October 2009 Host:  Emily

                                                                                                   

Little Heathens Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish

Summary

This is Mildred Kalish’s memoir of her childhood on an Iowan farm during the Great depression. Although her lifestyle was frugal and she and her family had to endure severe conditions (e.g. Iowan blizzards), the author doesn’t dwell on the negatives. She shares happy memories of her childhood such as making head cheese and the adventures she shared with her siblings. Her days as a preteen were filled with work made harder since they lacked electricity and running water. These chores included doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, and caring for the farm animals, but she also regales us with stories of outhouse tipping and domesticating raccoons that she slept with (they did help to keep her feet warm). The thriftiness and independence the author learned as a child continued to be part of her adult life. Like a piece of good fiction, this book is rich in detail yet maintains historical truthfulness.

Discussion

-We all enjoyed the book - for some it brought back memories. The author’s simple and straightforward telling of her childhood in Iowa made for an easy and engaging read. She also drew us into her story with her frank sense of humor. This is probably one of the best and honest descriptions of 1930s farm life in Iowa.

-This book included a number of recipes from the era which some of us made - they were quite tasty - and made us feel an appreciation for their cooking skills when they had so little to work with. Some of us also brought dishes passed down within our own families - again very good food. This further underscored the importance of handing down recipes and memories to future generations as each generation changes in different ways.

Menu

Hot Apple Cider

Rolls

Porcupines

Green Bean Casserole

Scalloped Corn

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Hickory Nut Cake

Applesauce Cake

                                                                Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

-2 quarts apple cider
-2 cinnamon sticks
-cloves
-spiced rum (how much is up to you)

Heat first 3 ingredients,  mix together and enjoy.

                                          Dinner Rolls with Honey Butter

Prep time 30 minutes, rise 1 1/2 hours, bake 15 minutes, 15 rolls

Ingredients

-3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cup bread flour
-1/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup butter, softened
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
-1/2 cup very warm water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)
-1/2 cup very warm milk (120 degrees to 130 degrees)
-1 large egg
-Melted butter, optional

Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt and yeast in large bowl.  Add warm water, warm milk, and
egg.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.  Beat on low speed one minute, scraping frequently.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Knead about five minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.
Place dough in large bowl, greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides.  Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 1 hour or until doubled.  Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.   

Grease rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, with shortening.

Gently push fist into dough to deflate.  Divide dough into fifteen equal pieces.  Shape each piece into a ball; place into a pan.   Brush with butter if desired. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until doubled.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm or cooled. 

Honey Butter

Prep time 5 minutes, chill one hour.  Great with dinnter rolls. 

Ingredients

-1/2 cup softened butter
-1/2 cup honey

Beat ingredients together and chill for about one hour to blend flavors.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

                                                                        Porcupines


(This thrifty recipe is taken directly from “Little Heathens” and are called porcupines since they resemble porcupines.)

Ingredients

-one pound of ground beef
-½ cup rice
-¼ cup milk
-1 ½ cup to 2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes
-salt and pepper to taste

Mix together ground beef, rice, milk, salt, and pepper. Form mixture into oval-shaped balls about three inches long. Place in an oblong Pyrex baking dish and pour tomatoes over top. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and a half. The cooked rice will poke out of the ovals like porcupine quills

Green Bean Casserole

                                                                      Scalloped Corn

                                                        Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
                               (this is a favorite dish handed down from Colleen’s grandma)


2 pounds potatoes (about 6 med. or 4 large potatoes)
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp butter or margarine
Pre-cooked ham cut into 1 inch squares

Peel potatoes. Cut enough thin slices to measure about 4 cups. Heat 3 tbsps butter in saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 min.

Arrange potatoes in greased 2-quart casserole in 3 layers, topping each of the first two layers with 1/2 of the onion and 1/3 of the white sauce. You can add pre-cooked pieces of ham on top of first two layers. Top with remaining potatoes and sauce. Dot with 1 tbsp butter. Cover and bake in 325 degree oven 40 min or 350 oven for 30 min. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender, 60 to 70 minutes longer. Let stand 5 to 10 min. before serving. Makes 6 servings.

                                     

                                                                    Hickory Nut Cake

                                                                 Applesauce Cake 
                                        (this recipe was taken directly from “Little Heathens”)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups applesauce
2/3 cup raisins
¾ cup walnuts or pecans

Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and beat. Mix all remaining dry ingredients (saving raisins and nuts to stir in last) together in a separate bowl. Alternately add dry ingredients and applesauce to sugar and butter, beating after every addition. Finally, stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2 loaf pan and bake in 350 degree oven for forty-five minutes or until completely done in center.

August 2009 Host: Nancy


Roots by Alex Haley

Summary

This is a historical novel that spans seven generations of a family. The story begins with an African boy named Kunte Kinte who was kidnapped from his homeland in the late 1700s and brought to America to be sold into slavery on a Virginia plantation. More than half of this near 700 page book is devoted to Kunte’s life, from his horrific voyage to the United States to his repeated attempts at escaping slavery. He spent part of the voyage thinking that he was going to be eaten by the white men and ultimately had half his foot chopped off for his repeated attempts at escaping slavery. Kunta’s pride and dedication to his heritage is passed on to his daughter Kizzy and throughout subsequent generations. The novel ends with Alex Haley himself who claims that he is a direct descendant of Kunte. Although a portion of the book was plagiarized from “The African” and Haley’s claims of being a direct descendant of Kunte were never proven, this was a captivating and compelling read as told through the eyes of slaves themselves.

Discussion

-We all enjoyed the book although the length of it prevented some of us from getting it read within the time frame that we had. The historical nature of the book fulfilled the penchant we all have for the ease of learning about other cultures through a good fiction read.

-The characters in this novel are colorful and believable. It is partially due to these characters (e.g. Kunte Kinte, Chicken George) that you will never forget this book.

-Kunte’s daughter Kizzy was torn from her parents and moved to another plantation. The novel follows Kizzy and her story - but we are completely separated from Kunte’s story at this stage - it was a bit of a disappointment as he was such a compelling character.

-We couldn’t fathom how people were so readily willing to impose the cruelty of slavery on generations and generations of Africans. We discussed how if we were alive during the 1700s and 1800s, how different would we be and would we be so willing to do the same.

-Note: The 30th anniversary edition of “Roots” has numerous grammar and spelling errors so it might be worthwhile picking up an earlier edition of the book as these mistakes are distracting.

Menu

Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

Beer Butt Chicken

Pulled Pork

Smoked Baked Potatoes

Zucchini Squash Casserole

Sumi Salad

Rice/Tomato/Black Olive Dish

Chocolate Caramel Nut Cake

Grasshopper Pie

Orange Dessert

Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

Ingredients

Melon
Bacon size strips of prosciutto

Cube melon into approximately 1-2 inch squares. Wrap each piece in prosciutto. Serve with balsamic vinegar sauce.

                                                                Beer Butt Chicken

Ingredients

1 five pound or larger chicken
1 can of Guinness beer
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon garlic
1 tablespoon paprika

Drink half the can of beer. Put spices and butter into can with remaining beer. Place chicken on top of beer can (beer can should be fit snugly inside cavity of chicken so that chicken balances completely on top of can). Cook in smoker at 250 degrees for four to five hours.

Pulled Pork

Ingredients
1 five pound or more pork roast.


Rub Ingredients:

(derived from a recipe in “The Barbecue Bible”)
¼ cup paprika
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder



Mix all rub ingredients together. Rub liberally all over pork roast. Cover with foil and leave in refrigerator overnight. The next morning, set out roast long enough to get to room temperature. Remove foil and cook in smoker at 250 degrees for five to six hours using your choice of wood (e.g. hickory, apple, oak, mesquite, etc.) When done, take out cover with foil, and let it rest 15 to 20 minutes. Pull pork apart. It may then be placed into a slow cooker set on low/warm to keep warm.

Smoked Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
5-6 (depending on number of servings required) large russet potatoes
Salt
Butter

Tear off five or six squares of aluminum foil. Wash potatoes, dry them and place one on each square of foil. Rub each potato generously with butter. Sprinkle each potato with one or two shakes of salt. Wrap them each in foil and poke about five or six holes through foil and potato skin. Cook in smoker at 250 degrees for four to five hours.

Zucchini and Squash Casserole


Ingredients

1 large zucchini, sliced about ¼ in
1 medium yellow squash sliced about ¼ in
1 medium Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 cup grated Italian, or romano, or mozzarella cheese
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly grease a 9 x 12 baking dish.  Layer ½ each of the squash, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes into the baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese and add pats of butter.  Season layer with ½ teaspoon garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Make second layer same as first.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or more until vegetables are to desired tenderness.

                                                                         Sumi Salad

Ingredients
1 shredded cabbage
3 scallions (can add other veggies: carrots, cucumbers, peppers, etc.)

Dressing

6-8 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 Packets of Ramen noodles

Toast in oven until light brown:
2 pkgs. Ramen noodles (crumbled)
½ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Handful sunflower seeds

Toss everything together before serving.

                                                      Chocolate Caramel Nut Cake




Ingredients

1box of devil's food cake mix
1 bag Kraft caramels
1/2 stick of butter or margarine
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap caramels (this takes the longest). Add butter and condensed milk. Melt over low heat or use defrost cycle on microwave, stirring occasionally. Follow directions on cake mix. Pour two cups of cake mixture into 9 by 13 pan that's been greased and flour dusted. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove cake from oven and spread caramel mixture over top. Cover with remaining cake mixture. Sprinkle nuts on top and continue baking for 30 minutes.

                                                                      Grasshopper Pie

Prep time 30 minutes, chill 4 1/2 hours, serves 8

Ingredients

Crust

-1 1/2 cups finely crushed oreo cookies
-1/4 cup butter, melted

Pie filling

-1/2 cup milk
-32 large marshmallows
-1/4 cup creme de menth
-3 tablespoons creme de cacao
-1 tub cool whip
-few drops of green food coloring (optional)
-grated semisweet baking chocolate (optional)

Crust

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine crumbs and butter.  Press mixture firmly against bottom and side of pie plate.

Heat milk and marshmallows in 3 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows are melted.  Refrigerate about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.  (If mixture becomes too thick, place saucepan in a bowl of warm water, stir mixture until a proper consistency is obtained.)

Gradually stir in creme de menth, creme de cacao, and food coloring.

Fold marshmallow mixture into cool whip.  Spread in crust.  Sprinkle with grated chocolate if desired.  Refrigerate about 4 hours or until set. Store covered in refrigerator.   
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                                                                    Orange Dessert