Installment #3

Installment #3

I would like to apologize for taking so long to update this blog. It was never my intention to let it go so long. I am embarrassed that it's been two years!  Many family members and friends have been asking for more recipes. So in honor of what would have been her 93rd birthday, I am posting three more of my favorites today.

Also, I updated the first two blog posts with photos: one of the pound cake and one of the chocolate covered strawberries. After reading through these recipes, I hope you will get busy in the kitchen and make some of this good stuff for yourself and your family!



STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE:
This cake was Gramps' favorite so we always knew we would have it at least once a year on his birthday, February 4th.  She would often make this in the summer as well for family get togethers. She had a recipe for a round cake (pictured below) and one for a larger rectangle cake.  I have the recipe for the smaller cake. This cake looks great and is delicious!

1 cup sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 eggs, separated


Beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1 cup of sugar. Beat until stiff. Add egg yolks one at a time. Mix on low speed. Add dry ingredients a few tablespoons at a time. Line bottom of cake pans (2 round cake pans) with wax paper.only.  Bake at 350 for 20 or 25 minutes until cakes are done.  Loosen cakes from pans and remover paper immediately.  Put a layer of whipped cream in between the two cakes with sliced fresh strawberries.  Also put whipped cream on the top of the cake and put whole strawberries on top. I don't have Gram's recipe for homemade whipped cream but here is a link to one: whipped cream


The first two photos below are of a cake that I made. The third photo is of Gram getting ready to cut the larger version of the cake - although it's kind of hard to see the cake in that photo.

LAYERED POTATOES:
A lot of families may be used to having scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin served as a side dish with a meal.  Because my grandfather was picky about cheese, my grandmother came up with this delicious potato dish that doesn't have cheese....but it has lots of butter! I really love these potatoes and I hope you will too. They go great with any meat dish but I love them so much that I always wind up eating more of them than anything else on the plate!

There are no quantities/measurements listed in this recipe because it depends on how many people you are serving.

Potatoes, peeled & sliced (I use red skin potatoes, buy any potato will do)
Yellow onion, chopped
Fresh parsley, chopped
Butter
Salt
Pepper


Depending on how much time you have and how good your oven is, you could choose to slice the potatoes raw. Since that takes way too long in my NYC apt. oven, I par boil them first and then slice them. Using a glass dish or any kind of baking dish, first put pieces of butter on the bottom of the pan. Next arrange a layer of potatoes. On top of the potatoes, put salt and pepper, chopped onion, pieces of butter and chopped parsley. Repeat layers until pan is full.  It's usually good to get three layers in your pan so use a smaller pan if you are not using that many potatoes. Cover pan with foil and bake (again it will depend on your oven but I usually do 400) until potatoes are fork tender. It takes at least one hour in my oven. Then remove the foil and let them bake until the top layer browns a little.  Another simple dish, but very flavorful!

                                                                           YUM!

GOLABKI :
This is a traditional Polish dish. It is pronounced ga-wump-kee. Click on this to hear the Polish pronunciation: golabki pronunciation. Basically, Golabki is the Polish version of stuffed cabbage rolls. Click here for more information about: Golabki.

Gram made killer Golabki. It may be the one dish I miss the most since she passed away. Although the last batch I made turned out pretty good, hers were always the best. This is simple comfort food that I have to make a couple of times each year. I particularly like it in the fall or winter but any time of the year is good for golabki. Gram always served it with a side of mashed potatoes...and I do the same. Enjoy!

 Head of cabbage

1.5 lb  ground beef

2 c. rice (recommend using Carolina brand rice)

1-2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium onion

1 lg. can tomato sauce

ketchup w/water

vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Core cabbage. Put in large pot, cover with water and boil until leaves start to come apart. Sometimes you may have to pull apart yourself. Next, lay cabbage leaves on the counter.  Cut the thicker veiny part of the leaves out. Bigger leaves will have to be cut in half. Leaves should be fork tender.

Put chopped celery in with uncooked rice with water (follow directions on rice for cooking) and cook –keep stirring to prevent sticking.  Almost all water will evaporate.  Rice will be firm but soft – not mushy.

Saute onion in a little oil.

Then mix together raw meat, ½ of the sautéed onion, and all of the rice/celery mixture. Put in salt & pepper and mix together very well.

Then stuff & roll leaves.

Arrange in baking dish or roasting pan. Then pour glass of water on top.  Cover and put in oven @ 400 degrees and cook for 35-45 minutes. Keep an eye out to make sure water doesn’t evaporate and burn the golabki.

Prepare sauce mixture:   mix together large can of  tomato sauce  with remaining onion mixture and then mix ketchup with some water and  put in with the sauce. Pour sauce on top of the golabki to cover but don’t use all unless you have to (reserve some for leftovers) and  bake covered for 15 minutes still at 400. Then shut oven off and let sit for an hour. 

                           

In the pan, ready to serve

On a plate, ready to eat!

Installment #2

First of all, THANK YOU so much for the response to this blog. I have received emails, texts, and FB messages from friends & family and I really appreciate it.


I have been cooking up a storm and have taken photos of everything. Please be sure to check back to the first blog entry because I updated it with photos and a story about the German Home Fries!


Also, please be sure to leave comments about the recipes...either as you make them or what you remember about them and/or Gram from the past. And let me know if you have any questions too!


Today I will add 5 recipes to the blog; four of which I have made recently. ENJOY!


VEGETABLE SOUP (with beef):
Until I was 11 years old, I lived in the same Philadelphia neighborhood as Grams & Gramps (sometimes we called her Grams) In fact, I lived right across the street from them for seven years.  My grandfather was a butcher and owned a small grocery store on the corner of Eddington & Salmon Streets in Philly...in the Bridesburg  neighborhood. The store was attached to my grandparents' house. After we moved away to the suburbs, my parents still bought their weekly groceries from Gramps. Every Saturday, my dad and I used to drive to "the burg" to get our groceries and my Grandmother would have lunch waiting for us. This weekly trip is one of my all-time fondest memories from my childhood. I remember thinking how cool I was to be able to go behind the counter in the store and also remember the amazing aromas every time I would open the door from the store to their house. I particularly remember that once it started to get cold outside, usually in late fall or early winter, Gram would make her first batch of vegetable soup for us. It made her entire house smell so good. As I made this soup a couple of weeks ago, it really brought me back.


1 lb. or 1 1/2 lb. chuck cut into small chunks
1 small marrow bone
1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
handful of fresh parsley chopped
handful of barley
1 can of tomatoes (16 oz)
1 can of tomato soup
handful of alphabet noodles
1 small or medium whole onion peeled
2 stalks of celery chopped into small pieces
3 or 4 potatoes cut into small pieces or cubes
bay leaf (2)
peppercorns (6 or 7)
beef bouillon cubes (2)
1/2 a head of small cabbage cut into small pieces/strips
salt and pepper
water


Wash meat & bone and put in soup pot with bay leaf and peppercorns. Fill pot half way with water. Bring to a boil then remove scum with a strainer until water is clear. Add chopped celery, whole onion, barley, parsley and thinly-cut cabbage and cook 1 hour on a slow boil. Next add the canned tomatoes with juice (squeeze the tomatoes with hands over pot and break down  into small pieces). Cook for 30-40 minutes more. Next, remove onion, bay leaves, marrow bone and parsley from pot and discard. Now add potatoes, frozen vegetables, alphabet noodles, tomato soup (don't dilute), bouillon cubes, salt & pepper to taste and stir. Cook for another 45 minutes. Remove peppercorns from each serving.

mmm   mmm  good!!

MEAT LASAGNA:
There are several people in my family who do not care too much for ricotta cheese and I'm pretty sure my Grandfather was one of those people, as is my dad. Therefore, our family lasagna recipe is a more meat-centered dish...but have no fear, there's still cheese in it! This has always been one of my most favorite family dishes. I used to request it for my birthday dinner a lot when I was a kid. For those who do like ricotta, my sister-in-law, Carol, makes a fantastic traditional Italian lasagna that's loaded with cheese. I will post that one here at a later date.

Lasagna noodles cooked according to package directions (Helpful hint: cool off noodles in cold water after cooking and place separately onto wax paper)

3 lbs. Ground Beef

Green Bell Pepper - less than half - chopped into tiny pieces

Less than half of an onion - chopped into tiny pieces

2 lbs. Mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)

Grated Parmesan

1 large can Whole Tomatoes

1 large can Crushed Tomatoes

1 large can Tomato Sauce

Oregano

Basil

Salt and pepper

olive oil

Saute green pepper and onion in a very small amount of olive oil until they begin to soften. Add ground meat and cook until brown...breaking into small pieces with fork or spatula. Drain some of the grease but not all, be sure to leave some liquid. Add whole tomatoes (broken up), crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices to taste (oregano, basil, salt and pepper). Stir together, put lid on pan and simmer for one hour. In a lasagna pan (big enough for 3 layers), spoon meat mixture on bottom of pan, then add a layer of cooked noodles. Next place liberal amounts of mozzarella and sprinkled parmesan. Repeat layers...meat sauce, noodles, cheese - until pan is filled (I usually do 3 layers).  On the top, put meat mixture and then more cheese. Bake covered  in foil @ 350  for 35 minutes, then take cover off and bake for 10 more minutes for a total cooking time of 45 minutes.

DELICIOUS!!

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE:
This is a dessert for which Gram was very well-known. She made it in a sort of wide loaf pan and it was a very creamy cheese cake...a little less firm than traditional cheesecakes. She knew how much I loved this cake and when she gave me her recipe, she told me that one day that cheesecake pan would be mine...and now it is. When Gram shared her recipes with me, I usually tried to make them right away so I could ask her questions if something didn't go quite right. Although I have had this recipe for many years, for some reason I never attempted it while she was alive. I made it about 3 weeks ago and it was the first time anyone in my family has made it since she passed away six years ago. I actually started to cry when I ate a piece because it tasted exactly like hers. I found a picture of her with this cake that was taken many years ago..probably around 30-35 years ago. I have posted this photo below along with a photo of a slice of the cake I recently made. I think I could eat this everyday and never get tired of it!

Dough:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Cream butter & sugar together. Add slightly beaten egg. Then add sifted dry ingredients.  Place dough in a deep dish and spread around bottom and sides.

Filling:
1/2 lb. cream cheese (room temperature)
9 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk (note: if you use skim milk, you may have to add little more flour to thicken it up)
juice from 1/2  a lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cinnamon

Mash cream cheese and gradually add in sugar and flour. Next add the eggs and beat. Gradually add milk and blend well. Add lemon juice and vanilla next. Pour mixture in baking dish on top of the dough. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Bake for one hour at 325.

Strawberry Topping:
1 bag frozen strawberries
2 teaspoons corn starch mixed with some water
a little bit of sugar (optional)


Heat frozen strawberries until bubbly. Mix corn starch with some water and pour into strawberries. If you're using sugar, add it now. Stir while cooking until red in color again. Pour over cooled cheese cake and refrigerate. (note: in the photo below with Gram in it, the strawberries appear much more red in color than they actually will be. I think that's just because the photo is not good quality. I always remember the color being more like the photo below of the single slice....a little darker. Also, if you'd like to see a close-up photo of the pan, please refer to the photo of the chocolate chip cinnamon cake listed in the October 19th blog entry. It's the same pan.).

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE:

This is another cake that was popular in Gram's kitchen. This is my dad's favorite so she made it for him a lot. Because I am not a fan of pineapple upside down cake in general, I never made this cake before but I thought I'd better try it before posting it here! I made it two weeks ago and surprised my dad with it. Thankfully, he gave his approval! I forgot to take a photo of this cake while it was still whole (same with the cheesecake above)...oops! Luckily, I remembered when there was a small piece left!

12 tablespoons butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

5 slices of pineapple

5 maraschino cherries

1 cup sugar

2 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups sifted flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cold water

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in baking pan in oven (9x9x 1 3/4 pan). Firmly pat brown sugar over butter. Dot with 2 more tablespoons of butter. Place pineapples on top. Place a cherry in center of each pineapple slice. In a medium bowl, cream remaining butter with sugar until light & fluffy. Add eggs & vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking powder & salt. Add flour mixture, with water, to the creamed mixture. Beat well. Pour batter over pineapple slices. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes only. Loosen sides and invert on serving platter.  Note: some people prefer to put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of pan to ensure easy removal.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES:

This is yet another treat for which Gram was famous! She had a few candy recipes that she would often bring to parties and family gatherings. She sometimes just had these around at her house as well. The recipe is super easy! These are great for something quick and different to bring to parties or to give as a gift.

6 tablespoons butter

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Strawberries with stems

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler. Blend in butter and vanilla. Dip strawberries in chocolate, swirling to coat evenly. Place on wax paper and set in a cool dry place. THAT'S IT!  It's actually easier and cheaper to make them yourself rather than buying!

This time I'll close with a photo taken of Gram & me in December of 2003, one of the last ones taken of us together. Thanks again for your support of this blog.



Welcome!!

My Grandmother was a phenomenal cook and was well known for her cooking and baking. She loved to cook for her family, friends and neighbors and everyone used to always tell her that she should open a restaurant or a bakery. I am grateful to have learned from her and to have her recipes to share. Like most good cooks, she gathered recipes from a lot of different sources over the years and if it came from someone else, she always noted that on her recipe card. She loved to pass on a good recipe that she found.  I have been asked so many times for her recipes so today, on what would have been her 91st birthday, I celebrate her by passing on some of her recipes to you. Since there are a lot of recipes, I decided to create this blog that I will continually update. From here on out, every time I make one of her dishes, I will take a photo and post it on this blog. This will be helpful for some of her recipes which only list ingredients and not measurements. I will also post photos of my beloved Grandmother along the way and will include anecdotes and stories. All I ask is that if you ever pass any of these on to someone else, ...and you will because everyone will be asking you for the recipe when you make one of her dishes or cakes....please be sure to credit Fritz Nowicki (Fritz was the nickname she went by, in case you didn't know). I would also very much appreciate any memories or comments as you make these recipes. "Gram," as I called her, has been on my mind a lot this week so I'll begin this blog with several recipes and I'll update with new ones from time to time so check back!  

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE CAKE:

When Gram passed away 6 years ago, I was still teaching at Sanford School. The outpouring of love and support I received during that difficult time from faculty, staff, students and parents was overwhelming and is something I will never forget. When I returned to school, I decided that a proper thank you would be to bake (using her recipes) for the Sanford community. I baked an awful lot of treats and put them in the faculty room.  I immediately became bombarded with emails asking for the recipes. Her famous Blueberry Buckle Cake, was the number one requested recipe. On Grams's recipe card she wrote - "Very good cake & easy to make!" ENJOY!

Cake:
1/4 cup butter    
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and milk. Blend in flour, salt, and baking powder, then blend in blueberries. Pour batter into a greased and floured 7" square pan. Put crumb topping on top of batter (see below)

Crumb Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Work ingredients together with fingers or pastry cutter. When done making this, put crumbs on top of the batter and bake until done - 45 to 50 minutes at 375 degrees. Gram notes that this makes a small cake and that she doubles the recipe in a 9 x 13 pan to make a bigger one.

POUND CAKE (DAVID'S):

Gram got this recipe from Uncle David. I make this cake A LOT because it's so easy and so good. I have taken it to many parties and have received many compliments on it over the years.  I like to serve it with powdered sugar on the top and with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream, but other people in my family like to put a glaze or light frosting on top. It's up to you!

3/4 lb. butter (softened)
8 oz. cream cheese
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs

Cream butter, sugar, and cream cheese together. Beat in one egg at a time until you use all six. Beat in one cup of flour at a time. Then add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake at 300 degrees for 1.5 hours. NOTE: I have found that the time varies with different ovens and often takes longer than 1.5 hours.

PORK CHOP CASSEROLE:

Ok this dish is so easy that it's almost ridiculous that it could taste so good. Gram often had impromptu dinners at her house and she would call everyone in the family that day and say, "I'm making dinner tonight at 6:00 if you want to come." This is a dish that she sometimes would make for those dinners because she could put it together quickly.  I inherited the corningware pan in which she made this (see photo below) and in honor of her birthday, I am making it tonight! This is one of those recipes without measurements because it depends on how many people you are cooking for.

Pork chops (bone in)
Potatoes (peeled)
Green Bell Pepper
Canned Tomato Soup
Salt and pepper

Cut raw potatoes in round slices and layer in bottom of pan (I usually put in 2-3 layers of potatoes). Lay pork chops on top (I usually use 4 pork chops).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour in tomato soup to cover meat and potatoes (I usually use 1-1.5 cans). Slice green pepper in thick rings or thick long pieces and lay on top of meat and potatoes. Put lid on dish and bake at 350 until potatoes are done. In my oven, it takes an hour. This is so easy and very flavorful.

                                                      

This is what it looks like before you put it in the oven

GERMAN HOME FRIES:

I love home fries with breakfast so much more than hash browns. I have a couple of different recipes but this is  my favorite for several reasons, 1.) They are different, 2.) They are delicious, 3.) They always remind me of Gram. UPDATE: I just learned from my mom that this recipe is one that my Grandfather brought home from Germany during World War II...I never knew that!

This is one of those recipes where she lists no measurements. It's all done by the eye and by taste so there may be some trial and error. I remember the first time I made them without her there, I put in way too much celery seed and ruined the dish so be careful on the celery seed! The sauce should cling to the potatoes. If it is too thin/runny, turn the heat to high so that it will evaporate some...or you can add more butter. I made them this morning so I can tell you how much of everything I used.

Potatoes peeled and cut in small chunks ( today I used 4  medium sized)
Diced Onion (today I used half of a large onion)
Diced Celery (today I used 2 large stalks)
Large chunk of butter (today I used 2 tablespoons)
Water (today I used about a 1/2 cup)
Salt and pepper (to taste, but be generous with the salt)
Celery seed  (today I probably used a 1/2 teaspoon or maybe a little more)

Put all ingredients in a frying pan with lid and cook on high (occasionally stirring) until the butter and water thicken to become a sauce. Then reduce heat to very low and cook until potatoes are done. Stir occasionally, adding more water if necessary. I took these photos this morning!

CHOCOLATE CHIP CINNAMON CAKE:

This is a family favorite for sure. Gram credits Cioci Tina with this recipe. If you don't already know, Cioci (pronounced Chuh-chee) is the Polish word for Aunt. Cioci Tina is Gram's daughter and my father's sister. Naturally, being Gram's daughter, Cioci Tina is also an outstanding cook.

Batter:

1/4 pound butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (1/2 pint) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix butter and sugar and eggs together. Add in sour cream and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda and add in.

Cinnamon Mix:

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 oz chocolate chips

Mix together using hands or a spoon

Pour half of the batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon mixture on top. Pour in remaining batter and top with remaining cinnamon mix. Bake at 350 for one hour or until cake is done (tester comes out clean). YUMMY!!

This is is a photo of Gram taken in 2000 at 81 years of age: