Grammy Beherrell's War Cake

This recipe was sent in by Gloria C. from California years ago. She says, "Here is one of my favorite recipes from my Grammy for a cake she made during the depression when ingredients were scarce..." Notice that it uses dark brown sugar (used to be the cheap sugar), no eggs, and no milk in the actual cake.

Grammy Beherrell's War Cake

2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups cold water
3 Tbs Margarine [I recommend butter]
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
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1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup hot water
2 3/4 cup flour

Mix first 7 ingredients in 2 1/2 quart sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes. Cool.
To mixture add the tsp of baking soda mixed with the 1/4 cup hot water.
Add the 2 3/4 cups flour and beat for 2 minutes.
Pour into greased angel cake pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees

Glaze:  [Optional]
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1 1/2 Tbs milk [use a plant based milk for dairy free]
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Heat milk and butter just until butter melts add rest of ingredients and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Simple Raisin Tarts

I first published this recipe here in March of 2012. These are really easy to make and I hope someone enjoys them! :-) There is no added sugar, but they are very sweet because of the raisins.
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These raisin tarts are one of my dad’s favorite “cookies.” My Gramma Hoover used to make them for him as a special favor. Since she is no longer here to do this, I have done it for him a few times (not nearly enough). I made a batch for his birthday this past February (2012). :-)

These are super easy to make. So much so that we have no recipe. We just make them. One thing that you will need is a tart pan or a Madeleine pan, however, it is possible that a muffin/cupcake pan might work if you only press the dough into the lower part of the cups. I used a Madeleine type pan for these since our tart pans had to be discarded a few years ago. (My Madeleine pan makes round shells.)

Simple Raisin Tarts

Make up a single or double pie crust recipe of your choice. (I made these with a whole wheat – all purpose flour mixture I think.) Cut into small pieces and press into the tart pan.

Bake till just slightly browned around the edges. Do not over bake (especially if you use whole wheat flour). Allow to cool slightly in the pans and then remove gently to a rack to cool.

In a sauce pan place a generous portion of raisins – 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer till quite soft, adding water as necessary to prevent burning. You may like to add a bit of cinnamon, or at the end you may add some orange flavoring.

When the shells and filling are both cool, spoon the filling into the shells. They are ready to serve!

NOTE: If you end up with too much raisin filling, use it as a spread on graham crackers or toast. If you don’t have enough for your number of shells, simply fill the extras with a little jam or jelly.  We never used a recipe, we just “winged it” with the extra or lack thereof. :-)

By the way, if you don’t want raisin tarts, just make the shells and fill them with jam or jelly to start with. Delicious! :-)

Quick and Easy Recipes - Special Dietary Needs Recipe Finder

 

WHFoods: Over 100 Quick and Easy Recipes

Here is a recipe finder that allows you to add specific ingredients, exclude specific ingredients, and include a specific nutrient.  You can select more than one item in the first two columns by following their instructions.  By doing this, you can find quick recipes for special diet needs!  What a useful tool! 

And, the recipes are quick.  They say, “The majority of recipes we offer can be both prepared and cooked in 30 minutes or less, from start to finish.”

The recipes are also flexible.  They tell us, “We realize that if our recipes are going to fit your individual tastes, schedule and lifestyle, they can't just dictate exactly which ingredients you need and the exact amount of each one to use.”

If you have no special diet needs, you can also just browse through their recipes and select ones that interest you.  Or, if you like to cook healthy, nutritious meals and are just looking for a quick and easy recipe for a specific ingredient, this is a great way to locate something.

A friend of mine whose son is on a very specialized diet right now got this link from his doctor and passed it on.

Quick Meals – Chicken and Mint

 

This summer I’m growing several types of mint in pots.  One evening I was cooking boneless, skinless chicken breast and decided to flavor it with fresh mint.  I cooked it a bit first in olive oil and a little water (it was frozen when I put it in the pan), cutting it into bite size pieces when it got partly done (using tongs and a pair of scissors).  This speeds the cooking time.  Then I added snipped fresh mint and salted it.  I may have added some green onion tops and black pepper as well, I don’t remember now.  But, it was absolutely delicious!  So very simple and yet so tasty! :-)  I served it with vegetables (use fresh or cooked), and a carbohydrate (something easy – bread or toast?).  A super simple and quick meal.

Chicken breast
Olive oil
Snipped fresh mint
Salt
Green onion tops (optional)
Fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Mint and Chives Chicken

Tomatillo Salsa

This salsa was actually an invention of my dad’s.  I simply copied his idea.  (He didn’t have a recipe, as usual. :-)  )  The ingredients don’t have to be added in these exact proportions.  You can change them to suit your needs or taste.  One reason I like this salsa especially is because tomatoes bother me some, but apparently tomatillos don’t.  It also has a great flavor that is a little different than the usual fresh tomato salsa.  I find it a bit more refreshing.

Tomatillo Salsa

3-4 large tomatillos  (Probably more if you use homegrown.)
1 green onion, (green leaf parts only, unless you like lots of onion)
1 large jalapeno
3-4 garlic cloves
A little fresh (or frozen) cilantro
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste

Prep. vegetable appropriately and run in a food processor or blender in batches.  Mix all together well and allow to sit in the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.  (Refrigerate leftovers.)

I love fresh salsa on a fried egg with sour cream on top and this kind is especially delicious.  You can also use it with corn or tortilla chips, tacos or burritos.  Mix it with sour cream for a yummy dip.  I spooned a little over chicken I was cooking in a frying pan with vegetables one night.  It  was good that way too.

Mango Salsa

 

Recently I bought some mangoes for a treat for us, but to my disappointment, I discovered they were too sour to eat by themselves.  I recalled the fact that I’d seen a recipe at some point for mango salsa and thought I’d look it up online.  I found several recipes, but thought the combination of ingredients sounded a bit weird.  My husband, however, thought I should at least give it a try.  I picked one recipe that seemed the closest to what I wanted and then made it up to my own needs and tastes.  So, here’s the basic “plan”:

Finely chopped mango (1 and half small mangos made about 2 servings.)
Snipped green onion
Red pepper flakes
A little snipped cilantro
Salt
(Add a little sugar if the mango is still too sour – but – add it only a tiny bit at a time or you may get too much.  If your mangos seem too sweet, you may want to add a touch of lemon juice to add tartness.)

This salsa is good served with meat.  I think it would be especially good with pork.  It would be a zippy sauce to make a non-traditional hamburger topping. :-)  And, an added perk is the lovely color this adds to a meal!

Wheat Berry Salad

I found the original recipe for this in a magazine, but as usual, I altered it. :-)  It turned out quite well and was a refreshing change for the carbohydrate part of the meal.  Plus, it felt like we were eating something really healthy that was delicious too!  It is a good hearty dish, and leftovers keep pretty well.  I added some smoked white cheese to it later for a light supper and that was good also.  It would probably be quite good in a packed lunch.  Enjoy!

1 1/2 C. wheat berries
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
1/3 C. dried cranberries (or cherries) 
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 green onion, tops only, chopped
3 Tbs. olive oil
Juice of one lemon (about 2 Tbs.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. allspice
In a large sauce pan, cover wheat berries with water so that they are covered by about 2 inches.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until the berries are tender enough to chew easily.  Drain and allow to cool completely. (Hint: You can boil and drain them a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight.  This makes a nice cold salad.)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed.
Makes 6 servings.

Fresh Green Bean Salad

 

This is a refreshing, delicious salad for a hot summer day.  If you have garden fresh beans, so much the better!  I don’t have measurements.  I don’t think we ever used any.  We just made it with however much was available.  It is easily adjusted for special diets too.
Fresh Green Bean Salad
Fresh green beans
Tomatoes, chopped or sliced
Whit onion (optional), diced
Crumbled Feta cheese, or cheese of your choice
Italian salad dressing, or vinegar and oil dressing of your choice
Parboil or steam beans just till tender crisp.  Remove from heat and drain immediately and rinse in cool water.  Refrigerate till ready to make salad.  Arrange beans around the edge of a large plate or small platter.  Place tomatoes in center.  Sprinkle with onions and cheese.  Pour salad dressing over the top.  Serve.
Note: You could substitute green or red onions or chives for the white onions.  Also, if you have fresh basil or oregano, it would be a nice addition snipped and sprinkled on top.
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Make this recipe dairy free by leaving out the cheese.  Make it gluten free by using gluten free dressing and cheese.

Red Lentil Ham Soup

 
This is a very easy soup to make.  Dried, split red lentils (really they are orange) cook very fast compared to most dried beans or lentils.  I think this is because they don’t have the skins on them.  I don’t know what the price for them is in a regular store.  We usually buy ours at an Indian store where they are called Masoor Dal.
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To make the soup:
Cook in a 2 qt. pot:
Chicken or vegetable broth
Lentils (I used at least 1 cup, probably more)
One ham bone
Onion
Garlic
Diced Carrots
Bring to a boil and simmer stirring at regular intervals till the lentils are almost done.  Remove meat from ham bone and discard bone.  Return the meat to the pot.  Finish cooking.  (The lentils are done when they are soft.)
Add salt and black or red pepper to taste.
Lentils are very absorbent, so use plenty of broth or water.  If you are unsure of how much to use start with a little less.  You can add more as you go along.  Lentils will stick to the bottom of the pan (especially when reheating), so do be sure to stir it regularly.
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Depending on the ham and broth you use this meal could be made gluten and lactose free.  If you can’t find safe ham, try some pre-cooked meat of your choice.  The taste will be different, but it will still be tasty.  You could add Cajun seasoning if you use another type of meat to make a very tasty soup!

Dark Pfeffernusse

This is my dad’s all time favorite cookie.  A batch of these will last him a good long while since he made a habit long ago of eating them very slowly in order to make them last as long as possible. :-)  They are German in origin and Daddy used to receive a box of them every Christmas from a Mennonite friend in his home church.  He says he could usually make them last till Easter. 
If they are hardened properly they will last a very long time and stay fresh.  Consequently, these would probably be good cookies to send to troops overseas.  They are also best eaten with a hot drink such as tea or coffee if you don’t happen to like gnawing hard cookies.  My husband calls these “dog biscuits”. :-)  They are not quite that hard, but they can be pretty “firm”. 
  This particular batch was made with candied citrus peel in it that Mom and I made recently.  It made the cookies moister and they never did get really hard.
Dark Pfeffernusse
Mix:
1/2 C. shortening
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 C. molasses
mixture of 3 drops of anise oil and 1 Tbl. hot water
Mix:
3 1/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. white pepper
(Increase spices if you like a stronger taste.)
Mix dry ingredients into wet gradually with hands.  Knead dough until right consistency for molding.  Roll into strips and cut into bite-size pieces with scissors.  Bake on greased baking sheet at 350 degrees about 8 minutes.  If you want them hard allow to sit out till hardened.

Dairy Free Cashew Cheese

Ingredients:

1 cup Water

1/3 cup plus 1 rounded TBSP of Emes unflavored gelatin (do not use Agar)

1 1/4 cup boiling water

2 cups cashews

1/4 cup yeast flakes

1 TBSP salt

2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 pimento or 1 carrot grated or 2 tsp paprika

Directions:

Soak gelatin in the 1 cup of water in blender while assembling the other ingredients.  Pour the boiling water over soaked gelatin and whisk briefly to dissolve.  Cool slightly.  Add cashews and blend thoroughly while adding remaining ingredients.  Blend until mixture is the consistency of a cream sauce, with no pimento or carrot seen.  Pour into a quart mold, cool slightly.  Cover before refrigerating.  Refrigerate over night before serving.  After this firming period, it can be frozen.  This melts over hot dishes.  Leave out the gelatin for a fondue type of cheese. 

Makes one quart.

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This recipe came from my friend, Theresa.  She said that she couldn’t find the raw cashews that the recipe originally called for so she substituted roasted, salted ones.  She said it turned out fine and that her family liked it grated onto food in place of cheese.

I have not tried this recipe myself.  I am posting it for those who can’t have dairy products but like grated cheese on their food.  I hope it works out for you.  It’s worth a try.

As I mentioned, the original recipe called for raw cashews.  I changed this because I have heard that raw cashews are not safe to eat without a specific processing which was not included in this recipe.  If you wish to try them instead please find out the proper way to treat them before use so that they are safe to eat.