
  6. Bake the bread for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top (just under the crust) may seem a bit sticky; but so long as the toothpick doesn’t reveal wet batter, it’s done.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely. For best results, don’t slice until it’s cool.
  8. Store the bread at cool room temperature, well wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Well, now I’m going to have to go out and buy some zucchini and make bread, which I love. Or book a ticket to visit my daughter. Maybe I can do both! Hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy!

 

 

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Mary Connealy

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This was always a family favorite.

I’d make it and always imagine it was what cowboys ate sitting around a campfire at the end of a long day of a cattle drive.

I usually called it GRUB

MY ONLY ADVICE on this ten minute recipe…most of that ten minutes is browning the hamburger…is it’s a BIG recipe.

As the children grew up and moved out, I started leaving out the beans one can at a time. In recent years we just use one can of baked beans.

Three Bean Hamburger Casserole

AKA Grub

1 lb. hamburger (browned)

1 can pork & beans

1 can butter beans

1 can kidney beans

I skip the extra beans most of the time and just use pork & beans. Otherwise the recipe is too big. Add:

½ C. brown sugar

½ C. catsup

1 T. mustard

Heat thoroughly, serve.

That’s it. Spend the time while the hamburger is browning opening the cans, then dump it all in and heat it up. DONE!!

Chasing the Horizon

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father’s malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand.
Can they risk trusting each other with their lives–and their hearts–when danger threatens their every step?

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Jeannie Watt

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Today I’m going to give you a recipe for one of my favorite flour-free, five-ingredient cookies. In the early 1970s my mom, who is a fantastic baker, was diagnosed with a wheat allergy. Ironically, we lived in wheat country—wheat fields to the doorstep. At that time, alternative flours were rare. We had pea flour (makes really bad cookies), corn flour (really grainy cookies) and not much else in the grocery stores in Moscow, Idaho. We focused on candy after her diagnosis, but every now and again we’d find a recipe for cookies that didn’t call for flour. These cookies are delicate, but delicious. Here’s the recipe:

Flour-free Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter (you can use chunky if you want)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate chips are optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg, salt and vanilla. That’s it. You’re done, unless you want to add chocolate chips. I just wing that.

I put parchment paper on the cookie sheets, then form 1 tablespoon size balls and place them a couple inches apart. Use a fork to crisscross the cookies.

Bake for 10 minutes–no longer. You do not want to overbake. Let them cool completely on a rack before trying to handle them.

If you want, you can melt chocolate chips and frost the cookies, or just eat them as they are.

Pictured below are three varieties: chocolate chip peanut butter, chocolate frosted peanut butter and plain peanut butter.

Again, these are delicate, but delicious. I hope you try them. They’d be perfect to make with kids and grandkids.

Enjoy!