Copyright 2006 Chitaroni.com
Chitaroni Family Cookbook

2006

“If you don’t like it, go eat someplace else!" Grampa Pep

Contents

(Not necessarily in order depending how you print this out!)

Daintry’s Macaroons

Gramma Chitaroni’s Gumdrop Cake

Bob’s Pancakes

Linda’s Cheese Ball

Spagetti Sauce

Diane’s Taco Dip

Gramma’s Oven Fried Rice

Grampa’s Fried Zucchini

Pep’s Westerns

Irene’s Slush

Best Potato Salad

Sweet Marie Bars

Butter Tarts

Louise’s Easy Chicken

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

“Good” Homemade Soup

Best Ever Brownies

Chinese Chews

Gramma’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Crackerjack Cookies

Pumpernickel Dip

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Angela’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pep’s Stew

Easy Macaroni Salad

Millionaire’s Meal

Daintry’s Macaroons

Any of you who have tasted these, raise your hand…

In a medium size pot (the one you use to cook potatoes) mix together

½ cup milk

½ cup margarine

2 cups sugar

1 cup coconut

Using HIGH heat, bring to a boil. Set timer for 1 ½ minutes after it starts to boil. Take off heat as soon as it beeps. (if you let it boil too long they will fall apart- if not long enough they won’t harden. If they are too soft put them in the freezer- they taste great soft too!)

Add the following into the pot:

6 tbsp cocoa

1 tsp vanilla or cherry flavor

dash salt

Mix until the cocoa is dissolved.

Add

3 cups of oatmeal (one cup at a time, stirring between to wet all of the oatmeal)

Using two teaspoons, spoon in blobs onto wax paper. If you don’t have wax paper you can use a brown bag. If you don’t have a brown bag, just eat it out of the pot….

Gramma Chitaroni’s Gumdrop Cake

For one loaf pan

Mix Together:

½ cup butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

Add:

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

¾ cup milk

½ cup raisins

a good handful of gumdrops

(her measure)

Stir everything together until all of the flour is mixed well.

Bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours, check it after an hour or so, it is cooked when the top starts to split and it doesn’t look wet in the crack.

For a Bundt pan double the recipe. It will be cooked when the top begins to brown and the edges start to crisp.

Bob’s Pancakes

In a large bowl, mix the following:

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

Stir until the lumps are gone, squish them against the side if they won’t dissolve.

Heat the frying pan on medium heat, adding butter to coat the bottom or spray with Pam so they don’t stick.

Pour enough mix to make the size that you want. When the top starts to bubble, flip over. Don’t cook it very long once flipped. Check the bottom by lifting with a spatula.

Makes 8 small pancakes, 4 medium or 2 frying pan size.

Linda’s Cheese Ball

In a small bowl, mix the following:

1 regular size cream cheese block

1 can of tuna (drained)

1 green onion or onion flakes

2 tbsp seafood sauce

¼ tsp Tabasco sauce

Mix together and form into a ball with your hands. Roll the ball in chopped walnuts or cracker crumbs. I like to use Italian breadcrumbs. I just pour about ½ cup of crumbs on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll the ball around on them. Then wrap in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Serve with Breton crackers, or anything that you have.

What the well dressed chef is wearing on the long weekend in May….

How to feed a crowd….

Spagetti Sauce

In a very large pot cook

2 lbs hamburg- brown in pan, drain off the juice into a bowl.

Add:

3 cans tomatoes

1 can tomato paste (if you have it)

chopped celery, onions (about ½ cup of each)

1 can mushrooms

salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder- shake a bit into the pot, adjust to taste. Reduce heat to simmer.

Mix well, simmering and stirring for about 20 minutes. Reheat later if you are making it ahead. Freezes well.

Read spaghetti package to cook pasta. I can’t teach you everything!

Diane’s Taco Dip

Step 1:

mix together

1 package of cream cheese

small bucket of sour cream

couple shakes of tabasco sauce

Form the above into a flat pancake on your platter or pie plate.

Step 2:

Layer on top of pancake

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped green peppers

Shredded cheddar cheese

Shredded lettuce

Press down into the pancake. Top with tabasco sauce and salsa. Serve with nacho chips.

Gramma’s Oven Fried Rice

In a large oven proof dish or roasting pan, combine the following:

2 cups of uncooked rice (Uncle Ben’s is recommended)

1 cup chopped celery

1 envelope of onion soup mix

1 can mushrooms

1 chopped green pepper

3 cups water

4 tbsp soya sauce

¼ cup vegetable oil

Any leftover cooked chicken, sausages, pork chops or steak cut up if you have it.

Stir in pan. Bake covered at 325 for about ½ hour. Check if cooked, if not leave in until not juicy.

Grampa’s Fried Zucchini

Wait for Joe or Elio to give you some zucchini. Slice zucchini thinly.

Make batter:

Beat one egg with some milk, add salt and pepper.

Heat cooking oil in frying pan. You should have enough oil so they are floating.

Roll zucchini slices in plain flour (in a tin pie plate). Dip in batter. Carefully put in frying pan. Wash the muck off of your fingers…

Let the zucchini fry until edges are brown. Remove from frying pan with a slotted spoon, or a fork. Lay on paper towel to drain oil. Eat while hot.

Run away next time Joe brings zucchini….

Pep’s Western

In a frying pan, cook one chopped onion, or a couple green onions (in a little bit of oil of course). Add chopped uncooked bacon or chopped ham. Fry until meat is cooked.

Add as many eggs as needed. Usually use one egg per sandwich. Break yokes, and stir over medium heat until not gooey. Add salt and pepper.

Spoon onto toast, add ketchup. Don’t forget to sing the cowboy song…

Irene’s Slush

You need one empty ice cream pail. Don’t eat the ice cream all at once or you will get a headache.

Pour the following into the empty ice cream pail:

1 48oz can pineapple juice

1 can frozen pink lemonade plus ½ can water

1 can frozen orange juice plus ½ can water

1 26oz bottle gin

2 cups tea made with 4 tea bags

Mix together, freeze overnight.

When serving, mix ½ and ½ with a clear pop. Don’t drink and drive.

I can hear you saying “oh MOM!”

Best Potato Salad

Peel, cut into chunks and cook potatoes in your macaroon pot. Five or six medium potatoes, 10 if you want some for tomorrow.

Drain potatoes and let cool.

In a large bowl, stir together:

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

2 tbsp vinegar

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp pepper

Add:

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion or green onion

1 hard boiled egg- chopped (optional)

Stir onto potatoes and coat well. Cover and leave in the fridge about one hour.

Sweet Marie Bars

In a large bowl, mix

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 tbsp soft butter or margarine

1 cup crushed peanuts

In a microwave bowl, mix

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup corn syrup

Cook in microwave on high for about 2 minutes.

Pour mix over Rice Krispies and stir together until coated well. Press in a large cake pan and let cool. Top with chocolate icing and refrigerate.

Best Chocolate Icing

Cream together

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp cocoa

2 Tbsp hot water

½ tsp vanilla or cherry flavor

Add

1 ½ cups icing sugar- ½ cup at a time and stir until you don’t see any white, then add the next. Beat until creamy. This should be enough to cover your Sweet Marie bars if you don’t eat it out of the bowl!

Butter Tarts

Buy pre-made tart shells at the grocery store or use pie crust recipe below.

Mix together:

1 cup raisins

3 tbsp soft butter or margarine

½ tsp vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

Drop by spoonful into tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees until top is browned-about 10-15 minutes. Makes 12 tarts.

Pie Crust Recipe

Buy a box of Robin Hood Pie Crust mix and follow directions on the box. Call someone to tell you how to roll out piecrust. Use a clean empty tuna can to make the pastry circles.

If you have trouble with your pie crust, M & M’s makes good butter tart bars- cut them up into bite size pieces like the aunties do….

Louise’s Easy Chicken

In a roasting pan or large covered casserole

Package of chicken thighs or legs (cut off the fat parts first)

Mix together in a bowl:

1 cup ketchup

1 envelope onion soup mix

honey

½ cup water

Pour mixture over the chicken. Bake covered at 325 degrees for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Louise likes the sauce to cook until it is sort of like barbecue sauce.

If you use a lot of chicken, play with the amount of ketchup and water. Whatever amount of ketchup you use, use half as much water.

Note: any left over chicken/sauce can be thrown into a pot of water…makes a great soup!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

In a large bowl mix:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In another bowl mix:

½ cup butter or margarine

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 or 3 mushed ripe bananas

Add the moist mixture to the dry mixture, stirring well to mix all of the flour.

Spray or grease muffin pan with shortening or butter. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

Recipe can be doubled, and freezes well. If you double it, don’t double the baking soda and salt, just everything else.

“Good” Homemade Soup

In a large cooking pot mix:

8-10 cups water

1 soup bone or heaping tablespoon of beef soup base, or 2 beef cubes

1 cup celery

1 onion chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

salt & pepper (I like lots of pepper)

oregano, parsley, basil, or whatever you have

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 1 hour. Leave the lid open a crack to let the steam escape.

Add:

1 can tomato paste

1 cup barley or other noodles. You can use alphabets, rice, macaroni, etc.

Continue to simmer for ½ hour. Serve with homemade bread or buns. This will last all week, or a couple days if Shannon is with you.

Freezes well.

Best Ever Brownies

In a large mixing bowl mix:

1 cup shortening

2 cup sugar

4 eggs

8 tbsp cocoa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Add:

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Spread in a greased or sprayed 9x12” baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Check by picking the top with a toothpick- if it comes out clean, it is cooked.

Ice with Best Chocolate Icing once it is cooled. Cut in squares. Freezes well.

Feel free to add walnuts, cherries, chocolate chips or whatever to the mix before baking.

Chinese Chews

These are a favorite at xmas time. Keep them away from Randy….

In a microwave bowl, combine

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

Melt by cooking on high in the microwave for about 2 minutes.

Add:

1 cup chopped peanuts

1 cup chow mein noodles broken up (I put them in a bag and smash them with my rolling pin)

Stir until everything is coated with the chocolate mixture. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper to let cool and harden.

Gramma’s Peanut Butter Cookies

In a large bowl, mix:

½ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 heaping cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease cookie sheet.

Roll into 1 1/2” diameter balls, place on cookie sheet, and press gently with a fork.

Cook for 6-8 minutes

Crackerjack Cookies

(from the Kinette Cookbook)

In a large mixing bowl cream together:

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Mix well and add:

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup coconut

You might have to use your hands to mix at this point.

Drop by spoonful on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until nearly browned.

Makes 6 dozen or more.

Pumpernickel Dip

In a large bowl mix:

1 large pkg of Knorr vegetable soup mix

1 cup water chestnuts

1 pkg frozen spinach (drained)

1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

1 cup sour cream

2 green onions chopped

Let sit overnight in fridge.

Buy 2 Pumpernickel loaves and carve out center of one. Fill center hole with the dip. Break up the pieces and arrange around the edge on a large platter. Break up other loaf as needed.

Very impressive when you bring this to a party!

Mashed Potatoes

Peel and cut 6-8 potatoes. Add water to cover and boil until soft. Drain water. (save this if you are making gravy)

Add the following to the pot:

1/3 to ½ cup milk (can milk is best but regular milk works too)

¼ cup margarine or butter

½ tsp salt

dash of pepper

1 tsp onion powder (secret ingredient)

Beat with the electric mixers until light and fluffy. If they are lumpy add more milk a bit at a time.

Homemade Gravy

For whatever meat you have cooked in your roast pan- chicken, beef roast, turkey, etc…

Leave the drippings in the roast pan. Add the drained water from your potatoes and other cooked vegetables (about 4 cups of liquid). Regular water works also but you are wasting the vitamins from your veggies! Bring to a boil.

In a jar (I use an empty cheese whiz jar) with a lid, fill the jar 2/3 with cold tap water, 1/3 flour. Tighten the lid and shake until creamy. Pour into boiling roast pan and stir until thick. Sift out the big lumps and salt and pepper to taste. If it is too liquid, add more water/flour mixture.

Angela’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

In a large mixing bowl cream together:

1 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

Beat in:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Add:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets (I like to use parchment paper for cookies because they don’t stick and clean up easy- you can buy this at the grocery store)

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Pep’s Stew

I’m not going to pretend that I know how to make this because it is always different, but I know he puts in the following:

Cut up steak, moose sausage, leftover cooked chicken, partridge, etc. fried with 1 chopped onion.

Add:

water to cover

¼ cup beef soup base

chopped carrots

chunks of celery

chunks of turnip

salt and pepper

Bring to a boil, then simmer on the woodstove until soft and mushy. It will probably work on the electric stove, but will never taste the same as Grampa’s…

Easy Macaroni Salad

Fill a large pot about 2/3 full of water- bring to a boil.

Add ½ large pkg of macaroni, spirals or vegetable pasta.

Turn down heat and let cook for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water. Let cool. Put pasta in a large serving bowl.

Cut up:

A couple slices of cooked ham, or use a can of Flakes of Ham broken up.

A few slices of cheddar cheese in bite size pieces

Add to pasta

Mix with enough Ranch Dressing to coat the mixture. You can also add chopped celery and carrots to the mix if you like.

Millionaire’s Meal

Step 1- Pick enough leaf lettuce from the garden to feed the gang

Pick a couple of green onions and chop up.

Mix in a large bowl with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.

Step 2- catch the fish

(con’t)

Step 3- clean the fish

Step 4- cook the fish

In a large frying pan, heat oil to boiling.

Soak fish bits in a mixture of egg and milk, salt and pepper in a tin foil pie plate. Roll in flour or Fish Crisp (Italian is best) in a 2^nd tin foil pie plate. Gently place in boiling oil, turning the fish only when bottom of fish is cooked. Fry until flaky.

Drain fish on paper towel. Serve with lettuce.

And if all else fails, Eat Ice Cream!!!!

Love you all…

Auntie Daintry