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By Staff
When you edit a food column, such as this, you inevitably (over the years) tend to build a rapport with your readers;, as was the case last week when a local resident phoned a recipe to me. As our conversation progressed, my caller happened to mention how she had once become the victim of a contaminated food product.
Unfortunately, there can be several very significant health threats related to our food. Occasionally a serious and insidious source of food chemicals can be in the form of invisible or unintentional additives. Chemicals such as pesticides used in crop production, used in livestock, ranching, and mycotoxins (poisonous molds), and air and water pollutants which become food pollutants.
Actually, they are invisible in the sense that their names do not show up on food labels. They are substances which inadvertently get into food during the course of its passage from farm or factory to your dinner plate. Unfortunately, the appearance of these environmental additives in food is unintentional, inconsistent and very often quite difficult to actually monitor. I read somewhere the other day that we live in an area when business executives may puff through their lunch hours on a jogging track, commuters often take to exchanging their transit tickets for 10-speed bicycles, and bran muffins are now beginning to encroach on the domain of the doughnut … as a quick snack … so it is not surprising that all of a sudden we are realizing that there can be some chemical risks in the foods we purchase.
But then … on the other hand … many things in life can be fraught with risks; whether it be jaywalking through rush-hour traffic, or even living in the shadow of a nuclear power plant. If we dwell on everything that could happen … you would never want to crawl out from between those nice warm sheets each morning. The only way you can be an informed consumer is to take the time to read labels.
It is of the upmost importance that we try to remember that there are four additives that are used to heighten the appeal of foods: color, flavors, flavor enhancers and sweeteners.
It is the duty of you, the consumer, to take whatever time necessary to read food labels! Your health and welfare depend on it!
Now that Spring and Summer have passed, we have reached the month of October … When gusts and whistling winds can "chill us to the bone." Shutters rattle and the smell of wood smoke becomes prevalent in the air.
Children are awed by the sights and sounds of eerie characters dressed as witches and goblins, but pacified by the succulence of taffy apples, popcorn balls, candy corn and deliciously cold cider! HALLOWEEN is just around the corner, and today's recipes feature all types of goodies to enhance your holiday table. Break out those toothbrushes, for we are just going to throw "caution to the wind," with today's recipes!
Today's first recipe is to fulfill the request sent in by Amy P. of Niles … whose "sweet tooth" has sent her scurrying in search of …
Gumdrop Cookies
1 cup Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup spice gum drops
1 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream the Crisco with the two sugars. Combine the flour, baking powder, soda and salt and add this to the Crisco mixture. Next, add the well-beaten eggs, then all of the remaining ingredients and mix together well. Roll this dough into small balls approximately the size of walnuts. Place them onto your cookie sheet, then press them down with a fork which has been dipped in milk. Bake these cookies for a good 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
* Did you know that "candy" (the human craving for something sweet) is at least four thousand years old? There is certainly no doubt that candy is now as firmly embedded in American institutions as it is occasionally in the teeth of children.
A touch of levity: Halloween is a big deal in our neighborhood, even for the adults. One year when my children were trick-or-treating, a woman answered the door wearing an outlandish dress, along with garish makeup and an extremely wild hair-do. We made joking comments about her costume as the kids received their candy … then went on our way. A month later, I happened to bump into the same lady at the grocery store and had no trouble recognizing her immediately … she looked exactly the same. Oops!
*Have you ever noticed how invigorating the gusts and whistling winds of October can be?
Popcorn Balls
3 quarts popped popcorn
1/3 cup corn syrup or molasses
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt (approximate)
Stir and cook the corn syrup, butter, sugar, water and salt just until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then refrain from any stirring, but continue cooking until the syrup forms a hard ball that you could actually pick up with your fingers. As you pour this syrup slowly over the popped corn … form the mixture into balls.
A touch of nostalgia: I am certain that those of you who are now Senior Citizens, can remember the Halloween parties of our youth when we would always dress up in usually homemade costumes, bob for apples, and anxiously join in any games our host or hostess had prepared for us. Weather permitting .. this was an excellent time to gather around the bonfire and roast wieners and marshmallows to accompany our tall glasses of apple cider.
* In years past, one of Niles beloved doctors (Dr. Evan Garrett) celebrated this Autumn season by making his homemade apple butter; as many of his former patients would no doubt remember! Those who were fortunate enough to have known him, will always lament his death as he was truly a pillar of the community!
Spiced Tea
5 cups boiling water
5 tablespoons black tea
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
juice of four oranges
juice of three large lemons
Pour two cups of boiling water over the tea, then allow it to steep for a good four minutes. Place the cloves and allspice into a cloth bag. Add one cup of water and boil until just one half of the water remains. Now, add two cups of water to the sugar and stir well until dissolved completely. Combine the three mixtures. Add the orange and lemon juices and strain; when ready to serve … add just one quart of fresh boiling water and heat to the scalding point then serve at once.
** One of the myths of the month in past year was whether bottled water was more pure than tap water. The conclusion arrived at … stated: although bottled water is often considered tastier, the truth is your faucet probably has cleaner water. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires that municipal tap water be screened for more than 80 contaminants, something not required of bottled water or of well water. Plus, most municipal water has fluoride to prevent tooth decay; bottled water usually does not.
A touch of levity: Did you hear the one about the young woman who was jogging, when she spied an old gentleman smiling at her from his porch. "You look so happy" she replied. "What is your secret of longevity?" she inquired. "I smoke three packs of cigarettes daily" he replied. "And I drink a case of whiskey weekly and eat nothing but fatty foods and never exercise!" "That's truly amazing" stated the woman. "How old are you?" He answered … "thirty two!"
Fruity Thirst Quencher
1 cup orange juice
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 cup dry ginger ale
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sliced maraschino cherries
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Mix the juices with the ginger ale, add the honey and mix in well. Chill this mixture thoroughly, then add the ice cream and stir well until blended. Pour mixture into well chilled glasses and top with cherry slices.
Homemaker's hint: For those of my readers who are taking camping trips during the beautiful Autumn weather, may I urge you to line your camping stove burners with aluminum foil. This helps to avoid much of the camp stove clean-up that we so dread!
Food Facts: I recently came across an article commending the ketchups made from organic tomatoes, for they contain a good three times the amount of lycopene (the cancer fighter that is found in red and pink fruits and veggies). They can usually be easily identified by their deep red color.
** Back about the 18th century, sugar (in the form of molasses) formed one of the legs in the infamous triangular trade, which brought considerable wealth to our American colonists. Shipped up from the West Indies to the Colonies, the molasses was converted into rum, which was then shipped to the Gold Coast of Africa, where it was traded for Slaves who were delivered to the West Indies.
This next recipe brings back pleasant memories of my childhood, when I lived in the southeast portion of South Bend, Ind. Approximately once weekly, the Hossick Bakery Van visited our neighborhood. Upon arrival, the driver would open up the two back doors of his vehicle and (if I stood up on "tippy-toe", I could catch a glimpse of the mountainous array of baked goodies) the odor of which was truly overwhelming! Cookies and cupcakes were the priority in those days, but money being tight; our purchases were usually never made but once a month … and we knew better than to complain! One of my very fondest favorites were:
Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
1 teaspoon ginger
Cream the Crisco, brown sugar, molasses and egg. Set aside and then sift the flour, soda, cloves, cinnamon, salt and ginger; then mix it together thoroughly with the creamed mixture. Once this dough has been made, place it into the refrigerator to chill for a bit of time.
Once it has been thoroughly chilled, then roll it into balls about the size of walnuts. Dip tops in sugar, then place the sugared side up on your greased baking sheet. Allow perhaps three inches between each of the cookies. Then, sprinkle each of the cookies with just two or three drops of water. This enables them to produce a cracked surface. Set oven temperature at 375 and bake for 10-12 minutes.
As a child, when I ate these cookies, I used to beg my Mother to let me have my milk in a cup, for it was much easier to dunk my cookie in the milk.
A touch of Levity: "Daddy do all fairy tales begin with the words "Once upon a time, …?" the little girl asked. "No," he replied, "A whole lot of them begin with the words 'If elected I promise …'"
Hot Halloween Doughnuts
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet cream
1 egg
1 cup cultured sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons nutmeg
approximately 3 1/2 cups flour
Combine the ingredients, then roll them into a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut and fry in medium hot safflower oil. Yields approximately three dozen small doughnuts.
Homemaker's Hint: We all have our favorite jackets, that we hate to part with, even though they may no longer seem to keep out all of the cold air. Try cutting the feet out of those old worn-out socks, and use the leg portions as arm-warmers.
**As the lights began dimming at a recent classical music concert, an offstage announcer addressed the audience: " … and, at this time, would you be good enough to set your cell phones and small children on vibrate."
Molasses Muffins
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light molasses
1 cup Crisco
1 cup sour milk
Cream these four items together, then add:
4 eggs (just one at a time)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup nutmeats
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup raisins
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Store this mixture in your refrigerator, then bake only as needed. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Food Facts: Sugar, in the form of molasses, formed one of the legs of the infamous triangular trade, which brought considerable wealth to American colonists. Eventually, the molasses was converted into rum, which was then in trun shipped to the Gold Coast of Africa, where it was traded for slaves. Actually, the availability of sugar at reasonable prices went hand in hand with the ever growing consumption of tea and coffee.
**Autumn is the year's last, loveliest smile!
A Touch of levity: Working at a jewelry store, I often arrange for brides and grooms to have their wedding bands engraved with initials, their wedding date or some meaningful phrase. One day a bride-to-be asked for suggestions as to what should be written inside her groom's ring. "We are not very romantic," she warned me. "We are marrying on his birthday, so he will not forget the date." "Isn't there something you will want him to remember as he looks inside his ring?" I asked. "There sure is," she said. And that's how "Put It Back On!" came to be inscribed inside her husband's ring.
Shrimp Dip
1 large package cream cheese
1 can shrimp
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons scraped onion (juice and pulp)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Miracle Whip
Combine all ingredients, then beat until creamy.
Homemaker's Hint: To discourage your cat from clawing at your upholstered furniture, try nailing a sscrap of carpet on a board or a box. Rub some catnip on the scratching post, and this should help encourage kitty to use the scratching place of your choice!
** We have reached the time of year when the wild geese soar against a cloudless autumn sky, and wing their way far from the crowded haunts of man!
Fudge Cake
2 squares melted chocolate
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 squares melted chocolate
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 well-beaten eggs
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup ice water
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream together the butter with the sugar until the mixture takes on the appearance of whipped cream. Then, add the extract and well beaten eggs. Next, comes the melted chocolate … be sure to blend this in well. Sift the dry ingredients together and proceed to add them alternately with ice water to the mixture. You must bake this batter in two layer pans which have been greased, then lined with wax paper. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
** On these cool Autumn days we have been having, it's rather nice to bake this cake when you first arise in the morning; as the oven heat tends to take the chill out of the kitchen.
A Touch of Levity:
Caller: "My new wife left me and took all my clothes."
Dispatcher: "Okey, we can send an officer to take a theft report."
Caller: "Could you have the officer stop and get a pizza on his way over?"
Homemaker's Hint: Calcium is critical in keeping your bones healthy, but it is not all you need. Certain foods tend to protect bones more effectively than pill. Try to eat foods containing Vitamin D needed for absorption of calcium (milk, fortified breakfast cereals, egg yolks), and vitamin K, which may also aid the calcium absorption (broccoli and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and cabbage.)
Butterball cookies
1/2 pound butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
tart jelly (preferably currant)
Cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture becomes nice and smooth. Beat in two egg yolks one at a time until smooth. Sift the flour, measure and resift twice together with the salt. Begin gradually adding this to the butter mixture, then beat again when all of the flour has been added. Lastly, beat in the vanilla extract. Grease and flour your cookie sheet. Scoop out just one half teaspoon of the dough at a time, then rub it between your palms to form small butterballs. When you space them on a cookie sheet, give them one inch from each other and the pan's edge. Using your fingertip, press down very gently to make a depression on top of these balls, then fill the depression with a very small amount of the tart jelly. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12 to 13 minutes, watching them carefully so they bake to a sand color. They are finished when they become just very slightly browned on the underneath side.
Food Facts: As caring, thoughtful parents … we would not begin to pour a five pound bag of sugar down our children's throats … yet that is the approximate amount that some of our children are getting every month … yet it is not coming from the sugar bowl or the cookie jar. They are getting liquid sugar from sodas, juices and fruit drinks. Excessive amounts of any sugar can easily place your child at risk for obesity, poor bone density and even type two diabetes by adding calories and thereby literally crowding out healthier dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Sweetener overload can also very easily contribute to tooth decay. Those well-known ads pushing sugar filled cereals, sodas, fruit drinks etc. are one of the oldest advertising tricks in the book … get 'em hooked early and they're yours for life! If your child typically has dessert every day, switch to a bowl of strawberries or other fruit. Avoid relying on artificially sweetened products – true, they may have fewer calories, but their intense taste is said to reinforce the desire for sweets. Restrict television viewing to about two hours a day. They will be less influenced by ads for sweetened foods.
"Get your vitamins, improve your heart health and lower cholesterol by eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily!