Grandpa's Giant Pancake

Ingredients

1/2 cup Flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk

(This is my uncle's recipe. My father uses 1 cup, 1 teaspoon, 1 egg, and 1 cup, respectively.)

1) Mix and stir. Pour in large, greased fry pan.

2) Cook on medium high heat until bubbles burst. Flip and cook other side.

My father eats this with lots of butter, not maple syrup. Makes 2 or 3 pancakes.

Chicken Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil
2 smoked sausage, bratwurst, italian sausage, andouille, or other flavorful link sausage (optional)
1 onion
2 ribs celery
1 large green or red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon tumeric (optional)
6 chicken thighs, skin removed if desired (could be boneless) or 2 x 1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups uncooked rice
3 to 4 cups canned or home-made chicken broth

1) Heat vegtable or olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, deep pot (e.g., a Dutch oven). Cut sausage in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again. Dice into small pieces and add to pot.

2) Peel and dice onion, adding it to the pot as you do. Dice celery (including leaves) and pepper, adding them to the pot. (Based on what I've seen, one could also add a diced carrot.)

3) When all vegtables are added, cook about 5 minutes so they soften a little. Add bay leaf, thyme, tumeric if desired chicken (e.g., whole thighs) and rice. Add broth plus water to equal 4 cups. Season with a little salt and pepper.

4) Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 or 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and rice is tender. (I'm thinking of trying it with frozen peas added with about 20 minutes left.)

Makes approximately 6 servings.

Barnett's Fried Apples

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter
1 #2 can sliced apples or 2 1/2 cups fresh apple
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
Cinnamon to taste

1) Peel and core apples.

2) Melt butter in iron skillet. Add apples, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. (I'm generous with the cinnamon.)

3) Fry until soft, between low and medium heat about 1/2 hour. (Do not fry dry.)

Makes approximately 3 servings. (I like them served with pork chops.)

Nortz's Johnny Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 beated egg
1 cup sour milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt

1) Mix in above order, stirring thoroughly after adding each ingredient. Bake about 1/2 hour at 400 F.

2) Serve sliced with applesauce or maple syrup.

Makes approximately 10 servings. I usually make a double recipe when making my great-grandmother's Johnny cake.

Simple Pepper Steak

Ingredients

3 Tbsps olive oil
1 sliced onion
2 sliced (green & red?) peppers
1 lb sandwich steak
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsps (ginger-flavored?) soy sauce

1) Fry sliced peppers and onions in olive oil over medium high heat about 7 minutes. (Variant: add chopped garlic clove.) Drain oil and lower heat.

2) Meanwhile, cut meat into 1 inch squares. Season with salt and pepper.

3) Add beef to fry pan. (Variant: consider adding additional spices, e.g. 1 tsp. thyme leaves.) Add soy sauce. Cook on low to medium about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4) Serve over boiled white rice.

Makes 2 or 3 servings