88-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 14, 2003 If you are looking for a redpe but can’t find it, send your redpe request to Lou Ann Good, Cook’s Question Comer, in care of Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. There’s no need to send a self-ad dressed stamped envelope. If we receive an answer to your question, we wifi publish it as soon as possible. Check your redpe to make sure you copy the right amounts and complete instructions for making the red pe. Sometimes we receive numerous answers to the same request, but cannot print each one. Answers to redpe requests should be sent to the same address. You may also e-mail questions and answers to LGOOD.EPH@LNPNEWS.COM QUESTION Eric, Shade Qap, writes, “as a child growing up, I remember my grandmother serving for breakfast what I would call rivals that were sweet in a hot milk-like broth that was poured over bread or bread crumbs and then sprinkled with sugar. Does anyone know what this was and how it was made?” QUESTION A reader would like a recipe for ham and bean soup. QUESTION Blueberry recipes are wanted for July. QUESTION- A Delaware reader would like a recipe for cream of asparagus soup that ap peared in Lancaster Farming last year. QUESTION Bob Snyder, Akron, Ohio, writes that a few months back Lancaster Farming printed a recipe for soft oatmeal raisin cook ies. He lost the recipe and would like to re quest it again. QUESTION Alice Weaver wants a recipe to make cream cheese. QUESTION James Breon requests a recipe for stewed tomatoes, which uses tapioca as a thickening agent. QUESTION A reader wants recipes to make homemade cream cheese, cheese, yo gurt, sour cream, cultured buttermilk and other dairy products. QUESTION Richard Kleckner, Quakertown, wants a recipe for Drop Welsh Cookies. QUESTION R.H. from Seneca Falls, N.Y., wants a recipe for a good Philly Cheesesteak. Also, for the recipe, do cooks use cubed or ground beef? QUESTION Yvonne Scantling, Wrightsville, writes that as a girl in the 19505, her family purchased goat’s milk taffy at the F.W. Wool worth Stores in Columbia and Lancaster. The taffy came in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. It was made in large sheets 15x15-inches and weighed about five pounds each, she estimates. A hammer was used to break the taffy whenever it was purchased. Yvonne would love to have the recipe to make the delicious taffy. Woolworths only sold it dur ing the summer months. QUESTION Pam Bange, Hanover, wants a recipe for cherry vanilla pie (like those sold at Nell’s Surefine Market in Hanover and East Ber lin). The cherry pie has almond slivers on top and vanilla flavoring. QUESTION - Jean Mitchell, Lewisburg, is looking for a recipe to make blueberry whoopie pies. ANSWER Lizzie Stoltzfus, Gap, noted that years ago they used to make a drink called soda water in the summertime. She couldn’t find tartaric acid, however. Holly Lutz, Jones town, writes that in the Webster’s Dictionary’s definition, lemon juice may be substituted. According to the dictionary, writes Lutz, tartar ic acid is found in many fruits and used in soft drinks and confectionery and baking powder. It is used as a substitute for lemon juice. ANSWER Isaac Kirk, Silver Spring, Md., wanted a recipe for rhubarb jelly and for red beet jelly. Holly Lutz, Jonestown, sent in the following. Easy Rhubarb Jam 5 cups diced rhubarb 2 cups sugar 1 small can crushed pineapple, drained Mix and let stand two hours, then boil 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add one small package strawberry Jell-0 and jar or put in plastic containers. Refrigerate. Also freezes well. Rhubarb/Strawbervy Jelly 1 quart rhubarb, cut vary fine 2 quarts ripe strawberries 6 cups sugar 6 ounces pectin Crush strawberries, add to rhubarb and bring to a boil. Strain Juice through a Jelly bag. Use 3Vs cups juice. Combine with sugar and bring to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim. Pour into Jelly glasses and seal. Yields six to seven half pints. Red Beet Jelly 3 cups beet Juice v 4 teaspoons lemon Juice 1 box powdered pectin 4 cups sugar 1 small package raspberry-flavored, un sweetened drink mix To make beet Juice, peel and dice raw beets, simmer them until the water is very dark red. Strain. Combine beet Juice, lemon Juice, and pectin in a large pan. Bring to a rolling boil. Quickly add sugar and boil for six minutes. Add the drink mix powder and mix thoroughly. Pour into sterilized 8-ounce jelly jars. Fill to within Vs inch of top. Put on cap, strew band firmly. Process in boiling water bath five minutes. Yield: four 8-ounce jars. An Ephrata reader sent in the following reci pe. Rhubarb Jelly 10 cups diced rhubarb 8 cups sugar 3 oranges 1 lemon 1 cup chopped nuts IV2 cups seedless raisins (optional) Wash and clean rhubarb, then cut into small pieces. Add sugar, orange, and lemon juices. Grind rind of lemon and one orange and add. Cook slowly and stir occasionally. When thick, add chopped nuts and remove from heat. Pour into glasses and seal. Makes six pints. ANSWER - Brenda Weidenham mer, Schuylkill Haven, was looking for a recipe to make fig bars that taste similar to Fig New tons. M. Hursh, Ephrata, sent in the following recipe that “resembles store-bought fig bars but tastes better.” 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon lemon juice _ Fig Filling IVs> cups ground dried figs 1 cup water % cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons orange juice For bars, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat ing after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture, mixing well. Cover and chill in refrigerate two hours. To make filling, combine ground dried figs and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil five minutes. Stir together sugar and flour, then stir that mixtures into the figs. Cook until thick. Remove from heat and add orange juice. Cool to room temperature. With the bar mixture, divide the dough in half. Roll out each half on floured surface to 18X12-inch rectangle. Cut into four three-inch wide strips. Place filling down center of strips. Using a metal spatula, fold the side of the dough lengthwise over filling. Cut in half, mak ing 9-inch strips. Transfer strips, seam down, to ungreased baking sheet, about two inches apart. Bake in 375-degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from sheets, cool, and cut into two-inch bars. Makes about five dozen. Thanks to Krista Schaible, Schuykill Haven, for sending a similar recipe to this one from Holly Lutz: Fig Newton Bars 1 pound dried figs or two pounds fresh figs 1 cup sugar Vs cup or 1 cup water (1 cup for dried figs; Vs cup for fresh) Vs cup butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoons cream or milk Vz teaspoon vanilla Fig Bars Vi t teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder IV4 cups flour Dice figs, soak in water one hour. Add sugar and cook on medium heat until of thin Jam con sistency. Beat sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and va nilla until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Mix well, refrigerate one hour. Place Vi on well floured dough cloth; knead about six times. Roll out to Vi-Inch thick. Line 13X9-inch glass dish; cover with figs. Roll remaining dough, cover figs. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. ANSWER Dorothy Bauman, Philadelphia, requested wheat and gluten-free products. Richard Meclonls, Fair Lawn, New Jersey, writes that she could write to Kinnikinnick Foods, Edmonton A.B. Canada, TSKINI, phone number 1-877-503-4466. “They will send you a free booklet to order donuts, breads, flower mixes, and bagels,” writes Meclonls. ANSWER Donna Rhine, Quanyvllle, wants to know if anyone has a “Lep Cookie” recipe. An Ephrata reader sent in the following recipe. Lepp Cookies 2 cups butter 4 pounds brown sugar 12 eggs 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons vanilla 1 scant tablespoon salt 3 tablespoons baking soda 5 cups buttermilk 4% pounds bread flour Mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, butter, vanil la, and salt with a potato masher. Add soda in buttermilk, and bread flour. Bake at 350 de grees for 10-15 minutes. Put butter icing on after cookies are cool. Holly Lutz, Jonestown, sent in the following variation: Lepp Cookies 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup butter 2 eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sour cream Cream together sugar and butter. Add in eggs. In another bowl, mix baking soda and flour. Add to sugar mixture. Add sour cream. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon fulls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen (48 serv ings). ANSWER Thanks to Krista Schaible, Schuylkill Haven, for sending recipes to make crackers from a variety of flours and from seed or nut meal in answer to A. Weaver’s request. Crackers Made With Flour 2 cups flour (wheat, buckwheat, oak, rye, barley, corn, rice, millet, arrowroot, squash, yam, potato or bean flour) 1 teaspoon baking powder or baking soda 1 teaspoon salt (optional) Va cup oil (olive, peanut, sunflower, corn, saf flower, sesame, soy, walnut) or butter Vs cup cold water (approximate measure) Crackers: Made From Nuts Or Seeds 2 cups nut or seed meal (cashew, walnut, pecan, macadamia, almond, brazil, filbert, pistachio meal or pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, or sesame seed meal) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt (optional) Vs cup thickner (tapioca, xanthan gum, flax seed meal, arrowroot or bean flour Note: Oil is not usually needed with nuts and seeds. If the finished product is tough, add Vs cup oil the next time. Combine flour, baking powder or soda and salt. Mix well, add oil and mix-with a fork until crumbly. Add water slowly, as needed, form into two balls. Chill thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ball on lightly greased bak ing sheet, roll out to make ’/i-inch thick. Dust dough with flour if necessary to keep from sticking to rolling pin. Cut into 2-inch squares or use cookie cutters for fun shapes. Prick with fork all over. Bake In middle of preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until brown. (Time varies depending on type of all flour used). Watch carefully to prevent burning. Note: If dough is too sticky, don’t panic. Gently stretch and pat into place with floured fingers. Next time use less liquid. Variations: Sprinkle with chopped nuts, seeds, coconut, or finely chopped dried fruit or dried bell peppers; roll again before cutting into squares. Or, try adding Vs teaspoon seasoning from basil, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, ginger, marjoram, parsley, carda mom, garlic powder, angelica, anise, savory, caraway, chervil, dill seed, dill weed, ginger, licorice, chives, (fresh or dried) or chili powder.
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