Considering the staggering, still surging price of certain necessities nowadays, maybe topping up the gas tank and filling the refrigerator with bow-bedecked cartons of eggs would be the perfect present to give that special mom this coming-up-fast Mother’s Day.
Or maybe not. But if not, what?
Well, here’s an equally practical but nonetheless charming, useful gift for the heart, soul and inner woman: a copy of “Josephine — The Spirit Lives On.”
Proceeds from the sale of this new, downright delicious fundraising centennial cookbook will go toward a memory garden at Josephine Suites in Stanwood, a 2008 modern-day offshoot of the original Josephine Old People’s Home, which first opened its doors in 1908.
“Josephine” is a spiral-bound, sepia-toned collection of wonderful tried-and-true recipes, peppered throughout with historical old photos, and it just sings with possibilities, from start to finish.
In fact, this is so chock-full of marvelous-sounding, mouthwatering concoctions, it’s next to impossible to choose which ones to mention.
But I’ll wade right in there, anyway, so here goes, but remember this is only a tiny sampling of the book’s contents: rhubarb punch and mint drink; crab Swiss bites and chipped beef dip; lutefisk chowder, Camano Island bouillabaisse and Cincinnati chowder; Southwest layered cornbread salad, wild rice and Craisin salad and quick and creamy fruit salad; cauliflower Morocco, honey-glazed beets, carrot sunshine casserole, onion patties and zucchini crescent pie.
Moving into main dishes, you’ll find: easy cheesy pot roast, casserole stew with butter-crumb dumplings, Dave’s 10-pound lasagna, no-noodle lasagna and upside-down pizza; baked chicken sandwich, Taiwan-style peanut butter chicken, honey mustard-crusted salmon, scallop stir-fry and crispy lodge halibut.
Both yeast and quick bread/roll recipes include: orange bread, oatmeal bread, glazed poppy seed bread, anise rolls, tea scones, muffins, lefse, pb&j French toast and sour cream pancakes.
In the sweet treats section, there are such enticers as: snickerdoodle cake, apple pie cake, Black Forest cheesecake, scripture cake, strawberry pizza, watermelon pie, Norwegian cream, rommegrot, cookie salad, Snickers salad, chocolate blackberry brownies, krumkake, Jell-O cookies, apple butter cookies and chocolate turtles.
Plus, as the old ad goes, much, much more: barbecue sauces, marinades, pepper jelly, strawberry-rhubarb jam and maple onion jam, relishes and pickles, cantaloupe syrup, popsicles and pudding pops.
Oh, and don’t let me forget to give you a taste of real culinary intrigue — the recipes that by nothing more than name alone will rev you up: skid roads, sirup snitter, sakkepose, purple chicken, steget fiske kaker, spotson, clam whiffle, drommer, mor monsen kake and hjortebakkelse.
See what I mean?
Whether you need one or more copies of this cookbook for gifts for Mom and Grandma, maybe special aunts, too, you’ll definitely want one just for your ownself. And it’s not just a good read, either, it’s a bargain besides.
“Josephine — The Spirit Lives On” can be purchased for $12 a copy at the front desk of Josephine Sunset Home, 9901 272nd Place NW, Stanwood.
To order by mail, send a check or money order for $17 ($12 purchase price plus $5 for shipping and handling) per copy to Josephine Sunset Home, 9901 272nd Place NW, Stanwood, WA 98292.
Now, while we wait for our cookbook(s) to show up in the mailbox or find time to make a run to Stanwood, let’s all try the “Josephine” recipe for:
Granny’s enchilada casserole
Corn cakes:
1 cup cream-style corn
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon oil, plus extra for frying
1 cup flour
Salt to taste
Sauce:
1 pound hamburger
1 large onion, chopped
Garlic to taste
Chili powder to taste
1 can (about 14-1/2 ounces) Mexican-style tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) pitted olives, drained
1 cup finely chopped onion
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese
For the corn cakes, in a small mixing bowl, combine corn, egg, baking powder, oil, flour and salt, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Batter should be like pancake batter. Fry batter in amounts the size of medium pancakes, in a small amount of oil. Set aside.
For the sauce, brown hamburger and chopped onion with garlic and chili powder. Add tomatoes and simmer until the hamburger is no longer pink and the onions are soft.
To assemble the casserole, in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, alternate layers of corn cakes, sauce, olives, onions and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Time Out section.
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