Monthly Archives: July 2015

Recipes - Desserts

Dell Ward’s Peach Custard Pie

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On a mission to use the last of the Eckert’s peaches this week, this pie, as remembered from “small kid time” in Marble Hill, came immediately to mind.  The recipe, for Peach Custard Pie, was passed to me from friend, Tim Ward.  Tim’s grandmother, Mrs. Dell Ward, was a terrific cook whose skills in the kitchen were well-known in our area.  The small cafe beside the 4-way stop in “old” Lutesville, MO, was a home away from home for generations of families who enjoyed Mrs. Ward’s dinners, her homemade doughnuts, and a huge array of delectable desserts.

A trip to Mrs. Ward’s cafe was always welcome in our family as a meal also guaranteed visiting with friends and savoring any number of her special desserts.  Known for her home-style cooking, Mrs. Ward offered this tasty pie in the summer when peaches were bursting with flavor. An ample slice of Peach Custard Pie was the perfect end to a fried chicken dinner on hot July nights.

Do not use a store-bought crust for this pie! It deserves the most tender flaky crust you can provide so make your own and layer in slices of fresh peaches. You will need to adjust the custard ingredients depending on how many peaches you use; 3 large peaches are just right if using a 9-inch pie plate. This recipe reminds me of the Sugar Pie my Grandma James made with the peaches being a spectacular juicy addition. The simple custard enhances the flavor of the fruit making this an ideal and refreshing summer treat. Sweet memories indeed!

Dell Ward’s Peach Custard Pie

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Fresh sliced peaches
1/4 cup milk, scant
1 9” unbaked pastry shell

Directions Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the sugar and flour and sprinkle over sliced peaches in unbaked pastry crust. Drizzle with the 1/4 cup milk (or less, depending upon how it looks; you want the custard thick). Bake until filling mixture sets, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool well so custard thickens; the pie can also be chilled in the fridge then served cold.  Recipe note: place a sheet of foil on bottom of oven in case pie bubbles over.

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Bakery Miscellaneous

Peach Cobbler

After finding the sweetest, largest, and juiciest of peaches from Eckert’s Nursery last week at Schnuck’s Market, it was a no-brainer that a peach cobbler soon appear in my kitchen as quickly as possible. Mine and mama’s favorite cobbler (with blackberry cobbler being an equal favorite if that’s possible), peaches are never better than when baked up cobbler style and topped with the sweet crunchy crust in this recipe.

There’s nothing hard at all about making cobbler. Peel the fruit, slice it, and toss with a minimum of sugar (ripe fruit doesn’t need a huge amount of sugar) and flour to thicken the juices then stir up your topping, add it over your fruit, and IN the oven it goes! I sometimes use cinnamon for spice, sometimes nutmeg, but use either sparingly; you want just the barest whiff to enhance the fruit.

Vanilla ice cream is, of course, the perfect accompaniment to a fruit cobbler. You absolutely cannot go wrong combining the two. It is only right. And right on! Use the recipe below from my “Missouri to Maui” cookbook to create the very best of summer deliciousness!

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

For the fruit
1 cup sugar
2 T. flour, heaping
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
4 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

For the topping
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1. tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold butter or margarine, diced
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Place fruit in large mixing bowl and combine sugar and flour and pour over fruit; stir to coat. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon and pour into a lightly-greased 11x7x2 (2 qt.) baking dish. Prepare topping by stirring the dry ingredients together in mixing bowl then cutting in the cold butter until the dough is crumbly. Add the beaten egg, stir to combine, and drop by spoonfuls on top of the fruit or just sprinkle it evenly over fruit. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes until brown and bubbly. Cool before serving; top with vanilla ice cream.

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Recipes - Salads

Shell Macaroni Tuna & Pea Salad

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The last of our ‘salad bar night’ recipes from the Sharpe’s house this month, this dish, as listed in both our James Family cookbook and my own “Missouri to Maui” collection, comes from a first-cousin of mama’s.  Maude states in the recipe that she “carries this in” to many family and church functions and it is always a hit; I think you will find it most satisfying also if you give it a try!

You must use the best quality albacore tuna you can lay hands on and find the smallest and most tender canned peas available.  I cut the celery in this dish in very thin slices and mince the onion well.  The many textures of this salad are so enticing and you don’t want to have everything in it cut the same size; get creative with your chopping for the prettiest presentation!

Two things make this salad a winner: the taste of ample chopped onion is one so don’t skimp on the onion, and the evaporated milk which is the ‘secret ingredient’ in the dressing.  The dressing is thin but it thickens nicely when you chill the salad well before serving.  Simple macaroni, fresh veggies, and canned tuna in a salad: who knew!?!?  Maude did, and now we do too!  It’s a definite keeper, y’all!

Shell Macaroni Tuna & Pea Salad

Ingredients

For the salad:

1-(8-oz.) pkg. small seashell macaroni
1-(12oz) can albacore tuna drained and flaked
1 small can English peas, drained
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/2 large onion, chopped fine

For the dressing:

1 small can evaporated milk
1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/2 T. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Celery seed, to taste, option

Directions Cook macaroni until done. Drain and set in fridge to chill. Mix evaporated milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in medium bowl, whisking well to blend. Combine macaroni, tuna, celery, and onion in large bowl, toss to distribute ingredients; add dressing, peas and the celery seed if using and blend thoroughly. Serve well chilled.

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Recipes - Salads

Panzanella


This is the second of the salads we enjoyed  at the Sharpe’s house earlier this month when we did a salad bar evening.  Panzanella is a refreshing Italian bread salad best prepared when tomatoes are at their juiciest in the summer.  We were on a “salads-for-supper” kick one evening and this tasty salad was one of our stars of the show.

There’s very little cooking required here; prepare your croutons before beginning and you’ll be well on your way.  We used part of a loaf of crusty French bread for croutons and very ripe Roma tomatoes that were begging to be used. Don’t forget the basil and the Mozzarella as they add both flavor and creaminess here.

For best results, make this salad an hour or so before you sit down to the table and serve it at room temperature. Whether eaten as a main dish or a simple side with grilled meat, this one is sure to please everyone at your table.

Panzanella

Ingredients

1/2 loaf (8 oz.) rustic bread such as a French loaf
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 red or green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
10 leaves fresh basil, snipped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, diced or shredded

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and spread on a baking sheet. Bake until it is dry and slightly crisp (think croutons), about 8 minutes; remove from oven and set aside. In medium bowl, whisk vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; set aside. In large serving bowl, toss the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, basil and the mozzarella. Add dressing and mix well. Allow salad to sit before serving, room temperature is fine.

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Recipes - Salads

Garbanzo Bean Salad

As promised, per request, I am posting some “catch up” recipes from my summer vacation cooking marathon at the Sharpes’ house!  The Florida weather was a mix of oppressive humidity and bright sunshine and we quickly fell into a “salad bar” state of mind.  My next few blog posts are the result of one such evening.

I normally make this flavorful salad using canned garbanzo beans (also known as chick peas), but because Larry had a bag of dried garbanzos from a visit to the local health food store, this day I cooked and used dried garbanzos.  If you do use canned beans, rinse them well!

The simple dressing enhances the nutty flavor of the beans, and, when served well-chilled, this is the perfect summer salad. I sometimes also add pieces of thinly-sliced raw cucumber to the mix so feel free to substitute here.  The salad goes well with any tasty cracker or pita chips.  If you are feeling a little of that oppressive summer heat in your area today, do try this one!  It is refreshing and tasty and so enjoyable!

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil
2 T. red wine vinegar
1-1/2 t. salt
1-1/2 t. pepper
2 cups Garbanzo beans, drained
1 medium red onion, chopped and small dice
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 bunch fresh basil, to taste, torn small pieces

Directions Combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk well. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to thoroughly blend. Chill well and serve cold.

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