Crites Family Stuff

Description

I originally got this recipe from Evelyn Cameron, life long friend since Blackfoot. When I first tasted hers, I ate three pieces one right after another. Evelyn noticing this, said, "Would you like the recipe?" to which I readily agreed.
Jennifer Crites: I remember well how Gary would make divinity Sundays evenings, and boy was he a master at it!

Ingredients for 48 servings

• 3 cups sugar
• .667 cup white Karo syrup
• .667 cup hot water
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla

Steps

1. Using a medium sized kettle, put into the kettle the sugar, Karo syrup and hot water and cook to the hard ball stage which is 252F in the Blackfoot area. (See instructions below on how to get the correct temperature. It will be different for your area.) During the cooking time, it is only necessary to stir until the sugar is dissolved and then do not stir. Add a lid for a minute or two to melt down the sugar particles which are clinging to the sides of the kettle. Meanwhile beat the egg whites until stiff and add the vanilla. When the syrup has cooked to the desired temperature, pour it slowly over the stiffly beaten egg whites beating rapidly with an electric beater, until it will hold peaks. When the candy will hold peaks, chopped nuts and/or maraschino cherries can be added, then drop by spoonfuls unto a buttered surface, and let cool. ENJOY!
2. It is an easy recipe, but the cooking time has to be perfect or it will not turn out well. The recipe calls for the candy to be cooked to the hard ball stage which on the candy thermometer is 260F, but this temperature has to be adjusted according to the altitude of where you are living. You do this by inserting a candy thermometer into a kettle of boiling water and reading the temperature at which water boils, which is 204 for Blackfoot. So subtracting 204 from 212 equals 8. Then substracting 8 from the hard ball reading on the thermometer, the temperature for Blackfoot is 252 and this is the temperature that the candy should be cooked to.

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Description

Another family favorite that has been passed on from family to family!

Ingredients for 12 servings

• 1 head cleaned and torn lettuce
• .5 pkg wonton wrappers (3x3 inches)
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 3 cooked and diced chicken breasts
• .5 cup sesame seeds
• .667 cup sliced green onions

Dressing:

• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• .25 cup oil
• .25 cup rice vinegar

Steps

1. Toast sesame seeds in a frying pan. Set aside. Slice wonton wrappers into 1/4 inch slices. Add oil to your frying pan and fry separated wontons until lightly golden brown and drain on paper towel. Combine the lettuce, sesame seeds, water chestnuts and green onions and wontons . In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, oil and rice vinegar. Pour over salad. Serve immediately.

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This is Marshall's recipe that he brought home from his trip to Thailand.

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 inches of sliced galangal
• 3 fat stems. mashed
• 6 Kaffir lime leaves
• Salt to taste
• Coriander root
• 1 stalk lemon grass
• 1 bunch straw mushrooms (approximate amount)
• 3 crab legs
• Thai bird chilis, fresh is best
• .75 lb raw shrimp, peeled, cleaned and deveined
• .5 tbsp fish sauce
• .5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 can coconut milk

Steps

1. Make broth from chicken with bones in it. To water add galangal. Can substitute ginger for a slightly different flavor. Add 3 fat stems (bottom part), 5-6 inches long lemon grass, mashed but not chopped. Add Kaffir lime leaves and salt to taste. Recipe calls for coriander root, which might be impossible to find unless you go dig up a cilantro plant. So just put a small bunch of cilantro leaves in. Let simmer 1-2 hours, and then strain, and shred or chunk up the chicken and add back to the strained broth.
2. Bring the strained broth (with added chicken) to a boil and add 3 tbsp lime juice, 5-10 bird chilis, depending on desired hotness. Can used dried. Add straw mushrooms, can use button mushrooms, 3 crab legs (in shell) cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks. Marsh says a band saw works good for cutting these. Add 6 or more prawns or fresh water shrimp with shell on for more flavor. Add 1/2 tbsp fish sauce. Do not smell this while you add it - it is supposed to smell that way. I like even more than the 1/2 tbsp it calls for. Add chopped fresh cilantro. Adjust salt if needed. Simmer just a couple of minutes to cook shrimp and crab. I love to add a can of coconut milk with the last ingredients. Get ingredients at an Asian import store. They are common ingredients there.

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My mouth drools for this when I am waiting for my tomatoes to ripen.

Ingredients for 8 servings

• .5 lb angel hair pasta
• 4 cups red and yellow tomatoes chopped
• .5 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 can olives
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper freshly cracked
• Freshly grated parmesan or feta cheese to taste

Steps

1. Garden fresh tomatoes are best to use in this recipe. Greek Kalamata olives are a great brand of olives to use. Important to use balsamic vinegar for best results. Cook and drain pasta. Place in a low flat bowl and layer other ingredients over. Combine oil and vinegar. Sprinkle over and very lightly toss. Top with Parmesan or broken up feta cheese.

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Ingredients for 6 servings

• 5 tbsp softened butter
• .25 cup masa
• .33 cup sugar
• .5 cup water
• 2 cups of corn kernels, fresh or frozen, divide in half
• .5 cup cornmeal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• .5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp milk

Steps

1. If frozen corn is used, it must be thawed. Mix butter, masa, sugar until light and fluffy. In a blender mix 1 cup of corn with 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Combine with butter mixture. Add remaining cup of whole kernels of corn, cornmeal, masa, salt, baking powder, and milk. Mix well. Pour into an 8 inch square pan. Tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap until water tight. Then put this pan in a larger pan that is filled partly with water and steam this on top of the stove for 50 minutes or so. You may need to add more water to keep it steaming. Do not let it run out of water. It is done when it is smooth and creamy.

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Ingredients for 8 servings

• 1 bag spinach
• 3 sliced apples
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• Candied pecans
• 1 jar "Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing"

Steps

1. To make candied pecans - add around 1/2 cup sugar in a dry skillet, add about 3/4 cup pecans and stir around until sugar melts and sticks to the pecans. Use medium high heat and watch and stir very carefully. Add the remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Everything is approximate, so use or change the portions as you would like. This serves 7-8.

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This is a favorite of our family which we enjoy every Thanksgiving.

Ingredients for 8 servings

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
• 2 eggs
• .25 cup brown sugar
• .25 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup pecan halves
• .25 cup butter, melted

Steps

1. Cook and mash 6 cups sweet potatoes. Beat in egg, brown sugar and melted butter. Add the salt and cinnamon. If potatoes seem dry, beat in some orange juice - up to a cup - or none. It needs to be moist and fluffy. Put in a 2-quart casserole dish. Refrigerate until you need to bake it. Before baking, arrange 1 cup of pecan halves and drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake uncovered 375F for 20 minutes or more. Just heat all the way through.

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Left overs can be refrigerated if there are any! So easy and as good as pecan pie!!! Have fun with it!

Ingredients for 15 servings

• 2 cups flour
• .5 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cubes butter
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 bag toffee chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Steps

1. Toffee chips are to be without chocolate. Use only real butter, not margarine or shortening. Mix first 3 ingredients together and press into a 9x13 pan and bake 350F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients and pour over hot crust and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes - until the topping is set. Cool and top each square with whipped cream if desired.

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Jennifer and I went to a restaurant for lunch that served this soup.

Ingredients for 18 servings

• 1 cube butter
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 12 cups chicken stock
• 3 potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 6 zucchini (6-9 inch size) sliced in big chunks
• 2 cups half and half

Steps

1. Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Add onions and curry powder and cook uncovered over low heat until onions are soft. Add potatoes, squash, salt, pepper and chicken stock. Cook until potatoes are tender. Puree with a wand blender or in batches in a food processor or blender. Return to pot and add cream. Can thicken with flour and water, if desired.
2. Can substitute butternut or buttercup squash for zucchini. Buy the already peeled and chunked up squash at Costco, if using raw. Or bake the squash and use the soft insides and then add it after the potatoes are done.

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Served at a family reunion at Janette's in Mexico.

Ingredients for 12 servings

• .5 bunch flat leaved parsley very finely chopped - any parsley will do
• 1 bunch cilantro very finely chopped
• 1 bunch basil very finely chopped
• 1 shallot minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 pepperoncini very finely chopped
• .5 cup brine
• .5 red bell pepper very finely chopped
• .5 red onion very finely chopped
• 2 cups olive oil
• 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Steps

1. With the vegetables use only the leaves and as little stem as possible. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Shake and let set at room temperature for 2 hours. Refrigerate after using. Will keep up to a week or so.
2. This recipe is good on more than just bread. Good on sauted chicken, as a drizzle on roasted veggies, baked potatoes, sandwiches, and as a salad dressing. Jim even likes it drizzled on scrambled eggs.

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