Secret RecipesRecipes developed & tested by Gloria Pitzer, the Recipe Detective™
SATURDAY BREAD DOUGH & WEST VIRGINIA BREAD Both, by Gloria Pitzer [*As seen in… Eating Out At Home Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Sep. 1981, 12th Printing, p. 24).] Grandma and the five girls were up at 4 AM to begin the baking each Saturday. Here is her bread recipe in her own words […]
MY MOTHER’S PERFECT PIE CRUST By Gloria Pitzer *As seen in her self-published book… The Copycat Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1996, 12th printing; p. 73) INGREDIENTS: 2 cups flour 2 tsp sugar ½ tsp salt ¼-lb chilled butter, broken into bits 5 TB Crisco About 5 TB cold tap water (added as […]
STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM By Gloria Pitzer Please, don’t ask me to use pectin if I don’t have to! Give me the simple life – even in the kitchen. I found that there is enough natural pectin in rhubarb that you really don’t have to use the powdered or liquid pectin to equal a very dignified […]
STRAWBERRY PIE, LIKE BIG BOY’S By Gloria Pitzer INGREDIENTS: 1 small box strawberry Jell-O [mix] 1 cup boiling water ½ cup strawberry jam ½ cup cold water 4 TB cornstarch 1-qt whole strawberries 9-inch baked pie shell [Whipped cream and additional whole strawberries for garnish] INSTRUCTIONS: Dissolve Jell-O powder in the boiling water. Over low […]
KENTUCKY BISCUITS By Gloria Pitzer […as she prepared on ABC’s “Home” show – February 1988] INGREDIENTS: 1 – 1½ cup(s) Bisquick 1 rounded tablespoon sour cream ¼ cup club soda ½ tsp sugar INSTRUCTIONS: Mix [everything] together, until a smooth dough forms. Dip your hand into just enough more Bisquick, so you can knead the […]
BETSY ROSS’ CUSTARDY CORNBREAD (from the bi-centennial days) By Gloria Pitzer (1976) INGREDIENTS: ¾ cup white cornmeal ¼ cup flour 2 TB sugar ½ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 2/3 cups milk 1 egg, beaten 2 TB butter INSTRUCTIONS: [Pre-heat oven to 400°F.] Sift the first five ingredients, as listed, together [and set […]
IMPROVISING ON SOME INGREDIENTS Before we go much further, I want to give you a… recipe… that can be used in place of commercial food products that may not be available to you in your area. When Paul & I were publishing my monthly Secret Recipes Report, our subscribers in Europe and Australia and some […]
WIND SHOOTER’S BAR CHEESE BY GLORIA PITZER – first printed in her self-published “National Homemaker’s Newsletter” (August 1976)* A national snack favorite… There are many derivations of this most popular Michigan specialty. The 1st recipe I developed to imitate Win Schuler’s product, required several more ingredients than I really wanted to work with. But the […]
TACO CHEESE SPREAD BY GLORIA PITZER [As seen in her 2002-2004 fall media free recipes/info sheet.] INGREDIENTS: 8-oz tub of sour cream (or onion chip dip) 8-oz tub of cheddar cheese spread [like Win Schuler’s] 1 envelope taco seasoning mix INSTRUCTIONS: Beat everything together, until smooth. Serve with Doritos or chips. Also see… https://therecipedetective.com/2020/05/04/mondays-memories-of-my-mom-risky-business/
PRIME RIB (TWO WAYS) By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published cookbook, Make Alike Recipes (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1991, p. 83) Mondays & Memories of My Mom – Tell A Story Day