One of the Fairies I decided to create for 2008 is the Cookbook Fairy. When I lost my mother in 1989, my sister–in-law Sherry went through all of our mother’s recipes to share with my father, brothers and sister. As my mother was an avid cook and nurturing mom, she kept detailed notes of which dishes were favorites of her 6 kids and husband. I still get to enjoy some of these recipes today, but not to the degree I used to…they still taste wonderful, but lack the magic of mom’s cooking and the enjoyment of her conversation and laughter.

The Fourth of July cake was nearly always my birthday cake, as both my dad’s and my birthdays fall within that great week. It not only looks great, but it tastes delicious! I’ve got my Cookbook Fairy in my kitchen at home. Now I can really cook!

To download these recipes in a printable format click here. After printing, you can then cut them into 3 x 5 recipe cards. Let me know which ones you have tried and like.

FOURTH OF JULY CAKE

Makes 16 servings (13×9x2-inch cake) at 36 cents each

1 package (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
1 container (8 ounces) frozen non-dairy whipped topping
1 cup (½ pint) blueberries
3 pints strawberries, hulled, halved or quartered if large

1. Prepare and bake cake in 13×9x12-inch baking pan, according to package directions. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Turn cake out onto serving platter.

2. Frost cake with non-dairy whipped topping.

3. Decorate top of cake as flag: Arrange blueberries in a square in upper left-hand corner of cake. Make 13 stripes across cake, starting with stripe of strawberries across top, then leaving stripe of white topping showing through, and repeating the alternate stripes until you have 13 (7 red, 6 white). Cut and serve.

CINNAMON PEACH COBBLER

5 cups sliced peeled peaches
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 ½ cups heavy cream, very softly whipped with 2 ½ tablespoons melted sugar
Ground Cinnamon

Sprinkle peaches with lemon juice, stir to coat and spread in 11×6 inch or 8 inch square baking pan or equivalent. Mix flour, sugar and salt. Add egg and toss with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over peaches. Drizzle with butter. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

If topping is not rich golden brown, slip under broiler a few moments. Serve warm with cream. Pass cinnamon to sprinkle generously over cobbler. Makes 6 servings.

SPAGHETTI
(Italian Style)

From that sunny land across the sea…

Cook until browned in 2 tbsp. Hot olive oil…

1 lb. Ground beef or beef and pork

Add and simmer slowly ½ to 1 hour (long cooking improves flavor)…

  3 ½ cups cooked tomatoes (#2 ½ can)
  2 cloves garlic, finely cut
  1 bay leaf, crumbled
  1 tsp. salt
  1/8 tsp. black pepper

Pour over hot drained boiled spaghetti (1 lb. uncooked) on hot platter. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

AMOUNT: 12 servings

CRANBERRY KOLBASI

1-18” Kolbasi- slice up to ½” slices

Mix in sauce pan:

1 cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
1 can whole cranberries
1 cup sugar
¼ cup ketchup

Heat to boil – stir good.

Add kolbasi – simmer for 5 mins.

Put in container – place in refrigerator.

Ready to eat anytime – longer it sits and marinates the better.

Can be served hot or cold.

SPAGHETTI PIE

Make two pies if your guests are robust eaters…

6 ounces spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 well-beaten eggs
1 pound ground beef or bulk Italian sausage
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
1 8-ounce can (1 cup) tomatoes, cut up
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup (8 ounces) cottage cheese, drained
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti using package directions; drain (should have 3 ¼ cups spaghetti). Stir butter into hot spaghetti. Stir in parmesan cheese and eggs. Form spaghetti mixture into a “crust” in a buttered 10-inch pie plate.

In skillet, cook ground beef or sausage, onion and green pepper till vegetables are tender and meat is browned. Drain off excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt and garlic salt.

Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti “crust”. Fill “pie” with tomato mixture. Cover with foil and chill in refrigerator 2 to 24 hours. Bake, covered, in 350 degree oven for 60 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or till cheese melts. Makes 6 servings.

Or seal, label, and freeze. Bake frozen pie covered, in 350 degree oven for 2 hours. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

STRAWBERRY CREAM DELIGHT

16 double graham crackers
  (make into crumbs)
¾ cup butter, divided
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 pint whipping cream, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla
  dash of salt
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup walnuts, broken (do not use black walnuts)

Combine graham cracker crumbs and ¼ cup melted butter and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish. Cream ½ cup butter, sugar, eggs, 2 tablespoons whipping cream and vanilla until light and fluffy. (It will resemble cake batter). Spread over crumbs; top with strawberries and nuts. Place remaining whipping cream in a chilled bowl and add sugar and vanilla according to personal taste; whip cream and spread over berries. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 6 hours or preferably overnight. Serves 16-20

Note: A few berries may be left whole for garnish. Do not omit the walnuts, they provide a delicious addition.

GLAZED HAM-LOAF RING

1 ½ pounds ground ham
1 ¼ pounds ground fresh pork
1 ½ cups soft bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onion
2 beaten eggs
½ cup milk
1 recipe Sweet-Sour Glaze
1 recipe Mustard Hot Sauce

Thoroughly combine meats, crumbs, onion, eggs, and milk. Mold by pressing mixture into a lightly oiled 6 ½-cup ring mold; invert on shallow baking pan and remove ring mold. Bake in moderate oven (350º) 1 ¼ hours in all. At the end of 45 minutes’ baking time, brush loaf with Sweet-sour Glaze: Blend ½ cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon prepared mustard; stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 tablespoon water. Continue baking loaf till done, basting with glaze 3 or 4 times. Serve with Mustard Hot Sauce. Makes 10-12 servings. Mustard Hot Sauce: in jar, mix ½ cup dry mustard and ½ cup vinegar; cover let stand overnight. In top of double boiled beat 1 egg; stir in 1/3 cup sugar, dash salt, and mustard mixture. Cook over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly, till mixture thickens slightly and coats spoon. Cool. Before serving add mayonnaise-about half and half.

WHEELS WITH SAUSAGE

1 garlic clove, minced.
  two 4-inch sweet Italian sausages, sliced thin.
3 tablespoons butter.
3 tablespoons olive oil.
8 small firm mushrooms, sliced thin.
2 tablespoons peas, cooked.
2 tablespoons lima beans, cooked.
½ teaspoon salt.
  Liberal amount of milled black pepper.
1 pound Vimco Wheels.
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Sauté the garlic and sausages in butter and oil until sausages brown; add mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in peas and beans. Sprinkle in salt and pepper. Cook Vimco Wheels aldente; drain. Place in a large warm bowl, add half of the cheese, and toss well. Add half of the sauce and toss again. Serve in hot bowls with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese over all. Serves 4 to 6.