Earline Cole stirs up a gravy memory

Salmon Gravy

1 can pink salmon (14 ounce)

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 whole eggs

4 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Beat the eggs until they are foamy and gradually beat in the milk. Set aside. Remove the bones from the can salmon. (Adding the salmon liquid to the gravy is up to you. The liquid will give it a stronger fish taste.) Heat the oil over medium heat until hot, add the flour. Salt, and pepper and whisk until the flour is light brown. Gradually add milk and cook slowly, stirring until thickens. Quickly stir in salmon, breaking it up and mix well. Serve immediately over hot biscuits, grits, or rice. Serve 6.

Cranberry Salad

Cut 2 oranges and 1 lemon in thick wedges and cut off the white center and remove seeds. Put in the food processor, along with 1 pound of fresh cranberries, cover and chop. Pour in a large bowl and add 1 ½ cups sugar and mix. Add the following: 1 cup diced celery and 1 large apple, finely chopped.

Dissolve 1 large box of cherry Jell-O with 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 cup ice water. When Jell-O begins to jell mix with the cranberry mixture, pour in a glass serving dish and refrigerate overnight.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese (This is good for a crowd or good to take to a church supper.)

1 pound macaroni cooked, drained, and put in the crock pot. Add 1 stick butter and 1 pound shredded cheddar cheese

Beat together the following and stir into hot macaroni:

1 can cream of cheese soup

1 large can evaporated milk

2 eggs

¾ cup regular milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well with the hot macaroni. Cover with 2 cups shredded cheddar and sprinkle with paprika. Cover crock pot and cook on Low for at least 3 hours.

Sweet Potato and Sausage Loaf (Serves 8)

3 cups grated, raw sweet potatoes

1 ½ pounds hot sausage meat

1 T minced onion

½ cup dry bread crumbs

½ cup whole milk

2 eggs

In a large bowl put sausage meat, onions, eggs, milk, and crumbs. Mix and grate potatoes into the meat mixture. Using hands, mix well as you would a regular meat loaf. Shape into loaf in a baking dish that is larger than the loaf and has a little side to it. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before serving. (If mixed this way, the potatoes will not turn dark.)

No Crust Fudge Pie

1 cup butter

½ cup self-rising flour

½ cup powdered cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

Do not use mixer! Melt butter and using a spoon, mix in flour, cocoa, eggs, and sugar. Once all is well mixed, pour into a greased 10 inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes (until crust forms on top). Cool and cut into 8 wedges. Top with good vanilla ice cream and a little fudge syrup.

Potato Soup: NOTE: For potato corn chowder, add 2 cans of cream style corn when you add the milk.

In a large soup pot melt ½ stick of butter and add the following:

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 rib celery, minced

Cook for a few minutes and add:

8 cups cubed potatoes

Salt to taste

Water, enough to come to the top of the potatoes

Cook until potatoes are just tender and add: 1 quart milk and slowly bring to a boil. Quickly reduce to simmer and add ½ cup of plain coffee creamer. If too thick — add more milk. If too thin — carefully add a few instant potatoes to thicken. About 15 minutes before serving, add 2 – 3 cups grated cheddar cheese. Serve with slab bacon and corn bread.

Beef and Barley Soup

Heat 2 tablespoons fat in a large pot (heavy). Brown 1 pound boneless stew beef, cut in small cubes and 1 pound beef soup bone. Add 2 quarts water and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook slowly for 1 hour. Skim off fat. Add ¼ cup barley and 2 cups of tomatoes and bring to boil. Cook on simmer for about thirty minutes and add:

1 cup sliced (thinly) carrots

¼ cup onion (minced)

½ cup sliced (thinly) celery

1 ½ cups cubed potatoes (cut small)

Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are done. Add 1 cup green peas and heat while you are removing beef bones. Serve. (NOTE: This is an old recipe. Today most of the barley cooks in only a few minutes. The instant barley should be added just before the vegetables get done.)

Recipe for Laughter: Settling the ‘Estate’ (Thanks to Betty Nelson)

David Abraham Schwartz is dying … and is on his deathbed. He is with his wife, his daughter, two sons and his nurse. He knows the end is near. So he says to them: “Bennie, I want you to take the Beverly Hills houses. Sybil, take the apartments over in Los Angeles Plaza. Eddie, I want you to take the offices over in City Center. Sarah, my dear wife, please take all the residential buildings downtown.”

The nurse is just blown away by all this, and as old Mr. Schwartz slips away, she says to the wife, “Mrs. Schwartz, your husband must have been such a hard-working man to have accumulated so much property.”

Sarah replies, “Property??? He had a newspaper route.”

Remember: As of yet, “They” haven’t found a way to tax you for laughing, so laugh more.

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