The end of May brings with it the Memorial Day holiday. To many, this signals the beginning of the summer season, in unofficial terms. There are cookouts, gatherings, and memories. In preparing for those, I found myself rummaging through the stack of cookbooks in my kitchen. I have cookbooks from generations before me, some from the churches in the town where I grew up. Created by ladies’ groups, which included women who worked in my elementary school’s cafeteria to the ladies in my neighborhood, these culminations of heirloom recipes were gathered, typed (some by manual typewriters), and sent off to publishers far away from middle Indiana, only to return in professionally printed recipe books bound with black, round, plastic spines that never lie flat when stacked in pantries. These have become treasures to me. Some of the recipes are older than I am. I love that. So, in the spirit of the women who came before me in a small town in Indiana, I share these recipes for you to try for this holiday. Impress your crowd with a sauce, appetizer, or sweet treat from the past. If nothing else, they’ll make for a good story!
SAUCES/MARINADE:
Steak Marinade
1 ½ C salad oil
¾ C soy sauce
¼ C Worcestershire sauce
2 T dry mustard
1 T coarse ground pepper
½ C wine vinegar
1 ½ tsp parsley flakes
2 crushed garlic cloves (optional)
⅓ C fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Makes about 3 ½ cups. Marinade can be drained from steaks or chops for a second use. Store in a tightly covered jar in the freezer indefinitely or in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Tomato Catsup
1 gallon thick tomato puree
5 med. Onions
1 T salt
1 pint of vinegar
2 C granulated sugar
1 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Cloves
1 tsp. Allspice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
(Tie cloves, allspice, and cinnamon in a cloth.) Combine and cook until desired thickness. Remove the onions after they are tender, before they fall apart. Bottle and cap are boiling hot.
Barbeque Sauce
1 C ketchup
½ C brown sugar
¼ C vinegar
½ tsp. Chili powder
½ tsp. Celery seed
½ C water
Salt
Pepper
Cook to boil, then brush on ribs, beef, chicken, or a choice of meats.
APPETIZERS:
Cheese Ball
8 oz. cream cheese
Small can crushed pineapple, drained well
2 T celery, chopped
2 T onion, chopped
1 tsp. Seasoned salt
½ C chopped nuts
Mix and chill. Roll into a ball and cover with nuts.
Spicy Appetizer Franks
1 pkg spaghetti or taco mix
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 ½ C water
2 T salad oil
1 – 2 lb. franks (hot dogs), cut into small pieces
Mix together and heat in a crockpot. To make it spicier, add a dash of Tabasco or Worcestershire and a shake of garlic sauce.
SWEET TREATS:
McIntyre’s Grapes
8 oz cream cheese (can use whipped)
8 oz sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
½ C brown sugar
Chopped pecans or walnuts
Red and/or green grapes (approximately a large bag of each)
Beat cream cheese, vanilla, brown sugar, and sour cream with a mixer. Fold in grapes. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Serve chilled.
Lemonade Pie
1 Graham cracker crust
1 small can of lemonade
1 small container Cool Whip
1 can Eagle Brand milk
Mix together lemonade, Cool Whip, and Eagle Brand milk. Pour into the crust and refrigerate until set.
Dirt Pudding
2 small boxes of instant French Vanilla pudding
2 ¾ C milk
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 stick of butter, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) Cool Whip
1 pkg Oreos
Mix milk and pudding. Cream butter and cream cheese, then add to the pudding. Add powdered sugar and Cool Whip.
Crumble Oreo cookies and put them into a 9 x 13 pan. Pour the pudding mixture over the top, then sprinkle the remaining crushed cookies on top.
Whippersnappers
1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 egg
1 tub of Cool Whip
A small quantity of powdered sugar
Blend cake mix, egg, and Cool Whip (will be stiff). Form 1-inch balls; make a thumbprint in the top of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 min. Dust the tops with a small amount of powdered sugar. Makes 36.
Please let us know if you try any of these recipes! We’d love to hear from you! From Indiana to you, have a “delicious” holiday.
This was written by our contributing writer, Nina Graue.
Image Source: Freepik
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