Pie Number 19 - Lemon Icebox Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 19 - Lemon Icebox Pie

    This recipe is based off "Icebox Pie" in Favorite Recipes of the Deep South: Alabama-Georgia-Mississippi.  As always, my notes/modifications will be in italics. There is no date in the book, but I guessed it to be early to mid 1960's and I found a date of 1964 in the Library of Congress records.  This book was sold for fund raising by the Home Demonstration Club. No idea where this club was actually located, but the recipes were submitted by women in various clubs throughout Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. This Icebox Pie recipe was submitted by Mrs. C.T. Elmore of Maben, Mississippi.

    I may have used too much lemon juice or evaporated milk because it didn't "set" real well. I'd had to guess at the amounts. I googled "How much juice in 3 lemons?" and "How big is a small can of evaporated milk?"). The first piece tasted great, but was just a pile of messy pie. The second piece, after freezing, was better and kept it's shape.  This pie was really good. I discovered that it definitely needs to go in the freezer overnight or at least freeze for several hours. It was easy to make, so if you like lemon like I do, try this. I think you'll like it.

Ingredients:

1 small can evaporated milk, chilled (5 1/2 oz)

1 cup sugar

juice of 3 lemons (1/2 cup)

1 crumb crust

1/4 cup crushed graham crackers (optional)

lemon zest (optional)

whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Whip chilled evaporated milk until it stands in peaks (I don't think I whipped the milk long enough). Beat in sugar and then fresh lemon juice. Pour into crumb crust. Sprinkle lemon zest over the filling if desired. Chill (Freeze) until firm. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs. 

Crust:

1 1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs 

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (I melted mine)

Crust Directions:

In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter/margarine. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes if desired. You do not have to bake the crust, so baking it is optional.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Mystery Biscuits

 Mystery Biscuits

    I love the community/organization cookbooks in which members of the community or organization submit recipes. I have a copy of the Richardson Citizen Fire Academy Firehouse & Friends Favorite Recipes cookbook, published in 2009.  This recipe was submitted by Alicia M. The "mystery" ingredient is mayonnaise, which provides the fat in the recipe. This recipe was very, easy. The biscuits don't raise much during baking; they come out as nice "pillowy" biscuits. They are yummy and I enjoyed a couple with butter at dinner tonight. Give these simple biscuits a try!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup milk

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.   Stir in the sugar, milk and mayonnaise, ensuring the batter is thoroughly combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls (I used a large soup spoon) onto a greased cookie sheet or fill 12 muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until slightly browned on top. 

Mystery Biscuits

Scalloped Cauliflower

 Scalloped Caulifower

    This recipe is based on the Harvest Cauliflower Scallop recipe in Back to Basics - Home Tested Recipes From A To Z. The original recipe calls for four hard-boiled eggs and I didn't want eggs on mine. I added bread crumbs in lieu of the eggs. I also added 1 1/4 cup milk instead of just 1 cup. I used butter not margarine and also added pepper and spicy seasoning. I would maybe use a round casserole dish or 9x5 pan instead of the 9x13 pan. I really liked this recipe and would definitely make this again. I'll give the original recipe and show my changes in italics. 

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower (I used a giant head of cauliflower) 

3 tbsp margarine (or butter)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk (1 1/4 cup milk)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp spicy seasoning

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced (Optional)

1 1/4 cup shredded American cheese (I used finely shredded Monterrey Jack cheese)

1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs (Optional) (I used crushed ready made salad croutons)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cauliflower into flowerettes. In a large saucepan, cook cauliflower until tender-crisp and drain. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place half of the cauliflower in the dish. Melt margarine or butter; blend in flour and gradually stir in 1 cup of the milk. Stir continuously and cook until thickened; thin with the additional 1/4 cup of milk if desired. Stir in salt, pepper and spicy seasonings. Remove from heat and dot spoonfuls of the white sauce onto the cauliflower. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the cauliflower and white sauce. Layer the rest of the cauliflower in the pan and dot with spoonfuls of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  The original recipe calls for adding sliced hard-boiled egg over the first layer of cauliflower, sauce and cheese, but I just couldn't wrap my head around putting hard-boiled egg in this dish. 

Scalloped Cauliflower 

Scalloped Cauliflower

Coffee Fluff

 Coffee Fluff

    Another  Milk....The Way to Health & Beauty (published by the New York State Bureau of Milk Publicity in 1939) recipe. As a dessert, this was alright. The morning after I made it, I scooped a little bit on to my morning coffee.  When I made this, there was a thicker fluffy layer and a thin an almost pudding-y coffee colored layer. Notes in italics. Try this and let me know if you like it. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 lb marshmallows

1 cup hot coffee

1 tsp vanilla (I used maple flavoring)

1 cup heavy cream

1/8 tsp salt

Extra whipped cream for topping (optional)

Crushed graham cracker crumbs for topping (optional) (you can use whichever flavor you like)

Directions:

Add hot coffee into a medium sized pan. Stir in marshmallows and salt. On low, cook and stir until marshmallows are melted and smooth. Pour into a bowl and chill until the fluff starts to set. Whip cream until stiff. Fold in whipped cream and add vanilla. Chill until "the mixture will mound". Serve in sherbet glasses or small dessert bowls. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. Serves about six. 

Coffee Fluff

Pie Number 18 - Pudding Cheese Pie

The Year of Pie 

Pie #18 - Pudding Cheese Pie

    I can't believe I'm so ahead in my year of pie baking. I'd planned two pies a month and I've already done Pie #18 and it's not even the middle of September.  With only six pies left, I am curious to see what I end up making and which ones I end up liking. I know I've had some favorites already and I've enjoyed giving out samples to friends and coworkers. I know a guy with a popular podcast, sneakygman and I was able to get a sample of this pie to him.  Sneakygman is in his words a Die Hard GIANTS fan. If you are a NY Giants fan, then give him a follow on TikTok or Instagram.  

    This recipe is from The Proof of The Pudding, a General Foods Corporation cookbook printed in 1965. The Jell-O brand pudding product was under General Foods Corporation at the time and all of the recipes use Jell-O pudding. I  love the picture and color on the cover of this book; I also like the other pictures and font used inside. 

    I really enjoyed this pie. It was tasty and easy to make.  Comments in italics. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

8oz cream cheese, softened

2 cups cold milk

1 package (3 3/4oz) Jell-O pudding (The original recipe suggests Coconut Cream, Vanilla or Pineapple Cream instant pudding; I used Vanilla)

1 baked or unbaked 9-inch crumb crust (below)

Whipped Cream for topping

Slivered toasted almonds (optional)

Crushed graham cracker crumbs for decoration

Directions:

Beat softened cream cheese for thirty seconds with a hand mixer. Slowly add 1/2 cup of milk and continue blending until smooth. Slowly add pudding mix and remaining milk. Blend on low for about one minute (until just blended). Pour into crust and chill until set (at least one hour). Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of toasted almonds or graham cracker crumbs. 

Crust:

1 1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs (the original recipe suggests graham crackers, vanilla wafers,                 zwieback, chocolate wafers, gingersnaps or shortbread cookies)

1/4 cup sugar (I used 3 tablespoons)

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (I melted mine)

Crust Directions:

Combine crumbs with sugar. Stir in softened/melted butter and mix thoroughly. Press firmly into the bottom of and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. For a baked crust, bake at 375 degrees for eight minutes and then cool before filling.  For an unbaked crust, chill for 1 hour and fill. 

Pudding Cheese Pie w/Whipped Cream and
Chocolate Graham Cracker Topping

    

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

 Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

    Here is recipe two that I've made from Milk....The Way to Health & Beauty, published by the New York State Bureau of Milk Publicity in 1939. I've heard recently that there's been a resurgence in the popularity of cottage cheese, which has surprised the heck out of me. While I have always liked cottage cheese, I know it's not always been a popular choice for others. What I like about cottage cheese, is that it is fairly low in calories and low in fat, while it has a good amount of protein. I liked this recipe. I can easily see it being a comfort food for me, with the creamy white sauce base and serving it over hot toast (buttered or not).  It was not difficult to make and it was inexpensive, so win-win.

    The base of this recipe is similar to a recipe I like to make, that my dad made when I was growing up, called Eggs Goldenrod. Eggs Goldenrod is a white sauce, with diced hard cooked egg white in it. Also served over buttered toast, the hard cooked egg yolks are finely crumbled and sprinkled over the sauce covered toast. And, let's not forget that there is bacon in this. When I made it tonight, I served it over some fresh jalapeno cheese bread I bought at a farmer's market. I did add a bit of a chili powder seasoning and sprinkled parsley flakes on top to make it look pretty.  Both of which are not in the original recipe. Modifications and notes in italics. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk (I like to heat mine for at least two minutes in the microwave)

3/4 tsp salt (I used 1/2 tsp)

dash of pepper (I used 1/4 tsp)

1/4 tsp chili powder seasoning (use your favorite spicy seasoning)

1/2 lb sliced bacon

2 cups cottage cheese (Drained of much of the liquid)

6 - 8 slices buttered toast

parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Make a white sauce by combining butter and flour together in a saucepan. Add heated milk, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in cottage cheese and heat on low while you cook the bacon. Cut sliced bacon into small pieces and cook until desired crispiness. Remove bacon to a paper towel covered plate with a slotted spoon, to drain. Toast and butter bread. Place a piece or two of buttered toast on a plate. Spoon creamed cottage cheese onto bread (I cut my buttered toast into pieces before covering with the creamed cottage cheese). Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

Spoon Bread With Sausage and Cheese Topping

 Spoon Bread With Sausage and Cheese Topping

    Yeah, so I made this a couple weeks ago and forgot to write about it. I had a lot of drama happening then and it caused delays. Thankfully those issues have resolved and while getting ready to write about another recipe I made from the same cookbook (today) that this spoon bread recipe is in, I realized I hadn't written about it. So, two posts tonight, and another tomorrow (also from this small cookbook).  What's that cookbook you say? It is none other than Milk....The Way to Health & Beauty. This cookbook was published by the New York State Bureau of Milk Publicity, located in Albany, New York, in 1939. It was a Free cookbook and you could send a postcard with name and address to request additional copies.    

    My favorite cookbooks in my collection are my the oldest ones. This one had a couple loose pages, but it does not look like it was used much. I really love the pictures, drawings, coloring and font(s) used. I'll let you know the actual recipe and then as always, will show my notes/modifications in italics. This was tasty. I vacuum sealed some of my leftovers and they froze well. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 2/3 cups milk, scalded

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

2 eggs, separated (The original lists the egg whites and egg yolks separately)

1 1/2 tsp, melted fat or oil

1 lb breakfast sausage 

2/3 cup American cheese, cubed (I used 2/3 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese)

red chili flakes to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions:

Stir cornmeal into scalded milk and cook to a mush. Cool. Add salt, sugar and egg yolks. Stiffly beat eggs whites and fold into the mush. Add your fat or oil and pour into a greased baking dish (I used a 3 quart casserole). Bake in a 375 degree oven for twenty-five minutes. Meanwhile, brown sausage into crumbles and drain excess fat (Remember do not drain grease into your sink!). Cool sausage, stir in cheese. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle the sausage and cheese mixture on top of the spoon bread. Return to oven and bake for an additional ten to fifteen minutes. Serves six to eight. 

Spoon Bread with Sausage and Cheese Topping (I wanted to show you the size of the dish I used, but cropped out the ugly bits of my old stovetop)

Spoon Bread with Sausage and Cheese Topping