By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 228). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
INGREDIENTS:
The Crackers:
1 cup self-rising flour
2 cups Graham or wheat flour
1 cup each: margarine and packed, brown sugar
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon vinegar
About ¼ cup milk, or as needed
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine flours and set aside. Cream margarine, adding sugar a little at a time and beating until light and fluffy. Beat in honey, vanilla and vinegar – work in flour, alternately with enough of the milk that you have a smooth dough that can be shaped into a ball like piecrust.
Chill 1 hour. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 2.5 x 2.5” squares and place close together on lightly greased baking sheets. Prick tops of each with tines of a fork in several places.
Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove at once to cool on waxed-paper-covered-surface. Flatten each cracker just slightly with back-side of a pancake turner while still warm. Makes about 1 dozen crackers. Prepare the chocolate coating (below.)
CHOCOLATE COATING FOR GRAHAM CRACKERS
INGREDIENTS:
The Coating:
6 tablespoons melted paraffin
12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ounce solid, unsweetened, baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Keep mixture hot, stirring occasionally to make it smooth, while you pierce the graham crackers with the tip of a sharp knife and dip each to coat them in the hot chocolate mixture. Let excess chocolate drip back into pan.
Place on waxed paper to “set” the chocolate. Paper can be peeled away without taking any of the coating with it, once graham crackers have cooled. If you lift the crackers from the paper, instead of the paper from the crackers, some of the coating may stick to the paper. Makes enough coating for 1 dozen squares of graham crackers. Store at room temperature in covered container.
We’re in the final stretch of August’s National Family Fun Month observance (for 2022) and quickly approaching Labor Day weekend – the unofficial end of summer. Kids are starting to return to school – some this week and some next week. From some of Mom’s syndicated columns, about spending the summers with us kids at home and underfoot, you’d think it was totally unbearable. In fact, she and Dad made our summers unforgettably FUN!
We lived on the beautiful banks of the St. Clair River. We had a dock from which we fished and swam, as well as a small, family-sized, Chris-Craft boat, in which we’d cruise up and down the river throughout the summer months. By the way, Chris-Craft started their boat-making empire in Algonac in the late 19th century.
I remember Mom taking us kids to the Algonac Lion’s Club Field, in town, where we enjoyed youth activities and crafts. Afterwards, we’d go next door to the community pool, with money we got for swimming, plus a little extra for a drink and snack at the concession stand. I always thought those were FUN days – at least they were for me.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Dad was involved with the Pearl Beach Lion’s Club, near our house. The Lions aren’t a fraternal or political group like many other “clubs”. Nor were they a “social” organization but they did host a lot of family and community events and activities throughout the year, every year – and still do.
According to Dad, the Lion’s Club is simply an organization of people who care about their neighborhoods and get together to do things they can’t do alone. They’re always willing and able to give their time, energy, and resources in service to their community and others. Back when Dad was a member, only men were allowed to join. Since 1987, women have been allowed to join, too.
Below is a picture of me, my siblings, and 2 neighbor-boys, standing in front of the Algonac Lions Club trolley that was in all of our local parades. I think this was from Labor Day weekend, 1970, and we got to ride on the trolley, with Dad, during the parade.
We had many family fun summer vacations, as I was growing up. My personal favorites were the trips we took “up north”. We went all over “the-tip-of-the-mitt” and into the U.P. I remember looking for Petoskey stones on the beaches along Lake Michigan, climbing among the rocks at Tahquamenon Falls, and seeing the ships go through the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie.
Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island were the best places of all. It offers an amazing experience that takes you on a journey through time, to Michigan’s earliest known history of settlers, with two big forts to tour, as well other terrific sights – there’s no way to pack it all into one day.
Mom has duplicated many treats and dishes from the local restaurants and shops there, as well as from the luxurious Grand Hotel’s dining room. I’m only half-way through creating a “Master Index” list of all Mom’s copycat recipes from all of her books. As of right now, there are over a dozen recipes listed from this area. I want to eventually add all of her newsletters to the “Master Index”, too, but I’m missing a lot of them.
Going to Cedar Point, in Sandusky (Ohio), was another highlight of our summers, with a ton of unforgettable family fun; going on all the rides and eating ridiculous amounts of junk food. Sometimes we’d also spend the night at The Breakers hotel, next door, on the beach.
Mom often duplicated some of our favorite carnival treats at home to bring back those memories. So far, six are listed in the “Master Index” that I mentioned above. Maybe that’s why I fell in love with the television show, “Carnival Eats”, hosted by Noah Cappe, when it came out in 2014.
Mom really enjoyed watching it with me, too. We both thought it was a really fun and innovative way to do food reviews of those sinful culinary noshes, in which we allow ourselves to indulge, at least once in a great while.
We also went often to Toronto and Niagara Falls, in Ontario, Canada. Every year we went, it seemed like both beautiful towns kept growing bigger and bigger with more exciting things to see and do; plus, even more great places to enjoy a snack or meal.
Mom always found new treats from the fudge shops and bakeries, plus dishes from the local delis and restaurants, to imitate when we went home. So far, there are almost a dozen listed in the “Master Index”, from these two areas but I know she has more from these towns, as well.
A couple of times, we drove to West Virginia for a family reunion and to visit our relatives from Dad’s side of the family. Both of his parents were from neighboring counties in West Virginia. Mom’s story (below), Vacation Returns (OR The Last Resort), is a spoof of one of those road trips and what it was like to travel that long with five children in tow.
Eons before cell phones, tablets, and other such data/electronic devices, Mom kept us all entertained on road trips the old fashioned way – with travel games like “20 Questions” and “I Spy”; plus, various versions of “Trivia”, “Story Chain”, “The Name Game”, and “The License Plate Game”.
An online survey of Americans, conducted in 2016, by the National Recreation And Park Association, found that the three most typically preferred summer fun activities (among all the different age groups) were walking/hiking, going to the beach, and having a picnic/barbeque. That sounds about right, still today!
Michigan has 3,288 miles of beautiful, fresh water coastline, surrounding most of the state. That’s a lot of beaches – and there are even more beaches along the state’s many in-land lakes and rivers, as well. It’s no wonder that going to the beach, swimming, and other water-related activities are the preferred fun activities, on hot summer days, among most (if not all) Michiganders.
LAST THOUGHTS…
Like I wrote in beginning, it’s the last days of August’s National Family Fun Month celebration. While we’re quickly approaching Labor Day weekend, families everywhere are trying to squeeze in one last “summer blast” before the kids settle back into their usual school routines.
How do you celebrate the end of summer – a weekend vacation, a day at the beach, or a barbeque in the backyard? Mom liked to celebrate right at home, whenever my siblings and I went back to school, saying that’s when her vacation began.
IN CLOSING…
In honor of TODAY, being National Chop Suey Day, here’s Mom’s copycat recipe for “Chop Suey Buns, Like Ann Page’s” and her “Mackinac-Style Fruit Bars” variation (with a repeat of her “Thin Vanilla Icing”, for either or both); as seen in her self-published cookbook… The Joy Of NOT Cooking – Any More Than You Have To (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Nov. 1983, p. 182). I also shared these recipes in April 2021, with Kathy Keene on WHBY’s “Good-Neighbor” show.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 100). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
INGREDIENTS:
3-lb chicken, cut-up fryer pieces (rinsed and drained)
Flour (enough to coat each piece)
Equal amounts of oil and Crisco (sufficient to fill large skillet 1-inch deep)
Season salt (to taste)
[3 to 4 cups] Chicken broth (homemade or canned, sufficient to baste each piece about 5 to 6 times)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Run the cut-up fryer pieces of 3 pounds of chicken under cold water. Drain off excess water. Coat each piece in flour. Heat enough oil and Crisco in equal parts that, when melted, it fills a large heavy skillet to about 1-inch deep.
Brown the floured pieces a few at a time, with the skin-side down first, for about 4 or 5 minutes or until golden brown, sprinkling liberally with season salt. Brown both sides of the chicken pieces and arrange them in a shallow roasting pan with the skin-side up, in a single layer. Do not heap the pieces in the pan.
Drizzle each piece with about 2 tablespoons chicken broth – homemade or canned. Bake uncovered at 375°F for about 30 minutes, basting the pieces every 5 minutes with a spoonful of drippings. Do not turn the pieces while baking them. When the meat of the chicken appears fork-tender and the coating is golden and crispy, it’s ready to serve to 4-6 people.
SHALLOW CUP MARSHMALLOW CANDIES – Mallow Cup Imitation
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 233). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
Just like my Recess Peanut Butter Cups, this candy is a simple, basic combination. The Boyer Candy Company (Altoona, PA) makes the commercial brand, “Mallow Cup” candy. They’re easy to find in some areas, but my European readers love the idea of being able to make this imitation.
INGREDIENTS:
8-ounce bar Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
4 tablespoons butter
7-ounce jar Kraft Marshmallow Cream
1 cup flaked coconut
24 miniature muffin paper liners
INSTRUCTIONS:
In top of double boiler over gently simmering water, melt chocolate with butter and ½ cup of the marshmallow cream. Stir until smooth. Put coconut on an ungreased cookie sheet in a 375°F oven until lightly browned. Stir coconut frequently to brown it evenly. Cool it and crush it fine with a rolling pin; then, stir into chocolate mixture.
Place rest of marshmallow cream, in a heat-proof bowl, in a pan of simmering water until it is of pouring consistency. Divide half of the chocolate mixture between 24 miniature muffin paper liners. Divide the marshmallow equally over that and let it set a bit. Then, divide remaining half of chocolate over the marshmallow layer. Chill until firm. Makes 2 dozen.
SHALLOW MARSHMALLOW SQUARES [Variation] – By Gloria Pitzer
Rather than fuss with the paper liners (above), make a quick job of it by altering the shape. Take half the chocolate mixture and spread it evenly over the bottom of a buttered, 9-inch square pan, pouring the warm marshmallow cream over that. As soon as the cream has “set” a bit, spread remaining half of chocolate over the top. Let it stand at room temperature about 1 hour to further set. Cut into 24 squares.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI; July 1976, p. 3).
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup oil
2 TB red wine vinegar
½ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 to 4 medium oranges, peeled and sliced [or sectioned]
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
3 to 4 cups coarsely torn, tender greens
1/3 cup pecan or walnut halves
INSTRUCTIONS:
In salad bowl, stir [together] oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to mix well. Fold in oranges and bananas; [then] toss lightly. Just before serving, add greens and toss [again]. Sprinkle with nuts. Makes 4 servings.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 231). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
AT MAPLE LEAF VILLAGE, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the making of fudge before your very eyes has been an art in the form of entertainment for thousands, upon thousands, of tourists each year. The Swiss Fudge people will tell you the recipe is secret.
I don’t mind! I respect the right to that privilege, but at home we can try to come close to their smooth texture this way… Simply by improving upon my frosting recipe, used for imitating the famous Sanders product. Trust me!
Put the chocolate, milk, butter, corn syrup and granulated sugar into a medium-sized saucepan on medium to high heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth – while bringing it to a brisk boil for 4 to 6 minutes.
While continuing to stir, scrape down the sides of the pan, also. Remove from heat. With portable electric mixer on medium speed, mix in powdered sugar, a little at a time; then, add the vanilla and blend for 6 minutes.
Pour into a well-buttered, 9-inch, loaf pan that is also lined with a strip of greased waxed-paper, placed in the pan so that you have a 2-inch overlap at each end. Chill the fudge several hours or until firm. Use the overlapping waxed-paper ends to remove the fudge loaf from the pan. Slice it as you would a loaf of bread.
NOTE: At the time of this [original] writing [1982], one slice would cost you a $1.89 [Canadian funds.] Each slice is about ½ pound.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 254). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
INGREDIENTS:
13-ounce can Pet evaporated milk
6 ounces (¾ cup) Hershey’s chocolate syrup
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
4 ounces heavy cream, whipped stiff
INSTRUCTIONS:
Put the beaters of your portable electric mixer in the freezer. Empty the can of evaporated milk into a 2 ½-quart, aluminum, mixing bowl; placing it, uncovered, in the freezer until small ice crystals begin to form on the surface of the milk at the sides of the bowl.
Remove the milk and put the beaters into the mixer, beating the milk on low speed and increasing it to high as it thickens and soft peaks form. This process will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t begrudge a minute of the beating time! The more air you can incorporate into the milk, the lighter the ice cream will be.
Turn the mixer to lowest speed when the peaks are respectably firm and fold in the syrup, sugar, vanilla and the stiffly beaten whipping cream. Return it to the freezer – covering it this time with plastic wrap or heavy foil. Freeze until firm.
Break it up with a fork and beat it again until creamy. Next, pack it into a freezer container with a tight-fitting lid and re-freeze it until firm enough to “scoop”. Makes a little over 1 quart for about 4 to 6 servings.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… The American Cookery Cookbook (Happy Newspaper Features, Algonac, MI; July 1976, p. 37)
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless lean pork, cut in ¾-inch cubes
2 TB shortening
1 cup water
4-6 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, pared and cut in 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
INSTRUCTIONS:
In large saucepan, brown half the meat at a time in hot shortening. Drain off excess fat; return all meat to pan. Add water, chili powder, salt, and garlic. Cover and simmer 35 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes more or until meat and potatoes are tender. Makes 4 servings.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in The Second Helping of Secret Recipes (National Homemakers Newsletter, Pearl Beach, MI; July 1977, p. 30)
INGREDIENTS:
½-lb almond paste
2 or 3 egg whites
¼ tsp salt
1 cup fine granulated sugar
½ cup Powdered sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Knead almond paste with hands until soft then break into small pieces. Put egg whites with salt in bowl of [countertop] electric mixer. Add sugar and almond paste (a little at a time), mixing until all is added, and mixture is smooth and thick. Beat in powdered sugar, up to ½ cup if necessary, to make batter thick enough to hold its shape.
Cover baking sheets with 2 layers of heavy brown paper. Drop batter onto paper by teaspoonfuls, into mounds about 2 inches apart. Bake at 300°F until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from oven. Slide paper off baking sheet onto a damp dish towel folded to same size as baking sheet. Let stand until macaroons are cool or can be removed from paper with small metal spatula. Cool on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… The American Cookery Cookbook (Happy Newspaper Features, Algonac, MI; July 1976, p. 40)
INGREDIENTS:
1 (1½-lb.) lamb shoulder
¾ cup French Dressing
1 clove garlic
4 slices [thick] bacon
½ pound button mushrooms (optional)
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Pour French dressing over meat; add cut clove of garlic unless dressing already contains garlic. Let stand at least 1 hour or over night in refrigerator.
Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Alternate lamb, bacon, and mushrooms on metal skewers. Allow space between for thorough cooking. Season with salt and pepper.
Broil 3 inches from source of heat, about 15 minutes, turning once. Makes 6 servings.
WYOMING LAMB KABOBS