Wisdom From Grandma

Today, we use pancake mix, but back in Grandma’s day, they made pancakes from scratch. This recipe is similar to the one she used:

2 cups flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs (beaten)
1/3 cup butter (melted)
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Makes approximately 8 pancakes

In a large bowl combine flour, milk, beaten eggs, 1/3 cup melted butter, sugar, baking powder and salt until just blended. Preheat lightly greased griddle or frying pan. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan per pancake. Cook until pancakes begin to bubble. Flip once and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve with maple syrup, jam or fruit.

* This is a basic, easy pancake recipe you can easily vary. Try adding fresh cut fruit or chocolate chips to the batter for variation.

This recipe actually came from one of her Southern in-laws, but Grandma didn’t say who she got it from on the recipe card. (Tip-this is not a fast dish to cook.)

You will need:
1/4 pound butter
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup diced celery
2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup tomato puree or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
3 pounds peeled shrimp
1 ounce lemon juice
a pinch of salt, pepper, and cayenne
2 ounces cornstarch

Directions:

1. Use your butter to saute the pepper, onion and celery over low heat for about five minutes.
2. Add the tomato puree or paste and the bay leaves to the pan and simmer for another 15 minutes.
3. Add your shrimp and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in a pint of water.
5. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan and simmer for five minutes.
6. Pour in your remaining ingredients and allow the entire thing to simmer for another 15 minutes.

We serve this dish over cooked white rice. It serves 8 people.

No matter how hard I tried, my pie crust always was heavy and doughy. Finally, I convinced my mom to give me Grandma’s favorite pie crust recipe, which makes a wonderful light flaky crust.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (bleached all-purpose is what I use)
1 1/2 teaspons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cold water

Directions:
1. Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
2. Pour the vegetable oil in a measuring cup and pour the water on top of the oil. Don’t stir them together.
3. Dump the oil and water on top of the flour and salt.
4. Stir the ingredients with a fork until it is blended enough so that you can form the dough into two balls.
5. Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball into a circle of about 12 inches across. (You may want to put the dough between two pieces of wax paper to make it easier to roll it out.)
6. Carefully place the crust into your pie pan and get ready to make a delicious pie.