SaTuRdAy SuRpRiSe - Cloud Sandwiches

Hello Blogland!
So sorry I have been remiss in my blogging, but things have been busy here in the Midwest! I have been smack-dab in the middle of a kitchen re-do and progress has been very time consuming. I hope to be better at making regular posts in the near future...

As I was taking a break from painting, I picked up my copy of "The Farmer's Cookbook" (1981)and decided to just post the first recipe that I opened to. So here for your taste buds' delight, I am posting "Cloud Sandwiches". This looks to be basically a huge omelet and in my estimation, would serve 2 - 4 people. (Depending on how hungry the people are!)

Cloud Sandwiches:

4 slices bread
butter, as needed
2 slices Swiss or Cheddar cheese
2 slices cooked ham
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
dash of pepper
(I'd add a dash of salt for good measure!)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Trim crust from bread. Butter bread on one side. Place the 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, in a small loaf pan. Top each with cheese, ham and top with the remaining slices of bread. Beat together eggs, milk, mustard and pepper. (Salt, too?) Pour over sandwiches. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

I think this sounds great for breakfast, brunch or even for a mid-week supper...

Enjoy!

sAtUrDaY sURpRiSe - Grandma's All Purpose Cream Pie Recipe

I was lucky to inherit some of my Grandma's recipes when she passed away. Most are hand written by her in the 1930's, when she was the young mother of seven children during the Great Depression. Today I thought I'd share a versatile recipe for Cream Pies. Its basically the pudding base and can be flavored in a variety of ways, depending on the type of pie that is desired.

All of the pies require a pre-baked pie shell. For convenience you can purchase ready made ones at the store, but if you want to go the "old fashioned way", you can make your own. I like this "No Fail Pie Crust Recipe"... Follow the directions (don't forget to pierce with a fork before baking) and bake unfilled pie crust for approximately 15- 20 minutes and let cool.

Now for my Grandma's Filling Recipe:

1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons fat (use shortening, like Crisco)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients with a little of the milk, the add rest of milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until thick. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Add a little of the hot mixture to the egg yolk (to temper the eggs). Pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot mix and cook a few more minutes. Stir in fat and vanilla. (This is basic vanilla pudding, which you can use just like this for your pie!) Pour filling into baked pie shell, cool and top with meringue or whipped cream.

For variety:

Banana Cream Pie - Slice two peeled bananas into pie shell before adding filling.
Coconut Cream Pie - Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut to filling; sprinkle topping with coconut.
Chocolate Cream Pie - Make filling, adding 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar and two and 1/2 squares baker's chocolate.

Enjoy!

Saturday Surprise ~ Party Sandwich Loaf

Found this recipe over at Expolounge and it actually appealed to me. We're planning a Summer Party with a "Carnival" theme, so with the pastel colored "frosting" I just may just make it for that night. The shrimp salad, chicken with bacon and pecan fillings sounded cool and refreshing...yummo!

Here's the directions:

Party Sandwich Loaf


Prepare fillings (below). Trim crusts from 1 loaf unsliced sandwich bread. Cut loaf horizontally into 4 equal slices. Spread one side of 3 slices with softened butter. Place 1 bread slice, buttered side up, on serving plate. Spread evenly with Shrimp Salad Filling. Top with second bread slice and spread evenly with Cheese-Pecan Filling. Top with third slice and spread evenly with Chicken-Bacon Filling. Top with remaining bread slice. Frost top and sides with Cream Cheese Frosting (below). Chill until frosting has set, about 30 minutes. Wrap loaf with a damp cloth and continue to chill 2-1/2 hours, or overnight. 12 to 14 servings.


Shrimp Salad Filling
• 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
• 1 can (4-1/2 oz.) broken shrimp, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped celery
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• Dash pepper
• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients.

Cheese-Pecan Filling
• 1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1 can (8-3/4 oz.) crushed pineapple, well drained

Mix all ingredients.

Chicken-Bacon Filling
• 8 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
• 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped pimiento
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients.

Cream Cheese Frosting
• 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup light cream
• Green food coloring


Mix cheese and cream thoroughly. Add a few drops food coloring to tint frosting a delicate green.

Saturday Surprise- Vintage Jello Mold Recipe

With the hot summer months approaching, I thought I'd post a "blast-from-the-past" vintage recipe from the '50's. Heaven only knows why these "aspic" recipes were so popular???? Maybe it was because Jello started coming out in flavors or something?

Personally, I have never eaten or made one of these concoctions. They always looked like something I wouldn't like 'cause I'm weirded out by meat and vegetables that wiggle with a fruit flavoring. Here is the recipe and if anyone ever tries it, please let me know how it turned out. Bon Apetit!