"A Legacy of Good Eatin' from the Shores of South Jersey"

These "hand writ receipts" are a sampling from a collection handed down through generations of my family. These tried and tested "rules" probably haven't seen many changes in over 200 years. I cook these thrifty but delicious dishes often, and it wouldn't be a holiday without some of the traditional "sweets." I've been told that in the old days the heat of the oven was determined by how long it took a handful of flour thrown in the oven to scorch. If it scorched in a minute, it was too "fast" (hot). - Lillian Arnold Lopez

Yum Yum Cake - Put a lb. of raisins in a saucepan with 2 c. sugar, 3 Tbsp. butter, a Tbsp. cinnamon and 2 c. hot water; bring to boil; cook 5 min.; cool. Mix 3 c. flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. soda - Mix well with cooled raisin mixture; pour in greased pan; bake 1 hour moderate.

Soft 'Lassus Cakes - Take 1 c. sugar, 1 c. Brer Rabbit dark molasses, 1 c. shortening, 1 tsp. salt, ginger and cinnamon, 2 c. flour - mix well. In 1 cup very hot water (held over bowl), dissolve 2 tsp. baking soda. Add with 2 more cups flour. Mix well - Roll on lightly floured board 1/4 inch thick - cut in circles. On greased tins, bake 12 to 15 minutes, moderate. Younguns love to roll the scraps into fat little men, with raisin eyes, nose and buttons.

Doughnuts - In big brown bowl break 2 eggs, beat with 1 c. sugar. Add 1 c. sour milk, with 1 tsp. soda stirred in, 1/4 c. sugar, 4 c. flour, pinch of salt, a grated nutmeg, and 1 Tbsp. melted fat - beat well. Roll a little at a time and cut. Melt lard in skillet. When it sputters, fry a few at a time, turn, til done, drain.

Rice Pudding - Wash 1 c. raw rice, mix with 6 c. milk, 1 c. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt. Bake in greased bowl, uncovered, in very slow oven for 3 hours. During last hour, add 1/2 c. raisins and 1 tsp. vanilla. Stir with fork several times.

Bread Pudding - Mix 2/3 c. sugar, 2 eggs, 3 c. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, pinch of salt. Pur over 5 slices cubed bread and 1/2 c. raisins. Bake in greased casserole 40 minutes, moderate oven.

Clams, fried - Shuck and drain, dip in seasoned bread crumbs, then beaten egg, then crumbs again. Fry in hot fat 'til golden brown.

Fritters - Chop 1 quart shucked clams, add 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. melted butter, 1/2 c. milk, 1 c. flour, 4 tsp. baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix. Drop by spoonfuls in hot fat, cook about 1 minute on each side.

Chowder - Brown 1/2 lb. diced salt pork in iron pot with 2 diced onions. Add 2 quarts water and simmer 1/2 hour. Add 1 c. peas, 1 c. chopped celery, 4 small potatoes, diced, and 4 carrots, chopped, 1 tsp. salt, pinch of thyme, pinch of pepper, 1 quart tomatoes, 2 more quarts water. Simmer 2 1/2 hours. Add 24 finally chopped clams in the last 10 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie - Simmer cut up stewing chicken with onion, celery, and salt, 'til tender. Make dumplings: 2 c. flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, scant teacup milk, 1 beaten egg. Make stiff dough; roll out and cut in 1 inch squares; drop in broth. Cook 20 minutes, with the lid on.

Vegetable Soup - Simmer 4 lbs. shin bone in iron pot 'til meat falls from bone. Remove fat and bone from broth. Cut up meat and return to pot with a combination of peas, celery, turnip, potatoes, green beans, green pepper and tomatoes. Add desired water and simmer 1 hour.

Fryin' Pan Stew - Fry a few thin slices salt pork with chopped onion. Add sliced potatoes, and a small turnip - cover with water. Boil slowly 'til done - Thicken gravy.

Uncle Dan'l's Fried 'Taters - In iron spider pan, heat 3 big spons bacon grease. Stir in 1 c. sliced onions, 4 c. raw sliced 'taters. Cover and cook slowly, turn now and then 'til tender. Uncover and brown. (Great with fried fish or eels.)

Sailor's Hash - Same rule; add tinned corned beef.

Creamed Onions - Blend butter with a little flour in pan, add cream, season and heat. Pour over little peeled onions that have been cooked in boiling water and drained.

Grandmom's Yellow Tomato Preserve - 2 quarts whole small yellow tomatoes, 1 lemon, cut in thin slices, 8 c. sugar, 1 c. water. Cook 'til thick, seal while hot in sterilized jars. Delicious with hot biscuits.

- Lillian Arnold Lopez "Pineylore"

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