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Volume V, No. 1, Fall 1977 |
Country Menus
by Kyra Gibson
"Next you add half an egg shell of water," my great-aunt Goldie Campbell surprised us by saying. My great aunt's teacher was a very common one--trial and error. Like many Ozark housewives she was always having to make do with whatever she could find and yet trying to add spice and variety to each meal. In Aunt Goldie's case she has found through many hours of cooking that half an egg shell of water was just exactly the right amount to blend into her noodle recipe. Many excellent recipes are happened upon in much the same way. Luckily for us women remember these recipes and are able to hand them down to us.
The following recipes have been handed down in my family to my great aunt and grandmother Ellen Gibson.
NOODLES
1 egg
1/2 egg shell of water
enough flour for stiff dough
Beat egg, mix in the water, and then add flour for stiff dough. Sprinkle dough board liberally with flour and knead until dough is very stiff. Roll out very thin and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Drop into rapidly boiling meat broth. Cook with lid on until tender or about 15 minutes. Almost any meat broth can be used such as chicken, beef or pork.
SQUIRREL DUMPLINGS
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. butter
1/4 tsp. black pepper
enough sweet milk to make stiff dough
Cover a skinned squirrel with water and cook until almost done. Mix together all ingredients and roll thin. Cut in strips 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long. Drop into the rapidly boiling squirrel and broth mixture. Cook 10 minutes without removing lid.
CORN COB JELLY AND SYRUP
6 cups water
10 red corn cobs
4 cups sugar
1 package Sure Jell (for jelly only)
Drop scrapped cobs into water and boil 20 minutes to extract juice. To 4 cups of the liquid, add
the sugar and a package of Sure Jell. Boil the mixture one minute stirring constantly. Pour into
pint sized canning jars. Seal with hot wax or lids.
To make corn cob syrup leave out the Sure Jell and boil the sugar mixture 2 minutes.
CORN MEAL DUMPLINGS
1 cup corn meal
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. shortening
enough milk to make thick dough
Mix together all ingredients and spoon into boiling broth or salted water. Boil 10 minutes with lid on. Serve immediately.
OLD FASHIONED POTATO SOUP
3 large potatoes
3-1/2 Tbs. flour
3-1/2 Tbs. butter
1 cup cheddar cheese cut up or shredded
1 onion
small amount of vinegar
Peal and quarter potatoes, cook until tender and drain, saving the liquid. Mash the potatoes and add to liquid, adding more water if necessary. Brown the flour with the butter stirring constantly until golden brown. Add to potato-water mixture, stir and boil 3 minutes. Add cheese and let melt. Top with one slice onion and a few drops of vinegar to each individual dish. Serve immediately.
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Copyright © 1981 BITTERSWEET, INC.
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