Nana Mae's Jello Cake

This has been in the family at least 60 - probably longer. Still love it!

CAKE

1 pkg lemon jello
1 pkg white cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon extract
4 eggs

In a large bowl combine:  cake mix, jello, water, oil and flavoring. (If you don't have lemon, add orange)

Blend well. Add eggs, one at a time blending well after each egg.
Turn into a buttered and floured angel food pan.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until done... this cake must be well baked or it will be mushy.

Remove from oven and leave in the pan until cool. Dust with powdered sugar OR APPLY the GLAZE.


GLAZE

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 cup lemon juice
Blend well.
After removing the cake from the oven, prick the top with a fork all over.
Slowly spoon on glaze... it will run down into the cake and down the sides.

Nana Mae's Raspberry Fruit Cocktail Salad

Nana Mae served this for breakfast on Sundays... also makes a good dessert.. and a good topping for angel food cake or pound cake.

1 can fruit cocktail, chilled

1 small package of frozen raspberries, thawed

Mix together and serve.  

Nana Mae's Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

Delicious - goes quick! Leftovers are also good on a sandwich or used to stuff a tomato for lunch!

1.5 cups of diced cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
4 TBSP minced onion
3/4 Cup HELLMAN's Mayo (nothing else!)
1/2 diced celery
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup crushed potato chips ( I usually skip the chips and add more almonds)

Mix all ingredients together except almonds and chips.

Put into a 1 Qt. baking dish - sprinkle with almonds and chips.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Nana Mae's Dill Pickles (AKA Schwanitz Farm Dill Pickles)

I made these with Nana Mae one summer and got the recipe from her...you will notice it is a little different than the Schwanitz Family Cookbook... since I wrote this as she instructed me and as I observed her making them.


Our family tradition was ... she made the pickles and the first jar was opened on Thanksgiving Day. My dad opened the rusty jar and Grandpa George had to taste test them to make sure they were "SAFE" for us to eat. We used to watch him, almost terrified something bad would happen to him. Once he declared they were safe, we all got pickles - no more than 2 per person but we cherished those two! 

6 cups HEINZ white vinegar (she was very specific about Heinz)
6 cups distilled water (she didn't want any chemicals to ruin the taste)
12 TBSP Kosher Salt
Peeled Garlic Cloves (2 - 3 per jar)
Fresh Dill - washed
Fresh pickles

Peel garlic cloves, set aside.

Wash pickle cucumbers and dill well, set aside.

Jars... Wash and rinse well... quart canning jars with hot water

Put the jars on a cookie sheet and place in the hot oven to sterilze (seemed to me it was for 30 minutes at 350) -

Place lids in boiling water to sterilize and remove them with tongs as needed (keep them HOT) 

While jars are in the oven - boil together vinegar, distilled water, and salt.....keep hot...if simmering waiting for jars, bring to boil again before filling jars.

Upon removing jars from the oven... slice cucumber pickles into spears and pack into jars. Add 2 -3 garlic cloves and pack with dill flowers.

Add boiling liquid almost to the very top.

Seal with HOT lids.   ( Don't put the rings on until they are cooled, or next day).

Makes 3 - 5 Qts.

She made them as they were ready in the garden.

Wait until Thanksgiving to eat.

Find a good taste tester (someone with a good life insurance... just kidding!) to taste test.

These pickles DO NOT go in hot water bath... they are done exactly as the directions above indicate.

If the liquid in the jars turns cloudy after they have stood a few weeks, toss it out. Liquid should remain clear.

THESE ARE THE BEST DILL PICKLES IN THE WORLD!

Schwanitz Family Farm

Schwanitz Homestead

Nana Mae's Hot Chicken Salad

Nana Mae was my grandmother.

This is her pantry - many wonderful things were assembled in there.

If I ever build a house, I'd love to recreate a pantry where all my "stuff" is readily available and the mess is out of site........with a sink, compactor and garbage disposal in it!

This is one of my favorite recipes from Nana Mae.... savory and delish. The mayo used in it "disappears" while baking so you can serve this to "Mayo Haters" - they'll never know... it will be our little secret!

1  1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
      (rotisserie chicken from grocery store if need be)

2 TBSP minced onion ( I use a medium onion, diced)

3/4 Cup Mayo (MUST be Hellmans Mayo)
Add enough to coat so it doesn't dry out, it "disappears" in the oven
(so you can feed this to mayo haters - they'll never know)

1/2 diced celery

1/2 tsp salt (omit to make this lower sodium)

1 TBSP lemon juice

2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 c. crushed potato chips for topping
(I don't use the chips, I add more slivered almonds instead)

375 Degree Preheated Oven

Mix all ingredients gently, except chips.  Put into a 1 quart oven-proof dish . Sprinkle with crushed potato chips or more almonds.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until heated through.

Serves 4


NOTE - to scale this recipe for more people, just add more of everything and more mayo!  Easy Peasy!

Nana Mae's Vinegar Pie Crust

This pie dough rolls out perfectly, and the crust bakes beautifully - it's been passed down from one generation to the next for years. It does not have a vinegar flavor.



3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups shortening 1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

4 tablespoons water


 In large bowl mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with two butter knifes.

 In separate bowl, mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Drizzle wet mixture into dry mixture, cutting it in.

 Roll out dough, and fit into two 9 inch pie pans.

Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 12 minute