MILK TOAST

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp
Originally created and taught by Grandma Arline Brisson

When I learned it from Grandma, nothing was really measured, so I have never measured anything when I make it either.

Ingredients

Milk (I have used fat free to whole and there is not much difference)

Butter or margarine (1 stick or 1/2 cup)

Salt

Pepper

Sugar

French bread / baguette style - cut in approx. 1-1 1/2 inches wide

Directions

1. In a large pan, melt the butter and brown it...basically it means you cook it but not burn it. I would say put the heat on medium high and move the pan around to move the butter so it doesn't burn. This is the most important step b/c it affects the flavor...everything else is easy from here. In dark pans it is hard to see if the butter is brown so sometimes I would get a spoonful of it to take a closer look.

2. Once the butter is perfect, pour some milk in...I have never measured it, I usually just put in enough to fill 3/4 of the big pan...with enough room to dip the bread without spilling.

3. Turn the heat down to like medium low. You don't want the milk to boil over.

4. Add 1/4 cup of sugar

5. Add 1 tsp of salt

6. Add 2 tsp of pepper (this is approx. I usually measure the pepper by...are there enough black
specks in...and then I add a ton more.) Usually the browned butter + the pepper gives it that yummy kick.

7. When the milk is warm, put a piece of bread in the pan. Depending on how deep it is, you can dunk it with the spatula or whatever you need to do to get it all wet. Just a few seconds...careful not to let it fall apart.

8. Put it in a bowl or something that can catch the liquid.

9. Keep repeating until all the bread is gone...serve with syrup!!

YUM!!!

Pepitas! aka Pumpkin Seeds

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp
from: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/pepitos/









Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds from a carved pumpkin
Olive Oil
Salt (table salt)

Directions:

As you gut the pumpkins, keep all the seeds—and guts—in a bowl.

Throw them into a colander and rinse them under cold water, pulling away the chunks of pulp as you go (you don't have to be extremely thorough)

Spread the rinsed seeds out on a baking sheet.

Allow the seeds to dry several hours or overnight. And beware: they’re quite sticky/slimy, so don’t place them on paper towels! Just leave ‘em on the baking sheet and they’ll be fine.

When they’re nice and dry, go ahead and preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Begin by drizzling the seeds with a couple teaspoons of olive oil.

Use your fingers to toss the seeds around to coat.

Then salt and season the seeds to taste.

Pop ‘em in the oven for an hour or so, until the seeds are light golden brown.

Let them cool for a few minutes…then let the snacking begin!

Pepitas need to be stored in an airtight container if they last beyond the first day.

Puff Biscuits

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup flour
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk
3. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 pinch of pepper
4. Gradually stir in the flour so that it does not clump...a whisk helps!
5. Get a cupcake pan. Take a small section of a paper towel and dip it in vegetable oil, and coat each of the 12 sections evenly with oil. This will help the lil' guys puff up!
6. Pour the batter into the sections, about half way
7. This makes about 24 puffs total

Notes: Even if the puffs are cold and you want them the second day, they are still so good! You can eat them cold with jelly or toast them...they are not as puffy the second day but they are yummy!

Pus ‘n Chunks

Submitted by Marcia Van Camp from Jayne Carlton
(see my notes at the bottom)

Ingredients: 1 lb. Link Sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ cups celery, sliced
½ lb. Mushrooms, sliced
2 med. Potatoes (already cooked and cut into pieces)
2 cans Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Milk (to think soup if needed)

Directions: Brown in a Large Pot:
1 lb. Link Sausage, cut into 1” pieces, remove from pot
Sauté in the drippings until barely soft:
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ cups celery, sliced
½ lb. Mushrooms, sliced

Add:
2 med. Potatoes (already cooked and cut into pieces),
or 1 can potatoes, cut into ½” pieces
2 cans Cream of Celery Soup
Heat through, but do not boil

Add:
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or can be served on the side)
Thin with milk as needed

Notes: Marcia = I usually use 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of cream of celery soup...I usually don't add onions but I always put in chopped carrots!

I also really like to have biscuits of some sort served to soak in the soupy goodness...especially Puff Biscuits!