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Orange Brutus

Orange Brutus

By Gloria Pitzer – part of her “Original 200” recipes collection.

This particular version can be seen in her last cookbook, Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press, Jan. 2018)…as always, asking only for proper credit if you care to share it!

Remember, Brutus is the fella who ‘did in’ Julius! The 3 original versions of this frozen orange concoction were first printed on page 52 of Gloria’s Secret Fast-Food Recipes (1977) cookbook. This is the way it used to taste, like an orange Creamsicle, when it was first introduced in the 1920s. Today it’s a little different, and easier to recreate at home!

Ingredients:

3 cups orange juice

1 envelope Dream Whip powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2-oz box instant vanilla pudding powder

3 additional cups of orange juice

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and add 3 more cups of orange juice. Serve over cracked ice for 6 lovely drinks!

 

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Self-Rising Flour (Homemade)

Self-Rising Flour (By the Cupful)

By Gloria Pitzer, one of her original “200” recipes (1972)

Sift together: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp baking powder.

Alternate version #1 (as seen with “Banana Bread, Like The Grand Hotel’s“):

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt.

Alternate version #2 (as seen in Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press, January 2018):

Sift together 3 c. flour, 3 TB baking powder and 1 tsp. salt. Store in covered container, in a cool dry place. Makes approximately 3 ¼ cups.

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Banana Bread, like Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel

BANANA BREAD – Like The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island (MI)

Developed by Laura Pitzer (Emerich), 1979; published by Gloria Pitzer in her cookbook, Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; 1982, p. 238)

On the lavish, luncheon, smorgasbord tables of the Grand Hotel, where we were staying during the filming of “Somewhere in Time’ [1979], were a variety of sweet breads, as well as finger sandwiches prepared on quick breads. One of their sandwich ideas was softened cream cheese – possibly whipped with a little sour cream – on a wonderful banana nut bread. When we returned home from that vacation, our daughter, Laura, came up with a version of their bread which became one of our favorite recipes. – Gloria Pitzer

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter or margarine

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups self-rising flour (SEE NOTE BELOW!)

1 cup each: ripe, mashed bananas (2 to 3 medium-sized) and chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes – set your timer!) Add the eggs and beat another 2 minutes. Beat in half of the flour and all the bananas for 2 minutes. Beat in remaining flour for 1 minute. Stir in nuts with a spoon. Pour into greased and floured, 9-inch bread-loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until it tests “done” with a toothpick. Cool several hours before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.

NOTE: If you don’t have self-rising flour, then substitute with – 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. The best results, I have found, is when I stir the ½ teaspoon baking soda into the mashed bananas, combining the remaining ingredients and adding that much as directed in the recipe above.

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Archer Teacher Fish & Chips, plus Onion Rings option

Archer Teacher Fish & Chips, plus Onion Rings option

By Gloria Pitzer, first published in The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book (National Homemaker’s Newsletter, Pearl Beach, MI; Jan. 1977, p. 1)

Arthur Treacher was once Merv Griffin’s right-hand-man. A dignified and accomplished actor that we best remember from the 1930s & 1940s.

Ingredients:

3 cups boxed pancake mix

3-4 cups club soda

0.4-oz. pkg. ranch dressing mix powder

2-3 lbs. fish fillets (any good frying-type)

Instructions:

With wire whisk, combine the pancake mix and enough of the club soda so that the batter is the consistency of buttermilk – pourable! Whisk in the ranch dressing mix.

Dip the fillets into just enough plain, all-purpose flour to coat them lightly but evenly. Let coated fillets dry a few minutes on wax paper. Dip coated fillets into wet batter to coat lightly but evenly, letting excess batter drip back into bowl.

Using a heavy sauce pan or electric fryer, fry a few pieces at a time in 3-inch deep oil heated to 385F degrees. Turn the pieces once to brown each side (at about 2-3 minutes per side).

Remove from hot oil, using the tip of a sharp knife. Do NOT use tongs as it may cause coating to break and fall off. Keep pieces warm on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan in a warm oven until all pieces have been fried. Serves 4-6.

ONION RINGS OPTION: (what to do with extra, left-over batter, as it does not keep well…)

Cut 3 firm white onions, each about the size of an orange., into 1/4-inch thick slices and separate into rings. Run these under cold tap water in a colander and let excess water drain off.

As with the fish (above), dip the rings into just enough plain, all-purpose flour to coat them lightly but evenly and let them dry for a few minutes on wax paper. One at a time, dip coated rings into the wet fish batter (above) to coat lightly but evenly, letting excess batter drip back into bowl. Then, drop each ring into 2-inch deep oil heated to 385F degrees. Turn the pieces once to brown each side (at about 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy).

Remove from hot oil, using the tip of a sharp knife. Do NOT use tongs as it may cause the coating to break and fall off. Drain rings on paper towels and keep warm on a cookie sheet in the oven, on low, until all rings have been fried. Serves 4 nicely.

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Applebee’s-Style Oriental Dressing

Applebee’s-Style Oriental Dressing

By Gloria Pitzer, from her “Oriental Chicken Salad, Like Applebee’s” recipe found in her self-published cookbook, The Great Imitator’s Cookbook (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1999, p. 3)

Ingredients:

8-oz bottle Paul Newman’s Vinegar & Oil Dressing

14-oz can Eagle Brand Milk

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup white vinegar

Instructions:

Put all ingredients through blender until smooth. Makes 1 quart.

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Coney-Style Hot Dog Sauce

Coney-Style Hot Dog Sauce

By Gloria Pitzer, from her “Free Recipes & Ordering Information” sheets

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

4 TB oil

2 envelopes onion soup mix

0.4-oz. envelope ranch dressing mix

2 cups hot, black coffee

6-oz. can tomato paste

1 TB each: chili & cumin powders

Instructions:

Brown beef in oil, using a large skillet on medium heat and crumbling it with a fork, until pink color disappears. Sprinkle on soup mix and dressing mix, then, add the coffee and stir well. Remove 1 cup of mixture to blender and blend on high speed until it looks like cement mortar. Return blender mixture to skillet and add the rest of the ingredients. Continue cooking for 30 min., uncovered, stirring occasionally. Spoon over hot dogs or serve like sloppy joes. Serves 6.

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5-Alarm-Style Taco Sauce

5-Alarm-Style Taco Sauce

By Gloria Pitzer; as seen in Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Fast Food Recipes (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; March 1985, p. 16)

Ingredients:

14-oz. can stewed tomatoes

6-oz. can tomato paste

8-oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 cup bottled Italian dressing

1 TB chili powder

1/2 TB cumin powder

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Instructions:

Put all ingredients, as listed, into blender on high speed for 1 minute. Keep covered and refrigerated to use within 30 days. Freezes well, up to 6 months. Makes about 1 quart.

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Hooters-Style Wings

Hooters-Style Wings

By Gloria Pitzer, from The Great Imitator’s Cookbook (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1999, p. 56)

Ingredients:

chicken wings

butter, melted

bottled hot sauce

flour*

oil

Instructions:

Cut Wings at joint, leaving boney tip intact. Moisten in equal parts of melted butter and bottled hot sauce. Coat moistened pieces in flour. Fry in 4-inch deep, hot oil at 385F degrees for about 6-8 minutes or until browned and crispy. They’re greasy, but wonderful! Serve with bleu cheese or ranch dressing.

*FOR WILD HOT WINGS: add 1/2 tsp dry mustard and a dash, each, of black pepper and cayenne to each cup of flour when coating wings.

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Glad Lobster Cheese Biscuits

Glad Lobster Cheese Biscuits

By Gloria Pitzer, revised from her self-published cookbook, Make Alike Recipes (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1991, p. 6)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

2 tsp. sugar (or sugar substitute equivalent)

1/3 cup mayonnaise (Hellman’s preferred)

2 1/4 cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Combine first four ingredients in a 1 1/2 qt. mixing bowl, with electric mixer on high speed, for slightly less than a minute. Dough should be smooth and completely combined; not too thin or too thick. Work in cheddar cheese with a rubber spatula. Drop dough by spoonful, equally between 10 paper-lined muffin wells or on a greased baking sheet in mounds 1 inch apart. Drizzle 1 tsp. melted butter or margarine on top of each and dust with a  little pinch of parsley and garlic powder or garlic salt (to taste). You can also sprinkle a tiny bit of additional cheddar cheese on top of each. Bake at 350F degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and tripled in size. Cool in/on pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Makes 10 biscuits.

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“New” Country Buffet-Style Sugar-Free Dessert

“New” Country Buffet-Style Sugar-Free Dessert

By Gloria Pitzer, as seen on her “Free Recipes & Ordering Information” sheets (2000)

Ingredients:

1 cup cottage cheese

8-oz pkg. cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

2 small boxes sugar-free strawberry gelatin powder

1 envelope sugar-free strawberry drink powder (like Kool Aid)

8-oz tub Lite Cool Whip

Instructions:

In a big mixing bowl, beat cottage cheese on low speed, adding cream cheese in bits and beating well. Add rest of ingredients as listed, except Cool Whip, continuing to beat well and scrape sides of bowl with each addition. Fold in HALF of Cool Whip and set timer to beat for 5 more minutes. Divide mixture between 6 small plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Divide rest of Cool Whip between the 6 containers. Cover and keep refrigerated up to 1 week. (Fat-free products may be substituted in the ingredients.)