Cooking in the West

The hardest thing about being a weekly humor/recipe columnist for coming up on 29 years is getting my facts straight--especially when many of the facts are made up on the spot. I write what my family calls creative non-fiction. Some choose to call it downright rubbish. Generally that creativity does not get me into trouble with anyone except immediate family members who only tolerate me for food service and maid service anyway, but I manage to get into trouble in many other ways.

For example, once a lady called me on the phone and told me that a recipe for plum cake that I had run could not be right. It was such a flop that her dog wouldn't eat it! I wasn't sure if she wanted me to bring my dog over for a second opinion or exactly what she wanted me to do, but I pulled out the recipe and went through it with her. Sure enough, I had left out two very important words-"self rising"-in front of flour. She had wasted a bunch of ingredients on a rock hard unleavened plum flavored purple dough clod, but she seemed appeased when I gave her credit for clearing up the confusion for me and everyone else who tried that recipe.

Bottom line is that I get myself in trouble fairly often so I love it when I can share something that is accurate and helpful or just plain fun such as these gems I have compiled over the years from Rosie Gannaway of Stigler, Oklahoma; Kay Taber of Ryegate, Montana; and Linda Story of Big Timber, Montana.

Linda Story told me to look on the end of the Reynold's aluminum foil box, and sure enough there is a tab that locks the roll in place. No more fighting with yards of unrolled foil! I believe some plastic wrap has the same locking tab also.

Kay Taber sent a list of uses for coffee filters, which are much more economical than paper towels. I bought 500 at the Dollar Store for $1.00, and I was amazed at the following uses for them:

#1. Cover bowls and dishes when cooking in the microwave--no splatter!

#2. Use them to clean mirrors and windows, because they are lint free.

#3. Separate good dishes with a filter between each dish to protect them.

#4. Filter broken cork from wine.

#5. Place a coffee filter in a cast iron skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

#6. Ball one up and use it to apply shoe polish and other messy things.

#7. Recycle deep fat frying oil by straining it through a sieve or colander lined with a coffee filter.

#8. Weigh chopped foods in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

#9. Hold tacos and other messy foods in these individual "wrappers."

#10. Line the bottom of the flower pot a filter to prevent the soil from leaking out through the drainage holes.

#11. To prevent a popsicle from dripping, poke the stick through the bottom of a coffee filter.

#12. If you are brave enough to wax your eyebrows, use strips of coffee filters!

#13. Throw them on a plate to absorb grease from bacon, fries, etc.

Rosie Gannaway shared the following thoughts on aprons, which are on the endangered accessories list. "The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath. Because she only had a few, it was easier to wash the aprons than dresses, and they took less material to make. Aprons served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. They were wonderful for drying children's tears and for cleaning dirty ears. From the chicken coop, aprons were used to carry eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When unexpected company came, it was surprising how much furniture an apron could dust in a matter of seconds. Aprons were ideal for hiding shy kids from company.

Aprons were used to bring chips and kindling wood into the kitchen or to wipe perspring brows when cooking over a hot wood stove in August. They were used to carry vegetables from the garden. After the peas were shelled, it carried out the hulls. Aprons were used to bring in the apples that fell off the trees. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron so everyone knew it was time to come in to eat. If it was cold, she wrapped her arms in her apron. It will be a long time before anyone invents a garment so versatile, but what about germs you ask? I am sure there were all kinds of germs on that apron, but I don't think anyone ever caught anything from an apron--except love!"

I would like to thank Betty Ferguson of Hysham, Montana, Mary Martin of Kennan, Wisconsin and Myrt Woosley of Wilsall, Montana for these excellent brownie recipes they contributed years back when we did the "Ranch Kids' Cookbook!"

Betty's Quick Brownies

1 C. flour

1/2 C. cocoa powder

1/2 t. salt

2 C. sugar

1 C. oil

4 eggs

2 t. vanilla

1 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar. Mix well. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in nuts if desired. Bake in a 9 X 13 pan for 25 to 30 minutes.

Mary's Brownies

2 squares baking chocolate

2/3 C. oil

2 C. sugar

1 T. cocoa powder

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 C. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 C. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and oil in medium saucepan. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat smooth. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and add to egg mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into 9 X 13 pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Myrt's Frosted Brownies

Brownies:

1 C. sugar

1 stick butter

4 eggs

1 can Hershey's chocolate syrup

1 C. flour

1 C. walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and syrup. Stir in flour and nuts. Bake in greased jelly roll pan for 25 to 30 minutes until edges begin to pull away from pan.

Frosting:

1 1/2 C. sugar

6 T. milk

6 T. butter

1/2 C. chocolate chips

Mix sugar, milk, and butter together. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add chips. Stir until spreading consistency is reached. Frost brownies. Cool and cut into bars.