The Inception of “Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes”

1972-1976 – The development of the “Original 200” – a recipe card collection by Gloria Pitzer

(July 1976 ad for Gloria Pitzer’s 4×6-inch recipe cards.)

1972-1976 – “Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes” began with a unique collection of about 200 recipes (each printed on 4”x6” index cards, ready for filing), which Gloria developed and tested in her own kitchen – recipes for making famous fast-food dishes and favorite supermarket products right at home; with the intention to save households money on their “entertaining” & “grocery” costs. This photo (above) is a copy of one of her own ads [as seen on the back of her bi-centennial cookbook, Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook (July1976)], for how to buy these recipe cards at $0.25 each or 5 for $1. These are NO LONGER IN PRINT!

We’d love to hear from anyone who still has her original, individual recipe cards! Please write to us at: [email protected]

Mondays & Memories of My Mom – Mom’s Story – How Secret Recipes Began, Part 1

Hi, Everyone! Happy Monday to all!

If you’re new to here, welcome! I’m Laura Emerich – one of 5 who called Gloria Pitzer, the ORIGINAL “Secret Recipe Detective”, “Mom”. I started this blog series in September (2018) to carry on Mom’s legacy of her Secret Recipes “empire”, as it was very special to me too; especially over the last few years of her life while I collaborated with her in re-writing her favorite cookbook, to be re-published by Balboa Press, and inspire a new generation!

This week, I want to start a special series on Mondays & Memories of Mom, sharing with you some of Mom’s own memories of how she came to be “The Recipe Detective”, her trademarked name. This series is based on excerpts from Mom’s story, in her own words, as seen on pages 292-297 in her last cookbook, “Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective” , published by Balboa Press (January 2018, 1st Printing) – a re-write by me, Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook” (May 1983, 3rd Printing):

BEHIND THE SCENES Private Investigator of Secret Recipes” or “The Recipe Detective” are the names that my friends in radio and newspapers have given to me, and I enjoy living up to that assignment! I enjoy working with these recipe secrets, but most of all, I enjoy writing about them. I’ve been writing all my life… Going way-back to when I was in grade school. I was always writing a book, or a poem or a short story. It was a way of life from my earliest memories – a way over which I seem to have no personal control! I had to write… Preferably about what I knew best at the time. Little did I know that what I would come to know best would be cooking! The one year that I spent at Michigan State (when it was still a college, mind you – you figure that out!) … Was one year in which I learned 2 important things – I could not pass my Creative Writing course and I was “kicked out” of Home Economics! My Creative Writing instructor told me that I typed a neat looking paper and probably should be a secretary, for I would never make it as a writer. My Home Economics instructor advised me to spend the rest of my life having my meals delivered, for I was always finding fault with the way so many cookbooks were written.

I took a position with the J. Walter Thompson Advertising company in Detroit, working as a secretary to the copywriters. I met my husband, Paul, there when he returned from a 4-year tour of service with the Air Force. We started dating and one year later we were married. That was 1956. Bill was born over a year later, and then Mike came 20 months after that, and Debbie came along 20 months after that. I lost 3 babies in the next 3 years, but Laura was born in 1964 and Cheryl came 20 months after that. During those years, Paul was working for a sign company in Mt. Clemens, Michigan – where, in the 20 years he spent with them, he did everything from drafting to purchasing agent to account rep! I kept up with my writing, always working for one of the suburban papers and constantly free-lancing to magazines. When Redbook sent me $500 for my “Young Mother’s Story” submission in February 1963, called “We’ll Never Live with In-Laws Again”, I put part of the money into a typewriter, as I had always had to borrow one before that. I wanted a typewriter more than Reagan wanted to be president! I put a lot of miles on that $39.95 machine – I designed a column for weekly newspapers and mailed out samples to over 300 newspapers. Within a year, I had acquired 60 regular papers for my “No Laughing Matter” column and another column I called “Minding the Hearth”. Columbia Features in New York offered me a contract, and, for a year, I allowed them to syndicate the column in competition with a new humorist, Erma Bombeck! (Right church, wrong pew for me!) When a big city paper carried Erma’s column, Columbia placed mine in their competing paper. I split with Columbia on a 60/40 basis (I took 40) and finally, by mutual-agreement, we broke the contract. I was on my own.

HOW SECRET RECIPES BEGANWhen Columbia Features and I parted company, they had acquired only 2 additional papers from me and lost several more. Within 6 months, I had regained all my original papers and was syndicating the column from our dining room table, where we then lived in what my friend, Bob Allison, called “beautiful downtown Pearl Beach” – a town so small that I told people City Hall was over a Dairy Queen, our McDonald’s had only one arch and, if we had a Howard Johnson’s, it would’ve had only 3 flavors! We had a 9-year old station wagon at that time. It burned oil and barely got Paul to work and back without something breaking down! I rode a bike to and from the Pearl Beach post office every day where I mailed out my columns and, then, looked for responses to ads I had placed in the Tower Press and Grit magazines for recipes on 4×6” cards that enabled you to imitate famous dishes at home.

[That might have been around 1973.]

Ad about Mom’s recipe cards, as seen on the back of Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook – written and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI; July 1976)

I remember (around 1974-1976) when Mom would take my sisters and I to Sears, JC Penny’s and JL Hudson’s at the Macomb Mall near Detroit and, later (1976), to Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights (MI), where we would all get a handful of Mom’s business cards to stick in the pockets of various clothes and purse displays for shoppers to find, and then we’d have lunch in the Hudson’s dining room, where Mom found a lot of great dishes to mimic at home. We had a 5-star rating system of our own when we were with Mom on any of her restaurant reviews – it was, actually, largely based on how clean they kept their restrooms! But, back to Mom’s story…

BOB ALLISON’s “ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR”I was a regular participant on Bob Allison’s “Ask Your Neighbor” radio show that aired 5 days a week for 2 hours in the morning. I used Bob’s program for asking for food information that I needed for my weekly columns. Bob’s audience was very helpful in supplying me with answers. To reciprocate, I would reply to some of the requests made by his audience when they called into Bob’s show. It was a unique format in that one could not simply call in a recipe or information simply because they wanted to share it with others. The information or the recipe had to, first, be requested by a previous caller. Many of my first “Secret Recipes” were developed because of requests made specifically by Bob’s callers for such dishes as The Colonel’s secret spices, Arthur Treacher’s fish batter, Sander’s hot fudge, Win Schuler’s bar cheese and so on.

As I re-type her words, another fun memory comes to me, regarding Mom’s radio visits on “Ask Your Neighbor” – because of the show’s format, Mom couldn’t just phone in to the show and “announce” make-alike recipes she had developed. There were only 2 types of callers allowed – (1) those requesting certain recipes or tips and (2) those who have the answer to one or more of those requests. When she developed a make-alike recipe that nobody requested, but she was anxious to share it, she would have a friend or one of us kids call the show “as a listener” to make a request for it; then, she could call in with her answer! That was so much fun! Once again, back to Mom’s story…

[NOTE: “Ask Your Neighbor” is still heard weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 9AM to 11AM EST on WNZK 690AM, Detroit. A live stream can also be found on the show’s website at http://www.askyourneighbor.com/index.htm]

The Better Cooker’s Cookbook – written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features; Algonac, MI), 1973

At the suggestion of one of Bob’s callers that I should put all my column recipes into a book, I wrote my 1st edition called “The Better Cooker’s Cookbook”. In less than a month, I had sold 1000 copies. I wasn’t satisfied with the book, so I didn’t reprint it – but, decided that it might work out better if I could do those recipes monthly…I put together my 1st issue of what came to be my “Secret Recipe Report”, a newsletter that, for 106 consecutive monthly issues, brought me in contact with the many so-called secrets of the commercial food and restaurant industry.

I probably wouldn’t have done the monthly, except for a falling-out I had with the editor of a small-town paper for which I was writing a food column. I had published some of my 1st attempts at duplicating famous dishes in that column and the response was beautiful, until I offended one of the papers biggest advertisers with a rendition of their cheesecake… “The kind that nobody doesn’t like.” The editor told me I would have to go back to standard recipes like macaroni and cheese, meatloaf or chocolate cake – or I could pick up my check. I told him to MAIL it to me. That’s when I decided it was time to launch my own paper. That afternoon, I put out my charter issue, sending samples of it to those whose names and addresses I had on file from having written to me at the paper. That was the beginning of “Secret Recipes”!

Paul & Gloria Pitzer, around 1974

I’ve recently started putting together a “Time Line”, of sorts, regarding all the different publications that Mom has written, illustrated and self-published over the past 4½ decades (1973-2018). There’s a few books that I don’t have, myself, so, I have to search the Amazon and Ebay websites for some of her old, out-of-print books. Soon, you’ll see updates to this website regarding the 2 “Cookbooks” tabs. I’m also still working on uploading more recipes to the “Recipes” tab as well. Also, stay tuned, next week, for part 2 of this series about Mom’s own story.

In the mean time, as I do each week, I will end this blog with one of Mom’s make-alike recipes that appeared on one of her “Free Recipes/Information” sheets. In keeping with the Super Bowl theme, whether you’re hosting a party or taking a dish-to-pass for someone else’s party, this is a picture of her easy and awesome, make-alike version of 5-Alarm-Style Taco Sauce (1985) to go with your favorite tortilla chips – asking only for proper credit if you care to share it.

Another version of this recipe can also be found on page 69 of Mom’s last book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective” [published by Balboa Press (January 2018, 1st Printing) – a re-write by me, Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook” (May 1983, 3rd Printing)]; again, asking only for proper credit if you care to share it; but, here it is for you – again, asking only for proper credit if you care to share it:

FIVE-ALARM TACO SAUCE – Prepare 1 recipe of Gloria’s “Big Match Special Sauce” [see blog from 11/19/18] and add to it: 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste). Sufficient to top-off a dozen tacos [or for dipping!]

Mondays & Memories of My Mom – Inspirations are Everywhere!

Happy Monday to everybody! I hope you make today special for somebody, even if it’s only for yourself!

My name is Laura Emerich and Gloria Pitzer, the ORIGINAL “Secret Recipe Detective”, is my mom. She passed away almost a year ago (it’ll be a year next Monday) and I started this blog series in September (2018) to carry on her legacy of love with her “Secret Recipes”. To me, her love of writing and cooking and inspiring others in the same was a big part of her legacy – especially since I collaborated with her during the last few years of her life to re-write her favorite cookbook, “The Better Cookery Cookbook” (1983), so it could be re-published to inspire new generations in the “digital age”! Shortly before Mom passed away, it went to print, being published by Balboa Press with the title adjusted to “Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective”.

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE

Have you ever wanted to be amused and inspired at the same time? Mom’s many talents gave me that feeling! I aspire to inspire happiness, as Mom did for so many years, for so many people. As such, this week, I’d like to build more on last week’s blog, “New Year, New Attitude”, and the references I made to inspirations because Mom was, and continues to be, such a huge inspiration in my life. My mom wrote the following excerpt in her book, “My Cup Runneth Over – And I Can’t Find My Mop”, [self-published by Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, Dec. 1989; p. 75]:

We embrace the challenge to inspire…The care and concern that an author has for their readers is part of the pleasure of presenting interesting ideas in either an entertaining way or in an informative way. I try to balance my own presentations between the two. When I am broadcasting over the numerous radio stations around the country, sometimes around the world, I try to lift the listener to a new height of interest and enthusiasm, and I leave the serious side of nutrition to the experts, who have the medical background to support their claims. My hope is to present my recipes in such a way that cooking is a joy and never a job! I try to present these recipes with the same concern as I do giving a gift to a special friend. Each of our 5 children, who have grown up helping Paul and me with these recipes, have gone out into the world with this legacy of love and enthusiasm. We can only hope that they use what we have given them.

Photo taken by Gloria Pitzer (1988-ish); The Pitzer “kids” – Bill, Michael, Debbie, Laura and Cheryl

I can only hope that I’ve made Mom proud of what I’m doing with her legacy of love… especially regarding this blog series, her website and her last cookbook; developing and promoting them, in her memory and honor, with the love and passion and so much more that she instilled in me and continues to inspire in me. I want to take this blog, as well as her website & book, to new heights for her. It’s a work in progress though. I’ll be honest – while I love to write, promoting and selling are not my forte.

“In doing our best, we run into road blocks we hadn’t counted on; and it is not the falls we take that make the difference, but how well we recover and continue on that matters.” – Gloria Pitzer [“My Cup Runneth Over – And I Can’t Find My Mop”, self-published by Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, Dec. 1989; p. xi]

My inherited love for writing has always been in me. One of my favorite and youngest memories of Mom & I is when she was first teaching me how to write, from how to hold the pencil to how to draw the letters to how to form the words by putting those wonderful letters together. Much like Mom, when I was growing up, I was always drawing, reading and writing little stories, as well as a lot of poetry. Whether it was inspired by or inherited from my Mom, English was always my favorite subject throughout school and I always loved the essay assignments the most!

“Succeeding against the odds…When I look back now, I realize that I was so busy trying to prove that others were wrong about me, I couldn’t see how events were already taking place that would sooner or later put me where I had always wanted to be – writing for a worthwhile living, while it made living worthwhile.” – Gloria Pitzer [“My Cup Runneth Over – And I Can’t Find My Mop”, self-published by Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, Dec. 1989; p. 81]

Mom always hated when “the press” referred to her as having turned a hobby into an occupation. Writing was never a hobby to Mom, and she used to say that being a writer isn’t what she did; but, rather, who she was! I could always relate to that! She also loved to say in a lot of her publishings that, while she made a worthwhile living at writing, it was her writing that made living worthwhile. I’ve never made a living at writing, but I’d certainly love to do that!

My road block, however, is promoting and selling; which is much more of a learning process for me, while it just seemed to come naturally for Mom. Luckily, I love to learn! Another one of the things Mom inspired in me is my passion to learn – she’d always say, “learn something new every day!” Along with my “new year, new attitude” resolution for 2019, I’ve determined that every day is a defining moment for each of us, in which experience and knowledge, together, influence our personal evolution; thus, we need to seize those moments and do our best to make the most out of them!

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

Nowadays, knowledge is literally and instantaneously at our finger tips! For most of my life, I was a bookworm. I continue to love the hard copy in my hands; but, now, I’m also a world-wide-web-worm! There’s so much out there from which to learn! But you have to be self-motivated to and self-inspired to grab the book or the computer and open the “pages” and read, soaking it up like a sponge! Of course, you also have to be able to differentiate between what’s fact and what’s fiction; but, that’s a discussion for another time.

One particular couple I’ve found on the web, from whom I love to learn, are Alex & Lauren of createandgo.co. They have been inspiring me a lot in this learning process I started for blogging and promoting, because I would love to afford do this full-time and completely give up my part-time, “real-paying” job as a data collector.

“The best way to learn any new pattern of behavior – whether it is eating or dancing or jogging or working – is to break it down into small manageable parts and work through them step-by-step!” – Gloria Pitzer, [“Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective”, published by Balboa Press (January 2018) – a re-write by Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook” (May 1983, 3rd Printing), page 283]

It was always such a mystery to Mom why some people were willing to endure such an irony of accepting the risk of failing at what they attempt with foods (preparing, presenting, etc.) more readily than they will the failings with their relationships with other people, and that they’d put more effort into setting a good table rather than setting a good example. I’m inspired by Mom to do both.

Once again, as with my pervious blogs, I’d like to close with one of Mom’s make-alike recipes that appeared on her “Free Recipes/Information” sheet (2000), which she used to give out in exchange for a self-addressed, stamped envelope; asking only for proper credit if you care to share it. In keeping with the Super Bowl season of party planning (or attending), this is a photo copy of her imitation of Hooters-Style Wings, which I think she originally called Chooser’s Wings and, later, changed it to Hoosier’s Wings.

Note: this particular chicken wings recipe was not included in Mom’s last cookbook, “Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective”, published by Balboa Press (January 2018, 1st Printing) – a re-write by me, Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook” (May 1983, 3rd Printing). However, recipes for many other wonderful chicken and other related dishes, as well as wonderful morsels of Food for Thought and humorous antidotes can be found in the “Chicken” chapter or section of this book on pages 86-104. Enjoy!

Mondays & Memories of My Mom – New Year, New Attitude

Wow – it’s 2019! Where has the time gone?

If you’re new to here, my name is Laura Emerich and Gloria Pitzer, the ORIGINAL “Secret Recipe Detective”, is my mom. I started this blog series in September (2018) to carry on Mom’s legacy, as that is what “Secret Recipes” was to her and what it became to me, especially over the last few years of her life while I collaborated with her in re-writing her favorite cookbook, to be re-published by Balboa Press, and inspire a new generation – a digital generation!

There’s always something special about celebrating a new year! It’s commonly looked upon as a chance to start over and wipe the slate clean; to forgive and forget or just bury the hatchet and move on. It’s a time to improve and better ourselves, so as to evolve in the human race. The beginning of a new year is a time when people want to make real and positive changes in their lives. Simply changing the calendar out seems to be a turning point that offers us up new inspiration and attitude. It’s a fresh new start, a new beginning for whatever we aspire. The older I get, especially since I lost my mom almost a year ago, the more I realize that every day I wake up is a turning point in which I have to develop and grow a new and positive attitude!

In the same way as Joel Osteen was one of Mom’s favorite inspirationalists, she was one of mine. What does it mean – to inspire someone? Whether it be through their words or through their actions, it’s about motivating someone else from within their souls; sparking their fire in some stirring and exciting way that helps them strive for and achieve their desired successes.

“Don’t go into the new year holding a grudge from last year. Leave the hurts and disappointments behind.” – Joel Osteen (#25 at https://www.wow4u.com/joelosteenquotes/)

As the song goes, should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?’ – it begs the question as to whether or not we should forgive and forget. If Mom could have had her way, the whole world would’ve been friends forever. However, even she knew that was an unrealistic hope, considering the course of human behavior and events. But, even though history tends to repeat itself, there’s no reason not to start making new, inspiring history to repeat!

May 2017 – Myself, my grandson, my oldest daughter and my mom – 4 generations of family!

So often, people can’t even find friends within the same family. Mom always felt that the family unit was so important to our troubled world, which seemed to lack any direction in which to go for comfort and relief. Nonetheless, she continued to hope – as do I. Mom often emphasized, in her writing, the importance of really caring about each other. She held a strong faith in LOVE and all the things it could overcome and yield. She found common ground for this caring attitude in the loving manner that cooks have toward the food they prepare and present to those with whom they share their tables.

‘You certainly won’t hear opportunity knocking at the front door, if you’re in the back yard looking for four-leaf clovers.’ – Gloria Pitzer (‘My Cup Runneth Over – And I Can’t Find My Mop’, written and self-published by Gloria Pitzer, Dec. 1989; p. 4)

I grew up, as my mom did, inspired by my parents to seize opportunities (although there were many I didn’t see and, thus, missed) and to always put across my best efforts in everything I do. When I can’t do “Plan A”, I go to “Plan B”! Everyone should have a few good examples to follow. As my mom once wrote about her mom [on page 8 of her self-published book, This is not a Cook Book (Oct. 1986)], I shall repeat for her – and this is a perfect example of inspiring history repeating itself – ‘My mother is another good example I’ve followed. Her best gift and her greatest asset is that she’s always been a patient listener and a wise advisor. She was absolutely loyal to my father…The world could turn [its] back on her children, but she would always be there for them when we needed her. She’s given me an example that’s going to be tough to equal.’

I’ve had so many good examples to follow – I’ll try to be one, myself, to somebody else. – Gloria Pitzer (‘This is not a Cook Book’, written and self-published by Gloria Pitzer, Oct. 1986; p. 8)

A 4-generation photo of my mom & I with my daughter, Tara, and her son, Gage (2010)

I can only hope that I have done the same with my own children, as I feel Mom did with me and my siblings; as her mom did with her and her siblings as well! James Keller once said, “A candle loses nothing in lighting another candle.” Mom embellished on it a bit by adding that if you can’t be a lighthouse, be a candle!

 Happy birthday, Mom! (1/7/1936)

As with my pervious blogs, I’d like to share with you one of Mom’s make-alike recipes that appeared on her “Free Recipes/Information” sheet (2000), which she used to give out in exchange for a self-addressed, stamped envelope – this is her Red Lobster-Style Cheese Biscuit, which she calls “Glad Lobster Cheese Biscuits” – asking only for proper credit if you care to share it.

Note: this particular biscuit recipe was not included in Mom’s last cookbook, Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective, published by Balboa Press (January 2018, 1st Printing) – a re-write by me, Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (May 1983, 3rd Printing). However, many other wonderful bread-type recipes and humorous stories can be found in the “Breads” chapter or section of this book on pages 141-182.

I’d also like to give a shout-out to Crouton Crackerjacks, who did a wonderful YouTube video, making Mom’s version of Cracker Barrel’s Buttermilk Biscuits, which the guy in the video says tastes nothing like Cracker Barrel’s biscuit even though it is an excellent biscuit. Keep in mind that some restaurants change their recipes over the years and, even in a chain like Cracker Barrel, not every restaurant across the country makes every dish exactly the same. All-in-all, it’s an excellent video to check out at https://youtu.be/CLc0Hkbwz7c and, like the guy in the video claims, it is an excellent biscuit recipe that my mom developed – regardless of what restaurant inspired it.

In closing, I wish a very happy New Year to everyone! Be determined and decided to have a splendid and awe-inspiring year!

 

Mrs. Field’s-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mrs. Field’s-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies [aka: The Great Imposter Cookies!]

By Gloria Pitzer; from her Spring 1995 newsletter, Secret Recipes Quarterly (St. Clair, MI; p.6 )

Even though these cookies do not appear to be completely baked, do not over bake them or they’ll be like rocks by the 2nd day! Cookies will remain soft in a covered container by adding a few slices from a fresh, unpeeled apple.

  • 1 pound butter (or use ½-lb butter with ½-lb margarine)
  • 2 C packed, light brown sugar
  • 2 C granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs (or 6 medium)
  • 1 TB vanilla
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 6 C self-rising flour
  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 12 ounces MINI semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 12 ounces milk chocolate morsels
  • 2 C chopped walnuts and/or pecans (optional)
  1. In large bowl, cream butter (and/or margarine) with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugars, eggs (1 at a time), vanilla and baking soda. Add in only 2 cups of the flour, beating for 5 minutes. Remove beaters and work in remaining flour with sturdy mixing spoon, stirring in chips and nuts last.
  2. Using a 1/8-cup scoop, place dough balls 2 inches apart on a warm, prepared* cookie sheet (see instructions below), slightly flattening each mound with the back of the scoop.
  3. Bake at 350°F for exactly 12 minutes. [Note: Cookies will not look done – very light beige color with definite cracks where wet dough is visible.] Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing carefully to place on paper towels. These cookies are best after 4 hours of cooling on the paper towels…but, who can wait that long?!
  4. *To prepare cookie sheet: spray it with Pam and place it in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or until Pam turns brown. Remove pan and wipe with paper towel, leaving a light, but even, film on the cookie sheet. Do not re-grease between cookie batches.
Note: other versions of this recipe, using different measurements or different ingredients like Dream Whip or oatmeal or cake mix, can be found in some of Gloria Pitzer’s cookbooks as well. Gloria’s first imitation of these cookies appeared (with the cake mix ingredient) in her cookbook, The Joy of not Cooking – Anymore than You have To! (Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI; Nov. 1983, p. 191).

Seize Fudge, Like See’s Candy of California

 

Seize Fudge, Like See’s Candy

By Gloria Pitzer, Secret Fast Food Recipes (Secret Recipes, Marysville, MI; “21st printing” – Dec. 1999, p. 48)

In California, the only word in candy is the famous See’s Candy. If you like their fudge, then you’ll love this make-alike version!

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs (well beaten)
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In top of double-boiler, over gently simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in eggs with portable electric mixer on high speed. Beat in powdered sugar a little at a time, until smooth, then add vanilla. Pour into greased 9-inch square pan. Chill a few hours until firm enough to cut into 36 squares.

NOTE: This recipe may have appeared in an earlier printing of this cookbook, but it wasn’t in the first printing from March 1985.

Orange Judas

Orange Judas

By Gloria Pitzer, The Great Imitator’s Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; Oct. 1999, p. 31

Ingredients:

2 C club soda

1/2 C light Cool Whip

1/2 C orange Tang powder

1/2 C dry creamer powder

8-10 ice cubes, smashed

Instructions:

Blend briefly, until it’s smooth and frothy. Makes 3 heavenly drinks!

NOTE: Other versions of this recipe have been printed in at least 14 of Gloria Pitzer’s cookbooks since 1977. The company for the original “Orange Julius” drink was VERY upset over Gloria’s imitation(s) of their product and kept threatening her with lawsuits unless she changed the name of her recipe(s); which, originally, had been called “Orange Judas” and first appeared in Gloria Pitzer’s The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book (Nat’l Homemakers Newsletter, Pearl Beach, MI; Jan. 1977) in 3 different versions. The many different versions that Gloria developed over the years to imitate the original have also been re-titled as “Orange Justice”, “Orange Brutus” (also “Strawberry Brutus”), “Orange Jeweless” and “Orange Glorious”. All of them make the same great tasting drink!

Big Match McFabulous Special Sauce – Like McDonald’s

THE BIG MATCH ATTACH – This is the double-decked, at-home-hamburger recipe that promises you will shock the socks off everyone who tries your improvisation of the famous “Golden Arch’s” very own “Big Mac”.

All you need for one ‘Big Match’ is: 2 all beef patties, “Special Sauce”, lettuce, cheese, onions, pickles & 2 sesame seed buns. Sear both sides of the 2 patties in a bit of oil on a hot griddle, cooking to medium-well. Place each patty on the 2 bottom halves of the buns. To each of these, add a tablespoon of Special Sauce (see below), lettuce, cheese, onions and pickles to taste. Assemble one atop the other and add one of the bun tops to the top of that. Serve at once to anyone having a Big Match Attach!

Big Match McFabulous Special Sauce

THE BIG MATCH ATTACH – This is the double-decked, at-home-hamburger recipe that promises you will shock the socks off everyone who tries your improvisation of the famous “Golden Arch’s” very own “Big Mac”.

All you need for one ‘Big Match Attach’ is: 2 all beef patties, ‘Special Sauce’ (below), lettuce, cheese, onions, pickles, & 2 sesame seed buns.

Seer both sides of the 2 patties in a bit of oil on a hot griddle, cooking to medium-well. Place each patty on the 2 bottom halves of the buns. To each of these, add a tablespoon of Special Sauce (see below), lettuce, cheese, onions and pickles to taste. Assemble one atop the other and add one of the bun tops to the top of that. Serve at once to anyone having a Big Match Attach!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

1/3 cup creamy French dressing

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

1 TB sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dry, minced onions

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together with a spoon, as listed. Makes 2-cups sauce. Keeps up to a week or so if refrigerated & well-covered. Do not freeze this.

Famous Nameless Chocolate Chip Cookies, Like Famous Amos

FAMOUS NAMELESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – with Turtle Sundae Cookies alternative

My original version had a dozen ingredients. Look at how I shortened it! Still, the results are identical! An interesting note on the popularity of these cookies… A few years ago, [around 1980], I received a letter from Dr. Joyce Brothers, in which this was the only recipe she requested. I sent her the longer, from-scratch version. I hope she has a chance to try this version. One thing I noted about the original cookie is that it has a “sugary” consistency to it. It’s almost like a confection.

When Amos, himself, was interviewed in Family Circle magazine a few years ago, he offered them the recipe for making his kind of cookie at home. I tried that recipe 3 times and it was NOT one bit like his famous cookies. To be like his product, the cookie must be firm, a little crisp, but not dry, and have a definite brown-sugar-flavor and crunchy-texture to it. You can add chopped raisins to the finished batter and you can double the chocolate chips – but do be sure, if you are imitating the original product, that you include some pecan halves, as well as chopped pecans, for these really “make” the cookie!

INGREDIENTS:

18-ounce box yellow cake mix

2  boxes (3 ¾-ounce ) butterscotch pudding powder ((NOT instant))

1 ¼ cups mayonnaise

12-ounce pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

4-ounce pkg. walnut chips

4-ounce pkg. pecan halves

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix the dry pudding powder with the dry cake mix in a roomy bowl. Combine thoroughly, using a slotted spoon or large meat fork. Then, mix in the mayonnaise; but, don’t use an electric mixer! When well-blended, add the chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded spoonful, 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes at 350°F.

It’s important to permit the cookies to cool at least 2 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them, carefully, to paper towels to continue cooling. These are very fragile while warm but tend to firm-up while cooling.

Keep at room temperature in a tightly covered container for up to a month! They freeze poorly. Makes 4 ½ dozen.

Note: If weather is very humid, you’ll note that these become quite limp if they stand out, uncovered, for any length of time. If you store the cooled, firm cookies in an airtight container they should remain crisp despite humid weather.

Turtle Sundae Cookies alternative – Like “Taste of Home” Winner

Add, to chocolate chip dough (above), a 10-ounce bag English Toffee Bits and 2 cups chopped pecans. Continue as recipe, otherwise, directs.

Mondays & Memories of My Mom – Time to Make the Cookies

 

Mondays & Memories of My Mom – New Year’s Eve Resolutions

Hello to everyone!

Allow me to introduce myself to any new visitors here – I am Laura (Pitzer) Emerich, and this is my blog, Mondays & Memories of My Mom, a tribute to the legacy of a woman who helped to make me who I am, as well as a mentor and “trail-blazer” for so many others. To me, she’s “Mom”; but, to the world, she’s Gloria Pitzer, the ORIGINAL Secret Recipe Detective. In the early ‘70s, Mom started developing (writing and testing) her own recipes that mimicked popular dishes in the restaurant, grocery and fast food industries.

 Illustration by Gloria Pitzer

She marketed her talents – as I wrote in my first blog, A Legacy of Love – “through newspapers, magazines, local television talk shows…but, especially through radio talk shows. For nearly 40 years she was a regular on a few local radio talk shows such as ‘Ask Your Neighbor’, hosted by Bob Allison on WWJ-Radio, which still airs out of the Detroit area today and ‘Listen to the Mrs.’, which is still hosted by Art Lewis on WSGW-Radio in Saginaw, MI. Mom said Warren Pierce of ‘The Warren Pierce Show’ put her ‘in touch with some of the most responsive and enthusiastic listening audiences.’ That show also still airs out of the Detroit area on WJR-Radio. Mom did radio shows all over the country – mostly by phone, from the comfort of home.”

WSGW Saginaw MI

She passed away almost a year ago, 2 weeks after her 82nd birthday, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of faith, love, generosity, sarcastic humor and a wide range of artistic talents. I feel so lucky to have all these memories of her and how she contributed to making me the woman I am today. So, I want to share those wonderful recollections with the world, which is so easy now through the internet and social media; and try to carry on her legacy in my own way. Mom was such a huge influence in my life. It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows – you have to have storms to get those rainbows and appreciate the sunshine even more! So, it’s all good!

 Photo by Paul Jaekel, Jan. 2016

During the last few years of Mom’s life, I got to know her in a new way – one that I missed out on in my self-centered teen years. I was helping Mom to rewrite her favorite cookbook, from 1983, Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook, to be published by Balboa Press. Mom never wanted to let any of her cookbooks be published by a company that wanted to change her creations. But, times changed and so did situations, as well as attitudes. The publisher we chose for the project didn’t want to change very much of anything except the title (because it too closely resembled The Betty Crocker Cookbook title, which it was supposed to in the first place) and a few illustrations (because they had the likeness of “The Colonel” on them.) I also had to change the layout slightly; not because of the publisher, but because of the digital revolution and the printed format we chose for the final product. Mom and I also had to choose some parts to be totally omitted due to their lack of current relatability or something else. Years ago, Mom would’ve said, “Never! Not any of it!” But, she learned over the years that it’s better to go with the flow than swim against the tide. I’ve always loved to write, myself; something Mom always nurtured in me. Re-reading Mom’s creative “Food for Thought” articles and discussing them with her, brought us closer in a whole new way. Mom’s favorite thing in life was to write. She also loved to mentor those who shared the love! She always said, “I make a living with my writing – but, it’s my writing that makes living worthwhile!”

“When you’re wishing for a happier, fuller life, a life with real meaning, there’s a need to remain steadfastly receptive to intuitions & inspirations that whisper to the listening thought of hope & courage.” – Gloria Pitzer [as seen in Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter, Issue 183, Nov-Dec 1997; pg. 10]

Now, it’s New Year’s Eve! This is the time that most of us spend recalling, reasoning, recollecting, reflecting, reminiscing, remembering, ruminating and resolving to do and be better than we’ve ever been, even more than we are right now – resolutions are made that call for improvement and change in ourselves! Making a New Year’s resolution is a common tradition, whereas people resolve to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or to, otherwise, improve their life.

The New Year’s Eve anthem (a musical composition of celebration), Auld Lang Syne is an old Scots poem penned by Robert Burns in 1788; but made known more famously by Guy Lombardo’s version, which he and His Royal Canadians band sung every New Year’s Eve for about 38 years (1939-1977). The title literally translates into basic English as “old long since,” which basically equals “days gone by” or can be even more loosely interpreted as “for the sake of old times.” Any way you cut it, it’s traditionally sung on New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight to say goodbye to the old year and celebrate the new one. However, it is also heard at funerals, graduations, and other special occasions as a farewell or ending to that event.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.” – Robert Burns (1759 – 1796)

The most commonly sung [or should I say “mis-sung” – in our own special drunken interpretations?] parts of Auld Lang Syne are the 1st verse and chorus, which begs the question, “Should we leave it behind us and forget about it?” I ask myself, how am I to learn from my mistakes if I forget them? Mom once said, “You never realize what a good memory you have until you try to forget something.” [As seen in Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter, Issue 146, Sep-Oct 1990; pg. 7] However, this is another, earlier viewpoint from Mom on the subject of forgetting, as she wrote in a small “Food for Thought” piece in one of her newsletters:

Some things, perhaps, are better left unsaid and forgotten – or, like the woman in The Bible, who looked back when she was warned not to, we just might become pillars of emotional salt; hardening our feelings and losing our sense of compassion, rather than become someone with perspective, with our eyes on where we’re going, rather than where we’ve already been.

Being able to get a handle on life by not letting it get the best of us, when the lemons outweigh the levity in our relationships, is a recipe worth having. Resolving the problems with recipes in the kitchen is something we’re all willing to accept, because cooking is an individual and very personal experience – a creative challenge for some, a positive involvement for others. Yet we accept the risk of failing at what we attempt with foods, more readily than we will with our relationships with other people. It’s a puzzle to me that we are willing to endure such a paradox that we’ll put more effort into the table we set than into the examples we set…” [As seen in Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter, Issue 130, Jan-Feb 1988; pg. 8]

In closing, as with my pervious blogs, I’d like to share with you one of Mom’s make-alike recipes that appeared on her “Free Recipes/Information” sheet, which she used to give out in exchange for a self-addressed, stamped envelope; asking only for proper credit if you care to share it. This is a photo copy of her 2000 imitation of a sugar-free, Strawberry Fluff-Style dessert like the one served at Old Country Buffet. It’s a great dessert to take to parties as a dish-to-pass, allowing yourself and others, whose New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, to indulge and not feel guilty!

Note: this particular sugar-free recipe was not included in Mom’s last cookbook, “Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective”, published by Balboa Press (January 2018, 1st Printing) – a re-write by me, Laura Emerich, of her famous, self-published book, “Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook” (May 1983, 3rd Printing). However, many other wonderful sugar-free recipes and humorous stories can be found in the “Dieting” Dishes chapter or section of this book on pages 283-291.

Finally, dear strangers and friends, on this celebratory occasion of ringing in the new year, I wish for you all to cherish your memories – good and bad – as they are all a part of who you are and will help you in becoming who you want to be in 2019! As Mom would always say, “Happy sleuthing in the kitchen!”… But, may the table you set, pale in comparison to the example you set! Happy New Year to you all!