4 to 5 pound pot roast

3 to 4 carrots, sliced

1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced

4 – 5 small yukon potatos, quartered

1/2 white onion, sliced in to half-rings

2 packets au jus OR 2 to 3 beef bullion cubes

To taste:

minced garlic
pepper
thyme
parsley

Note: You can add salt if you want but I’d wait until you tase the dish after cooking. The au jus mixes usually has enough salt added already.

1. Slice up veggies and put about half at the bottom of the crockpot. In a pan on medium high heat brown the roast a bit on all sides and reserve a little bit of the fat that cooks off.

2. Place the browned roast in the crockpot atop the vegetables. Slip the remaining veggies on top and surrounding the roast.

3. In the pan used to brown the meat add the au jus mix, as much water to make sauce the strength you want and mix well to incorporate a bit of the melted fat. Add spices and simmer about 5 minutes to release flavor.

4. Pour the heated au jus over the roast in the crockpot and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours. Lower heat to low and cook for another 6 to 7 hours. Doneness is when the roast falls apart and shreads with a poke of a fork.

2 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 c milk

3 Tbsp karo syrup

3 squares unsweetened/bitter chocolate

1/2 c peanut butter

1 Tbsp butter

Boil all ingredients except peanut butter until they form a soft ball in cold water. Add peanut butter and beat until thick. Spread evently in a deep pan lined with lightly buttered wax paper. Let set for 1 to 2 hours, cut in to squares and serve.

To store, wrap pieces in squares of  wax paper and store in air tight jars.

Simple, yummy and wonderful for a halloween treat or anytime.

2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp water

Butter the size of a medium egg

In a pot heat all until boiling but don’t mix yet. Wait until a spoon dipped inside the pot hardens on the spoon then mix gently. Butter plates and drop mix atop, spreading gently it if clumps too fast to spread itself. You might have to work fast depending on when you start to spread.

Don’t worry, we’re still plugging along. Kitchen renovations once more and a slew of recipes to come. I’m just doing lots of testing and retesting to make sure things work.

Of all my raisin pie recipes this one tends to be my favorite.

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

1/8 tsp salt

2 eggs, separated

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp cinnamon or lemon juice – can do half and half

9 inch crust, nicely baked to golden

Combine sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon.

Beat yolks thoroughly and add mixed dry ingredients.

Add fine chopped raisins and sour creak, cooking mixture until thickened. Stir constantly.

Pour in to pastry shell.

Beat egg whites until peaked. Add 4 Tbsp sugar and spread on pie.

Bake in oven at 350F about 10 to 12 minutes until meringue is golden brown.

I’ve no idea where this one came from originally other than scribbled on the back of an old daisy-wheel type printing paper sheet corner. This version of raisin pie is of an almost custard-like consistency which is not what I’m used to personally but my mother tends to like it on occasion.

1 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups seedless raisins

4 Tbsp butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Heat win in sauce pan then add rasins. Allow to soak until plump. Cream the butter and sugar in a sturdy mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice, salt and vanilla. The batter may look a bit curdled but don’t worry.

Preheat oven to 325F for 6 minutes and allow pie shell to puff. As soon as it puffs remove and pour in batter. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until well set.

Cool and serve at room temperature.

1 cup raisins

2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

3 1/2 Tbsp flour or minute tapioca

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon rind

9 inch pastry crust, pre-baked to golden – I prefer this one

Add water to raisins, cover and simmer on medium low heat for about 20 minutes. Drain and add enough water to juice to equal 2 cups.

Combine flour or tapioca, sugar, salt and juice. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour a small amount of the hot mixture over beaten egg and stir vigorously.

Return everything to saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add butter, lemon juice and rind. Cool and pour everything in to the baked pie shell.

Note that you might want to add a little fresh whipped cream or meringue on the top. If using meringue then bake at 325F until a light golden brown.

My computer is back, my recipe collection software is back, my blogs are back and I am back! I’ve missed my usual readers and blogrolls and I’ve LOTS of new recipes to post.

Speaking of which, I’ve had a request for several classic recipes which I’m going to be checking up on and finding my favorites for posting. Michelle aka Hippychick asked for the following:

“sourdough starter – sourdough bread
rye bread
dumplings
cinnamon rolls
raisin pie
baked custard pie – no quick pudding style things”

I LOVE RAISIN PIE! I have no idea why I’ve not posted at least a dozen recipes for it already but I’ve several that have been family favorites including one my great-grandmother’s passed down that’s been her pride and joy.

So keep reading because within the next two or three days I plan on having all these and more up and ready.

And you know that a lady with such great taste in recipes is worth checking out so stop in on Michelle’s blog at HippyChicksGarden!

I recently bought a cast iron skillet at a yard sale but it’s pretty well rusted. It’s in there pretty deep and even though I can’t see the rust anymore I can stil taste it.

Do you know a way to clean cast iron so it won’t leave an iron taste behind?

PS I don’t have a dishwasher or a way to clean it over an open fire or gas range.

Jody

Delaware
————————————————————————————

I LOVE cast iron and have been using it for years. I’m pretty allergic to heavy chemicals in industrial cleaners so the less I touch them the better. That’s why my mother taught me a trick she got from her grandmother: Potatoes!

Cut the end off of a nice sized potato. Use Comet or a similar powder cleanser as your base and scrub it in to the pan with the potato. As the potato becomes used cut off a small slice of the end. It might take a while but the potato helps to “draw out” the look and taste of iron. If the iron’s really stubborn or you have an area of the skillet you just can’t get in to then go ahead and put a small bit of vinegar in to the pan for about half an hour or so to loosen the rust.

When you’ve gotten all the rust out then just wash well with dishwashing liquid and hot water.  Dry in your oven, baking at about 250F for 20 minutes or so. When it comes out use a TINY bit of veggie oil inside and spread with a napkin so it’ll coat and slow season.

Check how deep the rust is embedded, though. If it’s too far in then the surface is going to be very uneven and you might not get the taste out at all. But try cleaning first because a good cast iron skillet is a horrible thing to waste.

So, it’s been a while. But I assure you that I’m still here.
Spring passed us over in this part of Montana and has decided to go directly into summer. We’re wrapping up spring cleaning and getting out the camping supplies. So I’m going to be looking in to finding some sure-fire recipes for grilling and camping awesomes and bring out some more desserts.

I’ve also gotten a flood of Emails lately with requests and questions so I’ll be doing some research to find some answers and have those up soon.

Keep your eyes open for more updates!