The Niles Star

Lou Liebetrau: Try a savory Upper Peninsula tradition

Autumn marks the month of our final harvest, the time when each burnished leaf is destined to lose its hold on the weathered branches of the now near-barren trees and float lazily to the ground, where it will await the killer frost.

The sudden coolness of the air points us to hearthside and a thirst for hot cocoa, mulled wine and cider. Most every household has laid in a supply of fresh applies, the variety that literally snap as you bite into their fresh crispness.

Now is the time to reach high in the cupboard and bring out that Hershey’s cocoa box so you can make some homemade fudge. If you want to experience a little touch of heaven, just introduce a portion of freshly-chopped black walnuts into that fudge before you pour it into the pan to cool.

I have two recipes given to me by my friend, Ginger Brawley, of Niles.

Pineapple Cake with Cream Frosting
Cake ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar

Mix those ingredients together, then add:
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Pour this batter into a greased 9- by 13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Frosting ingredients:
8 oz. pkg. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup Oleo
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Crushed walnuts

Directions:
Beat together the cream cheese and Oleo until mixture becomes creamy, then add the sugar and vanilla with mix in thoroughly; frost cake while it is warm. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired, then refrigerate.

In response to my request for pasties, here is another recipe from Ginger’s files, so I must assume that she also has spent some time in the Upper Peninsula. Thanks so much for sharing these recipes with us G.B.

Meat Pasties
Ingredients:
Crust:
3 cups flour
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp. salt
Water to moisten
Filling:
2 lbs. venison or beef, cubed small
2 large, diced carrots
5 diced potatoes
1 diced onion
1 large or two small, diced rutabagas
6 tbsp. butter

Directions:
Blend the crust ingredients together well, then divide the dough into six equal portions and roll each portion into a circle.
Combine the filling ingredients together well, then place this filling into the crust circles. Fold and seal the edges as you would a pie dough; prick the top of the pasties to allow steam to escape. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes.
Note: These pasties can be wrapped in foil and frozen.

Homemaker’s Hint: With the holiday season just around the corner, your oven will no doubt be in constant use. Attend to those inadvertent spills immediately, before they have a chance to get baked on. Sprinkle the spill immediately with a dash of salt, and by the time the oven is cool, you should have nothing but ash to wipe up.

Timely Trivia: The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future.

Heavenly Hash
Ingredients:
11 oz. can Mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup maraschino cherries halved
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup banana slices
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup sour cream or small carton of Cool Whip

Directions:
Mix ingredients and enjoy.

Chocolate Pizza
Ingredients:
12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups mini-marshmallows
6 oz. jar red maraschino cherries, halved
3 tbsp. green maraschino cherries, drain and quarter
16 oz. white almond bark, divided
1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup peanuts
1/3 cup Angel Flake coconut
1 tsp. salad oil

Directions:
Melt chocolate chips and 14 ounces of almond bark. Use a large saucepan and place it over very low heat. Stir mixture until smooth, then remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, cereal and peanuts; pour mixture onto greased 12-inch pizza pan. Decorate top with combination of cherries, then sprinkle evenly with coconut.
Melt remaining two ounces of bark with oil, using a low heat. Keep stirring until mixture is smooth, then drizzle over the coconut.
Place in fridge to chill. Store at room temperature.

Culinary Conversation encourages reader’s recipe contributions and requests, helpful hints and timely trivia. Simply phone them to (269) 683-7266 or mail them to 527 Philip Rd. Thank you!