Issue Index
Full-Time Dads;
The Magazine for Caregiver Fathers
Issue 18, originally appeared in print - November 1995
One of my first memories of cooking was when I was in the kitchen, "helping" my mother. She had an old white Sunbeam Mixmaster, and from out of the rarely used cupboard she would pull the grinder attatchment. We would cut up oranges and rinse off fresh cranberries. By now you've probably guessed that my first recipe was Cranberry-Orange Relish. I've been making this to bring to our Thanksgiving Day Dinner ever since we've been married. It's a nice change, with a little more texture, than the canned variety.
I've up-graded now to a Kitchenaid (no offense Ma,) and the housing for the grinder is now made out of plastic instead of solid aluminum, but the final results are the same. If you don't havve a grinder, a food processor will do just as nicely. Be sure to pulse (turn on and off quickly), so you don't end up with an unrecognizable puree. One recipe makes just enough for dinner and leftovers the next day. If you still have some in the fridge, don't throw it out. I've used it in muffins, pancakes, or when all else fails, turkey soup (See my Soup Primer, issue #13). The kids can have fun helping to put the oranges and cranberries into the grinder (hint: freeze the berries before grinding to prevent a juicy, spattery mess).
Pumpkin Raisin Bread is from a King Arthur recipe (no relation), that I got years ago. I've made it with both fresh and canned pumpkin, and I don't notice any difference (aside from all the work of cutting, steaming and pureeing the fresh). If you think this recipe is too large, it will split easily in half. When I make it, after the first rising I divide the dough in half; with one half I make a simple braid, either round like a wreath or straight. That one goes with us to dinner. The remaining dough I divide into small balls, about the size of golf balls, and make rolls (flatten a little, let rise and bake). These usually get eaten right out of the oven.
The final recipe I'm going to share with you is for a very easy cookie. My mother in law gave me the recipe for Ginger Cookies, and it's a long-time favorite of our family's. I always made a batch for my dad because they were his favorite. The dough is easy to mix and the shaping is something for everyone, Even though the recipe calls for ungreased cookie sheets, I spray mine with Pam and they slide right off. For quick and easy holiday cookies, these can be decorated with a simple confectioners sugar icing when cool, then sprinkled with colored jimmies.
I can't believe I'm saying it so soon, but Happy holidays to you all!
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
4 Tablespoons magarine
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 packet yeast
1 cup raisins
6-7 cups flour
Combine milk, water and margaine in a saucepan. Heat until lukewarm. Pour into mixing bowl, add eggs, pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, yeast and 1 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes with electric beater, add raisins. Gradually add the remainer of the flour until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl. Knead 7-8 minutes, adding only enough flour to keep from sticking. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Place in greased bread pans, cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until done. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
2 cups cranberries, washed
1 orange, cut into pieces and seeded
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (to taste)
Put berries and orange through food grinder or pulse in food processor. Add sugar, mix throughly. Let stand at least overnight for flavors to ripen.
From Mom (Jewel Aiken)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortning
4 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 scant teaspoon each cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger
Cream shortening, beat in sugar. Add egg and molasses, mix well. Stir in sifted, dry ingredients. Form into small balls, dip one end into sugar. Place, sugar end up, on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Copyright 1994 Arthur Snow
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