Family Recipes Along the Way

I got this recipe while living in Lake Charles, LA.  It comes from Mrs. Susan Switzer of Houston, Texas and was included in the cookbook "Pirates Pantry" which was complied by the Junior League of Lake Charles.  These have been a family favorite for years. 12 hard boiled eggs 1/2 stick of butter 2 Tablespoons onion, grated 1/4 (I use a bit more) mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon mustard 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon celery salt, pepper, horseradish ( I leave out the horseradish) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire 5 drops hot sauce (I use Franks buffalo sauce) Boil eggs (*tip* bringing the water to a boil before adding the eggs and then turning down the heat, cover, and let cook for 13 minutes makes peeling easier)   Slice eggs lengthwise and scoop out yolks. In small saucepan, melt butter.  Add yolks of eggs and mash and cook over low heat for a few minutes. Add to a large mixing bowl and add in other ingredients.  Mix well.  Fill egg whites a...

This is it!  I can't tell you how many times I've been asked for this recipe. For a long time I kept it under wraps because making and selling these was a major part of my fundraising for the Pine Ridge Mission Trips.  I simply needed to be able to sell them.  But, those trips are no longer so i am happy to share it now.  I got this recipe from a lady in Louisiana when we were living there.  3/4 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup molasses 1 egg 2 cups of flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. salt Cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg and molasses and beat until well blended.  Sift together dry ingredients and mix until a stiff dough forms.  Form into walnut sized balls.  Roll each ball in sugar and place on a cookie sheet.  Flatten with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in sugar.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.

A tradition in our home on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning.  Ingredients 2 packages Grands buttermilk biscuits 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar (packed) Directions   Preheat oven to 350 degrees  Grease one 9 or 10 inch Bundt( pan. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters.  Add the biscuit pieces to the cinnamon/sugar mixture and shake to coat.  It works best to add a few at a time. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat.  Boil for 1 minute.  Pour over the biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees  for 35 minutes.  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

1 (5 pound) ready-to-eat spiral sliced ham 1/4 cup whole cloves 1/4 cup dark corn syrup 2 cups honey 2/3 cup butter Preheat oven to 325 degrees  Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan. In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham. Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.

1 stick butter 2 pkg. chocolate chips 1 can Pet milk 1, 7oz jar marshmallow cream 1 lb. milk chocolate 3 1/2 cups sugar Combine butter, milk and sugar in large pan and boil for 5 min. Combine chocolate chips, chocolate and marshmallow in a large mixing bowl. Pour cooked ingredients over this and mix until chocolate has dissolved. Add nuts if desired and pour into a greased 13"x9" pan.

This recipe comes from Dorothy Watts, a sweet lady in the church we served at in Lake Charles, LA. She was known for her amazing ability to cook! 2 large cans sweet potatoes, drained 1/2 stick oleo, melted 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 t. nutmeg 1 t. cinnamon 3 eggs 1 t. vanilla Topping: 1 stick oleo, melted 3 cups crushed corn flakes 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans Mash or whip potatoes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in a buttered 13x9 baking dish. If the mixture is too thick you can add some mild. Mix the topping and spread over the potato mixture. Topping will be like a crumb crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Serves 8 Like Dorothy, I use more cinnamon and vanilla

1/2 pound raw cranberries 1 orange rind, pulp and juice of 2 oranges 1 small can of crushed pineapple 2 pkg of lemon jello pinch of salt 2 cups of sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecans Grind cranberries. Put sugar on till dissolved. Take juice of 2 oranges and juice from the pineapple and heat to a boil. While that is heating add orange rind and pineapple to cranberries. When the juice boils dissolve jello in the juice and pour over cranberries. Add pecans and stir. Refrigerate until firm. A Dyson family tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas for many, many years.