7-Can Chili

3 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 T chili powder
2 t cumin seed
1 t dried oregano
1 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
1/4 c raisins
1-15 oz can white beans
1-15 oz can black beans
1-15 oz can kidney beans
1-15 oz can red beans
1-8 oz can corn
2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 pt chicken stock
1 lb ground turkey

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions, carrots and peppers, and cook over medium heat until the onions are browned and soft (stir often). Add the garlic and cook an additional one or two minutes.

Add the spices (except the cloves, allspice, and cinnamon stick) to the vegetables, mix well, and cook over low heat for another couple minutes. Put the cloves and allspice in a tea ball, and add to the pot.

Add the cinnamon stick, raisins, beans, corn, tomatoes, and chicken stock. Stir well. Raise the heat to medium, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.

In the skillet, heat 1 T olive oil, and brown the turkey. Season with salt, if desired. Add the turkey to the chili, and continue to simmer the soup over very low heat for at least a couple of hours. Stir every so often.

This chili tastes better the next day, but you probably won't be able to resist the temptation to eat it immediately.

Happy's Chicken Barbeque

4 large chicken thighs, skinned and boned
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
1 c red wine
salt
pepper
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 t oregano
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T barbeque sauce
1 T ketchup

Heat the olive oil in an iron skillet on medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until brown and carmelized. Remove from the skillet.

Add some more olive oil to the skillet, and raise the heat to medium-high. Place the thighs, skinned side down in the skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Brown the meat each side for three or four minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the meat from the skillet. Put the skillet back on the heat, and deglaze with the wine. Add the onions and the meat back to the skillet. Add the crushed garlic. Sprinkle in the oregano. Turn the heat to very low, cover the skillet tightly, and cook very slowly for an hour or so, adding more liquid if necessary (but not too much!).

Set the skillet off the heat, and remove the meat from the skillet. Use a couple of forks to shred the thighs. Return the meat to skillet. Add the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, and barbeque sauce. Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes on low heat. Serve on hamburger buns, or any other way you like your barbeque.

Date No-Bake Cookies

2 c graham cracker crumbs
2-1/2 c small marshmallows
1 c chopped dates
1/2 c chopped nuts
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk

Mix well and form into small balls and roll in Angel flake coconut.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/4 c flour
1/2 t soda
1 t salt
1 c shortening
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 t vanilla
1 c chopped nuts
1 c chocolate chips

Sift flour, soda, and salt together. Cream shortening, brown and granulated sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate oven (350°F) about 10 minutes.

Soft Sugar Cookies

5 c flour
2 c sugar
1 c sour cream
1 c shortening
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t salt
4 eggs

Mix as little as possible. Chill. Roll out. Bake at 400°F.

Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 c shortening
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
2 c oats
2 c flour
3/4 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 c raisins

Mix in order given. Drop by teaspoonfuls on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Note: Cost of ingredients approximates 7¢ per dozen cookies (1944).

English Cookies

2 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
1 t baking powder
1 t soda
1 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1 c cold coffee
2 eggs
3 c flour
2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped nuts

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix in the other ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased pan. Bake in a medium oven (350°F) for 10 minutes.

Toffee

Norma Dobler

1 c butter
1 c sugar
3 T water

Boil rapidly 10 minutes on high.

Add 1 t vanilla. Pour into two 9-inch pie pans. As soon as slightly set on surface, place 1-1/2 Hershey bars on each. Spread to cover surface, cool, and break into pieces. ou can spread surface with chopped nuts.

Note: This recipe was from my mother's best friend, Norma Dobler. This was always a Christmas treat, and we often received a box of toffee from the Doblers.

Uncooked Fudge

4-1/2 c sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Boil five minutes. Remove from heat and add:

3 large (5 oz) Hershey bars
2 packages chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow creme

Add quickly to sugar mixture, stir, pour out into pan.

Peanut Brittle

2 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 lb unroasted peanuts
1 t vanilla
1 t water
1 t soda
1/4 t salt

Combine sugar and syrup in heavy skillet, stir until sugar dissolves. Heat slowly to boiling, stiring constantly. Cook to hard crack stage (290°F). Add peanuts and continue cooking until peanuts are a light tan color, stirring constantly - about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, water, and soda. Stir slightly. Pour into well-greased pan or platter.

Chocolate Waffles

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 c chopped walnuts
1-1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
2 squares chocolate, melted

Mix in order given. Drop by tablespoon, one in each section of a waffle iron. Bake three minutes. Do not substitute shortening for butter.

Note: These were a special dessert when we were kids. Mom served them with whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Fudge

4 c sugar
1/2 lb butter
1 large can evaporated milk
1/8 t salt
14 oz chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow creme
1 t vanilla

Cook to a soft but firm ball, stirring most of the time. When it has reached the right consistenc, add the chocolate chips and the marshmallow creme. Beat until cool, and add the vanilla. Optionally add nuts, raisins, coconut, or peanut butter.

Fudge Squares

3/4 c sifted cake flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/3 c shortening
2 oz (squares) chocolate
1 c sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt shortening with chocolate. Beat sugar into eggs, add chocolate mixture and blend. Add sifted ingredients, nuts, and vanilla, and mix well. Bake in a greased 8"x8" pan in a moderate oven (350°F) about 35 minutes

Cool and cut into squares. Makes about two dozen