James Fox's Whole Wheat Bread

James Fox's Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups milk
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sweet butter
1/2 cup clover honey
1/4 cup wheat germ
About 5 1/2 cups whole wheat stone-ground, water-ground flour

1. Heat 1/2 cup milk until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in milk. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Scald remaining milk, pour over salt and butter in large mixing bowl. Cool to lukewarm. Add honey, dissolved yeast, and wheat germ. Add whole wheat flour, beating vigorously with wooden spoon until dough forms a ball.

3. Turn out on a well-floured board. Knead vigorously until dough is elastic and bubbles form. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and set in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

4. Place dough on floured board. Divide in two parts, shaping loaves to fit 5-inch by 9 1/2-inch baking pans. Grease pans well with unsalted shortening. Cover. Let loaves rise in pans until almost doubled in bulk (about 1 hour) in a warm place.

5. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 15 minutes or until loaves begin to brown. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake about 40-45 minutes longer or until bread is done. Makes 2 loaves.

Thoughts: Wrap cooled loaves tightly in aluminum foil to keep fresh. A lighter loaf can be made by substituting 2 cups of all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour.

Recipes by Steve Forrest: Honey Cake; Loukoumades

Steve Forrest's Honey Cake

1/2 lb. soft butter
1 cup honey
4 well-beaten eggs
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. graced lemon peel
3 scant cups cake flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped citron
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Cream together butter and honey. Add eggs, lemon juice and lemon peel. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Blend smoothly but do not overmix. Add chopped citron and nuts.

Turn into loaf pan lined with greased brown paper. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven about 1 hour or until cake tests done when toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.

Cool slightly. Turn out on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Steve Forrest's Loukoumades

1/2 pint plain yogurt
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 heaping tsp. baking soda diluted with a shot glass of cognac
About 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
Honey
Chopped walnuts

Mix together yogurt and eggs well. Add flour and milk alternately to make a soft batter. Add soda and cognac mixture.

Drop by teaspoonful into oil heated to 360 degrees F. Fry fritters in deep fat about 4 minutes, or until golden. Fry no more than 4 or 6 fritters at one time.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat until all are done. Serve hot with honey and chopped walnuts.

Thoughts: A deliciously different dessert and easy to prepare. A nice offering to serve for the tea or coffee klatch.

Recipes by Tennessee Ernie Ford: Famous Corn Bread and Hush Puppies; Pancakes or Waffles; Pea-Picking Cake; Seafood Gumbo

Tennessee Ernie Ford's Famous Corn Bread and Hush Puppies

1 cup yellow cornmeal
2-3 tbsps. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of baking soda
1 scant tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. melted fat

Sift together dry ingredients in bowl, stir in egg, buttermilk, water and melted fat until dry ingredients are barely moistened. Pour into well-greased baking pan (or skillet or cornstick cast-iron pans). Bake in preheated 450 degrees F. oven about 25 minutes (slightly longer if a browner, crisper cornbread is desired). Serve with fried ham and greens. Serves 6.

Hush Puppies

Prepare batter as given above adding one small grated onion to batter. Drop by spoonfuls in sizzling deep fat; cook quickly about 1 minute (or nice and brown). Remove at once from fat; drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with fried fish. Makes 20.

Tennessee Ernie Ford's Pancakes or Waffles

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter


Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Add egg, buttermilk and butter. Stir by hand until blended. The batter will foam up and look fluffy. Add more milk if batter becomes too thick. Makes deliciously light pancakes and waffles. Serves 3 or 4.

Tennessee Ernie Ford's Pea-Picking Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) box yellow or white cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 small can mandarin oranges, undrained (use juice in cake)

Combine cake ingredients and bake in greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan at 350 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes. Test cake doneness with wooden toothpick. Cool cake before frosting.

Frosting:
1 (12 or 13 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 small or medium can crushed pineapple, save juice to pour over cooled cake
1 (3 ounce) package instant vanilla or coconut pudding (do not make pudding according to package directions)

Combine dry pudding, Cool Whip and crushed pineapple. Before frosting cake, pour pineapple juice over cooled cake.

Tennessee Ernie Ford's Seafood Gumbo

6 slices lean bacon
1 onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 stalks of celery, cut in bite-size pieces
1/4 tsp. minced garlic puree
1 qt. water
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. crushed fresh basil
2 tsps. minced fresh parsley
One 28-oz. can tomatoes
1 slice cooked ham, diced
1 pkg. frozen okra (chopped)
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 lb. crab meat (from legs preferably)
2 lobster tails, meat cut in bite-size pieces
1 1/2 tsps. file
Cooked rice

Slowly brown bacon until crisp in heavy stock pot; remove bacon and set aside. Pour off some of the bacon fat. Saute onion, pepper, celery and garlic in bacon drippings until vegetables are limp. Add water, bay leaves, salt, basil, parsley, tomatoes, and ham. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. One-half hour before serving, add okra, shrimp, crab meat, and lobster, cook over low heat. Just before serving, add file, taste to correct seasonings. Serve over mounds of hot rice. Serves 6.

Thoughts: Gumbo lovers who like a slightly "hotter" version, can add dash or Tabasco and-or cayenne pepper to stock during cooking. File, available in most spice racks in supermarkets or in gourmet shops, becomes ropey if added before and cooked.

Recipes by Paul Ford: English Toffee; Maple Fondant

Paul Ford's English Toffee

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
few drops oil of orange (available at drugstores)
1/4 cup finely chopped English walnuts

Combine brown and white sugar, corn syrup, salt and cream in deep saucepan. Stir over quick fire until temperature registers 240 degrees F. on candy thermometer (or until medium soft ball forms when small amount of hot syrup is dropped into cup of cold water). Add butter, stir, continue cooking to 250 degrees F. for hard ball (or until a spoonful can just be molded when dropped into cold water) for chewy toffee, or to 260 degrees F. for extra hard toffee. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Remove from fire.

Flavorings and nuts may be added at this time. Pour into buttered dish. When toffee has cooled, cut into squares.

If you're making the candy during humid summer weather; cook the syrup to 265 degrees F. for very hard toffee; or 258 degrees F. for chewy candy.

For making chocolate coated toffee: Do not add nuts with flavorings. Pour cooked toffee into well-greased cookie sheet; cool. Melt 6-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate bits. Pour half the melted chocolate onto top of toffee; sprinkle with few tablespoons finely chopped walnuts; cool. Turn, repeat, using remaining chocolate and walnuts; cool. Break toffee into pieces with wooden mallet.

Paul Ford's Maple Fondant

1 cup white sugar
1 cup maple sugar (or 1/2 cup each maple and light brown sugar)
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon glycerine (available at drugstores)

Cook in deep saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking over low heat; bring to boil. Cover so steam will wash down any crystals that may form on sides of saucepan. Cook syrup 3 minutes. Uncover, continue cooking, without stirring to 240 degrees F. (soft ball stage). Wipe sugar crystals from sides of saucepan during cooking with fork wrapped with several thicknesses of damp cloth. Remove from fire; pour onto wet platter (or marble slab.) Allow to cool until it is lukewarm. Work with spatula until creamy and stiff, then knead with buttered hands until smooth and free from lumps. Wrap in waxed paper and store in tightly covered container at least 24 hours to ripen. Use ripened fondant for making mints, bonbon coating or cream kisses.

You can make Southern pralines by melting fondant in top of double boiler. Pour melted syrup in circles on waxed paper; top with pecan halves.

Recipes by Glenn Ford: Campbell River Salmon; Escargot

Glenn Ford's Campbell River Salmon

Fresh salmon fillets (size depending upon your catch)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rye whiskey
3 tbsps. dark brown sugar (use more sugar if desired)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt (or a few drops pressed garlic)
Alder leaves (or hickory chips)

Filet fresh caught salmon into serving-sized pieces. Prepare marinade and blend well. Place salmon fillets in shallow glass or china dish; pour marinade over fillets. Let fish stand 6 or more hours before cooking, turning several times. (Best to refrigerate fish while it marinates.) Place fish on grill (or hibachi); cook over coals, turn. At the moment fillets are turned, place alder leaves (or hickory chips) on coals. Watch fillets carefully, and do not overcook. If desired baste with marinade during barbecuing. Serve at once. The salmon is fabulous with a cold crisp salad and a bundle of mixed vegetables (corn, tomatoes, onions, snap beans, peas or squash) also cooked on the grill with butter and your choice of seasonings.

Thoughts: Glenn's Campbell River Salmon is best made with your own catch at your campsite.

Glenn Ford's Escargot

4 dozen snails
6 cups hot water
2 tsps. salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, sliced
Bouquet garni: 1 small bay leaf, a good pinch of thyme, 4 sprigs of parsley tied in a cheesecloth bag
8 peppercorns, bruised

For snail butter:
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 cup butter
1 tsp. minced shallot (or scallion)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Carefully clean snails: cover with cold water (discard any snails that don't poke their heads out of their shells), rinse well under running water, scrub shells with stiff brush. Set aside. Place hot water in deep kettle and add salt, onion, carrot, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Bring stock to a simmer; plunge snails in simmering liquid, return to simmer, cook 1 or 2 minutes only. Drain snails. Carefully remove snails from shells
with oyster pick or toothpicks. Set snails aside; reserve shells.

Prepare snail butter by creaming butter in small bowl; add garlic, shallot (or scallion), parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Place a dab of snail butter in each shell, poke partially-cooked snail into each shell, pack
with butter to fill. Place stuffed snails on baking dish or individual snail pans. Heat in preheated 450 degrees F. oven about 10 minutes (or until butter sizzles). Serve at once with hunks of hot French or Italian bread and your choice of a well-chilled dry white wine (Chablis or Graves are happy choices). Serves 4.

Thoughts: Snails can be obtained fresh in the U.S. in limited supply (along both coasts) in specialty food shops or fish shops. The canned variety, that comes with a bag of shells attached, is available in many supermarkets in the U.S. If desired, a touch of garlic may be added to the snail stock and even more added to the snail butter. Let your palate be your guide. It's important not to overcook the snails either in the stock or in the oven!

Recipes by Betty Ford: Buttermilk Pancakes; Chinese Pepper Steak; Curried Tuna Casserole

Betty Ford's Buttermilk Pancakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
3 cups buttermilk


Mix together all ingredients except egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold beaten egg whites into pancake mixture. Cook pancakes as usual.

Betty Ford's Chinese Pepper Steak

2 pounds flank steak
2 tablespoons shortening
3 green bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 package onion soup mix
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cut steak lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips and then into 1-inch pieces.

Melt shortening in skillet and fry steak just long enough for it to change color. Remove meat and sauté the green pepper. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add onion soup mix and continue to boil for 10 minutes.

Stir in the meat and green pepper and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch (diluted in a little water), salt and pepper. Cook until slightly thickened. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4.

Betty Ford’s Curried Tuna Casserole

6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium red peppers, julienned
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 cups hot chicken stock
1 cup hot milk
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
pinch of salt
10 ounces small pasta shells
2 cups drained tuna
1/4 cup dry sherry
6 saltine crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan; add shallots and garlic, and sauté lightly for 1 minute. Do not brown. Stir in red pepper strips and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and curry powder; cook, stirring constantly, until flour is well absorbed.

Add hot stock and bring to a boil; stir until smooth. Add hot milk, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes; keep warm.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 7 minutes. Drain well and transfer into the prepared casserole dish.

Flake tuna into small pieces and spread evenly over the shells. Slowly pour the sherry over tuna, then top with the warm sauce. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs and grated cheese.

Bake on middle shelf of preheated oven for 30 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top.

Margot Fonteyn's Iced Cheese Savory

Margot Fonteyn's Iced Cheese Savory

One gill (1/2 cup) thick cream, 1 egg white, 3 ounces Cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Beat the egg white until stiff. Whip the cream and add it to the beaten egg. Grate the cheese finely and fold into the mixture. Put into a mold and freeze one hour. Serve with very hot biscuits that have been fried in butter.