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How about the story about the Three Frozen Kings? Anybody watching the calendar last month when we had the cold weather and then that one beautiful day that said it's time to take the straw off the strawberries and leave them off this time. Don't look now, but the Three Kings were right on schedule in 1966.
The month of June will find you with rhubarb to fix a thousand different ways and the bulletin for this month will produce a few more recipes to add to your file of rhubarb recipes. This could be called the rabbit and rhubarb bulletin, but there's other things, too, all I hope, to your liking. Happy summer vacation months, Mother!
The first recipe this month is a new way to serve one of natures most plentiful items this time of year .... rhubarb!
RHUBARB CRUMB SQUARES
2 cups graham crackers (crushed)
1½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons coarsely grated orange
peel
1/3 cup butter
6 cups rhubarb, cut in one inch
pieces
Combine crumbs, sugar, salt, cinnamon and orange peel. Melt butter, mix with crumbs. Alternate layers of rhubarb and crumb mixture in greased 8 inch square baking dish, Press crumbs down firmly with spoon. Bake in moderate oven (350°) until rhubarb is tender about 40 minutes (usually . Cut in squares and serve as you desire. Mrs. Ben Semelroth, Cedar Rapids, Iowa).
Mrs. Semelroth also sent in a recipe she used in filling cream puffs and since you're always interested in filling recipes, let's add it to this month's bulletin.
CREAM PUFF FILLING
Scald two cups milk in top of double boiler. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Combine 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, ½ cups sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix. Add to scalded milk and cook 15 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture should be thick and smooth. Pour over 2 large lightly beaten egg yolks and cook 1 minute longer. Cool thoroughly and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat enough whipping cream for one cup whipped cream until it stands in peaks. Fold into creamed filling and fill puffs.
A quick and easy shortcake for all those strawberries we should get out of our strawberry patch should catch your attention. Try this one.
OPEN LINE SHORTCAKE
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
pinch salt
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
½ cup boiling water
Beat eggs until very thick and light. Add sugar and beat again. Add remaining ingredients, beating very slowly. Bake in ungreased 9 by 9 inch pan at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves eight.
Here's one of the rabbit recipes I had the pleasure of sampling thanks to Mrs. Dorothy Newport of the Iowa State Rabbit Breeders Association and is it delicious.
JIM'S RABBIT
1 two to three pound rabbit
1 10 ounce can mushroom gravy
1 4 ounce can mushrooms
1 tablespoon green or red pepper
Few onion rings
salt and pepper to taste
Flour
Dredge rabbit in Flour. Brown in skillet. Pour can of gravy and liquid from can of mushrooms (optional) over rabbit. Season a little more. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle diced red and green pepper on top. Space onion rings cover, and place in 350° for about 45 minutes. Note: Freshly dressed domestic rabbit can be purchased at most counters, by request. Request it.)
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This unusual dessert recipe was requested on the Open Line. The request was answered both on the air and in the mail. This version of this dessert, sometimes called the "Stained Glass Dessert was sent in by a Wadena, Iowa Open Liner.
BROKEN GLASS TORTE
1 package each lemon or orange,
lime, and red jello
½ cups hot water for each
package
1 envelope plain unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
1 cup hot pineapple juice
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Graham cracker crust
Dissolve each package of jello in 1½ cups hot water and chill in separate layer cake pans until firm. Then cut into small cubes. Soften the plain gelatin in cold water and dissolve in hot pineapple juice. Cool and fold into whipped cream into which you have beaten the sugar and vanilla. Blend the colored jello cubes carefully into the pineapple whipped cream mixture. Turn into spring-form pan (nine inch) lined with graham cracker crust, reserving a few crumbs for topping. Chill 6 to 12 hours or until firm. Slice to serve and get a broken glass effect. (Ruth Thomson, Wadena, Iowa)
Even Spanish Rice will taste like a company dish when you use this Open Line recipe.
SPANISH RICE
½ pound bacon, sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper
1 medium can tomatoes
1 cup uncooked rice
1 to 2 cups water
1 small can drained mushrooms (optional)
garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
Brown bacon, onion and pepper. Drain grease. Add remaining ingredients and cook slowly (270°-280°) For thirty-five to forty minutes. (Note: this recipe is used in an electric skillet by the caller to explain the temperature information in the cooking time).
Meat loaf can be something special if it's like this one from a Holiday Inn Cook Book and sent in by an Open Line listener.
MOUNT VERNON VIRGINIA MEAT LOAF
½ cup cream
2 cups soft bread crumbs
½ cup water
2 eggs well beaten
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons horseradish
½ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
¼ cup chili sauce
Pimento cut into 8 narrow strips
Combine cream, bread crumbs and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except ¼ cup chili sauce and pimento. Mix thoroughly, to shape. Pack into medium size mixing bowl. Turn out onto lightly greased baking pan. Gently score design into top with wooden spoon. Bake at 350° for 1¼ hours. When done remove from oven to warm serving platter. Pour ¼ cup chili sauce over and decorate with strips of pimento. Serves eight generously.
Here's the recipe I tried to make into cookies on the air, but a close listening listener changed it back to a cake before the end of the program.
SOFT MOLASSES CAKE
2 cups flour
½ cup granulated sugar
dash of nutmeg
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water
1 egg
1 teaspoon soda (in boiling water)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup melted Crisco
Mix ingredients as given. Batter will be thin. Pour in 13 by 9 by 2 inch greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 350° for 30 minutes.
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Here is another rhubarb cream pie recipe to add to your other rhubarb recipes.
RHUBARB CREAM PIE
2 tablespoons butter
2½ cup diced rhubarb
1 cup sugar
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup light cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
Melt butter, add rhubarb and 1 cup sugar. Cook slowly until tender. Combine ¼ cup sugar, the corn starch, egg yolks, cream and salt. Add to rhubarb and cook until thick. Cool. Pour into 9 inch pie shell. Top with meringue. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 350°. (Mrs. Roscoe Phipps, Marion, Iowa).
Pizza anyone? Just for the fun of it, try making the next one at home. After you make the dough, what goes on top is open to invention.
PIZZA DOUGH
½ package dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dissolve yeast in water. Add flour and salt. Knead, working in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Knead until smooth and elastic. Shape into ball. Place in bowl and cover. Let rise until double. This should take about 25 minutes. Roll and stretch dough to size of pan. (I have found a floured rolling pin is best for pizza dough). Cover with the other tablespoon of olive oil before adding pizza topping. Bake 425° for 25 minutes.
When making up hamburger, thinly slice a small raw potato and add to raw meat. The meat is more moist and has a fine flavor.
Here's another word on what to do when you get onion odor on your hands after peeling and slicing them. Take a spoonful of sugar, put in hand, dampen and rub thoroughly into hands and rinse.
Last month, we included two cheese cakes on the bulletin and both of them used cottage cheese. This month, here is one that doesn't call for cottage cheese and sounds like the granddaddy of them all.
CHEESE PIE ROYAL
1½ cup graham crackers
1/8 pound melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
4 three ounce packages Philadelphia
Cream Cheese
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sugar
½ pint thick sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
All ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375°. Make graham cracker crust using first group of ingredients. For filling, beat eggs on medium speed, add sugar, vanilla and cheese. Beat until smooth. Fill pie crest and bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and cool. Mix bottom group of ingredients at low speed and pour over top of cooled pie. Return to oven and bake exactly five minutes.
By mistake, we overlooked a recipe meant to be in last month's bulletin. It was taken from an old cook book and it is dated back to 1922.
WANDERING JEW COOKIES
1½ cups sugar
1 cup butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda, mixed in flour
1 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2½ cups candied fruit
Mix dough and let stand overnight. Next morning roll thin. Bake in slow oven.
FROSTING: Boil 2 cups sugar, ½ scant cup butter and 1 cup hot water until it forms a soft ball. Beat until sheath and then add 2 tablespoons cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat a little more and then frost the cookies. (Mrs. Anna Jeffries, Vinton, Iowa).
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As most of you know, it was my pleasure to judge a rabbit cooking contest last month and thanks to the generosity of The Iowa State Rabbit Breeders Association (and Mrs. Dorothy Newport) I have a copy of "Bunny Gourmet", the most complete rabbit cook book. incidentally, you can get a copy by sending $2.25 to Mrs. Dale Newport, 2401 Wilson Avenue, SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404. Here are some of the recipes From "Bunny Gourmet."
RABBIT BURGERS
2 cups rabbit meat
2/3 cup pork sausage
2/3 cup boiled potato
1 beaten egg
Cut meat from bones, then run through food chopper. Add the sausage, and mashed potatoes. Form into patties, season and fry.
RABBIT SANDWICH SPREAD
1 cup finely chopped cooked rabbit
meat
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped green
pepper
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped sweet
pickle or pickle relish
1/3 cup mayonnaise or other thick
salad dressing
Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients well. Keep cold and use within a week. Makes 1½ cups, enough for 6 sandwiches, ¼ cup each.
CHERYL'S BAR-B-QUE RABBIT
Soak 1 cut-up rabbit fryer in salted water for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Roll meat in melted butter, making sure all joints and folds are coated. While still dripping, roll in pieces of finely crushed corn flakes. Brown in hot oil. Add CHERYL'S BAR-B-QUE RABBIT SAUCE already simmered, reduce heat and cook approximately 1½ hours.
CHERYL'S BAR-B-QUE SAUCE
Combine:
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
½ clove garlic finely minced
½ cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt to taste
1½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup catsup
1 teaspoon sugar, 1/3 cup grated
onion, 1/8 teaspoon tabasco sauce. Simmer 15 minutes.
RABBIT CASSEROLE ITALIEENE
2 four ounce cans mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup diced celery
1 chopped onion
3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
3 cups canned tomatoes
1½ cups ground cooked rabbit
meat
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 bay leaves, broken
1 can small shrimp
In the butter, sauté mushrooms, celery, and onion. Pour over other ingredients already in buttered casserole, and bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.
Here is another recipe that missed last month's bulletin. Thelma Dolly spent the winter down south and remembered us by sending up this recipe.
KEY LIME PIE
1 can condensed milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup lime juice
Beat 1 egg white stiff. Fold into above mixture. Beat 3 egg whites and gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar. Put into baked pie shell and bake till egg whites are golden brown. (350°)
One more rhubarb recipe will do it for this month, but look for tots of rhubarb recipes next bulletin.
RHUBARB CAKE
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 beaten egg
2 cups diced rhubarb (1 inch pieces)
1½ cups flour
Combine sour cream, baking soda, sugar, beaten egg, add rhubarb and then add the flour. Pour into greased 8 by 8 pan. Cook for 45 minutes in a 350° oven. Serve plain or with whipped cream. (Mrs. Rensch, Des Moines, Iowa).
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