Papa's Favorite Ice Cream

How about little ice cream to go with all the hot fudge? I couldn't post all those fudge recipes without a little ice cream to go with them!  This was my Grandma Bailey's recipe.  It was a favorite of my grandfather "Papa." That man LOVED ice cream.  I think my addiction to the cold, creamy stuff came from him. This is as old-fashioned as it gets... almost like a frozen custard, but better.  Pop and Gram used an old fashioned bucket-style ice cream freezer.  I used my Cuisinart 2 quart machine, and it worked great... I just had to half the recipe, using 5 egg yolks.

Papa's Favorite Ice Cream... makes 4 quarts

Cook together in a saucepan to 170 degrees:
     2 quarts milk
     3 tablespoons corn starch
     3/4 teaspoon salt
     2 cups sugar
     9 egg yolks

When above mixture is cooled, add:
     1-1/2 cups cream
     2-3 teaspoons of vanilla

Freeze according to your freezer instructions.  Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Throwdown

So... it is obvious that we Carmans (and Baileys) liked dessert.  I found 4 Hot Fudge recipes in Mom's collection.  One, was Grandma Bailey's and I remember her making it in the summertime when Chip was visiting. The second is similar, but uses cocoa powder instead of the chocolate squares.  The third is a microwave sauce, which I think is my favorite.  This one must have come in the late 80's or 90's. It is super quick and easy.  The 4th recipe, I THINK might be from Mom's cousin, Sharon Flack. (Sharon you'll have to let me know.)  Anyway, they are all good yummy, so here are the recipes.  Decide for yourself. We have enjoyed testing them. 

#1- Rich Chocolate Sauce (from Grandma's Box)
4 squares (4 oz) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate over hot water. Add sugar, milk and salt; stir until smooth. Add butter and cook over hot water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vanilla. Serve on ice cream.  Store in refrigerator.

#2- Mom's Sauce
6 Tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup evaporated milk

Melt butter, add sugar and cocoa. Add milk gradually, beating until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium hat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Store in refrigerator. Heat when ready.


#3-Mom's Microwave Sauce
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1- 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine cocoa, condensed milk, and milk in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute. Stir with wire wisk. Microwave for another minute, stir again.  Stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

#4- Mystery Sauce
Combine on stove top:
     1/2 cup sugar
     1/4 cup cream
     1/2 cup corn syrup
     1-1/2 tablespoon butter
     pinch salt
     1/2 teaspoon vanilla
When sugar is dissolved, add:
     1/4 cup cocoa

Boil for 2 minutes on medium.  Cool slightly.

Kam's Birthday White Cake

This is one recipe card from the box that is barely legible. It has stains from years of use.  On top of that, I couldn't find the icing recipe, and I had to call my sister, Kam.  I have no idea where this one originates.  Uncle Bud said that Grandma used to make a white cake, but served it plain or with chocolate sauce.  This one has a light, fluffy frosting. It is Kam's favorite, and Mom would always make it for her on her birthday.


White Cake 
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cup flour- sifted 3 times
1 cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon of baking soda, mixed
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, add sugar. Add eggs, milk and flour a little of each at a time and beat well.  Pour into 8" greased and floured cake pans.  Bake for 20-30 minutes @ 350 degrees.


Fluffy Frosting
(Mom wrote "good luck" at the end of this recipe when she gave it to Kam, but it really isn't that tricky.)

Shake in a jar:  1 cup of milk and 5 tablespoons of flour.  Then, cook mixture in a small pan... stirring constantly until thick like paste.  Let cool.

Cream together 1/2 cup Crisco and  1/4 cup margarine for 4 minutes.
Add 1 cup of sugar and beat for 4 more minutes.
Add paste and beat for 4 more minutes.
Add  1 teaspoon of vanilla, and mix until incorporated.

"Good Luck!"
 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I will have to finally admit it.  I am a cookie snob, especially when it comes to homemade chocolate chippers.  My Mom's were the best.  They are a bit fatter, and chewier than the "flatter-than-a-pancake" Toll House jobs. I think the recipe comes from my Grandma's ORIGINAL Betty Crocker cookbook. It's the extra flour that makes the difference.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mix together:    2/3 cup shortening
                          2/3 cup butter or margarine
                          1 cup brown sugar
                          1 cup sugar

Add:                  2 eggs
                         2 teaspoons vanilla
                       

Sift together and stir in:
                         3-3/4 cups of flour
                         1 teaspoon soda
                         1 teaspoon salt

Add:                12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
                        1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2"apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  (These days I line my pans w/ parchment.) Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Cool slightly before removing.
Makes 4 dozen or so.

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

So, as another family staple I must post the recipe for Mom's Chicken Enchiladas.  I think mom started making this in the 70's when making soup based casseroles were all the rage. Growing up in Arizona, you would think we would be eating Mexican food all the time.  Well we do now, but this was the closest thing we got back then except for a night out to Don Ruben's. You would NEVER find this on a menu in a Mexican food restaurant, but we love it nonetheless.  It can be made to serve a crowd, and is pretty economical, too.  This is one even my sister Kam can make and we always get requests for the recipe.

Chicken Enchiladas
3-4 chicken breasts
2  cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg (12) corn tortillas
1 T. oregano
onion, salt, pepper

Boil the chicken until cooked, about 20 minutes. (I usually throw some onion, salt, and and pepper into the water to season)  Let chicken cool and shred. RESERVE the chicken broth.  Make "sauce" by combining soup, green chilies, chili powder, oregano, and about 2 soup cans full of the chicken broth. (I strain the broth, but I don't think mom ever did.)

Spray 9 x 13 " casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer in this order:  tortillas (cut to fit, if needed), soup mixture, pieces of the shredded chicken, then cheese.  Repeat.  In a usual casserole dish, I can get 3 layers.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees or until bubbly.  Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until cooked, which is nice for parties.