Daddy's Candy

Well, when I chose the name Mom Food for this blog, I was kind of thinking of me being the mom in the title. But scrolling through, I notice that it's way more intergenerational than that. Because a lot of the food that John wanted recipes for is my mom's or Bill's mom's. My grandma is in here, too.

And now Bill's dad, Marion, has his turn. The candy we always refer to as "Daddy's Candy" is a Christmas tradition at our house. We don't make it every year, but when we don't make it, we miss it.

The instructions are a little vague. I had to check in with Vicky to clarify some things, and you still will need to wing it just a bit.

I didn't get to know Bill's dad very well before he died, but I've always felt his personality when we made his candy. Especially when Ginny was here to preside. There were always serious preparations, dire warnings, unanswerable questions and lots of laughing. That pinch of soda thing is good for a few shrieks. And the transition from not cool enough to too cool can result in major consternation. Even hollering.

So, we'll make the recipe this year in memory of Marion and Ginny. And the memories, like the candy, will be very, very sweet.

Daddy's Candy

Ingredients

3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
Butter the size of an egg, added after other ingredients are combined and cooking
Pinch of soda, added when mixture starts to boil
1 cup walnuts

Butter a 9 x 13" pan.

Directions.

Stir first five ingredients until boiling, then occasionally; brush any crystals down sides of pan using brush dipped in warm water.
Add pinch of soda as noted above. (And kind of stand back, as I recall.)
Cook to 238˚.
Beat until smooth. Can be done by hand (if you've been lifting weights! Vicky's comment.) but using a stand mixer works best.

Add 1 cup walnuts while beating. (You want the nuts to maintain their size so do not add too soon or they will become too pulverized.) This candy goes from not cool enough to too cool very quickly. It will start to change color and will start getting thicker when it is ready to pour into the buttered pan.

Pour into buttered pan. Cut into squares. Or break into pieces. It's fine either way.

Quick. Before I forget. Boiled Frosting

This is your Grandmother Snider's recipe and I lose it fairly often because I make it very infrequently. But it's the one and only.

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat water, syrup, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved.

Place egg whites in bowl. Whip at Speed 10 (Kitchenaid) until whites begin to hold shape (about 45 seconds. Continue beating and pour the hot syrup gradually into bowl in fine stream -- should take about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add vanilla and continue whipping abou 5 minutes or until frosting loses it's shiny appearance and will stand in stiff peaks. Stop. (Who wrote this recipe? Stop???) Frost cake immediately.

Well, John. You are probably never going to make this dressing, but I'm posting it here for the world. (i.e., Elaine.)

Aunt Susie's Celery Seed Dressing

1 cup oil (I use canola or plain vegetable)
1 medium onion, quartered (unless you don't have a blender; then you have to grate it.)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
9 TBS. sugar (I know. I know.)
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 TBS celery seed

Mix oil, onion salt, mustard & sugar in blender.
Blend well to combine.
After the ingredients above are combined, slowly add the vinegar and celery seed while blending on low speed.

This dressing keeps well in the fridge. For a very long time. Good thing, too. It makes a lot. It's awesome in any sweet/sour combo, fabulous with Gorgonzola and pears and pecans and ... and .....

Mashed Potatoes Grandma-Style

This is so not brain surgery. You need the right potatoes. There's debate. But generally use potatoes labeled Russet. Russet sounds like "red" to me, but these are not redskins. They're brown skinned, usually Idahoes. OR use yellow tinged potatoes like Yukon Golds which give you a smooth, buttery appearance. Green Giant sells a yellow Yukon look-alike that seems to work fine as well. (Not frozen or anything, just Green Giant's brand on the bag in the fresh veggie aisle.)

Peel the potatoes (I'd say about six-eight medium sized ones for your first attempt) and as you peel them, put them into a bowl of cold water. Potatoes turn brown if they're exposed to the air after they're peeled. Cut them in quarters lengthwise or just slice them thickly. (Your Grandma Snider figured this out kind of at the end of her potato career. They cook a little faster if you slice them. No biggie.) Put them in a pan big enough to hold them comfortably and cover with cold water. (Cold water is the rule.) Salt the water a bit, but don't go overboard. Cover the pan, bring to boil, simmer for approx 20 min or until they're tender when pierced with a knife. Don't overcook them, but don't be paranoid either. While you're simmering the potatoes also warm about 3/4 cup milk over low heat or in a microwave safe cup.

Drain them in your colander and then return to the pan. And melt a couple TBS. of butter with the milk, too.

Be sure you're using a pot with a sturdy bottom. Or a bowl that can take some abuse. Don't put the hand mixer into the bottom of a non-stick pot for example. It'll flake the Teflon off. Use the mixer or the manual masher and break up the potatoes into small bits. Then add the milk a little at a time and beat/mix as you go. Look for the texture you like, just keep mashing and adding milk until things are smooth. Add a little more butter! Salt, but don't go overboard. Taste them. They'll taste good. This takes a little practice but it's hard to screw up.

Enjoy!

Reports in at "a little crunchy"

Here's the Riz a la Vegas. John says it's a little crunchy. Troubleshooting begins.

Special Rice

More accurately known as Riz au Nouilles or Rice with Browned Noodles, this recipe is from Pierre Franey's More 60 Minute Gourmet cookbook and was a staple at our house while you were growing up. (As you know -- thus, your request.) We cooked out of the two Franey 60-Minute books until they are both kind of in fragments. And we used to talk about Pierre and Craig Claibourne back in the day as though they were family members. It was pretty much WWP&CD all the time. So, this is a tasty rendering of the Rice-A-Roni concept and very easy to do. As follows.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. canola or vegetable oil. Olive oil may be a little overbearing for this recipe, but it'll do fine in a pinch.
3/4 cup broken capellini or thin spaghetti (1-inch pieces or so)
3/4 cup raw rice
1 1/4 cups cold water
Salt

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a saucepan and add the broken pasta. Cook, stirring briefly, until the strands are are golden brown. Do not burn. (It can happen very fast.)

2) Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Add the water and salt to taste and bring to the boil.

Note: Good idea to have water measured and ready to go when you start browning the pasta. (See "it can happen very fast," above.)

3)Cover and simmer 17 minutes.

Tah Dah!

Yield: 4 servings.