Parched corn

Parched Corn

By Mark Fitzgerald

When we got to the Valley many of us were out of provisions, July 24th, here we stayed about one month.  August 26th, we started for Council Bluffs, for my outfit to go back with I had but 2 quarts of parch corn and 3 quarts of course corn meal. I was sick all the way back, and suffered everything but death; many times I had nothing to eat, and sometimes I had a little poor buffalo bull meat. We returned back to the Bluffs about the last of October, and found my family well.

We were introduced to parched corn on the first LDS Trek we participated in.  I love it.  It reminded me of a similar commercial food - corn nuts.

Ingredients

• 1 lbs frozen corn
• 2 ounce Spray oil

Directions

Dry the corn can be dried in a dehydrator (though you can use an oven). Make sure to rotate trays and not let it burn.  Once dried you are ready to add the oil.

Spray a skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat on low.   Add the dry corn, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The parched corn is done when the kernels have swollen, and turned a medium brown. (You are likely to make a little popcorn in the process).

Pour the parched corn onto paper towels and allow to thoroughly drain and cool. Store the parched corn in a  plastic bag.

Information

Makes 10 1.6 ounce servings
30 calories per serving

Corn on the cob

Corn on the Cob

By Mark Fitzgerald

We kept meeting some teams from Salt Lake City now, which rendered all the assistance they could. I remember asking one of the drivers to give me a cob of corn to eat. He looked so pitiful and said, “Oh, sister, I hate to refuse you but my horses haven’t enough to eat now, and I do not know how we will get back to Salt Lake.”  I said, “I ought not to have asked you, but myself and children are so hungery.” He said, “Keep up your faith, sister.”  A loaf of bread would have given me great faith and satisfied a hungry stomach as well, but the bread was not many miles off. We got it and it was the sweetest bread we ever ate.

I love the sweetness of corn and I don't think that I am only.  Over the years sweeter hybrids of corn have been selected and developed.  The common corn of the Saints would have had on their overland journey would have been field corn or wild "volunteer" corn.  The corn would be used for the horses, but it would also be dried or ground into meal.

Ingredients

• 6 corn cobs
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 teaspoons salt

Directions

Salt and sugar large pot of water. Shuck corn, rinse and break in half. Add corn to water and turn on high heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Serve with butter.

Information

Makes 12 halves
60 calories per serving

Eggs for an event

Eggs

by Mark Fitzgerald

Our stove was placed in the baggage wagon during the day, and set up on the ground at night. We had plenty of ham, beans, dried fish, dried meat, salt pork, etc., etc., and our meals did not lack variety. On the eve of this particularly trying day, I had planned an especially appetizing supper-ham, and as a treat, eggs, hot biscuit, etc.-My disappointment was great indeed when I found every egg broken. They were packed in a box of salt in the rear end of our carriage, and as we emerged from the deep ravine, water had invaded the box with dire effect on the eggs.

I love eggs.  I learned to cook them in college working in the dish room.  There is nothing better than a flattop.  My personal preference is a thin omelet folded over with sauteed onions and mushrooms.  Often times eggs are used for large events, like a ward camp out or an LDS trek.  They can be cost effective and hardy.  Try to precracked egg mixes.  I find them very harsh and they don't really save you on time.

Ingredients

• 20 large eggs
• 2 ounce spray oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Scramble Eggs with salt and pepper into a mixing bowl. Spray skillet and heat on medium high. Ladle 1/3 cup of eggs, into the skillet. Cook 1 minute and fold in half. Cook 30 seconds more.

or

Spray a large Dutch oven and heat on medium high.  Break the eggs into the Dutch oven and scramble them.  While the eggs are cooking, scrape the bottom of the oven continually.  Add salt and pepper.  As the eggs have firmed up but just before they look dry take them off the heat.  The residual temperature will finish cooking them.

Information

Makes 10 2 egg servings
150 calories per serving

Strawberry jam

Strawberry Jam

By Mark Fitzgerald

A special treat of my childhood was some strawberry jam on one of her pancakes, which she used to give us when we ran errands for her.

As the saints entered the rocky mountains in late June and early July wild strawberries would have just been ripening.  They would have likely eaten them as a treat rather than make jam.  In later years strawberries would have been grown in the valley.  I wonder if they had as many problems with the deer eating strawberries as much as I did.

This recipe is from my Grandmother and does not use pectin.  To get the natural pectin in the fruit to jell you need to boil much longer than other recipes.  The biggest problem is that it is easy to burn if you are not constantly stirring.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces strawberries (frozen or fresh, hulled)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar

Directions

Place berries in a pot and turn on to medium high.  Mash fruit as it heats.  Bring the strawberries to a boil and stir often.  Add sugar to the fruit and boil together until thick; no more than 20 minutes).  Do not let scorch. Pack into clean, hot, sterile jars and seal immediately.

Information

Makes 16 1 tablespoon servings
50 calories per serving

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler

by Mark Fitzgerald

Sept 16.  A very warm day.  Ann is still right sick.  After Frank got breakfast over he went and bought some peaches and we had cobbler for dinner.

This particular cobbler recipe comes from my Grandmother.  We can peaches each summer and home canned peaches are perfect for this recipe.  

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 4 cups sweetened sliced peaches (canned peaches are sweetened - if using fresh, sprinkle with sugar)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg

Directions

Mix cornstarch with brown sugar and add cold water.  Stir and add peaches.  Cook and continue stirring until thickened.  Add butter and lemon juice.  Pour into an 8 inch round baking dish.

Mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs.  Mix milk and eggs.  Add all at once to dry ingredients and stirring just to moisten.  Drop by spoonfuls atop hot fruit.  Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Molasses cake

Molasses Cake

By Mark Fitzgerald

Grandma made the best molasses cake and you could go to her place most any time and have a slice of it or ginger and molasses cookies. Quick breads, soda or baking powder biscuits, in those earlier days baked in the Dutch oven.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg. Beat in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with water, mixing well after each addition.

Transfer to a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares; garnish with whipped topping.

Information

Makes 10 servings
140 calories per serving

Parker House Rolls

Parker House Rolls

by Mark Fitzgerald
This recipe is actually from my Grandma. When my wife first made it we had to translate the recipe from 2 sifterfuls to cup measurements. The rolls are yummy, but the memories of my Grandmother's cooking and friendship is even better.

These rolls were invented at the Parker House Hotel in Boston, during the 1870s.  The story of their creation has several variations, but they all involve an angry pastry cook throwing unfinished rolls into the oven, which resulted in their dented appearance. The recipe for Parker House Rolls first started appearing in cookbooks in the 1880s.

Ingredients

• 4 cups boiling water
• 2 cubes margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs beaten
• 3/4 cups powdered milk
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 7 teaspoons yeast
• 14 cups all purpose flour
• melted butter

Directions

Pour boiling water over margarine and sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Add eggs and powdered milk and salt.  After stirring in the yeast, add about 6 cups of flour or until the batter is thick.

After the sponge doubles in bulk, about an hour, add more flour until the dough is stiff.  Knead until blisters are formed.  Let rise again until doubled.  About another hour.  Then shape.

Roll dough about 1/3 to 1/2 inches thick on to a slightly floured board.  Cut with a 2 to 2 1/2 inches circle cutter or glass.  Butter each circle with melted butter.  Fold in half and press together.  Give a good push with finger so dough doesn't separate.  Place close together in rows on baking sheet.  Brush the tops with butter.

Let rise.  When double in bulk, bake for about 15 to 20 minutes at 375 to 400 degrees.

Information

Depending on the thickness and size you cut the rolls you can get almost 72 rolls with this recipe.

Rye bread rolls

Rye Bread Rolls

By Mark Fitzgerald

As sunset drew near we approached the banks of the Big Sandy River. The bottom through which it flowed was several yards in breadth, bright green with grass, and thickly feathered with willows and cotton-wood. It showed no sign of cultivation; the absence of cereals may be accounted for by its extreme cold; it freezes there every night, and none but the hardiest grains, oats and rye, which here are little appreciated, could be made to grow.

Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup rye flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1/3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg

Directions

Combine the yeast, sugar, melted butter, egg, and milk warmed to 110 degrees in the mixer. Turn it on low speed for 1 minute. Add the salt, rye flour, whole wheat flour, and caraway seeds. Continue at low speed until all of the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute more. Then, beat at medium speed until the mixture forms a ball, leaves the sides of the bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 5 1/2 by 9-inch baking pan.

Remove the dough from the bowl and invert onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the ball into 12 separate pieces.  Roll the dough to make the seams disappear into the dough and place in the baking pan sprayed with spray oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg lightly over the top of the dough. Bake until lightly brown and at 190 degrees, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Information

Makes 12 rolls
180 calories for a roll

Whole Wheat Waffles

Whole Wheat Waffles

By Mark Fitzgerald

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup powdered milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 eggs separated

Directions

Mix the wheat, baking powder and soda, salt and milk together into a large mixing bowl.  Pour in water, oil and egg yolk.  Mix together until just incorporated.  In a separate bowl whisk the egg white until still peaks.  Fold the whites into the waffle mixture.  Cook in a waffle iron until steaming is just stopping. 

Information

Makes enough for a family of 6

Red Bean Curry

Red Bean Curry

By Mark Fitzgerald

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion,  chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large green chili, chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red cayenne
• 8 ounce can of tomato sauce 
• 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 2 15 ounces canned red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

On medium heat cook saute the oil, onions and salt for 10 minutes.  Add in the garlic and seasonings.  Stir and cook for a minute and then add the beans.  Cook for a minute longer.  Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  Add in cilantro and serve over rice.

Turkey

Turkey

By Mark Fitzgerald

"Myself, George S Clark, Levi Stewart and another man were appointed hunters, as there was much game in the country we had to pass through, turkey, deer, and some elk."

Turkey seems to represent celebration in our country.  It is of course associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  The pioneers also used turkey for celebration.  For example it was often on the menu for the territorial state ball.  The turkey is Utah's largest game bird and will get to about 18 pounds in the wild.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs turkey
• 24 teaspoons salt
• 16 tablespoons sugar
• 2 gallons water
• 2 medium onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons parsley
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup Flour

Directions

Dissolve 1 cup salt and sugar in 2 gallons cold water in a container that can fit in your fridge.  (If it is Thanksgiving, it is usually cold enough for us to use the back porch).  Cut turkey in the primal parts. Submerge turkey pieces in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove turkey from brine and dry with paper towels. Arrange onions, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, and 2 tablespoons butter in large roasting pan in an even layer. Brush turkey pieces with 2 tablespoons butter and season with pepper. Place turkey pieces, skin side up, over vegetables, leaving at least ¼ inch between pieces. Roast until skin is lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Pour broth, sugar and vinegar around turkey pieces (it should come about three-quarters of way up legs and thighs). Place a piece of parchment paper over turkey pieces. Cover roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. Return covered roasting pan to oven and cook until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, about 2 hours.  Pull out the turkey and let it rest while you attend to the gravy.

Strain vegetables and liquid from roasting pan through fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl, pushing out as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Skim off fat. Reserve 3 tablespoons fat and measure out 3 cups braising liquid.

Heat reserved fat in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 3 cups braising liquid and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is thick and reduced to 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove gravy from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Information

Makes 10 large servings of turkey with 1/2 cup of gravy
375 calories per serving

Honey butter

Honey Butter

By Mark Fitzgerald
My wife and I disagree about the ratios of honey butter.  She would rather have just butter and I would rather have just honey.  Like she and I, together they make a wonderful pair.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Cut the butter into chunks and place butter into a stand mixer.  Beat at low speed, using the whisk attachment for 1 minute.  Increase the speed to medium and add the honey, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Information

Makes 10 1 tablespoon servings
80 calories per serving

Cole slaw

German Slaw

By Mark Fitzgerald

We arrived at Mr. foster’s about 10 a.m., and camped by a creek near the Foster home…and then engaged in dinner at the house at a rate of fifty cents per meal. Our dinner consisted of hot biscuits, cold slaw, fresh beefsteak, and boiled potatoes, served with hot coffee or tea. this meal tasted very good and sweet to us after our long trip of five months across the continent

Most pioneers had the misfortune of only having pigweed to eat for salad greens.  Bitter to some, savory to others it was fresh to all.  Cabbage, when available, would have been heaven.

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage
• 2 medium onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions

Shred cabbage and add onions. In saucepan combine salt, sugar, oil, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a full rolling boil and pour over cabbage and onion. Stir well. Let stand 4-6 hours before serving.

Information

Makes 10 servings
165 calories per serving

Boiled potatoes

Boiled Potatoes

By Mark Fitzgerald

Better[.] walked on a Head[,] rode a few milles in Brother Oakelys waggon[.] met Brother Parley Pratt and many other Brethen going on missions[.] they gave away Biscuits[,] Potatoes[,] cheese[,] fish &c[.] Hannah got a Potatoe and had it ready Boiled by the time I came up to the camp[.] I thought it was the nicest I ever Eat, walked to camp in the afternoon

There are so many good ways to eat potatoes.  A simple and traditional way is to just boil them.  Creamy and smooth to balance out your dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2.5 lbs potatoes

Directions

Add cold water and salt to a stock pot. Peel potatoes and cut to bite sized pieces. Add to the pot and turn heat to high. Boil for 25 minutes or until tender.

Information

Makes 10 servings
110 calories per serving

Hot chocolate

Hot Chocolate

by Mark Fitzgerald

"I went to Gibson's store; got a pound of chocolate and he charged 37 1-2 cents for it; he had agreed in Winter Quarters to let me have it at 20 cents. Apology Lowers No Prices"

Hot chocolate has often been a comfort food to me.  Not only does the chocolate and sugar give you a boost, the warmth fills your insides.  Surprising to some both hot chocolate and coffee were common staples on the Mormon western migration.  I imagine most mornings on the plains were a bit brisk and something warm would help you get started.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 Cups Powdered Milk
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup a mix of white and dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 10 cups water

Directions

Using a food processor mix all all ingredients until you have a fine powder. Heat water to a boil. In a large container stir to combine.

Information

Serves 11, 1 cup servings
205 Calories per servings

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

by Mark Fitzgerald

Ingredients

"I can remember crocks of jams, jellies, pickles, sauerkraut all stored for use. The cabbages were turned upside down with the roots still on them."

• 1/2 head cabbage
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon juniper berries (other seasoning such as dill or celery seeds can replace this)

Directions

In large mixing bowl, mix cabbage thoroughly with salt, juniper berries, and caraway seeds. Let stand for 10 minutes and let the salt do its thing.

Place the cabbage mixture into a wide mouth quart down or other food safe crock. Top with a lid smaller than the opening of the container and place a glass jar filled with the quart of water on top of the lid. In other words weigh down the cabbage so that it is submerged in its own liquid.  The jar serves as a weight to keep the cabbage submerged and away from air.  Place in cool area overnight. 

Check cabbage every other day for approximately 2 weeks and skim the surface of scum, if necessary. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Whole Wheat Soda Bread

Whole Wheat Soda Bread

Whole Wheat Soda Bread

by Mark Fitzgerald

"As evening drew near and the wagons were drawn into a circle for the night, I used to go out with the other children and fill my apron with buffalo chips for the fire. Then mother would start out to prepare our evening meal and make soda bread, which was as yellow as gold and tasted as bitter as gall. Never in her life before had mother baked bread, as in England a person took their bread to the baker and he baked it for one cent. It was no wonder that our soda bread was so bitter although I think now that is what kept us so well on the trip was the soda in the bread."

I too remember soda bread from youth as being bitter.  Soda bread does not have to be bitter.  It doesn't have the yeasty flavor nor does it have the rise of yeast bread.  But if cooked right it isn't dense or dry.  The pioneers crossing the plains wouldn't have used baking soda. They would have more likely used saleratus, potassium bicarbonate.  Warm soda bread with some honey butter or fresh jelly is a wonderful addition to any meal.

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tablespoons powdered milk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Mix all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl.  Wisk in softened butter into the dry ingredient with a fork.  Add the water and lemon juice with a fork just until the dough begins to come together.

Pour out the dough out onto a flour-coated work surface and knead about 10 turns.  Shape the dough into a round about 6 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height.  Grease baking sheet and place the round in the center.  Spread it with some cooking oil and score the round lightly.

Bake until loaf is 180 degrees about 40 minutes.

Rice

Baked Rice fresh from the oven

Baked Rice

By Mark Fitzgerald

"They knew I was no cook, but left the job for me. I built a fire after gathering buffalo chips, and getting it started, the wind playing with it as it pleased. I put the dutch oven on to heat, with the cover by the side of it. I made a pie of dried apples. Putting it into the oven, the lid still heating, I turned toward the wagon, several yards awat [away] from the fire for safety. A nice cow sneaked up and helped herself to the pie when a young girl called me to come look to my rice. I had a hard time cooking the biscuits as I was jumping in and out of the wagon, climbing over the provision box, watching my baby girl, getting what the doctor wanted, as it was his misfortune never to find anything he was looking for. The fire had its own way of burning and I thought, O Zion, will we ever reach thee?"

We normally make rice on the stove top.  It just seems easier.  We rinse it first so it doesn't foam over.  We will switch to the oven when we want to do larger batches or we are doing a lot of other things on the stove.  The texture is different when we use the oven.  The grains do not seem as sticky.  If you use a Dutch Oven for this recipe you can cook it stove top on a grill or with coals and use it as an oven.

Ingredients

• 3 cups rice
• 5 cups boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring water to a boil and add rice and salt. Bake for 25 minutes.

Information

Makes 10 servings
75 calories per serving

Hearty Pinto Beans

Hearty Pinto Beans

By Mark Fitzgerald

"I was cook. One day I planned to cook beans. I thought that beans were cooked just like potatoes and before I got through, I had to borrow everything in camp to put beans in and still we had a surplus of beans."

I was never a fan of beans until I spent 2 years living in Colombia.  After having beans every day you discover that they can be a base for any flavor and do not have to be bland.  They can also feed a lot of people.  Being that these are a base, you can easily add seasonings such as oregano, cumin or chili.  You could also swap out the ham with bacon or salt pork.  Add in brown sugar and you have Boston Baked beans.

If you have a ham bone consider adding it when you start to simmer your beans.  For a little more flavor you could use chicken or ham stock instead of the water.  This recipe can be cooked in a Dutch Oven or in slow cooker.  If you are doing a large group, consider using a canner.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs Pinto Beans
• 1/2 pound ham
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 a medium onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Rinse beans and place them in large pot.   Cover them with water and letting stand overnight.  Drain, then place in pot with 1/4 pound of ham, covering with fresh water (or stock) and bring to a simmer.  Add ham bone if you have one.  Keep on a  low simmer for 3 hours. At start of 4th hour add molasses, onion, and seasonings. Stir and let simmer an additional hour, then serve. Add additional water if needed.

Information

Makes 10 1 cup servings
200 calories per serving