Just around the corner

Just around the corner
                        
We’ve all repeated the saying, “just around the corner.” We could be referring to Christmas morning, the first day of school, turning 18, graduation, wedding vows, parenthood, you name it, it’s all “just around the corner.” As we get ready to turn that corner, to go into an area where we might be a little unsure of ourselves, we ultimately take that next step; and there we are, right in the middle of what was just around the corner.

At the present time, we are all moving close to that springtime corner. We know it will come, we know it will stay, even if the calendar and the weatherman are at odds with each other.

Soon kindergartners will experience the last day of their first year of school. High school seniors will finish one period of education, move on to another, or become part of the work force. All these events are more examples of what “just around the corner” means.

All these turning moments of life in movement are worthy of celebrating; bring on the guests, bring on the food! There are a lot of just around the corners this time of year, and what else do we expect but a party platter, a picnic table that extends to, just around the corner. Now that’s a spread the length of a barn raising dinner table.

Bags of chips, relish trays and dips for both; cookies for grab and go, and cakes for the seated guests, they’re ready-to-serve just around the corner. Deep dish pies, 9-by-13 casseroles, buckets of chicken; the family reunion can now begin. Barbecues, campfires, hog and dog roasts; grab the charcoal, grab the kindling, summer fun food is just around the corner.

I guess I can wait until tomorrow for the next corner to be turned, and the next one shortly thereafter. The road we live on is not straight, it’s full of just around the corner turns, and sometimes we just can’t wait to get there. I hope there is ice cream up ahead.

Good gravy, what are you cooking? What’s heating on your stove top? Send recipes to: Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Road, Wooster 44691. Emails are always welcome to thewritecook@sssnet.com.



Slow Cooked Coffee Pot Roast (Janet Dominick)

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) quartered

1 cup brewed coffee

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 tablespoons cold water

Place half of the onions in a 5-quart slow cooker. Top with garlic and half of the beef. Top with remaining onion and beef. Combine coffee and soy sauce; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours or until meat is tender. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until gravy is thickened.



Sun Kernel Delight (Kelly Culp, Clinton)

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs lightly beaten

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 package (7 ounces) ring macaroni cooked and drained

6 medium apples, chopped

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1/2 to 1 cup salted sunflower kernels

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, eggs, and lemon juice; cook and stir over low heat until temperature reaches 160 degrees and mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Fold in the macaroni, apples, pineapple, and whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve; stir in sunflower kernels.



Heath Crunch Apple Pie

5 cups sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 Heath candy bar (1.4 ounces), chopped

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash ground nutmeg

1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

Topping:

1/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1 Heath candy bar (1.4 ounces), chopped

In a bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Spoon into pie shell. For topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon; cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add nuts and candy bar. Sprinkle over pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is browned and apples are tender.



Cha-Cha Chili Chops

4 bone-in pork chops (1/2 inch thick)

4 slices onion (1/4 inch thick)

4 slices green pepper (1/4 inch thick)

1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce

Put pork chops in greased 9-inch square baking dish. Top with onions, peppers, and chili sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear.



Bleu Cheese Creamy Potatoes

2 pounds red potatoes cut into chunks

1/4 cup whipping cream, whipped

1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, fold whipped cream and blue cheese into mayonnaise. Drain potatoes; gently stir in bleu cheese mixture. Sprinkle with bacon. Serve warm.



Sweet Apple Smothered Chops

6 loin pork chops, 1 inch thick

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sage

3 tart apples

3 tablespoons molasses

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup raisins

Sprinkle chops with 1/4 teaspoon salt and sage. Brown slowly in hot skillet. Place in large baking dish. Pare, core and slice apples in 1/4 inch sliced or rings; arrange on chops. Pour molasses over apples. Add flour to fat in skillet; cook until brown; stirring constantly. Add water; stir until mixture boils. Add vinegar, salt and raisins. Pour over chops and apples. Cover and bake at 350 degrees, about 1 hour, or until apples are tender.



Berry Best Bread

2 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 2/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed and lightly drained

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat together well the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with strawberries. Fold in nuts lightly. Pour into a greased 9-by-5 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until done.



Bakin’ Burgers

1/4 cup steak sauce

2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup Shake’n Bake seasoned coating mix, divided

1 pound ground beef

4 burger buns

Lettuce

In a bowl, combine the steak sauce and the 2 tablespoons of coating mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix until combined. Shape into 4 patties. Dip both sides of patties in remaining coating. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once.



Bacon Potatoes

2 cans (10 3/4 ounce each) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/3 cups sour cream

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 package frozen tater tots

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream and onion. Add the bacon and tater tots. Transfer to a greased 13-by-9 inch baking pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until golden brown.


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